[tsk1979]

Why do people go to Padum. The answer lies in its numerous Gompas and monastories. However, we have not interest in those.
So why are we going to padum?

The answer is simple. We are going there for the Durang Durung. I guess many others also go there just for this glacier.
If we were not alone, and it was not so cold, we would have camped here and turned back. But then why not go all the way to Padum?

Nevertheless, its almost dark when we reach the glacier. I am a tad overwhelmed, and a tad dissapointed. We wanted more time here. Definitely. But then, the day after tomorrow is not the end of the world. For now, we sit, and stare, and try to hide from the icy winds

Durang Durung


Closer


The elephant also cools down, and light fades away


You wanted more of the glacier I think. Well so did I, but it will have to wait for our return journey. For now we move ahead.
How far is Padum?
Its far. Thats all I know.

Coming down we encounter a lone taxi, full of locals. Its an illegal taxi. They run at night when the cops start hiding from the cold.
At first the driver is quite scared, but when he realizes its not Daya and prabhu in the car, he helfully says, 4-5 hours, or maybe 3 hours.

Nevertheless we push on.
The road worsens, and I slowly but surely make my way through the dark landscape. And then when we think it cannot get worse, a thick fog descends reducing visibility to near zero.

At times we wonder whether we are on a riverbed or is it the road, but thankfully, we reach the checkpost before Padum, and make the entry. The sleepy policeman is quite amazed that anybody would come here.

And at 9pm we roll into Padum. 4 hours is what it took from Durang Durung to Padum. 6 from Rangdum. So midway point is not really midway I guess!

At Padum, we face another problem. The town has run away.
All of it.

Icy winds blow paper and plastic across the street, the dogs howl, and there is not a single homo sapien in sight.

We have to head to the Marq hotel, recommended by many. It promises nice rooms for 1500 a night. A tad expensive, but then, whats wrong with a little luxury at the end of the trip?

We finally manage to locate it, and are in for a rude shock. The owner lady knows we are late, and most lodges are closed, so she decides to take advantage. 2000 a night, no negotiation.

Well, we won't cave in, even if we have to sleep in the car.

finally we find a room in the JKTDC hotel. Its 200 a night, full of cigerette buts, and the bedsheet is full of ash.
But thats all we can get for now, tomorrow, they will give us a better room.

Dinner is a simple MTR affair.
And we quietly go to sleep.

Tomorrow is our rest day. tomorrow we explore Padum.

[tsk1979]

On a long long ride, across high mountains, there are certain little joys. Joys which come very rarely. But when they come, they are more than welcome.
One such joy is the sleep without alarm.
Last night was one such night. We had no agenda in Padum. Nothing to see, nothing to do. Just laze around.

So it was almost 10 when we shifted from our room to a better one(slightly) and explored the JKTDC complex.

We were the only "tourists" here.
There were three other "residents".
A JK cop from Kargil on 6 month deputation here. His first sentence to me was "Is she your wife or your Girlfriend". I have never used that like as the first line of a conversation to any stranger. But then, I am told JK cops are... Different.

Second is the resident caretaker. He does everything except take care of the guest house. But a sweet chap nonetheless.

The third one is the most interesting. A very overweight cook. His girth told us that there will be no shortage of food here, and the girth told the truth. He was a happy to help kind of guy, and half an hour later we partake one of the most wonderful and filling breakfasts of our trip. The kind of breakfast which makes lunch "redundant".

And then we drive out. I really do not know where to go. However, there is a hill overlooking the city. I like hills overlooking cities. They afford nice views. So we climb and climb, and quarter to 12, we are here.



See the zanskar? There it goes towards the right of the frame. BRO is cutting the road to chilling, and very soon it will be just a 4 hour all weather route from Leh.

As we look at the scene, a monk comes out from a "School" and asks us to come in. Outside, three students sit studying.



He offers us tea, and talks about his days in Chandigarh, and Varanasi. He is completed many degrees, and is also going to do Phd.
This is our first interaction with a monk. This is the first time we learn that to be a monk is like preparing for competitive entrance exam your entire life

Imagine we crib about 4 years of college.

