Zanskar - Dedicated Thread

[Prasham]

Hi Guys,

I think that our community has loads of details on Ladakh (K-Top, Nubra, Pangong, Tso Moriri and so on) but details of Zanskar Side needs to be enhanced...

So whoever has visited to done research on this area please post details here.

BTW I am planning for trip to this area during Summer' 08 (Not a pure Biking trip as I will come to Delhi by Train, Del-Srinagar by Plane and rest by bike, shall send my bike to srinagar by some reliable transporter/cargo).

So if anyone is interested please let me know so that we may plan accordingly...

Bye for now....

[Yogesh Sarkar]

Will post all the info that you might need, for now check out Suru & Zanskar Valley Travel Guide

[Prasham]

Originally Posted by Yogesh Sarkar

Will post all the info that you might need, for now check out Suru & Zanskar Valley Travel Guide

Thank you sir for your suggestion. I have been through whole site of BCMT and have read your guide to zanskar too. I think its quite informative but I want practical tips from the guys who have been there & seen it. Also if someone has visited it recently how was the road condition ?? Has it improved as BRO just keeps building roads everywhere ??

My planning is in Initial stages and hence I too haven't done much study on the area but the map that I have suggests existence of few other villages in addition to the ones you have mentioned in the guide.

Anyways have you returned from Ladakh. I think your trip was planned for upto 19th sept, arrived 1 day early??

[Yogesh Sarkar]

Actually I was back on the 17th, after the snow and showers at Chang La rest of the guys were in no mood to explore Suru and Zanskar Valley. So I went till Rangdum and managed to catch up with rest of the guys in Srinagar.

As for road conditions, they are better near Panikhar. In fact there is bypass being built which was nearly completed and offers metaled roads. However it isn't as fun as the original route that passes through various villages and is more greener.

As one gets near Parakachik roads get worse and only improve some what after one crosses the Pensi La pass.

One more thing, BRO isn't responsible for building roads in Suru and Zanskar Valley since it is not near the border. PWD takes care of the roads here and it shows!

[Prasham]

This is my Tentative Plan for Summer'08. (Please make necessary corrections wherever required)

We shall send our bikes to Srinagar be Gati/XPS and then shall start our ride from Srinagar itself.

Day 2: Delhi – Srinagar – Sonmarg (85). Catch Earliest available Flight to Srinagar. Get Bikes from Transport, get them checked thoroughly and leave Srinagar for Sonmarg / Drass.

Day 3: Sonmarg – Panikhar 178Kms. Start early and reach panikhar by evening.

Day 4: Panikhar – Padum (177). Start early and reach Padum by evening.

Day 5: Padum – Rangdum (115). Start early and reach Rangdum by evening.

Day 6: Rangdum – Kargil / Drass (120) / (182). Start early and reach Kargil / Drass by evening.

Day 7: Kargil / Drass – Srinagar (143) / (203). Start early and reach Srinagar be afternoon. Pack and give bike to transporter.

Day 8: Srinagar – Delhi. Catch early morning flight for Delhi. Catch Ashram express in afternoon 15:30.

[Yogesh Sarkar]

The plan looks good, one thing you might want to consider is adding one more day to the whole schedule at Padum. That way you would have time to relax a bit and also do some sightseeing in Zanskar Valley by going to the various Gompas there.

[Prasham]

Thanks yogesh. I shall think of it...