[SnS_12]

A well written travelogue accompanied by many stunning pictures

Our country has countless beautiful locations and amazing locations to be explored and it would be a blessing if one can experience all of it in ones liftme.

Eagerly looking forward to reading the adventures of Hanle!

[RedDevil_KP]

Wow!! Absolutely SPECTACULAR. The will to succeed in reaching your dream is Epic. Most of your per-planning scenarios you narrated, scene by scene, holds good for me too . I know the destination is Leh but haven't reached there yet .

[Syed_Munazzir]

Beautiful!
Which camera do you use? These pictures are breath-taking

[sourav.info111]

Originally Posted by vsathyap

Part 4: Tso Moriri and Tso Kar - Heaven on Earth
.
.
.
That was it - the dream trip to Leh Ladakh was coming to an end .... and little did I know that my adventure was just about to begin!

Excellent photography Sir. It simply left me wanting for more and more such pictures. It ignites the desire to drive on these mystique land. But just had one small query. Is it possible to do it on a hatchback? does the steep inclines needs a SUV or 4X4 or can be done by a humble hatchback?

[psurelia]

Many capture wonderful frames. You have a gifted mind. You have captured some stunning moments, not to mention with equally amazing lens-work! I am yet to read the travelogue, but I could not help but devour all the pictures and it took me really long time to just see the picture. Each one of them have so much to tell. Excellent work! Rated 5*.

[speedkrish]

Another Leh Thread and we never get bored.
Loved the plane shots. Awesome pictures which stand out.

[gypsyFreak]

Originally Posted by vsathyap

"Ladakh : A place where you can get sun-burnt during the day and frost-bitten in the same night" - Anonymous

Its been one year since I visited Ladakh and there is no better way to respect the visual treats this place has to offer by penning (or typing) down a travelogue of this Magical Land! ...

Hey Vishwas, finally you penned down your travelogue. I guess this trip was done last year..?
Nevertheless, very nice write-up and amazing pictures.

I did my pilgrimage to this heavenly place in May 2016. Travelogue coming soon.

[vsathyap]

Hi All,

Thank you very much for your kind words of admiration. I've listed answers to come common questions that have been asked:

1. The camera equipment was pretty simple:
   1. Nikon D7000 body
   2. Nikkor 18-105mm VR (stock lens)
   3. Nikkor 35mm f/1.8 G & Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D primes
   4. Nikkor 70-300mm VR
   5. Tokina 11-16 DX2 wide Andle Lens for APS-C
   6. B+W 72mm CPL with step up/ step down rings for all lenses
   7. 10 stop Hoya Pro ND Filter for the long shutter water pics
   8. FotoPro Tripod/Monopod
   9. Lot of batteries, chargers, SD card, remote release triggers, etc. and a Xiaomi Yi Action Camera
2. I did this trip during July 2015 (17-25th to be precise)
3. A Low GC Hatch could probably do the trip - it all depends on the weather and road conditions and also the route you pick at the time you visit. Generally, late September would be an ideal time to do this in a low GC hatch like Alto as most of the river crossings would have dried off (all snow melted). Nothing can be written in stone - all matters on the weather Gods!
4. No I'm not a professional photographer - just click pics as a hobby and Leh was always on my bucket list simply because of the sheer beauty of the place
5. The final part of the TL is coming up very soon - I should be done with it by the weekend. Attaching pics and placing them in the right places with the story takes some time and getting it right is time consuming
6. Someone asked about Sigma lenses - on our trip we got to try out Zeiss Lenses and the portrait of the old lady was shot with the Zeiss 20mm f/1.8 (or was it 1.4? Can't seem to remember clearly!) - stunningly sharp!

Again, thanks all for your kind words. The best pics of the trip are about to come up in Part 2 - Hanle is simply magical!

[hemanth.anand]

Some amazing snaps vsathyap
The milky way, the star trail and the monk at the monastery being among my favourites.

A Ladakh travelogue is so wonderful to see even after having read so many of them.
I've only seen the pictures as of now and not read through the travelogue.
Once I go back home in the evening I'll read it

It also brings back some great memories of my 2012 trip.
In fact, 4 years ago, this week(this date to be accurate) we were in Leh.
Everyday, Facebook is showing me memories to cherish and this travelogue of yours did the same thing.

Thanks for sharing this. It was a treat for the eyes. Keep giving us more such treats

[Vipin Kumar]

Originally Posted by vsathyap

[*]No I'm not a professional photographer - just click pics as a hobby and Leh was always on my bucket list simply because of the sheer beauty of the place

The professional need not always accomplish what one does as art .

In these photographs, Ladakh is the art. The frames are familiar and we know it is Ladakh, yet many look so different!

Thanks for the superb pics of Ladakh...

