[AdityaDeane]

We got a chance to visit the Lahaul valley over the weekend to one of our hospital's satellite center, situated near Udaipur at Margaraon (Madgram).


Peeping at Lahaul-Spiti valley from Rohtang Pass


First scenes of the valley


The amazing road on the other side of the Rohtang Pass, till Gramphu, from where it is an Off Road Drive down towards Khoksar.


Tandi Bridge


Significance of this place

Udaipur is located next to the Chenab river, which is formed by the Chandra and Bhaga rivers merging at Tandi and continuing towards Pakistan thereafter.

Madgram is situated on the road from Khoksar to Udaipur to Pangi and on to Killar and Kishtwar.


View of the Pangi-Killar-Kishtwar side from our satellite clinic at Madgram

I was amazed to see so many Waterfalls on the route, yet the landscape was sandy and rocky in most places.



It's going to be more of a Photologue, than a travelogue. Do enjoy the scenic beauty of the Lahaul valley.


Amazing Rock faces of the valley


Most of the rocks in the valley are Sedimentary Rocks, much like most of the Himalayan geology.


On the way to Pangi








Our first experience of the after sunset time in Lahaul valley


Your's truly enjoying the sun and the sand posing as a sleeping Buddha! Image Location:- Mini Manali Udaipur (halfway between Udaipur and Madgram)


Surprisingly the beach was full of such shiny glistening dark stones. Image Location:- Mini Manali Udaipur (halfway between Udaipur and Madgram)


Much like the rocks, even the farming and forest were in layers in Madgram

Glimpses of old Lahauli architecture:-







Image Location:- Mini Manali Udaipur (halfway between Udaipur and Madgram)


Waterfall opposite to Pagal Nala at Madgram-Pangi road


Looking back at Udaipur from Madgram beach


Crossing the Hanging/Suspension Wooden Bridge near Madgram

Waterfalls and Sceneries on the way back:-










(Continued)

[AdityaDeane]

(Continued):-






A roadside waterfall we enjoyed playing with


The Lahaul-Spiti Valley end of the Atal Rohtang Tunnel (which is supposed to be opened by this month end for all year round connectivity)


The tunnel has a very acute Right Turn just where it meets the river, I hope they make enough Speed Breakers / Rumble Strips to slow the traffic cruising happily in the 8.8Km long tunnel and bring them to a dead stop before they fly into the Chandra River below. Why couldn't they make the Bridge in continuation with the Tunnel opening?






Approaching Khoksar


Khoksar Bridge




Rani Nala (below Rohtang Pass) where the song "Yeh Ishq Haye" was shot of the movie "Jab We Met"

Thanks for perusing till the end!

Our faithful partner in crime who got abused on the Udaipur-Pangi Road:


One Way Distance between Manali and Madgram: 155Kms

Mileage of the Trip (tankful to tankful method from the same pump at the commencement and the end of the trip): 17.825Km/L (without AC)

Images Clicked on: Xiaomi Mi Max
Moto E5 Plus

[Gannu_1]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[busydrive]

Lovely photologue. How did Triber perform on these roads? Comfort, driveability point of view.

[AdityaDeane]

Originally Posted by busydrive

Lovely photologue. How did Triber perform on these roads? Comfort, driveability point of view.

Thanks sir! I had just installed an OBD2 Port Power and Torque Booster before this trip, bought it off AliExpress a few weeks ago. I'm not sure if it was because of that, or the car really did perform brilliantly on the way to Rohtang this time. I was in 3rd and 4th most of the time, and while in Lahaul valley could cruise around in 5th gear also.

The suspension performed very well even in the rocky bits of the road towards Pangi. I am planning a video series on my channel in a few days from the dash cam videos of the trip. I did scrape the bottom because of the long wheelbase at some points, but I never got stuck anywhere. Coming from a Nano, I love the way the Triber drives on the highway as well as the hilly ways, no complaints. And the stability improves by leaps and bounds when it is loaded fully, as the car sticks to the tarmac and glides smoothly over anything and everything.

Hope this helps.

[Cessna182]

Fantastic travelogue. Thanks for sharing.

Off Topic: I remember seeing a documentary about a house in the Lahaul valley- they have a unique toilet where the waste is composted and not discharged into a sewer. Conserves water and is quite hygienic.

