Map In My Pocket

Tag: Mountains

5 Reasons You Should Travel to Ladakh Off-Season

Winter is coming.

A hackneyed phrase for a hackneyed destination?
So why not explore this Himalayan land off-season, before things change.

Here are five reasons.

Reason #1 – Drive through constantly changing landscapes.

The first thing one notices in Ladakh in winter is that here the landscape changes every day, every hour and just driving through this pristine and untouched white Ladakh is in itself a beautiful journey.

Right from the glittering ice on the frozen Indus River by the road as the sun comes up to how the sun kissed peaks in the clear distance light up at sunset, every minute you drive through this high altitude desert brings you closer to the beauty there is in this world.

Reason #2 – Have the popular tourist spots all to yourself.

Prayer flags flutter in the cool crisp breeze against the stark backdrop of the snow covered mountains touching the flat white sky and there isn’t a soul in sight. This however isn’t just a one off experience when you make that random stop along your road trip.

Be it the popular Shanti Stupa, the monasteries in and around Leh or the roads that whisk you off further into the heart of this exotic land, you will find them all relatively deserted, save a few locals.

Reason #3 – Experience subzero temperatures.

Bundled up in layers and insulated pants, I experienced temperatures of the kind I had only dreamt of till then.

As the climate world over steadily changes or worsens, depending on the world view that one subscribes to, Ladakh too has experienced a winter this year that has not had a precedent in these many years past.

This meant that we could not visit any of the lakes. It took five men just to get us out and back on our way as our massive SUVs struggled to trudge through the five feet deep snow on the road to Tso Moriri. Be that as it may, every experience like this in the stillness of the mountains as you watch the flurries of snow swirling down to your feet is a memory to be savoured a lifetime.

Reason #4 – Meet the Nomads.

In Changthang Valley in the Eastern Ladakh Region is Puga. A small nomadic village, where Tibetan Nomads on the Indian side settle down for the four cold winter months and tend to their animals. They come from the village of Hanle, their summer home. Traversing the same migratory routes across Ladakh every year and staying in their semi permanent encampments in Puga.

The Changpas are a warm and friendly people and their children spending their school vacations here, will happily take you around, for the novelty of visitors in winter is a welcome distraction.

Read: In the Nomadic Settlement of Puga

Reason #5 – Witness changing seasons.

If you have already been to Ladakh during the tourist season between May to September, this is reason enough for you to revisit the land of high passes off season. For, while the charm of Ladakh in summer lies in its vivid blue skies and stark landscapes, winter Ladakh’s lies in the powdered sugar patterns of snow on the same barren and rocky landscape.

Only, minus the crowds.

Winter Ladakh’s biggest draw though, remains the Chadar Trek. As winter sets in and temperatures drop, the north flowing tributary of the Indus River, the Zanskar freezes over. What in summer is a mighty, indomitable swirl is tamed by a ‘blanket of ice’, the chadar that forms on it. This sheet of ice that is on an average six feet deep, is crossed by hundreds of trekkers every year to see the now celebrated frozen waterfall at Naerak.

As human pressure on this phenomenon of nature increases, the possibility of a trek on the Zanskar itself disappears. Rapidly.

Explorers Guide

Getting There: There are regular flights flying from Delhi to Leh.
Stay: The Grand Dragon in Leh. From window views that can keep you in for hours to the superb heating that keeps out the harsh bite of winter in the Himalayas, this is as luxurious as it gets. Not to mention the brilliant food on their menu. Those cheese toasts! *sigh*
Shop: The Tibetan Refugee Market on the road leading from the popular hotels to the Leh Market. It is a good place to stock up on all the winter essentials that one might have missed out on packing. For while most shops remain shut during the winter months, this market is open through out the year and one can find everything from monkey caps and gloves to neck gaiters and winter boots.

Read More on Ladakh:

Ladakh Festival: Celebrating Life & Beyond
Royal Ruins: Shey Palace
In the Realm of The Passes: Khardung La

November 12, 2017
In Photos: The Valley of Flowers

The Valley of Flowers. A breathtakingly beautiful (literally!) high altitude meadow of alpine flowers in the Western Himalayas.

