“I did not wish to take a cabin passage, but rather to go before the mast and on the deck of the world, for there I could best see the moonlight amid the mountains. I do not wish to go below now” – Henry David Thoreau

If there is any place on earth which embodies diverse and unparalleled beauty of God’s creation – mountains, snow laden peaks, glaciers, high altitude passes, old trade routes, rivers, desert, camels, marmots – it is none but Ladakh.  The sights, the panorama and its affable inhabitants left an indelible impression in my mind after my first visit to Ladakh, even though, the journey covered one section of Ladakh.

Mine and my family’s curiosity to explore Ladakh further, led us to the less trodden part, more popular with bikers and die hard spirited trekkers, to Zanskar.  In Tibetian, Zanskar means copper valley and the terrain indeed reflects a reddish hue as you travel towards the heart of the valley. Our visit was in June 2012 and even two years later, I still feel the palpable magic of the breath taking sights and the surreal experience of intimate proximity with the high altitude mountains and enormous glaciers. We started scouting for details about this place, to figure out the route, logistics and accommodation given that our kids, 14 and 11 years old then, were accompanying us.  We were amazed that there was so little information available on Zanskar. None of the travel guide books had adequate or useful information.

After a long research online, from the bikers’ travels to blogs here and there, we managed to plan our trip. Keeping the lack information online in mind, I promised to write down some tips for families who might, like us, want to visit Zanskar.

Day 1: Delhi to Srinagar by air, and halting at Srinagar for the night.

Day 2: We hit the road for Kargil, reaching in a little over 9 hours. We passed through Ganderbal, Kangan, Sonamarg, Zoji La Pass, Mushko valley, Dras, Thasgaon, Kharbu, Lato and Chemigun. Access to Tiger Hill (associated with the Kargil war) is through the Mushko Valley.  View the confluence of river Shingo and a river from Pakistan at Lato. As you enter Kargil, river Suru (a tributary of Indus) welcomes and refreshes you, soothing the exhaustion of a long day’s drive.

Day 3: We left Kargil for Rangdum at 10am and reached our destination at 6.30 pm with halts for lunch and views. This included crossing through Kumathang, Puritkchay, Damsna and Panikar village. You cannot expect to find a soul on the way, especially after the Panikhar and Parkachik villages. 

Recommended places for short halts to take in the beautiful sights:

– Damsna: Home to the trout fish farm and popular for its meadows. From here you can get the first view of the Nun-Kun mountains.

– Thangbu village: Just before reaching Panikhar (12km away), this place provides the best view of the Nun-Kun mountains.

– Parkachik glacier: This place is the base for expedition to the glacier and the Nun-Kun mountains.

Beware of the rocky and untarred roads; be well-equipped and prepared to find no one or any assistance for long stretches. Carry head scarves as the wind is strong though not cold during day time.   Look out for marmots – these are large squirrels which reside mainly in mountainous regions and are found only in Ladakh in India.

We halted at Rangdum in the J&K Alpine Tourist Guest House for the night.  Rangdum, at 12,000 ft, is surrounded with beautiful snow-capped mountains.  Sadly, there was no electricity, running water or food at the guest house.  There was no way we could go ahead to Padum, our actual destination, as it was 5 hours away and it had gone dark. Around the guest house, there are a couple of modest tea stalls.  It was extremely chilly even in the month of June.  Do not halt there, especially when travelling with kids, unless it is absolutely necessary.  We noticed that Rangdum was more of a stopover for bikers.

Day 4: We were only too relieved to leave early the next day at 8.30 am. But before leaving, we visited the 400-year-old Rangdum Gompa which also houses Gulak followers.  It was in a dilapidated and left me wondering how the resident monks survived in such conditions. The Gompa has a museum which we could not see as the keys were in Kargil. We finally left Rangdum at 9.30 am, reaching Padum at 2.30 pm. On the way, we came across two natural lakes ? the Statso and Langsto at Pensi La (14,000 ft). Feeling humbled and awestruck by the natural beauty, we drove on and saw the majestic Drand-Drung glacier. A brief halt is necessary to admire its resplendent appeal.

Days 5 to 8: Places to see in and around Padam, the administrative centre of Zanskar.

– Padam: Being the main town, it has all the amenities including department stores and a government hospital.  It has a decent state tourist guest house with basic comforts; and several private lodges. Several restaurants dot the state tourist guest house offering wide range of food to choose from.

– Zangla Palace and Gompa: 35km from Padum, Zangla has been ruled by titular kings. We were fortunate to meet the existing King of Zangla, Mr Gyialses Nima Narboo Namgiyal-ldey and his son. He showed us the old Zangla fortress which still had a functioning chapel.

– Stongdey Gompa: En route to Padam-Zangla, this is a picturesque monastery perched on a rocky hill.  The road is rough and rocky but motorable. From top, you can see the best views of the valley below with cultivated fields and a meandering. We also visited an old nunnery nearby.

– Zorawar fort:  Beautifully located but a sad sight of ill-preserved ruins.

– Karsha: A scenic and peaceful place. Drive up till it is possible and after a leisurely walk for 10-15 minutes, see the confluence of Doda and Lugnak rivers; and also the Karsha monastery. We decided to spend more time at the confluence point and enjoy the beautiful view.

– Sani Gompa: 10kms from Padum.

Day 9: After three days in Padum, around 8:15am, we were on our way back to Kargil. Twenty minutes on a tarred road to Tungri village, and then back to the rough and long rocky drive to Sankoo. In four hours, we reached Rangdum and after a quick bite at a tea stall, moved on to Kargil.

Day 10: We were tired with the strenuous journey of the previous day, but our determination persisted and helped us to travel to Batalik. We were keen to visit the place as it is known for settlement of the pure Aryan race. The community grows apricots and it is their major food crop. We return to Kargil for the night.

Day 11: Back to Srinagar, concluding one of our most memorable travels of the great Himalayan range.