Leh'dback in Ladakh. Our Adventure in the Norther Frontier

September 2021. Season April - October

Brief Itinerary

We are now required by the government to acclimatize for 48 hours and therefore have tweaked our itinerary a bit to ensure we are at the same elevation for the first two days.

Day 1: Arrival in Leh. Rest to acclimatize. Visit Leh market and Shanti Stupa in the evening.

Day 2: Hike to Hemis Shukpachen – Temisgam. 1 day, approx 11 kms, 4 hours

Day 3: Travel back to Leh. Drive to Sangam (where the Indus river meets the Zanskar river) for White Water Rafting (2 hrs, 18 kms).

Day 4: Travel to Hunder Village in Nubra Valley via Khardung La Pass.

Day 5: Hunder to Turtuk, the last village near the LAC with Pakistan within sight. Back to Hunder.

Day 6: Travel to Pangong Lake. 4262 meters above sea level.

Day 7: Travel from Pangong to Leh.

Day 8: Transfer to the airport and fly back to Delhi.

Please note the itinerary can change due to weather conditions on the guidance of our professional instructors.

Package cost and contact information at the end of this article.

Our First Adventure in Ladakh

The adventure finally began on September 9th, after pushing the date three times due to scheduling issues. Booking great accommodations in Ladakh isn’t an easy task either, specially if you’re a last minute person. September may be a great time to visit weather-wise, but trying to hit key places within a timeframe of 8 days seemed challenging. For a minute, I did ask myself if organizing this trip was really worth the effort. After all, it was only the 6 of us.

Our jaws dropped within 45 minutes of our flight to Leh. At an extremely high altitude, amidst thick clouds shiny spires began to emerge. What seemed like pointy beacons lit up in the sky were actually mountain peaks, covered in snow reflecting the sunlight. While most of us may have seen mountains while flying, this, I assure you was a stunning visual. And we hadn’t even begun our descent.

The trip was broken down in two parts: Days 1-3 were for acclimatizing and sight seeing; Days 4-7 were packed with adventure activities.

Day 1: Touchdown Leh

We landed in the morning and checked in to our hotel. It was a humble comfy 3 star in close proximity to the Leh Bazaar. We were told to take it easy and not exert ourselves in any way for at least 48 hours. The day progressed fine, it was only towards the evening when altitude sickness (AT) hit us hard. We ventured out to visit the Shanti Stupa, and took a stroll in the old Leh Bazaar. BIG MISTAKE on Day 1. I won’t begin to describe everybody’s AT experiences as they all had different symptoms like headache, nausea, and irritation, but I would like to point out that the first 48 hours are critical and my suggestion to anybody traveling there is to take it real easy. Do nothing, enjoy your hotel. Trust me - being fit has nothing to do with it.

Laidbackers down with AT (altitude sickness), but taking it in their stride

Day 2: Hunder, Nubra Valley

After a hearty breakfast, we departed for Nubra Valley via Khardung La Pass. We left most of our luggage in Leh, and packed mostly for Pangong, as the roads were supposedly treacherous and carrying extra luggage on top of our SUV wasn’t a good idea. The approach to Khardung La was spectacular as there was snowfall and the panoramic views of Leh were absolutely breathtaking.

Enroute

We didn’t want to stop at the pass due to traffic and congestion, but here’s a pic 2 minutes after we cross the pass.

The terrain gradually began changing as we began our our descent. From snow covered peaks, to bare jagged rocks, to green valleys, and finally the famous sand dunes of Hunder.

Shey Monastry was on the way and the first of many for us.

Diskit Monastry - a must see! Panoramic views of the Nubra Valley make for an excellent photo op.

Honestly, it was all about the drive from Leh to Nubra via Khardung La. This was the first time we were witnessing such bizarre terrain. Mountain peaks stripped of any signs of vegetation due to the altitude but majestically blanketed in snow. Patches of green showing up in valleys in the middle of an otherwise barren landscape. Crystal clear streams pushing through jagged rocks converging into muddy rivers. We also stopped for an ATV ride just before our camp.

Finally we arrive at our luxurious camp in Nubra valley. A real oasis in the desert.

Day 3: Turtuk Village

Today was a special day. We decided to visit the border village of Turtuk in the lower Shyok valley. The Shyok river separates India from POK and the approach to the border village was quite enthralling. From the Indian side, the last habitable village is known as Thang. This village was seized from Pakistan after the ‘71 war. It’s around 2.5 kilometers from the LOC. Here we saw a bunch of tourists clicking pictures of the border river, and the villages on either side. There is a small cafe that offers maggi and momos, and while the atmosphere is very patriotic, the eyes of the inhabitants tell a different story.

We met Ayub, who is around 23 years of age. He has worked the fields of Thang for over a decade. He is certain that he has family on the other side of the border - uncles and aunts, cousins, distant relatives he has never met. Often he would climb up a hill and use binoculars to observe the activities of people on the other side, not very different from what he does. He said “the people of Thang are dreamers. They travel in their dreams everyday! But.. not very far - just across the river.”

