We did an amazing trip of Greater Himalayas crossing 7 Worlds highest motorable road and did some crazy adventures, all thanks to Ladakh tour organised by Renok Adventures – the great adventure company. We all reached Manali on 16th July morning the date to begin the Jeep Expedition. We had a breakfast n got fresh in hotel. We loaded our luggage in our jeep Qualis, our driver Mr. Tule Ram is an awesome driver this was my second trip and I can trust him with my life on curvaceous and tricky mountain roads.
In the first part I will be covering our adventurous journey from Manali to Leh and in Second part our excursion to Pangong Lake and Nubra Valley
We started around 11 and our first big stop was Marhi where we did first adventures activities Paragliding.
Paragliding in Manali
Marhi is a small stopover on the way to Rohtang Pass (14000 Ft), We negotiated a deal for 7 of us to do Paragliding. Yugantar had a small misadventure, his take off was not proper so he slid with the parachute for some distance. He had small bruises on hand and leg.
After doing paragliding we set cross Rohtang Pass our first high altitude pass. There was 8 to 11 ft of snow on both side of the road. Rishin was fully charged up at this point of time he didn’t know what is coming in next few days.
Rishin All Charged Up
Push Up 1 2 3
After fun n masti at Rohtang top we started again and stopped at Khoksar for Lunch. We had awesome Rajma, Dal, Mutton and Rice. Kokhsar is the first village on this route in Lahaul and Spiti region of Himachal Pradesh. Here one need to stop to get police work done. Our plan was to stay at Sarchu but we got late so we will be staying in Keylong today. Our driver paid the homage to Raja Ghaipan at Sissu and we filled diesel in Tandi which is the last Petrol Pump on this route and sign clearly says next petrol pump 365 KM ahead.
We stayed in a hotel with nice view had sumptuous dinner and slept. Morning the view was amazing.
Morning Glory
Morning we started early around 6 AM after a good tea and stopped at Darcha for breakfast. Today was the toughest day of the entire journey, four of the world’s highest passes, 350 KMs and road conditions (You can say No Roads) were bad.
First pass came Baralacha La at the height of 4980 metres. The steep ascent to Baralacha La start at the place called ZingZingBar, One who loves to drink barely misses it and there is a bar by the same name in Manali. This pass connects the Lahaul district of Himachal Pradesh to that of Ladakh. The Bhaga river, a tributary of the Chandrabhaga or Chenab river, originates from Surya taal lake, which is situated a few of kilometers from the pass towards Manali. The other major tributary of the Chandrabhaga, the Chandra also originates from glacier in this region. Both the rivers originates from the two sides of the pass and meet to become Chandrabhaga River and the same river becomes Chenab entering Pakistan.
Ladakh a barren, virtually rainless area is the most remote region of India. The defiance of its barren landscape, unique flora and fauna, birds, culture, clear blue skies and clean air has much more to offer than just a good holiday. Ladakh is also known as “The Moonland” and romantically as “the last Shangri La” where as Ladakh in Tibetan language means “The Land of Passes”.
Maitreyin Budha
Ladakh is surrounded by world’s biggest mountain ranges, the Himalayan range and the Karakoram. These lay crossways two others Zanskar and Ladakh range. The main watercourse of Ladakh is Indus which penetrates India from Tibet at Demchok. The highest altitude you will find here is 7637 m. At this height, the air is thin and the heat of the sun is intensely felt. That is why it is said Ladakh is the only place on earth where you can get sunburn as well as frostbite at the same time.
Ladakh has a distinct alpine, floral and faunal variety. Several flowering plants, a dozen important mammals and over a hundred species of birds are found here in this rugged terrain. You are likely to spot marmots, mouse hares, stone martens, red foxes, wolves, ibex, bharal, chiru (Tibetan antelope famous for Shahtoosh), goa (Tibetan gazelle), lynx, pallas cat, kyamg and shapu.
The avid bird watcher can spend fruitful hours by observing Bactrian magpies, grey tits, chough, raven, sparrow, kite, kestrel, Turkoman rock pigeon, chukor, finches, buntings, larks, desert wheat eaters, a many more varieties of birds. Black necked crane, bar-headed geese, ducks and several other water birds breed near the lakes in thousands. The highest realm belongs to the birds of prey and carrion eaters. These include choughs, griffon vultures, ravens and lammergeiers (bearded vultures).
During the safari we cross through two famous high altitude passes i.e. Baralacha and Tag Lang La, which is also the second highest motorable road in the world. Crossing through various tiny villages and monasteries we stop at a few and explore. We visit the famous Tsokar lake which is also known as the “White Lake” because of the salt deposited around it. The local nomads collect this salt and sell it in Ladakh and Kashmir.
What’s Included :-
Accommodation in Ladakhi Family guest houses and tented or camping during stay in Nubra or PangongTso.
Meals during the Safari (Only Veg).
Permits.
First aid medical kits .
Qualified and experienced trek leader, Guide and support staff during trekking
Transport
Day 1 Manali to Sarchu
Rohtang Pass
Today we start our journey to Leh stopping at Sarchu for a night. We cross Rohtang Pass (3978 m), Keylong (3350 m), Baralacha Pass (4890m) with overnight stopover at Sarchu (4253 m), border of the states of Himachal Pradesh (Lahaul) and Jammu & Kashmir (Ladakh). Photography workshop “Stop Shooting Auto” on basics of photography and how to do photography in high altitude areas. Upon arrival in Sarchu we will set up our camp for overnight stay.
