A VISIT TO LAND LOCKED BOWL SHAPED VALLEY OF ZANSKAR WON'T SATISFY YOU WITH SINGLE VISIT. THE AREA OF ZANSKAR IS A LESS TRAVELED HIDDEN JEWEL OF LADAKH.
EARLIER ONE HAD TO VISIT ZANSKAR BY ROAD WAS ONLY VIA KARGIL BUT NOW AFTER OPENING OF NEW ROAD DURING 2019 VIA SHINKULA PASS FROM DARCHA HAS REDUCED THE DISTANCE AND TIME PERIOD TO APPROACH ZANSKAR.
AFTER OPENING OF HIMACHAL PRADESH (FREE ENTRY) FROM 16-09-2020 I DISCUSSED MY DRIVER RAJESH FOR ZANSKAR TRIP & WE DECIDED TO HAVE COVID19 TEST REPORTS FORTUNATELY WHICH CAME OUT TO BE NEGATIVE
NOW, THERE ARE THREE ROUTES LEADING TO ZANSKAR -
1. HIGHWAY NH - 22 - MANALI - ROHTANG PASS/ TUNNEL - KEYLONG - DARCHA - SHINKULA PASS - PURNI - PADAM
2. HIGHWAY NO. NH - 1D - SRINAGAR - ZOZILA PASS - KARGIL - RANGDAM - PENSI / PENZI PASS - PADUM
3. HIGHWAY - PADUM - ZANGLA - LAMAYURU (LEH - KARGIL HIGHWAY)
ABOUT ZANSKAR (ZANGSKER VALLEY) - ZANSKAR IS A TEHSIL OF KARGIL DISTRICT, LADAKH NOW A UNION TERRITORY. THE ZANSKAR RANGE SEPARATES ZANSKAR FROM LADAKH. THE AVERAGE HEIGHT OF ZANSKAR RANGE IS APPROX. 20,000 FEET. DURING SUMMER'S THE AREA REMAINS DRY & ALMOST WITHOUT RAIN & SNOWFALL. NOW DUE TO SOME PLANTATION IN THE ZANSKAR VALLEY THE RAINFALL HAS INCREASED & WATER IS AVAILABLE NEARBY SETTLEMENT.
THE WINTER SNOWFALL IS A SOUCE OF WATER DURING SUMMER'S AFTER THE MELTING OF GLACIERS. THE CROPS INCLUDING BARLEY, LENTILS AND POTATOES ARE GROWN BY THE FARMERS AT LOWER ELEVATION & THEY DRY THESE VEGETABLES FOR USE DURING THE WINTER'S.
DOMESTIC ANIMALS - YAK - DZO (MALE HIGH BREED) - DZOMO (FEMALE HIGH BREED BETWEEN YAK & DOMESTIC CATTLE) - SHEEP - HORSE - DOG ARE FOUND IN THE REGION.
WILDLIFE - MARMOT - BEAR - WOLF - SNOW LEOPARD - BHARALS (BLUE SHEEP) - IBEX ARE THE WILDLIFE SPECIES FOUND IN THE ZANSKAR.
SHINKULA PASS ROAD WAS CONSTRUCTED DURING 2019. THE ROAD IS STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION & CAN BE TRAVELED BY SUV'S NOT BY ORDINARY CARS. THE BEST & SAFE PERIOD TO ENTER ZANSKAR VIA SHINKULA PASS IS DURING THE PERIOD BETWEEN MID AUGUST - SEPTEMBER ENDING. THE ROAD THROUGH PASS MAY OPEN DURING JULY BUT THERE WILL BE HIGH VOLUME OF WATER FLOWING IN THE STREAMS WITHOUT ANY BRIDGES & IT WILL BE DIFFICULT & RISKY TO CROSS THESE STREAMS. PARTICULARLY THERE WILL BE HIGH FLOW IN SHINKULA & KARGYAK CHOES/STREAMS.
ONE SHOULD COME OUT OF ZANSKAR BY FIRST WEEK OF OCTOBER AS THERE ARE CHANCES OF BLOCKADE OF ALL THE PASSES DUE TO HEAVY SNOWFALL OF THE ONSET OF THE WINTER SEASON.
