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.