[AdityaDeane]

Originally Posted by Cessna182

Fantastic travelogue. Thanks for sharing.

Off Topic: I remember seeing a documentary about a house in the Lahaul valley- they have a unique toilet where the waste is composted and not discharged into a sewer. Conserves water and is quite hygienic.

Not sure about any particular house, but most houses in the local Lahauli villages compost their toilet waste and keep mixing grass and leaves every day in it, and use that as manure for the locally grown Potatoes.

That is why Lahauli Potatoes are very famous and have a uniqueness in their taste. I would have taken it as a folktale, but we have Lahauli volunteers with us, and I have heard this from the horse's mouth, so it ought to be true!

[maheshm619]

Originally Posted by AdityaDeane

Thanks sir! I had just installed an OBD2 Port Power and Torque Booster before this trip, bought it off AliExpress a few weeks ago. I'm not sure if it was because of that, or the car really did perform brilliantly on the way to Rohtang this time. .

Hi,

Apologies for going off-topic here.The mention about OBD2 port device brought to my mind, scenes of a YouTube video where some guys reverse engineered a similar device.They scanned the device's output for any relevant communication with their car's ECU, but later found out that the device had just 3 fancy LEDs.A quick google search would be enlightening.

[AdityaDeane]

Originally Posted by maheshm619

Hi,

Apologies for going off-topic here.The mention about OBD2 port device brought to my mind, scenes of a YouTube video where some guys reverse engineered a similar device.They scanned the device's output for any relevant communication with their car's ECU, but later found out that the device had just 3 fancy LEDs.A quick google search would be enlightening.

For Rs.133 if it indeed does some temporary remapping for the car, I'm more than happy. The actual change in power and torque can not be measured here, but the mileage surely was brilliant for the trip. I usually get around 13-14Km/L in my hilly drives, and 17.8Km/L was amazingly wonderful for a change.

The device does have a Reset button, and requires you to drive for around 200Kms before the device starts remapping the vehicle. I have no way to actually find out if it indeed does something to the engine, just that I felt it pulling better on the drive this weekend. Even when loaded, it wasn't showing any signs of strain where it usually would, like on the off-road stretch and steep s-curve inclines between Khoksar to Gramphu.

[saurabh89]

Attachment 2051684
The tunnel has a very acute Right Turn just where it meets the river, I hope they make enough Speed Breakers / Rumble Strips to slow the traffic cruising happily in the 8.8Km long tunnel and bring them to a dead stop before they fly into the Chandra River below. Why couldn't they make the Bridge in continuation with the Tunnel opening?

This one caught my eye. Cant understand the logic. Even the aut tunnel on Manali road has a similar structure on the Mandi end. Hope they make provisions for traffic to slow down.

[Sanjivvohra]

Fantastic pictures!
Quick question, are the hotels/ homestays open for tourists?

[AdityaDeane]

Originally Posted by Sanjivvohra

Fantastic pictures!
Quick question, are the hotels/ homestays open for tourists?

Thanks! Not sure about that, as we went for our official work and stayed in our satellite Clinic. Kaza side is definitely closed for outsiders, Manali was supposed to open up next month, but new confirmed Covid-19 cases have come out in the last few days now, and I am not sure how will they open hotels etc. now with cases coming up in the town itself. The campsites at Udaipur etc. were closed down. Didn't check about Homestay in the region.

[AdityaDeane]

Attaching a few Panoramic Images I clicked, on our way back, of the valley below:-

[sami316]

Awesome TL and great to see some beautiful pics in these times..Thanks for sharing.

[AdityaDeane]

All the dash cam videos for the Lahaul valley drive are now up and running on my YouTube page, attaching the links below:

https://youtu.be/1hviq9Xv9Zs

Part 1 -> Gulaba to Rani Nala (below Rohtang Pass)

https://youtu.be/Vuu_f7iN64A

Part 2 -> Margaraon towards Pangi-Killar-Kaishtwar and back

https://youtu.be/twwP1Xgc3kE

Part 3 -> Margaraon to Jahlma

https://youtu.be/mGnNp1-Q5ls

Part 4 -> Jahlma to Tandi Bridge

https://youtu.be/zzsodii6yJI

Part 5 -> Tandi Bridge till Khoksar

https://youtu.be/1cwOv3stTCE

Part 6 -> Khoksar till Gulaba chek post