This post is in continuation with a previous one and a part of my Ladakh travelogue. The article below talks about our journey from Leh to Pangong Lake by Bike after we arrived in Ladakh from Delhi via Manali Leh Highway. To read the previous parts of the travelogue, please click on the links below.
The journey so Far:
- Delhi to Manali via Bilaspur – Day 1 & 2
- Manali to Jispa via Rohtang Pass – Day 3
- Jispa to Sarchu – Day 4
- Sarchu to Leh – Day 5
- Leh City Sightseeing, Repairing Bikes & Shopping – Day 6
The plan for today was to ride from Leh to Pangong Lake by Bike. It was a big day for some of us, KD in particular. There was no reason to get up very early as the ride was not long but we pushed off at 7 am nevertheless.
It would, in any case, be better to spend an extra hour on the banks of the lake rather than sleeping in our hotel. Our stuff was accommodated in a makeshift cloakroom at the Barath hotel as we pushed off. For more details on visiting Pangong, take a look at How to Plan a Trip to Pangong Tso from Leh.
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Day 7 – Leh to Pangong Lake by Bike
The initial ride was smooth, and the wide valley looked ever so beautiful bathed in the morning light. We broke for a quick breakfast of paranthas at Karu. Beyond Karu and almost all the way up till 5 km shy of Chang La, the roads were a pleasure to ride upon. With minimal luggage, the ride was even more pleasurable.
The stunning Chemde monastery passed by us, and so did the huge valley in which Sakti was located. My heart skipped a beat when we crossed the cut for Wari La Pass. Of all the motorable passes in Ladakh, this and a few others (namely Thit Zarbo, Photi La, Kaksang La, Yar La, and Sisir La) remain to be conquered by us. As I list down these passes, I realize that there is still much ground to cover.
Oh, Ladakh, when would I ever reach a closure to thy beauty?
Anyway, I digress too much. The cut came and went by, and I had to face the cruel truth that Wari La would not be ‘passed’ this time. It was time for Chang La to yield.
The last stretch to the pass was where the road turned for the worse. Apart from the gradient, it was the rocky rubble that created some problems during the ascent. Thanks to the sheer torque of the 500cc WanderB, I hardly faced any troubles pulling up to the top.
After nearly 3.5 hours, we were at Chang La top where the boys were waiting for us to reach. Jugni had some anxious moments though, but she also managed to pull through. The first destination of our ride from Leh to Pangong Lake by bike was reached.
Chang La Pass
Chang La, to be honest, was somewhat of a disappointment personally. Being on the main road to the much-visited Pangong Tso, it is frequented pass and there were many tourists apart from us soaking in the beauty of the place.
Also Read: How to Plan a Trip to Leh Ladakh – A Complete Travel Guide
Also, I’d heard that Chang La is always snowbound, but that was not true at this time of the year. That is the flipside of visiting Ladakh in the safer period of late July – the white gives way to a mixture of brown and white. KD and Sagar were overjoyed to have conquered Chang La at last. With the main hindrance to Pangong crossed, they were sure that they would finally get to see the lovely lake.
After spending around 15 minutes and having that awesome free tea that the army folks serve, we sped on.
We ride in the wide plains at Sakti, nearing Chemde
The precariously perched Chemde monastery
Chang La baba loves you all.
I guess this is one of the quintessential shots taken by all travelers to the region.
Pagal Nallah
The only other hindrance left was the notorious monster by the name of Pagal Nallah beyond Tangtse. Some said that the bridge over it had been knocked down, while others said it was still there.
On a side note, it is difficult to gauge the road conditions when one asks other travelers on the route. The first-timers always have a different reaction as compared to seasoned travelers to the region. I believe that one should always ask two questions
- How is the route ahead
- Is this your first visit to the region?
Only with the answers to both these questions can one safely determine if the route ahead is hell or manageable. We were informed that the ascent to Tanglang La was terrible and that More Plains was horrible.
I’m not saying they weren’t, but they were also not as bad as the picture painted by some. One such person had told us that Pagal Nallah has gone berserk, making it difficult to reach Pangong. So we had our doubts.
Our journey from Leh to Pangong Lake by bike started again. Once the 5 km ‘lakshman rekha’ from the pass was crossed, the smooth tarmac reappeared, making the ride till Durbuk ever so smooth. The shock absorber was new, and even though it was set at mid-hardness, it was neither creaking nor touching the mudguard as it was earlier.
The other highlights of the descent were the small but lovely lake Tsoltak and a very picturesque dhaba located on the stream emanating from the mighty Chang La. We did not have the time to stop at either, as we were already lagging majorly behind the boys and the frequent stops to shoot were also holding us back.
Durbuk
Once we reached Durbuk, the haunting signboard which mentions the distances towards Nubra via Agham and Shyok appeared. This was haunting for Sagar and KD as well who faced a very tough situation, to put it mildly, there in 2010.
On our suggestion, they had taken this route and were stuck for two nights at an army camp in the middle of nowhere. The road ahead had been washed away, and the only way to cross it was through almost 4 feet of water which stretched for about 100 m.
