Kashmir and Ladakh
Summer landscapes of Kargil, India
Kargil is the biggest town after the Zoji la pass. It gets cut off in winter when the Zoji la gets covered in snow. Summer is a time for all construction activity here. People make their own bricks here from the local mud for their houses. Rows of mud bricks set to dry is a common sight here in the summer. As our bus left for Leh, we saw these bricks bathed in the golden light of the sunrise.KargilLadakhIndialandscapesandeepachetanIndiaLadakh
From Story photos
Sunrise at Kargil, India
Kargil is the midway of the Srinagar-Leh highway, NH1-D. It is suggested halt for the night before reaching Leh for altitude aclimatisation. Our bus left Kargil at around 4 AM. Just as we were getting out of Kargil, we were greeted with this sunrise.KargilLadakhIndialandscapesandeepachetanIndiaLadakh
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Foto la or Fotu La on Srinagar - Leh highway, Ladakh, India
The 420 km national highway NH1-D from Srinagar to Leh connects Ladakh, a high altitude cold desert to the rest of India. Brown landscapes of the Greater Himalayas through high mountain passes give you company through this route. Read more about the Himalayan Passes at Mountain passes we crossed.
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Namika la on Srinagar - Leh highway, Ladakh, India
Namika la is a high altitude Himalayan pass on the Srinagar Leh highway. Read more on the Himalayan Passes at Mountain passes we crossed.From Story photos
Foto la or Fotu La on Srinagar - Leh highway, Ladakh, India
The 420 km national highway NH1-D from Srinagar to Leh connects Ladakh, a high altitude cold desert to the rest of India. Brown landscapes of the Greater Himalayas through high mountain passes give you company through this route. Read more about the Himalayan Passes at Mountain passes we crossed.
From Story photos
Foto la or Fotu La on Srinagar - Leh highway, Ladakh, India
The last and the highest pass on the Srinagar-Leh highway. The roads are in an excellent condition and it is a pleasure to drive. Read more on the Himalayan Passes at Mountain passes we crossed.From Story photos
Foto la or Fotu La on Srinagar - Leh highway, Ladakh, India
The last and the highest pass on the Srinagar-Leh highway. The roads are in an excellent condition and it is a pleasure to drive. Read more on the Himalayan Passes at Mountain passes we crossed.
From Story photos
Foto la or Fotu La on Srinagar - Leh highway, Ladakh, India
The last and the highest pass on the Srinagar-Leh highway. The roads are in an excellent condition and it is a pleasure to drive. Read more on the Himalayan Passes at Mountain passes we crossed.
From Story photos
Foto la or Fotu La on Srinagar - Leh highway, Ladakh, India
The last and the highest pass on the Srinagar-Leh highway. The roads are in an excellent condition and it is a pleasure to drive. Read more on the Himalayan Passes at Mountain passes we crossed.
From Story photos
Foto la or Fotu La on Srinagar - Leh highway, Ladakh, India
The last and the highest pass on the Srinagar-Leh highway. The roads are in an excellent condition and it is a pleasure to drive. Read more on the Himalayan Passes at Mountain passes we crossed.
From Story photos
Foto la or Fotu La on Srinagar - Leh highway, Ladakh, India
The last and the highest pass on the Srinagar-Leh highway. The roads are in an excellent condition and it is a pleasure to drive. Read more on the Himalayan Passes at Mountain passes we crossed.
From Story photos
Foto la or Fotu La on Srinagar - Leh highway, Ladakh, India
The last and the highest pass on the Srinagar-Leh highway. The roads are in an excellent condition and it is a pleasure to drive. Read more on the Himalayan Passes at Mountain passes we crossed.
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From Story photos
Foto la or Fotu La on Srinagar - Leh highway, Ladakh, India
Tech-break on Fotu la, the highest mountain pass on the Srinagar Leh highway. This is an army setup just at the end of Fotu la near a small town called Lamayuru, famous for its moonlike landscapes. Read more on the Himalayan Passes at Mountain passes we crossed.
From Story photos
Foto la or Fotu La on Srinagar - Leh highway, Ladakh, India
The last and the highest pass on the Srinagar-Leh highway. The roads are in an excellent condition and it is a pleasure to drive. Read more on the Himalayan Passes at Mountain passes we crossed.
From Story photos
Foto la or Fotu La on Srinagar - Leh highway, Ladakh, India
The last and the highest pass on the Srinagar-Leh highway. The roads are in an excellent condition and it is a pleasure to drive. Read more on the Himalayan Passes at Mountain passes we crossed.
From Story photos
Foto la or Fotu La on Srinagar - Leh highway, Ladakh, India
The last and the highest pass on the Srinagar-Leh highway. The roads are in an excellent condition and it is a pleasure to drive. Read more on the Himalayan Passes at Mountain passes we crossed.
