D10 - Monday 23-7-07 Leh

After a two day rest in Leh, our group was ready for action. Through a local travel agency in Leh, we had booked a jeep to Pangong Tso , the largest lake in Ladakh which stretches for 130km into Tibet. To visit this lake, our travel agent had to apply for a permit from the relevant wildlife authorities and each of us paid Rs1,300=Rm117 which includes the hire of a driver and a jeep plus permit ( Rs500=Rm45 ) . The trip was to start at 9.00am and an overnight stay in a tourist camp not far from the Pangong Tso lake.

Some pictures taken on the rugged terrains and winding roads at the beginning of our journey from Leh to Pangong Tso:


To get to Pangong Tso lake, our jeep had to pass through the Chang La pass (5,289m=17.800ft). This was the most challenging part of the trip ! As expected, one of our HC members suffered from high altitude sickness and we had to make a quick descend after taking some pictures at the highest point of the pass.

The mountain scenery at the highest point of this pass was spectacular and awesome ! Snow capped mountain, mountain glaciers, walls of rocks, stupa surrounded with strings of prayer-flags, soldier's sentry post, thin and cold mountain air , all these made our visit to this mountain paradise a most memorable one !

At 57, I am proud to be standing next to a marker which says "Welcomes you to mighty Changla -Alt 17.800ft" , the world's 3rd highest mountain pass !

" My proudest moment - Is this a dream ? A hard landing on this high mountain pass ? "