THERE IS NO VILLAGE WHILE ASCENDING TOWARDS SHINKULA PASS & THE FIRST VILLAGE IN ZANSKAR IS KARGYAK AFTER CROSSING SHINKULA PASS & YOU CAN'T FIND ANY HELP IF YOU ARE STRUCK ANYWHERE IN BETWEEN & ONE HAS TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT THESE POSSIBLE ADVERSITIES.
ITINERARY OF ZANSKAR
AMBALA - MANALI - KEYLONG - SHINKULA PASS - PURNI - PHUGTAR MONASTERY - PADUM - PENZI PASS - DRUNG DRANG GLACIER - PADUM - SHINKULA PASS - GAMROO - KILLAR (PANGI VALLEY) - SACH PASS - KHAJIAR - AMBALA
PERIOD OF JOURNEY: 23-09-2020 - 2-10-2020
DAY-1 - AMBALA TO MANALI (23-09-2020) - 340 KM
NEHRU PARK FOREST TRAIL-MANALI
SINCE OPENING OF HP STATE BORDER W.E.F 16-09-2020, IT WAS EASY TO VISIT HIMACHAL PRADESH ALL THE HOTELS IN MANALI WERE NOT OPENED DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC. BUT BOOKING WAS AVAILABLE WITH HPTDC HOTEL (KUNJUM). WE COVERED THE DISTANCE 340 KM AND REACHED MANALI BY EVENING. WE TRIED FOR ONLINE PERMIT TO CROSS ROHTANG PASS BUT ONLINE SITE WAS CLOSED AND NO ONE WAS HAVING INFORMATION WHETHER PERMIT IS REQUIRED OR NOT TO CROSS ROHTANG PASS. WE INQUIRED FROM A KNOWN CAB DRIVER BUT HE SAID NO PERMIT IS REQUIRED. IT WAS ONLY A LUXURIOUS DAY TILL 8TH NIGHT OF THE TRIP.
DAY-2 - MANALI - ROHTANG PASS - KEYLONG (24-09-2020) - 120 KM
SISSU WATERFALL AT SISSU VILLAGE
IN THE MORNING VISITED NEHRU PARK DEODAR FOREST TRAIL AND PRACTISED PHOTOGRAPHY SKILLS OF BEAUTIFUL AURA CREATED BY SUN RAYS PLAYING IN THE FOREST.
WE STARTED FOR ROHTANG PASS AT 9A.M AS JOURNEY TIME IS APPROX. 4-5 HOURS COMFORTABLY. DUE TO COVID-19 THERE WERE ONLY FEW TOURIST SEEN AROUND MANALI AND 3-4 VEHICLES MOVING TOWARDS ROHTANG PASS. THE ROAD WAS EMPTY, AFTER MANY YEARS SEEN SUCH A PEACE ON THIS HIGHWAY OTHERWISE THERE ARE LINES OF VEHICLES GOING TO ROHTANG PASS. THE TRUTH IS THE COVID-19 HAS GIVEN A TRAUMA TO HUMAN LIFE BUT HAS BEEN BLISSFUL FOR MOTHER NATURE.
WE REACHED AT GULABA CHECKPOST AND WE WERE ASKED FOR PERMIT AND WE WERE SHOCKED ABOUT THAT. THE GUARD ON DUTY TOLD US THE PERMITS ARE NOW ISSUED BY SDM MANALI AND WITHOUT THAT EVEN IF HE ALLOW US TO GO BEYOND, WE WILL BE STOPPED AT KHOKSAR CHECK POST. HE ADVISED US THAT IT WILL BE BETTER TO GO BACK MANALI AND COLLECT PERMIT FROM SDM OFFICE. THERE WERE TWO THREE OTHER TOURISTS WERE ALSO RETURNED AS NO ONE WAS KNOWING ABOUT THIS NEW PERMIT SYSTEM.