After some chit chat about lot of things I really do not remember, we decide to move on, and head southwards. The road will go all the way to Darcha once completed, but we just want to roam about around the town. Its our rest day.

That said, I decided not to give the camera much rest, and started clicking away








Going a little forward, we reach the burdun Gompa. I also realize that I have been shooting at ISO 1600, thanks to last evenings shots. Time to move back to sane levels.



Looks imposing. Though its all brown here, yellow still rules


Do not miss the sheep on the lower right of the frame.

The landscape of Zanskar is unique in itself, no doubt. Time to click some more.






We also decide to go a few kms along the river Zanskar. The idea is to go to the river side. But its full of dead animals, so we pass


Its little past one, and we just want to relax some more. So its time to head back to the Guest house. Our plan is to spend the entire afternoon and evening lazing around in the guest house, and then wake up at some ungodly time tomorrow morning and start our journey back. But guess what, we did not know what the evening had in store for us!

[A.G.The Rambler]

Exotic colours all the way Tanveer. Zanskar is truly one of its kind. Where is the road in the last picture going? My plan is already underway for mid August. Hopefully that should be a good time to visit and fingers crossed if my Manza can take all the pain !

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by A.G.The Rambler

Exotic colours all the way Tanveer. Zanskar is truly one of its kind. Where is the road in the last picture going? My plan is already underway for mid August. Hopefully that should be a good time to visit and fingers crossed if my Manza can take all the pain !

This one is on the route towards Darcha. It will take many years, but once Padum-chilling and Padum to Darcha get completed, you would go to Leh via Padum, and skip lots of high mountain passes which get snowed out. This will make Manali leh route all weather.

Speaking of Manza, you will hit the underbody definitely at places. I think somebody did this route in a Linea and had to endure lots of hits and nicks to the underbody. August is a dicey time as sometimes the area gets heavy showers and then you can get deep water crossings. If you must go, try early september(around 10th)

[A.G.The Rambler]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Speaking of Manza, you will hit the underbody definitely at places. I think somebody did this route in a Linea and had to endure lots of hits and nicks to the underbody. August is a dicey time as sometimes the area gets heavy showers and then you can get deep water crossings. If you must go, try early september(around 10th)

Yes we will get good number hits, for which i am planning to get a good pair of sump guards for my under body. Could you provide me some information on sump guards? You are right, September would be drier i guess. Please let me know some tips and tricks in this region keeping in mind the vehicle i would be travelling in.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by A.G.The Rambler

Yes we will get good number hits, for which i am planning to get a good pair of sump guards for my under body. Could you provide me some information on sump guards? You are right, September would be drier i guess. Please let me know some tips and tricks in this region keeping in mind the vehicle i would be travelling in.

The Manza comes with a plastic guard. Get a metal guard made in same size. Aluminum door shops will make it for you for cheap. And then fit it. Better than the plastic thing.
Other than that carry 4 feet long and 1 feet wide wooden planks. Sometimes, due to big rocks, portions of road becomes difficult. These planks will be your life line.

[tsk1979]

So we start back, towards the town. We have been quite rejuvnated. We have experienced the second small joy on a tight schedule holiday. A day where there is no agenda

As for the scenery, we got a lot of yellow too!


A picture of the sheela fall




Around the town rise the high mountains crowned by glaciers. This is Zangskar, the land of glaciers


WE roll into the town, and decide to have some traditional soup. As we sit, lots of locals come in. We are the only tourists here. And there is a lot of excitement. And then they ask us to come to sheela village, to attend a wedding..

[tsk1979]

The wedding is at a village called Sheela, the sight of sheela falls. This waterfall or the village has absolutely nothing to do with sheela ki jawani, if you are wondering.
So we drive beyond the BRO camp to get to the other side of the road, at the village.

