Tso Moriri, Ladakh, India

                                         Tso Moriri is a spectacular site amidst mountain ranges in Leh and thanks to its serenity, is a good place to relax. Located in a one of the most beautiful places in India, the lake measures about 28 km in length from north to south and about 4-6 km in breadth and about 100 feet average in depth. Maximum depth of Tso Moriri Lake is 248 feet. Tso Moriri Lake is surrounded by barren hills, with the backdrop of beautiful snow-covered mountains.

                                          The water is crystal clear and of a deep blue color. However, since the Tso Moriri Lake has no outlet, its waters are consequently brackish, although not very detectable to the taste. In fact, the Tso Moriri Lake was once a popular source of salt. (Source)

                                         This tranquil lake is nestled in the midst of peaks towering over a height of 20,000 feet, completely shutting the lake from the outside world, hence called "the mountain lake".

                                          Though this lake is the least visited than the other lakes, though not popular as Pangong Tso, though I didn't get the best pictures, to the human eye, this lake is breathtaking beauty. Lake together with inhabitants and the vegetation makes it complete.

                                       

Enroute

Making of Pashmina

Visitors Tips:

• If you have time only for one lake, skip Pangong and visit Tso Moriri. You will never regret. 
• A Night's stay is advisable to enjoy. 

Pangong Tso, Ladakh, India

                                 Pangong Tso is a Tibetan word for  "long, narrow, enchanted lake".  is an endorheic lake in the Himalayas situated at a height of about 4,350 m (14,270 ft). It is 134 km (83 mi) long and extends from India to Tibet. Approximately 60% of the length of the lake lies in Tibet. The lake is 5 km (3.1 mi) wide at its broadest point. All together it covers 604 km2. During winter the lake freezes completely, despite being saline water. (Source)

                                Though the lake is very famous among the travelers and locals, the utmost popularity came due to Aamir Khan's movie, "3 Idiots". The ending episode is taken near the lake after which it gathered the attention of common people.

                                The blue colour of the water is very lovely which makes it the best picturesque during the entire tour. The water changes it's colour or the shades (to be precise) with different time of the day. So one can make any number of trips to the lake in a whole day. :)

                                The lake will be frozen completely in winter, though being a salt water lake.

                                There are just basic accommodations (only bed and water to fresh up) are available near the lake. We stayed very near to the lake and the summer felt like mid-winter!!! The camp-fire, the coldness, the views of the lake in the moon light just made me feel "wow"!

Enjoy the Beauty!!

Enroute to Pangong

At dawn!

The Campfire

Visitors Tips:

There are many camps with all ranges of tents.
If you are budget, go for the guest houses. No need to bother about advance reservation.
You can get one any time. 

Nubra Valley, Ladakh, India

                            Nubra Valley, is a tri-armed valley located to the north east of Ladakh valley. It is known for its orchards, scenic vistas, Bactrian camels and monasteries. Surrounded by snowcapped Himalayan ranges, Nubra valley lies sandwiched between Tibet and Kashmir. The view of the valley is picturesque and breathtaking.

                          It is not just scenic natural beauty of Nubra which attracts tourists. The valley is predominantly Buddhist and boasts of several centres of Buddhist learning. Ensa, Samstemling, Diskit and Hunder monastery are famous Buddhist monasteries.

                          The cold desert between Diskit and Hundur are another attraction for tourists. Tourists throng the cold desert to watch the sand dunes and for joyrides on the Bactrian camels. Native to the steppes of central Asia, the Bactrian camel has two humps, in contrast to the single-humped camels found in Rajasthan and other parts of India. The Bactrian camels, found only in Hunder, were the main mode of transport when Ladakh was an important stopover on the ancient trade routes with Central Asia.

                       Enroute from Ladakh to Nubra valley, you will pass through the highest motor-able road in the world, known as Khardung La Pass. 

Diskit Monastery:

Nubra Valley and the Sand Dunes: 

Visitors Tips: 

Day trips from Ladakh to Nubra Valley also feasible but night stay near the valley, at Hunder or Diskit villages is better to enjoy the dawn and the dusk of the valley.

Leh, Ladakh, India

                                     Leh is located in the Indus river valley at a crossroads of the old trading routes from Kashgar, Tibet, and Kashmir. Its importance as a trading town slowed down with the partition of British India, and ended with the closure of the border in 1962 during the Sino-Indian war. Since opening to tourists in 1974, it has become a bustling tourist town, with large numbers of Kashmiri traders.

There are many monasteries, Leh Palace and Shanti Stupa in Leh village. Out of which we have visited Thikse monastery, Sindh ghat and the Shanti stupa.

Thiksey Monastery:

                                    Thikse Gompa or Thikse Monastery (also transliterated from Ladakhi as Tikse, Tiksey or Thiksey) (thiksok Nambar tak pe ling) is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery of the Yellow Hat (Gelugpa) sect, located on top of a hill, approximately 19 kilometres east of Leh in Ladakh, India. It is noted for its resemblance to the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet and is the largest gompa in central Ladakh.


                                     The monastery is located at an altitude of 3,600 metres (11,800 ft) in the Indus valley. It is a 12-storey complex and houses many items of Buddhist art such as stupas, statues, thangkas, wall paintings and swords. One of the main points of interest is the Maitreya (future Buddha) Temple which is installed to commemorate the visit of the 14th Dalai Lama to this monastery in 1970. A 15 metres (49 ft) high statue of Maitreya, the largest such statue in Ladakh, covering two storeys of the building is deified in the monastery. A nunnery is also part of the complex. (Source: Wiki)

Thikse Monastery

Maitreya Buddha

Buddha

View from the monastery

The Wheel of Life: 

The wheel of Life

Sindh Ghati:

Shanti Stupa:

                                 The Shanti Stupa features the photograph of the current Dalai Lama with the relics of the Buddha at its base. The stupa is built as a two-level structure. The first level features the central relief of Dharmacakra with deer on each side. A central golden Buddha image sits on a platform depicting the "turning wheel of Dharma" (Dharmacakra). The second level has reliefs depicting the "birth" of Buddha, the death of Buddha (mahanirvana) and Buddha "defeating the devils" while meditating. Both levels feature a series of smaller meditating Buddha reliefs.


                                The Shanti Stupa was built to promote world peace and prosperity and to commemorate 2500 years of Buddhism. It is considered a symbol of the ties between the people of Japan and Ladakh.

The Dome

The Buddha

Visitors Tips: 

The Shey Monastery and the Leh Palace are other places to must visit if you are interested in monasteries.