The other vexing part was that a Ford Fiesta had accompanied them, which broke its axle on the route and had to be shipped back to Chandigarh in a truck. The repair costs alone stood at about 60,000, not to mention the high shipping cost. And since this happened, we hadn’t heard the end of their taunts on how risky the routes we recommend to people are!
For the two of us, the board was haunting as it had places like Sultan Chushu and Daulat Beg Oldi written on it with distances. Wonder when we would get permits to visit those highly secure places of Depsang plains. Oh, Ladakh, when would our closure come, if ever?
For now, we regrouped at a dhaba in Durbuk, sighing at that board, different people for different reasons. To cheer us up, the nice lady served us the best Maggi we had had so far on this trip, or maybe all the trips combined.
Jugni and its owners strike a killer pose in front of Tsoltak.
The board poses the questions again and again
First view of Pangong Lake
We pushed off for the final stretch to Lukung by 12:45 pm. The boys had moved ahead while the couples stuck together. The entire road all the way till Lukung was well tarred and the ride was a breeze. Pagal Nallah came and went, and we hardly noticed, all thanks to the bridge over it.
A few years ago, when there was no bridge on it, Aarti and her family had to turn back because it could not be crossed post-lunch, and had to spend the night at Tangtse. They crossed the nallah early morning the next day.
Also Read: How to Arrange Inner Line Permits in Ladakh
The stretch is also famous for being the marmot country. Aarti was on the lookout for those cute furry creatures, but they were sadly nowhere to be found. We also crossed a small stretch of sand dunes, a trailer to what one gets to see in Nubra.
As we pass by Tangtse, memories come back of a night spent here after descending Marsimik La. The green and the brown contrast each other yet existing simultaneously. And there it is, the first sighting of the beautiful lake
Lukung
When on a bend we saw the first view of the lake, Gunjan was overjoyed and so was Yeshu. Lukung was hardly a few km up ahead, where the boys were waiting for us. Soon we reached the lakeshore, and it was time to break again for a cuppa and to soak in the first sight of the lake.
To my surprise, the place was relatively empty with us as the only group of tourists. It was only later that we realized that the day-visitors now preferred to go to the exact spot where 3 Idiots were shot. I wonder why that spot is considered so sacred by our fellow tourists. It is not as if Aamir Khan is himself present there to greet everyone individually. Well, whatever.
The seagulls waited as I came closer to them. When I came too close they started flying out in different directions, some went east and some west
Army patrol boats tied at the docks. It must be quite something to patrol these waters
This shot was taken of Lukung, the road, and the lake. A road moves up north towards Phobrang while one snakes the lake and moves towards Chushul.
Water Crossings near Pangong
After a short break, we were back on the road to complete our journey from Leh to Pangong Lake by bike. With the major hindrances for the day already crossed, the run till Spangmik was straightforward, or so we thought. The lovely tarmac gave way to kuccha road beyond Lukung, which was expected. As usual, the boys were marching ahead by quite some distance, while the couples trailed.
Upon taking a bend, to our horror, we saw a sight that was visibly disturbing. Sagar waited at a mad nallah, while poor KD was stuck smack in between that RAGING monstrosity. His bike was fighting with all of its 350cc power to cross the nallah, and with all his might KD was struggling to hang on to the bike.
Also Read: How to Calculate Budget for Leh Ladakh Trip
If one accounts for the physics of the situation, the entire bike’s side profile (which in any case is pretty long for a bullet), was opposing the flow of this raging river, causing the bike to slip sideways. The engine provided thrust, as much it could, in the forward direction, but it was only KD’s legs that were opposing the force of the furious river.
He hung on to the love of his life with both his hands and legs and finally his lover came through for him. With one sudden plunge, she pulled both herself and KD out of the situation in one swift motion.
There were a group of French tourists on bikes as well as an Innova on the other side of the nallah, waiting for us to cross over, and help if required. Sagar, Yeshu, and I gulped. Gunjan and Aarti were requested to disembark and carry the tank bank and the camera.
The Struggle
The guys on the other side, including KD, hollered at the top of their voices to come with as much momentum as possible. With a prayer on my lips, I roared up WanderB and thrusted forward with as much momentum as I could gather. Within a split second, I found myself on the other side.
The random monster before Spangmik, Gunjan had the presence of mind to shoot this while the rest of us panicked. This sure made our journey from Leh to Pangong Lake by bike more fun.
The momentum generated while catapulting WanderB was sufficient to see it through. Sagar was up next. He too lurched ahead, with as much momentum as he could, but to our horror, he lost all his momentum smack in the middle of it and started sliding towards the lake below. KD, 2 other French tourists, and I ran towards his rescue.
It was difficult to even stand in this gushing water and we too were struggling to stand upright. All of us together were able to stop Vertigo’s lateral movement. Sagar, on his part, was trying to break Vertigo free from the monster’s clutches as much as he could, but a stone in the torrent below was bogging him down.
