Ladakh Quest

Land in Srinagar and get picked up at the airport. Your journey to the highest reaches of North India begins. Cross the beautiful hill station of Sonmarg where you can make a quick breakfast stop. Moving ahead to Zoji La pass. The Zoji La sits mighty 3,528 metres above sea level. When captured by Pakistan in 1947, the Indian Army had deployed massive tanks to win it back. It was the first time that tanks were deployed at high mountain passes.

Further along is Drass, Dras is a small village and is known as the 'Gateway to Ladakh’. But it is more famous as the second coldest inhabited place in the world and the coldest inhabited place in India. The average winter temperature is around -22Cº. Just before Kargil and you encounter the Dras War Memorial that commemorates the martyrs of the Kargil War. The sandstone wall has all the names of the martyrs inscribed on it. Stop by the souvenir shop to pick up some memorabilia.

Made world famous mainly because of the India-Pakistan war in the 1990’s, Kargil's inhabitants have a lot of stories to share about how much the war has change things for Kargil. Ladakh's second largest town, does not disappoint as far as the beautiful scenery and warm and friendly locals are concerned, but you will still find an overall sense of awareness with the country's border being just around the corner. Check in at your hotel after a visit to the famous sandstone wall with names of all Indian army personnel who died in the Kargil war.

Begin your day with a leisure breakfast.

We head towards Leh city today. A few of kilometres ahead of Kargil and you will be greeted by gently fluttering prayer flags and smiling children, at the entrance to Lamayuru. Formations that resemble the moon surface start appearing as soon as you get close to Lamayuru village with its 11th century monastery. A short hike to the 'meditation hill' for some outstanding views of the surroundings and its rock formations.

Stop at Alchi to visit the monastery - one of the oldest monasteries in Ladakh (a national heritage) Alchi Monastery, mainly known for its magnificent and well-preserved 11th- or 12th-century wall paintings, all in an Indo-Himalayan style.

48 kilometres before Leh town would take you to the point where the rivers Indus and Zanskar meet. The muddy waters of the Zanskar merge with the turquoise blue water of the Indus to flow westwards. Just before the Sangam. After visiting the confluence we head to Leh with a pit stop at the Gurdwara Patthar Sahib. Legend has it that a demon who terrorised the area, pushed a boulder onto Guru Nanak who had come to help - leaving a hollow impression of a person on the stone and the Guru unscathed. Discovered in the 1970's while building a road, the boulder has now been placed in the gurdwara maintained by the Indian Army.

Last stop for the day is the magnetic hill, get up close and personal with the super-charged famed magnetic hill. Pay close attention as your car climbs up without any thrust on a seemingly uphill tarmac.

Today is a light day with some local sightseeing around Leh. Head over to Shanti Stupa. A symbol of peace and harmony, Shanti Stupa's white dome stands tall at 3,609 metres above sea level. The stupa offers some jaw dropping panoramic views of Leh town. A lovely green in summer, the leaves of the trees in this trans- Himalayan region turn amber-brown in the autumn and disappear by winter. Next we head to the 17th century Leh Palace. The Archaeological Survey of India is slowly restoring this 9 Storie palace and it is still a work in progress. Modelled on the Potala Palace in Lhasa Tibet, the Leh Palace offers unobstructed views of the Indus river, the Stok Kangri peak and the mighty Zanskar range beyond it. Stroll through the Leh market area in the evening. You can get everything from Pashmina shawls and winter wear to handcrafted prayer wheels and unique turquoise jewellery. We end this today with visit to the Hall of Fame. Constructed in memory of Indian soldiers who have lost their lives in the India-Pakistan wars, the memorial showcases information on the wars fought, the soldiers and their sacrifices, and displays the artillery used in the Kargil war.

After breakfast we begin the scenic drive to Nubra valley and the sand dunes of Hunger via Khardung La. One of the world's highest motorable passes, Khardung-La is one of Ladakh's most popular destinations. A couple of lovely photographs later on K-top, we start out descent to Nubra Valley. We do not suggest you stay up here for long and avoid AMS.

The drive will get relatively more comfortable after North Pullu with better roads as the valley opens up. Make your way towards the spectacular Diskit Monastery while crossing through the quaint Khardung village.

Check-in to your camp/hotel in Nubra village and relax for a bit. We will have to make our last visit of the day about 7 kilometres to the sand dunes of Hundar. Get to see and ride the fascinating two-humped Bactrian camels in the sand dunes. The impressive views of the grey dunes, the glacial river and the rugged snow-capped mountain peaks set Hunder in a league of its own here. Hundar, apart from housing the mandatory monastery is a charming little village with several shrines higher up.

Take a morning drive from Nubra to Turtuk alongside the Shyok river. The residents of this last village of India speak the interesting Balti language that uses old Tibetan sounds no longer used in modern Tibetan. Drive back to Nubra for the night.

After an easy morning, we head to Pangong Tso. You can chose to spend some more time at the sand dunes before getting on the road. The road to Pangong goes along the River Shyok, and connects to the Pangong basin via Shyok village. A quick stop at Agham village to see the prehistoric petroglyphs. Pangong Tso is best known for being a part of the last scene Bollywood's blockbuster "Three Idiots". This beautiful 604-km2 lake is partly in India and partly in China. The lake at 4305 metres above sea level, is a spectacle to witness as the water changes several shades of blue throughout the day. The crystal clear water will have you mesmerised. Head over to Spangmik village as the sun slowly goes down and the chill sets in. A warm dinner and a cosy bed at your camp awaits you.

Head to Leh today. Begin your with a leisure breakfast before the 15-kilometre drive to Ladakh’s summer capital, Shey. Located on a hillock, Shey Palace and the Shey Monastery, seem unaffected by time since 1655 from afar. Upon closer look, the effects of time are clearly visible with the palace partly in ruins. The monastery however, still maintained with the same vigour as it was before the Dogras invaded in 1842. With the second largest statute of Buddha in the Ladakh region, the monastery’s main attraction is this 12-metre tall statue of Shakyamuni Buddha that occupies three floors. A mere kilometre northeast is the now-famous Druk White Lotus School also known as the Rancho School. Renowned across India thanks to the Bollywood blockbuster 'Three Idiots'.

Drive on to Thiksey monastery, about 4 kilometres away. One of Leh’s largest monasteries, there is a separate residential building for nuns as well. With fascinating wall paintings throughout the 12-storey complex, stupas, thangka paintings, statues and numerous artefacts make for a very interesting visit. The scenic last leg of the day takes you through the valley’s rugged terrain of over 25 kms from Thiksey to Hemis. With stunning views of the mountains beyond with the contrast of green and purple against clear blue skies make for most of the scenery on the drive from Thiksey to Hemis.

Perched on a hill, nestled between mountains, Hemis is better known as India's Shangri- La. The Cham mask dance is performed is in June-July for 2 days at this monastery.

Head to the hotel to call it an early night.

Get ready to leave with a heavy heart as you board your flight back to the plains. Picturesque views and memories of your journey will keep fresh in your memory for the next few weeks.