Jammu Tourism & Travel Guide

The Chang La (el. 5,360 m or 17,590 ft) is a high mountain pass in Ladakh, India.[1][2] It is the third highest motorable road in the world. he small town of Tangste is the nearest settlement. The Changla Pass is the main gateway for the Changthang Plateau situated in the Himalayas. The nomadic tribes of the region are collectively known as the Changpa or Chang-pa. A awesome halt enroute to Pangong TSO. Surrounding peaks 100% covered with snow and wind blowing at high speed makes the area chill out :P :P

Our first stop was Chang La, the third highest motor-able road in the world, at 17,590 ft. Once at the summit, I took the much-needed pee-chai-photo-break. At the top of Chang La, there is an army base and small cafeteria, which offers free tea. Like all passes, there’s also a mandir, Chang La Baba Ka Mandir, built & taken care of by the Indian Army.

Chang La: 17586 ft​ It is the third highest motorable road in the world. The Chang La is on the route to Pangong Lake from Leh. Road closures can be frequent, so check conditions before traveling to this area. It is falsely claimed that the pass is named after the supposed sadhu Changla Baba, a myth propagated by the dedication of a temple at the pass to the supposed Changla Baba. There are certain precautions necessary while visiting this place due the cold and chill climate and less of oxygen due to the altitude. 15 -20 minutes would be the ideal time one can spend on the Changla pass and enjoy the snow along with the views of the snowcapped mountains as many visitors experience breathlessness. Some of the places to see around Chang La pass are the Pangong lake, Nubra valley, Tso Moriri lake and Hermis Gompa.

one more hurdle after pangong lake

Chang La, about 5360 mts high from Sea Level falls on the way to Pangong Tso. It is one of the worst inclined routes. Suggestion to all motorbike riders - do get your vehicle tuned by mechanic if it is a Carbuerator, as the oxygen is low in all the zones as your start climbing the altitude, but climbing Chang la is very steep and at times you have ride half clutch in first or second gear only (Fuel Injector vehicle ignore this suggestion). To avoid any further damage to your Vehicle. On the top of the mountain there is a base camp and also on the other side there is a base camp. The army helps visitors with tea and water, as this is what is going to be necessary for you at high altitudes, more and more water. Road Route - Worst of all filled with lots of water logs (be careful while crossing them, they are cold and the flow is fast at some points) Mechanic Cost - Regular Indian Vehicle Rs 100 but vehicles like NS 200 or ones with huge front fairing Rs 200 - Rs 600

Chang La (17,586feet) is one of the highest passes in India and the second highest in Ladakh. In the first half of June, the snow can make it resemble a fairyland

On Day 4 in Ladakh, we set out for the ever-so-pretty Pangong Tso after crossing the mighty Chang La pass (at an elevation of 17,600 ft.). On our return we witnessed snowfall at Chang La and were elated to cross it off the list.

3. Chang La

Khardugla, lies on the caravan route which was once a popular silk treading route between India and China. Within one and a half hour we encountered khardungla, the world’s highest motor able road at the height of 18,380ft.

We woke up at around 10 am, got freshen up, had breakfast at moonland again and really awesome chole bhature it was, took our bikes, Tied all our stuff and backpacks.. Checked out of hotel and at around 12.30 left leh for Pangong Tso lake. Road was very good just like highway for the next 20kms. Then started the real ride.. All hilly, full of unending curves, beautiful quotes from BRO(Border road organization). We kept driving slowly and steadily. Ascending to the another one of the highest passes of the world,again we started feeling low oxygen and chill weather. At changLa we stopped for some rest and snacks. There ITBP forces were moving towards China border to their camps. We then moved to Pangong Tso.

One has to cross Chang La pass, second highest motorable road in the world at an altitude of 17,590 ft. It was very windy and chilly at the top but the Chai-Maggi came to our rescue yet again. :) The roads were under repair in this route as well.

Well moving on, we hit the road again as we bid goodbye to this beautiful lake. We were headed back to Tangste where again tokens were checked. Soon after that we started our climb to the Mighty Chang La, the roads are not in best of shapes but one thing for certain BRO is like a real brother to everyone who travels on these roads they do an exceptional job of keeping roads in shape from military and civilian population alike. It was soon when we reached the top of Chang La, the second highest pass in the itinerary we were following. Although, there is not much of a difference in the height as that of the Khardung La, when we reached the top we did not feel as bad as we did in Khardung La. Probably we were acclimatized better. We took a lengthy break there for lunch around 1:30 p.m. Yippee noodles, Lays, Kurkure and a nice cup of coffee and we wear set until the evening. Roads after descending Chang La were in a better shape and we reached Karu around 5:15 p.m. and headed straight to Hemis monastery. This monastery is located surrounded by mountains on every side. It's a beautiful place to spend some time. There is also a Hemis museum which is a must visit. It walks you through the stages of Buddhism, how it evolved and spread in Ladakh region. Later we moved towards Thiksey monastery. His Holiness Dalai Lama was scheduled to visit the Monastery on 9th of August 2016. Every Monastery official was busy doing the beautification work around the area. This monastery has a similar statue of Maitreya Buddha as the one in Deskit monastery. A monk here explained the whole story of the Monastery, also gave us some insights into Buddhism.With that knowledge we left the monastery and started towards our newly found home, YES I say home cause the feeling of going home has started creeping in everyone's mind. As promised we headed back to our Green View. Got our bags, freshened up a little and went out in search of some good food. On this day as I said in my earlier post, we went to this place called Bon Appetit, a Continental delight. Good food, drinks, awesome climate and friend for life, what more you require man !! We ended the day there and went to sleep.

