In January 2015, I visited Ladakh for the first time in winter (see photographs here). And I was blown away by how life thrives there despite the extreme conditions. So, I set off again this year
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LANDING IN THE COLD DESERT - As we prepare to land in Leh, a brown landscape dotted with dry trees greets us. The bright sunny weather belies the sub-freezing temperatures outside.
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SMOKE AND FOG - Rows of trees form a beautiful foreground to the Stakna Monastery as smoke and fog add to the drama.
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MAITREYA BUDDHA - At Thiksey Monastery, one of the most calming places I've ever been to
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BLUE AND GOLD - We were very fortunate to have beautiful clouds in the sky through most of the trip. This photograph wouldn't have been the same without them.
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FORMIDABLE RULER - A Golden Eagle surveys its territory perched upon an abandoned fort wall.
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PATTERNS ON ICY LAKE - A thin layer of ice covered the magnificent Pangong Tso. The temperatures were warmer than last year and the lake hadn't frozen completely yet.
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HEAPS OF GOLD - A frozen marsh with small grassy patches enroute to Pangong Tso
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BALANCING ACT - A yak manages to find its way onto an icy pond. It struggled to keep its balance on the slippery surface before hopping back to safety.
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STUDDED WITH GOLD - Dry grass glows in the morning light on a mountainside in the Changthang region of Ladakh.
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KYAGAR TSO - This tiny lake is encountered just before Tso Moriri. It was amazing to see the lake completely frozen. And don't miss the green grass in the foreground!
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LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE VISITORS! A Tibetan Sandgrouse peeks out from behind a rock to assess the visitors to its frozen domain.
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PIKA - As I was getting back to the car after a great sighting of the Sandgrouse, something scurried about on the ground and disappeared. A few minutes of waiting and this little furball emerged out of its burrow.
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WINDY LAKE - Tso Moriri was completely frozen. And evidence of wind was everywhere. From the huge pile-ups of ice everywhere to the chilling of our bones.
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CLOUDS..CONTINUING TO INSPIRE - The ice blocks glowed against the sun, with the clouds adding more drama.
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PATTERNS - Some of the ice blocks had beautiful patterns. Here's one set against the frozen landscape.
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MAGICAL SKIES - And the clouds continue to steal the show
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PALETTE OF COLOURS - Reds, yellows and blues forming a beautiful palette of colours against the brown mountains
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ICE SCULPTURE - Frozen geysers dot the landscape in the Changthang region.
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AQUAMARINE - A river cuts through the mighty mountains carving valleys and beautiful landscapes. As it has been for millenia.
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PRAYER FLAGS - As we were preparing to fly out of Leh that morning, a thick blanket of fog and intermittent snowfall covered the valley giving us another additional day amidst the beauty of the Himalayas.