Ladakh is now saperated from Jammu and Kashmir and made a region administrate by India as Union territory. Ladakh border touches Tibet in east , at west Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan and at south it touches Himachal Pradesh. After made different state Government of India encourage Tourism in Ladakh. Leh is the largest town in Ladakh. Leh district contains Nubra, Indus and Shyok river valleys. Population in region are 46 % Muslims, 12 % Hindus , 40 % Buddhist and 2 % other religions. The culture in Ladakh is mostly related to Tibet. On 31st oct 2019 Ladakh is established as a Union Territory.
Ladakh Famous For :
Ladakh is famous for breathtaking landscapes, the highest mountain pass, advanture activities, Crystal clear sky and Buddhist monasteries.
Leh Ladakh Tour Package : Leh Ladakh Trip cost
Well Leh Ladakh Tour package depend on your budget. If you need to pay more at Hotels then your package will go around 40 K-50 K per person without flight. And if you comfortable with stay in tents then your tour cost reduce almost half around 22 K – 27 K per person without flight. If you go by car or bike from delhi then the Leh Ladakh tour cost around 40k -50k approx. Also you can visit Ladakh tourism for more details
For Leh Ladakh tour you have many options to go via flight and via road.
- Delhi to Leh in flight
- Delhi to Shrinagar in Flight and then visit Kargil and then go to Leh . Via Shrinagar route your trip increase for 2 days for visit Kargil and Shri nagar.
- Do an adventure go via Manali to Leh on Bike or Car. That may increase your trip days around 15 days for round trip.
Most people choose direct flight to Leh for Leh Ladakh trip. And most nature lover people choose Bike ride from Manali. Now a days Shri nagar route is also more popular too. The Best option for Leh Ladakh Trip is via bike or car from Manali because from here you acclimatize your body from cold waves gradually. Reaching Leh or Shrinagar direct via flight may be discomfort for body to acclimatize too early. So reaching direct Leh you must have to stay Leh for one day to acclimatize body in cold and low oxygen.
How Many Days you need for Leh Ladakh Trip :
Total 7 days enough for Leh Ladakh Trip when you go via flight at Leh.
Challenges face during Ladakh Trip :
Ladakh all places are above 11000 ft so you will face challenge of low oxygen. In leh oxygen level of normal body remains 85-95 . At khardungla pass and changla pass oxygen level at 70 for normal people. At these passes you must not stay more than 10 minutes otherwise you will face low oxygen and face headache, vomiting and breathing problems specially for kids below 5 -7 years and smokers. Other minor challenges like landslide is rare. Also main problem of washrooms there are no washrooms or restrooms excepts some dhabas and hotels in road from leh to pangong lake and nubra alley. Everyday travel 100 km approx is bit tough at this height. Road condition is good as managed by BRO. In Pangong Lake too much wind blow at evening so reach before 2-3 pm otherwise you can not stay at 5 pm on pangong lake . ( too cold and windy ).
Best Time To visit Leh Ladakh :
Well Leh Ladakh opens in April so its April to July is the best time to visit Leh Ladakh. After August there is too much snow fall and also too much cold so it is very difficult to stay at Ladakh in Winter. During April to July Leh Ladakh temperature remains 15- 30 degree. During night it goes down up to 5 degree. In winter temperature goes up to -40 degree or more in Dras sector. It is one of the coldest place in the world.
Places to visit in Leh Ladakh : Most favorite places in Leh Ladakh
- Santi Stupa Leh
- Leh Palace in Leh city
- Hall of Fame Leh
- Sangam – confluence of Indus river and Zanskar river
- Magnetic Hill , Pathar Sahib Gurudwara
- Nubra Valley – Camel safari, Diskit Monastery, Lachung Temple, Turtuk , Ind-pak border
- Khardungla Pass
- Pangong Lake
- Changla Pass
- Druk white lotus school – 3 idiots rancho’s school
- Leh city shopping
- Tso Morii Lake
Leh Ladakh Tour Itinerary :
DAY 01: ARRIVE LEH
Arrival Leh by flight and transfer to the hotel. After welcome drink (it’s a local energetic drink )take a complete rest for acclimatization to the height altitude of Leh (3500 meters). Have Dinner and overnight in hotel.
DAY 02: LEH to SHAM VALLEY REGION (90 KMS / 05 – 06 HRS)
Sham Valley
Hall of Fame (Museum Constructed by Indian Army) must visit for each Indian. At Hall of Fame you will be brief for Kargil War how our Indian Army capture the points at LOC.
Patthar Sahib at around 22 Kms from Leh was built in memory of Guru Nanak Dev ji Nestled deep in the Himalayas. A drive of 4 -5 km to Magnetic Hill which opposes the law of gravity. As you drive forward from Magnetic Hills, not long before Nimmu Village, there comes a Confluence of Two Rivers Indus River coming from Tibet (left) and Zanskar River coming from Zanskar Valley (right). Here river rafting also you can do.
Zanskar River is known for its popular Chadar Trek. Later we drive back to Leh.
Visit to Leh Palace at evening, Shanti Stupa & Leh Market.
stay at the Hotel in LEH. We stay at City Palace hotel in Leh. Good hotel near to the market.
DAY 03: LEH to NUBRA VALLEY VIA KHARDUNG LA 18,390 FT. (120 KMS / 4 – 5 HRS)
At early morning we drive to Nubra Valley. The journey from Leh to Nubra Valley passes over KhardungLa (The Highest Motorable Road In The World) at 5,602 Mtrs / 18,390 Ft, around 39 km from Leh. From the pass, one can see all the way south over the Indus valley to see Zanskar range, and north to the Saser massif. At Khardungla Pass you can stay only for 10-20 minutes because of low oxygen. Do not stay more than 15 minutes otherwise you will face mountain sickness or altitude sickness problems. Also carry oxygen cylinders in your car for any emergency. Oxygen cylinders are chargeable for everyone its not include in package. When we pass through Khardungla Pass and we check our oxygen level by pulse oximeter it shows around 60-70 so after that you will face headache, omitting problems if you stay more.