First we want to explore the water fall. We walk through the village, and there is an increased amount of activity here


The waterfall is big. But its cold, very very cold, and we are hit by cold cold spray. According to the locals it freezes in winter




Upwards like the ruins of the village. Once upon a time, many many decades ago, this is where the village was. But then came an avalanche, and all was destroyed


Its a steep climb upwards, and today is our rest day. No climbing.

We get to the village, and finally find the wedding location. The groom is busy doing work. Here life is hard, you have to work on your wedding day also. The groom will not go to get the girl. The girls family will come here to drop off the girl. Quite different from our customs in Punjab.

However, like all weddings everything is delayed, and the girl will probably rech by midnight.
Nevertheless, the wedding feast is ready, and we savour some delicious local delicacies. They are preparing mutton and egg.
We do not want to eat everything(which we are capable off) so excuse ourselves and start exploring.



This lady has a coat made from a goat.


The kids are mischievous




There is something religious also going on, and we can hear gongs and drums, but nobody seems interested. "They will keep doing their job" "while we make merry", is what the locals say


Everybody is welcoming and warm. They really want us to stay for the night, and see the whole wedding, but tomorrow is a long drive and we must go.

The only resident of the town who is angry with us is this


NEar the car we meet these two kids. Happy to pose


And so is the white elephant, happy to pose


Time to click the village, and go back


The ruins remind you, that nature is not something you toy with lightly.

So little after sunset we are back at the hotel. The Cook with the big girth offers to pack us some paronthas, which are always welcome, and the caretaker starts the water pump so we can wash the white elephant. ITs cold, but the elephant needs a good wash. Even the insides are coated with dust.

Little past 8 we decide to savor the towns nightlife, but Padum doesn't have any. All the restaurants are closed, except something called "UP hotel" run by migrants from Uttar Pradesh. Food is cheap and nice. Our Padum budget has been extremely light, thanks to the 200rs room and the low cost food.

Fianlly, around 10, we hit the bed. This night is not without alarm. Tomorrow will be a long long drive. Tomorrow is going to be different.

Tomorrow is also going to be a record of sorts. Because tomorrow will be the day I click the most number of pics in a single day, higher than any other day on this trip.

[tsk1979]

As soon as we had crossed Pensi La, it had become dark. We had done the entire stretch to Padum in the dark of the night.

As I stood warming up the elephant at 5:20am, its dark again. Up above the hunter shines brightly, and pole star points towards North, guiding our route.

The chinese thermometer is happy today. ITs a warm -4 degree C, but the windchill makes it much worse. There is a bright side to this cold weather. Our paronthas made last night would be fresh, as if kept in the refrigerator.

And so at 5:20am, on a dark lonely road, we start our journey. Today, marks the last day of our journey, figuratively speaking. Of course, we only hope to reach somewhere in Kashmir today, but then, its the end of the trip. Changthang, Nubra, Zanskar. We have done it all, and we have done it in 15 days.

Its dark and windy, and we march on silently.
And then the sun comes out. Shining on the mountaintops, much before it can light up the valley


This also means, I leave the drivers seat, and hand over the wheel to my wife. I will now do the shooting. By evening I will take 180+ shots. Such is the power of the passenger seat with a camera.

Quarter past 7, the sun is fully out, and the valley is lit up. We are approaching Pensi La now. Today, we will see the glacier in its full glory


But Durgang Durang is the only glacier around. From every corner, every pass lurk glaciers. Here is a trek route going somewhere.

As we move on, we spot something running on the road. Guess what, its a wolf. Its the first time we have seen a wolf in the Himalayas. Foxes and leaopards yes. But wolves.... Never.
Sorry about the shaky image. It was cold, and we were moving, and then the wolf ran away


We keep our eyes peeled, but no more wolves. But the mountains, they are something else. Have seen many mountain ranges. The Himalayas, the western Ghats, the Rockies, the Alps, but never seen what we saw in the Zanskar Himalaya. This is a landscape which is like no other


Some day, maybe we will spend a week around the Pensi La, just roaming around, on foot
The Hairpins of the Pensi La.


And the first glimpse of the Durang Durung!


