Saboo-Shang-Sakti – When nothing is planned out, it is often much nicer

8. + 9. September 2026

 

 

I met up with Tsering Dolma again. She’s the friend who runs a homestay in Kharu. Back then—apart from just liking each other and enjoying being together—we realized there are still quite a few things we want to explore together. So we kept an eye out for another opportunity. And now that time had come!

 

So she picked me up in Leh, and first we drove to Choglamsar to visit the café run by Tamchos (the one where I stayed in Stok) and Karma, so they got to know each other a bit, and it was all lovely. So lovely, in fact, that I completely forgot to take photos.

 

I know that there are nuns in Saboo, the neighboring village, but not where. So we went there to look for them. At the first spot, we had no luck; there used to be nuns here, but they moved on to Basgo, leaving only an old monk living there.

 

 

As we drove on, we saw a large, unusual compound that I didn’t know yet. So off we went! On the entrance gate it said Ngari Institute for Buddhist Dialectics, and it’s basically the modern answer to some of the problems monasteries face around here. There is a newly built monastery:

 

 

 

 

Here you can learn much about the Ngari Institute. They actively seek connection with “everyday” people by offering plenty of ways to learn more about Buddhism, practice it, and integrate it into daily life. They also care for children from poor families or orphans. Alongside training programs and such, they have a guesthouse and individual huts where you can stay very comfortably and practice according to your own needs. The head monk is actually a highly educated monk from Stok, three years younger than me, and someone you genuinely want to learn from. At least, that’s how I felt. He took a bit of time to share a few things with Tsering and me. And since it happened to be lunchtime when we were checking out the guesthouse, we decided on a whim to eat there—we got super delicious food from the buffet, and when I went to pay, they wouldn’t take a single thing!

 

 

 

This is the monk from far and the huts, which you can rent:

 

 

 

We didn’t have much time left to keep searching for the nuns, but we still visited one of the accommodations categorized as very, very high-end in Ladakh. The owner also happens to own the Sarai in Tsazar, where I stayed at the beginning of my time in Zanskar. He was there too, looking surprisingly modest and friendly—not like the typical owner of a luxury accommodation chain. The absolute best part was the garden and the view from the room with the balcony right in front.

 

 

 

 

We were even treated to a drink, and Tsering ordered an ABC juice, which I had never heard of. And unfortunately, I didn’t like it: Apple-Beetroot-Carrot. But the juice looked stylish, and it was certainly healthy, too.

 

 

Then it was time to pick up her daughter, Darches, from the Mahabodhi school. She has a whole week of holidays ahead of her. A new feature on the Mahabodhi grounds is the Place of 1,000 Buddhas. We checked that out as well:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There really do seem to be 1,000 Buddha statues. And there was also a poster that could easily be read the wrong way:

 

 

We still picked up quite a few groceries. In the process, I noticed that there are more and more modern cafés popping up, some of which actually look really nice and are genuinely popular with the locals. There are also a few larger modern supermarkets by now, but for the most part, people still shop in small, cluttered corner stores.

 

 

 

Darches also received some gifts brought by previous travelers, I made my salad—which has become quite a hit around here by now—and we spent a lovely time together. And I cuddled a bit with Candy.

 

 

 

 

The next day, my main wish was simply to take a look at a very, very expensive accommodation that opens exclusively for snow leopard spotting. It’s located along the route where people used to come down from the Markha Trek. Today, that section has long been converted into a road. And there’s also a road leading into a side valley. If you keep going past the end of that one, you reach Shang Phu. I camped there during my trekking tour and thought it was a gorgeous place.

 

 

We curiosity-drivenly drove up this valley and got drawn to a monastery building spectacularly set on the hillside. So up we went. I used an additional, different asthma inhaler—and was thrilled! It worked! I was actually breathing as “normally” as ever! That makes me feel very hopeful.

 

 

So up we went. Down below, people were working on the access path and told us it was open at the top.

