It does seem I only get round to writing a walk report on here about once a year. My last effort was http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=14650 which was a wee wander across Mongolia and the Gobi Desert.

This years wander was a short 3 week recce of Ladakh in northern India which not only is known as the coldest desert but also as Little Tibet. It also has the highest road in the world at over 18000ft Pretty sure their are some other roads around the world at similar heights but they like to claim it as it is good for tourism.

Ladakh is easy to get to from the UK a flight to New Delhi then a short hopper flight to one of the highest airports in the world at Leh. Found the cheapest flights from Scotland were via Dubai with Emirates and then a Air India into Leh. Flights during summer from Delhi are several a day and busy. Flights during winter are much less frequent and subject to weather.

Leh is a small but booming town during July/Aug as it is the center of operations for the many trekking outfits and rafting operators that work in the area. It has many cheap places to stay and the local food is

It is an area with mountains up to over 7000m and most of the treks go over several 5000m so altitude is something that has to be taken into consideration.

The area in the past was very remote and was cut of from the West until the 90's, it is rapidly developing due to a large Indian army presence and valleys that once could only be reached by long walks over 5000m passes are now getting roads built. This is nothing to do with improving the lives of locals it is all to do with strategic global power plays due to the location of Ladakh. I am heading back in Feb 2013 to get some winter experience their by tackling the Chadar which is the frozen Zanskar river trek before global warming means it cannot be done

Anyway time for some photos instead of me rabbiting on. I will post some then put some more blurb and photos up later as dogs are begging to go walking