The Traveling Librarian: Tso Pangong

Took a side trip for two days to Tso Pangong (Lake Pangong) which is a high altitude salt water lake at 4250m. I went with three incredible women Andrea from Austria, Alexandra from Italy, Isabella from France along with our Ladaki Driver, Stenzin, from Zanskar. It was raining when we left Leh so when we got to Chang La, the 17,500 foot (5490 m – 5599m) pass, it was snowing with high winds. Our drive took a long time due to photo ops, lunch, and stopping to look at wildlife such as Marmots, wild donkeys, domesticated animals and Temo (I believe a female Yak/Cow mix). Once we got to the lake we walked for a couple of hoursand hung out on the beach. Everyone of Ladaki descent had to watch us unpack our luggage, check out our room, and assist verbally in getting enough foam to make one big bed. We had a nice dinner of dal & rice in a parachute tent that served as a

restaurant, snack concession and sleeping area for the cook and her daughter. We ended up staying there until bedtime playing games that Isabella introduced to us. After the girls got through
dialoging (approx. 10 minutes) about which direction we were going to lay on the mattresses they suggested that I be the first one to pick my place. Then we all had to go to the toilet so the girls started discussing a strategy for not having to walk up the hill to the Ladaki style toilet. They discussed the possibility (another 10 minutes) of us all going behind our sleeping area and then turning off our headlamps (torches) at the same time - while they were establishing a strategy I went up to the toilet and came back before they had finished their discussion – we had a good laugh over that. Then we all snuggled together in our sleeping bags. I forgot to mention it was freezing at that altitude. We had a fabulous time with lots of giggles and chatter. I couldn’t have asked for better or more compatible travel companions.

Tso Pangong is the highest lake in Ladakh and is 150km long. It extends almost in a straight line way into Tibet, only a quarter of it is in India. Because we were so close to the border we had to have special permits to visit the lake and could only visit less than an eighth of the lake. There were many military bases on the way. On our way back we saw herds of Yaks (male), Demo (female), and Dzo (female mix of Yak & cow).