After bidding us goodbye, the only request he made of us was to add hashtag Thang on Instagram so he could get to see his picture.

With Ayub.

Day 4: Pangong Tso

It took us around 6 hours but words cannot describe the stunning views we witnessed all along the way. Every scene outside was a perfect picture. And Pangong itself was a deep blue colour by the time we reached (roughly around 2:30-3 pm). Pangong gets extremely cold when the sun goes down and with electricity being available only for a few hours in the mornings and evenings (thanks to solar installations), staying the night isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.

We managed to find accommodation in the only running camp situated close to the lake in the Man region. To our surprise, the food and service was top notch, and the tented rooms were cozy and comfortable. A couple of guests again felt the effects of AT and had to be given oxygen, but in the end we all managed to get a few good hours of sleep.

We woke up early to catch the sunrise and witness the myriad colours of Pangong. It was literally a 5 minute walk from our camp, and as we approached the lake the colours would seem to change (of course due to the change in perspective). It was simply magical.

Day 5: Back to Leh to attend a Birthday!

After bidding adieu to the mighty Pangong, we made our way back to Leh to continue our adventure in Western Ladakh. One of our guests had her 40th birthday, so we decided to organize a little surprise for her. By the time we got to our hotel, it was early evening and the guests were exhausted. The AT coupled with a rough journey took a toll on the body and mind, but the night ahead kept the mojo going.

We arrived around 9 pm at a roof top joint that looked like it was hit by a storm from the outside. It was dim lit and one could hear faint music coming from somewhere. We made our way up the stairs and in to a dim lit roof top where we heard the chatter and laughter of college kids. Suddenly our coordinator (and a very good friend) popped up on stage, took the microphone and requested everyone to welcome us Laidbackers. It was all specially staged for us.

Chairs and a table were arranged in a semi circular pattern in front of the stage. The was a bonfire pit front and center and guest tables all around the semi circle. We were seated right in the center when the band showed up. To top it all, the entire stage was set against the backdrop of the Shanti Stupa. People pay good money for such locations. The band started with an old Bollywood classic and somewhere in between fused it with Ladakhi folk. After a couple of hours of their performance, a local EDM artist started playing some intense electronic music. The crowd jumped up and danced and the rest is history. Although we were abstaining from liquor (mostly due to the fear of getting AT again), we did indulge in a celebratory glass of champagne. It was a night to remember.

Day 6: Temisgam - the Snow Leopard trek

We packed our trekking bags and boarded our cab for Temisgam (aka Tingmosgang) post breakfast. This is a well known snow leopard trek with tourists visiting from all over the world in hopes of viewing one of the rarest and most majestic animals ever spotted. It took around 2 hours to get to the starting point. Our coordinator handed us our packed lunch and made his was to the pickup point by car. Of course we had a 3-4 hour trek ahead of us. It turned out to be challenging for the few who were uninitiated, but everyone was able to complete with a few pit stops along the way. We witnessed the full colours of Ladakh and on foot this time around. Sharing a few pictures of the group.

Although we didn’t get to see a snow leopard, we came pretty close :). These were relatively fresh pug marks.

A valiant attempt cut short as there was no safety harness.

After a thrilling 4 hours, we reached our beautiful hotel. Nestled amongst the barren peaks of Temisgam, this haven was build around an apricot, walnut, and apple orchard. We were all stunned by the beauty of the place. The structure of the hotel was aesthetically marvelous. It felt like it belonged there, amidst the apple, apricot, and walnut trees. Here’s a couple of pictures to give you a taste.

Day 7: Rafting in the Zanskar and hanging out in Leh Bazaar

After an extremely satisfying breakfast that included local Ladakhi bread, apricot jam and the fruits that the orchards provided (including raw green walnuts that tasted surprisingly good), we made our way to Sangam - the meeting point of the Zanskar with the Indus river. We had about a half hour drive to the beginning of our 2 hour rafting expedition. The water was freezing and there were a few grade 3 rapids which only added to the excitement. We thoroughly enjoyed this experience but we could’ve done the 1 hour tour instead of two. We all felt a little battered by the water. Nature 1, us 0.

We visited Leh Bazaar in the evening which had a good variety of restaurants and ethnic shops. Our best meal of the trip was at the hugely popular Tibetan Kitchen. There was always a wait to get a table as this place was frequented by celebrities and politicians. The momos were the highlight of the evening.

Next time around, we will be exploring Tso Moriri, Kargil, and Hanle.

Stay tuned for the Laidback Chadar Trek that is only possible in January and February when the Zanskar river freezes over. Yup, the same river we were rafting on.

A few pictures worth sharing:

Our camp in Pangong.

Temisgam Monastery on top of the hill.

Package Cost: INR 54,818/- (including taxes)

50% to be paid upfront to confirm the booking. 50% paid one day before traveling.

Flight tickets are to be purchased on your own.

For bookings and payment details contact:

Email: nakblaidback@gmail.com

Whatsapp: +91 8375090772

Instagram: @laidbackoutdoor

Facebook: @Laidbackindia