Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Ladakh: Khardung La, Tso Moriri and Tso Kar
This was an 8 day tour from Noida to Leh and back, covering Tso Kar and Tso Moriri on the way back that me and Dixit did in September 2006. Why post it now, when its almost time for this year's trip log? Well, ask Yogesh... he ain't posted his log yet. And he's the admin here!
Well, I've been waiting to complete the trip log to post these pics with, but it never materialized. So I finally gave up and ...
The pics...
Nothing interesting on day 1; just the plains and the straight boring highway.
Day 2, a butt break. Manali - Leh highway
Somewhere just before the tents @ Sarchu.
Day 3, found this just as we started for the day from Pang. Truckers create such shortcuts to cut down on a few loops...
The view from there. That's Pang.
High altitude sickness (AMS). Dixit gets it again.
The original roads were washed away by floods this year. So a parallel dirt track is all that's there to
cross the pains now (as of September 2006). Work was on to restore the metaled roads..
Dixit was literally dragging himself along. While me being luckier just enjoyed the whole thing...
This was perhaps a dried up lake that formed after all the heavy rains this year.
More plains. A high altitude plain flanked by moutains on both sides, and a road that's at times straight as an arrow.. a rarity in the mountains.
Dixit finally gives up... an hour of rest, painkillers and a lot of water got him up and riding again.
The plains ends at the climb for Tanglang La - the world's second highest motorable road. Some way into the climb, it began snowing.
At the top...
We reached Leh city by evening, day 3.
Day 4. On the way to Khardung La...Claimed to be the world's highest motorable pass, at 18380 feet.
K-top.
On the way back.
Barley crops.
Leh city from up above.
Prayer wheels in Leh
Shanti Stupa
Day 5. Way back from Leh. This shortcut is supposed to be used only to go down.
Could ride up mid way when it began to get too steep for me and had to turn back.
This is on the ascend to Tanglang La when coming back from leh.
Back to More plains... a nomad riding his horse.
Missed a turn at Tso Kar that goes to Tso Moriri and ended up here... a dead end.
Ended up having to park our bikes at Tso Moriri due to this and take a hike to save petrol.
Dixit had to ride his CBZ in reserve for about 40 Kms before we finally reached Tandi.
This after he used up the 10 Lts of extra fuel we carried! Pulsar rocks. Didn't even hit the reserve!
Tso Kar
Grasslands on the shores of Tso Kar.
The colors... you have to see it to believe it!
Day 6. We reach Tso Moriri.
Tso Moriri
We were low on fuel, with no place to fill up from. So we parked and took a hike along the lake...
Grasslands, and a wildlife sanctuary on the shores of Tso Moriri.
Roads along the lake.
Back on the Manali - Leh highway, saw this as I entered a curve on a cloudy evening.
A panoramic view of Sarchu.
We crossed Manali and checked in to a guest house at Sundernagar for the night. Day 8 was the usual commute back home on the boring highways.
So guys, it's a great place out there. Get riding now!
This was an 8 day tour from Noida to Leh and back, covering Tso Kar and Tso Moriri on the way back that me and Dixit did in September 2006. Why post it now, when its almost time for this year's trip log? Well, ask Yogesh... he ain't posted his log yet. And he's the admin here!
Well, I've been waiting to complete the trip log to post these pics with, but it never materialized. So I finally gave up and ...
The pics...
Nothing interesting on day 1; just the plains and the straight boring highway.
Day 2, a butt break. Manali - Leh highway
Somewhere just before the tents @ Sarchu.
Day 3, found this just as we started for the day from Pang. Truckers create such shortcuts to cut down on a few loops...
The view from there. That's Pang.
High altitude sickness (AMS). Dixit gets it again.
The original roads were washed away by floods this year. So a parallel dirt track is all that's there to
cross the pains now (as of September 2006). Work was on to restore the metaled roads..
Dixit was literally dragging himself along. While me being luckier just enjoyed the whole thing...
This was perhaps a dried up lake that formed after all the heavy rains this year.
More plains. A high altitude plain flanked by moutains on both sides, and a road that's at times straight as an arrow.. a rarity in the mountains.
Dixit finally gives up... an hour of rest, painkillers and a lot of water got him up and riding again.
The plains ends at the climb for Tanglang La - the world's second highest motorable road. Some way into the climb, it began snowing.
At the top...
We reached Leh city by evening, day 3.
Day 4. On the way to Khardung La...Claimed to be the world's highest motorable pass, at 18380 feet.
K-top.
On the way back.
Barley crops.
Leh city from up above.
Prayer wheels in Leh
Shanti Stupa
Day 5. Way back from Leh. This shortcut is supposed to be used only to go down.
Could ride up mid way when it began to get too steep for me and had to turn back.
This is on the ascend to Tanglang La when coming back from leh.
Back to More plains... a nomad riding his horse.
Missed a turn at Tso Kar that goes to Tso Moriri and ended up here... a dead end.
Ended up having to park our bikes at Tso Moriri due to this and take a hike to save petrol.
Dixit had to ride his CBZ in reserve for about 40 Kms before we finally reached Tandi.
This after he used up the 10 Lts of extra fuel we carried! Pulsar rocks. Didn't even hit the reserve!
Tso Kar
Grasslands on the shores of Tso Kar.
The colors... you have to see it to believe it!
Day 6. We reach Tso Moriri.
Tso Moriri
We were low on fuel, with no place to fill up from. So we parked and took a hike along the lake...
Grasslands, and a wildlife sanctuary on the shores of Tso Moriri.
Roads along the lake.
Back on the Manali - Leh highway, saw this as I entered a curve on a cloudy evening.
A panoramic view of Sarchu.
We crossed Manali and checked in to a guest house at Sundernagar for the night. Day 8 was the usual commute back home on the boring highways.
So guys, it's a great place out there. Get riding now!
# posted by Salil : 9:28 PM
