Road Journey To Ladakh- Some Tips For a Safe and Sound Travel

Road Journey To Ladakh Begins

Have you ever tried travelling by road towards the mountains of northern India?  If you are determined and are an adventure freak like me then I’m sure you will enjoy the journey without missing out on scenic splendours and fantastic picnic spots to give you a break as you sojourn while you travel.  Reaching Ladakh by road will undoubtedly take at least 5 to 6 days but will satiate most of your desires of a romantic or a thrilling drive towards the sturdy lords.

Hundreds of both Indian as well as foreign tourists see Delhi as the main junction to travel towards the north. Of course you have flights or rail routes from major other cities such as Mumbai or Bangalore, but if you want to seek the adventure travelling through roadways then Delhi is apt to ‘begin’ with the same.

The Road Journey Guide-I

Delhi to Chandigarh

The route from Delhi to Chandigarh is a comfortable one, try it anyways.  There are frequent domestic airlines that will drop you to Chandigarh from Delhi in just 40 minutes. Trains like Shatabdi Express will take not more than 3 hours to reach to Chandigarh. Add one more hour and you can safely travel by roadways as well.  The total distance is around 250 kilometres.  I would suggest you carry some nuts or a pack of munchies along with a few juice packs to satiate your hunger on the way. The inns or small hotels that serve food on the highway may not always be of your taste.  Yet, if you are a food freak then trying is simply fun. Go for a normal Punjabi cuisine that can be prepared quickly and with expertise rather than going for any exotic out-of-the –track dishes such as pasta or burgers. Try them only if you find any franchisees around like Macdonald’s (You may find that close to the city like Ambala that falls in the way to Chandigarh).  Don’t miss out reading the city names on the highway boards such as Sonipat, Panipat, and Ambala and so on.  Well, once you reach Chandigarh you have arrived to a hub of Malls and fantastic food joints.  

Keep in mind some famous sectors for shopping and eats:

1.       Sector 17

2.       Sector 21

3.       Keep driving straight ahead of Chandigarh if you don’t want to break your journey and you will definitely find plenty of hotels and malls on the way too.

Happy Sojourning at this clean and green city before you begin for the actual adventure.

Leh – The Prime Junction For all Tourist Spots

Leh – The Prime Junction For all Tourist Spots

Ladakh has innumerable beautiful places to visit and explore. From monasteries to highest located lakes, from colourful Tibetan bazaars to the hot springs located in the north, Ladakh is truly mesmerizing. However one should understand that to a newcomer, Leh serves as a prime junction. Whether you travel a distance of 150 kms for the famous Pangong-Tso Lake or the scenic Tso-Morari Lake, you will have to return back to the junction that is Leh and plan for another location’s visit the next day. Of course there are facilities for sojourning overnight at such vibrantly beautiful places but the return back to the junction is inevitable.

For shoppers, Leh serves as a prime destination for antiques and handicrafts. You will also come across shops selling the famous Chinese brocade. Don’t miss out the famous Kashmiri ‘Kahewa’ ( a blend of Kashmiri aromatic spices such as the rich saffron, tea leaves, dry fruits and other condiments to form a rich flavor for that luxurious warm drink in winters) which a tourist  can easily find in any of the Kashmir stores selling their traditional handicrafts, wool and other related items.  Leh is the only place with a balanced population during the summers.

The winters are a witness to sparseness when it comes to its own residents. Most of the tradesmen and business class public fluctuates to places like Goa or Delhi for business. The winters here are harsh and severe. So there’s hardly any chance of profit for these people beginning from October to May.