best time to visit Pangong lake Archives

You must have heard these movies, and many would have watched this movie-3, idiot!What about Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and Jab tak hai Jaan…Did you know some scenes of these movies were shot in Pangong lake itself! That indicates the beauty of this place, which attracts thousands of people every year to Pangong Lake, and it remains a must-visit spot for most of the tourists who come to Leh. The bonfire camping and the clear waters with the sunset reflecting on the lake are some memories you’ll take along forever. And yes, the colors of the lake change from day to day and are seasonal, basis-something not to be missed at all. Ahh, what about watching the Milky Way from Hanle in a clear night sky! The Milky Way view is a real treat for those who visit Hanle. What are you all waiting for, folks! Get a flight to Leh and go for a joyful roller coaster…

Reasons why you must visit Hanle and Pangong Tso(Lake):

Do you love the night sky full of stars ?? If yes, fly to Hanle and stare all night at the clear crystal sky, which would make your night!

Do you know there are different colors of Pangong as seasons change? Yes, that is true.. interesting enough to visit this place!
What about the sunset views by the lakeside and couple with snow-capped mountains? You don’t want to miss them, right!Hop into Pangong Tso region…

Camping Ummm, I almost forgot! A bonfire? How’s the idea. Crazy right! What are you waiting for? Pack your bags, rush to Pangong Lake, and set up a bonfire beside it!
A winter experience in summers.!!Yes, you heard it right! You’ll feel chills in the wind both at Pangong and Hanle. So don’t hesitate to bring your woolen jacket!

Location: Both Hanle and Pangong fall on the east part of Ladakh UT.250 odd kilometers east of Leh, and you hop in these two places but do remember both places are 300 km apart! So set aside four days, and you are good to go!

Tourist Attraction on the spot:

Pangong Tso offers a plethora of beauty with crystal clear waters unto which the reflection of snow-capped mountains happens. The sunrise and sunset are not to be missed. Hanle is known for clear skies, which help see the milky way galaxy. It’s just a treat to watch at clear midnight. Also, there’s a monastery in Hanle.

Tourist Attraction in Vicinity:

You can visit Khardungla (Pass), Hunder , Tso Moriri, and Turtuk within a radius of 300 km.

Distance Charts:(Ex Pangong tso | Ex Hanle)

How to Reach Pangong Tso(Ex Leh):

Road Routes:

Leh-Shey-Karu-Changla Pass-Tangtse-Phobrang-Pangong Tso

How to Reach Hanle(Ex Leh):

Road Routes:

Leh-Shey-Karu-Upshi-Kiari-Chumathang-Mahe-Mood-Hanle

IMPORTANT NOTE FROM MY EXPERIENCE:

1)The night sky at Hanle is worth a watch(the only reason to be here), but do see weather predictions for overcast conditions beforehand.

2)Have a thick woolen jacket for Hanle and Pangong Lake because, even in June, you’ll see sub-zero temperatures in the night and early morning as soon as Sun says goodbye or hasn’t knocked on nature’s door!

3) Prefill vehicle oil tanks as petrol pumps are less numbered.

4)Snacks and meals are scant outside Leh. So, in that case, have food and water with you.

5)Buses can be advised only if you have plenty of time to wait for the day the bus will go to the destination. The buses run once a week to these places and return the next day. Hence if you are short on time, share a car ride with fellow passengers.

RAIL:Railways aren’t an option to reach Hanle or Pangong Lake .You can reach Jammu or Chandigarh by rail and after that,you are all on highways.

AIR:Leh is the nearest airport after which shared cars/buses can only take you to these two places.

ROAD:You first need to come to Leh either through Rohtang Pass(June onwards) from Manali side or from Srinagar side via Zozila Pass.After this,you can either get a shared car through an agent or go by once a week state transport bus.

In case you want to reach from Delhi or Chandigarh,the Shimla-Manali-Leh corridor shall be a better choice in terms of scenery and safety , which will take 3 days with a one day halt at Keylong to acclimatize.Even from Jammu side,it will take 3 days but acclimatize option can be left out pretty easily.

Map:

Time to Visit:

Mid June to Mid October(There’s no rains in june through September here).

Excellent camping facilities at Pangong Tso

Spend Time With:

Family,Friends,Solo,Couple,Groups

Food and Lodging:

Hotels will be available in both places, but Hanle might be having trouble due to fewer accommodation facilities. However, the hotel prices are reasonable, and food in these hotels is also available reasonably. Except for Pangong Tso, prebooking is advised on the online portal for Hanle and Leh, especially for peak season(June to September/October). Food is hardly available in transit except for Chumathang, for example. So, have food and water in your bags. Goibibo, MakeMyTrip, EaseMyTrip if you want a booking. Zomato and swiggy can be used for food bookings!

Expense:

This was a 4 day (1.5 days actual * 2) trip by shared car for Pangong Tso and state bus for Hanle. There were 2 night stays at Leh as for both the places weren’t covered in a circuit.

Food:INR 200/person/day(3 times a day)X4
Transport:INR 1500 for booking a shared car for local sight seeing (would be 300 INR by bus) .Hanle covered by state bus at INR 300 approx
Lodging:INR 700/day X2 @ Leh,X1 @ Pangong, X1@Hanle
Entry Fees includes various places (varies):No entry fees

A mamot posing at camera near Pangong Lake

Total: 7000 INR( Can be brought down to 4500 INR by public transport and cheap food/lodging)