Day 9 – Nubra Valley to Leh via Pangong Tso

The next morning, it was time to head back to Leh, but not before a visit to the famous Pangong Tso. A standee writing session and a prayer later, we were on our way. The route we took this time was via Durbuk. The roads were a mix of smooth tarmac and broken patches. We also spotted quite a few yaks and marmots, an enlarged species of squirrel who are famous inhabitants of this region. After a tea stop at Tangste, it was non-stop to Pangong where we reached around afternoon. The first glimpse of the beautiful lake through the mountains is absolutely blissful. Only when you reach the lake, you realize that it hasn’t been spared from commercialisation. The lake is a salt water lake and is ¾ in China an ¼ in India. It became famous after the Bollywood flick ‘3 Idiots’ was shot there and has become a hot tourist destination ever since. There are quite a few dhabas set up there along with ‘3 Idiots’ replica seats and scooters closer to the water front making it a selfie paradise. We had a quick lunch at one of the dhabhas and drove 10 km further to a secluded spot where we could enjoy the lake in peace. There is a beautiful feeling of tranquility and calm when you hear the sound of the water brushing against the shore.   We spent over an hour soaking in the serene surroundings before starting our final drive of the expedition to Leh.

Our final drive to Leh took us via the famous Chang La, claimed to be the second highest motorable pass at 17,590 ft. The climb up was pretty tough with extremely broken roads, black ice and snow. The ‘Avalanche Area’ sign boards did little to calm everyone. We reached the top but couldn’t stay there for long. It was very cold so we just took our customary photos, paid respects to the Chang La Baba temple and we were on our way. ‘Headlights on, seat belts on’ was heard on the radio for the final time.

The last 80 km were covered briskly and it was a mixed feeling of emotions all the way. Even though there was one more day left in the trip, this was the last official drive.  Banter on the radios ensured that time just flew by and we rolled into Leh hotel by around 8.30 pm. Cars parked, engine switched off, this was the end. We checked into our rooms, met up for dinner and later it was a chit chat all the way late into the night.

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