Nubra Valley is popularly known as Ldumra or the valley of flowers. It is situated in the north of Ladakh between the Karakoram and Ladakh ranges of the Himalayas. The altitude of the valley is 10,000 Ft. approx. After reach at Nubra we check in at our Camp / Hotel in Hunder for Overnight stay. In the evening you can walk around the villages to see how the locals live in this part of the world or go to desert for camel riding , ATV bike ride etc. Stay at the Camp or Hotel. We stayed at Nubra Escape Camp. Tents are neat and clean and well managed. Also Night sky looks great and I had capture Milky Way at night.
DAY 04: NUBRA Valley TO TURTUK Village (82 KMS – 3 HRS ONE WAY)
At early morning we drive to Turtuk, and a lot of other small villages, were brought under Indian control after the 1971 war, when the Indian army pushed the Pakistani soldiers past the mountains towering the Nubra Valley. Turtuk lies at the extreme corner of the Indian border, and hence its accessibility is a challenge. Due to treacherous roads and sensitive army base camps, permits were not issued to Indian civilians until late 2010. Now a days you need permit of Indian Army you need to pass through check post of Indian army where you show your identity and also car papers deposit for security perpose and you need to show them in return and collect them. Throughout the journey, one has the company of Shyok, as well as the vistas, that define the barrenness which is characteristic to Ladakh. From Turtuk village some distance there is a small village you can see the border of India and Pakistan and also no mans land between India and Pakistan. After visiting we drive back to our camp or Hotel in Hunder for Overnight stay.Stay at NUBRA VALLEY
DAY 05: NUBRA VALLEY TO PANGONG LAKE (150 KMS / 5 HRS)
After breakfast we drive towards Hunder where you have opportunity to ride on a bacterian camel (double humped) amidst the sand dunes of this high-altitude desert with snowcapped mountains on the horizon. On the return stop at Diskit which is the headquarter town of Nubra Valley. Stroll around the bazaar observing the shops and local people going about their daily chores. Later we drive towards Pangong Tso via Agham & Shyok Valley. Some of the road patches in areas are extremely tough (towards nubra side) in terms of road conditions but no doubt the journey is very scenic! Later after crossing this adventurous part we drive further towards Durbuk & Tangtse for Pangong you pass through few small villages of Changthang and finally you can have a sudden view of the Pangong lake situated at 14,000 feet (4,267 m). Upon arrival we check in at our Camp/Hotel Near Pangong lake.
We stay at 100 sky camp at Pangong Lake. There are only tents available in Pangong lake and wooden cottage. At night and late evening weather is windy and cold. Wind blows high and temperature goes down. At night its very cold so prepare warm clothes and thermal. For children you need to be well prepared to protect from cold and low oxygen.
DAY 06: PANGONG LAKE TO LEH VIA CHANGLA (140 KMS / 6 HRS)
In the Morning explore the beauty of lake and later we drive back to Leh via Changla Pass 5486 Mtrs en route visiting Hemis Gompa, the largest monastic foundation of Drukpa Kagyu Order of Tibetan Buddhism. And futher to Thiksey an impressive complex rising tier upon tier on a hill above the village and another 5 Kms driving through a picturesque landscape we reach to Shey Palace, The ancient capital of Ladakh & 3 Idiots Rancho School. Drive to Hotel in Leh.
DAY 07: DEPART LEH (FLY OUT)
After breakfast we leave for Airport and back to our destination.
In above itinerary you can do Pangong Lake first and then go to Nubra Valley or do the same as itinerary.
In Leh city for south Indian food visit The Test of South India restaurant in market. And if you like to test famous food of Ladakh ( Thukpa )visit The Tibetan Kitchen.
What to buy from Leh Ladakh:
The best food serves here. For shopping you can take warm cloths , showls, warm jackets , hand glowes, local hand made items,carpets, handicrafts are cheap and good quality. Showls are bit expensive of Pashmina showl.
Apricot items are best to buy from here. Also dry fruits and apricot oil , lip balms are variety of Leh Ladakh is very good in quality and price too.
Things to Carry during Leh Ladakh Trip
Clothes as per your need ,take Full sleeve t shirts, pairs of woolen shocks, Bagpack for day travel, Water bottle, Good quality Shoes, Woolen Jacket which use in Extreme cold condition, Thermal, MonkeyCap, Goggles, Hand Gloves, Sun Cap, Cold Cream, Vicks, Band Aid, Medicines ( Diamox tab, Paracitamol, Electral Powder, ORS ), 4-5 Big polythene, Money, Original Photo ID, Camera kit , Take extra jacket for extreme cold condition in Pangong lake.
Diamox Tablet taken before 48 hours when you reach at Leh via flight. It is not necessary to take Diamox tablet before you fly to Leh direct. If you are physically fit then no need to take it. Just drink water at regular interval and hydrate your body. Take proper food and proper rest too.
What to do to avoid Mountain seekness:
If you feel headech or vomitting , lack of food and water then you are facing mountain seekness. You must need to hydrate your body everytime. Whenever you go directly at high altitude stay for 1 day to aclemite your body with weather. Then drink water , juice, local energy drinks , eat dry fruits, fruits , chocolates etc. Drink water more to hydrate your body then you will not face mountain seekness. After all if you feel seekness use ORS liquid and drink it. Take diamox tablet before 48 hours of flying high altitude. Take long breath regularly in 15 minutes. And if your oxygen level is below 60-70 then visit nearest hospital or go to down altitude station then you will feel better. And one must thing is do not drink during Leh ladakh trip. Drinking alcohol is not advisable in Leh ladakh trip.
