Ladakh, Heaven on Earth

yogesh sarkar · 18th May 2006, 13:19

Hi every one, I went to Ladakh in September 2005 on my motorcycle. Finally I have finished and uploaded my trip log, check it out and let me know what you think about it.

To heaven and back

It’s human nature to dream, so is the nature to do what few have done and is considered as a “foolish thing”. There is some allure in doing what only a select few can do, to make it to “The Top of the world”. Once your heart and mind is set on such a task, few things in the world can divert you from it.

For past few years, some thing of this sort had been doing rounds in my head. Ever since I read in BSMotoring of the exploits of their travel writer on Silver colored Bajaj Pulsar 180 conquering the highest and coldest desert in the world. I couldn’t stop picturing myself and my Red Pulsar 180 in place of him and his bike.

As the days drew ever so near for my longest and hardest trip yet. I knew I had something special coming. Soon I will make it to the “Top of the world” (quite literally), do some thing that most will not even dream of.

I was about to embark upon a journey to the vary heart of Himalayas, a place known as Ladakh, land of passes.

Day1 : 4th September 2005 (Delhi – Manali)

Day2 : 5th September 2005 (Manali – Keylong)

Day3 : 6th September 2005 (Keylong - Sarchu)

Day4 : 7th September 2005 (Sarchu - Leh)

Day5 : 8th September 2005 Leh

Day6 : 9th September 2005 Leh – Diskit

Day7 : 10th September 2005 Nubra Valley Part2

Day8 : 11th September 2005 Diskit – Leh

Day9 : 12th September 2005 Leh – Tanksey

Day10 : 13th September 2005 Tanksey–Pangong Tso-Tanksey

Day11 : 14th September 2005 Tanksey – Leh

Day12 15th September 2005 Leh

Day13: 16th September 2005 Leh – Kargil

Day14 : 17th September 2005 Kargil- Srinagar

Day15 : 18th September 2005 Srinagar-Gulmarg-Srinagar

Day16-17 : 19-20th September 2005 Srinagar-New Delhi

Just Touched the Sky: Video of us six riding down from Khardung La(18380ft)

kb100 · 18th May 2006, 13:27

MAN JUST BRILLIANT!!... I envy you!1... I am going to make that trip someday!!!!!..... Steer.. Rudra... Grrrrrrrrrr!!

johy · 18th May 2006, 14:08

Hi Yogesh,

Thanks a ton for sharing these most lovely pictures and transporting us to another world!

It was beautiful.

Johy

The Matrix · 18th May 2006, 14:34

Hey Yogesh, i was browsing thru ur website..amazing photographs i must say. and some intresting comments in your guest book too

.

deepug · 18th May 2006, 14:34

Envy you guys. Very exhaustive coverage of the trip. Stunning pictures.Dont know If I would be able to do this in the near future

Deepu

caroholic1 · 18th May 2006, 14:37

Hey Yogesh awesome pics man.

yogesh sarkar · 18th May 2006, 15:05

thanks kb100 and johy

thanks The Matrix, regarding the guestbook, damn those spamers

thanks Deepu, if you ever have the chance to go to ladakh, dont think twice just go for it

thanks caroholic1

The Matrix · 18th May 2006, 15:18

Hey Mate, how did it feel to ride through the Khardungla Pass. Share your experience

manson · 18th May 2006, 15:22

beautiful stuff you ve visited there boy, wish to do similar stuff someday, in a car though.

manson.

p.s. surely inspiring

Rayden · 18th May 2006, 15:31

great trip!!!!!

First pics of guys in Ladakh on someting other than a bullet. Nice to see

:-)

yogesh sarkar · 18th May 2006, 15:36

The Matrix the feeling is awesome, although the best ride to a pass has to be Baralacha-La for the rough roads, Taglang-La and Chang-La for the shear feeling of climbing altitude. Although the weather we faced while coming back from nubra mad the climb to Khardung La a memorable one.

First there was heavy rains and then snow, it was so cold that even though I was wearing leather gloves, I was having a hard time operating clutch and for breaks. It was so damn cold and at the end of the ascent I saw four friendly faces.

Never thought I would meet my friends on the highest motorable pass! That made the whole ride worth it. We did make a video while coming down from Khardung La, you can download it from here http://www.yogeshsarkar.com/trips/ladakh05/video.htm.

Thanks Manson and Rayden

S Pathak · 18th May 2006, 15:42

Ladakh truly is a paradise for nature/landscape lovers and we Indians are lucky to have such a region within our map. For bikers, it would be a gross understatement to say that this is perhaps one of the most breathtaking yet arduous journeys one can make. I can understand your thrill.

Thanks for sharing.

The Matrix · 18th May 2006, 16:15

Kudos to your friend who shot the video while riding yogesh. Thanks for sharing it. Hope 2 do sumthing like that in future

greatDrive · 18th May 2006, 16:38

These pics.. remind me of my trip to Rohtang pass...

Great Travelouge...

yogesh sarkar · 19th May 2006, 04:55

Totally agree with you S Pathak, it’s one of the best motorcycle trip for any motorcyclist who loves to travel.

