The Ladakh Wanderlust

The beauty of Ladakh needs no poet to praise what meets the eye! Read more for a detailed guide, what-to-expect and my travel saga.

A month ago, we made it to the most beautiful place on the planet. The trip was one of the most awaited times in our lives. Ashwini, my husband and I wanted to explore this adventure on a bike for as long as we had started seeing each other! This trip was far more exciting for me for several reasons which I shall unfold gradually.

Julley! I am no writer. But the beauty of Ladakh needs no poet to praise what meets the eye!

It all began with a phone call from Jalgaon. Pankaj Mamaji was on the line. He floated an idea of planning a trip to Ladakh. We could not have asked for more. We didn’t take any time to say yes. There were no if’s and but’s. We were thrilled to be a part of the group that would go together to Ladakh! We later declared him the captain of the trip!

I began researching for the trip. I meticulously prepared checklists and listed do’s and don’t’s and packed my bags accordingly. We were all set to start the adventurous journey to the Himalayas. But there has to be an anti-climax scene in Hindi movie style. My husband had taken his MD exams a month ago and was eagerly awaiting his results only to find that the bureaucrats in the university withheld his result. They suspected that he had cheated in the examination. Yes, doctors can also be asked to prove their credentials! We were like WTF! We don't have to ruin our vacation to clarify to some nerdy invigilators in the university! “Do we?” I asked. “Yes”, my husband replied! Just a day before we were to leave for Ladakh, the University declared his result. Pass !!!

More suspense followed. It was me now. I came to know that my office won’t let me take a long leave of absence- more so because I had recently joined in the institute. Having no option left, I had to cook an idea of taking a short-term course in Delhi. I tried my luck, and there I was happily reading an office order approving my leave!

We heaved a sigh of relief. My husband got his MD, and I got my well-earned leave. Is that it?? No! there was one more hurdle to cross. Four days before we were to take a train to Delhi from Sevagram, we got to know that the railway track near Bhopal was tampered. Most trains plying on that route were either diverted or cancelled. We had no clue how long would the Railway take to fix it. We wondered if we could get a cheap air ticket to fly to Delhi. Luck was smiling on us. We surfed the net, explored few options and were able to book air tickets.

The thrill just grew bigger when a day before we were to leave for Delhi, we came to know that the bike (Thunderbird) which our captain had booked to Ambala, didn’t drop at the station and was on its way back home!! We would not let this happen as he had purchased the bike solely to ride on the Ladakh terrains!

Owing to their beauty-beast combination, we had opted for Royal Enfield Thunderbird and Classic with a 500cc engine and larger tanks for our expedition. These were going to be our family for 12 days. Counting the blessings, we decided to grab our lives on these bullets and steer it to make the most of it.

Day 1 (Delhi)

The day arrived when my husband and I were all set to sail for our dream vacation. We left our 2-year-old daughter home with her grandparents in Sevagram. It was tougher than I had thought it would be. She cried and cried until the last minute when finally with a heavy heart we had to leave her in the arms of her grandma and just get into the taxi. My heart was filled with guilt and sadness. It was one of those moments (which every parent would probably agree) when you strongly want to shed your dreams and prefer to stay with your child. I asked my husband for a promise that we would surely return for her.

In Delhi, we parted our way. My husband accompanied the captain to Ambala to hunt for the missing bike! The captain’s wife, his friend’s family and I took an evening bus to Manali. With a mix of uncertainty and excitement, we boarded in the bus for Manali. The warm farewell and the tight hug that I received from my sis-in-law made me doubt if we were never going to return :P

Day 2 (Manali)

My eyes opened to the beam of sunlight filtering through my window. The beauty of the snow-capped mountain beneath the scenic pine trees took my breath away. Our bus was slowly making its way through the beautiful roads with streams flowing onto its sides. Amidst the picturesque views around, I wished my husband was around to hold my hands. My heart began popping out the song in an utmost filmy way, “Beheti hawa sa tha woh..yaar hamara tha who.. ! (wasn’t very appropriate though! But I had already fallen in love with the beauty around and that makes it a little okay! Isn’t it?) :P