WE HAD TO RETURNED TO MANALI SDM OFFICE TO COLLECT PERMIT TO GO BEYOND ROHTANG PASS. WE INQUIRED ABOUT THE FORMALITIES FOR PERMIT AND PREPARED DOCUMENTS BUT DEALING CLERK REFUSED TO ISSUE A PERMIT FOR GOING BEYOND ROHTANG PASS AS SDM HAS INSTRUCTED NOT TO ISSUE ANY PERMIT AND ADVISED US TO MEET SDM FOR THE SAME.
WE HAD TO WAIT FOR ONE HOUR TO MET SDM AND AFTER SOME PERSUASION HE GRANTED US PERMIT ON THE GROUND THAT WE WERE HAVING COVID19 NEGATIVE TEST REPORTS. AT ONE TIME HE WAS SCARED THAT OUR TRIP MAY JEOPARDIZE. BUT LUCKILY WE GOT IT.
WE CAME TO KNOW FROM OUR SOURCES AT KEYLONG AND JISPA THAT ALL THE HOTELS AND HOME STAY ARE CLOSED DUE TO COVID-19 BY THE HOTEL ASSOCIATION. WE TRIED OTHER REST HOUSES AND THEY REFUSED US FOR ANY ACCOMMODATION BECAUSE OF THE UPCOMING PROGRAMME OF PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT FOR ATTAL TUNNEL INAUGURATION DUE ON 3RD OCTOBER 2020. LASTLY WITH THE HELP OF LOCAL CONTACT WE GOT TWO ROOMS AT FOREST REST HOUSE AT KEYLONG.
THIS BOOKING WAS CONFIRMED WHILE GOING BACK TO GULABA CHECK POST AND WE CROSSED THE ROHTANG PASS WITHOUT ANY TOURIST AND ALL THE SHOPS/DHABAS AT MARHI WERE CLOSED.
WE REACHED KEYLONG AT 6PM AND CAME TO KNOW TAHT THE CARETAKER AT FOREST REST HOUSE HAS BEEN QUARANTINE DUE TO COVID-19 INFECTION AND WE HAD TO ARRANGE FOOD OURSELF. EVERYONE AROUND REST HOUSE WHICH IS LOCATED INSIDE THE TOWN WERE GIVING US STRANGE LOOK AS TOURIST MOVEMENT HAS BEEN ALMOST NILL IN THIS SEASON. WE ARRANGED FOOD FROM LOCAL SHOP AND HAD OUR EARLY DINNER.
DAY-3-KEYLONG - DARCHA - SHINKULA PASS - KARGYAK - PURNI (25-09-2020) - 136 KM
DIVERSION FROM DARCHA TO KARGIL
IN THE MORNING WE PREPARED TEA BY USING OUR OWN CYLINDER AND UTENSILS ETC. AND HAD A QUICK BREAKFAST AND MOVED FOR GAMROO, JISPA, DARCHA - SHINKULA PASS AND TODAY'S DESTINATION WAS PURNI VILLAGE IN ZANSKAR FOR NIGHT STAY AT DORJI'S HOME STAY.
ON THE WAY WE STOPPED AT GAMROO VILLAGE FOR STAY ARRANGEMENT FOR OUR RETURN JOURNEY & MET MR. DORJI ( HOME STAY OWNER) WHO CONFIRMED ACCOMMODATION FOR US.
WE FURTHER MOVED FOR DARCHA & SAW NEWLY CONSTRUCTED 360 METRE LONG BARSI BRIDGE ON BHAGA RIVER ON MANALI LEH HIGHWAY WHICH TOOK ABOUT 10 YEARS TO CONSTRUCT.
360 METRE LONG BARSI BRIDGE ON BHAGA RIVER ON MANALI LEH HIGHWAY
AFTER CROSSING THE RIVER WE TOOK A TURN TO NEWLY CONSTRUCTED ROAD FOR SHINKLULA PAS - KARGIL ROUTE ALONG BHAGA RIVER WHICH IS FURTHER CONNECTED TO LEH (JOINS AT LAMAYURU) VIA PADAM WHICH WILL BE THE SHORTEST ROUTE TO REACH LEH AND THE SURVEY FOR CONSTRUCTION OF TUNNEL UNDER SHINKULA PASS IS ALSO IN PROGRESS.THE WORK ON THIS ROAD IS BEING DONE ON WAR FOOTING BY BRO.
