Ladakh & North-East India

Welcome to the magical world of  Ladakh & North-East India 🙂

Heaven on Earth – Ladakh

Image courtesy: www.ladakhtravels.in

Rugged terrain, snow-capped peaks, clear blue skies, barren mountains, blue meandering rivers, lunar landscapes, unique culture…the list goes on and words fail to describe the sheer beauty of Ladakh.

Ladakh, the ‘Land of High Passes’ is a beautiful region located in the northernmost India. It was previously part of the strategically important Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir, where a hostile Pakistan has continued to encourage and indulge in cross-border terrorism since its separation from India in 1947. Hence the Indian military maintains a strong presence in the region. The disputed regions shown in the map are occupied by Pakistan (to the northwest) and China (to the northeast) although these originally belonged to India. Wars were fought with both countries over the disputed regions. Hence the Indian military keeps a strict vigil around the border region.

In 2019, both Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh were reorganized into two separate union territories of India.

The region borders the Kashmir Valley and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to the west, Lahaul and Spiti regions of the alpine state of Himachal Pradesh to the south, Tibet to the east and the southwest corner of Sinkiang (or Xinjiang) across the Karakoram Pass in the far north. It is one of the most sparsely populated regions in Jammu & Kashmir and its culture and history are closely related to that of Tibet.

Leh is the district headquarters, 434 Kms from Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu & Kashmir and 474 Kms from Manali in Himachal Pradesh.

Intrepid travellers are attracted to its scenic beauty, rugged terrain, majestic mountains and the challenge of roughing it out. This is why Ladakh is a favourite with mountaineering enthusiasts. Due to its remote location and high altitude, it’s not suited for a quick holiday. Leh is situated at a height of 11,300 feet and it is crucial to get acclimatized to the thin air for at least a day or two before wandering around.

I visited this amazing region in 2010. During my trip, I also got the dreamy opportunity of visiting the Siachen Base Camp of Indian Army situated at the snout of the Siachen Glacier at a height of 12,000 feet above sea level. Civilians are usually not allowed to go beyond Panamik, a small village in the Nubra Valley famous for its hot sulphur springs. The strategically important Siachen Glacier is the highest and coldest battlefield in the world at an average altitude of 20,000 feet. In winter, the temperature dips to minus 60 degrees. The Base Camp also houses the Siachen Battle School, the world’s highest elevation military training academy, which trains soldiers in ice craft and other survival techniques before they start for their posts on the glacier. It was awesome 🙂

So, read my travel stories in this magical land “Heaven on Earth – Ladakh” to know a bit more about it 🙂

Pangong Tso , 07 Aug 2013

Tso Moriri , 23 Aug 2013

Nubra Valley , 30 Aug 2013

Leh  , 03 Sep 2013

Discovering my strengths in Siachen and Ladakh , 29 May 2013

Amazing North-East India

Virgin, wild and untouched by modernizations… the least explored, most mysterious and one of the most beautiful regions of India…that’s the Northeast.

This amazing region of India comprises of eight contiguous states – Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura – each having its own culture and tradition. It is home for more than 166 separate tribes, some of them having migrated over the centuries from places as far as South-East Asia.

The region borders Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Tibet, China and Myanmar. Until a few years ago, this region was totally isolated from the rest of the country. The only route for any overland travel (roadways or railways) between this region and the rest of the country is through the Siliguri Corridor, a 20-km wide corridor of Indian territory between Nepal and Bangladesh. This corridor is the lifeline of the entire North-East.

I first visited this region in 2010, travelling with the Indian Army through Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur and Nagaland. In 2014, I travelled to Sikkim… and in 2015 to Tripura and Mizoram. I have posted my travel stories in each state and you can read them in the below links…

Manipur , 06 Sep 2013

Arunachal Pradesh , 14 Sep 2013

The Hornbill Festival of Nagaland , 18 Sep 2013

Nagaland , 26 Sep 2013

Assam , 02 Oct 2013

Meghalaya , 05 Oct 2013

Sunset over the Brahmaputra , 17 Sep 2013

Darjeeling , 14 Nov 2014

Sikkim – Pelling , 06 Dec 2014

Sikkim – Gangtok , 22 Dec 2014

Sikkim – Nathu La , 12 Jan 2015

Sikkim – Lachen & Gurudongmar Lake , 26 Jan 2015

Sikkim – Lachung & Yumthang Valley , 02 Mar 2015

Kalimpong , 18 Mar 2015

Tripura , 20 Feb 2016

A Hike to Reiek Hill in Mizoram , 26 Feb 2016

Christmas in Mizoram – I , 15 Mar 2016

Christmas in Mizoram – II , 18 Mar 2016

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