Photos taken with Canon 6D with 14 mm canon lens
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What is HORIZONS ? :: The horizon is the apparent line that separates Earth from sky. The true horizons can observed when it lines on the sea surface. Also many locations this line is made by Lands, Trees, Buildings, Mountains etc.The Horizon line divides all visible directions into two categories : those that intersect the Earth surface and those that don't. The horizon line is horizontal like to feel like end of earth no end of Earth surface . The Images of Horizons or skyline taken at Little Rann of Kutch . I tried to shoot many locations but sometimes not gonna happen that. Little Rann of Kutch is good place for Horizon photography bcz flat surface and 360 degree view. Above photo we passed thorough rann and i saw car trek on ground and line goes end of surface looks beautiful.
Horizon Height and distance calculation :
Well if you want to see horizon then you have to observe from 5-7 feet above sea level. Also you need clear land about 3-5 km distance then you can see clear Horizon line. In cities there are lots of disturbance like buildings, trees, towers etc so you can not see the clear horizons. For horizon line to see you need clear land area or water area. Best area for Horizon line is in between sea. In ocean there is clear Horizon line you can see easily. Also sunrise and sunset time horizons are amazing to see because of Twilight sky colors. Well all of these photos are not taken from 7 feet height and distance may not 3-5 km but its still you can see Horizons clearly. Photos taken from ground level but the rann area is clear so you can see horizons line from ground level.
For calculation of Horizon distance equation is :: Square root ( Height / 0.5736 ) and the result you get distance of Horizons.
Best Place To See Horizon lines :
The best place to see horizons are beaches. Because you can see clear line between Sky and Earth. Well where i live in Gujarat i have also one place name Little Rann of Kutch where i can see clear Horizon line as you can see in photos of Horizons. Little rann of Kutch is best place for me because its very near to me like about 2 hours car drive. Here there are huge number of raptors you can see in winter seasons. Lots of Migratory birds came here and the most important about Little Rann ot Kutch is Indian Wild Ass. Indian wild ass found only in Gujarat in this region only.
All Images taken at Little Rann of Kutch, Guajrat. Little rann of kutch known as LRK also famous for raptors and Indian Wild Ass. Lots of migratory birds coming here in winter. So never miss a change to visit LRK in Gujarat. LRK also very nice place for Star Gazing and Star Trail Photography, Time laps Photography.
Camera used : Canon 6 D, Canon 100-400 mm lens, Canon 50mm lens, canon 18-55 mm lens
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Where is Spiti Valley ? : Before some years ago no one knows about Spiti Valley only bikers and trekkers go their but now a days it is most popular destination in Himachal Pradesh. Spiti valley located in Himachal Pradesh India. It is near to indo Tibet (china ) border. Spiti means the middle land. Spiti valley is cold desert mountain valley of Himalayas. Spiti valley distributes in two parts one is Lahaul and other is Spiti district. Kaza is sub divisional headquarter of spiti district . Kaza is situated at 12500 ft from sea level and on spiti river. Spiti valley is one of the best place in Himachal Pradesh to visit in summer.
Spiti Valley Circuit Tour :
Spiti valley tour is managed easily. It’s a round tour starts from Delhi or Chandigarh. The route to spiti valley is Delhi- Chandigarh- Kalpa- Tabo- Kaza and return back to same route and second route is Delhi – Chandigarh – Kalpa – Tabo – Kaza – Manali – kullu – sundarnagar – Chandigarh –Delhi
How many days need for Spiti valley Tour :
Well depends on your how many days you want to spend. I spend Total 7 days to spiti vally tour from Chandigarh. And also 2 days in Chandigarh before and after. If you want to explore more areas during Spiti valley tour you need at least 10-15 days . In this you can explore each and every places which come on route of Spiti Valley from Delhi or Spiti Valley from Chandigarh. The best explore of Spiti Valley i had seen in youtube is visatoexplore but i had not much days to explore that much. So if you go for 7-9 days then follow my itinerary so you can easily manage your trip.
Spiti Valley Package cost :
Well I would recommend you not to book any package for spiti valley. We also search for spiti valley package from Chandigarh with Innova car and it bit expensive. I suggest if you are from near by destination like Delhi , Chandigarh etc then go with your own car (SUV ) its cost you very cheap for your trip. We do our trip by own not a single hotel booking. We just book a car from Chandigarh to Chandigarh for 7 days. Our total package with Car, Hotel rent, Food and other expenses cost around 21k Per person. We start from Chandigarh to Kaza via kinnaur , Kalpa , Nako, Tabo , Kaza and return from Kaza , Manali, Sundarnagar, Chandigarh. In winter return route from kaza to manali may not open. It open during summer after mid may or end of may. That route cost extra 7k of our car because its very bad road condition.
Chandigarh to Spiti Valley Tour Itinerary:
Day 1 : Arrive at Chandigarh and stay at Chandigarh
Day 2 : Early morning leave to Kalpa or Reckong Peo . ( 307 Km almost 13 hours drive )
Day 3 : Kalpa to Tabo Via Nako sight scene ( 200 km approx including nako sight scene and take almost 8 hours)
Day 4 : Tabo To Kaza via Dhankar ( approx 50 km but if you go Dhankar lake then it will take almost 4 hours in Dhankar , So total it will take almost 6-8 hours depends on you where you stay more time or not )
Day 5 : Stay at Kaza ( local sight scene )
Day 6 : Kaza to Manali or Kullu ( Total 182 km approx and it will take almost 10 hours or more , Google shows only 4 hours but road condition is very bad after Losar village so it will take more time to reach manali )
Day 7 : Manali to Sundarnagar ( 130 km approx but you can do river rafting and paragliding at kullu in between and after noon drive to sundarnagar it will take almost 4-5 hours depends on traffic )
Day 8 : Sundarnagar to Chandigarh . Stay at Chandigarh (176 km almost 4-5 hours drive )
Day 9 : Leave to your Destination
From Kaza to Manali via Kumzum Pass Chandratal Lake is famous but it open only after mid may or end of may. If you drive from Delhi then you have to add more days before and after it around 300 km distance Delhi to Chandigarh .