Accessible only through a trek route through the mountains, this valley is located in a transition zone that lies between the Zanskar Region of the Himalayas to the north and the Greater Himalayas to the south. Together with the Eastern and Western Himalayas on either side this valley is endowed with some extraordinary bio diversity.

From numerous restricted range bird species to highly threatened species of medicinal plants this high-altitude Himalayan valley isn’t just about stunning flowerscapes.

Together with the rugged wilderness of the Nanda Devi, these two National Parks are inscribed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Commandeered over by India’s second highest mountain, Nanda Devi and reached through the world’s deepest gorge, Rishi Ganga, the Nanda Devi National Park is renowned for its spectacular topography. It is surrounded by glaciers and meadows, of which the Valley of Flowers is one.

Also Read: 7 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2017

September 2, 2017
20 Photos to Inspire You to Visit Spiti Valley this Summer

Here are 20 Photos to Inspire you to visit Spiti Valley this Summer. Ladakh’s lesser known cousin.

Separated from the popular Kullu valley in Himachal Pradesh by the Rohtang Pass, this middle land between India and Tibet is home to some of the most stunning lakes and monasteries in the world.

Of which, the mythical Chandratal Lake is one. Roads to the lake open mid July. So, peak tourist season in the Spiti Valley (for lack of a better word, tourism is yet to catch on here the way it has in Ladakh) is July and August. A difficult terrain as is, the four months of summer is when this desert valley in the Himalayas is most accessible.

Road Trip through tricky terrains, along rocky roads.

Be amazed by the stark landscapes.

Or the ‘moonscape’ of this land, as it has come to be known.

Rediscover colour.

Vivid skies, cloud shadows, wild flowers et al.

Fall in love.

With the starry nights.

Find peace amidst the many Himalayan Monasteries.

Befriend the most adorable kids you will ever see!

Stay with the locals in a homestay and experience life, their way.

Get to know them. In their houses that are built to shelter them in the harsh winter months when they can only be indoors. Over soft, doughy bread which is but a variant of our regular Indian roti and sweet milky chai.

& of course, no trip to Spiti Valley is complete without a visit to the Chandratal Lake.

Did You Know? The Chandratal Lake reflects the colour of the sky. So the lake is a bright turquoise blue at sunrise and a lush serene green at sunset!

Besides, it isn’t just this one lake in Spiti Valley that is breathtaking. There are more.

Read Next: a Fortress, a Monastery & a Lake: Dhankar

Read More on Spiti:

Driving through Lahaul & Spiti
Where The Monasteries are.
The Road to Serenity: Chandratal

July 18, 2017
In the Nomadic Settlement of Puga

Snow crunched under my heavy boots as I stepped out of the heated SUV, into the freezing winter of Ladakh. It was -16 degrees and we had just arrived in Puga, a little nomadic village in the Changthang valley.

Located in the Eastern Ladakh Region of Jammu and Kashmir, Puga is a geothermal field and the site where the nomads of Changthang settle down for the winter and tend to their animals in the sub zero Himalayan temperatures.

This 12 kilometer stretch of Himalayan valley in the Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary has been identified as one of the important geo thermal sites in India by the Geological Survey. This winter home of the Changpas is a harsh and unpredictable land interspersed with geysers and hot springs and come winter it is blanketed in snow.

Changpas are Tibetan Nomads who follow the same migratory routes in Ladakh every year, only to settle in Puga for the four cold months. Staying in the same encampments, these ‘Nomadic Pastoralists’ bring their livestock to the same seasonal pastures every year.

The Changpas rear yaks, horses, sheep and also ofcourse the famous ‘pashmina’ goats. The geo thermal ice fields of Puga serve them well as winter pastures for the snow and its melt bring greenery to this high altitude cold desert.It is an important season for the nomads for January and February are the birthing months for their cattle and it is also when the pashmina fur grows.

