The Manali-Leh highway is one of the most scenic routes in India for a road trip, offering marvelous views of the Himalayas. Travelling along this route, Alex makes stops at Baralacha La, a pitstop on ancient trade routes. She also indulges in the simple ways of life at Korzok village, where she tries tea with salt in it.

A Road Trip Along The Manali-leh Highway

Leh is a land of Zen. Alex Outhwaite feels this when she finds herself staring into the all-knowing eyes of the two-storey-tall statue of the Maitreya Buddha at Thikse monastery, and again, when she finds herself transfixed by the wondrous Pangong Lake. She also witnesses the rare architectural style of the Namgyal dynasty at Leh Palace, which is in harmony with the surroundings and still stands out.

Leh – A Land Of Zen

On her way to the breathtaking Nubra Valley in Ladakh, Alex Outhwaite crosses the Chang-La pass, infamous for a history of avalanches. She also visits Khardung-La, the highest motorable road in the world. After a session of traditional Ladakhi music and dance, she sets off on a Bactrian camel across the nearby Hunder sand dunes.

The Stark Beauty Of Nubra Valley

Alex Outhwaite is on her way to Kargil, a place best known for a war between two countries. Along the way, she visits Gurudwara Pathar Sahib, a place that believes in humanity. She also learns about 17000 feet, an organization that works to improve lives of the people living in the remote, mountainous villages of Ladakh. In Kargil, she meets up with a family, who were once petition writers for the royal family.

Lessons Of Humanity In Kargil

Barriers of great mountains and inhospitable terrain never got in the way of trade along the fabled Silk Road. At the Munshi Aziz Bhat Museum in Kargil, Alex learns about the history of trade with Central Asia, and the caravanserais, where traders and travelers camped.  She also finds three giant Buddhist carvings in Suru Valley nearby and witnesses the beauty of the two highest peaks in Ladakh.

Uncovering Silk Road Stories In Kargil

Zanskar Valley in Ladakh is an isolated land of old monasteries and scenic glaciers. Here, Alex explores the strong influence of Buddhism as she stumbles upon a statue of Guru Rinpoche and ends up attending a local festival held in the honour of a Lama, from out of town, visiting a nearby monastery. She also visits the oldest Buddhist religious site in Ladakh, the Stupa at Sani, Kanika.

A Slice Of Tibet In Zanskar

The majestic Pir Panjal ranges, the thickly scented Kashmir cypress branches, the meandering rivers and verdant meadows – Kashmir is truly “paradise on earth”. Alex visits Srinagar, the idyllic capital, where she takes a ride on a traditional shikara, a floating palanquin on the shimmering Dal Lake. She also visits a floating market and tucks into an authentic Kashmiri Wazwan, which is a generous spread of Kashmiri dishes meant to make guests feel like royalty.

Paradise On Earth - Srinagar

Once a year, the Garo hills of Meghalaya come alive with the echoes of the long, oval drums played by the locals. Alex attends this vibrant celebration of harvest at Babadam village known as the Hundred Drums Wangala Festival. She gets a deep understanding of the traits of this society and culture of the region, right from literacy to the matrilineal system.

The Hundred Drums Wangala Festival

According to a saying in the Khasi culture of Meghalaya, a village has no identity without its own sacred grove. Alex senses the reverence that people of Meghalaya have for nature when she visits a sacred grove and crosses one of the famous root bridges of the state. She also takes a tour of an ancient cave in Cherrapunji and encounters people weaving Eri silk at Umden.

Meghalaya’s Natural Wonders

Majuli, the world’s largest river island is known for many things, one of which is the ancient pottery tradition of Salmora village. It involves extracting clay from 20 feet under the river and shaping it by hand, without using the wheel. Along with witnessing this process, Alex tries her hand at it. She also visits a local school and bonds with the kids.

Masks And Pottery Of Majuli

Majuli island is the seat of the neo-Vaishnavite cult in Assam. Alex gets an understanding of the beliefs and traditions of this cult when she visits a Satra, a historical educational institute belonging to this discipline. Later, she goes to a Mishing village, where the locals invite her to attend a wedding in the tribe. She also meets ‘Forest Man’, a local hero who singlehandedly planted a forest in the area.

Exploring The Cultures Of Majuli

After a walking safari in Assam’s Nameri Tiger Reserve and National Park, Alex heads to Bomdilla in Arunachal Pradesh and reaches Rupa, a village famous for the Shertukpen tribe. Here, she witnesses the vibrant rituals of local warriors at the Khiksaba Festival. She also visits the Dirang Dzong, an ancient Tibetan fort, where she meets the people of a tribe, which believes in zombies. 

Arunachal Pradesh’s Intriguing Tribal Culture

On her way to Tawang, Alex makes a pitstop at the scenic Sela Pass and Nuranang waterfalls. Upon reaching, she gets a deeper understanding of the beliefs of the Tibetan Monpa tribe at the Tawang Monastery and nunnery. She also visits Kipi village, where she tries out Zan – the breakfast that powers up local farmers and gives them the energy to toil in the fields all day. 

Tawang’s Harmonious Ways Of Life

Lakshadweep’s 36 coral islands are as stunning as they are isolated.  At  Kavaratti, Alex gets the chance to learn parasailing from a man with twenty years of military aviation experience. As he explores the pristine beaches and lush greenery of the island, he bumps into some school kids performing a local dance. 

Adventures In Lakshadweep 

Lakshadweep’s coral islands seem to be places which man and nature have conspired to keep pristine. On a visit to Tinnakara, a remote island of Lakshadweep, Alex encounters turtles, dives in for a chance to swim with them and chances upon an ancient shipwreck. His adventures don’t end there because next up is a bustling market in Kadmat, one of Lakshadweep’s most popular islands where he befriends a local who introduces him to some of the delicacies of the region. 

Offbeat Lakshadweep

Minicoy is one of the most remote and unique islands of the Lakshadweep archipelago. After a scuba diving session here, Alex explores the local villages and ends up at a local village feast, where he gets a chance to understand the culture and cuisine of the region at a deeper level. He joins a local boat race and tries to compete with the locals.

Boat Racing In Minicoy

Visiting India is an exciting assault on the senses. Sights, sounds, smells and sensations are all experienced at maximum intensity. The country is immense, not the kind that can be absorbed in one visit, and figuring out where to go can be overwhelming. Embark on a thrilling journey from the stark mountains of Ladakh to the lush green coral atolls of Lakshadweep, and find out about the lesser explored destinations of the country, where one can experience its essence.

Off The Grid India