Air-hostess announced that we were landing down the Leh airbase and the captain switched on the button to fasten our seatbelts. I mesmerized and peered out of the airbus window to catch the glimpse of a wide, vast, and barren desert, and the airbus was posing docility towards landing strips. My throat got dry for a while and the adventure of Leh-Ladakh had truly begun.Geographically located in the province of Jammu and Kashmir in India, the humble land of Leh-Ladakh is cradled by the ice-capped northern Kunlun cliff range and embraced by the Himalayas from the south, demonstrating a breath-taking panoramic sight all around.With fluctuating temperature which can plummet to negative 35 degree Celsius and extreme weather conditions, the zone remains scarcely populated resulting in a pristine and crystal clean environment. Once you land in Leh, it feels like you are at the very gates of heaven. Cobalt blue sky, ice-capped mountains, and wide landscapes of a cold desert with soft cold breeze dash your skin makes you feel clasped into nature’s lap.
Ladakh is very well known as the ‘Land of Gompas (or monasteries)’ and the region hosts several Buddhist monasteries and upholds Tibetan descent historically. Many of those famed are Hemis, Thiksay, Dhankar, and Shey. Gompas house several Buddhists who spend their lives studying, learning, and worshipping almighty. The topography of Leh-Ladakh is perfectly suited for adventurous experiences. Snaky roads carved in mountains are said to be dream rides.
During the planning of our visit to Leh-Ladakh on vacations, we unanimously decided to visit the Khardung La Pass. Metaphorically at the top of the world, after travelling through extremely perilous scenic roads stretched with glacial ice on both sides crowded with majestic snow-clad cliffs kissing blue sky made I ecstatic.
Yes, we were riding through the Khardung La, the pass which is the world’s highest motorable road. Khardung La Pass is the doorway to the Y-shaped Nubra valley. Nubra valley is constructed at the joining point of Nubra river and Shyok river and both rivers current from Siachen glacier. Nubra valley splits the Ladakh range and Karakoram. It usually takes 5 hours from Leh to reach Nubra valley and time may extend to several hours depending upon the weather conditions because the weather near the valley wobbles dramatically. We were covered with layered ample warm clothes, carrying sunglasses, dry fruits, and water bottles as being absolute necessities. There exists a dearth of oxygen due to the high altitude of Khardung La and it was advised to restrict time and activities to avoid health issues.
Nubra valley is a wide and open expansion of desert and gorgeously coloured vistas on the way made us click several photographs. Nubra valley with its untouched villages and remarkable stretches of lakes and sand, made us fall in love with beautiful nature. Without network and away from modern life, felt like we entered a new age. The eminent Pangong lake is positioned in the vicinity of Nubra valley. There exist several other water points to admire beautiful places in Ladakh, which remain silent to the outer world. The commercial capital of Nubra valley is Diskit. The visitors used to stay at Diskit. Camel safari in the search of an oasis in the vast stretches of sand in Nubra valley was an excursion, which was a different and never felt experience. The village called Hundar in the core of Nubra valley exhibited massive dunes. The ride over double-humped camels in the magnificent desert surrounded by ice-capped mountains was an unforgettable moment of the visit.
In conclusion, the journey to Leh-Ladakh made me speechless to admire the beautiful creation of the almighty. This was a wonderful experience to be shared. Nubra valley, the orchard of Ladakh with the most scenic and interesting places with snaky, dangerous, and scenic roads. It was a heavenly tour for all of us.
