Rescheduling of our original plan had given us an opportunity to explore other places. We had 2 more days of stay and the best part was that the stay was paid by Altitude Adventure India as a goodwill gesture to compensate the losses incurred due to rescheduling.
So, Suraj, me and Satya decided to go ahead with a plan which was lingering on our minds before we came to Leh i.e. to visit Pangong in winter.
We had already informed Sohail who was our organizer in Leh to arrange necessary permits so that we could leave on the right next day after we come back from trek.
Kishor could not make it as he had rescheduled his flight and had only one day spare. So, he did not want to take risk of getting stuck or getting late due to this trip. The reason being the weather at the Chang La is very unpredictable and chances of getting stuck are high.
We left Leh quite early around 6.30 am. Zakir who was our fellow driver stopped the Innova around 8 am for breakfast. Preparation of breakfast took bit longer due to the sudden rush at the restaurant. There were 2 other cars along with us. So, we were not alone that gave us some respite that there would be some one to help in case something goes wrong :)
It took around 5 hrs to reach Pangong Tso (Lukung) which is the first spot of the lake. The road is maintained quite well so the journey was pretty nice also fortunately we did not face any weather issues. Sky was clear so we could capture some nice snaps with blue background.
Lukung has an army post where you need to produce your permit and identity proofs. Soon we were witnessing the panoramic view of the lake with some fresh snow on the icy surface of the lake with mountains and blue sky in the background.
Although the sun was shining pretty well, the chilling wind was freezing even with all the
layers of jackets. It was an amazing experience to walk on the frozen lake. This was a different experience than what we had years back in summer. Also, it is unique and cannot be compared with the experience in Zanskar valley. Valley having the limited view and we are in the gorge while Pangong gives an amazing and awesome view of lake with mountains spread surrounding it.
We spend around 1.5 hours before heading back to Leh. On the way back we spotted a herd of wild asses known as "Kiang". These valleys provide good amount of food in the form of grass to these creatures. Being wildlife enthusiast, it was an achievement for us 😊. Specially when we were disappointed with no sign of wildlife in Zanskar valley other than some pug marks 😉.
At Durbuk, we could find a restaurant and were happy to find it open. Had a quick bite of Schezwan rice and some momos. Food was quite delicious. The restaurant was run by a family. Worth trying for food on the way.
Before returning back to Leh, we had a couple of hours to explore a few places on the route. So, we decided to visit Shey monastery. It is just on the road side and a walk of 10-15 mins uphill. A good place to spend some time.
Finally, we reached back at the hotel and were pleased having spent the day to visit Pangong.
Last day 13th Feb, was reserved for the shopping of some winter ware, dry fruits etc. Kishor left early morning for Mumbai. After having breakfast, we went to the Leh main market for lunch and shopping. We were back at Hotel by early evening. It was time to prepare for the next day travel back to Pune.
Meanwhile, Stanzin made a call and came to visit us before we left for our native places. We spent some good time recalling the moments from the trip and making promises of visiting someday again!
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