Leh to Khotan,Padam to Lamaryu,

HISTORIC ROUTES : # 1

"The Sorghak goldfields (7060' or 2152 m) are 102 kms away from Kiria eastwards in 3 marches. From Kiria there is a frequented track southwards by Polu, (8430' or 2570 m) and 88 kms away over the Kuenlun range by the Diwan pass to Ghubolik Lake (16,960'or 5171 m) with Sulphur mines –69 kms- and across the Changthang and Chang Chenmo Plains by the Yeshil Kul (16160' or 4927 m), the Tashliak Kul at (16620' or 5067 m) and the Mangtza lakes to Noh, 392 kms, and Rudog 32 kms- Total distance by Noh and Tankse to Leh is 880 kms."

{ from Leh in Ladakh, India to Sinkiang, China when it was a popular trade route in the 19^th C. Today it has been replaced by a Kashgar – Karachi Highway.}

LEH to KHOTAN by Ilchi or Yangi Dewan pass :- from an 1897 book called "ROUTES IN JAMMU AND KASHMIR" written by Maj. Genl Le Marquis de Bourbel, also former Chief Engineer of the Jammu & Kashmir State.

Abbreviations:

D.B.- Govt. Dak Bungalow with servants & board.

B- Road Bungalow, rest house or baradiri without servant or board.

F.B.- Forest Bungalow.

C.- Caravan Serai for Native Travellers.

E.- Encamping Ground.

P.O.- Post Offcie.

T.O.- Telegraph Office.

S.- Supplies or russud for an ordinary party of travelers.

G.- Grass for grazing for transport animals.

F.- Firewood or other fuel.

W.- Water for drinking.

M.P.- mountain Pass.

L.- Lake.

T.- Transport coolies, ponies, mules or yaks available for an ordinary party of travelers.

H.- Hot Spring.

No. of Marches	Stages	Kms	Kms	Nature of Route	Main Valleys & mountain passes	River crossing and lakes	ASL in meters & feet	Supplies & Transport at Stages	Remarks
		Camp to camp	Total
	Leh	….	0	Road good & passable for laden animals	Up Indus Valley	…..	11350' or 3460 m	S.F.G.W. & T abundant.	Large town and fort. Capital of Ladakh. Palace of Gyalpo Raja. Residence of Wazir and British Joint Commissioner.
1	Tikse	21	21	"				" " "	Vlg & monastery
			38		Up Sarkti Valley
2	Chimre	26	46					S.F.G.W. & T moderate	"
	Sarkti		56	Very steep ascent from Sarkti to Zingral					Large vilg, well cultivated
3	Zingral	18	64					S.T. nil, F.G.W. available	Halting place
			70	Ascent to, & descent from, pass easy	Chang la, down Chang ravine, up Durbug valley
4	Durbug	24	88	Road on both banks of Durbug river				S.T.nil, F.G.W. procurable	Small vlg, well cultivated
5	Tankse	11	99			Cross Durbug river several times		S.F.G.W. & T. plentiful	Small vlg. Central Store Depot
	Muglib		110						Hamlet
6	Sowar or Chiri	21	120					S.T. nil, F.G.W. available	Small lake, also known as Chakar (or Chagra?) Talao, no houses
	Lukung		136		Up Loonkur valley				N Western end of Pangong Tso
7	Chagra	24	144	Road good			14917' or 4548 m	S. T. nil, F.G.W. available	Shepherd's camp
			155	Descent boggy from snow	Marsimik La		18990' or 5790 m		Pang Lung range
8	Rimdi	18	162		Across Chang Chen Chenmo valley			" F. scarce	Grazing ground…………………
9	Pamchalam	22	184					S.T. nil, F.G.W. plentiful	Ditto
10	Kiam	19	203	On the left bank of the Chang Chenmo river. Road level		Hot Spring -179°F, sulphur & soda. Cross Chang chnmo river several times	17045' or 5197 m	" " "	"
11	Lumkang	29	232	On rt. Banl of chang Chenmo	Up ravine	Ford Changchenmo	17501' or 5336 m	S.T. nil, F.G. scarce, W. plentiful	Halting place
			245	Road good and ascent gradual.	Lum Kang La		19501' or 5945 m
12	Nischu	32	264	Road good			17680' or 5390 m		" "
13	Burcha Thang	29	293	"	Lingtzi thang plains		17425' or 5312 m	S.F.G.T. nil, W. available	" "
14	Tso thang	32	325	Soil covered with 15 cms of saltpetre			17024' or 5190 m		Small salt lake
15	Huzak har	24	349	Road fair			16684' or 5087	"	Small lake, fresh spring
16	Mapothang	26	375				15959' or 4866 m	S.F.G.T. nil, W. brackish	Small lake, water brackish
17	Yangpa	40	415	Soil covered with 23 cms of saltpetre	Up ravine		15279' or 4658 m	" W. brackish
			427		Khatai Diwan. Across Kara		17500' or 5335 m
18	Kara Kash river	29	443	Road hence along left bank of Karakash	Kash valley	Karakash ford	15491' or 4723 m	S.T. nil, F.W. plentiful, G. scarce	Stone huts
			458	river as it flows to Shahidula*.Ascent to pass steep & difficult, much ice,			19092' or 5821 m	"	Kuenlun Range * where there was an old fort made by the Maharaja of Kashmir enroute to Yarkand.
19	Tash	30	474	descent rugged,	Yangi Diwan. Across Yanga valley.	Yangpa ford.	15583' or 4751 m	"	Stone huts
20	Kush Lash langar	21	495	road steep & bad, passable in			15048' or 4588 m	S.F.G.T. nil, W. available	"
				June, July & August			18660' or 5689 m

Chimre

Sarkti

Zingral

Durbug

Tankse

Muglib

Sowar or Chiri

Lukung

Chagra

Pamchalam

Huzak har

Mapothang