From Story photos
Foto la or Fotu La on Srinagar - Leh highway, Ladakh, India
The last and the highest pass on the Srinagar-Leh highway. The roads are in an excellent condition and it is a pleasure to drive. Read more on the Himalayan Passes at Mountain passes we crossed.
From Story photos
Foto la or Fotu La on Srinagar - Leh highway, Ladakh, India
The last and the highest pass on the Srinagar-Leh highway. The roads are in an excellent condition and it is a pleasure to drive. Read more on the Himalayan Passes at Mountain passes we crossed.
Back to PHOTO GALLERIESFrom Story photos
Stupa at Lamayuru Monastery, Ladakh, India
These were the most decorated stupas we saw in Ladakh. They are otherwise only plain white in colour, without any embellishments. We saw them on the way to the Lamayuru meditation hill.
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View from the Lamayuru meditation hill, Ladakh, India
View of Fotu la as we climbed up the meditation hill in Lamayuru. Lamayuru is a small town in Ladakh famous for its moonlike landscapes. Fotu la or Foto la is the last and the highest pass on the Srinagar-Leh highway. The roads are in an excellent condition and it is a pleasure to drive. Read more on the Himalayan Passes at Mountain passes we crossed.
From Story photos
Prayer rocks at Lamayuru meditation hill, Ladakh, India
These stones are an important part of the Buddhist culture, some of them being centuries old. Carved meticulously with the beautiful Tibetan script, these stones are a piece of art. These were strewn on the way to the meditation hill in Lamayuru in the Ladakh region. Their colours represent the colours one sees in the mountains of Ladakh.
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Monastery at Lamayuru, Ladakh, India
A view from meditation hill. Lamayuru is a small village 100 km before Leh on the Srinagar-Leh highway. They even have guest houses named Moonland in Lamayuru!
From Story photos
Moonlike landscapes at Lamayuru, Ladakh, India
The best view of this "moonland"; is from the top of the meditation hill in Lamayuru. As you get to the top and proceed to the edge, a surreal landscape awaits you!
From Story photos
Moonlike landscapes at Lamayuru, Ladakh, India
Lamayuru is a small village 100 km before Leh on the Srinagar-Leh highway. Its claim to fame is the moonlike landscape surrounding Lamayuru. So much so, that Lamayuru and moonland have become synonymous. They even have guest houses named Moonland in Lamayuru! The best view of this "moonland"; is from the top of the meditation hill in Lamayuru. As you get to the top and proceed to the edge, a surreal landscape awaits you!
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From Story photos
View from the Lamayuru meditation hill, Ladakh, India
View of Fotu la as we climbed up the meditation hill in Lamayuru. Lamayuru is a small town in Ladakh famous for its moonlike landscapes. Fotu la or Foto la is the last and the highest pass on the Srinagar-Leh highway. The roads are in an excellent condition and it is a pleasure to drive. Read more on the Himalayan Passes at Mountain passes we crossed.
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From Story photos
Moonlike landscapes at Lamayuru, Ladakh, India
Lamayuru is a small village 100 km before Leh on the Srinagar-Leh highway. Its claim to fame is the moonlike landscape surrounding Lamayuru. So much so, that Lamayuru and moonland have become synonymous. They even have guest houses named Moonland in Lamayuru! The best view of this "moonland"; is from the top of the meditation hill in Lamayuru. As you get to the top and proceed to the edge, a surreal landscape awaits you!
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From Story photos
Lamayuru homestay, Ladakh, India
The family who own the Temple View Homestay. We will forever and ever be obliged to all of them for making us feel at home when we were really down. Read stories of warm hospitality in the Himalayas at Friendly families from our travels in Himalayas
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From Story photos
The kitchen at our homestay in Lamayuru, Ladakh, India
We stayed at the Temple View Homestay in Lamayuru. We will forever and ever be obliged to all of them for making us feel at home when we were really down. Read stories of warm hospitality in the Himalayas at Friendly families from our travels in Himalayas
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Market in Leh, the biggest city in Ladakh, India
After the 420 km journey rugged landscapes, from Srinagar to Leh, it is a jolt to urbanisation in Leh, the largest city in Ladakh!
From Story photos
Market in Leh, the biggest city in Ladakh, India
After the 420 km journey rugged landscapes, from Srinagar to Leh, it is a jolt to urbanisation in Leh, the largest city in Ladakh!
From Story photos
Summer scenes in Ladakh, India
Summer months see a lot of construction activity in Ladakh. We saw this scene on our way to Tso Moriri, a mountain lake in Ladakh. They were building a wall to restrict the snow in the winter from getting on the road. Read about our visit to Tso Moriri at Mystical magical Tso Moriri lake in Ladakh.
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En route Tso Moriri, Ladakh, India
Swinging wooden bridges like this one are a common means of connecting villages to the roads in Ladakh. We saw this bridge on the way to the high altitude mountain lake Tso Moriri. Read about our visit to Tso Moriri at Mystical magical Tso Moriri lake in Ladakh.
