Journal

Stories from the road

Field Guides · 20 Sept 2026 · 2 min read

Your first 48 hours in Leh: the acclimatisation plan I give every traveller

The most important part of a Ladakh trip happens before you see a single lake. Here is how to spend your first two days so the rest of the journey feels easy.

Road Trips · 12 Sept 2026 · 2 min read
Over Khardung La to Nubra: how to plan the drive
Prayer flags, a 5,359 m pass and a valley of dunes on the other side. Timings, stops and the mistakes to avoid on Ladakh's most famous road.
Photography Notes · 2 Sept 2026 · 2 min read
Photographing Pangong at first light
The lake is at its most beautiful when most visitors are still asleep. Planning notes on light, position, settings and cold for the best images at Pangong Tso.
Field Guides · 20 Aug 2026 · 2 min read
The Ladakh packing list I give every traveller
Ladakh can swing from scorching sun to freezing wind in an afternoon. A short, honest packing list for summer trips, and the things you can safely leave at home.
Reflections · 5 Aug 2026 · 2 min read
Fewer places, better trip: the case for slow travel in Ladakh
The most common request I get is to fit everything into a week. Here is why I usually suggest doing less, and what a slower Ladakh itinerary looks like.
Road Trips · 22 Jul 2026 · 2 min read
Manali or Srinagar? Choosing your road to Leh
Both highways are among the most spectacular drives in Asia, and very different experiences. How to choose between them, and why driving one way and flying the other often works best.

Stories from the road

Your first 48 hours in Leh: the acclimatisation plan I give every traveller

Over Khardung La to Nubra: how to plan the drive

Photographing Pangong at first light

The Ladakh packing list I give every traveller

Fewer places, better trip: the case for slow travel in Ladakh

Manali or Srinagar? Choosing your road to Leh