Korzok Village - a paradise of freedom in Ladakh

The highest nomadic village in the world

On both sides of the road is a sparkling sandy desert, below is the green of the lake, above is the blue of the sky, in front are majestic high mountain ranges, behind is a long stretch of snow-white mountains - that is the scene at the place called "heaven on earth", Lake Moriri (Tso Moriri).

About 3 km from Tso Moriri is the village of Korzok. The beautiful lake makes life here different and extremely peaceful. But there is another reason why Korzok is famous: it is the highest settlement in India, and one of the highest places in the world that human civilization has reached.

Korzok is not called the 'lonely' Tibetan village for nothing. Located at an altitude of 4,600 m, 230 km from the capital of Jammu & Kashmir state, Leh, Korzok village is surrounded by majestic nature. Although there are human footprints, the nomads here only return to the village to raise livestock and do tourism when summer comes. During the summer months, they usually grow barley, oats and vegetables.

In winter, the villagers migrate from November to May of the following year; when snow covers the area, the lake freezes and the temperature drops to about minus 2-4 degrees Celsius. At this time, the weather is harsh, the roads are far away, the only way to travel is on foot or by horse. Also because of the heavy snowfall that isolates the entire village for many months, time here seems to stand still throughout the winter.

In Korzok village, there is also a 300-year-old Tibetan Buddhist monastery of the Drukpa Lineage, which is home to about 70 monks. It is said that the nomads who worked for the monastery used to herd cattle for the king to get milk, cheese and butter. But they worked hard day and night for very little pay. Therefore, the place was named Korzok (meaning "obtained unfairly").

Another explanation is that “Korzok” is derived from the two words “Kor” and “Zok”. In the Ladakhi language, Kor means a place. Zok is said to come from the phrasedzot-pa, meaning manager. When put together, Korzok also meansbetween the mountains

Today, the monastery is home to Buddhist treasures, such as the second tooth relic of the Buddha; or the holy image of Guru Rinpoche located inside the heart of the Vajrasattva Buddha statue, carved by Guru Rinpoche himself. Visitors should note that Korzok Monastery has a rule to fine anyone who smokes around the village, and drinking and selling alcohol is also prohibited here.

Paradise for souls seeking freedom

Both Lake Moriri and Korzok village are located in Ladakh in the Himalayas - a sacred land where humans become small before the majestic nature. Of course, this is also a 'paradise' stop for souls who yearn for freedom. Standing in the village and looking out into the distance, the view of the lake alone is enough to captivate many who come here.

In Tso Moriri, every season is beautiful: from spring to autumn, the vegetation changes color from green to golden yellow; in winter, the lake freezes and the landscape is a pure white.

The lake is part of a Ramsar site (a wetland of international importance as defined by the Ramsar Convention), which is also the highest Ramsar site in the world. A large number of rare species of flora and fauna have been found in this area.

Next to it is Pangong Lake (Pangong Tso), a 135 km long lake with marshy areas, many shrubs and perennial herbs. This is a paradise for migratory birds. In the summer, visitors can see the sight of brown-headed gulls, rare black-necked cranes and about 20 other native bird species flying and catching fish on the lake. Pangong Tso is also the location of the famous movie's final scene.Three Idiotsof India.

In addition to the picturesque view of Lake Moriri and Pangong, Korzok also attracts wandering souls for many other special reasons.

From the top of the hill looking down at Korzok village, visitors will see, everywhere in the large space in front of them are stones stacked on top of each other, forming a pyramid calledstupaFor the people here, it is a ritual of praying for peace, as well as a wish of good luck sent to all those who pass through this land.

Korzok village has a lot of nature, quiet and sacred; but there is no phone signal, no internet, and it is rare to see any modern technology (mostly brought by tourists). All amenities are at a minimum level: hotel and motel rooms are closed but hot water is brought up by buckets, placed in front of the room; stoves are heated by dried yak dung; houses and tents are mostly built from yak skin or hair...

Along with farming in the summer and tourism in the winter, the nomads of Korzok also weave Pashmina wool and mine salt from the salt fields, then exchange these two products for grain, food and other necessities.

Although there are no modern tools, houses or cars, the gentle and hospitable people here are not bound by the troubles, hustle and bustle of modern life. They pass on a different way of life, preserving a different culture, which many visitors who come here have "admired".

There is one special thing about the nomads in Korzok village, they believe that no corpse cover has pockets; because no one can take money, gold or reputation with them when they close their eyes.

A popular tourist spot in Ladakh

As an indispensable stop on tours to Ladakh, Korzok village is visited and experienced almost every season, especially the summer months which are the peak tourist season here. Although there are not many tourists in winter, because the harsh weather and heavy snow often cause traffic jams, there are still many mountain climbing enthusiasts who come here to participate in adventure sports.

While many Vietnamese tourists choose tours to visit frozen lakes at high altitudes, foreign tourists often choose to combine trekking tours and conquering dangerous routes to increase the excitement. At this time, tours to Korzok village often focus on winter experiences in December, with routes traveling by air and train.

More information

One of the reputable units providing package tours to Ladakh in general and Korzok village in particular is FIT Tour - a company specializing in "unique and experiential" tours.

FIT Tour's Ladakh tour departure schedule in 2022 lasts from June to September, with direct flights from Vietnam - Dheli - Leh. Tourists participating in the tour will not only visit the "lonely" village of Kozork, but also experience many unique activities, such as: checking in at the world pass Khadrung la and Changla Pass, riding camels on the ancient silk road, camping overnight in Nubra valley, Moriri lake and Pangong,...

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