Chota Ladakh: Worth visiting or not?

“Chota Ladakh,” said the caption of a Facebook post boasting some stunning photos. Believing it to be some spelling error, I ignored it and continued scrolling through my news feed. A few days later, I desperately wanted to get out of Bangalore for a day trip. Most of the places were either closed due to covid-19 or seemed far for a day trip. As luck would have it, another post, with another set of beautiful pictures with the same caption, captured my attention. I realized that there was actually a place near Bangalore named Chota Ladakh. It was just an hour’s drive from Whitefield. Without thinking much, I decided to visit the place on Sunday. I had a late breakfast, packed my lunch, and left my apartment leisurely at 1 PM. To reach the destination, one needs to drive on Bangalore Tirupati Highway which is indeed a pleasant drive. 

Introduction to Chota Ladakh

As I walked from parking towards the Chota Ladakh, the place began to unravel its mystery, and I stayed hooked to it for a while. It looks like a wonderful lake set against the tall & rustic walls of a rocky mountain. When the greyish waters of the lake are seen from above, it offers a picturesque view.  The frame of those greyish waters definitely gives a barren impression but you would be startled on encountering the greenery around it. It looks even more beautiful when clouds blanket the sky above the water.

Chota Ladakh from the upper side

Though the viewpoints at Chota Ladakh are not labelled as such, to make you understand I would say that there are two viewpoint areas. One is the upper viewpoint area and another one is the lower viewpoint area. You can also walk from the upper side to the lower side if you want to sit closer to the water and take some really good photos. It takes 2-3 minutes to traverse the path, however, it’s rough, rocky, and surrounded by tall bushes. Please remember that this trail from the upper to the lower viewpoints is very short, but it’s not for the faint-hearted. You can actually see this trail in the video attached with this article. 

Chota Ladakh from the lower side

What exactly is Chota Ladakh?

Chota Ladakh is actually a quarry where stone-mining used to happen. The extensive mining led to a 200 feet deep hole that collected monsoon water and began to look like a lake. It is believed that this place was discovered by a biker, only a few years ago. He probably found some resemblance to Ladakh and called it Chota Ladakh. However, I didn’t find any similarity of this place with Ladakh, and I am saying this with confidence, after having visited Ladakh three times. 

Chota Ladakh doesn’t have any similarity to Ladakh!

What’s the actual name of Chota Ladakh?

As a matter of fact, later on, I found that a more appropriate, or the original name of this place is Kendatti Quarry. Kendatti is the name of the village near which it is located. It is also known by the name Dodda Ayur. Hence, you need to make a choice whether to call it Chota Ladakh or Kendatti Quarry, or Dodda Ayur. I still chose to call it by the former name because even it doesn’t have any similarity to Ladakh, it would always remind me of the story that how I found out about it in the first place. Also, it’s a cute and funny name. You can judge me for that. 

Where is Chota Ladakh?

It is located approximately at a distance of 50 km from Whitefield, Bangalore, and takes almost 1 hr 15 minutes to drive. You end up driving on Old Madras road which is a smooth road dotted with greenery and rocky hills on both sides.

You can use this Google location to navigate through Google Maps:

https://goo.gl/maps/MezGuiVrcMXzP9At7

Things to do/ see at Chota Ladakh

If you wish to keep it a simple picnic excursion then the following are the things which can be done:

  1. Enjoy the view by gazing at the waters. You can also stay for sunset.
  2. You can carry your own food and do a picnic but please don’t litter. Make sure to bring back all the waste to be disposed of in a proper way. 
  3. You can talk a walk around the farms nearby to enjoy a dose of greenery and fresh air

Warning – Don’t Swim at Chota Ladakh

Since the waters of Chota Ladakh offer such a mesmerizing view, people would definitely be tempted to swim. But let me inform you that swimming here is a strong NO as it’s 200 feet deep, many people have drowned and died in the past. In fact, due to this, this place was even restricted to visitors for a very long time.

Parking

Chota Ladakh’s parking is not organized formal parking. It’s an open parking area, however, completely safe. As mentioned above, the place is located near Kendatti Village, and the parking area is near the farms of the village, on a narrow road. Visitors come, park their vehicles, and proceed towards Chota Ladakh without worrying about their vehicles. 

One needs to walk for almost 500 meters to reach the destination from the parking area.

Time required at Chota Ladakh

You would need a minimum of an hour’s time to justify your visit. Having said this, the maximum time to be spent is totally up to you.

Packing List

  1. Please carry our own food and water as there are no stalls in close proximity.
  2. Carry a trash bag to bring your waste back
  3. Don’t forget to put on your sports shoes/ hiking shoes if you plan to go near water
  4. Make sure to pack your umbrella or raincoats if you are visiting here on a cloudy day. In case of rain, there is no place to hide.

Best time to visit Chota Ladakh

You can visit Chota Ladakh throughout the year. However, don’t pick a rainy day or an extremely sunny day to visit there as there is no shady area. The best hours of the day would be the early morning hours or early evening hours where you can also stay until sunset.

FAQ(s)

Is Chota Ladakh closed?

No, right now it is not closed. However, it has been closed for a very long time after more than 10 people drowned and died in it, a couple of years ago. Now, the authorities have re-opened the place but are careful. Please don’t enter inside the water and don’t swim. Also, instruct the same to your fellow travelers.

Conclusion

To conclude, Chota Ladakh makes a good destination from Bangalore for a half-day throughout the year. Be careful while visiting the place, and carry the essentials. Don’t expect any similarity to Ladakh. Just assume that the name Chota Ladakh is just for fun! Do share your experience or any questions you may have, in the comments.

You can also watch this YouTube video where I have summarized my experience of visiting Chota Ladakh:

 

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