Today we roll straight into living, breathing Ladakh. All those settlements since Darcha? Seasonal - inhabited only in summer - and you can really feel that ghost-town vibe. But here, life hums year-round.
On the way to Leh we pass through traditional Ladakhi villages: ancient stone huts rubbing shoulders with freshly painted houses, decorated with carved doors and window frames, and of course, plenty of Stupas. Wherever the land allows, people coax up patches of vegetables and grain.
We follow the Mundar Topko river through its grand canyon until Upshi, where we cross an overflowing Indus. From here, traffic ramps up—more cars, more trucks, and unfortunately, less patience. The last 45 kilometers to Leh run along the highway on the Indus’s right bank, through massive military zones and some pretty desolate towns. The sun is blazing; my bike computer casually announces over 30°C. My legs? Mashed potatoes. But with some pro-level slipstream teamwork, we keep rolling.
In Thiksey, the muezzin calls for prayer. The road instantly jams with worshippers, cars, and trucks. The honking symphony - you can imagine. Shey Palace is a welcome visual reprieve.
The final stretch into Leh is uphill on a two-lane highway. Somehow, guided by the mercies of GPS, we actually find our pre-booked guesthouse for departure. Of course, they’re full tonight. Luckily, next door at Moon Palace Homestay (yep, that’s really the name), we score rooms tucked away from the main road.
Leh itself? Fantastic. People are warm, their English solid, and the place is buzzing with backpackers from every corner of the planet. Compared to sleepy Old Manali, this is a proper hub.
By evening, our all-important Inner Line Permit for the next stage is sorted. Still, I’d love at least two days here to recharge before “second half” kicks off.
And so, Georg and I celebrate the end of a triumphant first half the way any champions would: with pizza and beer. 🍻
80 km, 730 vertical meters.
We’ve scheduled two whole rest days in Leh: time to recharge the batteries (mostly by eating all the delicious things) and dive into this cultural melting pot. At Mentokling Restaurant, breakfast comes with the same Om mani padme hum mantra track that was on repeat at the German Bakery in Old Manali last week. Déjà-vu with a soundtrack. Also: muesli with fruit and curd—the breakfast I’ve been dreaming about for days. 😊
At least half the tourists here are Israeli, and about half the shops and restaurants are run by Muslims. For me, it is a fascinating mix.
The kids of the Moon Palace family (yep, still loving that name) are learning ukulele at school. Since it’s the holidays, I get to borrow their little instrument. After a few hours of fumbling, I’ve got enough chords down to play 99 Luftballons by Nena. Learn something new: check!
Georg goes on a shopping spree while I hike up to Samkar Monastery, then climb further to Tsemo Castle, and finally to the Leh Palace itself. Along the way I soak up facts: since 2019 Ladakh is no longer part of Jammu & Kashmir but a Union Territory governed directly from Delhi; Buddhism and Islam each make up around 40% of the population, by far the two dominant religions here.
It’s time for Yoga on the rooftop terrace, and - finally - proper restful night’s sleep.
