Sunday 30 June - we set off from the lakeside at 0900, somewhat later than planned, but everything takes time !
Things were went well as we were waved through the first Police Check point but at the second the officer in charge was not as helpful. In June and July is a large Hindu pilgrimage - the Yathra - takes place in the Sind Valley when the faithful make their way to a holy cave some 100 kms from Srinigar. Given the political situation security is tight but finally the officer relented having been advised the Angrezi were en route to Leh.
The road to Kargil is maintained by the Border Roads Organisation which is part of the Indian Army and they have their work cut out. About 50% of the road is tarmac and the rest in various conditions.
The early stages wind through a green valley reminiscent of Switzerland and its alpine pastures and herds of goats from which pashmina wool is sheared.
The alpine scenery gives way to the more mountainous peaks which even in July remain snow covered and you leave the tarmac surface.
After about 100 kms we came to the Yathra campsite where thousands of the faithful were camped in the valley below the road. Helicopters buzzed taking the more well heeled the final few miles up the valley to the holy site while the the majority complete the journey on foot.
The road is busy with trucks taking supplies up country as there are only two roads into Ladakh. We stopped at a police check point and completed another form heading to Drass for a lunch stop.
Drass itself was very much alive a a politician - who turned out to be the Provinces Transport Minister - was in town. As is always the case in India a political visit is accompanied by car loads of police with semi automatics, blaring horns and speeding Innovas are the order of the day. However Drass's real claim to fame is it is the second coldest inhabited place on earth after Siberia !!!
Regrettably we were not quite sure about the dining establishments and so early in the trip we decided not to risk it. Fruit and Sour Cream Lays sufficed !
The Line of Control which is effectively the border - although still disputed - with Pakistan lay just over the mountain range. And Kargil itself was the scene of a battle in 19xx when the Pakistani Army much to the surprise of India crossed the LOC. The Kargil Incident ensued and the Pakistanis finally withdrew not without loss of life on both sides.
We stopped by the War Memorial which in addition to a small museum and some captured Pakistani equipment had a nice Army run canteen where we had a nice cup of tea and a very good piece of cake. Setting off to Kargil we hit a traffic jam and slowly made our way to the best Kargil had to offer - at least according to Tripadvisor.in the Hotel D. Zoujila wh0 were also hosting a Royal Enfield motorbike tour.
Kargil is a military town, a stone's throw from the LOC, but other than that a one night stop on the road to Leh.
We did however come across one feature Kargil's first traffic light gifted by the 121st Infantry Brigade in 2004. Regretably it was not switched on !
Things were went well as we were waved through the first Police Check point but at the second the officer in charge was not as helpful. In June and July is a large Hindu pilgrimage - the Yathra - takes place in the Sind Valley when the faithful make their way to a holy cave some 100 kms from Srinigar. Given the political situation security is tight but finally the officer relented having been advised the Angrezi were en route to Leh.
The road to Kargil is maintained by the Border Roads Organisation which is part of the Indian Army and they have their work cut out. About 50% of the road is tarmac and the rest in various conditions.
The early stages wind through a green valley reminiscent of Switzerland and its alpine pastures and herds of goats from which pashmina wool is sheared.
The alpine scenery gives way to the more mountainous peaks which even in July remain snow covered and you leave the tarmac surface.
After about 100 kms we came to the Yathra campsite where thousands of the faithful were camped in the valley below the road. Helicopters buzzed taking the more well heeled the final few miles up the valley to the holy site while the the majority complete the journey on foot.
The road is busy with trucks taking supplies up country as there are only two roads into Ladakh. We stopped at a police check point and completed another form heading to Drass for a lunch stop.
Drass itself was very much alive a a politician - who turned out to be the Provinces Transport Minister - was in town. As is always the case in India a political visit is accompanied by car loads of police with semi automatics, blaring horns and speeding Innovas are the order of the day. However Drass's real claim to fame is it is the second coldest inhabited place on earth after Siberia !!!
Regrettably we were not quite sure about the dining establishments and so early in the trip we decided not to risk it. Fruit and Sour Cream Lays sufficed !
The Line of Control which is effectively the border - although still disputed - with Pakistan lay just over the mountain range. And Kargil itself was the scene of a battle in 19xx when the Pakistani Army much to the surprise of India crossed the LOC. The Kargil Incident ensued and the Pakistanis finally withdrew not without loss of life on both sides.
We stopped by the War Memorial which in addition to a small museum and some captured Pakistani equipment had a nice Army run canteen where we had a nice cup of tea and a very good piece of cake. Setting off to Kargil we hit a traffic jam and slowly made our way to the best Kargil had to offer - at least according to Tripadvisor.in the Hotel D. Zoujila wh0 were also hosting a Royal Enfield motorbike tour.
Kargil is a military town, a stone's throw from the LOC, but other than that a one night stop on the road to Leh.
We did however come across one feature Kargil's first traffic light gifted by the 121st Infantry Brigade in 2004. Regretably it was not switched on !