Days 2 Sarchu to Leh
Car in a Situation
Leave for Leh by early morning, through Nakeela and Lachangla Pass 16,617 ft. Lunch at Pang. After Lunch drive to Leh passing through Skyangchu Thang (Biggest and Highest Plateau on Earth on Stretch of 42 Kms), Tanglang La Pass 17,585ft and Indus Valley. Upon arrival in leh you will be greeted by our CEOs (chief Experience Officers) meet our representative and check in at our Hotel.
Day 3 Leh to Pangong Lake
Majestic view of Pangong Lake
After an early breakfast we leave for Pangong Lake through Changla pass 5486 Mtrs. Pangong Lake, situated at 14,000 feet (4,267 m). A long narrow basin of inland drainage, hardly six to seven kilometer at its widest point and over 130km long, it is bisected by the international border between India and China. Enjoy the landscape in the back drop of the Lake. Evening at leisure and overnight stay on the shore of Lake.
Day 4 Pangong Lake to Leh
Morning at leisure to explore the beauty of lake and later we drive back to leh enroute visiting Hemis Gompa, the largest monastic foundation of Drukpa Kagyu Order of Tibetan Buddhism, Thiksey an impressive complex rising tier upon tier on a hill above the village, Shey Palace, The ancient capital of Ladakh & Stok Palace Museum. Drive further to Leh and check in at our hotel for Overnight.
Days 5 Drive to Nubra Valley
Khardung La and Nubra valley
After an early breakfast we drive to Nubra Valley leads through Khardungla- Pass (the highest motorable road in the world) at 18,390 ft, around 39kms from Leh. Nubra Valley is popularly known as Ldorma or the valley of flowers. It is situated to the North of Ladakh between the Karakoram and Ladakh ranges of the Himalayas. Arrive Sumur or Hunder by afternoon and rest of the day at leisure to explore beautiful village of Sumur & Hunder with a Visit to Diskit Monastery. Overnight stay at Camp.
Day 6 Nubra Valley – Leh
After your breakfast at the camp, visit the Sand Dunes to enjoy a camel safari. Later we drive to Leh over Khardung La. Afternoon rest and relax or take a walk to the local market. Overnight at hotel..
Day 7 Leh
Post breakfast we drive towards Kargil road and start our sightseeing with Hall of Fame near Leh is worth a visit for every citizen. It is a glorious museum constructed by Indian army, Kali Mata Temple, Gurudwara Patthar Sahib Nestled deep in the Himalayas, which was built by the Lamas of Leh in 1517 to commemorate the visit of Guru Nanak Dev. A drive of another 4 km took us to Magnetic Hill which defies the law of gravity. It has been noticed that when a vehicle is parked on neutral gear on this metallic road the vehicle slides up & further Driving through a picturesque landscape we reached the confluence of the Indus and Zanskar River 4 km before Nimmu village. And Visit to Basgo a certainly the most impressive of Ladakhi citadels despite its ruined state. After visiting above places we drive back to Hotel for Overnight Stay.
Day 8 Leh Depart Leh
Transfer to domestic airport to catch the flight for your onward destination, safari concludes.
With trouble brewing between some major airlines and travel portals over issues concerning ticket pricing and revenue sharing, Air India has called all major online agencies to discuss how to overcome such problems, airline sources said today.
The national carrier would be holding separate meetings with representatives of these portals over the next few days to sort out a variety of problems relating to sharing of revenue and pricing of tickets, they said.
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Late last month, aviation regulator DGCA had directed all airlines to stop participating in any ‘opaque fare’ scheme being offered by the online travel portals. ‘Opaque fares’ is a practice where a portal sells heavily discounted tickets but does not disclose the airline’s name until the payment is made by the customer.
Several airlines complained that through ‘opaque fares’, some portals were issuing low-priced tickets ofKingfisher Airlines under-cutting them, a charge denied by Vijay Mallya’s carrier.
Following this, no-frill airline IndiGo pulled out of the leading online travel portal MakeMyTrip (MMT) and Jet Airways drastically reduced its inventory on their site, alleging that MMT continued to offer “arbitrary andopaque fares” despite directives against such fares by the DGCA.
To mark its golden jubilee year, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police hopes to create a world record of sorts by sending a team of experienced mountaineers to ski down Mount Everest in the coming months. The ITBP Mountaineering and Skiing Expedition was flagged off by Delhi’s Lieutenant-Governor Tejendra Khanna here on Friday.
ITBP Director-General Ranjit Sinha showing world-class equipment to Delhi’s Lieutenant-Governor Tejendra Khanna at the flagging-off ceremony of the skiing expedition to Everest at ITBP headquarters in New Delhi on Friday. Expedition leader Commandant Prem Singh looks on. Photo: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar
World-class equipment and clothing has been procured by the ITBP for the expedition, including special helmet video mounted cameras to record the process of skiing down.
The ITBP was constituted in 1962 and began mountaineering in 1964. Its mountaineers have held records of scaling Mount Everest six times. Its skiers have skied down from peaks like Mt. Kamet (25,447 feet), Mt. Abigamin (24,130 ft) and Mt. Stoke Kangri (20,077 ft) in the past.
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