Where to Stay in Spiti Valley : Accommodation In Spiti Valley
- Chandigarh you can stay lots of hotels near airport and outer airport but i suggest you to book hotel near zirakpur so next day you can go direct to the kalpa route via kinnaur valley
- Kalpa : we stay at Alpine Nest hotel in kalpa or Rekong Pio. Hotel is very good and rooms were very neat and clean. Also it is on height so in the morning you can see beautiful view of Himalayas.
- Tabo : At tabo we stay at Green tara homestay and its a good homestay with good hospitality. Also cheaper than hotels.
- Kaza : We stayed at Kunga Hotel in kaza which is on the road after kaza city to kumzumpass route. It is also a good hotel with good rates.
- Manali : We stay at Gezelling Hill Tree hill cottages . It was amazing cottage with spacious rooms and a sitting area.
This itinerary is managed by us by own. We do not book any hotel and any package for travel and sight scene. There is no need to book any package for Spiti Valley from Delhi . You can go by own with book of Car or by own car. As per your capacity you can drive car. We travel a lot almost every day.
Spiti Valley Tour can managed from Delhi , Chandigarh, Manali too. But Manali route may open in mid of May so best route for Spiti Valley is from Chandigarh to Kinnour via sarahan, Kalpa, Chitkul.
Best Time to Visit Spiti Valley :
Best time to visit Spiti Valley is in Summer during May to July. All route and roads are open during this season. Also return route from Kaza to Manali via Kumzum pass is open after mid may and it is one of the best route for nature lovers. Chandratal Lake is open after end of May so you can visit in Jun. Also some peoples visit Spiti Valley in Winter too. During winter its very very cold and if you can control extreme cold condition.
Temperature in Spiti Valley :
During winter Spiti Valley temperature fall down up to -20 to -30 degree. Also roads are not clear due to snow fall. BRO ( Border Road Organization ) maintain roads in all seasons. Weather in summer is pleasant and temperature in Spiti Valley in summer is around 5-15 degree in day time and at night it 0-10 degree. Weather is not sure so temperature may different during entire season. But one more thing here UV index in spiti valley is High .
How to reach Spiti Valley :
Best route for Spiti Valley is from Kinnaur side and return from manali side. The road condition from Kinnaur side is excellent so you can choose that route and also visit Chitkul, Kalpa, Nako, Tabo from that route. Return route if kumzum pass route is open then you can come back from manali side and visit Chandratal lake. Otherwise come back from same route of Kinnaur side.
Spiti Valley from Manali :
Most peoples take Manali route in Return from spiti valley. Also that route is open during summer. Road condition of that route from Losar Village to Spiti Cut - Koksar is very bad and you can take atleast full day for it. Google shows Kaza to Manali 4 hours but it won't. From Losar to Koksar you find only one Dhaba for lunch or something to eat like meggy. No other services if your car/bike has some issue then you have to go either koksar or Losar. So plan early morning leave for this route. The route has awesome scenery to see so you may take lots of break during this route. In summer at kumzum pass feel very cold. We found some bikers and cars they came from manali to visit chandratal at 3-4 pm. So i suggest if you will go from Manali to Kaza then leave early morning around 6-7 am from Manali.
Panorama View Spiti Valley :
Here some panorama images taken with mobile and also from dslr camera which mearged after gives you better ideas about spiti valley landscapes.
Spiti Valley Drone Images :
Himalayan Mountains are really beautiful if you shoot them from Drone. Here my cousine came with Drone and get memorable moments capture from drone. Below image is way to kalpa from Chandigarh.
Above and below image of Tabo village Himachal Pradesh. We stay one night at Tabo at Green tara homestay taken good night starts and at morning we shoot from drone. Tabo Village is near to river so we try to capture whole village and river in one frame.
Dhankar Lake in below image looks amazing from drone image. Dhankar lake is at around 11500 ft height and approx 3-4 km from Dhankar Village and Dhankar monestery. Trek route is moderate if you aclamite weather. Wind is strong blowing here so do not prove yourself infront of weather that you are so strong. Because you are travelling by car and then go for trek at 11000 ft height may be difficult for anyone. My cousine also get low level oxygen problem when we come back from trek. So be safe .
Kaza to Kumzum Pass : One of the best route during Spiti Valley Tour is Kaza to Kumzum pass to Manali. Weather changes every hour do not pridicted. But definately you will get thrill during route. We face snowfall during the way and the feel was amazing. But The road is too bad that you will travel whole day around 10-12 hours. Also i would suggest 4 x 4 cars for this route. Low ground level cars may damaged during route. Also there is no service during 50 km in between.
For Places to visit During Spiti Valley i will make new post with photos.
If you need any assistence about spiti valley tour feel free to ask nirajhack@gmail.com
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The Time of the day between Daylight and Night or Darkness is Twilight. Simply means after sunset or before sunrise time you can see beautiful tri color sky with diffused and sometimes pinkish sky. At this moment The Sun is below the horizons but sunrays are disordered due to atmosphere of Earth and it make color of twilight.
Difference between Twilight And Dusk :
Time between Sunset and Dusk is called Twilight. At twilight moment there is little bit light in the sky. When the Sun is at 18 degree below the horizon that point is called Dusk. There is no sunlight at Dusk point.