THERE IS ONLY ONE VILLAGE NAMED CHIKA (LAHOUL SIDE) BETWEEN DARCHA & KARGYAK (ZANSKAR SIDE).
CHIKA VILLAGE STREAM ON WAY TO SHINKULA PASS
THERE WAS A LOT OF EXCITEMENT WHILE MOVING ON THIS NEW ROUTE AND WANTED TO CAPTURE EVERY NATURAL BEAUTY COMING IN THE WAY. THE ROAD WAS EXCELLENT TILL THE START OF ASCENT TO SHINKULA PASS AND ROAD WAS BROKEN AND THE SCENERY WAS GETTING MORE & MORE EXCITING AND BEAUTIFUL.
WHILE ASCENDING TO SHINKULA PASS
WHILE ASCENDING TO SHINKULA PASS
WE REACHED SHINKULA PASS TOP & THE HIGH VELOCITY COLD WINDS WELCOMED US. IT WAS VERY COLD THERE AS HEIGHT OF PASS IS 16580 FEET. WE STAYED FOR 15 MINUTES AND TOOK PHOTOGRAPHS AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO STAY THERE FOR LONGER PERIOD. THIS IS A ENTRY POINT TO ZANSKAR REGION. OTHERWISE, TO ENTER REGION YOU HAD TO GO VIA KARGIL & IT TAKES 11-12 HOURS FROM KARGIL TO PADUM VIA SURU VALLEY RANGDOM PENZI PASS DRUNG DRANG GLACIER. EARLIER THE DISTANCE BETWEEN MANALI & PADUM WAS 910 K.M. WHICH HAS BEEN REDUCED TO 306 K.M.
SHINKULA PASS
THERE IS NO VILLAGE OR ANY SHOP BETWEEN VILLAGE CHIKA TO KARZYAK VILLAGE ON ZANSKAR SIDE & THIS ROAD IS MUDDY, NARROW & VERY CHALLENGING DUE TO SHARP TURNS. WHILE DESCENDING SHINKULA PASS THE DIRT ROAD MOVES ALONG SHINKULA CHOE WHICH ORIGINATES FROM SHINKULA PASS AND MEETS KARZYAK CHOE AFTER 10 K.M.
AND BOTH THE STREAMS HAS TO BE CROSSED BUT IT WILL BE DIFICULT TO CROSS THEM BEFIRE MID AUGUST AS WATER LEVEL WILL BE VERY HIGH.
SACRED MOUNTAIN NAMED GONBUR RONZAN
FEW KILOMETRE AFTER CROSSING THE KARZYAK CHOE WE SAW A MYSTERIOUS HUGE MOUNTAIN ROCK CALLED GONBUR RONZAN STANDING ALONG THE CHOE WHICH IS CONSIDERED TO BE SACRED ROCK WORSHIPED BY LOCAL PEOPLE.
FIRST VILLAGE KARGYAK IN ZANSKAR AFTER CROSSING SHINKULA PASS
BEAUTIFUL VIEW OF GONBUR RONJAN ALONG KARGYAK CHOE
GONBUR RONJAN AFTER CROSSING KARGYAK AND FOOT BRIDGE BEFORE PURNI
THE CONFLUENCE OF KARGYAK CHOE & TSARP CHOE FLOWING FROM PHUGTAR MONASTERY SIDE AT PURNI VILLAGE. THERE IS ONLY ONE SHOP/ DHABA AT PURNI AS VISIBLE BELOW WHICH ALSO PROVIDES CAMPING SITE. THERE IS NO OTHER SHOP AND DHABA IN THE DISTANCE OF 140 K.M BETWEEN VILLAGE CHIKA (LAHOUL) AND PADUM.
PURNI VILLAGE HAVING 4-5 HOUSES & IS A LIFELINE FOR ALL THE TRAVELERS FOR FOOD AND SHELTER AND BASE FOR PHUGTAR MONASTERY TREK. THERE IS NO ELECTRICITY, ANY MOBILE NETWORK. DON'T EXPECT THE LUXURY OF TOILETS YOU HAVE TO MANAGE WITH THEIR TRADITIONAL SYSTEMS. YOU CAN ONLY GET RICE - DAL & SIMPLE CHAPATI'S . WE STAYED IN THE HOUSE ALONGWITH THE STUPA'S. THE OWNER MR. DORJEE AND HIS WIFE WERE NICE, HOMELY & GAVE US VERY GOOD HOSPITALITY.
