[RahuKetu]

Excellent detailed travelogue with equally nice captures. You have covered lesser known routes in great details. It will be helpful to many future travelers. Thanks for sharing.

On a lighter note, How many times you took bath in entire trip?

[ruzbehxyz]

Originally Posted by RahuKetu

Excellent detailed travelogue with equally nice captures. You have covered lesser known routes in great details. It will be helpful to many future travelers. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for appreciating my post.

On a lighter note, How many times you took bath in entire trip?

Everyday except the stay at Padum, because there was no hot water and temperature was negative.

[kauphylover]

Read the travelogue from start to end in one go. Wonderful. Makes me jealous. I’m tempted to replace my Civic with a proper SUV now!

Thanks for sharing.

[UD2021]

Very detailed travelogue with lots of information and some nice images. Your travelogue has rekindled memories of my visit to Zanskar way back in 2013. We travelled via Srinagar, Kargil up to Padum and back via the same route. The rugged beauty of Zanskar is perhaps unmatched...I long for another trip to Zanskar.

[gypsygenes]

Thank you for the detailed post. Must have been so much fun! The information you have shared is useful - planning a cycle ride on the route this season.

[Shanksta]

Originally Posted by ruzbehxyz

Thanks for appreciating. Planning time was shorter than time taken to write about the trip.

Hi Sir, that was a great Travelogue. I have a few questions, request you to kindly clarify.

Is the Kishtwar to Killar route doable in a 2WD vehicle ?

Do we require any special permits to do this route ?

Is it good enough if the journey is split into 2 days ? Kishtwar to Killar and Killar to Chamba.

Kindly let me know if there is some booking process for the PWD rest house or if we can just show up at their doorstep for accommodation ? What are the charges ?

Sorry for the barrage of questions, your travelogue is giving me ideas but I have the above doubts.

[ruzbehxyz]

Originally Posted by Shanksta

Is the Kishtwar to Killar route doable in a 2WD vehicle ?

Yes, but prior experience of driving on such roads in the Himalayas is required.

Do we require any special permits to do this route ?

No. This is not inner line area.

Is it good enough if the journey is split into 2 days ? Kishtwar to Killar and Killar to Chamba.

Yes. Stay at Killar is recommended.
At Killar you have Chamunda hotel, PWD guest house, Forest guest house and some more places.

Kindly let me know if there is some booking process for the PWD rest house or if we can just show up at their doorstep for accommodation ? What are the charges ?

PWD is for government employees only. You need to book it in advance.

[katoom]

An absolute treat - loved every write-up, picture and well complemented videos.
Got me great amount of nostalgia with the cliffhanger circuit which we rode in 2016. Back then, I had jokingly vowed that I would never get a four wheeler on that road but as we evolve, would now want to go there and get the same goosebumps along with the rush of adrenaline!
Did you have any anxious moments with the jutting out rocks on the mountain side or extremely less clearance with the road in the mid sections?

The information on the new link roads in Zanskar - again, very neatly laid and highly engaging account of your days. Loved it. Myself have this in the radar since long but having a first hand account of the status from a fellow Motorhead definitely helps.

Wish you many more of such wonderful expeditions!
Cheers.

[dgoyle]

A very nice and informative description.

You certainly have inspired us to trace your path, with a twist.
Delhi - Sach Pass - Killar - Keylong - Padum - Sankoo - Dras - Srinagar - Delhi.

Plan to leave Delhi on 6th October 21 for a week to ten days.

Any experience on Killar to Keylong route. It's 130 kms.

[ruzbehxyz]

Originally Posted by dgoyle

Delhi - Sach Pass - Killar - Keylong - Padum - Sankoo - Dras - Srinagar - Delhi.

Plan to leave Delhi on 6th October 21 for a week to ten days.

Any experience on Killar to Keylong route. It's 130 kms.