The excruciating troubles to mind and body on the climbing roads seemed worthwhile once we reached the top of the pass.The landmark on the top of Changla pass reads that at 17,600 feet it is the world’s 3rd highest motor able road which is as disputable as many such claims on many such passes in Ladakh. As we stepped out of the vehicle on the pass it dawned on us as to what it feels like standing at 5300 meters above sea level,more than 5 km high up. Brazen icy winds lash your face and it takes quite a bit of time to reorient your mind to these highly inhospitable environs. After the quick acclimatization drill at the top ,your eyes are set on one of the most beautiful mountain passes in Himalayas.The world of white peaks all around you and a constant breeze blowing across your face.The air is thin and devoid of adequate oxygen,the side effects of which can be very demanding.There is an Army camp at the top who provide assistance to victims of altitude sickness by providing oxygen breathers in their camp site.Chang La translates to (Chang-south,La-pass) The pass in the south which is the gateway to the exceedingly charming valleys and highlands of the Changthang. There is a small temple dedicated to some mythical Changla baba at the top of the pass and many claim the place to be named after him,but it is not so. The name clearly suggests a pass to the lands lying south of Leh.Apart from the military camps and the temple of Chang la baba, there is a much needed Cafeteria located which provides you among many other things –delicious black tea. And seeping a cup of tea at 5300 meters will put many things into perspective.he frozen world of Changthang lies beyond the pass of Chang La. As we slowly descended down the pass into the other side,a heavy cloud of mist hung over the valley.       The dark clouds soon gave way to light snowfall further down and when the visibility drew to a naught at a point,we stopped to take a look at the mist-shrouded surrounding.The white sheets of ice were cracking open in spring time to reveal green pastures beneath and several water streams sparkled in the creeks of the

Day 6: Leh to Tso Pangong, approximately 160 km’s via Chang La Pass.

Chang La & Pangong TsoNext morning, we packed our little backpacks & set off for our next expedition to the now famous Pangong Lake via Chang La, the third highest pass in the world. On our way we halted at the Hemis Monastery – the largest & richest gompa in Leh famous for its festival in June-July every year.Nawang ji decided to play the magician after 4 hours of drive through beautiful valleys with grazing yaks. He made us do a countdown from ten & when we came to zero, what we witnessed was truly magical. In between two light brown mountains, peeped through a little bit of blue - the blue being really hard to describe – the first view of the stunning Pangong Tso.If this was the trailer, we shivered to think what the film would be like - & it did not disappoint at all. The clear blue sky, the dramatic brown mountains, the sea gulls flying all around & the turquoise still water created a surreal ambience that one has to experience.

The descent from chang La towards tangtse or darbuk is again very steep. We stopped our vehicle for 30 minutes to have tea. This is the last point where you can able to get some eatables.

The route from leh to pangong (or vice versa) should be tried on bikes. It's amazing is all I can say. Tiring but completely worth it. Chang la pass is one of the most difficult routes to be traversed (specially on a two wheeler) in Leh. But these are the experiences that make every journey unique.

Leh-Chang La-Pangong TsoIt was Pangong Tso (permits required) Day today. We were super excited. The route from Leh to Pangong were gorgeous. It was like a postcard painting. We reached Chang La Paas (third Highest motor able road in the world). It was extremely cold when we reached Chang La. Though it was around 11:00 AM, still it looked like it was early morning. Weather literally changed every 15 minutes. We had coffee at the Army café.

The Zanskar mountain range covers an area of 7000 sq. kms and is without a doubt, one of the most desolate places in the Himalayan range. Zanskar is known for its awesome scale. The tributaries of the Zanskar River are famous for seasonal white river rafting. Deep gorges, snow glaciers and a number of small religious spots dot the Zanskar valley. Be careful of the time of the year you choose to visit Zanskar. It’s closed for a significant time due to extreme snowfall and winter.

