Ladakh is the region of Northern India that is famous for its high mountain passes and its deep blue lakes. It is one of the sparsely populated regions of Jammu & Kashmir, and renowned for its mountain beauty and culture.
"The Land is so barren and the passes so high that only our
fiercest enemies or Our best friends would want to visit us"
- Old Ladakhi Saying
In current day, the region of Ladakh (I use the word Ladakh very loosely. There are actually three different regions: The Nubra Valley, the Changthang and Ladakh that I mean when I use Ladakh) is now divided among 3 countries: Pakistan, India and China. The region that is under control by Pakistan is called the Baltistan area, and that under China is referred to as Aksi-Chin.
The high mountain passes of Ladakh include the most famed "highest motorable road in the World: Khardung La", and many other passes such as Chang La, the Wari La, Marsimik La, the Zoji La passes to name a few. La in Ladakhi means 'Pass'
Here are some of the pictures of the mountain passes of Ladakh that I shot on my solo motorcycle roadtrip that I made in 2013.
The Zoj La - The gateway to the Ladakh Region from the West
The Amarnath Yatra religious piligrimage camp at the foot of the Zoji La.
Bird's Eye View from Fatu La - The highest mountain pass on the Srinagar-Leh road.
Climbing Up the Khardung La
Khardung La is wrongly referred to as the highest motorable road in the world. It is not even higher than the Chang La
The View from Khardung La
The Wari La, one of the toughest mountain passes I attempted on the ride. Yaks graze in the valley.
Descending the Chang La
The high mountain passes enroute to Chushul
Chushul is one of the final villages on the border between India and China in the North.
The Tanglang La, on the Leh - Manali highway
A view from the Barlacha La, one of the toughest passes I had to cross in conditions where water crossings were often knee deep
Rohtang La, the final mountain pass and probably the most dangerous, before I made it to the lowlands of Himachal Pradesh
Such is the land, where the high mountain passes are the natural gateway to the region. Ladkah is often beyond belief, and I hope and pray that the region remains the same for years and decades to come.
I also take this opportunity to invite you to visit this amazing place and see the mountains and the land for yourselves. It will live an indelible mark on your soul.
If you enjoyed this post, please take a minute to check out my other posts:
Thank you for reading! Excelsior! :)