Initially when I decided to join this amazing adventure all over this sacred land of Ladakh, the only place that I really have in mind that having that desire of "I MUST GO!!!" was here, the Pangong Lake, also named the Pangong Tso. The inspiration of it, similar to most of the people here, was the classic Amir Khan movie, 3 Idiots. The last climax scene of the movie, when the group of friends finally manage to find their long lost friend, Rancho, they met him here by the spectacular lakeside of Pangong Lake, and the background scenery was just unreal! According to some statistic, the local tourism counts have increase quadrupled reaching 1,600,000 compare to a year before the movie release on year 2008 at 400,00 tourists. Off topic a bit, the movie itself was classic and truly motivating, please do watch it if you haven't do so!
Climax scene of classic Amir Khan movie, 3 Idiots with took place at Pangong Lake. Photo credited to Internet.
Expected advertisement here on the lakeside.
Back to some description about this place, it was an endorheic lake in the Himalayas situated at a height of about 4,350 m (14,270 ft). It is 134 km (83 mi) long and extends from India to the Tibetan Autonomous Region, China. Approximately 60% of the length of the lake lies within the Tibetan Autonomous Region. The lake is 5 km (3.1 mi) wide at its broadest point. All together it covers 604 km2.
It was winter when we are here, and the surface close to where our drivers drop us was mostly frozen completely! Yeah, you can freely roaming on the frozen lake, but just not too far from as the ice condition at deeper area might not be that solid. It just feel like a gigantic skating rink here! Although best season to visit Pangong Lake was during summer, but for us winter was not bad at all, the landscape with combination of half frozen lake with gigantic mountain range, and most importantly, it was not crowded at all!
Say hi to spectacular frozen Pangong Lake, only in winter!
Praying flags hanging just on the lake side.
From experience through Chadar Trek, these ice was solid, worry free!
Truly a gigantic ice skating rink!
Mandy enjoying our almost private frozen lake of Pangong!
Me enjoying our almost private frozen lake of Pangong!
Hybrid enjoying our almost private frozen lake of Pangong!
CT enjoying our almost private frozen lake of Pangong!
Princess enjoying our almost private frozen lake of Pangong!
Lots of praying flags scattered alongside the lake.
The view from one of many cafe by the lake side.
Cafe with superb view while waiting for our lunch.
After getting some quick refreshment of nice milk coffee pairing with instant noodle soup, we drive further into village of Spangmik, to have another view and experience of Pangong Lake from different side. At this point, we were just probably 50 KM away from Tibet. The village itself have lots of resorts and camp site but it was quite quiet at this time of the year, it would have been massive crowded here during the summer time. We change to our signature costume of the day according to our plan, our plaid shirt and take a very memorable group photo here! The rest of the time we fly the drone, running around the lake, and simply just enjoying this otherworldly view to it max! We have to spend another 4 hours of tough ride back to Leh, but no doubt it was worth it!
Lots of cafe but most of them was not operating during winter.
The part of the lake that wasn't freezing.
Look at that sky blue color reflected on the lake, it just feel so peaceful.
Looking back on the frozen side which we roaming a while ago.
Don't walk towards the surface, it was water and not ice there!
Closest feeling with the world of nature.
On the way to Spangmik.
The view towards the China side of the Pangong Lake.
Here we come again! Our private playground!
Can't possibly get tired of these marvelous view at all!
Background production job.
The result! Not bad at all!
Fabian laying down for a drone shot.
Our plaid shirt group photo 1!Photo credited to Hybrid.
Our plaid shirt group photo 2!Photo credited to Hybrid.
Our plaid shirt group photo 3!Photo credited to Hybrid.
My solo take in frozen Pangong Lake!Photo credited to Hybrid.
Snow Leopard drone shot via Pangong Lake! Video credited to Hybrid.
Another Snow Leopard circular drone shot via Pangong Lake! Video credited to Hybrid.
Hey guys, time to go!
Incoming sand storm?
Just some of the path that we went through today.
Indian armies running with their equipment, it was truly tough at this high altitude and they might have to execute this training daily, salute!
Passing one of the army camp along the way.
Leaving the desert area.
And once again enjoying the white fantasy world once again.
The return path was not boring as well with all these amazing view all along the way!
pangong lake - india
January 2018
