🏍️ Himalayan Motorcycle Journey – Day 5
Welcome to Zanskar Valley – Silence, Beauty & Our Rawest Camping Night Yet
📍 Route: Purne → Phugtal Monastery & Back to Camp
🗓️ Date: 9 june 2025
🏔️ The Morning After Shinkula – A Different Kind of Silence
Waking up in Purne, deep inside Zanskar Valley, felt like being born again. After surviving the snowstorms of Shinkula Pass, this place was our reward — calm, untouched, and overwhelmingly beautiful.
There was no honking, no Wi-Fi, no rush.
Just mountain winds, distant river whispers, and monks chanting somewhere far in the cliffs.
This is what people mean when they say: “Find yourself in the mountains.”
🏞️ The Ride to Phugtal Monastery – Hidden in a Cave
We decided to ride to one of the most remote and sacred places in the Himalayas — the Phugtal Monastery.
The trail was more dust than road, more stones than track, and absolutely zero traffic. We parked the bikes a few kilometers before the monastery and continued on foot along the cliff edge, with the Tsarap River roaring below us.
Suddenly, like magic carved into rock, we saw it:
🛕 Phugtal Monastery — built into the cliff face like a secret woven into the mountain.
There was no signboard. No noise. Just monks, peace, and centuries of spiritual calm.
🧘 The Power of Stillness
We spent nearly an hour just sitting on a rock facing the monastery.
Didn’t say much. Didn’t need to.
In that silence, you could hear your thoughts realign — a feeling city life rarely allows. The monks offered us salt tea and a quiet smile, and we left without disturbing their world.
🏕️ Camping in the Heart of Zanskar
By evening, we were back at Purne and set up our camp near the riverbank.
This was the rawest night of our journey — no network, no electricity, no crowd. Just us, our tent, stars, and the crackling of our camp stove.
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We cooked Maggie and boiled eggs.
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Washed our faces in freezing river water.
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And sat under a billion stars, talking about everything and nothing.
“This night… this is the reason we ride,” I whispered.
We fell asleep to the sound of mountain wind dancing across the valley, colder than comfort, but warmer than routine.
🔥 Reflections of Zanskar
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This place isn’t just remote — it’s sacred.
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Not made for tourists. Made for wanderers.
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It strips away the noise and gives you space to hear your soul.
📸 Photo Moments You Shouldn’t Miss
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Cliff trail to Phugtal Monastery
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Prayer flags fluttering over wooden bridges
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Camping by the river in Purne
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Night sky full of stars
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Monks in the early morning mist
✅ SEO & Metadata Summary
| Element | Content |
|---|---|
| Title | Day 5 – Welcome to Zanskar Valley: Beauty, Silence & Camping Under Stars |
| Meta Description | Ride into the remote Zanskar Valley, visit the cliffside Phugtal Monastery, and experience raw camping under Himalayan stars. A day of peace, silence, and soulful beauty. |
| Keywords | Zanskar Valley ride, Phugtal Monastery trip, camping in Himalayas, motorcycle adventure India, raw mountain experience, offbeat Ladakh, hidden Himalayan monasteries |
| Labels for Blogger | Zanskar Valley, Phugtal Monastery, Motorcycle Adventure, Himalayan Camping, Remote Monasteries, Travel Soulfully |
💬 Let’s Share Peace
What’s the most peaceful place you’ve ever visited?
Ever camped under the stars in the Himalayas?
Drop your stories or questions in the comments. Let’s build a travel tribe that loves the roads less taken.
⏭️ Coming Up:
Day 6 – River Crossings & Rocky Trails: Riding Toward Padum
Would you like the HTML version for Blogger? I can also prepare a summary caption for your Instagram or YouTube short based on this day’s vibe — peaceful, raw, soulful. Just say the word.