Tread with care

All visitors must ensure that they are physically fit as Ladakh is more than 10,000 feet above sea level. The environment is very demanding on account of the low level of oxygen in the atmosphere, says T. C. Bali

CAN you think of a land in the lap of snowclad mountains and drained by unpolluted river waters but still completely barren? Can you think of rocky mountains with different shades like chocolate, yellow, green, brown and golden in one range of hills? Can you imagine the picturesque view of a confluence of two rivers with water of two distinct colours.

Can you think of travelling to Moon land, without boarding a spaceship?

If so, then what could it be except Ladakh? Ladakh is among the highest of the world’s inhabitated plateau.

During my visit, this place appeared as if it was beyond the imagination of painters, poets, writers and photographers. No book, traveller’s guide, painting, or photograph can bring alive the majestic beauty of Ladakh. Seeing it with one’s own eyes is an experience that cannot be depicted.

Certain precautions have to be taken if you want to visit Ladakh.

All visitors must ensure that they are physically fit as Ladakh is more than 10,000 feet above sea level. The environment is very demanding on account of the low level of oxygen in the atmosphere. Acclimatisation is a must before you venture into the land of Gompas and high passes.

Visitors who travel by road, via Kashmir or Manali, become more acclimatised than those who fly directly from Chandigarh, Delhi or Srinagar.

Anyone travelling over 10,000 feet above sea level is susceptible to Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). Some may be more susceptible and others may be more resistant — depending upon the individual’s strength.

People with heart and lung problems must consult a physician before planning the journey. The most common symptoms of AMS are headache, disturbed sleep, loss of appetite, nausea, coughing, irregular breathing, breathlessness and lack of concentration.

Your body must get acclimatised to the high altitude. So you must take complete rest for the first 24 hours after your arrival at Ladakh. Any kind of physical exertion or exercise should be avoided. You must also avoid smoking and drinking till you get acclimatised. For the next 12 hours you should take as much rest as possible because symptoms of AMS generally develop during the first 36 hours at such altitudes and not immediately on arrival.

In this way your body will be acclimatised and get used to the lower oxygen levels in two or three days time. Natural acclimatisation, as described above, is the best way to be fit for these altitudes. However certain medicines are also quite helpful. The drug Acetazolamide (diamox) in 250 mg doses twice daily (as advised by the district administration, Leh) for two to three days before going to Ladakh help to prevent AMS. It should be continued for another five to seven days. Even then it is advisable to take complete rest for the first 24 hours after arrival and as much rest as possible for the next 12 hours as there is no substitute for natural acclimatisation.

High altitude pulmonary oedema (HAPO) and high altitude cerebral oedema (HACO) are very serious forms of AMS which are life-threatening. They require immediate medical attention.

Visitors are also advised to note down the telephone numbers of the civil hospital and emergency services on their arrival. It is always better to keep your personal medical kit equipped with necessary medicines before you land at Ladakh as some times these medicines are not available there.

In fact when we went to Ladakh no such information for taking medicine and to take rest for first 36 hours was available with us inspite of reading and consulting various booklets published by the Tourism Department.

All these precautions and prescriptions of the medicine were handed over to us in the Deputy Commissioner’s office when we went to take the permit for the visit to Khardungla La.

Before proceeding to Khardungla La we wanted to buy the medicine Acetazolamide and tried at many drug shops and also at the Civil Hospital Leh. But, to our surprise, it was not available at any place.

It was the Army personnel posted who came to our help. They provided us the medicine and a warm cup of tea. We rested there for a while and the medicine worked well and soon we were at the top of the world Khardung La.

In order to make your trip enjoyable, it is necessary that everybody in the group remains physically fit. Besides while visiting Ladakh you should be fully equipped with medical kit, skin creams, lotions and chapsticks etc.

In Ladakh, the light during summer day is intense in ultraviolet rays. You should wear a full sleeve shirts of cotton, dark sun glasses and hats. The effect of ultraviolet rays is best noticed when you travel along the Indus river from Leh to Lamayuru. The parts of the big boulders facing the sun are dark brown and chocolate in colour while those in the shade are of normal colour.

Visitors who visit either Khardungla La or any other place in Ladakh with their children must be more cautious and keep them in control. Running with excitement on the snow, making snow balls climbing up and down, sliding over the snow slopes is alright, if you are in Shimla, Kufri or Manali, but not in Ladakh. Any such excitement and play requires a lot of oxygen which is less in Ladakh.


This feature was published on February 14, 1999