Ladakh Ride Day 7 – Srinagar to Kargil
We woke up from a comfy blanket in cold surroundings, and that too in a Shikara at Dal Lake, which is quite challenging. We had no choice left, though. I packed all the luggage and asked the staff for a cup of tea. Frankly speaking, wanted to stay there for one more day, but we had to explore Leh; that day planned to cover Srinagar to Kargil. Sitting on a couch at the edge of Shikara, having a cup of tea, and seeing through beautiful surroundings was one of the best things one can do here.
Once done, we requested to be dropped off at the Shikara stand and went to the parking lot to take out our motorcycle. We cold-started the motorcycle and loaded all the luggage. By 07:15 AM, we started to ride very slowly along the side of the beautiful Dal Lake; it was a pleasure. After a few kilometers, we stopped for a tea break, and then we came to know that the day was Muharram. They also advised us to cross Srinagar at the earliest, so that we can avoid congestion.
Once we reached the Leh-Srinagar highway, the roads became smooth again. Stopped at a few places to take pictures and inform our parents about our location. We were feeling hungry by then, so we decided to stop at Sonamarg for breakfast and then to ride towards Zoji La pass.
Sonamarg has a lot of scenic beauty, but the people’s behavior somehow felt odd. Firstly, local people stopped us to collect the entry fee, while asking receipt, they told us not needed and just walked away. Second, we stopped near a Hotel & Restaurant for breakfast, and while we were walking in, they told us we could only stay there. Then we rode a little ahead and took our breakfast, which was overpriced; two pieces of bread with butter cost INR 50.
On our way to Zoji La, we met a guy from Switzerland who was also going towards Leh. We shared our plan for the day and wished all the best to each other. All these years, during our preparation, we saw multiple videos about Zoji La. But to our surprise, it was not that bad. Roads were indeed full of gravel and broken, but quite manageable. In some places, it was quite narrow and stiff. The feeling of reaching Zoji La without a single hiccup was great.
There are multiple shops to buy snacks and beverages. We enjoyed coffee and Kawa (made with herbs and Kesar, good for AMS), watching others climbing towards the Zero points. We met a lot of families from several parts of India. A few of them clicked the photo with our motorcycle. We felt lucky to be there along with our motorcycle.
Once we start from there, the condition of the road again changes to broken. It was a quick descent to a valley. There, in the middle of the mountains surrounding the road, we stopped to take photos. My wife started to get a vomiting tendency, credit to food at Ramban. One fellow Rider from Delhi stopped and asked if we needed any help. Once we confirmed we were okay, he bid us and left. He was on a long vacation (more than two months) on his own Bajaj Dominar.
A few kilometers later, we reached the Kargil check post. There, we had to list our names for security purposes. We met two fellow Riders from our native state, West Bengal. We talked for almost half an hour about our plans, luggage, etc.
Beyond these points, roads till Leh were awesome, except few sections where roads were under construction, which is okay, keeping in mind we are riding in Ladakh. We stopped at Drass, the second coldest inhabited place in the world, to take a picture of that world-famous board.
The next stop was on the Kargil war memorial; it felt great to be there as an Indian. We submerged ourselves in the story of the historical war. A lot of original ammunition that was captured during the war is on display here.
A place for all brave martyrs, and our flag hoisted with all its dignity will surely give anyone goosebumps. We had Samosas and Tea in the cafeteria.
After spending a great time here, it was time to move towards Kargil town, where we planned to stay for the day.
The onward road was a pleasure to ride; we rode slowly because of the scenic beauty. We met a few other riders from Kerala and Karnataka. Witnessing the Indus and Zanskar rivers during sunset was great. We entered Kargil, paid Entry fees, and this time we got a receipt if I recall correctly, INR 50.
Finally, we stayed at Hotel Silk Route Inn for Rs 900. The room was good with a wooden finish. We did not get food in the hotel due to the absence of the Cook, so we had all the biscuits and cakes at dinner. Later, the caretaker made bread toast and an omelet for us, which cost a little more.
Conclusion
Being a remote location, a lot of preparation is needed before embarking on the Leh Ladakh Tour, whether mentally or physically. Don’t forget the weather in the Ladakh region is extreme, and most of us are not accustomed to it.
So, be prepared, and everything will go smoothly during your Leh Ladakh tour. You may also check out below generic posts below to make your Leh Ladakh trip successful and memorable. I am sure you will love it.
- How to prepare for Ladakh
- Things to Carry in Ladakh
- Medicines needed in Ladakh
- How to fight AMS or High Altitude Sickness
- Mobile Network Connectivity in Ladakh
- Inner Line Permit Procedure for Ladakh
- Complete Guide for your Ladakh Trip
If you are doing a road trip to Ladakh, you may find my Kolkata – Ladakh – Kolkata on a Royal Enfield Thunderbird 350 journey helpful.
Lastly, get Leh’ed soon.
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