The above route is doable in October. October is autumn and a nice time to visit, however will be cold. Padum, Zanskar will have negative temperature. Avoid after 20th October, as it can snow anytime. If going in a single SUV, then I would suggest 4x4, however it is still upto the skill of the driver.

For Sankoo- Drass via Umba la, please ask the locals at Sankoo for the road conditions, just in case if it is not closed as very few take this route.

I had done Killar - Udeypur - Keylong in 2015 and it is a fantastic road to drive on, Lahual valley at its best. The PWD resthouses enroute are at wonderful locations. Don't miss the Trilokinath temple, which is few kilometres off the highway.
There is no pump on Sach pass - Killar - Keylong route. Tandi before Keylong is the only option and you must top up 100% here before heading to Padum. Next pump you will get at Padum and then Dras. After that no issues.

[dgoyle]

Thank you for the information. We are likely to have two cars, Duster and Etios (Petrol). Skilled drivers, all four.

For Killar - Udeypur - Keylong section I am now in touch with BHPian Aditya Deanae who can provide the latest information on this stretch. He informs, that due to flash floods, there are 6 bridges down on this section till Jispa.

Fuel supply points noted.

We will keep our fingers crossed for Sankoo- Drass via Umba la section, else we will take the Kargil route.

Could you expand on the road condition for the two stretches namely Keylong to Padum to Sankoo.
After Sankoo you do mention that the roads are mostly tarred.

[ruzbehxyz]

Originally Posted by dgoyle

Could you expand on the road condition for the two stretches namely Keylong to Padum to Sankoo.
After Sankoo you do mention that the roads are mostly tarred.

Keylong-Padum-Sankoo is operational. I just completed my second trip last week and road widening is going on. Tarmac is being laid at many sections.

[SajiNSalin]

Planning a drive from Trivandrum to Leh to explore the region at leisure in September-October 2021. Himachal Pradesh now requires Epass to transit the state. Ladakh requires negative RTPCR to enter.
Has anyone gone through this process? Where in Manali can we get an RTPCR test done and how long does it take to get the result?
Thans in advance for any information in this regard.

[ruzbehxyz]

21.Sept.2021.

Jio Tower with 4G network under USOF has been made functional at Pilcha, Testa and Krgyak.
The network covers villages in Lungnak Zanskar are Kargyak, Sking, Thangso, Shangka, Thable, Raltak, Lalung, Tangze, Kuru, Lamamane, Testa, Yal, Marling, Purne, Pipcha, Barden Monastery and Gonbo Rangjon etc.

[ruzbehxyz]

Central Govt announces new highway from Kishtwar-Paddar, J&K to Zanskar in Ladakh.

It is good news for the people from Gulabgarh-Paddar Sub Division in Kishtwar district of Jammu region and the inhabitants from remotest and snowbound Zanskar Sub Division of Ladakh as the Union Government has announced to construct a new highway from Paddar (Kishtwar) to Padum Sub Divisional headquarters of Zanskar to have direct connectivity with Kargil district.
With this, the route discovered by the great Dogra warrior, Gen Zorawar Singh and the brave Army of Maharaja Gulab Singh, to conquer Ladakh and Tibet (Now under China), is going to become reality soon. Moreover, this road will connect the major pilgrimage centre of Mata Machail in Paddar area of district Kishtwar, where thousands of pilgrims visit during annual Yatra in August every year.

