Ladakh range
Encyclopedia
The Ladakh Range is a segment
f the Karakoram
Range, that extends southeastward for 230 miles (370 km) from the mouth of the Shyok River
in the Ladakh
region to the Tibetan border
. With a crest line of about 20,000 feet (6,100 m), the range parallels the northeast bank of the Indus River
.
The nomadic Changpa rely mostly on sheep and yak herding for existence in the Ladakh range, which give an idea of comfort level which can be expected while venturing into this high/dry desert region.
Tibet's Chang Tang plain, most remote section of Himalayas, is extreme high country, here the valleys, are about 14,000 feet above sea level.Area's like Lake Morari(a verdant oasis) and Stok Kangri (highest of Ladakh's peaks) & can spend some time by exploring the Buddhist monasteries around (city Leh).
Ladakh is a beautiful desert region. Culturally/geographically close to Tibet.It has few resources with an extreme climate, the Buddhist Ladakhis with their traditions and intimate knowledge of local environment have survived & actually prospered.
In spite of centuries of invasions from the Mongols(from central Asia), the Baltis (from west), the Dogras (from south )and even Tibetans (from east). The mixed ethnic origins are reflected in their faces.
The main town of Ladakh (Leh) was for centuries trade centre for fine pashmina wool (once worth its weight in gold); yak and pony caravans brought in pashmina from Tibet, turquoise, coral and silver from Yarkand and Kashgar, spices,fabrics from India and silk from Kashmir.
Two English explorers, William Moorcroft and John Trebeck visiting Leh in 1836, were stunned seeing a town of such wealth located in midst of obviously arid desert land.
f the Karakoram
Karakoram
The Karakoram, or Karakorum , is a large mountain range spanning the borders between Pakistan, India and China, located in the regions of Gilgit-Baltistan , Ladakh , and Xinjiang region,...
Range, that extends southeastward for 230 miles (370 km) from the mouth of the Shyok River
Shyok River
The Shyok River flows through northern Ladakh in India and the Northern Areas of Pakistan , spanning some .The Shyok River, a tributary of the Indus River, originates from the Rimo Glacier, one of the tongues of Siachen Glacier. The river widens at the confluence with the Nubra River...
in the Ladakh
Ladakh
Ladakh is a region of Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state of the Republic of India. It lies between the Kunlun mountain range in the north and the main Great Himalayas to the south, inhabited by people of Indo-Aryan and Tibetan descent...
region to the Tibetan border
Tibet Autonomous Region
The Tibet Autonomous Region , Tibet or Xizang for short, also called the Xizang Autonomous Region is a province-level autonomous region of the People's Republic of China , created in 1965....
. With a crest line of about 20,000 feet (6,100 m), the range parallels the northeast bank of the Indus River
Indus River
The Indus River is a major river which flows through Pakistan. It also has courses through China and India.Originating in the Tibetan plateau of western China in the vicinity of Lake Mansarovar in Tibet Autonomous Region, the river runs a course through the Ladakh district of Jammu and Kashmir and...
.
The nomadic Changpa rely mostly on sheep and yak herding for existence in the Ladakh range, which give an idea of comfort level which can be expected while venturing into this high/dry desert region.
Tibet's Chang Tang plain, most remote section of Himalayas, is extreme high country, here the valleys, are about 14,000 feet above sea level.Area's like Lake Morari(a verdant oasis) and Stok Kangri (highest of Ladakh's peaks) & can spend some time by exploring the Buddhist monasteries around (city Leh).
Ladakh is a beautiful desert region. Culturally/geographically close to Tibet.It has few resources with an extreme climate, the Buddhist Ladakhis with their traditions and intimate knowledge of local environment have survived & actually prospered.
In spite of centuries of invasions from the Mongols(from central Asia), the Baltis (from west), the Dogras (from south )and even Tibetans (from east). The mixed ethnic origins are reflected in their faces.
The main town of Ladakh (Leh) was for centuries trade centre for fine pashmina wool (once worth its weight in gold); yak and pony caravans brought in pashmina from Tibet, turquoise, coral and silver from Yarkand and Kashgar, spices,fabrics from India and silk from Kashmir.
Two English explorers, William Moorcroft and John Trebeck visiting Leh in 1836, were stunned seeing a town of such wealth located in midst of obviously arid desert land.