With breathtaking beauty following us everywhere, we reached Manali. Our tour operator welcomed us and dropped us to our hotel. The hotel was beautifully located in the labyrinth of old Manali! Late in the afternoon, my husband and the captain, enveloped in a thick make-up of black smoke, also joined us. The Thunderbird had finally arrived! We were thrilled with joy as we could now take our dream ride from Manali to Ladakh on our bikes! The not-so-good-instincts so far seemed to have given up to the determination of the seven-member team! And there we stood, welcoming positivity with every single breath we took in the lap of the Himalayas!

Day 3 (Manali)

I felt like a bird on the top trying to touch the sky!

We spent the next day leisurely at Manali. To get accustomed to high altitudes, we went to Solang Valley located 14 km from old Manali. Paragliding had fascinated me since my childhood. I had often dreamed of spreading my wings and flying across the sky. As the paraglider was launched into the air, I fulfilled my dream- the thrilling experience of high-altitude Paragliding. I felt like a bird on the top trying to touch the sky! It was a splendid flying expedition. None of the adventures I had done in my life could match this experience! My husband and others later repented on doing the lower height version. The Gondola ride aka ropeway was totally useless!

We strolled down the lanes of Manali market in the evening. We equipped ourselves with the thick woolens that we would be requiring for the expedition, and retired on the bed to watch our daughter’s video (who had by now refused to talk to us)!

Day 4 (Manali to Jispa)

Clad in the shields of woolens, wearing a cool pair of boots, covered with a not-so-trendy looking balaclava underneath a classic helmet, we looked like some Star-War characters, set out to meet their dreams!

We mounted on our glorious beasts - Thunderbird and Classic and saw the Ladakhi good luck charm strings vibrating as we whipped through the wind! We drove down the market to the tall pines and deep valleys until the green faded away to the mountain and finally to the snow laden pass. We had reached Rohtang – a place that has witnessed thousands of honeymooners commemorating their marriages for years.

After throwing those little snow balls on each other in the most childish way, we had a crazy tyre ride where I had a real difficult time in keeping my bums remain seated. My irresistible laughter was not helping it either! I deeply wish I had a video of this! With that hearty ride, we sealed the memories of Rohtang and took off on the dangerous roads to Jispa, our first stop.

The road to Jispa is like no road at all. Even the steepest mountain slope would look smoother than the road. We took almost two hours to finish the 20-Km journey. Self-explanatory! Isn’t it? We were terribly tired. Our excitement had vanished. We stopped at Koksar to have lunch. There are many dhabas to be found on the way to Leh. The best or the worst part about them is that they all serve Rajmas!

Note: On the expedition in The North, the overwhelming supply of Rajma/Dal Makhani can turn a rajma lover into a Rajma aversionist!

Soon after leaving Koksar, our tired eyes finally got some respite. We saw the first beautiful landscape of our tour where a narrow fall was flowing down a beautiful brown mountain and a herd of sheep was crossing the way in a typical Kashmir fashion! The scene had a magical charm on us. We stopped to embrace nature.

No sooner did we got on the bike and started making our way through the sheep, than our bike just stopped. Honestly, I had often imagined that the journey to Leh wouldn't be that exciting if not filled with some unexpected surprises. Little did I realize then was how much of pain a bike breakdown could be when you stand clueless in the middle of nowhere and with not even the remotest means to connect to the fellow bike that had already gone far off with the spare parts you just might need! Damn it- said my head!

Note: People riding on this way are extremely helpful. Almost everyone who passes by would stop having seen you struggling with something.

