Now these fotos are actually doing the justice to the beuty of the place

Oh ho! More office work

Good one Aman paaji!

Thanks all.

Few more from Sonmarg...







Day 4: Sonmarg - Zozila - Drass - Kargil

I thought this was the day to reach Leh, but nevermind. Just after crossing Sonmarg, traffic was stopped from our side towards Zozila for close to an hour, so had a long chai break there. Me and Motor crossed Zozila together, and waited at Drass for the rest two for nearly an hour. Started from Drass around 1pm, missed the war memorial on the way thinking it would be somewhere in/around Kargil. Though Drass - Kargil is close to 65kms, it takes nearly 2hrs as the roads get narrow with cliff on one side and Indus below. I was riding solo and reached 30mins before rest 3 arrived and they found my bike parked on the road. I was busy making STD calls till then! I inquired with the locals about continuing the ride to Leh, but as it was already 3pm, we couldn't have made it before dark.

Something about Kargil I noticed:
- It is not a tourist friendly town.
- Either they don't eat dinner, or don't serve to outsiders.
- It could very well be the fashion capital of north India!

We inquired in 4-5 (all) hotels but none had a room, and I couldn't see a single tourist vehicle parked except in the J&K Tourism Guest House! Settled for a ok types guest house (we had no choice), Rs300 for the night.

Roamed around in the streets of Kargil, food was not easy to find, slept on time. That doesn't mean we wake up and start early. Then there was some problem with the ZMA, so further delays. Tanked up, finally exited Kargil to find some amazing view of the Kargil city below. Leh was 250kms away now. Atleast for me!

Chai break just after Sonmarg...



Zozila...

















On self-timer mode....



Zozila over, butter smooth roads, Motor visible...







Brunch at Drass...



Somewhere between Drass - Kargil...





The most common bird in Ladakh region...after Kaboter









Next morning pics... Kargil city below...

Absolutely spectacular & heart filling views man !!! ............. I am now really really really really jealous of u guys

You can say that about lunch also.

Day 5: Kargil - Mulbek - Namika La - Fotu La - Lamayuru - Nimmu - Leh

As far as I remember, somewhere between NamikaLa and FotuLa, we got spiderweb's bike's puncture made, Motor's silencer fixed. Started the climb for FotuLa and spiderweb's bike was not picking up, so things were going slow. These two are clean passes and FotuLa gives you a beautiful view of the valley.

A was atop Fotu La and could see three bikes on the opposite hill climbing slowly. A sensed a bad weather and started descending without waiting for those three. It started snowing, and as I was going down the curves, snow was hitting me from front, then the cross-wind pushing me from the side, and the wind helping me down faster from behind. I could see the valley below shining under the sunlight, so my aim was to get down as quickly as possible so as to get rid of the snow and cross-winds. The roads turned smooth after a while and I was cornering all the way down.

By the way, my solo ride to Leh had started at the start of the above paragraph.

Some pics:











Transfer of spidey's luggage to Alankar...



NamikaLa...













While we stopped for the repairs...





Motor's silencer getting fixed...





The scene at FotuLa which prompted me to rush down...



I stopped at Lamayuru for 5-10mins for the other riders, but then decided to carry on uptil Leh as I was not sure of their position as the weather had got pretty bad up there and I wanted to reach Leh today. So I kept riding and this is where you start entering Heaven. The roads mesmerize you. You would be in two minds, whether to stop for a click or keep riding endlessly.

I think I was riding at the wrong time towards Leh, as there was no oncoming or following vehicle. Just kept riding at full throttle. It had become dark, but felt safe as I entered the outskirts of Leh where the cantonment area starts.

I entered Leh at 8pm in the hope that I would get in touch with Pune group till the Mumbai gang arrives, stay with Pune if Mumbai doesn't arrive, or worst case, manage alone. So the worst case happened. I assumed Pune guys to be in Nubra or Pangong Tso as I couldnt reach their numbers. I knew if Mumbai guys would end up in Leh at night, they would give me a call. But the possibility of them continuing uptil Leh was dull. Found myself a decent hotel (Rs300/-) and enjoyed the double-bed to myself!















It works!

You did not mention anything about your bathroom

Also please do post contact number of the hotel. I don't have it.

^^ Ok. Guys bathroom was better than all the bathrooms seen on the tour. Better than Vishwas's hotel's bathrooms.
Its not located in the market, but 3mins walk from it. Got pvt. parking space.
Hotel Name: Hotel Khan Manzil (Zangsti, Leh)
Contact No: 959632562

The Dal lake pics and the Sonmarg pics are wallpaper stuff.

Great shots.

The NH1D pics blew me away!!! NH1D blew me away!!!! Good going Aman! More pics please! Of course I'll take them from you. But its more fun seeing them in the context they were taken.

Absolutely Brilliant Pics Aman.Some of the Pics are Breathtaking Phew..

amazing beauty... awesome awesome pics bro.. jus lovin them...

Thanks all....

My hotel..


Graffiti outside hotel galli...


Day 6: Leh (Local sightseeing)

As I was alone with no track of Pune guys and no message from Mumbai guys, the only option I had was to either stay inside and sleep, or explore whatever was available. Inquired with the hotel guy and he recommended Shanti Stupa and Leh Palace.

Started for Shanti Stupa, not more than 5kms away. Few pics:





Saw this before the Shanti Stupa entrance, thought of giving it a try on the way back.


Reached the Stupa and had a chai-biscuit breakfast here first...










Leh Palace from the Stupa...








Temple below the Stupa...







Got down and took the turn towards the Donkey Sanctury, some 2kms from Stupa. It had some 15-20 weak donkeys, with one care-taker. But what surprised me was all these colors!







The donation box...










Bye-bye donkeyy... I will send more people to help you (he followed me till the gate)



From there I visited the Leh Palace. That is probably the highest point in Leh city. Its beautiful from inside, with some scary dungeons. I bet this palace would be creepy at night.













Spot the R15!






Stupa visible...


on self-timer...








I trekked to the castle visible in this pic... my cam battery went off, got few pics from mobile. but it was a difficult trek for me considering im not used to walking. For the first time I was missing oxygen in Leh!



Got back to market, was passing time in a net parlour when Satyen posted the hotel name where Pune guys were staying, so went on a hotel search and found them soon. Had got a call from Motor about their whereabouts, so was expecting a call from them wen they enter Leh around early evening. So I waited for them arrive and only then apply for permit so that all get processed together. Bumped into them in the market at around 7pm, they had already taken a room elsewhere as they couldnt reach my number. They asked me to shift with them which made no sense to me after looking at their room and extra cost to me.

After listening to their plans (Mumbai) and their expected dates to reach back to Jammu/Delhi, I knew I had to customize my itinerary. I decided to join Vishwas next day for Khardungla in the hope that we could get a permit for me at 9pm by some jugaad! That didnt happen, but Inder didnt wanted to go all the way to Nubra. So I was to leave with Vishwas and Rudra on Inder's permit early morning, and Inder agreed to take permit in my name along with Mumbai gang, do Khardungla, and come back to Leh.

To cover-up and join Pune, I decided to do Pangong Tso solo next day, till the time they do their local sightseeing. Khardungla, Nubra and the solo... up next!

Nice log packed with lots of photos there, Aman.
By the way, is that dog you have captured a 'Lhasa-apso'?
Donkey Sanctuary was a surprise! I am hearing for the first time of such a place. However, it is good to see people taking initiative to take care of battered animals. Good gesture I must say!

Really good pictures of Leh Palace. Never thought that there was anything worthwhile photographing so didn't bother to even take out the camera.