MY MEMMORABLE JOURNEY ACROSS THE KHARDUNG'LA PASS-LADAKH.
LEH CITY as we drove towards KHARDUNG'LA PASS.
Its was our 3rd day at Leh City...We were to drive off to NUBRA VALLEY across the KHARDUNG'LA PASS ( World's highest motorable pass)...the thought itself was exciting without the awareness of what awaited us...Started off from the hotel at Leh around 8:30am.Soon after crossing the DALAI LAMA's school LAMDOM at Leh,we took onto theroad for Khardung'la.Slowly as we kept on climbing up &up the mountains,Leh city was left as a small green patch in betweenthe high range. It was just an unbelieveable experience & cannot be explained in words........My Camera continued clicking & video camerakept on making the journey as an everfresh experience. After a million twist & turns across the mountain range,I felt as if my hands can touch the sky,what a colour change & structured range--No words to frame ,except ,JUST AWESOME.
Slowly,the oxygen level kept decreasing more & more,& everytime we stopped for a photo opt,both my hands & legs were becomingheavy,only after 1/2 steps apart from our vehicle.Soon our driver showed us a tower across ontop of the high pass,it seems that'sthe highest point/summit at Khardung'la.Just couldn't believe myself that I am driving across the World's highest motorable pass-THE KHARDUNG'LA.
THE KAROKORAM RANGE ACROSS THE KHARDUNG'LA PASS.
As we moved on across-Army vehicles,foreign nationals on bikes& a lot many on bycycle drive accompanied us.Now came SOUTH PULLU checkpost;Needed to deposit our Innerline permit & start off again.Though the tower on the Khardung'la summit looked so close by but its not so in reality. We kept climbing until the snow capped peaks appeared. The snow by the road might be almost 8ft &the roads were really very very bad because of the glacier,snows &avalanches of this region.
Now we were at 18,380ft above sea level.Its Khardung'la's highest point.It was chilling cold,though its mid summer time.We stopped for a while for some great & memmorable moments captured in frame for lifetime.After15/20mins,just had to start on our downward journey across the pass.Oh!God, now its the KAROKORAM RANGE-Amazing! Read about it several times in geography books &now it stands before our eye.What a feeling----;But the downslide is very very risky-besides the bad condition of the road,its almost 7-8ft snow,cleared off from roadway.Quite an accident prone area.After quite a while of driving down,the next stop was NORTH PULLU checkpost for depositing our innerline permit for Nubra region visit.Soon crossed the Khardang village & the Buddhapark of Tsolong by the Karokoram.....Now starts the NUBRA REGION with almost a different landscape altogether....its almost 4hrs that we were on the wheel...........& still an hour+ to reach DESKITvillage in the NUBRA VALLEY.
Slowly,the oxygen level kept decreasing more & more,& everytime we stopped for a photo opt,both my hands & legs were becomingheavy,only after 1/2 steps apart from our vehicle.Soon our driver showed us a tower across ontop of the high pass,it seems that'sthe highest point/summit at Khardung'la.Just couldn't believe myself that I am driving across the World's highest motorable pass-THE KHARDUNG'LA.
Now we were at 18,380ft above sea level.Its Khardung'la's highest point.It was chilling cold,though its mid summer time.We stopped for a while for some great & memmorable moments captured in frame for lifetime.After15/20mins,just had to start on our downward journey across the pass.Oh!God, now its the KAROKORAM RANGE-Amazing! Read about it several times in geography books &now it stands before our eye.What a feeling----;But the downslide is very very risky-besides the bad condition of the road,its almost 7-8ft snow,cleared off from roadway.Quite an accident prone area.After quite a while of driving down,the next stop was NORTH PULLU checkpost for depositing our innerline permit for Nubra region visit.Soon crossed the Khardang village & the Buddhapark of Tsolong by the Karokoram.....Now starts the NUBRA REGION with almost a different landscape altogether....its almost 4hrs that we were on the wheel...........& still an hour+ to reach DESKITvillage in the NUBRA VALLEY.
It was great reading your blog post. Khardungla pass is the connecting road between Leh-Ladakh and Numbra valley. Leh is a true representation of splendid beauty with lofty mountains, deep blue water, white dunes, Buddhist monuments, beautiful mosques and warm people. Click here to know about Leh hotels.
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