Right from the campsite we start ascending towards the pass.
It happens along with panting and is lined with many stops. We have to climb about 800-900 meters. Views get better, Lingshed village that we visited yesterday comes into view. Hot but luckily cloudy. The mountain is layered like a cake. We catch up with a Dutch couple who with solemn dignity walked past our camp when we were having breakfast.
Three hours later we are on the pass, arriving at the same time as our horse caravan. The Dutch caravan already went ahead. One of their horses wanted to lay down while loaded with boxes.
Going down we keep meeting the Dutch. Trail follows the river which is dry at the beginning and later contains more and more water. Nature has built snow bridges over the river and covered these with scree. Our guide finds a nice grassy place for lunch picnic. This time we don’t have the dry doughy bread in our menu. Later we meet three German women who point us a good bathing place at today’s campsite.
Rose bushes begin and sun comes out. Far away a great canyon becomes visible as if the one we’re in now wasn’t impressive enough. Next stop is between willows partly in the river. The guide claims a hotel to be ahead where we can get tea and instant noodles. There is a hut and there is coffee. The Dutch catch up with us. They are trekking only second day, started in Lingshed, their guide is more clever and speaks proper English. They have been in Ladakh about 30 years ago and seen a Leh that contains only two restaurants.
After the hotel we have to climb a bit in order to look into wow-what-a-canyon. Better not to look while walking, of course. Dust, a lot of dust. Welcome to Zanskar, one of the dustiest places on Earth. At once we know the answer to the question where does dust come from. From Zanskar.
The campsite is on the bank of one tributaries of Zanskar river. There are also the tent of the Dutch and equipment of some mountain climber. Three toilet tents. Excrement of foreigners may not mix.
The river here is mighty rushing flow. We walk back a bit where we crossed a smaller stream. There we find pools where dusty hiker can plunge in entirely which is totally owesome. Hair wash and all other wash possible.
We read, drink tea, eat soup. Then dinner. The guide comes and says a prayer and seems to be worried about feedback.
My energy, appetite and voracity are back. It would of been a pity to loose such a big part of my personality here in these mountains.
Going down we keep meeting the Dutch. Trail follows the river which is dry at the beginning and later contains more and more water. Nature has built snow bridges over the river and covered these with scree. Our guide finds a nice grassy place for lunch picnic. This time we don’t have the dry doughy bread in our menu. Later we meet three German women who point us a good bathing place at today’s campsite.
Rose bushes begin and sun comes out. Far away a great canyon becomes visible as if the one we’re in now wasn’t impressive enough. Next stop is between willows partly in the river. The guide claims a hotel to be ahead where we can get tea and instant noodles. There is a hut and there is coffee. The Dutch catch up with us. They are trekking only second day, started in Lingshed, their guide is more clever and speaks proper English. They have been in Ladakh about 30 years ago and seen a Leh that contains only two restaurants.
After the hotel we have to climb a bit in order to look into wow-what-a-canyon. Better not to look while walking, of course. Dust, a lot of dust. Welcome to Zanskar, one of the dustiest places on Earth. At once we know the answer to the question where does dust come from. From Zanskar.
The campsite is on the bank of one tributaries of Zanskar river. There are also the tent of the Dutch and equipment of some mountain climber. Three toilet tents. Excrement of foreigners may not mix.
The river here is mighty rushing flow. We walk back a bit where we crossed a smaller stream. There we find pools where dusty hiker can plunge in entirely which is totally owesome. Hair wash and all other wash possible.
We read, drink tea, eat soup. Then dinner. The guide comes and says a prayer and seems to be worried about feedback.
My energy, appetite and voracity are back. It would of been a pity to loose such a big part of my personality here in these mountains.
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