Birding & photography trip to Ladakh

Raptor

Hope to do this starting any time between 16th and 22nd September. The itinerary is as follows:

Day 01: Delhi-Manali Drive in from Delhi. Rest overnight at Manali
Day 02: Manali-Jispa Overnight Jispa
Day 03: Jispa-Leh Overnight Leh
Day 04: Leh Visit Thikse – Shey. Possibilities include Common tern, Eurasian Hobby, White-winged Redstart, Carrion Crow, Streaked Rosefinch, Plain Mountainfinch
Day 05: Leh-Nubra Cross the Khardung La Pass for spectacular sand-dunes, swamps and extensive buckthorn which is great habitat for some rare birds like Tibetan Snowcock, variety of shrikes & warblers, chats and finches, ducks and raptors, winter wren, robin & alpine accentor, Brandt's mountain finch, white-winged redstart, yellow-billed chough, dipper etc.
Day 06: Nubra-Leh Spot some rare mammals like fox, wooly hare, pika, Himalayan marmot, Lynx, blue sheep, Bactrian camel & is the only place in India to spot Capehares. Overnight Leh
Day 07: Leh–Chushul These marshes are surrounding dry plains are known for Great crested Grebe, Lesser Sand Plover, Common Tern, Tibetan partridge, Tibetan sandgrouse and Tibetan wildass. Overnight Chushul
Day 08: Chushul Continue exploring Chushul. Overnight Chushul
Day 09: Chushul-Hanle After Breakfast proceed towards Hanle Overnight Hanle
Day 10: Hanle Surrounding areas known for Tibetan Sandgrouse, Groundpecker, Tickell’s Thrush and White-tailed Rubythroat. Overnight Hanle
Day 11: Hanle–Puga Valley Located on the perimeter of a salt lake valley; birds seen include Ibisbill, Tibetan Partridge, Tibetan Snowcock, Eurasian Eagle-owl, Lammergeier, Common merganser, Upland Buzzard, Jackdaw, Wryneck, White-throated Dipper, Golden eagle etc. Mammal sightings of marmot, blue sheep, Wolf, woolly hare, pika, fox & weasels. Overnight Puga Valley
Day 12: Puga Valley–Tso Moriri Proceed to the lakes which are the staging grounds of birds on their return migration. OverNight Tso Moriri
Day 13: Tso Moriri–Tso Kar Proceed to TsoKar. Overnight Tso kar
Day 14: Tso Kar Overnight Tso Kar
Day 15: Tso Kar – Manali Proceed to Manali. Overnight Manali
Day 16: Back to Delhi

As I am already taking my car, if one to two people were to join me, the total cost of the trip for them will be reasonably low. The arrangement for food, stay and sleeping bags/blankets is included in the total cost. So if anyone is interested do let me know.

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Motorcars

n.mungali

Hi,

I along with another friend will be in ladakh from 20th to 26th.

We are looking forward to take nubra Valley , pangong and tsomoriri. Hanle wud be a bonus. I found your itinerary interesting. We can join you for few trips.

Raptor

Revised itinerary

19/9 - Day 01: Delhi-Manali Overnight Manali
20/9 - Day 02: Manali-Jispa Overnight Jispa (Hotel Ibex)
21/9 - Day 03: Jispa surroundings Overnight Jispa (Hotel Ibex)
22/9 - Day 04: Jispa-Tso Kar (190 kms ~10 hrs) Overnight Tso Kar
23/9 - Day 05: Tso Kar–Tso Moriri OverNight Tso Moriri
24/9 - Day 06: Tso Moriri-Puga valley Overnight Puga Valley
25/9 - Day 07: Puga Valley-Hanle Overnight Hanle
26/9 - Day 08: Hanle. Overnight Hanle
27/9 - Day 09: Hanle-Chushul Overnight Chushul
28/9 - Day 10: Chushul. Overnight Chushul
29/9 - Day 11: Chushul-Leh Overnight Leh
30/9 - Day 12: Leh-Kargil Overnight??
1/10 - Day 13: Kargil-Srinagar Overnight Srinagar ??
2/10 - Day 14: Srinagar - Jammu-Pathankot-Delhi ??
3/10 - Day 15: back in Delhi ??

