Author Archive | Gilles & Heidi

Tso Kar – On Top of the World or At the End?

By Gilles & Heidi on 5. August 2013 in Ladakh

Ladakhi nomads, between Tso Kar & Tso Moriri, Ladakh, India

Once we turned east off the Mandali Road, the landscape turned even more spectacular. Soon we spotted a nomad camp right along the tracks. We had hoped for so much to meet Changpa Nomads… A few kids, barely able to walk, were playing in the dust next to the road. Our stop made the rest of the family leave their tent or whatever chores they were doing. Their burned and frost bitten faces mirrored their harsh life. Living in tents through a winter at 5.000 meters with those extreme temperatures was beyond our imagination. Continue Reading →

Another Loop, Down South This Time

By Gilles & Heidi on 5. August 2013 in Ladakh

Road construction workers at Tagang La, Ladakh, India

At the police check point in Upshi, the super correct police officer found out that our permit for Tso Moriri started the following day. Big excitement! Gilles having a loud and angry telephone conversation with the agency who made the mistake, the mobile phone of the policemen playing music at full volume and all the drivers discussing the situation. Heidi took a look at the map and everything was solved. Instead of doing the loop west to east we would start with Tso Kar, which does not require a permit. Continue Reading →

Another Monastery Loop West – Likir, Alchi & Lamayuru

By Gilles & Heidi on 4. August 2013 in Ladakh

Lamayuru Monastery or Yuru Gompa, Kargil District, Jammu & Kashmnir, India

During our three weeks in Ladakh, not one single festival was held in a monastery. None! Dates of the festivals are linked both to the moon calendar and to complex astrological considerations, thus their dates can vary widely. We simply did not check carefully enough! Continue Reading →

Exchanging with Fellow Travelers

By Gilles & Heidi on 3. August 2013 in Ladakh

Lunch in Korzok, near Tso Moriri – Good, that Anne and Yann had bought a cheese, a welcome change from Dal & Rice – Ladakh, India

Like during all our trips we met so very interesting people. In Turtuk we befriended Anne & Yann, a French couple who was travelling on public transport through Ladakh. On the particular day we met them, Yann had traveled on the roof of a bus carrying 60 people. Why he was on the roof? The bus had only 23 seats! Continue Reading →

Turtuk – Slowing Down

By Gilles & Heidi on 2. August 2013 in Ladakh

Turtuk, the last village in the Shyok Valley before the Pakistani border, Baltistan, India

Where we stayed? At Maha Guesthouse. Surrounded by a sea of flowers and greenery it was the first guesthouse that opened, in 2010. But the season was ruined by the horrible mudslide in Leh that year and serious flooding in the Shyok Valley. The super friendly and most helpful owner speaks English really well and cooks delicious food. No wonder his 10 rooms (800 to 1.000 Rupees) are full every day. The increasing number of tourists has tempted several of his neighbors to open a guesthouse as well and we spotted several homestays. Continue Reading →

Turtuk – As Far As You Can Go

By Gilles & Heidi on 2. August 2013 in Ladakh

Turtuk, the last village in the Shyok Valley before the Pakistani border, Baltistan, India

Who would expect an oasis at 3.000 meters? Turtuk village, like the few other villages in the Shyok valley, sits on a plateau about 200 meters uphill from the small road that runs along the Shyok River. Completely out of sight from the road, only the fields down at the riverbank give away human activity.
A steep ten-minute climb brings you to a place of incredible beauty, a display of immense fertility. Plots – neatly fenced in by small stonewalls – glow in different shades of green or golden with wheat sheaf swaying heavy on the stems. We identified potatoes, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, tomatoes, but lots of other vegetables we did not know. The branches of the apricot- and apple trees hang low from the weight of the many fruits. Even grapes grow at this height. Continue Reading →

Middle School in Bodgang

By Gilles & Heidi on 1. August 2013 in Ladakh

Visiting the middle school in Bodgang, a still rather untouched village above the road on the way to Turtuk, Shyok Valley, Baltistan, India

The unexpected is always the best. Our travel companion Luc suggested to stop in the small village of Bodgang, There was not really anything to see, a few shops along the road, fields running towards the river. Then someone pointed uphill and so we climbed that way to find a lovely village surrounded by fields and apricots trees. Continue Reading →

Asylum Seekers

By Gilles & Heidi on 1. August 2013 in Ladakh

Hundar’s Double Humped Camels

Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus), between Hundar and Diskit, Shyok Valley, Baltistan, Ladakh, India

Bacterian double – humped camels are Hundar’s only attraction. Non-natives to Ladkah, these camels were used on the trade route to Central Asia. In the 1940s, after the borders closed in this area of the world, the creatures got stranded in Baltistan. Continue Reading →

Nubra Valley and Shyok Valley

By Gilles & Heidi on 31. July 2013 in Ladakh

Ladakh is a high altitude desert, with once in a while small ribbons of green run down a slope, nourished by small stream running – Here Gangla Village, on the way from Leh to Khardung La, Ladakh, India

Descending from Khardung La (5.602 meters) towards Nubra Valley, we passed through Ladakh’s second highest village, Khardung, at 4.400 meters! Its lush green beauty brings every traveller to a halt. Given the spectacular scenery we allowed numerous photo-stops and hence five hours for travelling the 115 kilometers between Leh to Khalsar. Continue Reading →

Blocked at the Very Top – Road Constructions