Drass Information,Kargil,Jammu And Kashmir
Drass is a small township at a distance of 50-60 kms fromwest of Kargil on the Srinagar - Leh highway. It is known to be the second coldest place in the world by the virtue of intense cold that descends upon the valley.During spring and summer, the valley transforms into lush green pastures spalshed with a variety of frgrant wild flowers. Its inhabitants are of the Dard stock - an Indo Aryan race believed to have originally come from Central Asia. They speak shina, which unlike the Tibetan - originated Ladakhi dialects, belongs to the Indo - European linguistic family. Their ancestral sport, horse - polo that the Dard plays with particular zeal, resembles our modern polo.
The Dran Valley starts from the base of the Zojila pass, the Himalayan gateway to Ladakh. The hardy people inhabiting these regions endure the harshness of the valley's winter, negotiate the formidable pass to transport a traders' merchandise. The citizens of Drass can be described as the guardians of Ladakh's gateway.
Drass is a convenient base for a 3 day trk to Suru Valley that passes through the 4500 mts high Umbala pass with beautiful upland villages and flower sprinkled meadows on both the sides. There is an intermediary ridge between the Umba La and Drass and it allows 3 days to this trek comfortably.
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