Ladakh · 8 Days
Ladakh — Two Lakes: Tso Moriri & Pangong
Ladakh's two great high-altitude lakes on one route — quiet Tso Moriri in the Changthang and the better-known Pangong, linked by the rough plateau road.
Day by Day
8 Days, In Full
The trip for people who want the lakes rather than the passes. Three nights in Leh to acclimatise and see the Indus monasteries. Then south into the Changthang plateau to Tso Moriri, a protected lake at 4,500 metres with nesting cranes, wild asses and Changpa nomads, far quieter than Pangong. Two nights there, then the hard, remote plateau road across to Pangong for a night on its shore. Back to Leh over the Chang La pass. Eight days, two lakes, big empty country.
Leh
Arrive in Leh — Rest and Acclimatise
You fly into Leh in the early morning, over the main Himalayan range. The airport sits at 3,500 metres, so the first day is a rest day, and this is not optional. Your guide checks you in and asks you to do very little. Drink water, eat lightly, sleep if you can. A short, slow walk to Leh market in the afternoon is as much as you should do. Giving the body a full day here now prevents altitude sickness later.
Leh
Leh — Old Town, Palace and Shanti Stupa
A gentle first full day, still close to the hotel. The morning is Leh's old town: the bazaar, the mosque, and the nine-storey palace above it. The climb through the palace floors is slow but short. In the afternoon, drive up to Shanti Stupa for the view over the valley. Sankar Monastery, a working gompa a short way from the centre, fills any spare time. An early night before tomorrow's monastery run.
Leh
The Indus Valley Monasteries — Thiksey and Hemis
A full day among the great monasteries south-east of Leh. Start early at Thiksey, a twelve-storey monastery on a hill, for the dawn prayers if you are up to it. Then Hemis, the largest and richest in Ladakh, hidden in a side gorge. Shey, the old royal palace with its giant seated Buddha, and Stok are on the way back. It is a lot of driving, but the roads are good and the valley is beautiful. Back in Leh by evening.
Leh → Tso Moriri
Leh to Tso Moriri — Down the Indus, past the Hot Springs
A long, remote drive south-east into the Changthang plateau, about two hundred and twenty kilometres and seven hours. The road follows the Indus upstream through Upshi and Chumathang, where hot springs steam by the river. Past Mahe the land opens into wide, empty, high pasture, and the first kiang, the wild ass of the plateau, appear. The last stretch runs beside a smaller lake, Kyagar Tso, before Tso Moriri itself comes into view. You reach the camp at Korzok in the late afternoon.
Tso Moriri
A Day at Tso Moriri — Korzok, the Shore & the Nomads
A slow day by the lake, which is why the drive was worth it. The morning can be an early birdwatching walk along the marshy north shore, where bar-headed geese and the black-necked crane nest in summer. Korzok village has a small monastery, one of the highest in the world, worth half an hour. In the afternoon, a visit to a Changpa nomad camp among the pashmina goats and black tents. The altitude here is 4,500 metres, so the pace stays gentle. A second night on the shore.
Tso Moriri → Pangong Lake
Tso Moriri to Pangong — Across the Changthang
A hard, spectacular and rarely-driven route that links the two great lakes without going back to Leh. The road runs north through Chushul and along the base of the Rezang La ridge, past salt pans and herds of kiang, on rough and often unpaved track. There are no towns and few people for the whole day. Permits and a capable vehicle are essential. You reach the southern shore of Pangong in the late afternoon, coming at the lake from an angle few visitors ever see. Plan on eight to nine hours.
Pangong Lake
A Day on the Shore of Pangong
A slow day by the lake, which is the point of coming this far. The water changes colour through the day, so it rewards sitting still and watching. A short drive along the shore towards the villages of Man and Merak gets you away from the day-trip crowds at Spangmik. The altitude here is 4,350 metres, so walking is slow and naps are normal. After dark, the sky fills with stars. A second night on the shore.
Pangong Lake → Leh
Pangong back to Leh — Chang La and the Long Valley
An early start to be over Chang La before the afternoon wind. The pass is at about 5,360 metres and often holds snow even in summer. Below it the road runs down past Hemis and Thiksey, so there is a chance to stop at either if you missed them. You are back in Leh by mid-afternoon, at a lower and easier altitude. The last evening is free for the market and for packing. The drive is five to six hours in all.
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