By Ajit Brar

The place is beyond words. Pangong lake in Ladakh, At Least I can’t find the appropriate words in the Dictionary to describe the beauty of Pangong lake. It is like many canvases within one big canvas. The colors of sky, water, and the mountains are unbelievably beautiful and one can’t just stop looking at them. I could spend hours and hours just looking around as well as listening to the sound of water and breeze.

Pangong Tso is commonly known as endothermic lake meaning the lake water does not flow into the sea. Situated at the elevation of 14000 ft, it is 135 km long. The Karakoram mountain range which crosses Tajikistan, Pakistan,China,Tibet and India with heights of over 20,000 feet including K2 world second highest mountain ends at the north of Pangong lake in ladakh. 

The water of the lake appears to be dyed blue, standing in complete assessment of arid mountains.The lake is also known as changing colors, appearing blue, green and black depending upon the different climate conditions. 

It is divided into five sub lakes Pangon Tso, Tso Nyak, Rum Tso(twin lakes), Nyak Tso. The eastern part of the lake is fresh water which is in the China part and Western part of the lake is saline which is on the Indian side. During winter the lake freezes completely, despite the saline water. 

The lake is the breeding ground for the number of migratory words like Bar- headed goose and brahminy ducks. The region around the lake supports the wildlife species like kiang and marmot. 

The best season to visit the lake is from May to October. June and July are the peak season. During winter the road is closed as the Chang la pass and Khardung La are closed due to heavy snowfall.To visit the lake we need an inner line permit. 

The Journey towards the Shyok village is hypnotizing. We left behind the sand dunes of Nubra valley and moved along the Shyok river. 

The beautiful Shyok Valley kept us amazed with the breath- taking lookouts its dale presented along the way. Its turquoise waters lustered magnificently in the light of the morning sun and potent mountains rose behind the valley, its silent guardians since eternity. The ever- changing terrain, in an alliance with excessively dramatic skies, kept giving us this constant feeling of gliding through heaven, in a realm where the sense of space and time was lost.

On the way we also saw some deers crossing the road as I opened my camera. They went up to the mountains. but somehow I captured them. 

Another way to Pangong lake is via Wari la ,a high mountain pass. If you want to add more adventure in your trip then that’s the best route to cover it. Situated at 17427 ft above sea level is the highest pass in the Nubra valley. 

Once you reach Agham, there is T point where the left road would take you to Shyok village and right towards the Wari la. The route involves a lot of off-roading and tests your driving skills.The last 20 kms distance is too steep.This route is taken by only a few tourists. So you can hardly see any vehicle. When you reach the top, relax and cool down your vehicle. After crossing the pass there is the village Tathok followed by Sakti from there you can go Ladakh or start your Journey towards the beautiful blue lake via a Chang La pass. Why should we take this road? The answer is to explore more beautiful landscapes, to feel more adventure.

It is the entry point towards the pangong lake in Ladakh whether you come from Nubra valley or from Chang la pass. It is an army cantt area. After crossing the area we came across the grassland alongside the road in the vale. 10 km before the pangong lake you can see the sign boards which says” Stop Here To See the Rare Species Marmot.” If you stop there you can easily see the Marmot in a few minutes. Marmots are actually large squirrels who inhabit the mountain region.

The first view can be seen approximately 2 kms before you reach near the lake. This view is so spellbinding. You can see the blue blanket is locked between the mountains. Once you reach near the lake by crossing a zig zag road you feel like you are on a different planet.

The very first village is Spangmik. Most of the camps are there. The famous Three Idiots Picture Location is also there.Most of the tourists prefer to stay in camps near to the lake. 

The second one is Mann village which is about 5 km away from the Spangmik Village. You can find a lot of homestays and camps there also.It is a less crowded place.

If you want some solitude then Merak is a perfect place for you. It is the most beautiful village I have ever seen.The journey towards this village is very exciting. On the narrow road,one side its the blue lake on the other side you can see the emerald green mountains. The shadow of the mountains also makes the water of the lake green. You can barely see any person on this road. At one point, it feels like a never ending road. The village is situated at the snow-clad foothills of the mighty mountains in Ladakh. The people here welcome you warm heartedly in their homes, you can experience nomadic culture in this village.You can see the best stargazing in the country in Merak. 

The last village on the Indo-China border is Chushul Village. You can find more vegetation and life once you reach the Chushul valley. There is a war memorial in memory of the martyrs of indo-china war of 1962.