Thanks Matrix and greatDrive

18th May 2006, 13:19	#1
yogesh sarkar BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: New Delhi Posts: 238 Thanked: 37 Times	Ladakh, Heaven on Earth Hi every one, I went to Ladakh in September 2005 on my motorcycle. Finally I have finished and uploaded my trip log, check it out and let me know what you think about it. To heaven and back It’s human nature to dream, so is the nature to do what few have done and is considered as a “foolish thing”. There is some allure in doing what only a select few can do, to make it to “The Top of the world”. Once your heart and mind is set on such a task, few things in the world can divert you from it. For past few years, some thing of this sort had been doing rounds in my head. Ever since I read in BSMotoring of the exploits of their travel writer on Silver colored Bajaj Pulsar 180 conquering the highest and coldest desert in the world. I couldn’t stop picturing myself and my Red Pulsar 180 in place of him and his bike. As the days drew ever so near for my longest and hardest trip yet. I knew I had something special coming. Soon I will make it to the “Top of the world” (quite literally), do some thing that most will not even dream of. I was about to embark upon a journey to the vary heart of Himalayas, a place known as Ladakh, land of passes. Day1 : 4th September 2005 (Delhi – Manali) Day2 : 5th September 2005 (Manali – Keylong) Day3 : 6th September 2005 (Keylong - Sarchu) Day4 : 7th September 2005 (Sarchu - Leh) Day5 : 8th September 2005 Leh Day6 : 9th September 2005 Leh – Diskit Day7 : 10th September 2005 Nubra Valley Part2 Day8 : 11th September 2005 Diskit – Leh Day9 : 12th September 2005 Leh – Tanksey Day10 : 13th September 2005 Tanksey–Pangong Tso-Tanksey Day11 : 14th September 2005 Tanksey – Leh Day12 15th September 2005 Leh Day13: 16th September 2005 Leh – Kargil Day14 : 17th September 2005 Kargil- Srinagar Day15 : 18th September 2005 Srinagar-Gulmarg-Srinagar Day16-17 : 19-20th September 2005 Srinagar-New Delhi Just Touched the Sky: Video of us six riding down from Khardung La(18380ft)
	(1) Thanks

18th May 2006, 13:27	#2
kb100 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Bangy Boy! Posts: 1,555 Thanked: 21 Times	MAN JUST BRILLIANT!!... I envy you!1... I am going to make that trip someday!!!!!..... Steer.. Rudra... Grrrrrrrrrr!!
	() Thanks

18th May 2006, 14:08	#3
johy BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Siliguri Posts: 972 Thanked: 622 Times View My Garage	Hi Yogesh, Thanks a ton for sharing these most lovely pictures and transporting us to another world! It was beautiful. Johy
	() Thanks

18th May 2006, 14:34	#4
The Matrix BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 112 Thanked: 2 Times	Hey Yogesh, i was browsing thru ur website..amazing photographs i must say. and some intresting comments in your guest book too .
	() Thanks

18th May 2006, 14:34	#5
deepug BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 92 Thanked: 26 Times	Envy you guys. Very exhaustive coverage of the trip. Stunning pictures.Dont know If I would be able to do this in the near future Deepu
	() Thanks

18th May 2006, 14:37	#6
caroholic1 BHPian Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Delhi Posts: 407 Thanked: 31 Times View My Garage	Hey Yogesh awesome pics man.
	() Thanks

18th May 2006, 15:05	#7
yogesh sarkar BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: New Delhi Posts: 238 Thanked: 37 Times	thanks kb100 and johy thanks The Matrix, regarding the guestbook, damn those spamers thanks Deepu, if you ever have the chance to go to ladakh, dont think twice just go for it thanks caroholic1
	() Thanks

18th May 2006, 15:18	#8
The Matrix BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 112 Thanked: 2 Times	Hey Mate, how did it feel to ride through the Khardungla Pass. Share your experience
	() Thanks

18th May 2006, 15:22	#9
manson Team-BHP Support Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 3,934 Thanked: 4,169 Times View My Garage	beautiful stuff you ve visited there boy, wish to do similar stuff someday, in a car though. manson. p.s. surely inspiring
	() Thanks

18th May 2006, 15:31	#10
Rayden BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Chennai Posts: 101 Thanked: Once	great trip!!!!! First pics of guys in Ladakh on someting other than a bullet. Nice to see :-)
	() Thanks

18th May 2006, 15:36	#11
yogesh sarkar BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: New Delhi Posts: 238 Thanked: 37 Times	The Matrix the feeling is awesome, although the best ride to a pass has to be Baralacha-La for the rough roads, Taglang-La and Chang-La for the shear feeling of climbing altitude. Although the weather we faced while coming back from nubra mad the climb to Khardung La a memorable one. First there was heavy rains and then snow, it was so cold that even though I was wearing leather gloves, I was having a hard time operating clutch and for breaks. It was so damn cold and at the end of the ascent I saw four friendly faces. Never thought I would meet my friends on the highest motorable pass! That made the whole ride worth it. We did make a video while coming down from Khardung La, you can download it from here http://www.yogeshsarkar.com/trips/ladakh05/video.htm. Thanks Manson and Rayden
	() Thanks

18th May 2006, 15:42	#12
S Pathak BHPian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 48 Thanked: 0 Times View My Garage	Ladakh truly is a paradise for nature/landscape lovers and we Indians are lucky to have such a region within our map. For bikers, it would be a gross understatement to say that this is perhaps one of the most breathtaking yet arduous journeys one can make. I can understand your thrill. Thanks for sharing.
	() Thanks

18th May 2006, 16:15	#13
The Matrix BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 112 Thanked: 2 Times	Kudos to your friend who shot the video while riding yogesh. Thanks for sharing it. Hope 2 do sumthing like that in future Last edited by The Matrix : 18th May 2006 at 16:17.
	() Thanks

18th May 2006, 16:38	#14
greatDrive BHPian Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 547 Thanked: 7 Times	These pics.. remind me of my trip to Rohtang pass... Great Travelouge...
	() Thanks

19th May 2006, 04:55	#15
yogesh sarkar BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: New Delhi Posts: 238 Thanked: 37 Times	Totally agree with you S Pathak, it’s one of the best motorcycle trip for any motorcyclist who loves to travel. Thanks Matrix and greatDrive
	() Thanks