Official sources told the Excelsior that this road attained prominence and got green nod from the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways as the Ministry of Defence exerted pressure to have the safest and direct short link to Kargil and Drass sectors along the Line of Control and also to China border from the Northern Command Headquarters at Udhampur via Doda and Kishtwar districts.
“While the distance between Kargil and Zanskar is nearly 231 km and it takes over 18 hours and 30 minutes (nearly two days) to reach Zanskar from Jammu via Srinagar, it will be hardly 10 hours journey from Jammu to Padum Sub Divisional headquarters in Zanskar via Kishtwar and Paddar and just 9 hours from Udhampur Command Headquarters, when this highway will be made operational. Moreover, as per defence point of view, this internal route will be more safest to rush defence supplies to Drass and Kargil sectors besides, China borders,” the sources added.
“From Paddar Sub Division in Kishtwar, there is direct link to Pangi Valley in Himachal via Killar to Kelong, which can provide inter-connectivity with Chandigarh-Manali-Leh Highway, which is now all weather road due to commissioning of Rohtang Tunnel recently by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Since this Government is focusing more on strengthening defence infrastructure in J&K and Ladakh after some recent developments along China borders, it has kept this road on top priority among other additional seven new highways approved by Union Government just two days ago,” the sources maintained.
They further added that this proposal was also mooted during Kargil war as Pakistani troops controlling heights, were targeting our Army convoy moving from Srinagar to Kargil in Gumri and Drass areas. A survey was also conducted during that time by two teams of Army and BRO. The then Union MoS for Defence, Prof Chaman Lal Gupta was also keen to have this road project cleared but due to paucity of funds as projected that time, the project could not be cleared.
Deputy Commissioner, Kishtwar Ashok Sharma when contacted said that this project has formally been announced by the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari during his latest visit to Doda. The people of the area have widely applauded the announcement. With this a very old demand of the people from remote Paddar Sub Division in Kishtwar will be fulfilled. The proposal for this road had already been sent to the Union Govt from the district, he added.
SDM, Paddar-Gulabgarh, Varunjeet Singh Charak said new highway from Paddar to Zanskar is proposed via Masu-Chashoti-Machail Mata and Hakshu to Padum in Zanskar Sub Division of Kargil district in Ladakh. There is also a proposal of a tunnel on this route. There are about 6-7 villages of Buddhists in Paddar mostly bordering Zansakar/ Ladakh. They have their relations in Ladakh and they use on-foot route. If one leaves from Paddar on foot during early morning, he can reach Zanskar during evening. He said the distance between Paddar and Zanskar is hardly 60 kms and it will be further reduced, if tunnel is constructed ahead of Machail or Sumcham area where Sapphire mines are located.
Charak further disclosed that a road project from Atholi (Paddar) to Machail Mata under PMGSY is already in progress and out of 32 kms, 16 kms road has been completed. But new road will be of highway specifications and this is just 3 mts wide blacktopped. He said a population of over 30,000 from Paddar Sub Division besides people from entire Kishtwar-Doda belt, adjoining Himachal, Zanskar-Kargil and Defence forces will be mainly benefitted with this highway.
A social activist Kartar Singh Rathore from Gulabgarh-Paddar said many Budhists people from the villages like Luseni, Halo, Hanjo, Sumcham etc in Paddar along Ladakh border have relations in Zanskar area. Basically, they have come from Ladakh side and settled here. They usually move on foot and reach there the same day via Sumcham and Umsila Glacier. There is big glacier and two lakes in that belt. Many foreign tourists from Ladakh side visit Sumcham and Balnaz Tourist destinations.
Rathore further said this new road will expose this remote Paddar and Zanskar areas to the international tourists. There are two large lakes on those heights and there are large green meadows. There is lot of scope of tourism in the belt. The Sapphire mines also fall on this route and there is scope of launching extraction vigorously in these mines. But there will be big relief to the people travelling between Zanskar – Kargil and Kishtwar-Doda Ramban belts of Jammu besides parts of adjoining Himachal areas. He said ahead of Machail, the entire area is snowbound, and there is urgent need to have at least 5-6 kms long tunnel.
Project Director, NHAI, Udhampur-Ramban Sector, PK Phonsa said the project has been announced as a part of additional projects. The process of preparing DPR is likely to start shortly after winters. The entire Paddar belt remains snow covered during harsh winters and for success of this route there will be the need of a tunnel to provide all weather connectivity. He termed this highway project as most crucial as per defence point of view.

Source: https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/centr...kar-in-ladakh/