DAY-4-PURNI - PHUGTAR/PHUGTAL MONASTERY - PADUM (26-09-2020) - (53 KM)
IN THE MORNING AFTER HAVING SIMPLE BREAKFAST WE HAD TIPS FOR THE TREK FROM MR. DORJEE.MY DRIVER RAJESH WAS ALSO READY FOR TREK TO PHUGTAR MONASTERY. UPTO 2 KM. THERE IS A BROKEN ROAD AND AFTER THAT TREK STARTS ALONG THE TSARP RIVER. THE SCENIC BEAUTY CAN'T BE EXPLAINED IN WORDS, THE BLUE WATER OF TSARP FLOWING AMIDST REDDISH MOUNTAINS WITHOUT ANY GREEN COVER GIVES A MYSTERIOUS SCENARIO. THE TREK WAS VERY INTERESTING UP AND DOWNS AND FOLLOW THROUGH ALONG THE TSARP RIVER BED.
AFTER TWO HOURS OF TREK WE FOUND TWO BRIDGES, ONE WAS OLD HANGING BRIDGE AND ANOTHER IS WOODEN BRIDGE. IT SEEMS TO BE CONSTRUCTED RECENTLY. IT TOOK HALF AN HOUR TO REACH THE MONASTERY. THE AGE OF PHUGTAR MONASTERY IS NOT CONFIRMED FROM ANY SOURCE ALTHOUGH THE MONK ATTENDING US TOLD THAT IT WAS ESTABLISHED DURING 12TH CENTURY AND WAS ESATBLISHED BY LAMA GANGSEM SHERAP SANKO WHO CAME FROM TIBET. THE MONASTERY IS SITUATED INSIDE THE CAVE AND AT THE HEIGHT 13,000 FEET APPROX.
THE STRENGTH OF RESIDENT MONKS REMAIN BETWEEN 50-60. THE MONASTERY HAS BEEN CONSTRUCTED WITH THE LOCAL MATERIAL AVAILABLE LIKE STONES, ROUND WOODEN STICKS WHICH ARE BRANCHES OF THE BUSHES GROWN HERE. THESE MONKS PRACTISED TREATMENT OF AILMENTS WITH LOCALLY AVAILABLE HERBS. THE AREA REMAIN UNDER SNOW FOR 7-8 MONTHS WITH ICE DEPOSITS UPTO 5-6 FEET. THE TSARP RIVER REMAINS FROZEN DURING THE WINTERS AND TEMPERATURE FALLS UPTO -30 DEGREE.
PHUGTAR MONASTERY & TSARP RIVER
INSIDE VIEW OF PHUGTAR MONASTERY
TSARP RIVER DURING TREK TO PHUGTAR MONASTERY
AFTER 5 HOURS TO & FRO TREKKING BETWEEN PURNI AND PHUGTAR WE RETURNED BACK TO OUR PARKED VEHICLE AND MOVED TO PADUM WHICH IS 53 KM FROM PURNI VIA RARU AND ICHAR VILLAGES. WE REACHED PADUM IN THE EVENING AROUND 6 P.M. WE FOUND OUT OUR OMASILA HOMESTAY AND WE WERE THE FIRST GUEST DURING THIS YEAR DUE TO COVID19.
DAY-5-PADAM-KARSHA & STONGDAY MONASTRIES-ZANGLA FORT & SHILA WATERFALL (27-09-2020)
KARSHA MONASTRY - KARSHA IS BUILT LIKE A FORTRESS ON THE HILL SIDE AND FACING TOWARDS WHOLE PADAM VALLEY. THIS MONASTERY WAS FOUNDED BY PHAGSPA SHESRAB AROUND 10TH CENTURY. AROUND 100 MONKS RESIDES IN THESE BUILDINGS OF MONASTERY. IT IS 11 KM FROM PADUM & OVERLOOKING STOD RIVER WHICH IS FLOWING IN THE LOWER PART OF THE PLAINS IN THE VALLEY.
