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Your Guide To
Ladakh Region
Situated at an altitude of 3,300m, 60-km west of Kargil
on the road to Srinagar
, Drass is a small township lying in the centre of the valley of the same
name. It has become famous as the second coldest inhabited place in the
world by virtue of the intense cold that descends upon the valley along
with repeated snowfalls during winters. Winter temperature is sometimes
known to plummet to less than -40°.
But during summer season the tracts around Drass present a pleasant
pastoral sight, offering a complete contrast to the savage face worn by it
during the winter months. In this area the dialect spoken is named after
the weather - "Hambabs" means snowfall.
The fields around Drass are cultivated for both cereals and cash crops.
Drass has a number of monasteries and a small bazaar. It is connected to
other parts of Ladakh by road.
Zoji La
The Drass valley starts from the base of the Zoji La pass, the Himalayan
gateway to Ladakh .
For centuries its inhabitants are known to have negotiated this formidable
pass even during the most risky period in the late autumn or early spring,
when the whole sector remains snow-bound and is subject to frequent snow
storms, to transport trader's merchandise across and to help stranded
travellers to traverse it.
By virtue of their mastery over the pass they had established a monopoly
over the carrying trade during the heydays of the Pan-Asian trade. A
hardly people enduring with fortitude and harshness of the valley's
winter, the inhabitants of Drass can well be described as the "Guardian's
of Ladakh's Gateway". 
Puga Valley
The Puga Valley is famous for its hot water springs. Every year hundreds
of visitors come to this valley for a bath in these springs as this is
known to help people suffering from rheumatism and skin diseases.
Trekking
Drass is a convenient base for a 3-day long trek to Suru valley across
the sub-range separating the two valleys. This trek passes through some of
the most beautiful upland villages and flower sprinkled meadows on both
sides of the 4,500m high Umbala pass, which falls enroute.
The trek to the holy cave of
Amarnath in
neighbouring Kashmir, which stars from Minamarg below Zoji La, takes 3
days and involves crossing of 5,200m high pass. Drass also offers numerous
shorter treks and hikes to the upland villages
Road: Buses plying between Srinagar and Kargil/Leh touch Drass. Local buses leave Kargil in the morning and afternoon for Drass. Srinagar is well-connected with rest of the country via Air and Road through National Highway NHIA.
The Tourist Complex here provides furnished rooms and
suites. Advance reservation can be done through the tourist office at
Kargil or its branch at Drass. Some private hotels also provide rooms
equipped with basic necessities.
Note: All Tourists to Ladakh travelling from Srinagar by road are
required to register themselves at the Tourist Registration Centre at
Drass.