Our supplies, securely-fastened in watertight drums, were rescued and lunch was served. Only the salt and pepper were soggy. The Zanskar is known more for its dramatic beauty than its thrills. Rafters classify it as medium-difficult. Each rapid has a meaning for you and gives you a different emotion.
Every turn brings something new.
Most people need at least 24 hours to acclimatize. Headaches, a loss of balance and breathlessness usually can be controlled with rest and a pill against altitude sickness. Often called Little Tibet, it is an area where time has moved slowly since the first Buddhist kingdom was established here 1,000 years ago. Fortress-like monasteries perch above many villages, from which the drone of Buddhist chants waft over the valleys. The landscape of the high Himalayan desert is harsh, stark, with no trees to soften the contours of rock soaring thousands of feet from the floor of a valley or the rushing waters of a river.