PENZI LA (STATSO & LANGTSO LAKES)

Roads beyond Rangdum continue to be rough for the next 22 kms with a gradual ascend towards PENZI LA pass. On the right side, you can see the vast expanses of valleys as if they extend up to infinity. At PENZI LA top, which happens to be the highest point on the Kargil – Padum Highway at 14,000 feet, you can see the two mini lakes STATSO & the LANGTSO lakes.

Penzila Top
Statso & Langtso Lakes at Penzila Top

DRANG DRUNG GLACIER

The PENZI LA top marks the end of the SURU VALLEY & the beginning of the ZANSKAR VALLEY. A little further just about 100 meters, the valley throws open to you the most splendid & a mesmerizing sight of the Mighty DRANG DRUNG glacier. This being the highest point on the Kargil-Padum road, is quite cold. But I am sure that you would brave it all to capture the divine sight in your memories. This is some sight which would remain etched in your soul forever. 

Beyond this point, the descend begins on the other side of PENZI LA, indicating the beginning of the ZANSKAR valley. As you continue on the untarred road full of stony paths & loose gravel, you will come across small villages like ABRAN, HAMLING, TUNGRI. There is a check post at one of the villages from where you can take a diversion on the right side. There’s a wonderful tarmac road & for the next 5 kms, you will find yourself cruising at 60-70 kmph. Wow! For a change this is too good to disengage yourself from that 20 kmph bracket which you would be doing from PANIKHAR.  But the diversion again connects you to the regular road. This point is about 43 kms from PADUM. By the time, it would be evening & you will find yourself wading through a couple of water crossings. Finally, you  would reach a bridge on your right side, which takes you to Padum. The straight road goes to KARSHA MONASTERY. Once you cross the bridge on the right, you are greeted with tarred road for the final stretch of 14 kms. The tarred road is not too good, but still better than all the offroad stretches which you would be doing since PANIKHAR. I am hopeful that I am would be able to arouse the curiosity within you to make a dash for this ecstatic destination.

As mentioned earlier, its just not the ZANSKAR valley, but the journey to the ZANSKAR valley is something which would remain in your memories for a lifetime.  I had always been fascinated by ZANSKAR more than Ladakh, due to its untouched virgin vast valleys, a blended landscape of barren snow capped mountains, noncommercialized pristine atmosphere. You would hardly find any commercial establishments in the Zanskar region.

Divine Sight of the Drang Drung Glacier
Descend from the Penzi La & the beginning of the Zanskar Valley

This article takes you through some unique moments you can witness at the PENZI LA & DRANG DRUNG glacier. It is one of the most picturesque spot in the entire journey. If you find this articles useful, please share it with your friends and near ones looking forward to travel to the Zanskar region.

In case you have any queries, please feel free to write to me in the section below.