Types of Twilight :
There are three types of Twilight
- Civil Twilight ( nearest to the Horizon )
- Astronomical Twilight ( fareast from Horizon )
- Nautical Twilight ( Fareast from Horizon )
About Thol Bird Sanctuary :
Thol Bird Sanctuary is located near Thol Village in Kadi in Mehsana District Gujarat. It was made in 1912 for irrigation tank. Later on the winter visitor birds and also lots of migratory birds came here it was declared as an Sanctuary in 1988. Thol Lake or Thol Bird Sanctuary is one of most favorite place for bird watchers. Here you can find lots of resident birds, Migratory Birds, Waders , Water birds, Serpents, Tortoies, Squirrels, Monitor Lizards etc. The different kinds of birds is the beauty of Thol Lake.
Twilight Sky At Thol Lake :
I oftenly visit Thol Lake for birding. During winter season i went for flemingos and pelicans specially. Winter is best time for Thol Lake. When my cousine came from USA we visited Thol Sanctuary. Generally i went early morning at 7 AM but my cousine was very exited to visit thol so we came early 5 AM at Thol Lake. There was a darkness at Thol Lake and also The gate open at 6 AM. so we wait for open the gate. When the gate was open and we just enter the lake we saw Twilight sky . A tri color sky looks amazing. I had never seen that type of sky before. Different shade of sky before 10 minutes of sunrise. That was experienced that we are in heaven. My cousine was very happy to see Twilight sky.
Gear Used : Canon 6 D camera, Canon 50 mm lens
How to Reach Thol Lake : Thol lake is near to Ahmedabad. Distance from Ahmedabad is around 25-30 km. So nearest Airport is Ahmedabad and Railway Station is Ahmedabad. You can go by road from Ahmedabad.
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Landscape Photography is one of my favorite subject. Corbett National Park is one of the most visited National Park in India. Its a Biggest Tiger Reserve in India and also large number of Tigers are here. Framing a landscape photo need good background and foreground. Well in corbett National Park Dhikala is the place where you can stay at night and also near to river side so you can visit Asiatic Elephant Family at Dhikala area.
Dhikala is situated at core location of Corbett National park. It is located about 30 km from Dhangadi Gate of Corbett National Park. Actually Dhikala is forest rest house where tourist can stay. Dhikala Forest Lodge is best place to stay in Corbett national Park. There are 6 different winges with different numbers of rooms in Dhikala. Dhikala is most popular to stay for wildlife photographers because in this area you can visit good river side sunset or sunrise and also a large number of Asiatic Elephants with Family.
Morning Golden Light :
While shooting landscape photography light is very important . When i was on my safari at Dhikala zone i saw morning golden light and a burned tree trunks standing on ground. Well i just capture is with good golden light. If you want good colors of sunlight then use white balance on shades in your DSLR camera. It boost your frame colors. And after then post processing with good color corrections. I also shoot it in Black and White landscapes at Corbett national Park.
Corbett national park is too big in area that Tiger siting possibility is too low. But there are another beautiful subjects to shoot their like elephants, crocodiles, birds etc. Also dont forget the Dikhala site where you can take landscape photos of amazing corbett. During sunset time here you can get elephant family and also magic of golden light.
Alone tree with golden light looks beautiful in frame.
A birds on top left branch of the tree .make my frame outstanding black and white photo with bird.
How to Reach Corbett National Park :
Corbett National park is located in Nainital District, Ramnagar, Uttarakhand. Nearest Railway station is Ramnagar about 10-12 km from Corbett Tiger Reserve. Kathgodam Railway station is about 3 hours distance from corbett national park. Nearest Airport is Pantnagar about half hour drive from corbett national park. Also you can fly to Delhi and then hire a car for corbett national park for one way. Best time to visit corbett national park is winter season. Well you can also visit all over year but winter is better to visit Jungle. Only Registered vehicles are allowed inside the park so you cannot go with your own car inside park. Bijrani is the best zone after Dhikala to spot Tigers.
Gear Used : Canon 1000 D, Canon 6D, Canon 18-55mm, Canon 100-400mm
Read moreThere are lots of Spider spices in the world. Spiders are good subject to shoot as a macro photo. Actually spiders are everywhere along to home and gardens. Jumping spider are group of spider constitute the family salticidae. This family contained over 600 described genera and over 6000 spices. Jumping spiders are easily identify from other spiders from their eyes and shape. The jumping spiders have faces that are roughly rectangular surface. The eyes are forward looking on flat face. The body length of jumping spider are around 1 to 25 mm. They generally found in forest , desert, scrub lands,temperate forest too. Toxicity of jumping spider is very less for humans. so jumping spider bite is not poisonous. Spiders are not insects because they belongs to family Salticidae and classified as Arachnids.
I found jumping spider during my trip to LRK ( Little Rann Of Kutch ). also its a live photography competition Name WILD CLICKS powered by canon in December 2019. Spiders in macro photography looks beautiful . For Macro Photography you need good light and good camera gears.
Some Facts about Jumping spider :
- The life of jumping spider is around 6 month to 2-3 years.
- Jumping spider are shy but you can easily catch them.
- They have 8 eyes.
- Once you will be familiar with spider then it enjoy your company.
- As per research of Miami university spiders like music.
- Generally they build their web in corners and dense trees , small plants etc.
- All spiders are predators.
- Jumping spider can change sudden blood flow in their body.
- Jumping spider do not use web for hunting.
- Jumping spider can dance also.
- Jumping spider can jump 10-50 times of their body.
- Jumping spider have 8 legs as all spider have 8 legs.
