BHPian PointZero recently shared this with other enthusiasts: Six of us, a mix of family and friends, come from the same region in Bengal. Though we aren’t from the exact same place, we share the same culture, traditions, and love for our roots. Now, we all live in different parts of India, busy with our own lives and careers. Yet, our bond has only grown stronger over the years. We’ve decided to go on a road trip to Ladakh-a place of endless beauty and adventure. And here a little description of the team:Chumki(My Sister) – A serious and disciplined person, a Chemistry professor by profession.Tanmoy(My Cousin) – A software engineer by profession, working more out of necessity than passion. He prefers solitude, values the quiet moments, and often reflects on his journey, still searching for a fulfilling path that truly suits him.Kiriti(My Cousin’s Friend from My Native Place) – A businessman who joined his family’s engineering business after completing a B.Tech in Civil Engineering. The most silent yet enthusiastic person on the trip.Snehasis(My Friend) – A body shop manager in a car workshop by profession but a photographer at heart and a true friend.Souren(My Brother-in-Law) – A master of Chemistry, an investor by mind, and a professor by heart, but an inspection officer in oil refineries by profession.Me – A software engineer by profession but a driver at heart. I believe that age is not about the number of days you’ve lived but the experiences you’ve collected along the way.This was my first time traveling with multiple cars. There are both good and bad sides to it, but for this trip, it was never a problem. Everyone was very flexible with everything-travel, food, stay, or even sudden plan changes. The real challenge was getting leave at the same time for everyone from different jobs. In fact, just a few hours before the journey, my sister still hadn’t received approval from her college. But there was no confusion or conflict about choosing the destination. Everyone instantly agreed on visiting Ladakh, and on the last day in Ladakh, we randomly decided to add a part of Himachal to the trip. Preparation: There wasn’t much to prepare since the time we chose was good for traveling in Ladakh. Apart from basic tools and recovery equipment, we didn’t spend much time on preparations. But for me, I had to get ready for a train journey from Kolkata to Delhi after more than 12 years. Yes, for me, the real preparation was for the train journey! Choice of Vehicle: All four vehicles are strong and reliable, but we had to pick two. To keep travel costs low, we chose one vehicle from Kolkata and one from Delhi.Bolero-SLX vs Thar-LX We picked the Thar over the Bolero mainly because of its strong AC. Traveling from Kolkata to Delhi in June during the daytime is tough, and a good AC is essential for a long non-stop journey.Yaris-CVT vs Ignis Ignis, named Chatu, was the obvious choice-not just for its high ground clearance, but also because it was new. I wanted to experience its capabilities, enjoy its small footprint advantages, and get some good pictures of the car.Permit: For Ladakh, visit https://www.lahdclehpermit.in/ for complete details. Permits can be obtained online by paying an environmental fee. For Parvati Valley (Himachal), no permit is required. Glimpse Mystery wrapped in mist Wild meets the road Beyond fear, the ride continues Winter’s masterpiece Little hero carries a big story within Defeating the snow while enjoying the drive Fusion of barren cliffs, blue waters, and endless skies. Oceans of sand guarded by mountains In Ladakh, the road leads, we follow A door to pure relaxation Itinerary:Day 01: Kolkata – Delhi & Jaipur – DelhiDay 02: Delhi – Jalandar ( Punjab )Day 03: Jalandar – Srinagar ( Kashmir )Day 04: Srinagar – Baltal – Zojila Pass – Kargil – Hundurmaan – LamayuruDay 05: Lamayuru – Alchi – Magnetic Hill – Sangam – LehDay 06: Leh – Karu – Spangmik – Man ( Pangong )Day 07: Man – Chusul – Rezang La Memorial – Tsaga La – Dungti – NyomaDay 08: Nyoma – Mahe – kyagar Tso – Tso Moriri – Karzok – ChumathangDay 09: Chumathang – Puga Valley – Tso Kar – Thukje – More Plane – Pang – Lachung La – Nakee La-Baralacha La-Darcha-JispaDay 10: Jispa – Keylong – Sissu – Solang – Bhunter – Kasol – ManikaranDay 11: Manikaran – ToshDay 12: Tosh – Jari – Malana (Trek) – MandiDay 13: Mandi – DelhiDay 14 & Day 15: Delhi to KolkataGetting Together – The Base Camp: Sorry for the heading (Base Camp)-don’t take it too seriously! It’s just my sister’s house in Delhi. We decided that starting our trip from Delhi (specifically the NIT campus) was the best option. So, we all planned to reach her house using different travel modes. Souren (my brother-in-law) drove to Delhi from Jaipur. Tanmoy and Snehasish started from Kolkata, picked up Kiriti from Burdwan, and made a non-stop drive to Delhi in a Thar named Snow Leopard. I took the Sealdah-New Delhi Rajdhani to reach Delhi. Everyone started the journey with a heavy heart because my sister’s leave was still not approved, and she was struggling to get it. But during the journey, we got the news that she finally got approval! That excitement was even bigger than the trip itself. We couldn’t wait to reach Delhi and celebrate together with everyone’s favorite meal-home-cooked rice and mutton, followed by Bengali sweets (Rasgulla). When I arrived at her house, everything was ready-the only thing left was for me to arrive and start the party! Driving to Srinagar: The journey had nothing special to mention except some unnecessary roadblocks in Punjab and the usual traffic near Ramban on the 2nd day. We expected to reach Srinagar by afternoon, but because of the traffic delay, we reached only late in the evening around 10:00 PM. After that, we just had dinner and went to sleep, as we had no energy left for anything else. Oh, when I said there was nothing to highlight, I just remembered one thing. A friend from Kolkata messaged me saying, “You are enjoying the mountains, and we are burning in Kolkata.” In reply, I sent him a screenshot of my current location and temperature. It was Jammu, and the temperature was 42C. Sometimes people think of Jammu & Kashmir as one place and assume Jammu must have pleasant weather . 1st Day in Ladakh: Srinagar – Baltal – Zojila Pass – Kargil – Hundurmaan – Lamayuru The journey was on the usual road, so to make it a little interesting we chose the route via Batalik and Dah, and also planned to visit Hundermaan. But after reaching Hundermaan and asking several people about the road to Batalik, many of them told us that it was blocked. So, we had to take the regular road again. We felt a little upset, but it was fine because four of us were traveling to Leh for the first time, and for them any route was exciting. Sonamarg Sonamarg Baltal valley Baltal valley Zoji La Hunderman Kargil The weather was both bright and cold. The chilling wind felt like tiny needles on the skin, while the bright sunlight breaking through the clouds was strong enough to burn. Sometimes the road was covered in shade by passing clouds, and sometimes it glittered under the sun. Driving on those endless smooth roads was not just a pleasure but also an energy booster after the tiring journey of the last 2-3 days. That time was cherry season, and we had carried some fresh cherries with us. Eating them on the way made the journey even more enjoyable, and they were truly tasty. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/g7ClMIGY5yE https://www.youtube.com/shorts/d7Q6DkHmoU8 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VuKEnd87fzE https://www.youtube.com/shorts/J7InwrDz4Ss https://www.youtube.com/shorts/I3W03MlpT6E https://www.youtube.com/shorts/CQ7d3qvIZ4Y As we moved from Kashmir to the Ladakh region, the beauty and the landscape slowly changed. The green valleys of Kashmir, with rivers flowing alongside and fields surrounded by tall pine and chinar trees, gave way to the barren, brown stretches of Ladakh. The mountains turned dusty and colorful, dotted with small bushes here and there, and at times there was nothing but a few electric towers standing alone. Passing through Kargil, with its mix of history and rugged charm, made us feel the transformation even more strongly-as if we had traveled through two different worlds in just a few hours. After countless breaks, we finally reached Lamayuru and the mountain weather we had been waiting for. Above are random snaps Lamayuru Aryan Valley Trip ( From where we planned to the Batalik route ): https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/trave…ez-valley.html To be continued … Continue reading BHPian PointZero’s travelogue for more insights and information.
