Drive over Chang la pass

The first thirty-kilometer journey is the same with the trail of the trip through the valley of Indus. You will have a view of the monastery Thiksey and Stakna on the way. In the garrison Karu finally turn off the main road and begin to ascend to the pass. From the road is a beautiful view of the wonderfully situated monastery ChemreyGompa.
 

In the picturesque oasis Sakti the road and valley divides into two – the main, our road, leads on in the direction of the pass Chang la. The side road continues through Sakti to pass Warila (5 300 m asl). This road was opened in 2010 as an alternative to the more familiar way through Khardungla.
 

The way from Sakti rises really gradually (due to good passability for trucks, mainly military) in long bends that copy the six side valleys. You finally come to the very pass Changla (5 360 m asl), which may quite disappoint you, because it is „closed“ between two ridges and there are no breathtaking views from it.
 

Just a few meters from the pass is a small remnant of glacier, which once used to fill it here. Disappearance of glaciers in recent centuries has enabled the construction of these high-lying roads.
 

If you walk towards the glacier, at least a partial view into the depths of Indus valley and on the icy giant KangYatse on the horizon open.
 

If you ascend only a few meters higher, you have the entire pass at your fingertips. For a better view, you would have to climb up to the rocky slopes on its western side. But count with three hundred vertical meters, so it's not a trip for a few minutes.
 

After you descend from the pass through the landscape without life with only rubble after the glacier, you reach the confluence of two rivers. There is already some greenery, but you are still at a height of more than five thousand meters above sea level.
 

Although the main destination of this journey is amazing Pangongtso, you will come across also another nice lakes right next to the road.

After less than an hour drive from the pass Changla you get to a place, where you leave the river, along which you dropped down the whole time, and get over small upland plain to the valley of another mightier flow. But all these rivers end in the valley of Shyok that bypasses in a big arch the entire Indian Karakoram. At the highest point of this plain is a pilgrimage place with a nice view.
 

From the ribbons is also a nice view of the desolate valley lined with six thousand meters high mountains.
 

The largest town on the way is Tangtse that is tactically located on the connection of larger valleys. There is also a checkpost. From there you will ascend through the valley with vast green swamps, where you can see grazing yaks.
 

Just a bit further is a glacial lake with typical milky color. It only confirms that also this route is very nice.
 

Just before the destination of this path, lake Pangong tso, is a small desert.