Super amazing photographs. Wish I had spent more time in learning photography.

Superb pics kashif bhai... waiting for Marsimik La....

Come on man where's the rest ...too hungry....

Thanks Vishwas ji.
Aapne hi camera kharidvaya tha

Sorry for such huge delay.
The XBHP got blocked in my office and rest is history:
Seems they have shown mercy on me now.

On its way sir.

Day 13: Tangste - Lukung - Phobrang - M'la - Spangmik

M'La an unfinished affair.

We bid farewell to Rahul(miragerahul another XBHPian) and started for M'la.Road till Lukung was very nice.
At Lukung we had our much desired tryst with the Pangong Tso.Here we had breakfast and after some thought we decided to attempt M'la along with our luggage and plan was to leave some of the stuffs and check post.This was our first mistake of the day.

Soon we reached Phobrang check post.The Army guys were really helpful.I asked the officer in charge if we can leave some of our luggage here.He agreed so I left one of my bag in which I was carrying around 10 lts of petrol and same did Ashutosh. Unaware of the blunder(read mistake number 2) we moved ahead.

The ITBP guys are creating proper road till M'la. the initial few kms are under construction currently.We followed this under construction road which ended up in deep sand as we moved uphill.At one point we got struck. There was this old dirt track running parallel but to reach it there was a steep climb of few meters.While were finding some escape route, two construction workers came to our rescue. We pushed our bikes out of sand and to the uphill dirt track.Within 5 miniutes of all these, all four of us were out of breath literally.
After catching our breath and giving some money as token of thanks to our saviors we moved ahead.
After few more Kms we were in total wilderness. Tracks after tracks we moved ahead.
Unique thing was that the approach towards M'la has hardly any loop its a straight climb.

As we were getting closer to the top the thin air started creating problem for my/our bikes.
From 3, 2 gears finally I was reduced to 1st gear while we were still a km away from top.

This was the time to implement Plan B --> to remove air filters.
We wanted to do it in stock bikes so didn't altered the jet before this climb.

The tools were in Ashutosh's bag and bag was in Phobrang
As we didn't had any option so we laughed it off and tinkering with the carb screw we moved ahead.
After only few hindered meters my bike refused to climb while Ashu's bike did same few hundred meters ahead.

As last resort we removed my saddle bags and left it behind.
Another 2-3 hundred mts ahead I saw Ashutosh walking down hill he didn't spoke anything but I realized he had left something valuable and is going back to collect it.


I waited and waited. With no signs of Ashutosh I too walked down around 100 mts.
These 100 mts were enough to tell me where Ashutosh was.
It was the thin air that had left his exhausted and me too.aroud 25 mins later he came back.
While I was waiting for him I could see him walking hardly 20-30 mts before getting fully exhausted.
We realized what does it take to survive in thin air.

All these while all the negativity of the world surrounded me with thoughts that we ourselves screwed it by missing the tools, bla bla bla.
No I have never been like this in any of my trips before.For that moment apparently I couldn't really take all these.
While I was in all these thoughts the chilly winds took away one of my gloves

With morale rock bottom but with still some hope to make it to the top we moved ahead with my bike running almost on my foot.
Another few hundred meters there was this steep climb and probably the last few hundred meters to the top.
Before we could decide which way to climb snow storm started and that was it.
We unanimously decided to turn back before the weather gets worse.There on return was quick yet sad.


The ITBP guys gave us some morale boost by saying that the places we described, we reached, are beyond M'la and we actually covered it.
But I was/am sure we never made it to M'la top.

By the time I came back to Lukung I was perfectly fine and decided to leave M'la for coming years while I enjoy the changtang in coming days.

Our decision to return turned our good as the next day when few guys from our guest house tried M'la they had to turn back
from same place we returned as after snowfall there was no way left to go to the TOP.

Soon we reached spangmik and we booked room at spangmik.
Next day we were supposed to move to Chushul but ended up staying 1 more day at Spangmik enjoying Pangong Tso.

Khasif bhai... jaldi log khatam karo.. i took note of your route through chushul and came throught it a coupe of months back. Phew. I didn't know it ran right through the chinese border. It was one hell of a way. thanks for giving me that pointer.

Did you take that route along the chinese border to Nyoma or was it inwards to Mahe.

I am glad that my pointers helped you.
Basically when you move towards Chushul you already start moving inwards our border.I took the road to Loma and then to hanle.

I'll finish it off asap.

Yea. i heard that at the checkpost...but after Chushul, there is another route to Nyoma that does not come inside. It passes right along the border for many kilometres. I've just completed my log. will post the details soon.

But i see you guys went to Marsmik La as well.. i couldn't do it.
I'm sure that place would have left you with wonderful memories to cherish although it was a difficult task.

Day 14: Around Pangong Tso

Day 14: Around Pangong Tso

After so many days of continuous riding we decided to rest for a day.
In spangmik to had booked a home stay, it was really nice and I personally feel home-stay is better compared to tents as in home stay you get to peek into a typical Ladakhi household. Moreover its more cozy and cheap too.
We got a room with 3 beds for just 300.

Here we met a group of biker from Odisha and infact we met them again later in the trip and we rode more than 1000 kms together towards the end of trip.

We didn't really do much today except for eating, sleeping and loitering around.
It was a welcome break and we really enjoyed this lazy day.

It was like a vacation within a vacation

I am not sure about that route because from the maps it looks Nyoma is more inside the borders and is on Loma - Mahe section which runs well inside the borders. Next time I'll try to find more details on this and will try to cover this too

M'la is the most cherished of all.Unfortunately construction has started on this section and in a year or two it will be just another Khardung La.

Aaah Kashif ! Great that the thread is back. Awesome ride and lovely pictures.

Ride Safe

I thought you again went to the Himalayas!
Knowing you, am sure you could do that :P

No man, I haven't been to any place after that trip.
But soon you'll see a white wash ride
Just waiting for the snow to cover everything.


Thanks bro

Even after wandering for 14 days in the mountains, the excitement for exploring the wilderness of Changthang
was still sky high. We started the last leg of the trip.The first few hours were amazing ride along the Pangong Tso.
I must say the lake turns more and more beautiful as you head west west towards Chushul.
This section is absolutely rugged.At one point we came across a huge herd of Kiang.It was an amazing sight seeing hundreds of
Kiangs running for their lives, though I was not there to scare them away.

Soon the lake moved left, and at this point we moved right to stay away from China, the approach to Chushul was beautiful,
there was one snow capped peak glowing in the sun while most the sky was covered with clouds.

From Chushul there is a direct road to Mahe, to go to Loma one needs to take left turn towards Chushul war memorial.
We stopped briefly at chushul war memorial and then moved towards Loma.
Some 20 km before Loma smooth tarmac appeared.After riding in dirt for many hours it was a welcome break.
To our surprise the roads from here till Hanle is well laid tarmac.

At Loma check-post the army guys invited us for tea and we obliged as we didn't had anything since morning.
They asked the same old question-
"What the hell you find so interesting in such rugged land.How come this is your vacation?"

From here on we quickly reached Hanle through awesome roads surrounded by colorful mountains.
We directly headed towards the observatory.

We settled in a home accommodation in the Village for 300 per person including food n everything.We also bought 2-3 lts of extra fuel here.
Hanle looked like a more visited place in Changthang that any other,probably because of the observatory.

dude.. i see you have taken that route.. towards the border.. from where you can even see a chinese check post.

great pics by the way.....

- Ananth