Here is where we stopped for lunch, Puga, setting up kitchen in one of the stone walled corrals. By the time we had warmed ourselves with some Kashmiri Qawah, we were surrounded by curious eyes and runny noses. Little nomads were every where, shy but interested in the newcomers all bundled up in their down jackets.

“That’s my dog, see, he is a nomad dog” said Tenzin in hesitant but clear English, perceptive to the point that she knows that we regular people would find anything ‘nomadic’ fascinating.

Hanle, which is 115 kilometers from Puga is where she goes to school. Sumdho is the closest town though, we had passed it on our way here and I had naturally assumed this is where these little ones in this remote corner of India, who spoke such good English would go to school.

Only in conversing with her did I realise just how far across the Himalayas the Changpas traversed for livelihood.

The Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary is spread across India and Tibet and historically the Changpas of Ladakh would migrate with their herds into Tibet. But with how things are politically today, this is no longer an option for them.

Explorers Guide

Getting There: Puga is at a distance of 180 kilometers from Leh, the largest and the one town in the region that has all the amenities that one is used to otherwise. Read network coverage. It would be wiser to drive to Chumathang though, stay overnight and do a day trip to Puga from there on. Chumathang to Puga is less than 40 kilometers but the route will take a good 4 hours, so start early!

Stay: Chumathang Hot Springs Guest House. They have heaters in some of their rooms & that sure is luxury for a winter in Ladakh.

PS: Know a friend who would love to explore this non touristy side of Ladakh? Then, please do share this post and spread the love!

Read Next: Little Ones of Ladakh

Read More on Ladakh:

5 Reasons Why You Should Travel to Ladakh Off-Season
Celebrating Life & Beyond
Royal Ruins: Shey Palace
In The Realm of The Passes: Khardung La

March 4, 2017
Ladakh Festival: Celebrating Life & Beyond.

The Ladakh Festival is an annual week-long gala organised by the Tourism Department of the Jammu & Kashmir Government every September in Leh and its surrounding villages. Local communities along with the district administrations of Leh come together to showcase the culture and traditions of this land of stunning landscape to the visiting tourists, for after all the region survives and thrives on tourism.

This year starting off with an opening ceremony in Leh today, it is on till the 26^thof this month. I was there for the Ladakh Festival 2015 and Ladakh is not the cards for me this year – atleast for now – so here I am reliving those memories through last year’s photos

According to the rich heritage of this former Himalayan Kingdom, every important occasion in a person’s lifetime is marked by feasting and dancing to folk songs, be it a birth, marriage, the beginning of a new year or even the start of a season when the flowers begin to bloom. The most popular ones though are the Monastic Festivals celebrated to commemorate the founding of a monastery. What with Ladakh having found a place in every Photographer’s heart and Travel Enthusiast’s bucket list, these festivals only seem to grow in scale every year. As summer comes to an end, both the festivals and the tourists begin to go back to easier terrains and the Ladakh Festival comes at just such a time, tempting you to stay back just a while longer.

On the first day of the festival, all the locals participating and performing at the cultural events in the opening ceremony start off in a procession, dressed in traditional attire. Some of who even bring out the rare antique jewellery, headgear, jackets and such that have been in their family for generations and which cannot now be duplicated by the modern day artisans. As these groups of local leaders, tribal men and women, artisits and school children weave their way through the Leh market to the Polo Grounds where the inaugural ceremony of the festival is held, you can only be spell bound by the colour you see and the beauty of happy locals against the stark backdrop of their desert landscape.

Also Read: Little Ones of Ladakh

At the Polo grounds, it is time to settle down and take in the show that is being put on not just by the natives of the region but also by those Tibetan refugees who have made India their home.

Experience their way of life and age old traditions through the masked rituals, folk songs & music and even through the reenactment of royal court dances.

