Pensi La Archives - EXPLORE WITH BOB

If you are coming all over to Leh and Srinagar and thinking of skipping Zanskar for next time, sorry to say you are missing the cherry on the cake! That’s where I rank Zanskar on my list of travel-somewhere close to Spiti Valley, right on top of the most recommended places in the Indian Himalayan circuit. The beauty lies mainly en route to Padum rather than Padum itself. So, don’t miss out on Zanskar-it should be there in your itinerary at any cost! I will post amazing photos and a youtube video wrt Zanskar Valley, and you can always visit my insta id-explorewithbob1, where you’ll find beautiful Himalayan photos shot by me!

5 Reasons why you must visit Zanskar Valley:

When Zanskar is on our trip list, the Chadar trek comes to mind right out of nowhere! Choose the coldest month of December to February and unleash your adventure avatar trekking on the frozen Zanskar River at sub-zero temperature for about a week to reach Padum-the center of the valley. Vegetation is largely compromised with lots of fun around with snow to play with!

Zanskar Valley is known for its picturesque landscape from Panikhar through Rangdum to Padum. The greenery with shades of haunting whites imbibed with turquoise water lakes makes the journey too memorable to be forgotten.
Padum, once a capital of the Zanskar kingdom, and Rangdum are pretty towns, with Padum having a more naked shade of browns and Rangdum shading whites on one side and greens on the other. Rangdum is arguably more beautiful than Padum, with a stream flowing by and Drang Drung glacier visible in the vicinity.
Pensi La is a beautiful pass that marks the division between Suru and Zanskar Valley-It is surrounded by glaciers and has lakes in patches, a shade of greenery too! The Zanskar and Suru rivers originate from these glaciers.

Want some mountaineering engine gushing on in months of summer-wait no further-Nun and Kun peaks where the famous Shafat glacier is waiting to welcome you. Relish the adventure of trekking to these Nun-Kun peaks, closely watching the Shafat glacier passing by.

Location: Padum is 230 km south of Kargil, which takes nearly 9-10 hours by shared cars(buses are hardly available) due to pathetic road conditions after Parkachik.Water is all over the roads, and nallahs and landslides are plenty. So prepare for a day’s exercise through this treacherous section!

Tourist Attraction on the spot:

Padum has a lot to offer in terms of landscape and historical monuments.-Phutgtal, stongdey, Marsha, and Sani monastery, among others.

Tourist Attraction in Vicinity:

You can visit Rangdum, Shafat Glacier trek, and can see Lahaul (Keylong area) via Darcha via Shinkula Pass(open to public from June 2021-yayy-Good news, right! 🙂 )

Distance Charts:(From Zanskar/Padum)

How to Reach Padum:

Road Routes:

From Leh: Leh-Shey-Thiksey-Hemis-Upshi-Kiari-Chumathang-Karzok-Tso Moriri Lake viewpoint
From Manali: Leh-Shey-Thiksey-Hemis-Upshi-Kiari-Chumathang-Karzok-Tso Moriri Lake viewpoint
A gompa near Sani monastery

IMPORTANT NOTE FROM MY EXPERIENCE:

1)Roads are treacherous. That’s the first and foremost factor you must keep in mind. This is a challenge that one must overcome-what fun when there is no challenge to see Heaven’s beauty-correct! Isn’t it?

2)Roads are nallahs. So have spare tires with you and drive slow and steady!

3) There are long stretches with no sign of villages, petrol bunks, and food stalls. So, carry snacks, water, and surplus petrol/diesel with you

4)Journey is long and tiresome. So be ready for 10-12 hours of rest once you get to Padum. The roads do make the 230 km Kargil-Padum stretch look way more tedious than it is.

5)Request your driver to start early and stop at a few places to get good shots! It’s worth stopping a while from capturing the beautiful Suru-Zanskar Valley features! There’s so much to see within such a short distance-You’ll feel like watching nature for hours from this road route.

The en route vista towards Rangdum Gompa

6)Padum is worthy of a day stay.Do hire a vehicle and see the monasteries and beautiful landscape from the hilltops.

RAIL:Railways is a dream after Shimla/Srinagar,.hereafter you make roadways your friend 😉

You can watch the below video to get a better idea! Do like and share if you find it informative!

AIR: Leh/Chandigarh/Srinagar is the nearest airport to Zanskar Valley.

ROAD: You first must come to Kargil either through Rohtang Pass(June onwards) from Manali or Srinagar via Zozila Pass. Also, you can opt for the newly inaugurated Darcha-Padum road, which saves the hassle of making a round trip. This route is especially useful if you are short on time for Zanskar or want to go towards Srinagar via the most scenic route in the Ladakh region! Unfortunately, HRTC buses may not be available throughout this route.

Map:

Leh Kargil Padum Road trip Map — Leh Kargil Padum Road Map for Zanskar Valley

Time to Visit:

Early June to Mid October(avoid snow melting months like May or early June, or late October)

Spend Time With:

Family, Friends, Solo

Food and Lodging:

Hotels are in good numbers in Padum along with eateries.No need for bookings as the crowd is much less for this sector. So on your way, have snacks and water with you. Refer to Goibibo, Makemytrip, and Easemytrip if you want a booking.

Expense:

For a three-day trip by shared public car for Zanskar Valley ( Ex Kargil), with two night stays at Padum, the cost was as follows:

Food: INR 150/person/day(3 times a day)X2

Transport: INR 600 INR by shared car;3500 INR for Padum local sightseeing(either you walk or hire such a vehicle-your choice!)

Lodging: INR 700/day X2 at Padum(two nights stay)

Entry Fees include various places (varies):100 INR as a safe side

Sani Festival at Sani Monastery

Total: 6500 INR

Pensi La

Zanskar Valley-Breathtaking views with greenery and snow in a mix