Day 5 : Sonmarg - Drass - Kargil

Day 5 : Events (Aug 19)

• Got up by 7 am and started hiking toward the mountain to see some snow
• Got to see some snow (which was about to melt off) at some height in the mountain
• Hiked back to our tents and had some breakfast
• Saddled up the bike and left Sonmarg around 9am
• Enjoyed the Sonmarg view so much that I by mistake rode down the mountain till I realized Drass is connected from the top of the mountains to Sonmarg
• While riding back checked at the only petrol bunk at Sonamarg and there was no petrol
• Enquired locally and came across a person named Mr. Jaffer who helped me with 8 liters of Petrol
• Rode to Dras with some of the challenging roads till now and was stranded at Zoji-La (pass) for 2 hours due to blasting work conducted by BRO. Met a few other bikers and many other travelers from all over the world.
• Roads opened again at 3 pm and headed to Kargil War Memorial at Drass
• Spent some time at the memorial
• Headed to Kargil and stayed back for the night

Route:

Sonmarg - Zoji-La - Drass - Kargil

Road condition:

A few kilometers after leaving Sonmarg, the roads were one of the toughest I have ridden on. Smooth white sand (or you can call them dust, they were so fine) and sharp stones and gravel all the way till Drass. Of course, the only substance which makes me call it a road is some hard ground that gives the grip for the tires to rotate. So, in short, I can summarise the experience as there were around 50 km of tough terrain for one to master to make it to Drass.

Note: The roads near Zoji-La pass remain closed from 11am - 3pm for maintenance work. So plan your travel accordingly.

Entry Fee: 

While entering Kargil, I paid 50 bucks at a toll (run by local youth), which is used for local area development. This is not paid for by local (J&K) vehicles.

Climate/Weather:

Punjab was hot and humid, but good cruising speeds on highways, more than compensates for the same. As one crosses Pathankot, the cold breeze can be felt and the surroundings get cooler (than Punjab).

Fuel Stops:

Ludhiana : 

Rs 740 / 72.00 pl = 10.3 Ltrs

The first view in the morning from inside the tent.

Bikes rested in the dew the whole night just to experience this majestic view well before any of us.

Tents in the background.

Hike to see the snow.

Those tents provide tea, soft drinks, biscuits, etc to travelers

Sun rays pierce through the trees on the mountain peaks.

These two guys made it to the snow. Hats off!

A local enjoying the morning sun at Sonmarg.

Myself, Murali, Sameer, and Sriky (at a distance) are on the way back to the camping site.

After a good breakfast of Toast and Tea, I started off from the camping site.

This is how the rivers get water.

After looking around, finally found Jaffer sahib's abode. He helped my tank up with 8 liters of petrol for my journey to Kargil.

The challenging roads to reach Dras.

That orange bleep in this photograph is a guy riding an Apache on the road which I just came through.

As the road remains closed from 11am-3pm on the Zoji-La (pass) for maintenance work by BRO, all riders and travelers socialize and share their stories here. The tent in yellow sells water and confectionaries to travelers. Trust me it's a blessing to have such a shop here in the middle of nowhere.

The memorable Zojila Pass.

Stopped to respond to a young passer-by waving at me:)

Finally made it through Zojila to the other side.

The bike and the rider both needed a breather after reaching Dras.

Kargil War Memorial at Dras

These brave hearts went beyond their mortal abilities and were acknowledged by Indian Army.

Selfie at Kargil War Memorial

Leaving behind the War Memorial and heading towards Kargil for the night.

Well..this is weird. I am not sure Google/Android/GPS got my route wrong just for this patch, which happens to be a sensitive area with a heavy army presence. Just for that stretch where I crossed Drass, the GPS points to some place thousands of kilometers away. See the next picture to know where.

Can you believe this?!! This remains an unsolved mystery till I find a logical explanation for this weird incident.

