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Ladakh Places of Interest
Suru Valley
One of the most beautiful regions of Ladakh , the Suru Valley forms the mainstay
of Kargil district. Lying nestled along the north-eastern foothills of the great
Himalayan Wall, it extends from Kargil town, first southward for a length of about
75 Kms Upto the expanse around Panikhar, thence eastward for another stretch of
nearly 65 kms upto the foot of the Penzila watershed where the Suru valley rises.
Its composite population of about 30,000 -- mainly of Tibeti-Darad descent --
are Muslims who had converted their Buddhist faith around the middle of the 16th
century.
The upper valley reaches of the valley, particularly around the Sankoo bowl, the
Panikhar expense and the higher stretch beyond, present a spectacle of breathtaking
features-majestic mountain ramparts crowned by snow capped peaks, undulating alpine
slopes draining into wild mountain streams of foaming cascades of pristine water,
awesome glaciers descending along the Himalayan slopes to the river bed in riverine
formation, Quaint villages of adobe houses straggling dry hillocks surrounded
by large tracts of lush crops downward the patches of alpine pastures uphill.
The beauty of this region is further enhanced by the sheer contrast provided by
the towering peaks of Kun (7035 m)and Nun (7135 m) which loom over the skyline
in their crystalline majesty.
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.
