The September story

September Pangong is the photographer's masterpiece. The autumn light, warmer and more golden than summer's, transforms the lake colours: blues become deeper, greens become more emerald, and the brown-red mountains glow amber in late afternoon. The camps that remain open have fewer guests, more attentive service, and lower rates. The Changpa nomads begin their autumn migration, moving herds past the lake in a spectacle that connects to thousand-year-old patterns. The night sky in September is at its clearest—the galaxy core is still visible above the horizon, and the thin atmosphere makes every star a sharp point. By late September, the cold is serious: 0°C or below at night, requiring proper sleeping bags. The drive from Leh in September, through autumn-coloured Changthang, is the year's most scenic.