Traveling to Ladakh- Tips , DO(s) and DONT(s): 2014

Every year about 50-100 people ask me about the traveling tips to Ladakh. Finally I thought instead of giving tips to every individual separately, I should rather write a blog which could be useful for all the traveler who choose Ladakh as their next destination.

Ladakh is a not a tourist destination. Its a spiritually charged place with positive energy of great people who survived the harshness of Extreme Himalayan conditions. There's so much to learn from Ladakhis about respecting Human life and how to make the best use of the available resources. Ladakhis are humble and respectful people, so when you to travel to Ladakh, make sure you don't try to teach them your behavioural skills , rather learn from them. You may be the slaves of technology and encaged animals of the concrete jungles , they are not. So Dont cry about the scarcity of the resources but respect and learn from their way of using the resources.

For the road trip bikers:

AVOID STAYING FOR MORE THAN 10-20 MINUTES AT THE PASSES.

RIDING ACROSS STAKNA

DO(s) :

CREPE BANDAGES HELPS IN LIGAMENT TORNS THAT YOU MIGHT END UP WITH

CARRY JERRY CANS FOR EXTRA FUEL
YOUR BIKE SHOULD HAVE A CARRIER FOR EXTRA FUEL IF YOU ARE ON A BIKE WHICH HAS THE MILEAGE OF 40 KMS OR LESSER.
IF YOU ARE NOT ALLERGIC TO SULPHA DRUGS THEN TAKE A DIURETIC CALLED AS DIAMOX. IT HELPS IN ACCLIMATISING ON HIGHER ALTITUDE. HAVE HALF A TAB ONE DAY. DRINK MORE WATER . START IT 3 DAYS PRIOR TO YOUR TRAVEL
CARRY BASIC FIRST AID KIT , SPECIALLY ANTISEPTIC , BANDAGES, COTTON, TIGER BALM(MOST IMPORTANT), STREPSILS, CREPE BANDAGE, CANDIES (THAT YOU CAN SUCK)-THEY HELP IN KEEPING YOUR MOUTH HELPS IN AVOIDING MOTION SICKNESS AND AMS)
TORCH (PREFERABLY SOLAR)
PUNCTURE AND TOOL KIT (KNOW YOUR MACHINE BETTER AND YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIX ANYTHING IN BIKE/MOTOR VEHICLE). SPARE HEAD AND TAIL LAMPS , EXTRA SPARK PLUGS , CLUTCH AND ACCELERATOR WIRE, VASELINE / GREASE, EXTRA TUBES (FRONT AND REAR), EXTRA ENGINE OIL (MIXING ENGINE OIL DIRECTLY IN YOUR FUEL (100 ML OR SO) HELPS IN BETTER LUBRICATION AT THIN AIR) . AIR FOOT PUMP . SAND PAPER TO CLEAN UP YOUR SPARK PLUG AND FOR FIXING THE PUNCTURE.
WHILE CROSSING MORAIY PLAINS OR DESERT, YOUR AIR SHOULD BE COMPARATIVELY LESSER TO AVOID GETTING STUCK IN THE SAND.
IF IN CASE, YOUR TYRE GETS STUCK IN THE SAND, TRY NOT TO GIVE MORE THROTTLE AND PUT WATER IN THAT PARTICULAR PART OF SAND AND THEN GIVE THROTTLE. INFLATE TYRES AGAIN AFTER CROSSING THE SAND.
EAT WELL AND DRINK LOT OF WATER
THERMALS AND WIND PROOF JACKET(S)
CARRY A GARBAGE BAG ..
BUNGEE CORDS / STRINGS FOR TYING YOUR LUGGAGE
A RUBBER HOT WATER BOTTLE. AFTER A TOUGH DAY'S RIDE YOU WOULD WANT TO RELAX AND SLEEP WELL. HOT WATER BOTTLE HELPS IN KEEPING YOUR FOOT WARM IN YOUR SLEEPING BAG/ BLANKET
SWISS KNIFE
CHOCOLATES/ DRY FRUITS
RAW GARLIC .. IT HELPS IF U R FEELING THE ACUTE MOUNTAIN SICKNESS OR ANY SORT OF PALPITATION . DONT THINK TWICE BEFORE GULPING ONE WHOLE BULB OF GARLIC. OR KEEP SUCKING IT LIKE A CANDY. CHEW IT AND GULP IT DOWN IF YOU FEEL HEADACHE.
CARRY SOME MEANINGFUL GIFTS FOR LOCALS , YOU ALWAYS TAKE THINGS BACK FROM PLACES YOU VISIT...SOMETIMES YOU MUST LEARN THE ART OF GIVING INSTEAD OF ONLY TAKING... MONEY IS NEVER A GIFT..ITS AN OBLIGATION.

