Dha & Hanu

Located around 163 km north-west of the town of Leh, the village settlements of Dha and Hanu are placed on the meeting points of Indus and Shyok Rivers in the Kargil region. Famed as the 'Land of Aryans', these villages are home to Brokpa or Drokpa community of Ladakh. The Brokpas have made around 5 villages their home but the tourists are permitted to visit only villages- Dha and Hanu. Apart from tourists, these villages are an attraction for anthropologists also.

It is a belief that the residents of these villages were a part of Alexander the Great’s army and came here more than 2000 years ago. Brokpas have a custom of marrying only in their own community and this has helped them in keeping their unique features intact. They are known for their blue-colored eyes, fair complexion and an Ind-Aryan look. But because of the very same reason, their population has also remained limited, around 2000.

Zanskar

About 20 kms. south of Rangdum stands the Pazila watershed across which lies Zanskar, the most isolated of all the trans Himalayan Valleys. The Panzila Top (4401 m) is the picturesque tableland adorned with two small alpine lakes and surrounded by snow covered peaks.

As the Zanskar road winds down the steep slopes of the watershed to the head of the Stod Valley, one of Zanskar’s main tributary valleys, the majestic Drang-Drung glacier looms into full view. The Drang-Drung glacier is perhaps the largest glacier in Ladakh. It is from the cliff-like snout of this extensive glacier that the Stod or Doda River, the main tributary of river Zanskar, rises.

Zangla

Lying deep in the northern arm of Zanskar at the end of the 35 km long rough road from Padum, Zangla was being ruled by a titular king till his death a few years back. The old castle now in ruins except from a small chappel, occupies a hill, overlooking the desert valley below.

Nearby is the old Nunnery worth a visit for the austere life style of the small monastic community of nuns. An old monastery situated in the nearby village of Tsa-zar has exquisite frescos that should be missed. The village lies mid-way between Stongdey and Zangla. Zangla is the nodal point on the popular Padum-Strongdey-Zangla-Karsha-Padum round trip.

Padum

Once the capital of the ancient kingdom of Zanskar, Padum (3505 m) is the present day administrative headquarters of the region. With a population of nearly 1500, Padum can be described as the most populous settlement of Zanskar. Incidentally, it is only in Padum that there is a community of Muslims constituting nearly half the township’s population.

Lately, Padum has become famous as a major trekking base and a popular tourist destination. Several places of tourist interest in the vicinity of the township can be visited in the course of entertaining walks.