KARSHA MONASTERY
STOD RIVER AT PADUM VIEW OF STOD & TSARP RIVER
SHILA WATERFALL - 6-7 K.M. AFTER CROSSING THE BRIDGE ON ZANGLA ROAD TURN RIGHT THROUGH BRO CAMP ALONG TSARP RIVER. THERE IS WATERFALL AT THE END OF THE VILLAGE SHILLA WHICH FULFILL THE NEEDS OF THE WHOLE VILLAGE
SHILA WATERFALL ROAD TO ZANGL
ZANGLA FORT - WHILE COMING BACK ROAD FROM BROP CAMP MOVES TOWARDS ZANGLA & STONGDAY MONASTERY IS VISIBLE AFTER 10 K.M ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN. IN FRONT OF STONGDAY MONASTERY. THE ROAD CONTINUES ALONG THE ZANSKAR RIVER & APPROACHES ZANGLA, THE ANCIENT CAPITAL OF ZANSKAR. THE RUINS OF ZANGLA FORT APPEAR ON HIGH HILL ABOUT THE VILLAGE OVERLOOKING ZANSKAR RIVER. THE FORT IS THREE STORIED STRUCTURE. THE HALF OF ZANSKAR WAS RULED FOR 900 YEARS (BUILT DURING 10TH CENTURY BY LDEY TSUG GON WAS THE KING OF ZANSKAR & WAS THE YOUNGEST SON OF THE KING SKILDEY NIMAGON A DESCENDANT OF LANGDARMA OF TIBET.THIS FORT WAS CAPTURED BY DOGRA RULERS DURING 1834 ALONG WITH LADAKH AFTER INVASION BY ZORAVAR SINGH & SINCE THEN ZANSKAR & LADAKH BECAME THE PART OF INDIA
ZANGLA FORT
CONFLUENCE OF TSARP AND STOD RIVERS - THERE IS A CONFLUENCE OF TSARP AND STOD RIVERS (79 K.M.) & FROM HERE IT BECOMES ZANSKAR RIVER WHICH FLOWS UPTO NIMU & MEETS INDUS RIVER. THE CHADAR TREK IS CARRIED OUT ON THIS RIVER DURING EXTREME WINTERS BETWEEN JANUARY & FEBRUARY WHEN THE WHOLE RIVER IS FROZEN.
CONFLUENCE OF TSARP & STOD RIVERS DURING SUNSET-VIEW TAKEN FROM STONGDAY MONASTERY
STONGDAY MONASTERY - IT IS 12 K.M. FROM PADUM IS 300 METRE ABOVE THE MAIN ROAD ON HILL TOP & WAS BUILT DURING 11TH CENTURY AND IS THE 2ND LARGEST MONASTERY IN ZANSKAR & 60 MONKS HOUSED HERE. IT IS THE BEST SPOT FOR SUNSET PHOTOGRAPHY OVERLOOKING THE CONFLUENCE OF TSARP AND STOD RIVERS.
DAY-6 - PADUM - SANI - DRUNG DRANG GLACIER (28-09-2020) (85 K.M. ONE WAY)
WE STARTED FOR SANI GOMPA & DRUNG DRANG GLACIER WHICH IS VISIBLE FROM PENSI PASS WHICH IS 85 K.M. FROM PADUM. THE ROAD MOVES ALONG STOD RIVER WHICH IS 79 K.M. LONG ORIGINATES FROM PENSI PASS/ DRUNG DRANG GLACIER. THE STOD VALLEY IS FULL OF LIFE & VILLAGES ARE SANI-ATING- REMALA-ABRAN-CHIBRE & LAST VILLAGE IS JHALTONG & FROM HERE THE ROAD WINDS UP TO HIGHER MOUNTAINS TOWARDS PENSI PASS.
REFLECTION IN WATER BODY IN STOD RIVER
STOD RIVER REHEATING THE PACKED LUNCH
WHILE ASCENDING TO PENSI PASS THE TALE OF DRUNG DRANG GLACIER IS VISIBLE ON LEFT SIDE & AFTER GAINING SOME HEIGHT THE GLACIER IS VISIBLE FOR SOMETIME. AFTER GAINING MORE HEIGHT AT CERTAIN POINT ON LEFT SIDE THE MAJESTIC VIEW OF DRUNG DRANG GLACIER IS SUDDENLY VISIBLE.
