The Trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh has no dearth of snow clad Mountains, brooks, meadows and planted trees wherever one traverses. The mountain texture and color is varied with sky tone deep blue in early summer, the opportunity of photo shooting the topography is so enormous that one finds difficult put down his camera for a moment. It is rather difficult to choose the best images out of my collection for posting. Twenty one images have been chosen for this photo essay. Many snow view images have been left out for posting in future for next post under a different photo essay heading.
Image 1
Date: 24.5.2010
Caption:
Soma Gompa & Castle at Tsemo
Description:
Leh the capital City and focal point of Ladakh offers the tourists some
astounding landscape views from most of the hotels where they are holed up.
Soma Gompa & Castle at Tsemo visible on the hill is worthwhile trekking
spot, which we kept it for the day after next.
Image 2 Date:
25.5.2010
Caption: Grandeur
On Way to Shey Village & Monastery
Description:
After one day of rest and acclimatization, the next day is for half day
sight-seeing of Gompas near the city of Leh. On the jeep journey, nearing Shey
monastery this captivating view is worthwhile savoring and capturing through
the lens.
Image 3
Date: 25.5.2010
Caption: Contrast
in topography
Description:
This is a close-up view of Image 2. The near and far have a contrasting
topography. The eye soothing greenery of the meadows is radically different from
barren mudflats in mid-ground and cluster of greenery on foothill of rugged
hills to bring up the rear. It is noteworthy to take notice of haze free and
pollution free atmosphere in early morning to give a depth to this landscape.
Image 4
Date: 25.5.2010
Caption:
Chortens (Stupa) at Shey village
Description:
On the way up the stone steps of the Shey monastery, looking down, the view of
chortens in one row, surrounded by greenery and backdrop of nearby hill and
distant snow clad mountains make a captivating scene.
Image 5
Date: 25.5.2010
Caption:
Textured Hill
Description:
At the end of tour of four monasteries, driving back to Leh, the hill
texture nearby continued to mesmerize us, the distant snow covered hills and blue
sky brought up the perfect backdrop. The river Indus make the foreground.
Image 6 Date:
26.5.2010
Caption:
Landscape On Way To Pangong Tso
Description:
One of the most important jeep safaris which the visitors to Ladakh is not
likely to miss is that of Lake Pangong Tso. In early summer one goes through
high altitude pass of Chang-la. Beyond Chang-la the hills on both side of the
road with milky white frozen water bodies are elements of attraction. The snow
peaks make a nice backdrop beyond the textured hills.
Image 7 Date:
26.5.2010
Caption:
Crowning glory
Description:
Way to Pangong Tso by jeep keeps one glued to varied brown tones of the hills
around. A hill with crown filled with fresh snow with a deep blue sky make a
picture worth the effort of journeying on the hilly terrain.
Image 8 Date:
26.5.2010
Caption:
Pangong Tso – Distant View
Description:
Pangong Tso is viewed from jeep from quite far off between two hills. All the
four layers of hills starting from foreground to back ground have different
hues and texture worth noticing. The blue water of the lake makes one looking
forward to one of the most scenic brackish water lakes in Ladakh.
Image 9 Date:
28.5.2010
Caption:
Gompa at Kidmang
Description:
On way to lake Tsomoriri a view of Kidmang village in foreground and colorful
looking Gompa on hill slope, with element of soothing greenery make an
endearing landscape.
Image 10 Date:
29.5.2010
Caption:
Nomad’s Land at Korzok
Description:
The return trip from Tsomoriri at Korzok was through the pastures of Nomadic
land. The shepherds’ tents and sheep scattered in foreground is in stark
contrast to the hardened snow patch in mid-ground and snow splattered hill on
back drop.
Image 11 Date:
29.5.2010
Caption:
Sculptured Hill
Description:
The view of a barren rocky hill appears to have been sculptured with a
combination of subject matter – a nature’s unique creation.
Image 12 Date:
30.5.2010
Caption:
Picture Post Card Beauty
Description:
Barely 14 km from Leh takes one Stok village which is one of the most scenic
places in Ladakh. The serenity and tranquility of the places charm everybody.
Image 13 Date:
30.5.2010
Caption:
Green pathway
Description:
The pathway with willow trees leads the eye to distant hills of different texture
and hue at Stok village.
Image 14 Date:
30.5.2010
Caption:
Way to Hemis National Park
Description:
Trekking to Hemis National Park begins at Stok. A few kilometer uphill trek towards
base camp of Stok Kangri mountain base is likely to be rewarded with view of
wild life.
The lone
tented eatery en route with a snow mass left over from winter with back drop of
rugged hill greeted us.
Image 15 Date:
30.5.2010
Caption:
Way to Stok Palace
Description:
A 2 km drive through tree lined Stok village gives an enticing view of Stok
Palace, aided by some fluffy white clouds to give a depth to the landscape.
Image 16 Date:
31.5.2010
Caption:
Nature’s gate to treasure
Description:
The other end of Hemis National Park starts from Zingchen. A trek of couple of
km through dried river bed brings one to the opening between two rockey walls
for us to squeeze through. Apart from visitors desiring to see wild life this
route is taken by adventurous trekkers for Rumbak valley trek. We could not undertake
it because of excess snow fall in upper reaches on this trek route.
Image 17 Date:
2.6.2010
Caption: Cold desert
Description:
The jeep safari to Nubra valley takes one through the region of sand dunes of
Diskit. Diskit along with Hunder are known as the cold desert of Ladakh famous
for Bactrian camels with double humps. The wild Bactrian camels nonchalantly
walking on sand for a destination of their own come as a surprise live element
in this frame.
Image 18 Date:
1.6.2012
Caption:
Rangdum Landscape
Description:
On my second trip to Ladakh, the focus was Western Ladakh comprising of Suru
Valley and Zanskar valley. Starting from Kargil, Rangdum being the first halt
at the end of first day at the extreme end of Suru valley. The topography
contains meadows, scattered cottages with firewood stacked on top and the
distant snow clad hills. The climate was extremely cold plummeting to sub-zero
at night.
Image 19 Date:
2.6.2012
Caption:
Passing Through Zanskar Valley
Description:
The second day's trip takes one through Zanskar valley passing through Penzi-la
pass. Beyond Penzi-la the landscape is serpentine road, water mass and the
distant hills. The route terminates at Padum – head quarter of Zanskar region.
Image 20 Date:
5.6.2012
Caption:
Lamayuru Monastery Clutching Hill
Description:
Kargil to Leh jeep journey gives one to have astounding view of Lamayuru
Monastery on the hill side. The vegetation below is in stark contrast breaks
the monotony of brown hill and gompa.
Image 21
Date:
6.6.2012
Caption:
Rusty Rock
Description:
Brown Rocky hills with rust colored coating gives an interesting back drop to
the Tak Thog Gompa top as one climbs up.
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