India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) - Keith Bain [558]
Where to Stay
The best places to stay are in and around Sumur en route to Panamik, near the Samstanling Monastery; here there are three comfortable options, including Hotel Yarab Tso ( 01980/22-3544 or 94-1934-2231; reservations in Leh: Mamosthong High Adventure Travels; 01982/25-2480 or 99-0698-6047; Rs 3,212 double, including all meals and service charge) just outside the village of Tegar (close to Sumur), along the Nubra River. It offers clean accommodations with attached Western bathrooms and a fairly lovely setting (rooms 105, 107, and 110 are best for views); the sitting room is particularly lovely, and feels just like a Ladakhi family lounge. In mid-2009, the owner was promising an imminent makeover of all the rooms (which have been feeling a bit run-down for some time now), so you can expect proper mattresses and fresh linens. Nearby, the newer (and somewhat more professional) option is Hotel Rimo ( 94-1934-0747; hotelrimonubra@rediffmail.com) at the edge of Tegar village. It has more of a hotel feel to it and (besides being a very nasty-looking bit of construction), is unfortunately slap bang against the main road (which, of course, doesn’t see too much traffic). Bedrooms have attached bathrooms and rather better mattresses than most places, not to mention proper linens. Bookings can be made through Rimo Expeditions (details above); ask for a corner unit (which has more windows and better views) and expect to pay Rs 2,900 for a double room with all meals (Rs 1,200 without food).
A good deal better than both of these, and with more than a glimmer of charm, would be to stay at Silk Route Bamboo Cottages , in a lush section of Sumur Village. They offer 14 cozy en suite cottages and five “Swiss” tents (a plush version of the basic canvas tent: spacious, carpeted, with good beds and bedding). A double room costs Rs 3,300 (plus 10% service charge) with all meals included (Rs 2,200 for just the room). Like most half-decent places in the Valley, it’s geared up for tour groups, so best to secure your cottage in advance—they’re bookable through The Mogol Hotel in Leh ( 99-9009-4107, 94-1965-7333, or 99-9911-9435; www.hotelmogol.com; info@hotelmogol.com or hotelmogol@rediff.com).
Ladakh’s Jewel-Like Lakes
East of Leh are two stunning high-altitude lakes that can be visited on a 2- to 3-day jeep safari. The only way to visit these lakes, close to the sensitive border with Tibet, is to book though an agent who can organize everything, including travel, guides, basic accommodations in tents or a village, and special permits. Pangong Tso is a huge lake, a large chunk of which lies across the border in China (Note: There are practically no accommodations at the lake itself, so many prefer to return the same day—start, say by 5am for the 5- to 6-hr. one-way drive and return after a 3- to 4-hr. stay; back by late evening); farther south, surrounded by some of Ladakh’s highest peaks, is Tso Moriri—“mountain lake”—where the colors of the water are as lovely as the birds you’ll spot. On the shores of the lake, you’ll often see herds of wild ass—or kiang—grazing, and cheeky-looking marmots (yellow furry creatures resembling beavers) perch upon the rocks. Nestled in a valley of nomads, the lake is a summer migration stop for bar-headed geese (or nangpa), not to mention the Khampa, among the original people of Ladakh. Korzok village, on the northern tip of Tso Moriri, is the only place that has basic accommodation, in tents and guesthouses.
Rafting in Ladakh
Without doubt, Zanskar offers one of the most exhilarating and challenging white-water