Dras

Location

Dras is a town in the Kargil District of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is often called 'The Gateway to Ladakh'.

The town of Dras is located in a relatively flat and open space. It has extensive willow groves along the river. Insummer this town presents a pleasant look while in winter it discovered under a thick blanket of snow. Dras experiences the lowest temperatures in the valley and with its altitude of3,300 m, this town is said to be the second coldest inhabited place in Asia. The mercury may drop to as low as 40 degrees Celcius below freezing point. Often the small huts are covered by snow and communication with the outside world is cut off.

Drass, situated at a height of 3230 m, is the second coldest inhabited place in the world. It lies approximately 60 km to the west of Kargil, on the road to Srinagar. A small township located in the heart of the valley bearing the same name, Drass experiences extremely cold weather in winters. Recurring snowfalls during winters lower the temperature of this township to as low as minus 40 degrees. Zojila pass, the Himalayan Gateway to Ladakh, serves as the starting point of the Drass valley of Kashmir.

The late autumn or early spring season of Drass is quite risky from travel point of view. This is so because during this time period, the whole Drass valley of Kashmir (including Zojila pass) faces frequent snowstorms and remains snowed in. However, the inhabitants of Drass have been negotiating the dreadful Zojila pass, for years even during this unsafe period. They help in the transportation of trading commodities as well as stranded travelers across the valley. In fact, because of their expertise in crossing the pass, they were dominating the carrying trade during the zenith of the Pan-Asian trade.

Nurtured by the Drass River which rises in the Machoi glacier near the famous Zojila Pass, the enchanting Drass Valley is situated at a height of 3230 m. The valley experiences extremely harsh cold weather in winters and temperature may even fall to minus 40 degree Celsius. This cold valley (60 km to the west of Kargil) starts from the Zojila pass, the Himalayan Gateway to Ladakh.

The valley also enjoys a short summer season that begins in May when the snow starts melting. The valley comprises a small town called the Drass Town, which is located in a flat and open space. One can spot greenery and vegetation along the river during summer, but the town is covered under a thick blanket of snow in winter. A major part of the valley is inhabited by the Brokpa Tribe. This tribe is believed to be the descendant of the Dards of Chilas found in the Gilgit region. The people of this tribe are involved in growing Barley and other cereals.

Shigar River, Zojila pass, Puga Valley and various monasteries are nice destinations for sightseeing trips.

Image credit:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/himalayan-trails/274370221/