The main overland approach to Ladakh is from the Kashmir Valley via the 434-km Srinagar-Leh road, which remains open for traffic from early June to November. The most dramatic part of the road journey is the ascent up the 11,500 feet high Zoji La, the pass in the Great Himalayan Wall that serves as the gateway to Ladakh. The J&K State Road Transport Corporation operates regular Deluxe and Ordinary bus services between Srinagar and Leh on this route with an overnight halt at Kargil.
Since 1989, the 473km Manali-Leh road has been serving as the second land approach to Ladakh. Open for traffic from around mid-June to early October, this high road traverses the upland desert plateau of Rupshu whose altitude ranges from 3,660m to 4,500m. A number of high passes fall en-route among which the highest one, known as Taglan La, is the world's second highest motorable road at an altitude of 17,469 feet. HP Tourism, HP SRTC and JKSRTC operate deluxe and ordinary bus services between Manali and Leh. The bus journey between Leh and Manali takes about 19 hours or two days with an overnight halt in camps at Serchu or Pang.
Indian Airlines operates regular scheduled flights to Leh from Delhi, Chandigarh, Jammu and Srinagar. Some private airlines are also planning to operate air services between Delhi and Leh in the near future.
Leh offers a variety of accomodation to suit almost every pocket or preference. Most hotels are family-run establishments and, as such services are more personalized than professional.
Trekking possibilities include short, daylong walks up and down mountain slopes to visit isolated villages or monastic settlements, or across a ridge to enjoy the sheer beauty of the lunar mountainscape. Or long, trans-mountain treks involving weeks of walking and camping in the wilderness.. For example, the trek from Lamayuru in the Indus valley to Darcha in Lahoul across Zanskar takes nearly three weeks. Most of the established routes traverse the Zanskar range, which separates the Indus valley from Zanskar. The 10-day Markha Valley trek, the 11-day Lamayuru-Padum traverse and the Stok-Khangri round trek are the more popular ones among the numerous options available in this convoluted mountain mass. In recent years, parts of the Ladakh range between the Indus and Shayok valleys have also become available for trekking. The traditional trekking season extends from early June to mid-October. But localized treks within the Indus valley can be undertaken even in May. The winter access to the Zanskar Valley is actually along the frozen surface of the Zanskar River. This route known as Chaddar, calls for elaborate arrangements, but it is perhaps the most exciting treks in the world.
There are a number of tour operators in the Leh City who arrange for guides and equipments for trekking. Trekking equipment are easily available for rent at reasonable rates in many places.
Copyright (c) Manish Tripathi , 1998. All rights reserved