And we were no exceptions. A group of four bikers came forward to help us start our bike. Thankfully, the bike started. But as soon as they left, our bike stopped again! We were already stuck there for almost two hours now. I somehow managed to get some signal on my phone. I called the captain asking him not to go any further. Meanwhile, a big group of bikers from Pune checked our bike and found out that the oil was leaking on the spark plug. They suggested that the bike engine needed to be opened and repaired. They advised us to go back to Manali to get another bike! WTF!!! We hated the very thought of going back. We left our bike there and got into the Innova that was traveling with us.

Note: It is highly advisable to take a bigger vehicle along for circumstances like this.

We rode 140 km from Manali to reach Jispa. It is a beautiful place.The last rays of sun falling on the mountain peaks that glowed in the golden made up for the disappointing day. We called our tour operator and asked him to pick up and replace the bike. To our surprise, a new bike arrived for us long before we were scheduled to leave the place the next morning.

Day 5 (Jispa to Sarchu)

The previous lunch probably had badly taken a toll on my stomach and I was suffering from severe diarrhea and vomiting. The team had to keep waiting for me until I felt well enough to travel. After a ride of two hours, we reached a very beautiful lake called Deepak tal.

It was a small pristine lake with turquoise to blue water. It was the most beautiful thing I had seen in my life. It definitely made me feel better! We called it our Tso Moriri! (as we were not covering Tso Moriri in this trip)

After I endured another vomiting episode at Baralacha La, I sprang back upon the excitement that I had lost since morning! Next we took a halt at Bharatpur for lunch. The dhabas there were one of a kind. They had mattresses and quilts instead of mundane table-chairs. They serve you with anything from maggie, tea, egg, to rice and rajma! After the food, you can just lie down or take a nap pulling a quilt or two over yourself. After a good break, we rode through few fertile villages filled with greenery to rocky mountain terrains to beautiful soil formations until we reached Sarchu which was 84 km from Jispa.

Sarchu, due to its location at a higher altitude, is generally left out by travelers. But I would strongly recommend staying at this place. It’s beautiful; it’s pure; it’s untouched. The place seems to be sandwiched between a plateau mountain and brown rocky mountains. I rubbed my eyes in disbelief. The beauty of this place is beyond words. We opted for a stroll on to the other side of the highway ensuring not to overexert ourselves at this place. It was beautiful. Soon it started getting cold. AMS struck few of our our companions. We preferred adding garlic to our dinner as our driver advised that it helped. We were staying here in cozy tents that were well equipped with extra blankets and of course attached toilets!

The night at Sarchu was splendid. Surrounded by the dimly lighted tents, we sat there gazing at the stars in that clear sky. My husband made me brave the bone-chilling wind that was blowing outside and took out his camera and tripod to master his talent and capture the star trail. The night started getting colder. In spite of the number of layers of woolens, we could barely manage to sit there for more. I have never felt so close to the nature. It was definitely the most beautiful night I have ever seen.

Day 6 (Sarchu to Leh)

We started early in the morning as this was going to be a long ride of 280 km to Leh. The ride from Sarchu to Leh was spectacular. The plateau of Sarchu soon faded away, and the vastness of mountains kept getting bigger. We passed through some extremely picturesque ride of Gata loops - a terrain of 21 hairpin loops that bends up in a mountain covering around 10 km of stretch!!! It was literally breath-taking! None of the words can actually describe the beauty that I was experiencing in person!

As we were navigating through the loops, counting the bends each time we nailed one, we came across a spot that was an eyesore in the middle of the pristine landscape. A huge pile of filled water bottle lied on the side of a shrine. Our driver pulled up to keep a bottle of water at the memorial and told us the spooky story of a truck helper who was believed to have died out of thirst on the very spot few years ago. Apparently the offerings were made to appease the ghost that haunts the lonely loops. Beyond comprehension but horrifying! We had reached NakeeLa Pass where the Gata Loops has ended!

