Kargil, India | 31 Photos
View from Zoji la, Kashmir, India
This is the view from Zoji la, the first mountain pass that leads the way from the lush green valleys of Kashmir to the cold desert of Ladakh. The tiny specks of settlement seen at the bottom are the tents at the base camp of Baltal. This is specially set up only during the Amarnath yatra. Read our story on Amarnath Yatra: Trek on a Pilgrimage.
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Zoji la, Kashmir, India
Zoji la, the pass that connects Srinagar to Ladakh. It starts right after Baltal and runs for around 13 km. It remains closed in the winter months, when it is covered in snow. Read more on the Himalayan Passes at Mountain passes we crossed.
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Dras, Kargil, India
Dras was the town we chose to spend our first ever high altitude night in. It turned out to be so much more than just an “altitude acclimatisation” stopover on the way to Ladakh. Read more at Why visit Dras?.
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Kargil War Memorial, Dras, India
We highly recommend a visit to the Kargil War Memorial to everybody – not just Indians. It’s a humbling visit. Read more about Drass at Why visit Dras?.
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Kargil War Memorial, India
25th and 26th of July, are celebrated as Vijay Diwas (Victory day) by the Indian Army, in honour of those who lost their lives in the KArgil war. Read more about Drass at Why visit Dras?
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Chatting with the kids at Dras, Kargil, India
They were from Srinagar, visiting their cousins in Dras. They all came over to chat with us. Read more about Drass at Why visit Dras?
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Zaibon Nissa from Dras, Kargil, India
Meet Zaibon Nissa, the smartest kid we have met in our travels. She asked us if we knew the language. When we answered negative, she decided to teach us some basics. She is till date, the only kid who has asked us if she could hold the camera. And taken a photo of us, making sure of getting the frame just as she wanted! Read more about Drass at Why visit Dras?
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Baby Anjum at Dras near Kargil, India
Anjum and her cousins were visitors to Dras, like us. They had come from Srinagar, to escape the heat, where the summer was at its peak. Read more of the kids we met at The kids of the hills….
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Mateem, cricket aspirant from Dras, Kargil, India
The young boy, Mateem had traveled on a Sadbhavna tour. It is an initiative by the Indian Army, where in children from remote regions travel to various parts of India and interact with others. On this tour, he had seen a cricket match live, and caught on the fascination for cricket. Read more about Drass at Why visit Dras?
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Multi purpose basket carried by women, Dras, India
Women carry these multi purpose baskets every time they step out. They are used to carry mud, dung, crops, flock and children! Read more about Dras at Why visit Dras?
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Bhimbet near Dras, Kargil, India
We then headed to a place on the outskirts of Dras, called Bhimbet. Mateem and his brother Mubarak volunteered to take us there. Read more about Drass at Why visit Dras?
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Tourist accommodation at Dras, Kargil, India
This is the accommodation facility of the Jammu and Kashmir tourism department. Dras is so much more than just an “altitude acclimatisation” stopover on the way to Ladakh. Read more about Drass at Why visit Dras?
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Tourist accommodation at Dras, Kargil, India
This is the accommodation facility of the Jammu and Kashmir tourism department. Dras is so much more than just an “altitude acclimatisation” stopover on the way to Ladakh. Read more about Drass at Why visit Dras?
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Sunset at Dras, Kargil, India
We were back in Dras just in time to see the first of many glorious high altitudes sunsets. We don’t know if altitude affects the cloud formations. Because, the clouds here were something special! Read more about Drass at Why visit Dras?
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Mosque at Dras, Kargil, India
The mosques in Dras were a work of art! Read more about Drass at Why visit Dras?
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House at Dras, Kargil, India
We were curious about how people in such a cold region lived. We walked through the village and peeked into their houses. Read more about Drass at Why visit Dras?
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Siblings from Dras, Kargil, India
The people you meet on the road are the most impactful part of any travel. Especially the kids. Times spent with the kids are some of our fondest memories. Read more of the kids we met at The kids of the hills…
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Zareena from Dras, Kargil, India
We were curious about how people in such a cold region lived. We walked through the village and peeked into their houses. Read more about Drass at Why visit Dras?
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Landscape at Dras, Kargil, India
Dras was the town we chose to spend our first ever high altitude night in. It turned out to be so much more than just an “altitude acclimatisation” stopover on the way to Ladakh. Read more about Drass at Why visit Dras?
From Story photos
Landscape at Dras, Kargil, India
Dras was the town we chose to spend our first ever high altitude night in. It turned out to be so much more than just an “altitude acclimatisation” stopover on the way to Ladakh. Read more about Drass at Why visit Dras?