I GIFT CRAYONS TO THE CHILDREN OF LADAKH SINCE JULY 2009 AND NAMED IT AS COLOURING THE HIMALAYAS
CARRY YOUR DRIVING LICENSE (5-7 COPIES)/ CAR PAPERS.
OBTAIN INNER LINE PERMITS FOR PLACES LIKE TSOMORIRI, NUBRA VALLEY, TURTUK, DHA-HANU, PANGONG LAKE AND ZANSKAR.
CALL MY FRIEND PANKU IF YOU NEED ANYTHING - YOU CAN FIND HIM ON FACEBOOK BY THE NAME TRAVEL WITH RIGZEN. MY LOVE AND RESPECT FOR LADAKHIS IS MAJORLY BECAUSE OF HIM AND HIS HOSPITALITY.
FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS, CARRY SPARE BATTERIES (KEEP THEM IN THE INSIDE POCKET OF YOUR JACKET- BATTERIES GETS DISCHARGED QUITE FAST IN THAT TERRAIN..LIKE REAL FAST), POLARISER, REMOTE TRIGGER FOR NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY AND A GOOD STABLE TRIPOD.

DONT(s)

DO NOT THROW WRAPPERS OR YOUR GARBAGE ANYWHERE ON THE ROAD OR IN THE WILD.. ITS MY HUMBLE REQUEST WITH FOLDED HANDS.
THUMB RULE OF MOUNTAINS / NATURE : DON'T BE A GAMA , IN THE LAND OF LAMA.
DO NOT TRY UNNECESSARY HEROICS, UNLESS AND UNTILL YOU ARE WITH EXPERIENCED AND SENSIBLE GUIDES.
DONT OVER USE CLUTCH/BRAKES.
RIDE AT EASE.. IF YOU ARE IN A RUSH..BETTER GO TO LOO AND EASE YOURSELF. YOU ARE TRAVELING TO FIND PEACE AND ENJOY NATURE. BY RUSHING YOU ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE A MILESTONE THAT HAS BEEN ALREADY DONE BY A LAKH OF PEOPLE ALREADY. YOUYOURSELF ARE DEFEATING THE PURPOSE. IT WAS A COOLNESS QUOTIENT AGES BACK. NOW ITS JUST ANOTHER TRAVEL WHICH IS NOT A LUXURIOUS ONE. THATS IT . .
CARRY YOUR MUSIC, IF YOU ARE SUCH AN ADDICT BUT DONT CARRY THOSE USB SPEAKERS TO MAKE EVERYONE ELSE HEAR YOUR COLLECTION OF SONGS.. BECAUSE THERE WILL BE PEOPLE BEYOND YOUR OWN GROUP AND PLEASE RESPECT THEIR PURPOSE OF TRAVEL AS WELL.
IF YOU SMOKE - 'UP' .. TRY NOT TO.. NO LOGIC BEHIND IT.. JUST THAT IT IS NOT GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH :-P
AVOID ALCOHOL.. BUT TRY CHHANG/ ARAK IF YOU ARE WELL ACCLIMATISED . IF AT ALL YOU FEEL UNEASY..DONT EVEN TRY THEM.
DONT BE RUDE TO PEOPLE YOU COME ACROSS, EVEN IF THE OTHER PERSON IS NOT SO PLEASANT TO YOU. AVOID UNPLEASANT THINGS AND MOVE ON.

PLACES TO VISIT :