About Little Rann of Kutch :
LRK or little rann of kutch is a Wild ass sanctuary of Gujarat. Sanctuary for Indian Wild Ass but its also very well known for raptors and migratory birds. During winter some migratory birds like flamingos, pelican, bar headed goose, raptors, falcons, eagles, owls are regular visitors. So the sanctuary is more important for wildlife in Gujarat where you can find all birds, mammals and also 360 view of rann of kutch. Also some wetland areas near rann are beautiful for sunset and sunrise. You can also get some good macro photos of insects of rann for making good theme of COLORS OF RANN. I tried to shoot this spider with background of sun but its too hard for me . because it cant steady on one place for a second but got good pictures.
Gear used : Canon 80 D , Canon 6 D ,Canon 100mm Macro , Flash not fired
Location : Little Rann Of Kutch, Dasada
It is the largest species of Flamingo bird family and also a most widespread species of flamingo family.It is found in India ,south east , middle east and Africa. It is migratory bird. They also breed in India. In Gujarat they breed in Rann Of Kutch , Little Rann of Kutch also found in Thol Bird Sanctuary. I often visit Thol sanctuary so got good shots of them. Best time for shoot them is may-Jun at Thol bird sanctuary bcz of water level is too low . It is been recorded that some flamingo birds are resident in Gujarat at many places like LRK, Khijadia sanctuary, Nalsarovar and Thol Sanctuary. They also breed here and stay for all seasons. So you can find greater flamingo birds in all seasons in Gujarat at many places.
Flamingo bird facts and description :
- Greater flamingo bird is the largest living spices of flamingo.
- Greater flamingo has no subspices.
- Flamingo color most of pinkish white in plumage. Wings are red and feathers are black in end.
- Greater Flamingo bird call is like honking.
- The average lifespan of flamingo bird is 30-40 years.
- Main Difference between Greater flamingo and lesser flamingo is height . Lesser flamingo is shorter than greater flamingo. Also Greater flamingo has pale pink bill and black tip. In other case lesser flamingo has dark crimson bill. Lesser flamingo is also more red in color than greater flamingos.
Greater Flamingo birds In Thol Lake : Thol sanctuary is often i visit. Flamingo birds are stay here all seasons. I got good numbers of Greater flamingo and lesser flamingo bird images in a group when i visit Thol. This is my best time with flamingos. Also i got some beautiful pictures of flamingo birds with group and also in duo with some masti. Flamingos looks very good in frame bcz of their color. Thol lake is good place for birders because more than 150 birds spices found here. Also some mammals like Blue bull and black buck also found here. Lots of water birds and tree birds found here. Also sanctuary is not so big so you can find all birds in around 6 sqkm area. Best time to visit thol lake is November to March. All migratory birds are visit in winter so that is best time. Early morning is best for birders.
Timing And Fees of Thol Sanctuary :
Thol Sanctuary open at 6 AM in morning and close at around 5 PM
Fees of Thol Sanctuary is 50 INR per person and camera fees are 200 INR. Car fees are 500 INR.
Weekend fees may change that actually i don't know about it.
Two flamingos with little egret in between of them with down head all. The images of flamingo bird making a good frame. Because of its color flamingo birds images are very attractive and also their grouping make a perfect frame of flamingo bird picture.
A morning pared time for flamingo birds. A beautiful Greater flamingo birds are in a raw make image nice and show their unity.
Perfact wingspan of Flamingo bird looks great. Pink Wings make image more attractive.
Solo Greater flamingo bird
Some masti time for two flamingo birds .
Above image shows the discipline of Flamingo Bird and looks like a morning pared they are doing .
https://youtu.be/9dVBrR9NSOo
A group of Flamingo Birds at Thol Lake make your frame awesome.
Location : Thol Lake, Gujarat
Thol lake is just 25 km approx. from Ahmedabad. You can visit one day for Thol lake is enough. Also you can find another migratory birds like pelicans , bar headed goose, river tern and many more resident spices.
Ahmedabad to Thol lake distance about 25km
Common Kingfisher is also known as Eurasian Kingfisher or River Kingfisher. It is sparrow size bird with blue color on top of the body. It is widely distributed in North Africa and Eurasia. When rivers freezes in winter they migrate from their. In India common kingfisher also a widely distributed in all over region. They generally found near to the water areas like canals, rivers, river birdges, ponds etc. I took a shot of common kingfisher or Eurasian Kingfisher at Thol bird sanctuary located in Gujarat near Sanand.
Description and facts about Common Kingfisher :
- It is about 16cm long and 25cm with wingspan.
- Its weight around 35-44 gm.
- It has short tail as all kingfisher tail is short.
- It has green blue upperparts and it has green blue neck stripe.
- Juvenile is similar to adult but dull underparts.
- Main flight feathers moult between july to november and it will takes 90-100 days to grow.
- Kingfisher flight too fast on low water.
- It is widely distributed in Europe, Asia and North Africa ( winter visitor ).
- Common kingfisher eats 60% of its body every day.
- Common Kingfisher lays 2-10 eggs which are white glossy in color.
Common Kingfisher in Gujarat :
Common Kingfisher or Small Blue Kingfisher found in Gujarat at many places like Thol Bird Sanctuary, Nalsarovar Bird sanctuary, Velavdar Sanctuary and many other outskirts of Wetlands too. They are very small and cute in look. There are lots of kingfisher bird spices found in Gujarat also.
What is HORIZONS ? :: The horizon is the apparent line that separates Earth from sky. The true horizons can observed when it lines on the sea surface. Also many locations this line is made by Lands, Trees, Buildings, Mountains etc.The Horizon line divides all visible directions into two categories : those that intersect the Earth surface and those that don't. The horizon line is horizontal like to feel like end of earth no end of Earth surface . The Images of Horizons or skyline taken at Little Rann of Kutch . I tried to shoot many locations but sometimes not gonna happen that. Little Rann of Kutch is good place for Horizon photography bcz flat surface and 360 degree view. Above photo we passed thorough rann and i saw car trek on ground and line goes end of surface looks beautiful.
