Pangong Lake, nestled at a height of 14,000ft

High above the sea level, at 17,500ft, I ran. It was a dash for about 20m. But this wasn’t Esplanade where passengers chase buses for that distance all the time. Our car was on the way down from Khardung La, one of the highest motorable roads in the world. At a bend, our driver slammed the brakes on confronting a pile of debris. An avalanche had taken place while we were up there on K-top, taking in the stunning sights of the Karakoram range to the north and the Ladakh range to the south. A bulldozer had already been deployed. In a bid to capture the action from up close, I hopped out, camera in hand.

Suddenly, I heard an engine roar and off went our car along the space cleared by the bulldozer, followed by others that had queued behind. And it showed no sign of slowing to pick me up. Hence my desperate dash.

It hit me within seconds, that blinding headache. And I remembered where I was — a rarefied oxygen zone, where every brisk step requires deep intakes of breath.

Back to the start

We had flown into Ladakh from Delhi three days ago. Leh, the nearest town, being at 12,000ft, activity was discouraged on the first day. If some of us were contemplating going shopping in the evening, a young couple back from the day’s trip made us drop the plan. They were in Leh for less than 24 hours when they set off for a high-altitude destination to celebrate their marriage anniversary. The woman developed such breathing trouble that the driver had to rush to the nearest army camp for help. An equally serious breach was their not taking any medicines or water along. “Please drink enough water. The body needs to hydrate to acclimatise,” our MakeMyTrip guide reminded us again.

The little monks at Thiksey Monastery being served gurgur cha

If this account gets you worried, rest easy. Follow the thumb rules of high-altitude travel and Ladakh grants you such natural splendour that tourist, who have been to the Swiss Alps as well, tend to favour the former for being unspoilt and untouched.

The place & its people

When we landed in May, the two highways to Manali and Srinagar had not yet opened. That meant Ladakh was still subsisting on stocks stored last autumn. But that did not reflect negatively on the buffet spread laid out at Hotel Royal Ladakh, our hotel. The cold provides perfect storage conditions. “Earlier there was nothing coming in all winter. These days the army provides a ration of 3kg packets of assorted vegetables every week,” said our driver Nawang Tobu.

With the temperature veering around 8-10°C at noon, the sun was the saviour. The moment you moved indoors, it was bitter cold.

A believer with her prayer wheel

Ladakh has a largely Buddhist population. I headed for Thiksey Monastery at the crack of dawn on Day 2, with five layers on, teeth still chattering. By the time we covered the 20km and walked the last lap to the hilltop, the conch shells were blowing to call monks to the prayer hall. The little monks were having fun, nudging, giggling and yelling the chants, but under the strict and caring eyes of the elders. The complex houses the 49ft Maitreya (future) Buddha, built in 1970 to commemorate the visit of the 14th Dalai Lama.

It is here that I had gurgur cha or butter tea, which was served at the end of the prayer. It tastes like Cream of Chicken soup, minus the chicken. Yes, Ladakhi tea is salty. “We did not know of sugar till the Srinagar highway opened in the ’70s,” said our guide Phuntsog Dorjay.

The next stop was the centuries-old Hemis Monastery, the largest and richest in Ladakh. The courtyard hosts the two-day Hemis Festival to be held on July 7-8, featuring elaborate masked dances.

The first sight of the Indus — the river that has cradled our civilisation and our country — was special. Ever since the river — earlier believed to flow entirely across the border — was rediscovered in India, an annual Sindhu Darshan Festival is held over three days.

Rancho’s school

Thanks to Aamir Khan’s screen outing (in 3 Idiots), Druk White Lotus School has found a place on the tourist map. Only chaperoned entries are allowed, that too to select areas. A lady gave us an introductory talk in the souvenir shop — yes it has one, selling merchandise like caps, T-shirts and posters — emphasising that the school had won five awards before 3 Idiots came calling. There are pictures of Aamir’s return to the school with help after a cloudburst hit the region in 2010.

Rancho’s school

Cameras went click-click in front of the building on the wall of which the nerdy Chatur had done “mutra visarjan” and got electrocuted. The two kids, who had pulled the prank, are still studying here but are beyond public access.

Retail therapy

Leh offers glass crockery imported from China, and shawls and carpets from Srinagar. But if you want local stuff, go for incense sticks and soaps made of medicinal herbs. A mix of roasted wheat and almonds makes for a healthy snack. On the pavements, Tibetan refugees sell junk jewellery, buying which tests your bargaining skills.

Pangong Lake, ahoy

Nothing prepares you for the beauty of this placid lake that dramatically transforms its look to pamper every mood of the sun. The hills that stand sentry on the opposite bank are golden brown, acting as a reflector enhancing the brightness of the water that holds a mirror to the royal blue above. The unchanging snow-whiteness of the mountains to the far right highlights the drama of the brown-and-blue feast in front. Even if Rancho could not be found on its bank, the journey would have been worth Kareena Kapoor’s while. Gulls, looking cuddly with their feathers fluffed, nest by the 134km-long waterbody, of which 60 per cent is in Tibet. “It is a brackish water lake without fish. Aap winter mein aana. Lake ke oopar jeep lekey jayenge,” Dorjay promised.

The lake is nestled at a height of 14,000ft and is reached via snowy terrains. Grazing dzos (yak+cow) and large squirrels called marmots are visible in the plains but higher up, the only company is icicles hanging intermittently on the cliff side and ice sculptures on the edges of the ledge. Other than the jawans of the army camp at Chang La (17,688ft).

Khardung La

Its claim to be the highest motorable road may be contentious but that takes nothing away from the sense of elation on reaching K-top. Pose for pictures before the signages, read “the Maggi story” on the wall of the ramshackle shop that lionises the only snack option at that height, send up a thanks to the border martyrs one of whose heroics is documented on a board, but do not break into a jig or run. If you wonder why, go back to the top of this article.

A t2 chat with Mohit Gupta, chief business officer — holidays, MakeMyTrip

When do most tourists come to Ladakh?
May to August is the best time.

Other than Leh, where do you offer accommodation?
In Ladakh we also have overnight accommodation arrangements at Nubra Valley and Pangong Lake. For guests taking our Ladakh and Kashmir itinerary, we offer overnight stays in Kargil.

Do more people fly in from Delhi or drive in from Manali or Srinagar?
Flying down to Ladakh is the most-preferred option (less than 20 per cent travel to Ladakh by road). The drive takes two days (Srinagar to Leh with night halt at Kargil, or Manali to Leh with night halt at Jispa/Sarchu/Keylong). Roads are open only for a few months in a year.

How much does a Ladakh package cost for a Calcutta tourist?
We have an eight-night package from Calcutta for Rs 44,999. A five night/six day package from Delhi starts at Rs 25,999 on twin share plus tax. This includes return flight Leh-Delhi, accommodation with breakfast and dinner, all transportation and sightseeing.