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From Story photos
Cyclist en route Tso Moriri, Ladakh, India
The stunning landscapes of the Himalayas in Ladakh attract cyclists from all over the world. We saw him on our way to Tso Moriri, a high altitude mountain lake in Ladakh. Read about our visit to Tso Moriri at Mystical magical Tso Moriri lake in Ladakh.
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Summer landscapes of Ladakh, India
The greenery in Ladakh, a result of special efforts like water harvesting, makes us forget that it is actually a cold desert. We saw this village on the way to the high altitude mountain lake Tso Moriri. Read about our visit to Tso Moriri at Mystical magical Tso Moriri lake in Ladakh.
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Woman weaver from Ladakh, India
We saw her on our way to Tso Moriri, a high altitude mountain lake in Ladakh. She was basking in the sun, readying for the harsh winters of Ladakh, creating beautiful patterns on a shawl she was weaving on a traditional wooden loom. Read about our visit to Tso Moriri at Mystical magical Tso Moriri lake in Ladakh.
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Blue Monster Enroute Tso Moriri, Ladakh, India
Read about our visit to Tso Moriri at Mystical magical Tso Moriri lake in Ladakh.
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Purple mountains en route Tso Moriri, Ladakh, India
We saw many unfinished bridges on our way to Tso Moriri, a high altitude mountain lake in Ladakh. What we also saw, were purple mountains. Yeah, that's right, purple! Read about our visit to Tso Moriri at Mystical magical Tso Moriri lake in Ladakh.
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From Story photos
Landscapes enroute Tso Moriri, Ladakh, India
On the way to Tso Moriri, a high altitude mountain lake in Ladakh, we had the first glimpse of the famous purple mountains of Ladakh! Read about our visit to Tso Moriri at Mystical magical Tso Moriri lake in Ladakh.
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From Story photos
Landscapes en route Tso Moriri, Ladakh, India
This is the bridge at a village called Mahe. The bridge leads to Tso Moriri, a high altitude mountain lake in Ladakh. Going straight ahead leads to Pangong Tso, another lake. Read about our visit to Tso Moriri at Mystical magical Tso Moriri lake in Ladakh.
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Typical high altitude village en route Tso Moriri, Ladakh, India
A typical high altitude Himalayan scene: Barley fields, white mud houses surrounded by the barren mountains. Out here, living in sync with nature is not a choice but the only way, life is possible. Read about our visit to Tso Moriri at Mystical magical Tso Moriri lake in Ladakh.
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Tso Kyogar en route Tso Moriri, Ladakh, India
Kyogar lake or Tso Kyogar is the trailer before Tso Moriri. It is a couple of hours before the actual Tso Moriri lake begins. Read about our visit to Tso Moriri at Mystical magical Tso Moriri lake in Ladakh.
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From Story photos
Tso Kyogar, Ladakh, India
Kyogar lake or Tso Kyogar is the trailer before Tso Moriri. It is a couple of hours before the actual Tso Moriri lake begins. Read about our visit to Tso Moriri at Mystical magical Tso Moriri lake in Ladakh.
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Flat lands en route Tso Moriri, Ladakh, India
For most part of the drive to Tso Moriri we were negotiating ups and downs through the mountains. Suddenly we hit this vast flatland. It was hard to imagine you are at a height of 4500m. Read about our visit to Tso Moriri at Mystical magical Tso Moriri lake in Ladakh.
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From Story photos
Bulldozer ride near Tso Moriri, Ladakh, India
Breath taking beauty deserves one of its kind commute. People working near the out-of-this-world-stunning Tso Moriri lake in Ladakh can not travel to work like you and I. Buses and trains won't do for them. Rakes of bulldozers will! Read about our visit to Tso Moriri at Mystical magical Tso Moriri lake in Ladakh.
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From Story photos
Bulldozer ride near Tso Moriri, Ladakh, India
Breath taking beauty deserves one of its kind commute. People working near the out-of-this-world-stunning Tso Moriri lake in Ladakh can not travel to work like you and I. Buses and trains won't do for them. Rakes of bulldozers will! Read about our visit to Tso Moriri at Mystical magical Tso Moriri lake in Ladakh.
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From Story photos
Flatland en route Tso Moriri, Ladakh, India
For most part of the drive to Tso Moriri we were negotiating ups and downs through the mountains. Suddenly we hit this vast flatland. It was hard to imagine you are at a height of 4500m. Read about our visit to Tso Moriri at Mystical magical Tso Moriri lake in Ladakh.
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From Story photos
Flatland enroute Tso Moriri, Ladakh, India
For most part of the drive to Tso Moriri we were negotiating ups and downs through the mountains. Suddenly we hit this vast flatland. It was hard to imagine you are at a height of 4500m. Read about our visit to Tso Moriri at Mystical magical Tso Moriri lake in Ladakh.
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From Story photos