It must have been after a good 30 seconds, which seemed like an eternity, that he finally broke the shackles, lurched forward, and was out of it all. Phew! But we could not let out a sigh of relief just yet. YeshuB and Jugni were yet to cross.
Also Read: Motorcycle Water Crossing Technique & Tips
More Water Crossings
The ‘true blue Punjab da puttar’ saw what had happened, analyzed the situation, turned back, and started towards Leh. Of course, he took another U-turn a 100 m ahead and built his momentum from back there. He hit the torrent at a good 60 kmph with a prayer on his lips and was safe across in one go.
The girls couldn’t find a path to cross the monster, and thus requested a passing Innova to ferry them across. With high fives going around everywhere, we thanked those French guys and moved ahead towards Spangmik.
There was one more water crossing before Spangmik which was bad. Although the momentum and mass of water flow were on the lower side, the patch was quite ugly. Thankfully, all of us scampered across it quite easily.
The smaller one immediately after, there was little water flow but the patch was worse.
Spangmik
We managed to reach Spangmik at around 2:30 pm, a good 7.5 hours after we had left Leh, but then again it was a very relaxed ride punctuated with ample stops. The next order of business was to find a place to spend the night. We had been here before, so we headed straight towards the homestay we had stayed at then.
It went by the name of “Gongma”. It was run by a pretty lady who had sent off her kids to study at Leh while her husband worked in an army camp in a nearby village. The location was perfect.
While many would think that a location as close to the lake as possible would be ideal, it is actually up above from where one gets the perfect view of the lake’s expanse and the Chang Chenmo range across it that makes the perfect setting to stay the night. Gongma homestay is located almost at the highest point in Spangmik village.
We immediately recognized the old man and the pretty lady of the homestay. However, they did not remember us. It was kind of a letdown, but hey, zillions of tourists visit them in a season, so what were we really expecting?
After giving them a printed copy of their photographs which we had taken the last time around, all of us crashed in the cozy rooms of the homestay. One large room was taken up by us couples, while the boys took a relatively smaller room for two. The charges were a paltry 200 rupees a bed for the night. It was then time to relax as the sun was hot outside.
Also Read: When is the Best time to visit Leh Ladakh
Pangong Lake
In the evening, we headed off towards the lake. The boys went around 4 pm, while we were lazier, and reached the lake only by 5:30 pm or so. We met the boys on our way down. They were heading back up to rest some more.
Spangmik has grown in size over the past 2 years. There is more luxury tented accommodation than the last time, which obviously means that more and more people are choosing to stay here rather than at Lukung.
I would want to say that it would be good for the local economy, but sadly that is not the case. These luxury tents are owned mostly by businessmen either belonging to Delhi or Himachal or Leh, and none of them by the local populace.
Several people had gathered near the lake in the proximity of those tents, and so we went a bit further up towards the village of Man to find a relatively quieter place to sit. After a km or so, we found a spot by the lake to rest and parked WanderB as close as possible to the lake on a sandy stretch. Yeshu, Gunjan, and Jugni had gone further ahead to find a quieter place for themselves.
The next hour and a half were spent doing nothing and just sitting by the lake, soaking in its beauty. It was tranquil and heavenly. The one thing that we had missed on this trip was our conversation. It came back on that evening and a pleasant 90 mins passed by without us even noticing.
The latter part of the evening was spent sipping a popular brew which is named after a very popular Marlon Brando movie. It was as strong as Mr. Brando himself and as persuasive as him in that movie.
Gongma Homestay, Spangmik
Dinner was of vegetable momos and thupka in Gongma homestay’s comfy and cozy Ladakhi kitchen along with great conversation with the owners. The husband had returned from his job to help out with the homestay full time.
Her daughter, Padma, who studies in Leh, had come home on a mini vacation. She was the most bubbly character in that room, much more than our laughing hyenas – Gunjan and Aarti.
Also Read: Clothes for Ladakh Trip – What to Pack
The old man, the pretty lady’s father, was at his talkative best this time around. He recollected the war of 1962 when he was a 30-year-old man fighting to save his life and livelihood. He spoke of a terrible battle fought in the nearby village of Chushul and of many lives lost, both civilian and of soldiers.
His son-in-law told us stories of snow leopards, and we listened with open mouths. The family answered all our questions about the weather, the border, the Chinese, the local people, and so on very patiently, and we kept asking till we couldn’t think of more questions.
A panorama of Spangmik, lush green fields, and blue water with a backdrop of brown and white in the distance. Somewhere beyond lies Marsimik La.
The waves in the lake were very soothing
The curious cats then bid good night to each other and slept comfortably for a good 9 hours. Even the beds at Leh were not half as cozy as the ones in that homestay.
- Journey Ahead: Pangong Tso to Leh
On day 8, we meet the tourism minister of marmot country himself. Please click on the link above to continue reading the next part of the travelogue.
Leh to Pangong Lake by Bike – Conclusion
I hope the travelogue, pictures, and information above on traveling from Leh to Pangong Lake by Bike were of help. If you have any questions or need any other details, please feel free to ask in the comments section below or at our Community Forum, and I will be glad to answer.
