Volkswagen Experiences 2024 Special Feature: Memories of a Lifetime!

Driving to Leh – it is, without doubt, one of the bucket list adventures of all car lovers in India. I mean, towering snow-clad passes, barren desert highlands, pristine lakes, sumptuous food, spotless skies, and the peace and quiet of the mountains combined with some of the most adventurous and amazing roads in the country – who wouldn’t fancy such a driving holiday?

Now, if you happen to be a Volkswagen car owner or enthusiast, you surely wouldn’t have missed the news of the launch of Volkswagen India’s latest community programme – Volkswagen Experiences, or VWe (pronounced WE). This new customer-oriented initiative aims to create exciting opportunities for fans to engage with the brand and experience its stunning range of products. The company recently kicked off this campaign with its First Chapter – An Exhilarating Expedition to Ladakh. The sweet deal about the VWe program is that it allows you to do exhilarating journeys – the drive to Ladakh was the start, but there is much more coming in the future – without having to worry about the details, the plan or the logistics.

For a reasonably small cost, the VW Indian team provides you with a car, the support crew, the journey plan and they even plan all your stays and meals, allowing you to do nothing but enjoy the drive, and admire the gorgeous scenery. In effect, all the main characters of a good road trip – the car, the route, the stay and the food – are taken care of by the VW India crew, and all you have to do is turn up and embrace the experience. On their inaugural drive, we decided to join the VWe experience once their customers had driven down from Chandigarh to Leh, which, for many, is a dream drive for sure.

Flying into Dreamland

While we normally prefer driving to Leh, this time, due to the VW cars already being present there, we flew in and landed on a bright, sunny morning. I think one of the most overlooked aspects of a trip to Leh is sunscreen and lip balm. Given that Leh is situated at an altitude of over 11,500 feet, the sun can be incredibly bright and unforgiving and can easily cause sunburn, making sunscreen essential. Similarly, the intense dry climate here can quickly chap your skin and lips, necessitating frequent use of lip balm. So, if you ever decide to visit the place, make sure to carry both.

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Coming back to the trip, our first stop was the Sangam of the Zanskar and Indus rivers – a scenic 45-minute drive from Leh. The confluence of the two rivers is a remarkably beautiful sight, especially when looked at from a high vantage point, although the river banks were crowded due to the peak tourist season. The highlight, however, was the drive to and from the Sangam on immaculate roads – we had a blast. Next on our itinerary was the Nubra Valley, promising another thrilling destination and drive.

We started early the next day to ensure that we crossed the Khardung La pass before the roads became congested with tourist traffic. While most of the roads to the pass were dirt and gravel, the Tiguan ensured our easy and steady progress. Even at nearly 18,000 feet, where oxygen is sparse, the Tiguan performed flawlessly. Later in the day, we went on a long drive to visit the Siachen glacier and, more importantly, the Siachen War Memorial. The memorial is a stark reminder of the sacrifices made by our brave soldiers during the Siachen War – the highest battlefield in the world – ensuring the safety of our borders and the security of our country.

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While the whole day was excellent and full of adventure, we particularly enjoyed the long drive alongside the Nubra River – a stunning backdrop for a long drive, with an amazing road to match. The flawless tarmac, dips, sharp curves, and minimal traffic made driving the Tiguan here an exhilarating experience. By the time we returned to our base camp in Nubra after a long day of driving, it was already quite late, so we soon called it a night.

Zanskar: The Virgin Valley

After thoroughly exploring and acclimatizing ourselves in Leh, we decided to go on a last-minute adventure – a detour to the Zanskar Valley – before returning to Delhi. It turned out to be a fantastic decision!

Setting off from Leh, instead of sticking to the smooth Leh-Kargil highway, we decided to take a more adventurous route to the Zanskar Valley, which led us through the towering passes of Sirsir La and Singe La, both exceeding 16,000 feet in altitude. While coping with the thin air at these altitudes was challenging, it was the breathtaking vistas of the valley that left us speechless. That said, a word of caution – getting lost in the beauty of the Zanskar Valley while driving is not advisable, for the roads here are quite treacherous. In fact, more than 80% of the stretch is unpaved and covered in gravel and rocks. The steep inclines further add to the challenge, but, thankfully, the Tiguan’s high ground-clearance and 4Motion all-wheel drive made our lives considerably easier.

While in the Zanskar Valley, we explored the beautiful town of Padum and revelled in the mesmerising views of the Himalayas throughout the day. Later in the day, we did some sightseeing, including a visit to Zanskar’s largest monastery – Karsha. Affiliated to the Gelugpa or the Yellow Hat sect of Tibetan Buddhism, the Karsha monastery comprises around 30 whitewashed buildings arranged in a cascade-like structure on a mountain cliff.

Julley

After spending two days in Zanskar, it was time to bid farewell to this hidden gem of the Ladakh region, but this time, we zipped towards Kargil –  ‘zipped’ because that’s how it feels when you’re behind the wheel of the Tiguan, thanks to its explosive 2.0-litre TSI motor and taut handling.

On our way back home, we crossed the mighty Drang Drung glacier – the second-largest glacier in Ladakh after Siachen. Call it good luck or something else, but just moments after our arrival, snow unexpectedly started falling, slowly enveloping the entire place in a pristine sheet of white. To say it was jaw-dropping or breathtaking would be a gross understatement, really! All we can say is that we definitely ended the first chapter of Volkwagen Experiences on a thrilling high, and then some!