Diskit - A Homage to Beauty

After some days of acclimatization in Leh my permit was finally ready to takle the long road over the Khardung-La, the highest mountain pass navigable with a vehicle. The road leads into the remote Nubra Valley bordering the glaciers of Pakistan. Even with some acclimatization the hight of the road with more than 5600 meters is a challenge for everyone: driver, vehicle and myself. It was May and the road was still covered with snow and we had to use chains to be able to cross the pass. The descent into the Nubra valley was amazing. The mountains were towering over a broad valley with some villages along the river. It took me about 10 hours from Leh to reach Diskit, the major village in the valley. High above the village was the magnificent Diskit monastry, home to about 100 monks. The walk through the cliff was steep and I reached breathless the prayer hall. It was early morning, the broad valley below my feet with the snow capped peaks behind. If anyone asks, why someone sits for days in a jam-packed vehicle, than this is the answer. Nubra means Valley of Flowers a wonderful homage to the beauty and remoteness of the Himalayas.