Ladakh 2019

[xelas]

Another set of excellent photos from a place that is far away. Thanks!

[Chakra]

Fantastic shots. In fact I think it is difficult to take a bad landscape shot in  Ladakh. I'm glad that you have decided to share these pics to show the different sides of India. Brings back sweet memories from 2007 when it was totally off the tourist radar. 

Just curious how far into the Zanskar valley did you go to  and did you actually stay there overnight ?  I can see Drung Drung  and Parkachikh glacier  but not Nun Kun twin peaks.  Accommodation is sparse in that area and any first hand experience will be really helpful.  I have plans of travelling to Zanskar in October one year to shoot the vast landscape covered with yellow grass. 

[Botswanadreams]

Thank you very much @xelas. 

 

@Chakra I'm honoured to show you a few more parts of Ladakh. Where have you been in 2007?

 

We stayed four nights in Tserab Guest House a bit outside of Padum. We didn't have options to choose from the few hotels in Zanskar because of the Sani Monastery festival. All other accommodation were fully booked. Our Ladakhi guide was happy to get this during the festival but it was absolutely ok for us.  

 

This should be NUN & KUN. The image is taken two hours before we ridged Parkachik glacier.

 

Maybe whit your plan to go to Zanskar you should wait until both new roads from Leh and Manali are finished. Than it will be easy to go there but I think Zanskar will change very quick after this.  

 

[Chakra]

@Botswanadreamsyes indeed these are Nun & Kun although I had forgotten which one is which one.  I have done the popular drive from Srinagar to Kargil to Uley to Leh  and then Nubra, Turtuk , Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri. It was difficult to arrange a trip south from Kargil through Suru Valley all the way to Padum because of extortionate taxi unions and lack of suitable accommodations on the way.  You have clearly gone all the way to Padum. 

I hope to explore  one day even more remote corners like the Shyok valley river road which takes you to the junction of the two highest mountain ranges Karakoram and Himalayas.  Don't know if that'll ever happen.

I've been hearing about this new road from Leh for at least five years. It'll indeed make travelling to Zanskar much easier but probably will change the peace and solitude quickly. Like what has happened to Pangong Tso where every Indian tourist must pose in the Three Idiots movie pose. Leh has a great problem of managing its garbage. 

[Botswanadreams]

On 12/17/2019 at 8:57 PM, Chakra said:

It was difficult to arrange a trip south from Kargil through Suru Valley all the way to Padum because of extortionate taxi unions and lack of suitable accommodations on the way.

 

The situation are not changed in 2019. You have to changed the car in Kargil to go to Zanskar. There is one accommodation in Rangdum,  a tended camp, but the quality should be very poor as we were told. In a long driving day it is possible to go from Kargil to Padum. That's  what we did on both ways. 

[Botswanadreams]

Happy new year to all ST members.

 

Tibetan Snowfinch © CB Singh

 

Tibetan Ground-Jay or Groundpecker

 

A first view to Tso Kar

 

Tso Kar

 

Wood Sandpiper

 

Lesser Sand Plover

 

On the way to our accommodation in Thukje

 

A breeding pair of black-necked crane

 

Tibetan Sandgrouse - at some point, they had enough of the cat-mouse game we had with same to get a nice image

 

 

The strategy was changed on the next day - we got a nice image © CB Singh - sorry you lovely Tibetan Sandgrouse

 

 

The southwestern corner of the Tso Kar

 

Ladakh Pika

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Botswanadreams]

This are a few images from our last day in Ladakh

 

View from Tanglang La on the Manali-Leh Highway

 

The road down in the direction to Leh

 

The perfect terrain for Snowcocks

 

Our last bird highlight: Himalayan Snowcock © CB Singh

 

The Valley of the Khyamar Chu Rivers is beautiful - it is called in Ladakh "Valley of Color". 

 

We got a very nice gift from nature on this last day. It was amazing to see this Great Blue Sheep mothers teaching there youngsters climbing in the rocks. 

For half an hour we were able to watch them in the rocks until they disappeared behind the hill.    

 

 

 

Greater Blue Sheep

 

Thanks very much to follow us to Ladakh.

For all of you want to see and read more about this trip please feel free to go to the full report on our homepage. Google will help you with its funny translation. 

https://www.botswanadreams.de/reisen-weltweit/ladakh-2019/

 

Happy travel in 2020.

 

[michael-ibk]

Happy travels to you as well! Such beautiful photos, the landscape is almost surreal in its unique beauty.

[Botswanadreams]

Thanks so much @michael-ibk. Ladakh was for us a ones in our lifetime destination. We want to see the beauty of the himalayans landscape and I think this trip does it for us. The incredible beauty of the Buddhist culture and the wildlife of Ladakh was an addition to this trip. 

[TonyQ]

@BotswanadreamsWhat a beautiful report. Stunning photos of landscapes, people and wildlife.

It really is an amazing region.

Thank you for posting, it bought back many memories.

[Galana]

Thanks for posting this and I know what you mean about the beautiful country and people of Ladakh.

I first went, as many do, to seek the Grey Ghost of the mountains in March but such was the beauty of the country I returned with my wife the following year in June, before the hordes from the plains arrived, to see as much of the rest of the country as we could.

We were not disappointed. Our guide and mentor was Tashi of Hidden North Adventures and we used his Homestay/Guest House as our main base.

If we can we will return another year.

Thanks for sharing.

[xelas]

Fantastic trip report filled with equally excellent photos! Thanks for sharing it, @Botswanadreams!

[Botswanadreams]

You are too kind @TonyQ, @Galana and @xelas. Thank you very much for the flowers and to follow us through Ladakh with it's incredible landscape, it's stunning wildlife and the lovable Ladakhi people.    

 

On 1/7/2020 at 11:55 PM, Galana said:

Our guide and mentor was Tashi of Hidden North Adventures and we used his Homestay/Guest House as our main base.

Tashi I think is a very common name in Ladakh. Our host was a different guide but a very nice one too. 

 

Best

Christa

 

Edited January 11, 2020 by Botswanadreams