As most of their festivals celebrate life, besides seeking peace and warding off evil, the performance to their folk song of Marriage is the most intriguing. Marriage ceremonies in Ladakh begin with the boy’s family sending Chaang or the local beer to the girl’s family, from when start the many events that culminate in the wedding feast. One such ceremony is the Nyopjhol, where Nyopas i.e the bridegroom’s friends go to the brides house to fetch her. This ceremony depicted in dance form at the festival is a sight to see, as spectacularly dressed ladakhis in the ceremonial costume of the Nyopas – who play a very important role all the through the wedding – dance to the Marriage Song in accompaniment to the music played on the traditional instruments, Daman and Surna.

The cultural programmes in Leh end by afternoon, after which the festival then moves on to other parts of Ladakh. All in all, the Ladakh Festival is a wonderful way to experience the culture and heritage of this region, so if you are planning a trip to Ladakh do take into account this festival!

Read Next: Of Sunny Days & Brisk Breezes

September 20, 2016
Abseiling in The Blue Mountains

Abseiling in The Blue Mountains was one of my most memorable adventures in Australia – besides surfing at Bondi beach, of course – and also more my kind. The Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area is the ideal scenic weekend getaway from Sydney.

With the town of Katoomba as the base, you can spend all day in the Blue Mountains walking through the valley floor among forests that transport you to ‘Jurassic Park’, hiking back up to look out over the hazy blue forest (which gives this national park its name), all the while discovering waterfalls and rock formations along the way.

Of these, The Three Sisters sandstone turrets is the most iconic.

The Legend of The Three sisters has it that a witch doctor, Tyawan had three daughters Meenhi, Wimlah and Gunnedoo who accidentally anger the aboriginal mythical creature Bunyip, living down in the valley. To protect the sisters from the Bunyip, Tyawan then uses a magic bone to turn them to stone and himself turns into a Lyre Bird. But, in the process drops the magic bone and you see the Lyre Bird rummaging through the valley floor even today, it is said in search of this very magic bone.

In consequence, it is recognised as a place of cultural importance for the aboriginal people.

We were there for the weekend, put up at the YHA and spent a day hiking through the forest trails and up the Giant Stairway and another abseiling and sheltering under a cave watching the rain come in as the clouds closed in on us . While the evenings were spent unwinding in Katoomba. It was the perfect mix of excitement and idyllic.

I had never heard of ‘abseiling’ till I was in Sydney. Rappelling yes, but not Abseiling. Coming from the German term Abseilen for ‘to rope down’, it is a mountaineering technique where you use ropes and a belay to descend a rock face/cliff too steep to descend on foot.

As a beginner you start with 30 feet and then go on to a cliff with less foothold and more of a drop and then the final 60 feet sheer drop.

& trust me when I say you will get high on it.

For some one who loves the mountains and exploring, this was actually special, with that extra edge of adventure and I sure am glad that I did it when I could.

Imagine an escapade like that with a view like this!

April 8, 2016
Driving through Lahaul & Spiti

I travelled through the Lahaul and Spiti Valley of Himachal for 10 days and most of that time was spent driving on rocky roads and glacial streams. All that time, I stared awe-struck at the magnificence of the Himalayas, as we went from one place to the next, winding amidst them.

So, here is an attempt to take you down that road – a photographic journey of Driving through Lahaul & Spiti.

January 14, 2016
a Fortress, a Monastery & a Lake: Dhankar

Meet Dhankar. A village, a Fortress, a Monastery & a Lake.

Above the Dhankar Village, sit the Fortress and the Monastery, watching over the confluence of the Spiti and Pin Rivers.

This spectacular setting is what gives the place its name, Dhankar, meaning ‘Fort on a Cliff’.

The village of Dhankar lies somewhere between Kaza and Tabo in Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh. At a height of 12,774 feet, looking over the village is the Dhankar Gompa, built like a fort, just like the Ki and Thiksey Monasteries.

Looking over the monastery is the Dhankar Fortress, which served as the traditional home of the royal family when Dhankar was the capital of the Spiti Valley Kingdom in around the 17th century.

and, around 1.5km away from here is the Dhankar Lake.

Though the hike uphill felt more like 10kms, it did have me going over and over in my head “I climbed a mountain!!” :D.

(the views as I climbed..)

