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Leh landscape
http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Chris---Anna/
Spiti Valley
Ladakh moon landscape
http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Chris---Anna/
Leh
Lamayuru
Nubra
http://www.myhimalayas.com/index.html
Indus river
http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Scott-and-Emily/
Ladakhi landscape
http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Scott-and-Emily/
Pangong Tso
http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Chris---Anna/
Approach to Malling Block
THE ROAD - somewhere, anywhere
Rohtang Pass
http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Chris---Anna/
Along Chandra river - YES, this is the road!
Spiti river near Losar
Spiti river near Sumdo
Pin valley - Mudh village
Tabo monastery
Ka-zigs near Khabo
INDIAN HIMALAYAS
The state of Jammu & Kashmir has always attracted a lot of tourists, but most of them keep lingering in the lush green valleys of Kashmir. Only a discerning few make it over the high passes to the unknown deserts of Ladakh, with a totally different people, culture and landscape.
The same story is true for Himachal Pradesh. For most, the road to the west ends at Shimla, summer capital of the former colonial regime, or the popular Manali at the northern edge. But for those who proceed beyond the traditional limits, after the mountain passes, a new world opens up: Tibet at its best, with lively monasteries, incredible coloured landscapes, and a immensely friendly people.
While we cannot change the road conditions - there certainly is progress, but with most passes closed for 9 months each year, work is hard and slow - we can provide you with excellent maps, so you won't get lost in this sparsely populated, moon-like region.
Off the main road, little or nothing has changed since the first National Geographic explorers have told their stories. And many recent hiking blogs still recount often that even their most expierenced trail guides get regularly lost in this unreal part of the world, adding extra days to the planned trip.
This won't happen to you: with our maps (and certainly the GPS versions), you know at any time where you are and what path to follow. If your guide feels lost, YOU can take the lead!
Just have a look on what's on offer.
LADAKH
To keep the size manageable, Ladakh is split up in 7 maps, each representing a popular travel route:
1. Kargil to Leh
In summer time, one of the most popular approach routes to Leh is the Delhi-Srinigar-Kargil road. Shortly after Kargil, the lush green changes into a barren, moonlike landscape,all the way to Leh. The road crosses several high passes before reaching Lamayuru, one of the most exquisite Tibetan monasteries, hanging against the steep mountain slopes. Many visitors have reported fata morgana expieriences in the crystal clear skies: it can take ages to reach the village that announces itself right in front of you.
2. Nubra & Shyok Valley
Passing over the highest motorable road in the world, Khardung-La (5602m), Nubra has become one of the most attractive excursion destinations from Leh. While the road along the Shyok river ends in Hundar ( you cannot enter the high security area beyond it), the road along Nubra river is accessible for quite a distance. Most visitors however opt to stay in Hundar itself, a lovely and quite large little town. The main attraction is nearby Diskit monastery.
3. Zanskar Valley
With the road extended to Padum, trips from Kargil into the remote Zanskar Valley enjoy increasing popularity. The area is dotted with little Tibetan monasteries, and because of its remoteness, still reveals a high level of authenticity and a sometimes unique cultural heritage.
4. Kargil and Dah Hanu
The villages of Dah and Hanu gain much of their touristic popularity from their 'European' ancestry, coupled to some very exotic traditional customs.
5. Shyok and the North East.
Still undiscovered area. There's a motorable road up to Shyok, but the whole territory beyond to the east and northeast has not been accessed for ages. Only some early 20th century reports in NGM give you a glimpse of the desolated high plains and mountain ranges leading to the Chinese controlled plains beyond it. Don't expect to find this area mapped on any other available roadmap. It's one of our exclusivities!
6. Leh to Tso Moriri
A magnificent excursion to the nomadic settlements of Rupshu. Still only accessible for the happy few, but well worth it. The same map segment will lead you to the western extremity of Pangong Tso also, one of the largest lakes in Tibet.
