Ladakh – The Dreamy Horizon

Article and photos:The Thang

Ladakh is described as a paradise land, with a beauty unlike anywhere else in the world; a place with strange terrain and landscape, ecosystem, people, and extremely diverse and unique cultural life; with a fascinating appeal, for anyone, even just once, who sets foot on this land.

We have 15 days to explore Ladakh, with a tough itinerary of places to conquer ahead. The starting point for the journey is Srinagar, a large city located in the western part of Jammu & Kashmir.

Flying into Srinagar from New Delhi, we had almost two days to explore the place, before setting off via the world’s most beautiful road to Leh, a city in the east, at the foot of the Himalayas. From here, we sought out locations at higher altitudes, dotted with the enchanting passes and valleys of the mysterious Himalayas.

Srinaga – The Door to Heaven

Srinaga is located in the Kashmir Valley, known as the summer capital of Jammu & Kashmir. The residents here are mainly Muslim. Located at an altitude of about 1,700m above sea level, Srinaga is like Sapa or Da Lat of Vietnam, an ideal resort in the hot country of India all year round.

I was impressed with Srinaga from the very first minutes, when the plane pierced through the clouds, gliding through the valleys and landing firmly at the airport in the middle of the mountains. The taxi took us into the center of Srinaga, through ancient streets and strange auto-rickshaws. Srinaga is actually a war zone, with a clear presence of the Indian army. However, this did not make us worried.

The hotel where we stayed was one of the floating houseboats on Dal Lake, a famous landmark and also a place that creates a strong attraction for Sri Lanka. Dal Lake is beautiful and poetic, the houseboat is located on the other side of the lake. Every day we went back and forth and watched the lake in extremely colorful small boats, which are like the highlights that make up the attraction of Dal Lake.

Every morning, in a small corner of the lake, there is an extremely interesting floating market. Men gather to trade on dugout canoes. The surface of Dal Lake is hazy in the early morning mist, I lie on a small boat, rowed by a boatman on the mirror-like surface of the lake. Occasionally, I see a mother rowing her child to school in the city, or other times beautiful young women in colorful costumes.

Srinaga is the most bustling city in Jammu & Kashmir, with a history of more than 2000 years, from around the 3rd century BC. Around the 14th century, this place used to be a huge Buddhist center, but after historical events, until today, Srinaga has become a land of Muslims. I wandered here for more than a day, walking through the streets and every corner, playing with the children, exploring the lives of the indigenous people. The old quarters of Srinaga are very beautiful, especially when they are illuminated by the clear highland sunlight, dotted with people wearing colorful costumes.

The army has a strong presence in Sri Lanka, but life here feels very peaceful and tranquil. The markets are bustling with shoppers. The streets are bustling with people. The grocery stores, tea shops and barber shops are always crowded and friendly.

The 2 days in Srinaga left a good impression. We packed our bags and set off for Leh. The journey was long, took many days, and was quite difficult, but in return, we got to admire the beautiful scenery. The mountain ranges overlapped with the winding mountain passes, seemingly endless. The mountain slopes were dappled with sunlight through the clouds, like doors leading to an enchanting paradise.

More information:

+ Fly to Srinaga from the capital New Delhi

+ The most convenient way to travel in Srinaga is by auto-rickshaw, costing about 30 rupees (10,000 VND) for a distance of 3 to under 5km

+ Places to visit: Old Quarter, Dal Lake, floating market…

+ Shopping: there are many souvenir stalls and markets. You should bargain when buying.

+ Cuisine: Srinagar is a large tourist city, with rich and diverse cuisine compared to Indian culinary culture in general.

+ Accommodation: There are many types of hotels and motels both on the street and on the lake. Prices are good compared to the average in Vietnam.

The Thanh