MadmaxVagabond

Hi Raptor,

So you moving out on 19th ? Good... I am fixed on 21st...Cant make it early :-(...Probably we are meeting at Leh.. How are you getting the IL permit ?? While coming I want to take the Grampho/Kibber/Sarahan (Shimla) way..You sure you want to return via Srinagar ? My itinerary finally looking like this...Do you have any suggestion on this ? Any thing you think i can tweak and make the journey more pleasant...let me know....

21/9 - Day 01: Delhi-Kasol-Manali (Overnight at Solang)
22/9 - Day 02: Solang-Rhotang and back ( tentative )
23/9 - Day 03: Solang-Jispa surroundings Overnight at Jispa
24/9 - Day 04: Jispa-Leh ( hopeful !!)
25/9 - Day 05: Leh
26/9 - Day 06: Leh-Khardungla-Nubra-diksit (120km)
27/9 - Day 07: Nubra-diskit-panamic-Sumur-nubra
28/9 - Day 08: Nubrea - Leh
29/9 - Day 09: Leh - chumathang - Tso-moriri-korzok
30/9 - Day 10: Korzok - Puga - Tsokar - Tanglangla - Leh ( 250km)
01/10 - Day 11: Leh - Manali
02/10 - Day 12: Manali
03/10 - Day 13: Back to Delhi
04/10 - Day 14: Rest Day

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Thanks,
Vagabond

Raptor

Hello Vagabond, yes I am sure about returning via Srinagar as I strongly feel the chances of getting stuck on that highway are much less than the Manali route. That also gives us the confidence of extending the trip if we want, and maybe travel to Zanskar valley on the way back.

By the way, how are you going to make it from Leh to Manali in one day as shown on day 11 of your itinerary? Oh and if you see a black Safari with haryana number plates stuck somehwere in snow, that will be me!

Here is my final revised itinerary:

18/9 - Day 00: Delhi-Chandigarh
19/9 - Day 01: Chandigarh-Manali (Hotel Iceland, Solang)
20/9 - Day 02: Solang-Jispa Overnight Jispa (Hotel Ibex)
21/9 - Day 03: Jispa surroundings Overnight Jispa (Hotel Ibex)
22/9 - Day 04: Jispa-Leh Overnight Leh
23/9 - Day 05: Leh OverNight Leh
24/9 - Day 06: Leh-Chushul Overnight Chushul
25/9 - Day 07: Chushul Overnight Chushul
26/9 - Day 08: Chushul-Hanle. Overnight Hanle
27/9 - Day 09: Hanle Overnight Hanle
28/9 - Day 10: Hanle-Puga Valley Overnight Puga Valley
29/9 - Day 11: Puga Valley-Leh Overnight Leh
30/9 - Day 12: Leh-Drass Overnight Drass
1/10 - Day 13: Drass-Srinagar Overnight Srinagar
2/10 - Day 14: Srinagar-Pathankot Overnight Pathankot
3/10 - Day 15: Pathankot-Delhi

MadmaxVagabond

Hi Raptor,

I am back...And had a wonderful trip...What about yours ? I stayed at Bharatpur on my way back..It was a story man...No breakdowns or any problems I have faced anywhere, except some stupid UP14 numberplate White Safari ( almost they died at Khardung_la while taking a reverse in the ledge seeing a HP local bus )

How was your trip ? Hope you are back too and safe...

Let me know...

Amit

Dimitrz

welcome back amit

Care to explain the above

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Preserve the Beauty of the places you visit by not Littering. Leave it Beautiful; so that someone else can also enjoy the beauty

Raptor

Hello Amit, yes I am back and safe.

My trip was a partial success, completed the driving circuit Solang - Jispa (3 nights) - Leh (3 nights) - Kargil - Srinagar - Pathankot - Delhi.

Unfortunately my companion was not feeling well and he had to return to Delhi from Leh by air. That left me alone and I canceled the birding trip to Hanle, Chushul and Puga.