At night, we hadn't realized how bad the road actually was. Well see for yourself


Pensi La is much much colder. I had originally planned to camp here for the night. But I guess its good we did not. Otherwise we would have been the ice cream


We look back, and see the valley. The valley we are leaving behind. The valley which calls. Someday, we will be back again. We know this for sure!


But for now its time to see what we had come so far to see. The Durang Durung. In its full glory!

[debuda]

Mind-blowing pictures and wonderful narration, as usual.

Two questions :

1) I'm thinking of doing the Delhi-Srinagar-Kargil-Leh-Manali route in my XUV-500 around May 2013. But you recommend September. Would May-June not be a good time?

2) You recommend carrying two wooden planks (4'x1'). Would like to know how many times you actually needed to use them during this trip.

[laluks]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

I leave the drivers seat.... I will now do the shooting. By evening I will take 180+ shots. Such is the power of the passenger seat with a camera.

Could not have agreed more.
This also explains the tons of pictures in my log too

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by debuda

Mind-blowing pictures and wonderful narration, as usual.

Two questions :

1) I'm thinking of doing the Delhi-Srinagar-Kargil-Leh-Manali route in my XUV-500 around May 2013. But you recommend September. Would May-June not be a good time?

For a high GC vehicle may june is very good. Lots of snow around. I was talking about an indigo

2) You recommend carrying two wooden planks (4'x1'). Would like to know how many times you actually needed to use them during this trip.

Not for you. Only for small cars as some stretches require higher GC than what they have available. Their small tires also fall into ruts more easily

[AutoIndian]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

The answer is simple. We are going there for the Durang Durung. I guess many others also go there just for this glacier.
If we were not alone, and it was not so cold, we would have camped here and turned back. But then why not go all the way to Padum?

Durang Durung
Attachment 1042294

Closer
Attachment 1042298

The elephant also cools down, and light fades away
Attachment 1042296.

The first two pictures of Durang Durung look so surreal. At first glance I though it is a pencil sketch drawn by some artist. But then the third picture, with the white elephant in the foreground made it very clear that these are indeed real pictures (actual site photographs) & not some fairy tale book.

[tsk1979]

ITs the largest glacier of Ladakh region, barring Siachin. Its the birthplace of the Stod river, a major tributary of Zanskar.
In 2009 we had planned for Zanskar, just to view this beauty. But my back had other plans.

This time we had done it. Made it till here.


The peak to the left lording over the glacier is the Doda peak.

I will let the pics to the talking, and shut up for a while. I have not been able to do justice to this grand wonder of nature. Maybe after 50 years, it won't be there. Feels unbelievable, that something so grand could every dissapear










Doda

3:30pm is our approximate ETA for Kargil today, if we take 10 hours as usual. But I guess you have a fair idea now we won't make it. Stops like this will keep happening.

[adc]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Thanks to the Tarp, the white elephant starts on front crank. Its -10 at 6:30am.

A simple tarp or engine cover even in the form of a shawl spread under the bonnet is a formidable thing but it still amazes me how in much this simple procedure makes a cold start in some of the most adverse conditions so easy!

Just like Koyoul and Demchok areas travel of October 2010, this end Dec we left our Safari for 4 days at around zero to minus temperature at Maneybhajhan before travelling towards Phalut for Kachendzonga.

All that was done was idling the engine for around 20-25 mts with the a blanket over the engine and the battery, and bonnet being closed with care taken that no loose strands get caught with the fans.

4 days and nights later I start the Safari tentatively as the locals watch, and it starts on the first crank. Jaws drop, people leave out exclamation, ask me/comment about the battery make or special engine that a Safari has!!!



Updating myself to the wonderful travel - Mirpal Tso - what a lake it is.And just imagining that green coloured lake now iced up - what a sight it sure is now also!!

Zanskar is unique and just not extension of Ladakh but has its own charm. Looks like we were short on days in zanskar, Reru side and Zangla till where the road has been built towards Leh is again wild and fantastic.


Anyway do continue, will be catching up with the travelogue as it goes on -- but then still how much left or where do you go next!?