Pangong Lake-Ladakh

 Pangong Tso

Pangong Tso is five hours drive from Leh ( Ladakh- Jammu & Kashmir). The route passes through Chang La, the third highest motorable mountain pass (5289 m) in the world. As is the case with much of Ladakh, the route is full of enchanting vista.

You get the first sight of the lake from a distance through a narrow view between the two mountains. This is an astonishing sight and it just gets better from here.

Pangong lake is part of both China and India. in fact only a third of the area is in India. LOC runs right through the lake and it is this fact that you would need a permit to visit the lake

TIP: make sure you get your required permits, right at the start of your trip, at one go. Check with your local tour operators, taxi guys etc. about which places in your itinerary would need a permit.

We visited Pangong in month of April and got a view that you would not picture when you hear of Pangong. The lake was almost completely frozen. It was a magnificent sight with sheet of ice , paving a walkway from the banks to the towering mountains in the distance. 

 In the summers you can stay in tents near the lake. This option however is not available in winters ( till start of May) as the weather can get very harsh post sunset.

TIP: If you plan it to be a day trip then leave Leh early. The flip side to this is that you would not be able to spend too much time at the lake. on the other hand you can stop overnight at Tangste village. This will give an ample time to  enjoy the beauty of this picturesque lake.

Trip to Pangong was more than the lake itself. the drive, the views along the way and the glimpse of the local life along the way makes the experience so much more enriching. We got to see local villagers herding Pashmina goats and some other domesticated animals

One of the locals were kind enough to allow us to pick a baby goats. Some more practice is needed in holding animals !!!

The drive to the lake is magnificent. This is consistent with much of the sight you will visit in your trip to Ladakh. 

 And by the way, temperature at Pangong was -10 degree Celsius. :)