Khardungla Pass is a dream of many riders and today we are on the footsteps of that dream becoming true.
After a day of relaxation in Leh city witnessing Shanti Stupa, Leh Palace, Leh Market and few more near by sights. Our 2nd day in Ladakh will be one of the most adventurous and dream come true day.
Khardungla is a dream come true
I visited Khardungla pass in 2012 on my first time travel to Ladakh and there I met a motorcyclist who came to Ladakh on a Royal Enfield classic with India’s flag proudly waving in front of his bike. He came far from Bangalore.
He was not the only one, there were more people on their motorcycles and one of them was with his wife and kid on his RE classic. Winds were gussing at high speeds, snow all around and people looking for shelter. That was my moment of inspiration.
I decided then and there, that one day I will also come to Ladakh and specially to Khardungla on a motorcycle.
PAST TO PRESENT
I made this promise in 2021 and here in 2022, I am at Leh going to the mighty Khardungla pass. Truely I am scared, my first visual of Khardungla was of extreme snow and gusty winds.
Moreover, I heard stories of bikers slipping on black ice which make me more nervous. It is my first ever bike tour this far and that too on a challenging terrain.
A day we landed in Leh, we heard that Khardung La is closed for bikers due to heavy snow and black Ice buid up. We were not even sure that we could be allowed the next day.
WHY KHARDUNG LA ?
Finally, on day 2 the sun was shining bright and we are thrilled to know that we can travel to Khardung La pass. Khardung La is not just a sight where one must pay their visit moreover, it is a key pass between Lah and Nubra Valley.
It is possibly the shortest route from Leh to Nubra valley which is around 115 Kms.
There are other routes too, which can be driven to reach Nubra valley-Diskit-Hunder but they are long example Leh-Chang La-Nubra-Diskit is 260 Kms. One would only travel this long when Khardung La is not open.
FIRST POINT – SOUTH PULLU
After starting from Leh, the first check point is South Pullu. You have to register yourself at this point. From here you will start seeing snow glaciers and valleys which will mesmerize you. Leh to South Pullu is approx. 26 Kms. and from South Pullu to Khardung La pass is approx. 47 Kms.
When we started from South Pullu towards Khardung la, the snow starting to fall so we had to wore our rain jacket and pants. The weather changes frequently on high passes so one must be fully prepared for any extreme weather situation.
Khardung La Pass
After riding in snow, only one phobia causing fear inside me and it was black ice and bad roads of Khardung La pass, however I kept my nerves in control, we crossed some mesmerizing views and reached Khardung la by noon. Weather was on and off, there was snow on the top but not much as it was in 2012.
It is a dream come true at least for me. A promise which I made in 2012 was accomplished and luckily there was no black ice. It was a very emotional moment for all of us. We captured those special moments and stayed there for a while.
Khardung La is at 18000 Feet. so staying there for long is not recommended due to lower levels of oxygen and chance of weather changing gears any moment. You can enjoy tea at Army canteen other than that there is nothing much for once eat. It is only the awesome feeling and mesmerizing views, I am sure you won’t think about food among that.
DECEND – NORTH PULLU
After crossing Khardung La pass it was all snow and bad roads filled with big path holes, it is due to frequent snow and constant traffic movement of heavy vehicles, keepjng roads in good shape is a challenge for BRO, who maintain these roads.
Next viewpoint on this route is North Pullu, there you can take a break and enjoy local food like Thupka, which is a traditional ladakhi soup. You may or may not find it to you like, but it is very healthy for sure.
Unlike South pullu which is rocky terrain, North Pullu offers some green scenic views and white glaciers. It is just like a scenery which we often saw in pictures. We captured some reels and pictures with water flowing from the galciers.
KHARDUNG – DISKIT – HUNDER
Next checkpoint after North Pullu is Khardung on which Khardung La pass is named. Distance from North Pullu to Khardung is just 17 Kms. After crossing Khardung, you will witness the beautiful blue water Shyok river which flows close to the road till Diskit.
Diskit is the town which is famous for the Diskit Monestary. We did not stopped here as we had to reach Hunder which is only 10 to 11 Kms and is famous for the sand dunes.
We were suppose to stay for the night in Hunder and cover Diskit on the very next day.
There are many hotels, homestays and camps in Hunder. One can choose based on availability and choice. However, I recommend to book one in advance specially in May-June as instant availability might be a challenge and may cost more.
Out stay at Hunder
We reached late when the sun was set and with no pre-booked property we had to struggle for some time in finding a camp. We checked out few hotels but they were too expensive for our budget.
A camp based on the season and situation could cost between 2K to 3K INR. However, it could be higher in case of high demand and peak season.
We parked our bikes in the camp’s parking and enjoyed our dinner in the camp itself. The next day is going to be an emotional one, why that would be clear in my next blog when we reach India-Pakistan border in our next blog.
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