In the morning we got up on time because today we have to cover a long distance by road and on foot. From Khoksar whose height is 2800 meters, we reach Keylong in two hours. After walking for so many days, finally today we will go to Chandratal. We don't know much but we know that there are two ways to reach Chandratal, first from Batal which is a road and second from Baralacha La which is a trekking route and we don't know anything about this route except that people usually take two days. The walking distance is said to be 32 km in which the Chandra river has to be crossed twice.
Tempo traveller in which we get to Baralacha la
Baralacha la, 4950m
We could not get a bus from Keylong as the bus to Leh has left at 5 in the morning, now the next bus will be available tomorrow morning. We can't wait for another day. I inquire around and then it is known that a tempo traveler is going in which we can go but will have to pay 400 rupees per person. Of course we had so much money, if we spend this money here then how will we go back home. Will think of going home later, now let's go to Chandratal and we booked tickets and sit in the temp traveller.
The food we got from stranger guy in bus
We didn't get a seat because the whole bus was full, so we both go sitting on the floor of the bus. In about 3 hours the tempo drops us at Baralacha from where we have to proceed further on foot. Baralacha La is the second pass of the Manali-Leh Highway, whose height is 4950 meters. Buddhist prayer flags are installed here, we click some photos and move towards our destination. In tempo traveler a guy asked about our journey and when we told him he gave us chocolates to eat.
some serious streatch
We start trekking at eleven o'clock. We have been walking for an hour and now we can see the origin of Chandra river. There is a huge glacier from where the river Chandra is coming out and going to Chandratal. The path is almost flat but walking is breathless, this place is above the tree line, so the oxygen level here is very low, the height here is a little more than 5000 meters.
Me and Naveen again on foot
The Chandra mountain range
At one o'clock in the afternoon we cross the Chandra river, now the water in it is very less but its water is going to increase a lot in the afternoon. On the way we come across a small lake, here Buddhist prayer flags are installed. We rest for some time and start walking back. Till now the water has come in huge quantity in the Chandra river and we are getting nervous that how will we cross it. We try to enter the river many times but all in vain because the water is very cold, the current is very strong and the river is very deep. We entered the river many times but after taking 4 steps the water came up to the waist.
A small lake on the way
Buddhist prayer flags on the way
So that we don't get washed away in the water, we start looking for a safe place so that we can cross the river. We search for a safe place for the whole three hours and try about 20 times but we could not cross the river. There are only two hours left for the sun to set and either we should set up this tent or we should go back. Together we decide that we will go back and tomorrow we will go to Batal and from there we will go to Chandratal.
Chandra river on its boom, from here we return back
Returing back
Seeing the deteriorating weather, we start walking fast. Till now all the rivers and drains which had very little water have been filled to the brim and crossing them has become a difficult task. We were lucky that the tributary of the Chandra river which we had crossed in the afternoon has now got a lot of water. The good thing is that we cross it safely and reach Baralacha La. It's seven o'clock and it's getting dark. Till now the traffic has also reduced a lot on the road. We want to go to Keylong by asking for lift but we are not getting lift. We do not understand why people are not stopping the vehicle for us. But no vehicle stopped and it was eight o'clock in the night and till now it started snowing. We were getting drenched in snow, so we decided to quickly take out the tent and enter it.
Next morning the baralchal la was covered with snow
We pitched the tent and soon we entered it. We ate chocolates and went to sleep. It snowed intermittently throughout the night. We didn't sleep well and kept on changing our sides just waiting for the morning to come. Waking up at 6 o'clock we come out and pack the tent and leave to go back to Keylong. Everything was white outside, the marks of the overnight snow were clearly visible outside.
The way back
Fresh snowfall
So this was our failed mission to Chandratal. Rest of the story on the next blog.
Packing the tent to get back to keylong
Trying to get some cool pic with road roller
On the way to baralacha la
The Famous Suraj lake just before Baralacha la mountain pass
