Ladakh : Part 8 (Heaven of the Heaven - Pangong Tso)

“The use of traveling is to regulate imagination by reality, and instead of thinking how things may be, to see them as they are.” – Samuel Johnson

I had heard about Pangong Tso (Tso => Lake) so much even before deciding on Ladakh trip, I couldn't resist myself to pre-pone the plan of Pangong before Nubra valley..So again Nubra valley was postponed..And we decided to go Pangong lake on 18th June..

Fortunately, it didn't rain that night and weather was crystal clear..I had heard and read about beauty of Pangong lake that I thought of spending a night over there, to have two days for it..It is said that if you are at Pangong on full moon night, you are one of the luckiest persons on the earth..It was neither a full moon day and given time constraints and because it was said 'one day would suffice', I gave up the plan of spending 2 days for Pangong and decided to come back to Leh on the same day..Pangong lake is situated at about 170kms from Leh which generally takes 5 hours, climbing up to Chang La (5360 m) and then climbing down to the lake (4350 m)..

We started early in the morning..At 6 AM..It is better to cross Chang La before noon, since the possibility of snow melting during the noon period is large and you might get stuck..We had Scorpio..The trip to Pangong lake cost Rs. 4500/-..It was the fixed rate..Till Karu, the road was plain, which we traveled on previous day..There, we took left diversion from Leh-Manali highway and immediately we began climbing up..At Karu., we had light breakfast..Soon our permits were checked after Karu..Road to Pangong was rough and tough..It was highly curvy and steep..Driving skill was surely tested..There was a thin layer of snow on the road which made road slipperily..Mind it! We had a very deep gorge on our left..And as soon as we started climbing up, we realized the decision not to go to Pangong on bikes was a wise one..None of us was that much expert to drive in those treacherous conditions..And we could see that there was heavy snowfall at Chang La on the previous day as the snow was quite fresh..Though the road was breathtaking, the surrounding was more exciting..We were somewhere on the road amidst snow clad hills..Snow was everywhere and as we moved to climb up, it got colder and whiter :) Clouds seemed to be within reach of our hands..

Thrilling journey begins!

We have come here crossing all those road..

Beginning of snow..

Leaving those barren mountains behind for a while..

Snowy and slippery road..

It has got whiter :)

Now my words are powerless :p

I guess we were among the first ones to leave for Pangong since we didn't meet any traffic on the way..A tipper was moving ahead of us..That portion of the road was pretty steep and suddenly the tipper stopped and started slipping down towards us..Whoaa!! Our driver, Tashi immediately reacted and he also let our vehicle slipped down in a controlled way!! Fortunately, tipper driver managed to control his vehicle and after a short break checking tire conditions, we resumed to Chang La..Soon we passed an abandoned skeleton of a vehicle that got completely buried in snow avalanche :-o Tashi got more attentive and proceeded very carefully..

The tipper who frightened us :p

Just before Chang La, we found another vehicle, a Jeep, stuck in snow..People were trying to get rid of snow with the iron chain rounding tires of the Jeep..Finding this opportunity, we got down from our Scorpio and threw ourselves into the white sea of fresh snow..It was an incredible feeling..I had never seen or touched such soft and fresh snow :) We jumped, ran, slept in snow..Snow bombardment happened..We raced with shoes getting stuck half feet under snow :p That was fun unlimited!! After some time, Jeep managed herself to remove from shackles of snow and we soon reached Chang La, which boasts the third highest motorable road in the world (there is controversy about its rank) after Khardung La and Tanglang La..This pass is at 17586 ft (5.38 kms from MSL!!)..We were welcomed by Indian army soldiers, offering complimentary tea..

Way to Chang La..

Snow and snow and snow!!

:)

5.3 kms from MSL!! More than half of Mt. Everest height :p

Chang La..

The only color everywhere!

After spending half an hour at Chang La, we left for Pangong..We were climbing down to the other side of the hill..We yet to be out of effect of snow and Chang La, we reached Tangtse..A small town around 40 kms from Pangong..We stopped for breakfast and guess what we met those 3 sardarji who asked us on the previous day for a bike trip to Pangong..We were surprised to see them there..One of them had a plaster on his right hand..We inquired and came to know about an accident happened with them..Initially, they got stuck in rain and snowfall at Chang La with no provision of clothes for snow..And when they were climbing down from Chang La later, breaks of bike of a sardarji got failed :-o Luckily speed of the bike was about 40km/hr, he  managed to jump away from the bike and got out of trouble with his hand fractured! Thankfully everything rest was fine with him :) They had stayed at Tangtse for the night..We all had breakfast together..We came to know that those 3 guys were professional musicians and singers..And they sang Punjabi songs and Hindi oldies for us..They were incredible..We enjoyed their company a lot..When asked by us about their Manali plan, they answered typically in sardarji attitude, "Oye, ekahi bande ka haath fracture hua hai, hum do aur hai " (Dude! Only one's hand is fractured, other two are fantastic) :p So they would be going to Manali on bike! We then left for Pangong lake..Sardarji said they would catch up later..

After an hour ride crossing Pagal Nala (known as Mad stream because of its unpredictability), around 12 PM, that glimpse came! The glimpse for which I waited eagerly..That clean blue color stretching itself beyond horizon..Yeah! We had arrived at Pangong Tso!! Words are powerless to express the beauty that lake and those landscapes own! Having read about it in a great deal, seeing many pictures and even knowing what to expect after reaching there, we were taken by complete awe and surprise..

Pangong is a brackish water lake..It is said that lake changes color as the day progresses..It wears deep blue when the sun is bright and loses its color gradually as day progresses and becomes dull when the sun reaches horizon..It is surrounded by brown hills and they can see their reflections in that clean water..The blue expanse of the water is stretched over 125kms, extending from India to Tibet with 40% of parts in India and remaining in China..One can see the faraway peaks that lie in China..When we reached there the breeze was cool, sun was bright..Flocks of ducks were enjoying idly..Lake had acquired complete blue color..Clouds had formed black shadows on brown still hills..Snow at peak was shining..Group of gulls were flying intermittently in the sky towards the east, to Tibet, sometimes smoothly landing on water, unknown to the boundaries of countries, restricted access to humans, imposed on each other..A thought came to mind..

What would the first explorers have felt who came here without any kind of map and presented with this breathtaking unknown blue expanse suddenly!!

 We sat there relaxed, with legs in chill water, looking and trying to pick the elegance and beauty of the surrounding landscapes..It was a sense of a great achievement, just being there :) Let me show you my achievement!

The first glimpse!

Finally, I'm here /m\

Shiny peaks :)

The ones with no barriers..

heaven of the heaven!!

Can't stop myself :p

The dominating landscapes!!

After a long peaceful time at the bank admiring landscapes, we had our expensive lunch at Pangong :p One can stay near Pangong lake at Spangmik village in tented accommodation...We headed back to Leh at 3PM..Reached Leh by 8PM..Yet we were not out of Pangong effect and still even till today too :p

Next day, we would be heading for Nubra valley..We were on the edge of saying Ladakh a goodbye within 2 days..And still Leh-Manali highway was not opened..Rohtang, Baralacha la was closed due to snow fall..We were praying it would open before we leave Leh for Manali..Let's wait for some time to see whether we could make to Manali and how Nubra valley was :)