[Delta Wing]

There are many Ladakh travelogues/photologues on TBHP. Why not one more?

We were two friends and it was a fly in trip. Since most of the features and routes are covered in other travelogues and in the fantastic guide written by Tanveer (big thanks for the help!!), I'll just post the pics with some captions.

Day 1: Leh

Peculiar ridges:



A room with a view:





Tsemo castle/monastery (it was totally dark inside, just saw the golden face and clicked a pic):



On the way to Shanti Stupa:



The customary Shanti Stupa pic:



Beautiful paintings up close:

[Delta Wing]

Day 2: Khardung la, Nubra

Khardun la winding down behind from 16K feet:



K top:



Road to Shyok valley:



Shyok river and the valley:



The lovely road to Sumur:





We are disappointed to discover that Wari la pass is closed due to a broken road return to Leh.

Way back from Sumur:



Shyok river for company:



The stream runs into Shyok river:



It rains while we climb the Khardung la again, leaving massive puddles:

[Delta Wing]

Day 3: Sakthi, Chang la, Tangste, Pangong

The beautiful Sakthi valley with the Chang la road:



Three army trucks got caught in a landslide early May this year, 6 soldiers lost:



Me posing:



A stream makes the road its home for 50 m:



A small and very pretty lake fed by a big mountain stream as we descend down the Chang la:









The enormous tangste valley:



The army has painted huge letters 'KARAKORAM WARRIORS' in the mountain:



The big cloud in the sky casts a puny shadow on the massive mountain:



There is no option but to train hard in this terrain:



A fast stream:



The mountain changes colours every kilometer:



The valley feeds thousands:



Passing Marmot shire, a family at play:



Solo operator:



Was there a big river flowing through this valley earlier?

[Delta Wing]

Pangong:

Innumerable pics of the Pangong lake are available on the forum, but still something new with every photologue. Here are mine:

From Lukung, enter the Pangong:



Mirror mirror on the ground..



Easily among the best sights I have seen:





Spangmik on the right:



Summer visitor:



Closer view of Spangmik:



Grand reflections:



A biker admiring his ride with the view and capturing it:



Even a puddle offers ethereal views here:



Dusk:

[Delta Wing]

Day 4: Lunkung-Spangmik-Merak-Tsaga la-Hanle

We start on a misty morning from Lukung:



Little lift of cloud cover and the lake adorns multiple shades:



The real views of the Pangong lake start AFTER the Spangmik village.











The travel so far along the lake:



Peak peeking coyly:



Fellow wanderers:



Hereon till Merak, the hues are mesmerising:









Little after Merak village:





Quicksilver lake:



View so far:



Panoramic:



Now we say bye bye to pangong.

[Delta Wing]

Chushul-Tsaga la-Hanle:

We are now on the dirt track to Chushul:



LAHDC operates even this remote a region to create a forest:



Chushul valley:



Chushul war memorial:



We trudge on for another 14 km, with signboards every 2 km welcoming us to a historic site. The peaceful valley in the pic, who would think a momentous bloody battle was fought here?



The Rezang la war memorial. A story compared with the stand of 300 at Thermopylae. Maj Shaitan Singh, PVC - our own Leonidas!











Some more info: The indian soldiers had come from the plains while the adversary was local and well acclimatised (this is at 14500 feet). The indians had WW-2 vintage bolt action Mk303 rifle against the self loading rifles of the enemy. The mountain feature blocked the indian artillery but gave a free hand to the enemy to shell at will at the Indian positions in the plain valley. The heavily outgunned and outnumbered C company of 13th Kumaon still dispatched 5-6 of the enemy for each of the 114 brave souls who all perished in the battle after repelling seven waves of enemy attack in small arms fire as well as hand to hand combat. The tale is known at all because a severely wounded soldier trekked several kilometers the next day to the Battalion HQ and died subsequently. The battle happened on 18 Nov 62 and their frozen bodies were found clutching their weapons in Feb 63. Those better informed, please correct or add.

What an act of bravery to remember and cherish on this independence day!