DRASS

Location: 60-km west of Kargil, Ladakh Region, and On the Road to Srinagar, J&K
Altitude: 3,300m
Significance: Second Coldest Towns in the World.
Main Attraction: Trekking

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 center 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.

PRIME ATTRACTIONS

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 travelers 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 neighboring 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 

HOW TO REACH THERE

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 NH IA.

WHERE TO STAY

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 Center at Drass.

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