By the time I got to the lake, I felt like I had finally achieved something for the first time in my life!

Another first at a Himalayan Lake. The other being my first ever ‘night in a tent’ at the Chandratal Lake, amidst the Himalayas. and, also that it was my first time in the Himalayas!

Which is why these 2 lakes are my Top2 in The Lahaul & Spiti Valley and till today remain my most memorable ones.

Read Next: Where The Monasteries Are

Read More on Spiti Valley:

20 Photos to Inspire You to Visit Spiti Valley this Summer
Driving through Lahaul & Spiti
The Road to Serenity: Chandratal

December 12, 2015
Royal Ruins: Shey Palace

On the road from Leh to Thiksey, atop a hill, sits The Shey Palace and Monastery. It is by far the most picturesque of monasteries in India. Little surprise then that it was once the summer palace of the Kings of Ladakh.

The views that the Shey Palace commands are like no other. Despite the persistently thick cloud cover that dogged us through our week in Ladakh, it made for some beautiful pictures.

All you need to do is pick your vantage point!

It is said that the lake right across the road, once mirrored the entire palace, lending its name ‘Shey‘ – meaning mirror – to the palace and the village.

Though overrun now, it still is a thing of beauty and joy.

& it is not just the setting, but the Shey Palace in itself which is stunning. The wooden accents to the doors and windows only add to the beauty of the facade and make for striking pictures.

Here, it all comes together in a picture window framed in wood. :)

The monastery in the palace boasts of a large Buddha statue gilded in copper, brass and gold that spans across the two storeys of the split-level temple. So, you spend a good few hours not just paying your respects at The Temple of Sakyamuni Buddha, but also climbing around and exploring the hillside ruins in the crisp fresh mountain breeze.

There are chortens and stupas, prayer flags and wheels at every turn & corner.

Read More on Ladakh:

Little Ones of Ladakh
Celebrating Life & Beyond
In The Realm of The Passes: Khardung La
5 Reasons You Should Travel to Ladakh Off-Season
In The Nomadic Settlement of Puga

December 6, 2015
Where The Monasteries Are

I have always valued the Hindu rituals growing up and there is no denying that. But, that does not hold me back from aspiring to one day appreciate Buddhism in all its beauty.

My regard for this religion comes not just from the solace that their monasteries have always granted me, right from the first time that I entered one in my troubled times to every single time I do go back, but also because of how the people of this faith just are. I am yet to come across an agitated or envious buddhist! Qualities, unfortunately, that are so common and everyday otherwise.

By now, everyone reading this blog knows of my eternal love for the Himalayas and I believe there is no better home to Buddhism. Which brings me to this blog post, Where The Monasteries Are.

KAZA GOMPA

Kaza is the main town in the Lahaul & Spiti District of Himachal Pradesh and usually acts as the pitstop for most of your exploring in this district.

Though the Monastery (Gompa) in Kaza is not counted amongst the “important” monasteries of the region, it does not lack in beauty or tranquility.

And, for me, monasteries have always been places of quietude, which immediately fill you with a sense of peace & calm.

So, there it is, flagging off this list of Himalayan Monasteries.

KI GOMPA

The little village of Ki is about 12km from Kaza.

& sitting atop a hill, overlooking this village is the largest Buddhist Gompa & Learning Centre of Spiti.

It is also one of the most frequented and photographed in the region. Its popularity stems from how this monastery has been built like a fort in the Pasada Style of architecture.

Once inside, you realise that it it is not just the monastery nestled among the mountains that makes a pretty picture but that the views from it just as scenic.

TABO GOMPA

Tabo was not on the agenda of the group I was travelling with. But, I was lucky enough to make some friends along the way who were just as keen on visiting Tabo, despite the ‘no photography rule’. So, after some trifling deliberation, we finally managed to convince the driver of one of the SUVs to drive us to Tabo, while the rest headed back to Kaza & I can gladly say it was one of the best decisions on this trip!

