Ladakh- The first sight experience saga
There are some things which cannot be put in words. Love is one of them and then there is Ladakh- the land of scenic beauty, rustic charm and nature at its best. Ladakh is specifically known as an adventure place and the mother of all road journeys in India. As they say – Ladakh is truly about the journey, not the destination. It’s got the vibe – there is music there for sure, we just ain’t tapped into the right frequency. Leh is the capital of Ladakh, which is the largest town of Ladakh. And touches the border of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir. No other place can beat the rough trails and beautiful landscapes of Ladakh. It is blessed by high altitude ranges and substantial lakes. I have done Trekking at the chadar lake area. Camel safari and jeep safari. That was a very nice experience. The weather was very pleasant in May. It is the best time to explore here. At this time the temperature was so pleasant, the maximum temperature found 15 Degree Celcius. Although Ladakh is known as “Cold Dessert”.You get fabulous weather this month, even April to May it’s nice to come here. As Ladakhi Cuisine is very much different in their taste that is why I have carried a few edible things. Based on Tibetan recipes they cooked anything. So my story is about the brief of Ladakh at first sight.
Zanskar- A hidden gem
Zanskar valley, largely occupied by ridges, ravines and snowy watersheds, is to the south-west of Leh, bounded by the Zanskar river to the west. Draining the region, the river flows northwards to merge with the Indus near Nimu, a few kilometres west of Leh. To the west and south is the main Himalayan range, which lead to Kishtwar over the high passes of Hagshu, , Umasi, Muni and Poat Las. Towards south is Shingo La, a popular pass with trekkers, leading to Lahaul. In west Zanskar is Padum, and the road running north-west, the only road in Zanskar at present, leads to Kargil.
Like a true Buddhist region, Zanskar contains some beautiful monasteries such as Sani, Karsha, Zumkul and Puktal. Constructed in a massive cave about 100 m above the Tsarap Lingti river, the Phuktal is perhaps the most dramatic gompa as it spills out in a cascade of whitewashed cells that adorn the entire mountainside. According to a legend, this site was chosen because of its forested slopes, a rarity in this barren landscape. Today, the only trace left of the forest is a lone tree, which is said to house the spirit of the first Buddhist guru in Zanskar. It is believed that almost 500 years ago, a saintly lama passed by this cave and urged the three ascetics, who had taken shelter here, to build a great monastery. When the ascetics expressed their doubts, as the cave was too small, the lama performed a miracle and made it grow to its present gigantic size. Phuktal lies on the popular trekking route that begins from Shingo La, courses along the Zanskar river, over a few passes, to Lamayuru monastery at the extreme west of Zanskar.
The pride of Zanskar is the Nun Kun massif to the west, which stands on the great Himalayan axis that runs from Kamet to Nun-Kun, stretching beyond to the Deosai plains running north-north-west, The three major peaks in this group are Nun (7135 m), Kun (7087 m) and Pinnacle (6952 m). A high snow plateau between Nun and Kun narrows to an icefall, forming the eastern branch of the Parkachik glacier.