DrasSrinagar Leh highwayKashmirIndialandscapeIndiaLadakh
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Tiger Hill in Dras, India
Tiger Hill is the highest and the most famous mountain peak in this region. It shot to prominence when a fierce battle was fought here in the Kargil War of 1999. Read more about Dras at Why visit Dras?
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Mirror play at Kargil, India
Boys will be boys! We met him in Goma Kargil, which is a small village higher up from Kargil. He was playing the mirror game, casting a reflection of the sun on the ground, and the light was what caught our attention. Mischief sure has an universal appeal! Read more of the kids we met at The kids of the hills…
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Sankoo, Kargil, India
5DBaratocanonchetanchetan karkhanisHindistanindeIndiaIndieIndienIndiëIndlandIntiajammu and kashmirkargilkarkhaniskashmirphotophotographerphotographyphotossandeepasandeepa karkhanissandeepachetansankootourismtravelÍndiaІндіяИндияИндијаהודוינדיאַالهندبھارتهندوستانอินเดียẤn Độインド印度인도IndiaLadakh
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Suru valley in Kargil, India
Around 40km after Kargil, Sankoo is a stepping stone to head deep in the Suru valley. It is surprisingly green for its altitude, of over 3000mt, thanks to the Suru river that flows through it.
A zig zag road follows this river, crossing several bridges, as seen above, to cross the Suru valley through villages like Sankoo, Panikhar, Tangole and Parkachik, where suddenly, civilisation comes to a halt!Suru valleyKargilZanskarlandscapeSankooKashmirIndiaIndiaLadakh
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Sankoo, Kargil, India
Maqsuma is a class 4 student from a small village called KarcheKhar near Kargil in the state of J&K in India. The remote location causes a dearth of good schools in the area. The Indian Army, which has a huge presence there tries to do its bit by running an Army School. Maqsuma studied in this school and was evidently smarter and bolder than her peers who went to local schools. Read full story on Kids of the hills
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Portrait of a bus passenger from Sankoo, Kargil, India
He was a laborer who stayed at Kargil and went to work in the smaller villages around Kargil. The summer months see a boom in construction activity in these areas which are snow clad in winter. These laborers come from the poorer states in India, mostly from Jharkhand. Every morning a bus popularly nicknamed "laborer bus" leaves Kargil early in the morning to drop these laborers to their respective workplaces.
5DBaratocanonchetanchetan karkhanisHindistanindeIndiaIndieIndienIndiëIndlandIntiajammu and kashmirkargilkarkhaniskashmirphotophotographerphotographyphotossandeepasandeepa karkhanissandeepachetansankootourismtravelÍndiaІндіяИндияИндијаהודוינדיאַالهندبھارتهندوستانอินเดียẤn Độインド印度인도IndiaLadakh
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View of Nun peak from Panikhar in Suru valley near Kargil, India
Panikhar is a village in Suru valley. Suru valley stretches from Kargil right up to the Penzi la after which the Zanskar valley starts. It is the greenest valley of the Greater Himalayas. Every village in the Suru valley takes pride in the view it affords of the Nun and the Kun peaks.
NunPanikharSuru valleyKargilZanskarKashmirIndialandscapeIndiaLadakh
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Trucks halting at the village Parkachik in Suru valley near Kargil on their way to Zanskar valley, India
5DBaratocanonchetanchetan karkhanisHindistanindeIndiaIndieSuru valleyIndienIndiëIndlandIntiajammu and kashmirkargilkarkhaniskashmirparkachikphotophotographerphotographyphotossandeepasandeepa karkhanissandeepachetantourismtravelÍndiaІндіяИндияИндијаהודוינדיאַالهندبھارتهندوستانอินเดียẤn Độインド印度인도IndiaLadakh
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The peaks on Nun Kun seen from Parkachik la, India
The twin peaks of Nun (7135m) and Kun (7087m) are the biggest and the highest attraction in the Suru valley. The contrast of the perennially snow covered Nun and the barren Kun add to the mystic of the place. Suru valley stretches from Kargil right up to the Penzi la after which the Zanskar valley starts. It is the greenest valley of the Greater Himalayas. Every village in the Suru valley takes pride in the view it affords of the Nun and the Kun peaks.
Nun KunParkachikSuru valleyZanskarKargilKashmirIndialandscapeIndiaLadakh
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Summer farming in Zanskar, India
Summer is the only time the people of Zanskar have access to fresh local food. Every family in this region has a small farm where they grow vegetables like peas, carrots, potatoes and a variety of greens. The family consumes what's needed . The rest is put to dry for use in the severe winter months.
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Stone houses in Parkachik village of Suru valley, India
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