Trip Report Sep/Oct-11 :18 days of bliss at Zanskar and Remote Changthang with family

Not there in TL, have to discuss that issue over phone, I have to find the relevant contacts as well. It's not pretty straight forward as the Observatory GH is primarily for faculties, scientists, researchers. Let me know which role you want to perform

Regarding name of the places, Ladakh is a kid if I compare with Karnataka

I am thinking of sporting a beard and posing as a reincarnation of Galileo . I hope they don't ask me to name a couple of galaxies while issuing the permits

I'll only plan a trip to Karnataka with a travel agent then , and NEVER write a TR after returning!


PS: I'll call you reagrding Hanle acco. Be prepared for another hour long adda!

They might not ask if you can pose well



Even now to refer a place we stayed in Karnataka, I have to refer some incidents that happend that day to my wife


Sure, we will have a chat at weekend and before that I will try to find some contacts to share with you.

No probs....please take your time, we have enough time in hand!

I will also give you a call very soon. So be prepared for another adda

Great!! we will have a Kolkata-Delhi-Pune conference if required to demistify Ladakh.

I am ready for all the addas

This is what is called 'spreading the love'

I just wanted to mention again that no matter how many time i have seen the pics i am just as amazed as the first time. I just love the pics you took and my god it is getting me so anxious and unpatient to visit this magnificent place like any other in the world. It hands down beat any other natural wonders in the world.

Dear Kaushik Da

amazing trip and hats of to you for the detailed documentation of it, has been a great help for me to plan our trip this coming june to sep 2012. I need your inputs for a few details. This is our tentative itenary.

day 1 .Coimbatore - delhi ( flight)
day 2 .Delhi - Srinagar (morning flight), srinagar - sonmarg (trek to thajiwas )
day 3. sonmarg - kargil
day 4. kargil - batalik - dha hanu - chitkan - namik la - kargil (will try to get permit beforehand)
day 5. kargil - padum
day 6 padum
day 7 padum - rangdum (plan to leave padum late, and also walk upto drung drang enroute to rangdum)
day 8. rangdum - mulbek
day 9. mulbek - lamayuru - uleytokpo (covering local attraction enroute)
day10. ule - leh ( morning half for river rafting) - will also act as buffer day
day 11. leh (permits, local sightseeing, restocking provisions, etc)
day 12. leh - kardung la - sumur - panamik - sumur/hundar ( will travel upto panamik and night halt at sumur or hundar)
day 13. sumur - hundur - turtok - hundar ( night halt at hundar )
day 14. hundar - wari la - leh (if possible or else via kardungla)
day 15. leh - rest day/ buffer
day 16. leh - pangong
day 17. pangong - marsimik la - pangong day trip
day 18. pangong - chusul - tsaga - hanle
day 19. hanle - churmur - tso moriri (plan b : via nyoma - sumdo)
day 20. tso moriri - tso kar - pang - sarchu
day 21. sarchu - manali
day 22. manali - rest day/buffer.

need the contact nos for arranging vehicals,
what did it cost you for vehical hire - most of our trip is similar to yours.
would we be able to manage zanskar in kargil vehical - you were lucky that your driver pulled a neat trick,about the army requition, but will it work every time?
is a kargil taxi allowed to pick you up at srinagar airport.
do you suggest any changes in the above plan.
who should i contact for the hanle guest house reservation?
is june a better time of september to un dertake this trip, july and august seem ruled out because of large tourist movement in this area.
thanks in advance for your valuable inputs.
fantastic photos and travelouge -

regards

dhiren malani

Stunning is not enough to describe this. Thank you for the glimpse of heaven. My favourite thread on indiamike

Dhiren, thanks for your appreciation and good words. My comments in blue inline below your itinerary:

Overall very very cramped in Zanskar part, extend it by atleast 2 days if not 3 days. Else cut that part completely. It's very difficult to drive through that stertch, it's very rough.

I have shared it inside the report, so if you have gone through the report, you might have missed it, check it again.

Everywhere it's primarily governed by Taxi Union Rates. During June/July it will cost even higher but Sep end/Oct yes you can expect some discount. But nothing more than 10-15% and this year as I heard rate itself is going up by 20%. So plan your budget accordingly.

Difficult, it absolutely depends on smartness of your driver to avoid those Zanskari Mafias. They can be really nasty especially during season time if you try to avoid their service. Search in BCMT, you would find some horror stories of travellers from last year.

Yes they are, the registration number should be JK-10. I already mentioned the change and suggest to increase days or cut down places at Zanskar side.

Hanle the only good guest house is observatory guest house, that they usually give to researchers / scientists. If you know someone personally in IISC / ISRO / IIA etc. you might get through. The other local accommodation is very basic but I think I have given the contact in this report as well.

Who told you June is a lean season? Now a days that's not the case anymore, From May to July even August it's quite busy. Sep end is less touristy but that also creates problem in getting accommodation as we faced in Zanskar, Tsomoriri, Spangmik etc. Only very few hotels will be open and that too with not all the services. But cost wise Sep is cheaper, road condition would be better. But in case of early snowfall getting chances of being stranded is higher. Want more green and snow? go for June. Want fall colors and clear weather? go for Sep end.

Have a safe and nice trip!!

tkantesaria, once again thanks a lot for all the appreciation and good words but I think you really have fallen in love with this wonderful place on earth. I wish you really would have a great trip here sometimes soon. I have not seen the whole world but believe certainly this place can challenge any place in the earth by virtue of its beauty.

Thank you sidch for your appreciation and glad you liked it

Dear Kausik Da

thanks for the inputs, will be cutting out the kargil - batalik -dha sector out of the route, instead will add that day to zanskar.
the zanskar itenary will now become:
day 4: kargil - rangdum
day 5: rangdum - padum
day 6: padum
day 7: padum - rangdum
day 8;rangdum - kargil
day 9: kargil - lamayuru - uleytokpo

based on your recommendation in your travelouge, am already in touch with regzin - for the kargil to manali sector.

need a contact for the srinagar kargil padum, sector - can i organise this also thru regzin himself

you mentioned a contact who was ex president of kargil taxi union - will it be better going thru him rather than the drivers directly

This is definitely doable though I personally prefer to stay may be at Parkachik than Rangdum as Randum is having most harsh weather condition in whole Zanskar leg and also don't help in steady acclimatization.

He is an excellent driver and knows the region very well after serving Ladakh Scouts for 18 years.

Haven't you found number of Kazim in my log who was the driver (and again more of companion) in my Zanskar trip? Kargil Taxi Union President only gave me his number and he was excellent.

Infact if you plan this in Sep, you won't get him as I have already booked him for my Kashmir trip during same time

well then we will have to ask kasim to get another driver i suppose,

"another trip to kashmir" the place dosent let go of us so easily does it

thanks for the inputs. will be in touch as we get into the micros of the trip.

dhiren