Trip To Indus River(leh)

coolabhi99

Dear IMers,

I am planning a trip to Leh, Ladakh & Indus River from 2oth december to 22nd December 2009. My inlaws who are in the age of 67 - 62 yrs old would also be travelling.

I need the following help from you all.

1. What would be the climate during those days?
2. What is best accomodation available in Leh?What is the cost?
3. What are the places to visit in those places? How many days is suggested?
4. Any other useful information?

Help would be highly appreciated.

Cheers,

Abhinay

mridula

But do you mean December? The place would be frozen solid.

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Mridula

Travel Tales from India

Haylo

Cold, really really cold. Minus 25 degrees is far from unknown at that time of year.

Accommodation is very limited at that time of year; the hundreds of guest houses are closed. We stayed at the Omasila whose staff were very helpful with bringing buckets of water to our room. There is no running water at that time of year of course, all the supply pipes are frozen. In December the toilets might not be working either, though they might not freeze until January, it depends.

Accommodation is expensive, you're talking at least Rs 2500 a night for a room, because it has to be heated, and because there are not many guests.

Monasteries are fascinating, as is the landscape in general.

You'll need to stay for much longer than 20th to 22nd December. Because of the altitude you fly into, you cannot do anything at all for the first few days. Oh, and you'll probably feel a bit ill and headachy for a few days too, until you get used to the lack of oxygen. It's a bit like having a permanent hangover.

Not really, I think you have more than enough to think about already! Did I mention that it's a little bit nippy?

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The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful - E.E. Cummings, poet (1894-1962)

coolabhi99

Dear Haylo,

Thanks a ton for the detailed reply.

Dear Mridula,

I know that it is going to be freezing cold at that time of the year but there is some festival in indus river which they intend to attend.

Any suggestions??

Cheers,

Abhi
00-91-9966475522

Haylo

Yes, if the festival's IN the Indus river, tell them to bring a whacking great big ice pick!

Seriously, what is the festival, and where exactly is it?

vistet

I was thinking the Ladakhi New Year, Losar , but that´s the week before. The Spituk Gustor is in January.

I stayed one winter many years ago , and if you are prepared to shift perspective a bit it´s a lot easier than you would expect.

* Once the regular season dies off , you are back to how the guesthouses started : sleeping in the extra room , and eating with the family.There are a few mid-scale places as well , the Oriental for example takes in people all year round. Very reasonable prices.

* It´s only the nights and mornings that are really cold. With a good sleeping bag and some basic winter clothes you´ll do well. The closest I came to a heated room in December and January was the passive solar wall at the Ecological Centre , where you actually could take off your cap. It was fine , most of the time.

*Ladakhi toilets work fine in the winter. Water toilets don´t , apart from polluting the water and generally being Evil.

The one part I would have reservations about in any time of the year though ( if I have read this right ) is making this type of very short stay : after flying in you could end up using most of your time just coping with the altitude shift. Think at least of the first day as a hangover day.

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high road to ..

Kaizer Soze

Ladakh in December with 60+ parents. Now, thats what I call a true family spirit. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.
Seriously though - do make sure you carry enough protection for the weather and Altitude as the passes get totally shut sue to snow fall.

vistet

Age is not a factor in altitude sickness , actually 50+ers do better as a group than the younger ones. The oldest in the study of altitude sickness in those who flew in to the Everest Hotel at 3860 meters was 93 (!) years old : if it was a grab at the inheritance from the family it failed.

santos_g15

1.From previous replies you can judge it would be damn cold.
2.Not many Hotels would be open.suggest Hotel Oriental.1300 rs for A class room.

asbhaskar

Hi, The festival is Pushkar of Sindhu river. The nearest easily accesble spot in India is near Leh. The best Place would be Hyderabad(Deccan) in pakistan. Getting Visa and flying there is the real problem. I had been to Leh in September by Bus from Sonmarg and returned to Delhi via Keylong, Manali. Ita a memorable Journey.

The Guru (Jupiter) would be in the sun sign for the Whole Year. So one can have dip in the river Till december 2010.

We (My parents and other family members) are planning a trip in the month of june/july of next year.

Alternately you can plan a dip in the Sindhu tributeris(ravi,beas,chenab or Sutlej) whihc are easily accesseble in Punjab and J & k.


Bhaskar