Hail and glory to the God of Nature
A master of an artist got created with its finest elements
A comparison with the heaven would be unfair
None of the words over hyped…..
Brace your soul as it can get lost to its spell
The painting on the canvas goes as such…..
Plain and Rugged brown mountains patiently surround
Marking the horizon, dividing the blue into the lake and sky
The shapes and lines of the mountains run down like nerves…
The purity and the brightness of the color evokes every sense of the body
The illusions of its azure water magnificently attracts the heart out
The mirror like liquid reveals the shards of earth beneath
And the sky? The sky is quite. It wisely gazes down, silently protecting its baby.
Take no time to guess as I am talking about none other than the gorgeous Pangong Tso Lake in Ladakh. This lake can easily be found on every traveler’s bucket list. It will be a sin to miss this place, if you are in Ladakh. But the location is so remote that it takes a good 4 – 5 hours drive from Leh. Last year I visited this place and returned back in just 1 day since I was short on time. Though I enjoyed it a lot, I wished I would have stayed overnight to get the most out of it.
My sole aim of writing this piece is to reveal that staying at Pangong overnight is 10 times worth than returning back in just one day!
1. Absorb The Beauty Of The Place, Connecting The Soul With The Nature
Pangong Lake is all about unlimited beauty. As mentioned earlier, it takes nearly 4 hours to reach Panglong Lake from Leh city. This means, it takes total 8 hours just in travelling. So, one is hardly left with 3 – 4 hours to explore the place. When I was there, we could only explore the lake from 3 idiots view point. I sat, I gazed, I absorbed and I meditated. But that’s it! I couldn’t go further along the shores of the lake as we had to get back in time. We hurriedly clicked pictures, had our lunch and then left from there. Does this do justice to such a place?
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2. Time is Money Experience!
Pangong Lake is at a height of 4,350 meters. A person can easily get altitude sickness if his/her body has not adjusted to the climate. To get to this place you have to ride through the mountains up and down and the roads are also not in their perfect condition. Now imagine getting motion sickness while you are riding at such an altitude! And on top of it, you have to even get back on the same day, that’s 8 hours of nerve wrecking journey! (Oh! But the journey is beautiful with the landscapes) And if someone actually gets mountain sickness, then he/she won’t be able to enjoy the place properly in such a short time. By staying overnight, the body gets enough time to rest, acclimatize and stay active.
3. Opportunity To Connect With Local
No place travelled is complete without connecting with the locals and experiencing its culture. There are numerous Home stays and Guest houses around the lake. Staying in one will allow spending a night with locals and trying authentic local food.
It is sad to just visit a place, click its picture, click selfies (to eventually upload it online) and come back without knowing about it. Listening to the stories of the past, how the generations and the tourism of the place changed over decades are always fun to hear from the locals.
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4. Exploring The Whole Place And Walking Around The Lake
Forget about everything else, just walking along the shore of this lake with your loved ones or even alone is itself an experience. The crisp cold water gently hitting the naked feet again and again feels funny. Returning same day limits from going too far, as the lake is big enough. Staying overnight allows exploring the place efficiently. It may sound tiring but amidst its beauty, everything is worth. A sunset/sunrise at this place would be a deadly combination!
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5. The Experience You Get In The Night
Though I have no idea about it, just imagining the moment makes me feel excited. The silhouette of the mountains and a league of million stars hovering over it, feels like a dream. And if it’s a full moon then it would be a whole different ball game! The reflection of the mountain and the moon on its still lake would be like painting on a canvas. Again, same day return cannot offer such an experience.
Note – Remember, the lake is at an altitude of 4,350 mts. This height is too much for a normal person who stays closer to the sea level. Make sure you stay in Leh, Ladakh first for 2 days to acclimatize and then visit this place. Having a heavy head and constant vomiting won’t allow you to enjoy, no matter how beautiful the surroundings be right?
