Pangong Tso, is probably just another lake. The 5-hour trip from Leh is hardly justified. So why hundreds of us, endure the rough ride and high altitudes just to see it?
For the love of travel.
For the satisfaction to tick it off our list.
For the contentment that we have been to as further as we can get to the India-China border.
For the quiet pride that we have dipped our feet in a lake, high up in the mountains that splashes over two countries.
To go to Pangong lake or actually to pretty much any surroundings in Ladakh, you need a permit; called Inner Line Permit. For a non-Indian passport holder (approx. RS400), you’ll have to go through a travel agent. No, you can’t do it directly however I hate going through 3rd party so I rocked up directly. The really helpful staff worked around me (after making me go to the copy shop to get forms, not realizing I was not Indian!) and organized it for me with an agent, which was really nice. So yeah, save yourself the trouble – get an agent. However allow for at least a day for the permit, which in my case, I got it immediately. Plus.
The day-trip costs around RS.1400. The road to Pangong is extreme and passes through the Chang La pass which the world’s 3rd highest motorable highway. Thanks to my leftover Peruvian pills, I was able to combat the altitude but not without escaping the short-breaths and the headache and thanks to the Indian Army that gives out free ginger tea!
It was a…good day. Enjoy the pictures!
Where is Shyamni? 
2 thoughts on “Lake? Oh, Pangong Tso!”