India 2015: Delhi - Ladakh - Delhi

[crisidsto]

8/8/2015

We arrive in Delhi in the evening. The impact is strong.
It's hot, humid, the smell of the city certainly does not hide.
We meet for dinner with some friends who have arrived there a few days before to make a trip as backpackers: their first impressions are not exciting and we go to bed a bit doubtful about what will happen the next days.
It must be said that a few days before we left we read about several issues in the area:
- Incidents of terrorism in Kashmir
- Heavy rains in Ladakh, with many roads blocked by landslides
- News of "taxi union" being aggressive towards motorbikes rented outside the region
Well, not the best conditions

9/8/2015

It rains. A lot.









We walk to Karol Bagh, the motorcycles district, where we booked a 500 Enfield.
Soaked with water, we find Tony Bike Centre and make the necessary arrangements to take our bike.
In the moment we take the bike, our perception of the holiday changes and with it our mood, until then not really good.
"We're on a new motorbike holiday! We will solve all the problems!"



10/8/2015

We start in the late morning, destination Chandigarh.



Getting out of Delhi is not as dramatic as I thought, perhaps because we started, without knowing it, at a good time.
The road is straight and boring, mostly easy.
The evening in Chandigarh we have to decide: go towards Kashmir and turn clockwise or do exactly the opposite and go to Manali and then go back the other way?
The situation in Kashmir seems still a little tense and go to Manali would allow us to meet some friends, who have departed before us, and who will be at the end of their trip, so they will be able to report us about road and weather conditions.
Ok, Manali is the decision.

11/8/2015

We don't have time to get gas that breaks the monsoon





When it finally calms down we can depart.
Coffee stop at a Dhaba



There is some traffic and the road is slow



We sleep in Bilaspur in what we find: a hotel not exactly cozy.

12/8/2015

From Bilaspur to Manali









Manali is a very touristic town, completely different from what we encountered so far.
Everything here seems easy and manageable for the tourist.
After the first days a little difficult, it is what we need.
In the evening we meet with our friends and we receive all the needed advice: it seems that the holiday starts to take a turn for the better.

13/8/2015

Rest day in Manali.
Some shopping, a visit to a couple of offices to get Rothang La permit, and finally, the sun is shining.

[crisidsto]

14/8/2015

The first part of the climb to the notorious Rohtang La (just under 4000 meters) may seem an road on the Alps







Then begins a dense fog and the terrain becomes more insidious until up to the pass, where, however, the Enfield arrives without any problem







Downhill we find the sun and we can begin to enjoy the scenery, but the road is not paved, sometimes insidious and muddy, so it is best to always pay attention







In Tandi there is the last gas station for 300-odd km, until just before Leh









When we are a few km from Jispa, our destination for the day, I realize that the forks of Enfield respond poorly.
I look and one pisses oil.
No problem: we find immediately a mechanic and do change oil and oil seals.





Then we continue to Jispa, where we find accommodation in a tented camp

[crisidsto]

15/8/2015

We have some company for breakfast







Then is time to depart again



Some little difficult passage







but sometime is very easy







we pass BarlachaLa and we are almost at 5000 mt









some rest at a dhaba to but some dry socks and a coffee

[crisidsto]

then, after the Gata Loops, Nakeela and Lachungla, there is a change of scenery, and then we reach Pang, where we decide to stop for the night.

[crisidsto]

16/8/2015

This was our accomodation for the night



and this our room neighbor



we soon realize that the day will be easier than the previous: most of the roads in this section have been paved recently









the temperature is low and the sky cloudy, so we are forced to cover ourselves with warmer clothing





Tanglangla, at 5300 meters,is the last pass before Leh, and until now the highest we crossed











Climbing down the pass, we realize that we have entered Ladakh, Buddhist area. First monuments appears











After the Upshi junction, the last stretch of road that separates us from Leh is perfectly paved, but not less spectacular





Leh is a touristic town, and finding accommodation in a guesthouse is easy and fast.
We are able to do so in time for a walk before dark.













So, summarizing: starting from Manali, we stayed 2 nights out and arrived in Leh without problems and without running the third day.
We sure were lucky because we found almost always beautiful weather and never a landslide has blocked our progress.

To consider is that, despite perhaps is not noticeable from the photos, like us, many tourists travel the Manali-Leh every year, both Western, both Indians. I have seen some completely unprepared departing from Manali, and then having problems on the road. If you really want to find something bad about this road, which has undoubtedly spectacular landscapes, is that compared to other routes (I think of the Pamir Highway, for example, or many parts of Kyrgyzstan), is a bit too crowded for my taste.

However, we just arrived in Leh and there is still a lot to tell ...

[crisidsto]

17/8/2015

Day dedicated to visiting Leh and obtaining permission for the adjacent valleys

[crisidsto]

18/8/2015

It's time to depart from Leh, destination Khardung La and Nubra Valley











impresses to see the conditions in which live and work people who maintain these roads





as often happens in the indian passes, a traffic jam blocks us for a while.
In this case the cause is the passage of a convoy of military trucks







when we depart again, we understand that the first goal is near









Here we are: the Khardung La is ours, at 5600 meters (declared, actually seems to be in 5359), it is hard we will ever go higher in our lives

[crisidsto]

after the usual pictures we start to clim down

















down and down and it starts to be warm, and also the sand starts







sand? yes, sand: in this Himalayan valley there is a small desert of sand dunes.
And there are also camels.





we find an accommodation in a tented camp in Hunder and we go to visit the dunes
The place is obviously popular, with caravans of camels ready for the tourist





but you can't deny it's beautiful...

[shomani]

I missed you by a couple of days. We were there doing the same road starting on the 10th August. Beautiful scenery and the people are great.

[crisidsto]

Originally Posted by shomani

I missed you by a couple of days. We were there doing the same road starting on the 10th August. Beautiful scenery and the people are great.

Great! So are we going to see your pictures soon?

[crisidsto]

19/8/2015

The day before we had confirmation that the Wari La, the pass that allows from the Nubra Valley to go to Lake Pangong Tso is closed due to landslides, so we are forced to go back where we came from.

















Khardung La again









and then back for a night in Leh

[shomani]

Originally Posted by crisidsto

Great! So are we going to see your pictures soon?

I'll try to get some posted soon.

[crisidsto]

20/8/2015

We depart one more time from Leh, this time toward Pangong Tso







Today there is to climb the Chang La and then descends into a fantastic valley.
I will not write too much, but I'll leave the pictures do the talking

[crisidsto]

Until when we get here









We find the usual tented camp for the night and we have a walk along the lake























The place is wonderful: just a shame that a group of Indian tourists decide that the evening is too quiet and spend the evening with the radio at full volume, transforming this magical place in a sort of open-air disco of questionable taste

[major123]

Beautiful post...beautiful pictures

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