THE SNAKE TYPE CURVE OF RIVER OF ICE LOOKS SO BEAUTIFUL & LOST BEHIND THE MIGHTY MOUNTAINS. THE DRUNG DRANG GLACIER IS 24 K.M. LONG & IS 2ND LARGEST GLACIER AFTER SIACHEN GLACIER. IT IS THE ONLY GLACIER WHICH IS VISIBLE FROM THE ROADSIDE. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO STAND THERE FOR A LONG TIME DUE TO COLD & HIGH VELOCITY WINDS. THE PENSI PASS TOP IS FEW METRES AWAY AT THE HEIGHT 14,400 FEET. WE WERE BACK TO PADUM BY 7 P.M.
DRUNG DRANG GLACIER
DAY-7-PADUM - PURNI - SHINKULA PASS - GAMROO - 29-09-2020 - (157 K.M. )
WE CHANGED OUR PLAN TO RETURN VIA ZANGLA - LEH - TASO MORIRI - JISPA DUE TO NON -AVAILABILITY OF ACCOMMODATION AT TASO MORIRI DUE TO COVID19 PANDEMIC PROBLEM. SO, I GOT A OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE MORE OF SHINKULA PASS ROUTE WHILE RETURNING BACK TO GAMROO.
BARDMAN MONASTERY ON PADUM PURNI ROAD
THE ZANSKAR BREED OF HORSES ARE STILL A MODE OF TRAVEL IN THIS PART OF ZANSKAR BETWEEN KARZYAK AND PURNI VILLAGES. AFTER OPENING OF SHINKULA PASS IT HAS BECOME EASY TO ENTER THIS REMOTEST PART OF ZANSKAR WHICH IS LESSER KNOWN TO OUTSIDE WORLD.
MARMOT
FLOCK OF CHUKAR PARTRIDGE (SRAKPA)
LUCKILY WE FOUND MARMOUT CROSSING THE ROAD & AFTER LOT OF CLICKS WE COULD CAPTURE HIM IN THE CAMERA & LATER THE FLOCK OF CHUKAR PARTRIDGE A VERY SHY BIRD PREFER TO WALK AND RUN THAN FLY.
WE REACHED GAMROO AT AROUND 7 P.M & STAYED AT HOME STAY ON THE ROAD RUN BY MR. DORJEE. ALL OTHER HOTELS & HOME STAYS AT JISPA, GAMROO & KEYLONG WERE CLOSED DUE TO COVID-19. MR. DORJEE (9459994599) SERVED US HOME COOKED FOOD AT HOME STAY WHICH WAS NEWLY BUILT WITHOUT BASIC COMFORTS.
DAY - 8 - GAMROO - KEYLONG - UDAIPUR - KILLAR - 30-09-2020 - (165 K.M.)
NEXT DAY MORNING WE STARTED OUR JOURNEY FOR PANGI VALLEY AT KILLAR VIA KEYLONG, UDAIPUR & TANDI. THE ROAD AFTER UDAIPUR WAS IN VERY BAD SHAPE ALMOST TILL KILLAR. WE REACHED KILLAR AROUND 5 P.M. & ARRANGED STAY TA CHANDRA BHAGA HOME STAY (9418431600). THE HOME STAY IS QUITE COMFORTABLE & IS LOCATED IN THE MARKET. THE BEST HOMESTAY AT KILLAR IS CHAMUNDA (MR. DAVENDER 9418497910). WE INQUIRED FROM THE TAXI'S STAND ABOUT KILLAR-KISHTWAR ROAD & CAME TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE PERMIT FROM SDM, KILLAR WHICH WILL BE VALID FOR 24 HOURS. WE DROPPED THE IDEA TO GO TOWARDS KISHTWAR & DECIDED TO GO DIRECTLY TO SACHPASS.
