This week we start the Ladakh series. With each destination in Ladakh competing with the other in the uniqueness of the experiences they provided; it was a difficult choice to make. Well ; finally I settled for Pangong to start the series with a bang!!
Welcome to Pangong...
Hidden in the lap of snow clad mountains and high altitude plateaus, Pangong Tso with its deep blue and green colors provides a contrast to the barrenness of the hilly landscape around.
A visit to the Pangong lake located at an altitude of almost 14000 ft. is one of the highlights of a visit to Ladakh. Stretching over a distance of 134 kms, only 30% of the lake lies in India; the rest being located in Tibet. At its broadest point, the lake is 5 kms wide and is separated from the Indus river basin by a small ridge.
It is the largest brackish lake in Asia and is an endorheic lake meaning it is a basin that retains water and does not allow outflow to other external water bodies. Movement of tectonic plates many years ago is believed to have created this lake.
The lake is divided into 5 sub lakes connected through narrow water channels and the western most of these is Pangong Lake which in Tibetan means high grassland lake. The grasslands along the edges of the lake feed the pashmina goats , yaks and other livestock found here. The whole group of lakes is referred to as Tsomo Nganglha Ringpo.
The deep blue and green color of the lake against the backdrop of the barren mountains is indeed a sight to behold!! The lake is open to tourists between May and September.
The lake is a Himalayan wetland reserve and an important breeding ground for a variety of migratory birds. Spangmik is a small village near the lake where pashmina goats are reared.
The best time to visit the lake is of course in summer between May and September. During the winter months the lake is completely frozen and if you are adventurous enough, you can walk on the lake!!
My Trip
The drive to Pangong Lake itself was very picturesque. The winding snow capped mountain roads with clear glacier water streams gurgling along is beautiful. The varying features of Ladakhi landscape with mountain slopes showing streaks of varying colors resembles a painting.
The rugged mountains with the glacial streams flowing along
The mountain roads with snow capped mountains as a back drop
The mountain slopes showing streaks of various hues like a painting
The Changla pass lies on the route from Leh to Pangong Tso. This high mountain pass at a height of more than 17500 ft, is covered with snow and appears pristine white.
The snow closer to Changla Pass
Driving down those lovely vistas, we were in for a surprise when we encountered a herd of pashmina goats being herded by a mother and daughter across a bridge. It took us some time to cross them but we enjoyed the sight nevertheless. Take a look at the video below..
When the goats decided to slow us down!!!
After the goats decided to give us way, we headed further on awaiting the first views of Pangong Lake and finally Dorje, our driver announced that we were there. Eagerly we turned our eyes to watch the first glimpses and here was what we saw…
The lake slowly comes into view from behind the mountains
The mesmerizing colors of the lake as we drove along…
Driving further down we met up with the others of the group on the banks of the lake.
The ladies pose by the Pangong Tso
A group picture by the lake was followed by some free time for us to explore the area.
As we walked along the shores of the lake this is what we saw….
Take a look…
The beautiful colors of the lake
The clarity of the water was simply unbelievable.
Yak rides were available on the banks of the lake …
Yak rides on the banks of the Pangong Tso
We were totally mesmerized by the colors of the lake from different angles. Take a look at this video…
The different hues of Pangong (click on video to enjoy)
We lost track of time as we stood admiring the beauty of the lake and soon had to go to our resort. Our rooms were overlooking the lake and the views from the resort were also awesome.
Our Hotel overlooking the lake and views from our room
After tea and some snacks we sat outside our rooms taking in the beauty of the place.
There was a skylight in our room and at night the stars were visible from our beds. That was another unique experience!
The skylight that helped us stargaze from bed….
Hold your breathe for the next surprise…
We saw the milky way in all its glory that night on the banks of the Pangong. In the pitch dark sky, that amazing cloudy mass was a sight to behold!!. Standing there we kept looking at it as it slowly seemed to change its outlines. Unfortunately, we could not capture it for you. But I must tell you, it was a once in a lifetime moment…
A picture from Pexels just to illustrate what we saw…
A host of satellites were also visible crisscrossing the sky.
Next morning, we woke up to see the sunrise…take a look..
Sunrise views…
And the grass that feeds the pashmina goats and gives the lake its name…
As the golden rays illumined the snow capped peaks behind our resort..
The sunlit snow capped peaks behind our resort
After sumptuous breakfast at the resort, we bid farewell to this highlight of our tour to Ladakh thinking of the truly diverse destinations our country has.
But not before a shot on the banks with our national flag….
Jai Hind
This trip was undertaken soon after the Pahalgam terror attack giving rise to fears and uncertainty and has to be viewed with that backdrop.
I end this episode with a respectful bow to the armed forces guarding our borders and the allied services like BRO that made this amazing trip possible.
See you next week at another amazing destination. Meanwhile do subscribe, like and comment…
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