Horizon Height and distance calculation :
Well if you want to see horizon then you have to observe from 5-7 feet above sea level. Also you need clear land about 3-5 km distance then you can see clear Horizon line. In cities there are lots of disturbance like buildings, trees, towers etc so you can not see the clear horizons. For horizon line to see you need clear land area or water area. Best area for Horizon line is in between sea. In ocean there is clear Horizon line you can see easily. Also sunrise and sunset time horizons are amazing to see because of Twilight sky colors. Well all of these photos are not taken from 7 feet height and distance may not 3-5 km but its still you can see Horizons clearly. Photos taken from ground level but the rann area is clear so you can see horizons line from ground level.
For calculation of Horizon distance equation is :: Square root ( Height / 0.5736 ) and the result you get distance of Horizons.
Best Place To See Horizon lines :
The best place to see horizons are beaches. Because you can see clear line between Sky and Earth. Well where i live in Gujarat i have also one place name Little Rann of Kutch where i can see clear Horizon line as you can see in photos of Horizons. Little rann of Kutch is best place for me because its very near to me like about 2 hours car drive. Here there are huge number of raptors you can see in winter seasons. Lots of Migratory birds came here and the most important about Little Rann ot Kutch is Indian Wild Ass. Indian wild ass found only in Gujarat in this region only.
All Images taken at Little Rann of Kutch, Guajrat. Little rann of kutch known as LRK also famous for raptors and Indian Wild Ass. Lots of migratory birds coming here in winter. So never miss a change to visit LRK in Gujarat. LRK also very nice place for Star Gazing and Star Trail Photography, Time laps Photography.
Camera used : Canon 6 D, Canon 100-400 mm lens, Canon 50mm lens, canon 18-55 mm lens
Spiti Valley located in Himachal Pradesh. It is a cold desert mountain valley of Himalayas. Spiti distributed in 2 parts Lahaul and Spiti. As per my last post of Spiti Valley Tour Itinerary there are lots of places to visit during spiti valley tour. It depends how many days you want to spend in spiti valley tour so you can much more places to cover in spiti valley. But i think 7 days are enough for Spiti valley tour to cover all major attractions. Most of time you spend in car during spiti valley tour. But definately the route is memorable for all. The view of Himalayas and the scenery is beautiful. Most people take 7 days tour from Chandigarh or from Delhi.
Best Places to Visit in Spiti Valley :
- Chitkul
- Nako
- Tabo
- Dhankar lake
- Kaza
- Chandratal Lake
Well in Spiti Valley Trip there are lots of places to visit but i will suggest you some of them to make shorter your trip. Also most attractions and must visit places i share here. If you want to spend more time then you can visit local village and enjoy village life too. If you want to know about Spiti Valley Tour Cost and Spiti Valley Tour Itinerary then i had written a post of it.
Honey Bee Farming :
From Chandigarh to Spiti you will have to pass Kinnaur District. It is very beautiful route with amazing greenery and scenery. During the route of Kinnaur valley there are lots of people do Honey Bee Farming on road. you can see the boxes of honeybee on roadside. They have different types of Honeybee and have different honey if you want to purchase pure Honey for home. They also saw you how they farming and do all procedure of making Honey.
Chitkul :
Actually we skip Chitkul because its out of our route and spend one more day. But Chitkul is must visit place. It is really beautiful place in the valley of Himalayas. Also Chitkul is known as India's Last village at Indo - Tibet Border. Border is about 90 km from Chitkul. Also civillian movement beyond Chitkul is prohibited. Best time to visit Chitkul is March to June. Also have a cup of tea at Hindustan Ka Akhri Dhaba at Chitkul. They also serve food with Rajma Chaval and roti.
Kalpa Or Rekong Peo :
If you visit chitkul and stay their then kalpa or Rekong Peo you can skip. Or if you do not visit chitkul then stay at Rekong Peo. Good to stay here very neat and clean hotels and also food is good here. Next morning you can see amazing sunrise in between of Himalayan mountains coverd with snow. Stay here for a night and leave next morning or you can visit local village and bazar.
Nako : Places to visit Nako
Nako village located near Indo-China Border. In Nako you can visit Nako Lake and Nako Monastery. Also you can visit some Buddhist chortens. Nako Monastery is must visit place with beautiful atmosphear at height. The Monastery founded in 11 th sanctuary .Monastery location is amazing where you can see 360 degree view of Himalayan Mountains. Spend some time at Monastery and go for Gue Mummy Stupa in the way to Tabo.
Gue is a village where 500 years old mummy preserved of Sangha Tenzing. Sangha Tenzing was Buddhist monk from Tibet. At stupa the mummy found in sitting position with his skin and hair intact. The road to Gue Mummy is out of Tabo route so you can take extra 1-2 hours time while leave from nako. At evening you reach at Tabo village.
Tabo : Places to visit Tabo
Tabo is a small village on bank of Spiti river in spiti District. Tabo is famous for operated continuously oldest buddhist enclave in Himalaya and India. Most famous attraction of Tabo is Old Tabo Monastery which is 1000 years old and also considered as one of the holiest by Dalai Lama himself. Also another monastery in Tabo in the center of village you can visit. Tabo caves you can visit while visit monastery and if you stay for day more then you can go at river bank to feel nature. That was amazing view of spiti river near to the village and other side the big mountain.
Dhankar Lake and Dhankar Village : Places to visit Dhankar
From tabo to kaza route you can visit Dhankar Village. In the village there is a capital of spiti valley in Himachal Pradesh. It is at 3894 mt height. Here you can visit local village , Monastery and if you want to go for trek about 3 km then go to the Dhankar Lake. Dhankar village total houses are around 65-70 and population around 250-300 .
