Stargazing At Pangong Lake Spiti Valley | Camp Fire And Stars

Stargazing At Pangong Lake

    Before getting into the post I just want to address one important thing to you all. Amidst the crisis of covid-19 that the world is facing right my advice to you, all travellers are to stay where you are and avoid travelling until it is safe again. Health should be your first priority and the rest comes after that. 

    But that doesn't mean you shouldn't plan your next trip right? 

    There are many stargazing locations in the world and across India, with many stretches of wilderness which present many revealing sights of the expansiveness of the universe.

     Whether you would like to see a meteor shower or the Milky Way. One of the best location to just sit under the stars and reflect upon the vast expanse of the universe is Pangong lake in spiti valley.

    So here goes my experience of stargazing at Pangong Tso Lake. The perfect time to encounter a clear sky is during April, May, September and October. It goes without saying how much a clear sky is important to get that perfect shot of the night sky. 

   This highland grass lake is an enchanting view, especially during night time when a starry sky highlights the bareness of the backdrop which creates a fabulous spectacle that could make want to catch a star.

   Pangong lake is almost 11 hours ( 5 hours from leh and the same duration to get back to leh ) of up and down journey with breathtaking roads, breathtaking valleys that cover the entire region. 

   You need to cross Chang La (5320m), the world's 3rd highest motorable road. The view from the top was a sight that will never be erased from my mind. 

   We started at 6.45am from Leh and reached the lake sometime between 6 to 7pm, just before the sunset. It was one of the most beautiful sunsets I ever saw in my life.

    

    We stayed there in a camp. The camp has more than 10 tents and those have attached bath. The camp stay has dining hall also, Tibetan, Chinese, Continental foods are available there. After dinner, it was time for a bonfire and under the stars, it was an experience of a lifetime. 

    I got a stunning view of the milky way and some of the stars fall at the night from the lakeside. The camp night goes off every day at 11 pm, so you can get pitch dark situation which is perfect for night sky photography at Pangong Lake and time-lapse photography.

   It was getting pretty late and we had an early start tomorrow so went to sleep. I'm my opinion if you ever come here stay at least for 3 to 4 days. 

The next morning we headed back to leh after seeing the sunrise which again I won't ever forget. 

   It was an amazing experience at heavenly Pangong Lake. Everyone should visit this place at least once in a lifetime. But believe me, once you visit this place you want to go there again and again. 

  That is the sole reason why I wanted to write a separate post describing my experience there and hope my travelogue will help you.

How to reach Pangong Lake?

  Take a car from Leh and it takes almost 5 hours to reach there. My suggestion is not to go there only for one day plan as it is a very hectic one and you will not able to enjoy and even may not be able to see the night sky if the weather is not right. Keep at least 1 to 2 days in your hand.

When to go Pangong Lake?

   

   The perfect time to go Pangong is from May to October. If you are lucky you can find almost ice freezing Pangong Lake in the month of October.

Where to stay in Pangong Lake area?

   If you really want to enjoy the beauty of Pangong, want to see the Sunrise, want to experience the night sky then you need to stay there least 1 or 2 days. 

   You can get many Camps to stay right beside the lake. Book one of those from Leh where you can find many travel agent for camp booking. The tents on those camps are very well organized, with attached bath and dining hall as I said it before.

   If you want more info about the lake or have any difficulties in planning your trip then don't worry, just leave a comment or email me at forevernomad7@gmail.com and I will be glad to help you.