As we descended from Lachung La, we came across a Nalla whose bridge was getting repaired. However few enthusiasts who didn't want to wait tried crossing the stream down the bridge. And not to my surprise they got their vehicle stuck in the stream. They tried everything-pushes, tow-rope - but the vehicle only roared, and nothing worked for them. We got down from our bikes to witness many doing the most dreaded thing on Manali-Leh highway! However after spending a good hour with nature and her ferociousness, we finally got off that bridge and made our way to Pang. God only knows about the stuck vehicle.

Most of the places like Pang on the highway are only built up to facilitate the travelers with food and rest. These places come to life only in summer and are covered with ice for the remaining part of the year. Incredible, isn't it?

We lunched at Pang. After a ride of just a few kilometers, we came across Morey Plains- a breathtaking picturesque plateau bordered by low hills. This was quite a welcome break from riding up and down the hills, maneuvering sharp curves and wading through the tricky streams. We drove like the devil on the wheels until we reached Tanglang La- the second highest motorable pass in the world. The way from TanglangLa to Leh is beautiful with unusual colors of mountain slopes. The descent from the pass was smooth and steady with the topography changing within minutes. In the midst of that serene landscape, we realized if there is a paradise, it has to be only and only in Ladakh!

We stopped at Rumtse to have coffee. Even the nature calls attended there will make you feel special! (Try it and you would understand what I mean to say ;) The landscape soon changed from mountains to greenery making way to another village- Upshi. As our long awaited destination was coming closer, we decided not to waste any time. We manage to get the mobile network after three days, and spoke to our family - conveyed our wellbeing and took off until we reached Leh after 12 long hours of bike ride!

Leh, honestly speaking, was not even close to my expectation. It was just like any other poorly developed town with poor traffic control and outgrown market. Owing to the long tiring day, we decided to take a rest before getting more cynical about the place.

Day 7 (Leh)

We enjoyed a well-earned sleep of almost 12 hours. With no deadlines of leaving early in the morning, we decided to explore the city. We started off with the confluence of Indus and Zanskar river with a strong craving for river rafting. Next came the Magnetic Hill- a place that was rightly mystified. Our vehicle started moving up the hill in its neutral gear with its engine off! We did it twice to confirm if we were not tricked. Next came Gurudwara Patthar Sahib where I attended my first langar. After visiting the Leh Palace, which was totally in ruin, we went to see the Thiksey Monastery.

The monastery had many temples, mostly large ones with different Gods and we saw extreme picturgenic monks praying in them. After taking the blessings of a real big and unusual statue of Lord Buddha, we decided to sign off for the day.

Day 8 (Leh to Nubra)

We started at 7:30 am on our way to Nubra Valley. Even the faintest sign of clouds on such a day can make any person think twice, and we were thrilled having seen some. Keeping our fingers crossed, we started off to ride on the most difficult terrain of our life. We came across many cyclists navigating at this elevation with all their might. Giving each one of them a big thumbs-up as they crossed us, I tried lifting their morale, little worrying about mine own! The roads from South Pullu to North Pullu were bone-jarring. Riding on the scariest roads ever, I prayed to God for our life as we crossed those deadliest turns! With my heart in my mouth, we reached KhardungLa Pass.

The disappointment soon faded away.

The sense of pride on being on the highest motorable pass in the world began sinking in.

We clicked a few pictures near the board from HIMANK certifying the proud moment for us. Looking at the neighboring peaks that were inarguably at a lower altitude, it looked as if we were on the top of the world! We felt as if we always belonged to these tall mountains. Even the clouds, unable to climb any higher, looked gently resting on the mountain slopes below us. It was a sight to behold for ever and ever.

We began to descend, and soon were stuck due to a freshly occurred avalanche! A truck was caught between the avalanche. The traffic on both the sides began piling up. Soon the people came together to clear the snow off that truck and helped it move to the other side. More of such heavy vehicles were called to move on the avalanche to level the road for lighter vehicles. And all this took less than 30 minutes to accomplish the goal ! Incredible again!

