We started from Padum at daybreak on 22nd June and reached Kargil after a tiring 8 hour drive over non-existent roads. At one point the roof carrier on our Bolero had to be attended to after a screw came loose due to the rough ride. That delayed us by half an hour. We stayed at Caravan Sarai in Kargil for that night and would highly recommend the hotel. On 23rd June we left for Leh. We did not stay in Leh, but drove a little further to stay in a place called Ladakh Sarai, owned and run by a gem of a person named Regzin. The place was simply awesome with all the amenities and excellent hospitality. Playing badminton at 12000+ feet has its own charm :-D
We stayed in Mongolian tents. Inside picture of a tent -
Enroute to Leh
Cleaning the air filter
View from Leh Palace
The next day we got the permits for K-Top (Khardung La), Pangong Tso, Chushul and Mahe. The plan of visiting the highest motorable pass in the world had to be cut short at South Pullu after a land slide in Khardung La. It had started snowing in South Pullu and we thought it was prudent to go back to Leh. After lazing around in Ladakh Sarai for a day, we started for Pangong Tso. Pictures simply to do not do justice to Pangong Tso and with due respect to all the great photographers who have been there, Pangong Tso has to be seen with your own eyes. I have seen hundreds of pictures of Pangong before visiting Ladakh, but still could not fathom the beauty of the place. I wanted to get the Bolero down in the water like I have seen in some of the pictures taken by people, but did not have the heart to pollute a place of such pristine beauty. We stayed in tents called Pangong Sarai setup by Regzin.
The tents where we stayed in Pangong
This is a common site...
The adventurous part
On one hand I was mesmerized by the beauty of Ladakh and on the other hand the driver in me was disappointed by the lack of challenge faced yet. I started thinking that that I did not need a 4x4 vehicle for a Ladakh trip. The trip to our local Sandakphu peak had been way more challenging and needed a 4x4. So what do I decide to do? Started hunting for information on the Chushul to Mahe road that had been marked in red on a map created by Harsh. Here is the map courtesy Aarti and Harsh -
As per the legend in the map, Red means Only 4x4 with High Ground Clearance (Kachha, Steep and Rocky)
Each and every person including Regzin said that there was no road between Chushul and Mahe except the one through Tsaga La (Marked on the map in yellow). But I was not convinced and wanted to do that route by all means. Debarshi Da did not comply, so we parted ways at Pangong with us pushing towards Chushul and the Pajero retracing to Leh.
So we bid adieu to the dusty friend and his owners -
Then next leg was the most exciting till date. We did not have enough copies of the permit left and Tsaga La was not mentioned in the permit. That meant we would have to go back via Erath or Pangong to Leh if we could not find the short cut from Chushul to Mahe. From Chushul we found out the route after taking help from local people, but they were sceptical about it. They said that the pass on that road would be covered in snow and there was no chance for us. We trudged along and could not see a single soul, leave alone a vehicle, along the entire route till Nun Gompa. Initially it was tarmac for a few kilometers, but after that it was go as you like. There was no fixed route to take and the Bolero was happy 4 wheeling its way up to the Kansang La. Enroute we saw Mitpal Tso.
It started like this.. Then this... And this...
At every point I was asking myself whether I had taken the right decision. But then I realized that right or wrong, we were having fun and that is what mattered.
Mitpal Tso -
Kaksangla Top (Altitude 17880 feet, our GPS showed 17856 feet)
About 40 Kms before Nungompa, road work had started, but the following scene did not encourage us :-P
We were gradually descending and reached Horla at 16974 feet. From here we think we saw the Yaye Tso, but not sure.
Nun Gompa
Finally we reached Mahe. 4 low is not needed for this route for the conditions we faced, I believe cars like Yeti and CRV can do this route unless somebody gets real adventurous. We continued to Tso Moriri and then Tso Kar and halted at Sarchu for the night.
The GPS track of the Chushul-Mahe-Sarchu route
The GPS track and the map side by side to give a better perspective -
We reached Sarchu in the middle of the night and stayed at a home stay that was nothing but a tin hut with 4 beds laid side by side.
Where we spent the night -
The facial expression of my friend says it all -
Started from Sarchu and drove till Manali.
Stayed at Club Mahindra in Manali. We are grateful to them as they let us stay without a prior booking or any intimation. The hotel was nice and the food was excellent.
Started from Manali the next day and reached Kolkata after a 45 hour non-stop drive. This drive was not by choice but by compulsion to attend the marriage ceremony of fellow bhpian and school friend - Incognito!!
Total distance traveled - 6500+ Kms
Total number of days - 18
The White Tusker returned an average of mileage of 12.5 kmpl over the entire stretch and did the journey without missing a beat, as expected :-)
Special thanks to
debarshim for the meticulous planning
Sutripta for accompanying us till Benaras and lending his Garmin eTrex
Harsh for the travelogue and detailed map of Ladakh without which we would have missed the Mitpal Tso, Yaye Tso and the Kaksangla Top
1100D for connecting me to the right people in Mahindra who helped in getting the Bolero LX 4x4 that is usually allotted to Govt.
Ritik Kakoty and Altocumulous for helping me in gaining knowledge on the Bolero and fitting the AC
and last but not the least, Shamindra Da for meeting us on the NH2...
Trip itinerary
Day 1 - Start from Kolkata
Day 2 - Drive on
Day 3 - Reach Patnitop and halt
Day 4 - Reach Srinagar
Day 5 - Srinagar
Day 6 - Reach Kargil
Day 7 - Reach Rangdum and camp
Day 8 - Reach Padum and camp
Day 9 - Reach Kargil
Day 10 - Reach Leh
Day 11 - Drive around Leh
Day 12 - Rest in Leh
Day 13 - Reach Pangong
Day 14 - Reach Sarchu
Day 15 - Reach Manali
Day 16 - Start from Manali
Day 17 - Drive on
Day 18 - Reach Kolkata
End of Travelogue... Ya Jullay!
Picture of two old school 4x4s to end the travelogue