From Blogs to Cold Deserts: Kunal’s Journey to Ladakh with Thrillophilia
The idea of a Ladakh trip had been brewing for months. Everyone casually mentioned it during chai breaks, bookmarked in browsers, and shelved under “someday plans.” It was Kunal who finally decided to give it a nudge.
He had come across a blog on a private car trip through Ladakh. What caught his eye was the seamless arrangement by Thrillophilia: handpicked stays, a local driver, meals, and a well-paced itinerary. It sounded like exactly what they needed.
Without overthinking it, he shared the link in the friends’ group chat.
And after some insistence, they all agreed.
One of Kunal’s friends booked the trip, and April 2025 was marked in their calendars.
Whispers of the Wind in Leh
They started their private car trip in Leh with thin air and wide skies.
As their vehicle made its way through the dusty streets of this mountain town, a sense of peace took over.
The group took it slow as they were adjusting to the altitude. They visited Leh Palace, whose crumbling walls and wood-framed windows hold centuries of secrets. And, the world below looked distant and soft from the Shanti Stupa.
Later that evening, they wandered through Leh Market and tasted momos, picked up prayer flags, and laughed over the idea of getting matching yak wool socks.
It was a soft beginning, and a calm before the storm of experiences that awaited them.
Travelling Through Valleys & Hills
The group got ready to visit Sham Valley the next day. With the windows down and the sun warming the cold air, the road moved through raw beauty.
At Sangam Point, where the Zanskar and Indus Rivers met, one of his friends whispered, "Even rivers know when to merge."
When they reached Magnetic Hill, they were surprised to see the gravity-defying phenomenon. As their car rolled uphill in neutral, they giggled like kids.
But the day turned thoughtful at Gurdwara Pathar Sahib and especially at the Hall of Fame War Memorial, where the stories of bravery hung heavier than the flags. Kunal stood silent for a long time to read about soldiers who had never returned home.
By evening, the trio sat in silence, with each one lost in their own thoughts.
Deserts of Ice and Dreams
On the third day, their trip took a sharp turn. They drove toward Nubra Valley by crossing the legendary snow-covered Khardung La Pass. It was here that Kunal’s friend broke into a spontaneous snowball fight, dragging him and the other friend into laughter that echoed off the white cliffs.
At Diskit Monastery, they stood beneath the tall Maitreya Buddha, whose calm gaze cast peace over the valley.
After some time, they reached the Hunder Sand Dunes, which exceeded all their expectations. Double-humped camels against snow-capped peaks? The cold desert was a contrast wrapped in beauty.
They rode camels, zipped across the dunes in ATVs, and watched the sunset at the Shyok River. It was a memorable day that ended with fun and excitement for what was to come next.
Their journey continued toward Pangong Lake the next day.
"This looks like another planet," one of his friends said as the lake revealed its otherworldly hues. At one point, you could see the colour of the lake to be blue, and at the other, green and even red.
The group spent the night at the lakeside camp, covered in jackets and conversations, under a sky filled with stars.
Roads That Test the Soul
From Pangong, the drive to Hanle was long and surreal. The landscape stretched endlessly to a barren land, occasionally broken by a cluster of homes or a herd of goats.
They stopped at the Rezang La War Memorial. At this place, they read about the battle that claimed the lives of heroes in silence and snow. Kunal took a deep breath and paid respects to the martyrs with a heavy heart.
Upon reaching Hanle, the Astronomical Observatory stood quietly under the clearest skies they had ever seen. That night, they saw Saturn through a telescope with its rings.
"We are so... small," one of his friends said, eyes still fixed on the cosmos.
However, it was a visit to Umling La, the highest motorable pass in the world, that stole their hearts. The journey tested their limits as the roads vanished into dust, oxygen thinned, and the altitude bit hard.
But when they reached the top, the silence was complete. There was no network and no distractions. Just them, a board reading 19,024 feet, and the wind praising their madness.
The Way Home
As they drove back to Leh the next day, they stopped at the Chumathang Hot Springs.
They soaked themselves and giggled as the steam moved around them. Then, they visited the serene Thiksey Monastery, where the chants of monks echoed throughout the atmosphere.
They also visited Rancho School, featured in the movie “3 Idiots”, laughing at the "Idiotic Wall" and posing like 3 Idiots. But beneath the laughter was a silent agreement that this journey had changed something inside them.
Read More:
Thrillophilia Ladakh Reviews