on the road to Kargil
We left Leh in the early morning for a rather comfortable drive along the Indus River to Kargil.
National Highway 1 is the main route connecting Leh and Srinagar in the state of Jammu & Kashmir. Due to its strategic importance at close proximity to the Line of Control, the road is in good condition and driving was very smooth. We passed several ancient monasteries (e.g., Basgo and Lamayuru) and crossed two high mountain passes (Fatu La at 4108 m and Namika La at 3700 m). Already near our destination of Kargil, we stopped at Mulbekh where we visited the beautiful Chamba Buddha Statue which was carved into a rock some time in the 8th century AD!
In addition to photos, I took a few video clips of the journey:
Just before we reached Kargil the weather turned cloudy and the town itself did not seem very welcoming. The bomb shelter in our hotel reminded us of the troubled situation of Kashmir and the unresolved conflict between India and Pakistan.
Matt Travels 