Chang La, the 3rd Highest Motorable Road in the World, in winter

Marsimek La is a killer climb, Khardung La rises out of nowhere, but the climb is pretty easy. Chang La is one of the more steeper climbs. It is known for the boulders that greet everyone during the climb. At 17,586 feet, Chang La (Pass towards the South), is the third highest motorable road in the world after Marsimek La and Khardung La.


This is the pass that connects the rest of Ladakh with the picturesque Pangong Tso lake. I was here in the peak of winter and it was quite an experience. Thankfully, the roads were not snowed in due to a lack of snowfall. But, as we climbed up towards Chang La, we found a whole lot of boulders blocking our path.


It took us a good 25 minutes and after a lot of huffing and panting (due to lack of oxygen), we were finally able to remove the boulders or at least create enough way for our jeep to go by. The sensational snow covered Chang la and the heated tea shop on the top helped in getting our breath back and also some warmth back into our cold bones (especially our feet).


From this pass onwards, the landscape changes into more desert-like and this forms the Changthang Plateau and Tangtse is the main village in it. The aura of the spectacular vistas here is totally worth the drive to this place. One should definitely experience this place.

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Pangong Tso in winter

Pangong Tso is one of India’s most beautiful places. It looks picturesque in the summer, which is the peak tourist season, but I wanted to see how it looks in the extremely cold winter months. And that’s how I landed here during my winter backpacking trip to Ladakh.


Pangong Tso is a high altitude (14,270 feet) lake located in the western Himalayas of Ladakh. 40% of this lake comes under India while the remaining 60% comes under the purview of China occupied Tibet. Since this lake area falls under the sensitive India-China border, one needs an inner line permit to visit this Himalayan lake.


Completed surrounded by the mighty Himalayas, the lake colour varies from a emerald blue to a turquoise green. While I was here, the temperatures were about minus 15 degrees celsius, but the wind chill factor would have been 5 degrees lower. In spite of such low temperatures, the lake was frozen only at the edges. It is said that the lake freezes only for a couple of weeks or so every winter. The best part is that it freezes real quick and unfreezes with great speed too.


When the lake completely freezes over, the ice gets so thick that one can actually drive a jeep over it. The Indian army is known to organize skating games over it during such times. But, in all this, I sometimes wonder, how does a saline lake, such as the Pangong Tso really freeze. I tried tasting its water and found it be more saline than sea water.


But, on the other hand, during the summer months, the atmosphere at the lake is more bearable, though the lack of oxygen can still be felt, though not as bad as winter. But, the colours get prettier in summer as the clouds stay away during the warm months. What one gets to see in the ‘3 Idiots’ movie is the summer view. What you get to see here are the winter views.

 
If you wish to be one with nature, then winter is the time. The spectacular sights of the lake, its surrounding hills, the rarified temperature, the complete lack of living beings, the bone-chilling weather and the absolute peace is a perfect concoction for a heady paradise mix.

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