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-   -   Finally Leh(ed) June 2011 : Delhi - Srinagar - Leh - Manali - Delhi (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travelogues/103781-finally-leh-ed-june-2011-delhi-srinagar-leh-manali-delhi-3.html)

Thanks pawan. Yes every bit of this trip will be cherished by us for a long time to come.
Worth every penny spent.

Now continuing with the log. Our midway stop over was at War memorial, Homage to our heroes of Kargil war. Spent around 1 hrs there, general chit chat with army guys there. Bought momentous : P Cap . Must say it a different feeling being there.

































Continued our journey to Kargil aound 2.30 , passed Bhimbat village, Thasgo and finally were at Kargil, Hotel Siachen by 5 pm. The entire ride was uneventful. Roads widening in progress and dusty to mention.

Hey V&V,

The information provided here is really invaluable and helpful for lot of us guys who are still waiting to conquer this frontier. The pics are amazing to say the least, most of them are wallpaper material. Thanks for sharing this experience of yours.

Day - 6 21th June - Tuesday - Leh


Stay at hotel siachen was confertable. Neat rooms and good service. Definetly recommended. Morning 8.30 am we are ready to continue our journey. Pack lunch was provided by the hotel guys , hence no specific target for restaurant was required. There was a 15 wait at petrol pump due to long queue.

Crossed pashkum - 13kms - 9.15 am
Another 3 kms : 30 min holdup due to GREF work
Mulbek : 28 kms at 10:35 (Saw Indian oil pump)
Namik La - Road is good till last few kms.
Kangaral : 25 kms : 11.20
Bodhi karbu : 10 kms 11:50 - road good, big monastry, yak breading farm, Road newly tarred.
Fotula @ 13353 fts : 20 kms 12:25 - Roads bad, first view of lamayaru.
Main road was closed for work : took by pass. Narrow but ok.
Khalste : 38 kms : 1320 - Ideal for lunch break, restaurants, hospital, petrol pump
Nurula : 14 kms : 1340 hrs : Took lunch break. 20 min
Saspol : 23kms 1440 hrs
Basgo : 18 kms 15:10 hrs
Nimo army area : 6 kms 1520 hrs
Gurdwara Pathar Sahib : 13 kms : 15:35 : Road very good
Magnetic hill : spent 20 min
FINALLY LEH(ED) : 30kms 17:15 pm. - Gwaling internation .

Kargil - Leh drive was more fun to drive mainly due to better road condition.
Kids thoroughly enjoyed the Magnetic Hill Phenomenon. I couldnt digest, was it genuine or is it terrian phonomenon why because it such a huge magnetic field should definetly effect laptops or other electro & magnetic devices. Don't know , but enjoyed it.

Some more photos enroute.

We also stay in Hotel Siachen every year. As normally it is only a overnight stay it is highly recommended.

Magnetic Hill sure appears eerie when first visited. But then it is only a optical illusion which are present in different parts of the world. Couple of wiki links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_Hill_(India)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_Hill_(Canada)

Amit, Sill exact reasoning is not there. if you see the photograph, its a descend, i have taken the safari to that proper descend, it climb back even after the marking. if you see photo, that Scorpio is was climbing all the way from where the biker was.



I have taken a video too. Not yet processed, will upload that too.

@V&V - I would find it difficult to explain how the optical illusion works hence adding one more link. I don't believe that it would be some magnetic power that would pull the vehicle. Any which way it does not matter. Its a good experience to see the vehilce going uphill on its own. :)

Rolling Uphill Illusion

We took GPS readings during our trip in 2009 in Magnetic Hill and they prove that it is an optical illusion.

v&v, nice travelogue, and thanks for the amazing amount of detail you've been adding with the writeup. Regrets for not being able to catch up when you came by Bangalore, but there is always a next time. :)

The Srinagar pics would have come out better with a better cam, but the Leh pics make up for it.

Waiting for the rest of the writeup.

About the hotel Gwaling Intl, it was around 0.7 kms from SBI atm at lower changspa. Walk to market is 15 min. Our room was big with extra space for extra bed/person. Large bathroom with tub. Good garden in front. Overall nice stay experience. Staff was cooperative and food quality too was good. Highly recommended.
Evening we went around to familiarise with Leh market and roads. Next day was for car checkup , around leh.

Some more photos processed

Video at Magnetic Hill

YouTube - ‪magnetic_hill - 1‬‏

Day - 7 22th June - Wednesday - Leh - Around

This day was rest day and for Permit (to be managed by the Travel Agent, FOC) one need to submit original ID for permit. Was arranged by evening for Pangong & Nubra. You will need 2 copies for each destination. Also need to write Name, Vehicle number, Vehicle name, DL Number, Number of passenger. This need to be written when submitting at checkpost. if already written then save time.

There were no AMS , only i had mild headache and rest three were all fit and fine. Todays agenda, get the beast washed, filter cleaned then visit Hall of fame, shanti stupa, explore market.

We left hotel by 11 am. Saw Hall of fame (As 1 to 2.30 pm is lunch,is closed), then went to TELCO Service to Car wash. Already 4 vehicle in queue. Met fellow bhpian Abhiknov too getting his safari washed. Car wash consumed a lot of time by 4 pm we headed to shanti stupa. Spend around an hour here and then back to hotel.

About the market : Lot of options for nick nack shopping. 2 Atms - SBI (Always crowded) and PNB little after SBI atm. Also a new HDFC ATM too will be functional may be a months time. Parking is free after 8 pm in the market , otherwise is a no parking zone.

Some more information about Leh , Map i got from tourist information center.

Day - 8-9 23rd/24th June - Thursday/Friday - Leh - Pangong - Leh

All were excited for our Pangong Tso and Chang La visit. Our night stay at Nature Nest on the banks of the lake at Spagmik village. This village is another 6 kms from the check post at pangong lake. Last 3 km one has to drive through kacha road besides the lake. Accommodation(Tents) was good with attach bathrooms. Other facilities were basic. Food was good, Staff very helpfull. Only local pco is the only way of communication. Tens were properly insulated. Climate was windy and chilly. Post 5 pm its very cold. Proper warm cloths are advised.

Overall drive is good. Chang la pass , last 10 kms both sides are bad and difficult. Overall road are good. Bad patches after lukung. Lot of dips and water passes after Tangsay. Reached pangong by 2.45 pm. We roamed around till 8 pm. IMO night stay is must at pangong. its very beautify at night. Never saw the sky so beautiful with so many starts. Kids enjoyed the star gazing at night.

Next day morning while returning we spent 1 hr at Lukung. The white sand desert is very beautiful, We also saw Marmot (larger version squirrel) and it became very friendly. Also saw brown headed gulls, horses, fox (very far) and yak. Reached leh by 1.30 pm.



Start : 09.30 am
Karu : 37 kms - 1020
After Karu : Permit Checkpost.
Shakti : 10 kms 10:46
Zingral : 21kms 1150
Chang La : 12kms 1220
Tsoltak : 8km 1250
Durbuk : 23km 13:15
Chekpost : II Permit submission
Tangsay : 18km 13:50
Lukung : 24kms 1420
Pangong:Spangmik : 17kms 1445

Now enjoy the photo shoot. Photos till we reach pangong lake. Tangsay to Pangong is paradise for photography.

Shakti village




























First view of pangong lake

Shot at Pangong lake.

Some more pics while returning to leh.