Night Halt:

Place                   : Kargil

Accommodation : DASPA Hotel/Homestay,  Just after the entrance toll gate to Kargil

Cost per Room   : Rs 

Room Capacity   : 3

Other Details      :

- Traditional wooden interior with beautiful carpeted floor keeps the house warm

- The accommodation was very clean and cozy

- The best part of the stay was the owner Daspa Ji, a very welcoming person and goes out of his way to fulfill your requirements

- The house basic built triplex type (3 stories) and is maintained with touches of local influence (furniture, crockery, etc)

- Morning view from the breakfast table is awesome, the mountain starts just 50 feet away and there are few gardens around the house

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Day 4 : Srinagar - Gulmarg - Srinagar - Sonmarg

Day 4 : Events (Aug 18)

• Bit bored and annoyed with the family vacation routine followed by this group so far, I gave a heads up to all that am riding solo from now on and would catch up with all during night halts
• Two more riders liked the idea and we three split up from the rest and headed to Gulmarg
• Had a quick visit to Gulmarg
• Picked up a monkey cap for the rest of the ride (just in case)
• Enjoyed the horn-free twisties Gulmarg had to offer
• Came back to Srinagar to meet a friend.
• Rode through Munwaar and Lal Bazar
• Met my college friend and her family and spent some time chatting
• Left Srinagar at around 5 pm and rode through Dal lake road
• Reached Sonmarg around 8 pm and stayed in Tents

Route:

Srinagar - Gulmarg - Srinagar - Sonmarg

Road condition:

While leaving Srinagar for Gulmarg, there were some busy market areas I had to cross and there was a traffic jam. This is expected, so I suggest you better plan your travel time for this and don't be in a rush like I was. Nevertheless, it was manageable. Once I left the city and got onto the road to Gulmarg, the roads are good and traffic was less. The uphill climb to Gulmarg top was awesome to ride a motorcycle on. Enjoyed it thoroughly.

Same road one has to take while returning from Gulmarg to Srinagar, however, instead of entering Srinagar city, one can take the bypass road to Sonmarg. I had to come back to the city to meet a friend, so couldn't get time to use the bypass road.

The road from Srinagar to Sonmarg is in excellent condition and full of scenic beauty. Now I think, it beats Scotland in my books.

Climate/Weather:

In Srinagar, the weather was pleasant and there was no sign of rain. However, while entering Srinagar at night it was quite cold due to a shower that happened a few days ago. As you climb Sonmarg it gets colder, yet can be managed with thermals and layered clothing.

Fuel Stops:

Munwaar, Srinagar: 

Rs 500 / 78.00 pl = 6.4 Ltrs

The first sight of mountains at the base of Gulmarg.

After filling up petrol at Munwaar, Srinagar

At a friend's place in Srinagar. Having tea and a casual chat on the weather, the journey so far, and the roads ahead.

After spending a good time, it was time to start for Sonmarg.

Roadside view of Dal lake. Stopped near the famous Dal Lake. Didn't have enough time to explore, so decided to skip it and move on. 

On the way to Sonmarg, locals have a look at the bike and all the luggage setup.

Passing through some lush green fields and as can be seen from this photograph, sunlight just makes everything glow.

After enjoying some plane roads, mountains start to appear again, reminding me that I am heading toward Sonmarg.

Few houses and shops on the way.

The view gets better and better. I couldn't help but compare the scenery with that I had seen in the highlands of Scotland (UK) while I and Balaji were driving through.

Stopped for some refreshments.

Enjoying tea on the way to Sonmarg.

Having a chat with Mohd Lateef, who lives in a village up the mountains. He owns a chai shop and very soft-spoken and shy person.

Sun starts to go behind the taller mountains, and the valley starts to glow in the reflected passive light.

Me and Murali trying out combinations of long exposure and light painting. This was the only usable shot we could come up with before we decided to get into our warm sleeping bags sandwiched between layers of quilts and mattresses inside the tent :D

That double line is when I went to Gulmarg and then came back to the city before leaving for Sonmarg.

Night Halt:

Place                : Sonmarg Glaciers

Accommodation : Tent, Tajhwa Camping Site

Cost per tent     : Rs 1000

Tent Capacity    : 3

Other Details     :

- All tents are inside a roped fence and bikes are parked inside

- Each tent has attached western commode and basin with 24 hours (cold) water supply

- Basic but good food provided at additional cost

- Waking up in the morning among the snow-covered glaciers is worth every penny

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