Ladak- Pangong Lake

Pangong the largest lake of Ladhak is situated at a height of 14,252ft. from the sea level. It is150km. from Leh city. The route from Leh to Pangon goes via Karu-Chang-la-Durbuk-Tangse-Lukung-Spangmik. Most visitors go for a day trip to Pangon, but it is better to stay for a night at Tangse village, 34 km. before Pangon Lake to visit the lake at early morning and at afternoon during sunrise and sunset respectively. 

Way to Changla-pass

Distances
Leh- Karu- 35km.
Karu-Chang-La-43km.
Changla-Durbuk- 32km.
Durbuk-Thangse- 6km.
Thangse-Chusul- 82km.
Tangse-Lukung-32km.
Lukung-Pangong-2km.
Lukung-Spangmik- 8km.
Leh-Pangong- 150km.

In this route river Indus accompanied us upto Karu via Upshi. From Upshi we proceeded towards south-East to reach Changla-Pass (17,800ft.), the second highest motorable road in the world. From Karu the road ascended continuously. After 10km. from Karu we saw the greenery of Sakti village from the top of the road. One can trek to Nubra Valley from Sakti Village. After few km. from Shakti village spectacular view of snow capped Changla Pass appeared before us. When we reached Changla top we got simply spellbound finding innumerable small streams of melting ice flowing from changla top in various direction, even across the road along which we drove to reach Tangse village.

 There is a temple of ChanglaBaba at the Changla top. Indian army run a first aid centre here to provide medical assistance to those suffering from high altitude sickness. The Changla Pass is surrounded by snow capped pyramid shaped mountains. Pashmina goats and yaks are found here.

Changla-top

Changla-top

Temple of Changlababa

Changla-top

Durbuk-nala

Durbuk-

 Durbuk is 32km. from Changla Pass. As we descended from 17,800ft. high Changla top, we found a sign board that read ‘Welcome to the land of beautiful mountains and blue water lakes’. But the water of the lake that followed immediately was almost frozen at that time. This area is highest army habitat in the world.
Tangse-
Tangse village is just 2 km. from Durbuk. One road from Tangse goes to Chusul. Chusul is 82km. from Tangse. Tourists are not allowed to go there. Thangse is a small village with shops, Hotels, Government offices, Army barracks and private houses. Durbuk Nala (‘Nala’ means streams) flows through the paddy fields of Tanges. Beautiful Tangse Monastery is situated inside the army barrack. There is a P.W.D rest house at tangse.

Towards Pangong-
The scenery changed drastically after Tangse village and we started going upwards in our journey to Pangong Lake. The road runs between numerous beige coloured mountains with a valley through which flows a small river with greenery on its both banks. As we drove further the river gradually disappeared and the valley became totally barren and appeared more or less like a desert. Lukung check post was 32km. from Tangse village.

Pangong Lake-
This lake is 135km. long but not more than 5km. wide along its entire length. One third of the lake is in India and the remaining part is in Tibet. The Lake is situated on the lap of the snow capped barren mountains. It appeared heavenly and was indescribably beautiful. Dark blue ink like water, surrounded by snow capped mountains with bright blue sky at the top together made it a stunning sight. The most interesting features of this lake as we found was the variation of the shades of colour of its water with the movement of the sun. A permit is required to visit Pangong Tso which our travel agent acquired for us. Brackish water of Pangong does not support much aquatic life. However we spotted small fishes near the shore. We found lots of birds around Pangon., Brahmni Ducks and seagulls were in large numbers.
Spangmik-
Spangmik is the farthest point up to which foreigners are permitted to visit. It is only some seven km along the southern shore from the head of the lake, but it offered spectacular views of the mountains of the Changchenmo range in the north. Their reflections on the ever changing blues and greens of the lake’s brackish water was really fantastic. Above Spangmik are the glaciers and snow capped peaks of the Pangong range.
Spangmik and some scattered make shift tiny villages along the lake’s southern shore are the summer homes of Chang-Pa, the nomadic herds peoples of Tibet and south-East Ladhak. The Pangong Changpa cultivate sparse crops of barley and peas in summer. It is in winter that they fold their tents and take their flocks of sheep and Pashmina goats out to lower heights. 

Pangong Lake

Pangong Lake