Prologue, Itinerary & Updates | Zanskar DoW Mega Meet 2015

As soon as the Mega Meet registration opened, we had put an upper cap of 60 people this time but before we got our senses in control, about 82 people had already booked their tickets and assured conformation by sending those tickets to us within 4-5 days which forced us to close the registrations. However, despite the strong rules this year many personal problems and other issues came up for people and finally the count in the last week was around 60. People started their journeys who wanted to explore the Kashmir and in between three cars had to return for one or the other reason leaving us with a number of 42 people who completed majority of the Mega Meet 2015 in Ladakh & Zanskar Valley. Finally, the day came (4th September 2015) and in our convoy of vehicles we had 3 Bikes, 3 XUVs, 1 Fortuner, 1 Pajero, 1 Xylo, 1 Innova, 1 Aria and 3 other cars which returned with a total of 42 devils on board in them. Many of them were second timers to DoW Mega Meet and I surely know that they also strongly believe or trust in DoW Mega Meet which we say is always an experience that one must run through LifeMeinBaarBaar. About the trip, all I can say to start with is:

11 days or 3500+ kms; chill of minus 6 degree of last day or now 36 degree of today; wonderland of Zanskar or hiddenland of Changthang; a big convoy of 8 self drive cars, 3 taxis and 3 bikes or you call 50 odd free souls in heaven; loads of uncertainties or hundreds of emotions; days full of colors or days full of adventures; sleeping with 20 odd devils in one room on floor or stranded with two tyre bursts in a land higher than khardung la; spreading the smiles in zanskar or spreading the smiles in changthang; some billion stars studded night or some breathless nights of low oxygen; an emotional moment at kargil war memorial or a not so happy services of zanskar stay; scaling the mighty Kaksang la with 13 high mountain passes or witnessing the serene beauty of 10 lakes; magnanimous hospitality by locals of Ladakh or amazing bonding/understanding among all devils; we call them roads or we call them only off roads; stranded in the middle of nowhere with numb hands or sleeping in warm hospitality of locals of Hanle; smiles on the faces of all devils everyday or sadness of separation on the last day; and much more to it…. This is what DoW Mega Meet 2015 was felt like by all devils who joined from various parts of our beautiful country!!!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all the devils to come along and join this arduous journey in remote parts of trans Himalayas to participate in DoW Causes and do what we, Devils, do best – Spreading Smiles in Himalayas… Yet another ever memorable journey with you all comes to an emotional end but only to begin preparations for the DoW Mega Meet 2016….

As I kick start this epic travel tale of Zanskar Valley & Changthang region of Ladakh, in this article I will just brief out the plan we followed, the road conditions over that route and the expenses that incurred in general to most of us.

Itinerary of Zanskar & Changthang DoW Mega Meet 2015

As usual, we were carrying our DoW – Maps of Ladakh | Nubra Valley & Changthang and our itinerary had couple of deep regions of Changthang marked over it including the passes which stand higher than Khardung La or Chang La. Well, we had 11 days in hand and we followed the following itinerary in these 11 days:

• Day 1: We took a flight to Srinagar and kicked off the mega meet 2015 there. We had our lunch at Drass and stayed overnight at Hotel Greenland in Kargil. We reached Kargil around 6.30 PM and started from Srinagar at 9.45 AM.
• Day 2: Started early morning at 7.20 AM and struggled our way on bad roads all the way to Padum crossing through Rangdum – Penzi La to reach around 6.30 PM. We stayed at Hotel Marq which was comfortable in stay though in terms of services offered and other Hotel Ibex (rooms full of spiders) dented the spirits of many of us right at the start of the trip.
• Day 3: Stayed in Padum and explore Karsha monastery and Stongde monastery in Padum, we went to Sheela village to see the waterfall and executed DoW Causes in the village to spread some smiles.
• Day 4: After seeing the harshness of Rangdum on the way, many of us decided to skip the stay there and rightway go to Kargil. However, even rest of us were forced to reach Kargil due to disputes in taxi unions of Leh and Kargil so that we could communicate our pickup from Kargil in better way. We did DoW Causes in the school behind Rangdum monastery and believe me that smiles around in each class were just priceless !! This time we stayed at Hotel Siachen in Kargil as Greenland was full. We left Padum at 8 AM and reached Kargil by 6.15 PM.
• Day 5: We ran over NH1 to Leh from Kargil covering Lamayuru moonland, pathar sahib, magnetic hill, basgo ruins to reach Leh at night around 8.30 PM. We stayed at Hotel K2 this time in Leh and I was lucky to receive the hospitable dinner from one of the driver Chamba at his lovely home. He was not with us on the trip as Ringzin was with us but he has took my promise to have dinner at his home well in advance. I never ate such nice momos and sweet corn soup before, may be the warmth of his family and their hospitality turned it into special.
• Day 6: We started at 9 AM from Leh for Hanle going through Chumathang. It almost was 10 AM as we quitted Leh with many issues running around. We reached Hanle at 6 PM and stayed overnight at Padma Homestay.
• Day 7: We executed DoW Causes at the primary school of Hanle (click link to see smiles) yet again this time and after which many of us were quite emotional to see the smiles around us 🙂 🙂 … We continued to explore the hiddenland around Hanle. Firstly attempted the Photi La pass that stands second highest (after Marsimik La) in Ladakh region in terms of motorable road but due to road closure and very high risk involved in taking alternate route, we decided to head back. We continued to Horala to witness the beautiful Yaye Tso lake from there and then further went on the same road to scale up Kaksang La that just stands third after Photi La in Ladakh region. We had a glimpse of Mitpal Tso lake from the Kaksang La pass and started back towards Mahe to sleep at Chumathang and Mahe partially as different groups. Well, this was the day when the real adventure begun as just short of 3 KMs from Kaksang La in the land of no one, our car had two tyres bursted and got us stranded with sun going down, chill getting its toll, very high altitude ready to kill us… How we survived?? Well, you have to wait for the travel tale to be up for that part 😉
• Day 8: We visited Tso Moriri lake in the morning from Chumathang and went on to sleep at Tso Kar lake
• Day 9: We started at 6 AM from Tso Kar and reached Mandi at 11 PM at night to save a day for us. The journey over Manali – Leh Highway is always as special as it should always be 🙂
• Day 10: By evening we got back home from Mandi by taking the route from Jahu – Bhota – Una.

