Wider Scapes' of Frozen Pangong Tso

After a crazy week of our trek on the frozen Zanskar, we were fortunate to have our buffer day left in the end. We were delighted to hear from the tour operators that the passes are clear and we can reach Pangong easily without any problems. Anticipating this plan, we had applied for permits even before we left for our trek and luckily on the day we returned, we got our permits. We instantly booked a cab and early next morning we were driving in the wider valleys towards Changla Pass. It was absolutely a gorgeous sight all through the way and the wider vistas of snow capped peaks kept our eyes wide open without a blink. After crossing the world's third highest motor-able road at Changla, we entered the Changthang cold desert wildlife sanctuary and were thrilled to see Pashmina goats (Changthangi) that are native to this sanctuary grazing in the valleys. We sighted many wild yaks and were also lucky to sight the Tibetan wild ass (Kiang) which is native to Tibetan plateau. As we continued further into the wider horizon, we just wow'd at the mighty Pangong Tso, frozen in its state at an altitude of 4350 m despite being a salt lake. It is 134 km long and extends itself into China and 60% of the lake is in Tibet. I had not seen any lake as gorgeous as this one and that too in its frozen state. The colors of white ice, blue sky and brown hills around were absolutely captivating. Here are some photographs from Pangong Tso. 

(Please click on the photographs to enlarge them. Some of them are 360° stitched panoramas, so it will be better to view them in a larger size)

Prayer flags at Chang La - the world's third highest motor-able pass at 5360 m

The army post at Chang La 

View through the frost glass window of our cab

Winding roads on the way to Chang La

On the way to Changthang Cold Desert Wildlife Sanctuary

Inside the Changthang Cold Desert Wildlife Sanctuary

The frozen salt lake - Pangong Tso

360° degree panorama of Pangong Tso

360° panorama of Pangong Tso - near to the Spangmik village

Snow capped valleys around Pangong Tso

 

Pangong Tso - overlooking Tibetan horizon

Cheers,
Srikanth

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