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The log:
Location |
Date |
Details |
---|---|---|
Akshay’s Home-Kalkaji |
11 jun 2012 |
After loading up, we start from Akshay’s home at around 5pm. Meter reading: 77662 |
RK’s Home-Janakpuri |
11 Jun 2012 |
After loading up some more supplies at RK’s place, Akshay, Kashan & Soumik head out of Delhi. 10:30 PM Meter reading:77768 |
Murthal |
12 jun 2012 |
Our first pitstop. Late night snack of parathas. |
Chandigarh |
12 jun 2012 |
we should’ve taken the bypass to roopnagar, but we ended up driving through chandigarh |
Swarghat |
12 jun 2012 |
Reach the doorway to the mountains at dawn |
Mandi |
12 jun 2012 |
breakfast |
Manali |
12 jun 2012 |
pass through and head across the river to vashisht |
Vashist |
12-14 jun 2012 |
Reach vashist on the 12th around 1pm. We rest for the next couple of days, check out old manali and get the paperwork done and head towards leh on the 14th. Meter reading: 787370 |
Marhi |
14 Jun 2012 |
Reach around 10:30 and wait till 12pm for the rohtang pass to open. |
Rohtang La |
14 Jun 2012 |
Go paragliding on our way up |
Gramphu |
14 Jun 2012 |
Fork in the road. We take the one that goes towards spiti |
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Chhatru |
14 Jun 2012 |
A beautiful little hamlet. Snack and head to Bhatal. Have our first misadventure, get stuck in a glacier, passersby help us. A little later we encounter another glacier, where the ice is too soft to drive over and we end up spending the night in the car. |
Bhatal |
15-16 Jun 2012 |
After the night in the car, we reach Batal. After a quick breakfast, we head towards Chandratal. Bad timing and inclement weather forces us to abort a 1km or 2 short of chandratal. We end up walking close to 20km but miss out on the lake. Leave the next morning. Meter reading: 78428 |
Chandratal |
15 Jun 2012 |
Aborted attempt at reaching the lake. We walk around 20km after a 3km drive up from batal, we couldn’t drive any further since the ice on the road hadn’t yet been cleared this year. |
Khoksar |
16 Jun 2012 |
Soumik catches a bus back to Delhi. We wait at khoksar for about 5 hrs for RK to come join us. |
Keylong |
16-18 Jun 2012 |
Reach Keylong late evening. Stay two nights, go site-seeing, stock up on diesel at tandi and visit the Khardong Gompa. Meter reading: Arr:78539 (16th) Dep: 78584 (18th) |
Khardong Gompa |
17 Jun 2012 |
|
Baralacha La |
18 Jun 2012 |
Catch a snow fall after crossing the pass (bharatpur) |
Sarchu |
18-19 Jun 2012 |
Spend the night in a tent. Probably one of the coldest nights of the trip. Meter reading:78701 |
Pang |
19 Jun 2012 |
Lunch |
Leh |
19-22 Jun 2012 |
Reach late evening, hunt for a hotel and food. Spend 3 days at Leh. Permits, repairs, sight-seeing, F&B. Places: Leh Palace, Tsemo Castle, Zorawar fort, Shey, Market, Nirvana Cafe, Amdo food, Mughal Restaurant, Masterchef café Meter reading: Arr:78966 Dep:78993 |
Khardung La |
22 Jun 2012 |
The highest point of our trip |
Khalsar |
22 Jun 2012 |
Quick bite |
Sumur |
22 Jun 2012 |
We stopped at the banks of the river and on our way back, one of the tyres got stuck. Had to enlist local youth to get it out. |
Panamik |
22- 23 Jun 2012 |
Hot springs |
Diskit |
23 Jun 2012 |
We were running low on fuel, a helpful trucker gave us some. |
Hundar |
23 Jun 2012 |
Sand dunes and a stream for a car wash |
Turtok |
23 Jun 2012 |
Reach around 8:30 pm. The northern most tip of the country. Hope we can go again some time when the apricot orchards are in full bloom. Meter reading:79333
|
Khardung La |
23 Jun 2012 |
Second major puncture on the trip. Some how make it to Leh |
Leh |
24- 26 Jun 2012 |
Reach around 9 on 24th. RK leaves for Delhi by late night bus. We stay for a couple of days, get repairs done, unwind and head to Pangong. Meter reading: Arr:79567 Dep:79582 |
Chang La |
26 Jun 2012 |
Snack |
Phobrang |
26 Jun 2012 |
On our way to Pangong we took a detour to Phobrang, a tiny little village but an absolutely stunning location. |
Spangmik (Pangong Tso) |
26-27 Jun 2012 |
Reach Spangmik around 6. Find a homestay and stay in a tent. Meter reading:79768 |
Chemrey |
27 Jun 2012 |
Visit the chemrey monastery |
Hemis |
27 Jun 2012 |
Hemis monastery, snack |
Upshi |
27-28 Jun 2012 |
Spend the night at the cross-roads town of Upshi. The next morning we wait for Mr.Mishra and gang to join us. We all leave for Tsomoriri around noon. Meter reading:79930 |
Chumathang |
28 Jun 2012 |
Passing through |
Sumdo |
28 Jun 2012 |
Fork in the road. One leads to Tso moriri and the other to Tso kar. The road is fine till Kyagar so, from there on it is non-existent. Good off-roading opportunity |
Karzok (Tso Moriri) |
28- 29 Jun 2012 |
reach in the evening. check in. check the lake out. Mishra and gang leave early next morning, we leave in the afternoon. Meter reading: Arr:80090 Dep:80110 |
Sumdo |
29 Jun 2012 |
This time towards Tso kar |
Tso Kar |
29 Jun 2012 |
We planned to head back towards manali. The plan was to stop for the night at Pang, but we ended up taking a wrong turn at Debring and landed up in Rumste |
Debring |
29 Jun 2012 |
The vast open fields at debring can be quite confusing, the lack of proper signage led to us making the wrong turn |
Rumste |
29-30 Jun 2012 |
Stop for the night. |
Pang |
30 Jun 2012 |
Quick meal |
Sarchu |
30 Jun 2012 |
Quick repairs. |
Zing Zing bar |
30 Jun – 1 Jul 2012 |
Have some major trouble in the car. Somehow make it across the pass and spend the night at Zing zing bar. Meter reading:80473 |
Keylong |
1 Jul 2012 |
Major repairs. Spend 2-3 hrs. Finally car is ‘driveable’ again |
Rohtang La |
1 Jul 2012 |
Spend 2-3 hrs at the pass due to landslide. |
Palchan road |
1-2 Jul 2012 |
Find a nice little cottage/homestay place at Palchan, 8-10 km before Manali. Meter reading: Arr:80650 Dep: 80675 |
Chandigarh |
3 Jul 2012 |
Reach chandigarh late night, had to rendezvous with a bunch of bikers who had left some stuff behind at Palchan |
Puran Singh ka Dhaba (Ambala) |
3 Jul 2012 |
Late dinner at one of the “Puran Singh ka Dhaba” s |
Kalkaji |
3 Jul 2012 |
Get back home around 8:30 am. |