Discover herbs that could be beneficial
Now that’s the fun part about trekking in mountains. You get to know how people from ancient times used to deal with physical ailments when medicines were far out of reach. Even today, in such remote areas like Parang La, people still dwell upon the local herbs.
We stumbled upon a much needed plant during this trek known as ‘Lichu’ in local language. It is used to prevent loss of excess water and provide a cooling effect. Just place it underneath your cap and you are good to go in blazing hot sun. You may have heard about the famous ‘sea buckthorn’ juice or squash? Well, you will find plenty of these berries growing by the banks of rivers in Spiti. Pick a handful of them for the trek. They are rich in vitamins, amino acids and protein building blocks. Sea buckthorns increase immunity and improve blood pressure.
Another widely found bush on this trek, ‘Thamas,’ generates a lot of heat when burned. The trek is deprived of any trees or plantation, hence ‘Thamas’ can be used as an alternative to wood.
Walk through history
Do you know that Parang La was once a famous trading route between Ladakh and Spiti? The Changthang tribe of Ladakh use to barter for yaks or food at La Darcha trade fair at Spiti. They used this trail to commute between the two valleys. Walking on the route that was once famous among the nomadic tribes, interesting, isn’t it?
Witness the Ladakhi Culture
Parang La ends at Karzok village, which is among the highest towns of the world. Situated on the shores of Tso Moriri Lake, the town embodies the ancient Ladakhi culture in its cuisine, architecture and values. Not only that, but very few people visit Karzok due to its remote location, so in this case, Parang La is a win-win offer. Unlike Leh, which is very much crowded these days and reflects more foreign influence in its cuisines and hotels, Karzok is pure bliss when it comes to witnessing the Ladakhi culture.