Tabo is a small valley 48km southeast of Kaza. The Tabo Gompa founded in 996AD is said to be the oldest continuously functioning monastery in India & it being declared a UNESCO Heritage Site has been in the offing for a while now. Its claim to fame though, ironically, is that it was the setting of a bollywood movie in 2003!

The mud-brick wall temple complexes of the Tabo Gompa house some of the most exquisite Indo-Tibetan art that I have ever seen. The murals not only hold religious & aesthetic significance but are important historically as well, as a remnant of the early buddhist culture.

Here in & rightly so, comes the no photography rule. But, there is so much to see and discover even around the Gompa in Tabo that I for once am glad it is a non-photographer zone!!

The main stupa outside the temple complex.

The hillside caves up above the village and the monastery is where the monks used to live once. It is now an Archaeological Survey of India protected site.

November 16, 2015
In the Realm of The Passes: Khardung La

I have been to the Himalayas twice. Both times, my most memorable moments have been at the Lakes & the Passes. Their beauty is incomparable & my love for them is eternal.

With the crisp mountain air in our face, listening to the Buddhist Morning Prayer, Khardung La or the ‘Pass of the Lower Castle’ is where we headed to first, after a day of acclimatisation. This Himalayan Pass’s claim to tourist-fame is that at 18,380 feet it is the highest motorable road in the world. But this is a fact that is more often than not disputed.

While being photographed with this signboard is a classic tourist must-do. These three Stupas with the fluttering prayer flags crowning them remain the photographers’ favourite.

A short climb gets you here, to the quaint little temple & these stupas.

The mountainside disappears in prayer flags & as you find your way through them, you might come up short of breath, for the climb though short gets a little tough. The rarified atmosphere of Khardung La, at its immense height is known to cause altitude sickness. Though no one in the group had to tackle with this, it is recommended that you check your oxygen levels & blood pressure before you decide to undertake this journey.

Once you reach level ground & catch your breath, you cannot help but be overwhelmed! The Himalayas just never cease to surprise you with all that they have to offer. The scenic beauty, which inspires in you a sense of achievement & pride in just being able to witness it. The solitude, which makes you feel like you have found your own little space of peace in this crowded world, ‘far from the madding crowd’ so to say!

Also Read: The Goat Village: Take me away!

Right opposite to the stupas, a series of steps lead you to a rain-washed cabin & from this edge, the snow covered peaks are almost within touching distance and the wooden cabin only adds to the intrigue of the scene.

PS: When you come back down, DO NOT miss the Qahwah at Rinchen Cafe. The only canteen amongst the few structures on the other side of the road.

While the Arabic Qahwah is coffee based, the Kashmiri version is tea based. Nonetheless, you will love the lingering taste of the cardamom from this warm drink, right after being out in the sharp chilly breeze. Atleast I did!
& I still miss it. ;)

Read More on Ladakh:

Little Ones of Ladakh
Ladakh Festival: Celebrating Life & Beyond
Royal Ruins: Shey Palace
5 Reasons You Should Travel to Ladakh Off-Season
In The Nomadic Settlement of Puga

October 13, 2015
Little Ones of Ladakh

I was never interested in shooting portraits, or so I thought!

Standing still, on the sidelines, as columns of brilliantly dressed Ladakhis walked by to the Polo Grounds for the Opening Ceremony of the Ladakh Festival, I watched. The multitude of tourists and photographers clamouring to capture everything. It stuck me. I was just a shy mouse.

Embarrassed though I was, I did make a not-so-successful attempt at clicking the performers as they made their way to the Ladakh Festival. So, over the week as I journeyed through these Himalayan lands, I tried to remedy this. I overcame my natural inhibitions & clicked portraits of the kids I became friendly with.

& seeing their eager smiles as they hugged my camera close and stuck their noses to the screen gave me more satisfaction than anything else on this trip!!

So, here you go.

This little girl was the perfect model & gave me the confidence to pursue travel portraits of the Little Ones of Ladakh. Which is why this is my favourite picture & therefore the first in this series.

I clicked this picture in Leh, as these little boys waited for their dad to take them to the Ladakh Festival.