7. The extreme South East
This part of the map shows you the whole road to Pangong Tso, and a preview of the extreme Southeast part of Ladakh, still largely off-limits for western visitors. This area isn't shown at all on any existing commercial map, so here's your unique treasure map!
LAHAUL AND SPITI
Our maps give you an authoritive insight in the Tibetan communities in Lahaul and Spiti valleys. In contradiction to Leh, which is accessible throughout the year through its airport, the valleys of Lahaul and Spiti are hermetically closed after the winter has set in (often as early as the beginning of October) until late May. To reach Spiti from Manali, there are two main passes to cross, where even in the middle of August occasional snow blocks can be expected. The long road from Shimla to the Tibetan border, entering Spiti from the eastern entrance is equally unpredictable. Along the Sutlej river, the road is prone for frequent landslides, and after that, Malling Block is a notoriously difficult crossing before reaching the rightly famous Tabo monastery, the eastern edge of Spiti. From both ends, expect some VERY rough patches of roads (but in Spiti itself the road is good), so a 4WD is definitely preferred. If you're on a tight time plan and can't add 2 or 3 days reserve for unexpected delays, better to stay out of Spiti at all. But if you take your time, you are promised the ride of a lifetime! Little has changed here over the last 1000 years (yes this NOT a typo) due to the extreme isolation. Most visitors here came to stay, escaping the Chinese authority in closeby Tibet.
As for Ladakh, the map of Lahaul and Spiti is again split into 7 segments, each covering a specific and coherent area. All maps for Spiti proper have Kaza, the regional capital, as base point for your excursions.
1. Manali to Keylong
This map segment is useful for a visit to Keylong itself, but of strategic importance when reaching out for Ladakh from Manali.
2. Manali to Spiti
Covering the two entry passes (the treacherous Rohtung-La, 3978 m, and the tough Kunzum-La (4551m) and the area in between (where the road is not always strictly defined) along the Chandra river, this map is mainly to support your driving skills. Touristically spoken, there's not much to see.
3. Spiti West and 4. Spiti East
These two map segments cover the major part of Spiti Valley, including Losar, Kiato, Kaza, Ki monastery, Dankar monastery and Tabo monastery. Spiti valley itself provides for one of the most exquisite sceneries, many parts of just unimaginable beauty. Often described as undescribable, you've got to see it to believe it.
5. Lingti Valley
Still largely unexplored by visitors, this old caravan trail to Ladakh is still in use. It's hard to imagine that this was once part of the Indian Ocean, but the abundance of fossils are an undeniable proof.
6. Pin Valley
Another side river of the Spiti, hiding the important but rarely visited Kungri monastery, the chief monastery of the Nyingmapa order. If you have the courage, there are trekking trails leading you all the way back to Kinnaur.
7. Kinnaur to Spiti
Your entry pass to Spiti from Shimla onwards, this map segment will lead you flawlessly along the famous Ka-zigs, through Nako and across Malling Block. An area of which was said that no accurate map existed. Well, this has changed now.
MISSING LINK
As an attentive reader, you have undoubtedly noticed there's a missing link: the part from Keylong in Lahaul up to Leh (or at least the Ladakhi border), leading you over the Himalayas in a 2 to 3 day journey over 3 major passes (Baralacha-La, 4891 m, Lachalung-La, 5060 m, and Taglung-La, 5328 m) and in between some smaller ones. And don't ever try to rush it in one day, unless you want to make a rallye out of it, risking your life. The road AND the weather are treacherous, so take your time and do it safely. Even the most crazy bus drivers don't do it in one shot.
Now back to te story. Existing maps are notoriously wrong. Garmin and Google are equally wrong. So, where do you stand?
Well, the map is there, but not for sale. We keep the secrecy alive!
However, this UNIQUE piece of map is available as a BONUS only for anyone who buys both the Ladakh AND the HP-Lahaul-Spiti series. Let's be honest, if you don't intend to travel from Manali or Spiti into Ladakh, you don't need it. And if you do, you need both series. So we decided to keep this missing link as an EXCLUSIVE bonus for our faithful customers.
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