"No matter how sophisticated you may be, a large granite mountain cannot be denied – it speaks in silence to the very core of your being."
— Ansel Adams
I have never written a blog all my life. But after visiting the most beautiful place on earth, I could not stop myself from writing one. Am writing this one to cherish the memories of the weeklong vacation I had in Ladakh.
The trip was planned not after much deliberation but after an impulse to explore someplace that feels adventurous yet calming (oxymoron!?!). Ladakh, it was.
'The Land of the High Passes', as the meaning suggests, this place is one where nature adorns herself in beauty that is indescribable. Mountains teach a lot. Looking at the endless range of lofty peaks painted with colours more than any colour palette could hold, we realize how infinitesimal we are. Being in the mountains, surrounded by mountains, brings a sense of calmness to the mind.
Well, I didn't know that all these were in store for me when I landed in Leh.
Ladakh is a high altitude desert that is shares borders with POK and China. We spent the first 48 hours in Leh acclimatizing to the altitude coupled with local sightseeing. Here is what we did on the first 2 days in Leh
Click here to read Day 2 🠞Salute to the Army!
After the first two days of local sightseeing, we headed off the Nubra Valley through one of the high altitude passes - Khardungla Pass. The Silk Route path can be traced in these mountains. The Gompas (Monasteries) in the valley are perched on top of small peaks making themselves visible from far, not to mention the beauty within each one, the subtle difference in the construction of each Gompa. Do read our experience in Nubra Valley below
Click here to read Day 4 🠞Panamik and Samstanling Monastery
After our stay in Nubra valley for two days, we headed off to the highest saline water lake in the world - Pangong Tso. What amazes is how the water changes colours. Situated at a high altitude, spending long hours here may be quite challenging. While many people do a day excursion, we decided to stay overnight and return to Leh through another high altitude pass called Changla pass. On the way we were lucky to enjoy the Hemis Tsechu (an annual event celebrating the birthday of Guru Padmasambava) and view the famous Thiksey Monastery. Of course, having come this far, we did not want to miss the Rancho school (!!) actually called 'Druk Padma Karpo School' shot in the movie '3 Idiots'. Details on the beauty of Pangong shared here.
Back in Leh, we visited the Leh Palace, Shey Palace, Shanti Stupa and the Leh market.
Ladakhi food was the food of choice for us during the entire stay - be it the Chutagi, Thukpa, Ting Mo, Thanthuk, Kambhir, every one of it was delicious. We found that the portions served were generous in every restaurant.
Read on here on the places we visited and our shopping in Leh
As we left Leh, I could hear the soft chant of ‘Om Mani Padme Hum’ from inside my heart or from the heavenly mountains (not sure from where). I was carrying home a bit of magic from Heaven.
This, being, our first trip to Ladakh, we stuck to the usual places any first timer would visit. But I promised myself that I will go off the beaten track next time !( mainly to the forward areas)