THE DRIVE FROM GAMROO TO UDAIPUR IS EASY BUT AFTER UDAIPUR THE ROAD IS NOT IN A GOOD SHAPE. AFTER COMING FROM BEAUTIFUL ZANSKAR THIS TERRAIN LOOKS LIKE A ORDINARY
KEYLONG TO KILAAR (PANGI VALLLEY)
DAY - 9 - KILLAR - SACHPASS - CHAMBA - KHAJIAR - 1-09-2020 - (216 K.M.)
SACHPASS IS AT AN ALTITUDE OF 14,500 FEET ON THE PIR PANJAL RANGE OF THE HIMALAYAS. IT CONNECTS CHAMBA VALLEY WITH PANGI VALLEY WHICH IS A TEHSIL OF CHAMBA DISTRICT.
SACHPASS IS 45 K.M. FROM KILLAR & 127 K.M. FROM CHAMBA. SACHPASS OPENS DURING JUNE - JULY TO MID OCTOBER & AFTER THAT THE ROAD CONNECTING BOTH VALLEYS WILL BE CLOSED AFTER HEAVY SNOWFALL. THE OLD ROUTE FROM CHAMBA TO KILLAR IS VIA MANALI WHICH IS 680 K.M.THE OTHER MOST DANGEROUS ROUTE FROM CHAMBA TO KILLAR VIA JAMMU - DODA - GULABGARH - KISHTWAR - KILLAR IS ABOUT 575 K.M.
THE BEST TIME TO VIIST SACHPASS IS DURING JULY - AUGUST WHEN THERE WILL BE LOTS OF OLD SNOW AROUND THE HILLS AND STREAMS BUT IT IS RISKY DUE TO UNPREDICTABLE WEATHER
THE ROAD BETWEEN KILLAR TO BARAGARH IS ALL BROKEN & DIRT ROAD.
BUT ONCE YOU REACH KHAJIAR YOU FIND YOURSELF IN A HEAVENLY PLACE WHICH PROVIDES YOU ALL THE COMFORTS YOU HAS SACRIFICED DURING YOUR PREVIOUS HARD JOURNEY.
WE REACHED KHAJIAR HPTDC HOTEL AROUND 7:30 P.M. AFTER A LONG & TIRING JOURNEY OF 10 AND HALF HOURS. BUT IT WAS SATISFYING & FULFILLING EXPERIENCE OF COMPLETING OLD DRAIN TO EXPLORE ZANSKAR.
OLD BRIDGE ON CHANDRABHAGA RIVER ON WAY TO SACHPASS
ON WAY TO SACHPASS
SACHPASS
DAY - 10 - KHAJIAR - TALWADA - AMBALA - 2-10-2020 - (379 K.M.)
THE LAST DAY OF TRIP WAS VERY RELAXING & WE WERE FEELING COMFORTABLE WITH OUR BREATHING AFTER MANY DAYS AS WE WERE AT LOWER ELEVATION & GREEN ATMOSPHERE. THERE WERE NO TOURISTS VISIBLE AT KHAJIAR & THE PLACE WAS LOOKING MUCH MORE BEAUTIFUL AND CALM
KHAZIYAR
IMPORTANT INFORMATION -
- THERE IS NO PETROL PUMP BETWEEN KARGIL TO PADUM. ONLY PUMP IS AT TANDI (KEYLONG) & 2 PUMPS AT PADUM. SO, FULL YOUR TANKS FROM TANDI & DON'T FORGET TO FULL AT PADUM.
- CARRY SUFFICIENT FOOD LIKE DRY FRUITS, RUSK, BISCUITS, APPLES& IF POSSIBLE SMALL CYLINDER WITH UTENSILS TO COOK MAGGIE & TEA.
- CARRY ALL KIND OF BASIC MEDICINES & FIRST AID.
- ONE OF THE BEST STAY OPTION AT PADUM (ZANSKAR) IS OMASILA REST HOUSE. CONTACT NO: MR. NORBU (9469369109), RIGYAL HOTEL - 9469224500
- STAY OPTIONS AT KILLAR (PANGI VALLEY) CHAMUDA HOMESTAY - MR. DAVINDER (9418497910) , CHANDRABHAGA HOME STAY (9418431600)
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