The Sangam (Confluence) of River Zanskar and River Sindhu (Indus). Zanskar is a tributary of Indus, a major river in Asia. It is believed, India derived it’s name from this very river. Many rafting expeditions take place here. Zanskar river is also famous for the Chadar Trek that is conducted during winters.

Zanskar Valley is extremely picturesque place and offers stunning barren mountain landscapes and crystal clear streams. It's a perfect place to disconnect from the rest of the world.

River rafting was good. There were 3-4 rapids which were nice.

Next we saw the beautiful discoloured confluence of River Indus and River Zanskar.

One of the many untamed and unnoticed valleys of Ladakh, Zanskar infuses the trip with an eclectic mix of adventure, culture and spirituality. And of course, the view's worth your while.

This was another small stop we took en route to Kargil. This is the meeting point of Rivers Indus and Zanskar. Google calls it "Confluence", locals call it "Sangam". The color difference between the waters of the 2 rivers is easily visible.

'Chadar' refers to a blanket of ice and can only be accessed during the coldest months from January to February. The region remains close off for eight months to a year due to heavy snowfall and it was also known as one of the most popular winter treks in India. No surprises there as here I was a Malaysian flying all the way to start my journey in India, with the ultimate Chadar trek. So yeah.The thought of treading through deep icy waters and walking on a thin layer of ice was somehow fascinating and thrilling to me. My first impression of the Zanskar region was one of isolation. I had the same exact picture in mind and looking back I am glad my trek mate managed to capture this which sums up part of my experience, yet it felt like as if a wicked ice queen had decided to cast a spell and form a frozen obstacle course for us to cross over. At that point, I remember that I stood motionless and surveyed the place, really thinking to myself if I should put my left foot forward or not.

"How will you survive the minus temperatures, the extreme weather conditions and the strenuous off treks?", my dad asked.<br />"Don't worry daddy, the mountains will take care", is all what I said!<br /><br />*CHADAR TREK - THE EXCLUSIVE ONE*<br /><br />From the time you start planning for Chadar, many thoughts may occupy your mind regarding the extreme weather conditions. But believe me, it's ALL WORTH IT!! Because it's an opportunity you don't want to miss!<br /><br />CHADAR TREK is one of the most difficult and overrated treks of India, specially known for the 'Penguin style walk' on the frozen Zanskar river. It is situated in Leh, J&K, India, on the trail of the Zanskar river. Right from Chilling to the Nerak village you will be walking on the Freezed Chadar. Due to the minus temps, Zanskar freezes making it possible for you to walk over it. This trek is open only in the months of Jan-Feb.<br />Covering your body with 4-5 layers of clothing (thermals, overcoats, snowproof jackets, gumboots, etc), keeping yourself hydrated, camera and extra batteries is all what you'll need.<br /><br />~My Experience~<br /><br />On 23rd Jan 2017, I departed from the Mumbai airport with my other trek fellows to reach Leh. After arriving in Leh, a van was waiting to receive us to our Leh guest house for leisure and acclimatisation.<br /><br />25 to 31 Jan : This 7 days-no-network-trek was an adventure in every possible way, right from the landslides to the initial few days of heavy snowfall, from experiencing -10 to -32 degree temperatures to walking on the Freezing Zanskar, from breaking the ice sheets to climbing & sliding on the snow mountain, from eating the hot maggi with chai for lunch to having snowball fights with friends, from snowfalls to bright sunny days, from going through off treks to walking from the cold Zanskar river, from celebrating the 66th Republic day to reaching the Final Summit Point, from sleeping in moist sleeping bags to witnessing those zillion stars shining bright only for you! - #WeDidItAll. A ONCE IN A LIFETIME EXPERIENCE!!<br />Words fall short to describe the infinite beauty this trek holds and has to offer. You will always want to stay there. <br /><br />1st & 2nd Feb : Leaving behind God's most beautiful place eched in our hearts forever & biding Zanskar farewell we headed back at our guest house and the next day after visiting a few monestries and landmarks we departed for Mumbai! <br /><br />>> A big shout out to the LOCAL PORTERS for always being there for us right from the first day to guiding us at every juncture and carrying heavy loads on their shoulders. Also, for always serving us with hot meals, only to make our trek less difficult, enjoyable and safer! <br /><br />>> As Chadar trek is a bit different from the Himalayas Treks, it is not recommended for Begginers to enroll (Only because of the extreme conditions). <br /><br />>> Before registering yourself for chadar, make sure you're fit enough for the journey. By fit I mean, very fit! Many links and organisations provide you the training to undergo for chadar!<br /><br /><br />For more pictures, visit my instagram page - @naini_shah<br /><br />Thankyou, hope you liked it! :)<br />Happy Travelling! <br /><br />#trekking #trek #chadartrek #frozenriver #thrilling <br /><br />