Dhankar Lake :
Dhankar lake is high altitude lake in himachal pradesh. It is located around 4140 mt height. From monastery you can go to Dhankar lake by trek about 3 km and it will take around 1-2 hours depends on your mountain skills. Trek route is very easy but its at more than 13500 ft height so high wind blows and low oxygen level make your trek difficult. Also here UV index is high so do not go in open skin or use sunscreen lotion. High UV index may damage your skin. At the end of trek you can see a beautiful green color based lake surrounded by mountains and open land. The view of lake is awesome and you can spend more time to make a peace to you mind. Crystel clear water in the lake. We take some photos and get back to village and drink lemon soda from local villager to get energy. Local peoples are so supportive and good nature.
Kaza :
In Kaza there are several places to visit so you visit all in a full day. Also kaza atmosphear is very cold in summer also so enjoy it.
Places to Visit In Kaza
- Sakya Tangyud Monastery : It is one of the highest altitude Monastery in India. It is at 4550 mt height. It is at komik village.
- Kaza Kye Monastery : Kye or Kyi monastery is a tibetian buddhist monastery. It is set on top of the hill and its height aroun 4166 mt. It is the largest monastery of Spiti Valley.
- Langza : Langza village is also known as Fossils village. It is believed that spiti was submerged under the tethys sea so that huge quantities of fossils found here. In Langza there is a 1000 years old Buddha Statue is major attraction. The Buddha statue at Langza located at 14500 ft height. It is serene golden large Buddha Statue. From the Buddha statue at Langza you can see 360 degree view of Himalayas.
- Hikkim : Hikkim is located at 14400 ft height in lahaul spiti district. Hikkim village remains cut off during winter due to heavy snow fall over mountain passes. The Hikkim village has a post office at 14400 ft height. So it is also on of the highest post office in the world.
- Kibber Village : Kibber is famous for Monastery, kibber wildlife sanctuary, the highest post office and the highest motorable road. Kibber is located 19 km from kaza. Kibber is also famous for Snow Leopard. There are almost 25-30 snow leopards In Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary.
- Komic : Komic is also one of the highest village in the world located at 15050 ft. It is also connected with World's Highest Motorable Road. So it is known as Highest Motorable village in the world. There is a restaurant their named World highest restaurant Komic. You can take rest have a cup of coffe or tea and have some snake, meggy etc.
- Chicham Bridge : Chicham bridge is highest bridge of Asia. Bridge is located at 13596 ft height. The Chicham Bridge connect 2 village one is Chicham village and Kibber. The bridge is suspension bridge and is situated across a deep gorge around 1000 ft. Chicham Bridge is one of the spectecular bridge in the world.
- Kumzum Pass : While return from Kaza to Manali you will pass through Kumzum Pass. It is one of the best route for enjoying nature very closely. The car speed is very slow due to bad road condition but at Kumzum pass we face fresh snow fall and fell zero degree temperature. Amazing view at Kumzum pass. Also Kumzum Mata Temple located at 4590 mt height. There is a myth about Kumzum mata temple you need to do a circle and after go through your journey to Chandratal Lake or Manali.
- Chandra taal Lake : As per Hindu Mythology Chandra taal is the place where Lord Indra came down with Chariot to transport Yudhisthira in his mortal from to Swarga or Heaven. Also local believed that fairies visit lake at night. Chandratal Lake is open in summer after may end or June start. So if you want to visit Chandra taal lake then plan in June. Also there are limited option for staying at Chandra taal Lake.
Things to know about Spiti Valley Tour :
While you planning for spiti valley tour you did not need to book hotels or homestays. There are lots of homestays and hotels every where. You can also book your homestays and hotels via Spiti Tourism or Himachal Pradesh Tourism. They will help you a lot for entire trip. Local peoples are so supportive and kind nature. They will aslo help and guide you to your destination.
Which Mobile network works in Spiti Valley ?
Most people have a question about network connectivity at Spiti Valley. I will take 2 simcards for my Spiti Valley Tour one is Reliance Jio and one is BSNL prepaid. After kinnaur vally pass all major networks are down but BSNL and Reliance Jio is connected to everywhere in spiti. Reliance Jio has better network connectivity even in internet also. So i suggest take Reliance Jio sim card for your trip. Only it fall down during Kumzum pass route. Otherwise in Kaza, Tabo, Nako all places covered by Reliance Jio network.
Best time to Visit Spiti Valley :
Well the Chandigarh to Kaza route open all year but sometimes landsliding may occer and also some heavy snowfall then it will take 4-6 hours to clear road. Road managed by BRO ( Border Road Organisation ) . Plan during mid of may in spiti valley because there is low crowd in May. But in May there may be return route block via Kumzum Pass and Chandratal Lake. June is more better for Spiti Valley tour to visit all the places. Some bikers may visit spiti valley in December for adventure too.
Road Condition In Spiti Valley :
From Chandigarh to Kaza there is a clear road. At some places road condition is not good but main road is very impressive and no hazitation during the entire trip. Some village route is not good but it will manageable. The Kaza to Manali Via Kumzum pass road condition is not good so you need to travel whole day for Kaza to Manali.
Star Gazing At Spiti Valley : Spiti Valley Night Sky
Well spiti valley is dark area where you can do stargazing verywell. Here you can see milkyway clear during no moon days. For milky way Langza is the best place in Spiti Valley.
Spiti Valley Food Option :
I will recommand The Himalayan Cafe in Spiti Valley for food. Well managed cafe and food options are amazing. Must visit place in Spiti valley.
You can visit my blog http://bit.ly/3zYFdVv about spiti valley tour itinerary and total cost with details. Also provide hotels and homestay options. You can write me if you need any help about spiti valley tour at nirajhack@gmail.com