& this little baby girl here, at the opening ceremony, watching the performances from the protective lap of her grandmother.

On our way to Tso Moriri, when we stopped at the village of Chumathang for lunch, I came across this group of children. The smallest & undoubtedly the cutest one, the little Matryoshka Doll in this photo was the subject of every photographer in that area then and by the time I got to clicking this photo she was ready to flee! While the older girl wanted her photo taken & was preening for it. Quite an interesting conflict I thought :)

Again a conflicting picture, where the older of the two gets very conscious as she tries to pose for the camera, on the way back from school in Thiksey.

To end this post, a photo of the most adorable baby boy I have ever seen, excited to be clicked as he stumbles across to the grocery downhill from Shey Palace.

Did you have to overcome some fear or reserve on your travels? Do tell me. Would love to get any ideas on how I can take better photos in my further travels!

Read Next: Ladakh Festival: Celebrating Life & Beyond.

Read More on Ladakh:

Royal Ruins: Shey Palace
In The Realm of The Passes: Khardung La
5 Reasons You Should Travel to Ladakh Off-Season
In The Nomadic Settlement of Puga

September 25, 2015
The Road to Serenity: Chandratal Lake

My first ever camping experience, back in the summer of 2013, was at the incredibly beautiful Chandratal Lake in Spiti Valley, a cold desert valley that is the middle land between India and Tibet.

A sweet water glacial lake in the Himalayas and the source of the Chandra River, the Chandratal Lake is a RAMSAR Convention designated wetland of international importance. It is also believed that the elusive Snow Leopard calls the catchment area of this lake its home. Though I wasn’t fortunate enough to catch a glimpse.

Where is Chandratal Lake?

Chandratal Lake is in Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh. A valley – in the hinterland of the Indian Himalayas – bordered by Ladakh to its North and Tibet to its East.

Nearest Airport | Kullu – Manali Airport, Bhuntar
Nearest Railway Station| Shimla
Nearest Major Town | Manali

Why should you visit Chandratal Lake?

To pitch a tent amidst the magnificent Himalayas on a freezing summer night and to sleep under the starlit sky is amazing enough in itself. But if the campsite was to be at this remote and not-so-easily accessible Moon Lake, there then you have the trip of a lifetime guaranteed!

READ: 20 Photos to Inspire You to Visit Spiti Valley this Summer

How to reach Chandratal Lake?

Manali to Chandratal Lake

Distance | 140 Kilometers
Mode of Travel | Road
Drive Time | 8 – 10 Hours
Route | Manali ? Rohtang Pass ? Gramphu ? Chhatru ? Batal ? Kunzum Pass ? Chandratal
(via Leh – Manali Highway)

This is the most popular and also the most convenient way to get to Chandratal. We left from Manali early morning & it was by evening that we reached Chandratal. After a slight delay at a roadblock on the Rohtang Pass due to a landslide, we made quick stops for breakfast & lunch at Gramphu and Batal. Then the mandatory stop at the Temple on Kunzum Pass & we were at Chandratal, just in time for the setting sun.

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In Photos: Chandratal Lake

The Chandratal Lake in all its glory.

First glimpse of Chandratal, as you reach the end of your hike from the campsite.

The walk that leads up to it..

& here you are at the lake.

Did you know?

The Chandratal Lake reflects the colour of the sky.

This image was shot at sunrise, just when the lake starts to appear – a clear blue mirror of reflections.

& as the sun sets, it turns green.

From the minute you get to the lake, an all-consuming sense of peace washes over you. Adding to the serenity of the lake are the Buddhist prayer flags fluttering in the breeze.

My life changed when I lay eyes for the first time ever on the mighty Himalayas. Their sheer magnificence is humbling. So, it is but natural that the experience of spending time at this pristine lake, nestled in the snow kissed mountains, totally transports you to another time and place.

Read More on Spiti Valley:

Where The Monasteries are.
a Fortress, a Monastery & a Lake: Dhankar
Driving through Lahaul & Spiti

June 28, 2015