Ladakh Places of Interest
Sankoo
A picturesque expanse surrounded by colorful rocky mountains, sankoo is an upcoming
township with a small bazaar (42 kms south of Kargil) and numerous villages around.
Dense plantations of poplers, willows, myricarea and wild roses fill the bowl
shaped valley, giving it the ambience of a man-made forest tucked within the mountain
ramparts.
Two side valleys drained by large tributary streams of the Suru river, the Kartse
flowing from the east and the Nakpochu descending from the west, open up on either
side of the expanse. The Karste Valley runs deep into the eastern mountains mass
with a large number of isolated villages tucked within its course.
The 4-day trek between Sankoo and Mulbek follows this valley; the route passes
through some very beautiful alpine areas on the way the 4950 m high Rusi-la .
The high altitude settlement of Safi and its mixed Buddhist-Muslim population
is struck between the Rusi-la and the Shafi-la over which the final leg of the
trek passes before entering the Mulbek valley.
A southward diversion from the foot of the Rusi-la leads to Rangdum across the
glaciated Rangdum pass where the Karste River rises. The 3-day trek to Drass across
the Umba-la (3350 m) follows the western valley. Sankoo is a very popular among
local picnic lovers who throng the area from Kargil town and other places.
Locally it is also popular as a place of pilgrimage to the ancient shrines of
Muslin scholar-saint, Sayed Mir Hashim, who was specially invited from Kashmir
for imparting religious teachings to the region's Buddhist ruler, Thi-Namgyal
of the Suru principality, following his conversion to Islam during the 16th century.
The shrine is situated in the village of Karpo-Khar on the outskirts of Sankoo
where the chief had his summer palace.
How to reach ?
Sankoo, Panikhar and Parachik are connected with Kargil with regular bus services,
in summer even twice a day. A bus ride from Kargil takes 2 hours to Sankoo, 3
hours to Panikhar and about 4 hours to Parkachik.
Rangdum is serviced by the BI-week bus service to Padum, which increases according
to demand. Some trucks plying between Kargil
and Padum also offers a lift in the cabin for the price of a bus seat. Cars and
jeeps taxis can be hired from Kargil for visiting different places in the Suru
Valley, including Rangdum and Penzila.