• Srinagar – Sonamarg – Zojila Pass – Drass – Kargil: Most places it is good. But a little bumpy and dusty roads near Zojila Pass. Rest barring few patches of bad roads, all is quite good.
• Kargil – Sankoo – Purikutchey: Quite excellent roads all the and you can easily maintain a speed of about 50-55 KMPH for this 60 odd KMs stretch.
• Purikutchey – Parkachik: Average roads but seems OK.
• Parkachik – Rangdum: Some quite very bad sections and tricky especially for small cars which will take some beating.
• Rangdum – Penzi La – Padum: Almost a dirt track or off roading, bumpy and struggle for small cars. After Parkachik, things remain same all the way to Padum
• Kargil – Mulbekh – Lamayuru – Khaltsi – Nimmu – Leh: Apart from the road between Mulbekh and Kargil where maintenance work is going on, the road was excellent in condition all the way to Leh.
• Leh – Chumathang: Mix of good and average roads but nothing a small call will struggle or have issues. Road work going on and even small cars can do it at ease.
• Chumathang – Mahe – Loma – Hanle: Well tarred roads, mostly excellent.
• Mahe – Sumdo – Namashang La – Kiagar Tso – Tso Moriri: Mix of good and average roads. Some sections are metalled but some have potholes. The road just before Tso Moriri of about 15 odd KMs is remaining to be tarred but rest has been tarred well beyond the first views of the Tso Moriri lake.
• Kiagar Tso – Tso Moriri: Bad road like a dirt track but manageable with hatchback as well as sedans.
• Sumdo – Polokong La – Tso Kar Lake: Average roads with mix of tarred but not so good and maintained. Rest of the sections were like dirt track.
• Tso Kar – Debring – Moore Plains – Pang: Good, tarred roads all the way. You can clock 80-100 KMPH on Moore Plains.
• Pang – Lachulung La – Nakee La – Gata Loops – Sarchu: Mostly average roads and in SUV feels OK. Small cars, there were some tricky sections.
• Sarchu – Baralacha La – Darcha: Quite bad and bumpy roads all the way Baralacha La top. Small cars will take a good beating.
• Baralacha La – Zingzing bar – Darcha: Mostly well tarred, excellent roads all the way to Darcha except few sections in between.
• Darcha – Jispa – Keylong – Sissu – Khoksar – Gramphu: Good, tarred roads barring many sections only between Tandi to Sissu especially which are in quite bad in shape.
• Gramphu – Rohtang Pass: Bad and bumpy mostly. Since last year, it has deteriorated a lot. Small cars will take a good beating.
• Rohtang Pass – Manali: Mostly good with just about a KM near Rani Nalla  being average. Rest all tarred even the Rohtang Pass top up to Manali.
• Manali – Mandi – Ner Chowk – Jahu – Bhota – Una – Ambala – Delhi: Except the first 15-16 KMs of narrow road to Jahu bridge from Ner Chowk and about a 200-300 Mtrs of a bad patch where road work is going on, excellent roads all the way to Delhi. This is a longer route but saves you from trouble of trucks mess-up bad roads of Manali – Chandigarh Highway from Sundernagar to Bilaspur to Swarghat to Kiratpur.

Expenses Incurred on DoW Mega Meet 2015

My actual expense on DoW Mega Meet 2015 was as follows

• Rs 2900 for an air ticket from Delhi to Srinagar
• Rs 4200 for share of fuel cost. We were 5 people in one Fortuner and the overall drive of 3500+ KMs
• Rs 10800 for food + stay for 11 days
• Total Cost incurred to me was about Rs 15000 and an air ticket of Rs 2900 extra
• Those in the group who did Delhi to Delhi by road as self drive, had a cost of Rs 14500 in one group, 15000 in other and 16500 in third group
• The overall taxi cost of the trip including Srinagar to Kargil, Kargil to Zanskar and back and then a drop to Manali covering remote corners of Ladakh came out to be Rs 85000. Those who were in taxi had a share of about Rs 17000 each.
• The food and stay cost for most of those groups in taxi came out to be around Rs 9300
• So, taxi guys did the trip in around Rs 26300 with extra air tickets to Srinagar from Delhi. They did not spend the last day as they took overnight Volvo to reach back home on the same day.