 

 

 

 

 

Unfortunately, that wasn’t true. We couldn’t find a key either. Maybe because there were so many construction workers bustling around? But it didn’t matter all that much because the view was fantastic:

 

 

 

 

 

 

So many amazing colors! There were also construction workers around the monastery. They said this building was going to be a toilet. A toilet with such amazing decoration?

 

 

We kept taking photos and then walked back down via the long, stretched-out dirt track. It seems they want to revive the monastery—whether as an active monastery or as a tourist attraction.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then we drove to a picnic spot. There’s a small kitchen there that you can basically rent out, allowing larger groups to enjoy a nice picnic with freshly cooked food. Or the man can make tea for you—which is what he did for us.

 

 

 

He lives in the house next door, a so-called Khangchen or retirement home. Typically, at some point, the house, fields, and main responsibilities are passed on to the son so he can take everything over. The aging parents then often build a smaller home and tend just a garden, allowing everyone to live comfortably separate, yet together. He mentioned that there are 45 houses in the valley belonging to Shang—some of them spread quite far apart. Either way, it’s a genuinely beautiful side valley, perfect for an extensive day trip.

 

And then we finally headed to that luxury snow leopard lodge. It was closed, but a maintenance worker was on site who showed us a room. We were also able to check out the restaurant and found it really beautifully furnished. It’s real luxury with plenty of radiators and other amenities. I thought I’d hate it, but it’s actually very tastefully designed. Still, somehow feels pretty overpriced. The location is brilliant too, offering great access to multiple valleys and a fantastic direct view. Snow leopard de luxe.

 

 

 

 

 

The rooms weren’t properly set up yet, and then there are these cabins that were still dismantled for the summer.

 

On the way back, we didn’t see any snow leopards, but we did spot some blue sheep.

 

 

It was a bit late for lunch, but Rewo Cafe was packed to the brim with heaps of bikers and other groups. I had been here once before with the nine gentlemen when we went to Wari La, and I was amazed by the fast service and tasty food back when it was empty. But now it was packed, and I was amazed all over again by how efficient, friendly, and delicious everything was. No wonder so many people stop by here.

 

 

n a travel guide lying around, I had found this note:

 

 

“Hidden Treasure”—now that sounded like something! Tsering didn’t know it either, but easy in asking. And that’s how we ended up finding it.

 

 

However, here too we were met with locked doors, even though we could see that new construction work had made the access easier. It seems you really have to ask around to find someone with a key. But the view was pretty, so the short climb was well worth it anyway.

 

 

 

 

 

Instead, we took advantage of the time to visit another accommodation that pleasantly surprised us. It offers great value for money and has a wonderful, sunny, welcoming vibe without the rooms getting too hot. Supposedly, a monk built it—though there was nothing to find about it online. The manager, who was from Kargil, showed us around. The property consists of three residential buildings and a main house with a dining room—and then there’s even a swimming pool! With pretty cold water. Who actually swims in that? Well, apparently when they host Western guests, people love jumping in first thing in the morning. Personally, I don’t think it’s a great idea to use—or waste—water on a pool in such an arid region.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The many flowers and the lawn were also beautiful.

 

That wrapped up two days filled with quiet pleasures and small discoveries. We set out with specific destinations in mind, but constantly stumbled upon unexpected gems along the way. I often find that drifting through the day without a rigid itinerary takes far less out of you—by evening, instead of feeling wiped out, you’re pleasantly full of impressions and a light, easy energy. Tsering is a wonderful companion for days like these. And Darches was mostly great company too. She has this hilarious modern way of talking—she’ll react to something cool with a dramatic “oh my god” and call everyone, including her own mom, “Bro.” Honestly, I’d love to build these kind of “Go with the Flow” days into itineraries for my travel guests. But figuring out how to structure that—and convincing people beforehand that an unplanned day is a day well spent—is still a bit of a mystery to me.

 

Either way, we both agreed that stepping off the beaten path in Ladakh is so worth it. There is just so much subtle beauty and fascination tucked away in the corners.

 

After feeling frustrated in Leh over my health—and honestly feeling pretty negative about tourism, India, and everything else—these past two days turned out to be the exact reset I needed.