Few stretches of road in Ladakh change as sharply as the descent from the Fotu La to the Indus. This is the highest point on the Srinagar-Leh highway, at around 4,100 metres, marked by prayer flags and a cairn, and from there the road drops in broad bends into the valley of the great river near the village of Khalsi. Below the pass, the first apricot trees and the fields of barley appear, and suddenly there is water, green and loud, running down from the snows. After the dry heights, the contrast is a pleasure.
The road at this point is among the most enjoyable of the whole journey. The tarmac is generally good, the curves are open, and the long, bare ridges offer views down into the valley. Rock walls rise on both sides, and the road snakes between sandy hillsides carved by wind and water. Surface quality can deteriorate after rain or rockfall, so keep alert for gravel on corners. Traffic includes army trucks and tourist vehicles, and drivers often cut across bends, so keep to the left of your lane.
Khalsi lies at the point where the road meets the Indus, and from here the highway follows the river most of the way to Leh. It is a small village, with a bridge across the river and a few shops and tea stalls. Nearby, old inscriptions cut into the rock hint at how long this river corridor has carried people between Kashmir, Tibet and the plains, long before the tarmac arrived.
Fuel is not reliably available around here, so keep the tank topped up from Kargil or Leh. The weather is generally dry, and afternoons can be hot at this lower altitude, with the sun reflecting off the pale rock. Try to start early in the morning. Mornings are calm, the road is quiet, and the first light on the hills brings out the warm browns and pinks.