The roads started getting worse and worse. We were riding on the middle of the deadly road on one side and deep valleys with fallen trucks that looked like sunken toys on the other. Riding pillion on such hell like roads, I was shit scared by now. I began reciting all prayers, started recalling all the Gods ever known and prayed for our safety. The vehicles on the road were simply crawling. We preferred staying on the wrong side and risked getting hit by a vehicle rather than riding on the right side and never coming up from those deep valleys! To keep my spirit high, my husband coaxed me into playing Antakshari. When we ran out of filmy songs, we started framing our own lyrics. Suddenly, those scary roads of Khardungla turned romantic!

Soon the valleys faded into the vast, lonely desert. Occasionally the landscape would change in green with a river accompanying us in a journey that looked endless. With more of ups and downs on the mountains, we finally reached our destination, Hunder.

The breathtaking scene melted away the fatigue. Our eyes widened in disbelief! Our camp was right on the bank of a stream passing by with a desert on the other side. To add more to this picture-perfect scene lied a beautiful brown mountain embellished with double humped camels at its foot - perfectly representing the majestic hues of Nubra valley. The place looked totally unbelievable when the sunrays danced to the tune of light and shade on those magical white sand dunes.

Day 9 (Nubra to Leh)

Already dreading the journey on that scary road, we started off early that day. To our surprise, the roads did not appear as bad. Was it the beauty of Nubra that had cast a spell on us or the lyrics that had made the road flower or the lack of traffic on the road that we had to maneuver! The journey was a lot pleasant than the previous day. Today, we seemed to be in a much better position to appreciate the beauty of nature.

Day 10 (Leh to Pangong)

We had endured and completed more than 1000 km on the motor bike. My husband got tired and decided to take the SUV down to Pangong. We started off early and crossed ChangLa - the third highest motorable pass in the world. Now having gotten accustomed to crossing high passes, this did not look as spectacular as it indeed is.

After we descended, we came across Shakti - a beautiful, green, fertile and a planned village. I would surely be visiting it on our next trip.

The snow clad mountains unfolded to mystically carved mountains with jaw-dropping scenery around.

The river flowing along the roadside with the horses grazing on the silky grasses made us wonder if it was a painting. And finally our eyes fell upon the most enchanted lake behind the trail of mountains.

Celebrating our fourth anniversary on that pristine lake under the surreal sky and jaw-dropping scenery, we seemed to be living a dream! This has to be the most spectacular creations of nature. Even the beautiful migrating birds were posing for my husband. The virgin water of this lake had a mesmerizing effect of changing colors from the shades of blue to green and purple. After having few romantic anniversary special shots, we got back to our tents. Under that cold night, we sat beside a campfire looking at the flames dancing to the tune of the wind. This had to be one of the best moments of my life. I truly couldn't have asked for more!

Day 11 (Pangong to Leh)

The return journey was as beautiful. We stopped at Hemis Monastery and also visited the wonderful Druk White Lotus School. After snacking at Rancho’s Cafe and clicking the pictures of the Idiotic Wall (from 3 Idiots movie), we left for our hotel.

Day 12 (Leh)

The other members of the trip had left. We had a good relaxing day with lot of shopping and goofing around the place. The market, although very good for shopping maniacs like me, had shops lined up in an utmost crowded way. One can find some authentic fine paintings, great artwork, lovely pashminas, beautiful jewelleries, awesome brass stuff and cool embroidered t-shirts saying “My brother went to Ladakh and all I got was this bloody tshirt :p” in all versions. The market is definitely worth exploring.

Day 13 (Leh to Delhi)

It felt strange leaving the heavenly place, the tall mountains, the mesmerizing lakes, the lonely deserts and the rustic roads - which had framed the backdrop of our life for so many days. These were the best days of our lives. With a heavy heart we boarded the flight promising that we would again return. The thirst for this place has only become larger with the trip.

Dil Maange More!

Will see you again Ladakh!

Julley!