[lancersfx]

Originally Posted by vsathyap

What I saw next amazed me - there were a few foreign folks, probably in their late forties/early fifties wearing nothing but cycling shorts, thin T shirts and helmets, cycling their way up K-Top. I was amazed at their fitness levels, comparing it to our sorry state of health, as we were breathing heavily and panting for breath trying to hold just our camera gear. Respect!

Did Manali to Khardungla over 7days of cycling. Cyclists paradise I must say . Its more a matter of hobby/passion. Another thing i'd like to mention is that cyclists get acclimatized at a lot slower rate than people on motorbikes or cars. Mainly because you lose/gain altitude at a much quicker rate. I must stay stunning photolog. One has to be at that place as photos don't do much justice. Surreal scenery all around and every evening the only thoughts that were looming was what awaited us the next day.

[lsp]

Lovely travelogue Vishwas. You narration and the stunning pics make it a joy to read! Eagerly awaiting the second part.

[redcruiser]

very Good photography.
Kashmir is my dream destination. Yet to fulfill that dream.

[dinesh6481]

Originally Posted by vsathyap

Hi All,
Thank you very much for your kind words of admiration. I've listed answers to come common questions that have been asked:

1. The camera equipment was pretty simple:
   1. Nikon D7000 body
   2. Nikkor 18-105mm VR (stock lens)
   3. Nikkor 35mm f/1.8 G & Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D primes
   4. Nikkor 70-300mm VR
   5. Tokina 11-16 DX2 wide Andle Lens for APS-C
   6. B+W 72mm CPL with step up/ step down rings for all lenses
   7. 10 stop Hoya Pro ND Filter for the long shutter water pics
   8. FotoPro Tripod/Monopod
   9. Lot of batteries, chargers, SD card, remote release triggers, etc. and a Xiaomi Yi Action Camera
2. Someone asked about Sigma lenses - on our trip we got to try out Zeiss Lenses and the portrait of the old lady was shot with the Zeiss 20mm f/1.8 (or was it 1.4? Can't seem to remember clearly!) - stunningly sharp!

Again, thanks all for your kind words. The best pics of the trip are about to come up in Part 2 - Hanle is simply magical!

very well executed photolog. Infact i think i am in the same boat as i intend to take a road trip with my friends during the first week of september 2016. I am an accidental photographer who found out the power of camera much later in the life. I am a Canon guy and currently my gear mirror your gear list almost lens to lens. I have 24-105 F/4, 35 f/1.4, 50 f/1.8 and 85 f/1.8. as you can guess from my collection that i am more into portrait and this is where the dilemma comes. i have been to Leh a number of times but this is for the first time i shall be going with my friends for pure photographic reasons. i have time lapse video and night sky photography in mind alongwith portrait of locals. would i be missing out something with my current gear. i tried to source 55-250 for the trip but it didn't materialise. do you think that absence of telezoom would affect the prospect (you incidentally have 70-300). how many times you felt the need for such a long range during your trip? another question i would like to ask is 'what did you use Xiaomi action camera for'? is it the same camera used for dashcam or is it something else?

[vsathyap]

Originally Posted by dinesh6481

I have 24-105 F/4, 35 f/1.4, 50 f/1.8 and 85 f/1.8. as you can guess from my collection that i am more into portrait and this is where the dilemma comes. i have been to Leh a number of times but this is for the first time i shall be going with my friends for pure photographic reasons. i have time lapse video and night sky photography in mind alongwith portrait of locals. would i be missing out something with my current gear. i tried to source 55-250 for the trip but it didn't materialise. do you think that absence of telezoom would affect the prospect (you incidentally have 70-300). how many times you felt the need for such a long range during your trip? another question i would like to ask is 'what did you use Xiaomi action camera for'? is it the same camera used for dashcam or is it something else?

1. You are sorely missing a wide angle lens in your kit - please beg/borrow/rent/buy one before you leave. It's probably the only lens that will be fixed on your camera 90% of the times
2. Ladakhi's are generally shy and dont like their pictures taken. Request for their approval first before you take their pic - if they resist, dont force them (saying this since you plan to take portraits)
3. Off late, some people demand money from you when you take their pictures - please do not encourage this practice, unless you plan to use the pictures for commercial use or for monetary gain. Find someone else who is portrait friendly!
4. Tele Zooms would not matter much - only if you want to take pics of wildlife like Birds / Kiangs / Marmots and the odd chance you run into a snow leopard!
5. I used the action camera as an alternative time lapse camera - which took time lapses from a different angle/viewpoint/perspective. Since making timelapses is such a time consuming task, it was easier for me to generate 2 timelapses from 2 cameras.
6. I also used the Action cam widely as a dashcam, recoring the wonderful vistas enroute
7. The Action cam was also used under water - in gushing streams, in the waters at Pangong, etc. If you're carring one, ensure you have a good waterproof case.
8. The action cam is a proper action camera. I just used it as a dashcam on many occasions and the Xiaomi Dashcam is another piece of tech entirely.