Deepthi’s Unforgettable Adventure to Ladakh- A Tale of Snow, Rain, and Magic!
She stood there in Khardungla pass…everything was covered in white. She looked down at her feet, they were hardly visible through the snow. As she continued recording the landscape on a video, someone called her name.
She turned back, and BAM! A chilled ball of snow hit her face!
Deepthi and her team of 5 were on a Ladakh trip for 6 good days. Since they had booked their trip from Thrillophilia, all they had to do was travel. All their transfers and stays were already decided, so they never had to take any tension regarding the travel arrangements.
What an experience it was!
So, the trip started off with a flight to Leh. Upon reaching, they were greeted with a warm guide who was also their driver who took them to our hotel first. After a delicious breakfast, they all started on their first tour of Leh- sightseeing.
Going to all the places and touring the attractions, they all were quite intrigued with the rich cultural heritage of the place. The Shanti Stupa, the monasteries, the markets, each one of these places offered a wholesome experience of the essence of Ladakh.
They could gather the history of the place by visiting several monasteries like the Diskit Monastery, the Stok Monastery, and the Spituk Monastery. The War Memorial filled them up with a sense of gratitude for the martyrs of the Kargil War. Upon these, the visit to the Magnetic Hill and the Guru Pathar Sahib were memorable for them as - one, they never expected a gurudwara in Ladakh, and two, the phenomena of the Magnetic Hill were strangely pleasing!
When they went to Magnetic Hill, their guide showed a simple test to portray how the place got this name -
There was a bike on the road and the traveller was a local, known to the guide and team leader, Mr. Rigzen. He demonstrated a very unique thing with the bike - he started the vehicle and left it on neutral. Now, they were expecting that since the bike was on neutral, it wouldn't move. But but but…there came the natural forces of the Magnetic Hill, and the bike started going upwards!
It was such a surreal thing to witness, that all of them recorded the entire scene as proof.
The cold desert experience
Their experience in Nubra Valley was far too good. The double-humped camel-back ride was a thrilling episode, with Deepthi almost falling over and then being too scared to ride again…so she finally resorted to videography only.
And of course, who would miss the magnificent Pangong Lake! It was such a mesmerising sight to stand in front of the highest saltwater lake in the world that too on the Indo-China border territory.
The cottage stay there was beyond their imagination. Especially in the morning when they woke up in Pangong, they looked at the snow-capped mountains all around. Their beauty was enough to make them stand still, in awe.
Stunned.
On their way back to Leh via Chang la Pass, it seemed as if the weather had changed suddenly. They saw heavy clouds gushing towards them, and they were driving right into the shadows cast by them. The moment they entered beneath the clouds, they started to feel drops of rain falling on their car’s windshield.
As they moved forth, the downpour hit, reducing the visibility around them to almost nil. They had to wait for some time for the rain to pass, and then they would move again. But even in that chilly weather, Deepthi wanted to get wet in the rain.
Now, who can stop a young heart, and why does anyone even have to?
Excited, they got out of the car. The moment they felt the freezing raindrops on their skin, their entire body shivered. They changed their mind, it was not needed. It was better to witness it with a roof over their heads, so they ran back again, drizzling the water on their jackets upon the people in the car (no reason just for fun).
Then, with the sound of giggles and friendly fights, they continued their journey back to Leh!
Additions to the Memory Box
Deepthi and her team were not quite sure of how the visit to the Stok village would be. When they had a conversation with Bhupeshwar, their GEO (Guest experience officer), he assured them that it would be absolutely worth it…he urged them to give it a try.
In Deepthi’s words, “When you had suggested the visit to Stok Village in Leh, we were not convinced much, but, that was indeed a great visit. Their hospitality and food were extremely good. Knowing someone's culture and customs and having their special food was purely a bliss.”
Yes, they loved it. Regret was FAR away, they were all too happy to be in the village and finally get to stay in one of the most beautiful village settlements in the Ladakh region. The peak of Stok Kangri shone from a distance- its trails were once heavily explored, but now…
Silence precedes over those same steps, echoing the laughter of the past.
Anyways, they went to the Stok Monastery, spent a long time there and also strolled around in the markets buying the local handicrafts and shawls. They found the markets to be much more local- goods based in Stok than in Leh. This factor encouraged them to inspect each item very carefully, and eventually have a conversation with the shopkeepers regarding their crafts who were, in turn, happy to talk about their lost heritage.
On the last day of their trip, Bhupeshwar called, like all other days, for complete feedback and to follow up on their experiences. He was so content to hear a good review of Stok Village from the group that he felt accomplished.
“It was a good decision to come here. And it was a better decision to book the trip with Thrillophilia. Thank you Bhupeshwar for all the support. It was a blessing to complete such a crazy and unparalleled trip, and it would not have been possible without you,” Deepthi concluded.
Read More: Thrillophilia Ladakh Sightseeing Reviews