Plan to return to Ladakh next year!!

MadmaxVagabond

Hi,

Good to know that you are back.. I stayed in Keylong ( Sumrali Guest House ) on my way and stopped for about 45 minutes to help 2 bikers just across Ibex hotel in Jispa(24th i guess) just before where BRO is laying those stone road...!

I was tempted for Hanle as well while crossing Upshi, but decided otherwise. We stayed at Hotel Shanti-Palace at Leh ( across Shangri-la on the same road @ 600 INR per night, which i think is a steal - good place with abundant hot water and good customised food from Rajesh Thapa, the cook)

The whole trip was amazing. No complaint. Period. I had 1/2 diamox once at Pang (during night stay, that too owing to excessive smoking jam session with a Norwayigian biker Jim, Steve & his wife, my companion Kunal, 2 locals, - We made all the local ladies dance to some amazing Ladakhi music at 11 pm at night outside the tent, with full sound music blasting out of my scorpio switched on, and the police check post joining in the fun). But dancing is a big ordeal at 4600mt man !! Diamox was god !!

At Kanglajal, i think you sometime feel that you are not at monther earth but at some alien place, the rocks are cut so deep, monoliths as tall as 150mt height, and the roads are tricky yet amazing.

Some observation that I had in this trip are as follows ( they are solely my own perception )
1. Drink lots of Glucose water while driving
2. DONT BUY FUEL AT TANDI.( We carried 35lts in cans)
3. Dont stop at Bharatpur overnight ( we did ), if not absolutely required or you are in perfect physical shape. It becomes damn cold at night and windy too.
4. Be careful driving at Kanglajal specially in the tempting flat stretch downhill with small pebbles in the road.
5. Dont overeat anywhere.
6. Dont take medicine if not absolutely required. Your body 'll tell you when it is required.
7. At more plain, stick to the main road that BRO is building while going, DONT take the short cuts.
8. Check your tyre pressure always.
9. Try to drive flat ( turbo less)in certain areas of Khardungla and More plains for better car traction.
10. Dont listen to too many, use your own brain :-)

It is definitely a challenging trip, more so owing to the factor that no one is around to help you out in areas, but I have done technically harder trips before in US and OZ around Arizona area and Western Outbacks as well, where you are in death shit if you take a wrong route or left without provision for some reason.

This UP14 numberplate guy in a Safari( along with 3 more) was ahead of me just after crossing South Pullu post, and within 10 minutes he is gone at amazing speed...At about 2 km behind Khardungla top, there is a ledge where BRO is blating the rocks to make the road wider. Two army trucks and a Local bus from Nubra was coming from the other side with lights on ! I was at least 50 mt behind safari schumacher, and he put on reverse and slowly started taking the car back, and suddenly, as if he is in a mall, sped up in the reverse and braked hard with lots of sand, and I cant see anything !! Ooopss...His left rear tyre was outside the ridge dangling with zero traction, two guys sitting in the back jumped out from the right rear door hysterical with beer bottle in hand, army personal ( pramod kumar from 2nd Artilery) came running from the truck, I havent seen a harder slap than that before, all 4 schumachers' are out of the car, the car left rear going down slowly, and finally the army truck, BRO guys with big tow chains, pull that Safari out ! I was a spectator and imagining the agony of that Safari !! We saw them in Leh again next day, but never had enough courage to say Hello as well !

Never miss the Israeli Ghetto area in Leh..I love Falafall always anyway...

I am going to Leh via Srinagar spot on by July 2010...Lets take our convoy...Anyone interested !!??


Cheers,

Madmax

Raptor

Thank god my safari does not have a UP number plate!

The best drive for me was racing off road through the 25 km or so of More plains. BRO had blocked the road for repairs and luckily there was a taxi ahead of me which I could follow. The bad part was eating 1 kg of dust for each of the 25 km traveled.

Managed to spot and photograph Bharal (Blue Sheep), Ibex and two species of Marmots. Unfortunately did not find Kiang and the wild horses this time.