Chennai man’s Ladakh travel guide goes viral as his trip turns into a ‘nightmare’

A recent post by Kirubakaran Rajendran, a resident of Chennai, has gone viral with over six million views. It sheds light on the unexpected perils of travelling to Ladakh, a popular tourist destination. Through his personal experience, Rajendran highlights the potential “nightmares” that await unsuspecting travellers in this breathtaking region.

What was meant to be a relaxing holiday for Rajendran's family, turned into a health hazard, as the oxygen levels were low. Rajendran shared that his family found it hard to breathe as soon as they landed at the Leh airport, which is located more than 10,000 feet above the sea level. Even simple activities proved to be an exhausting ordeal for the family.

Rajendran posted a series of threads, enumerating a step by step guide for people who wish to visit Ladakh.

“Please note that oxygen availability goes down once you move to higher altitude regions,” posted Rajendran. “As the altitude increases, the atmospheric pressure drops and the number of oxygen molecules per breath is reduced. Compared to sea level, places like Leh/Ladakh have less oxygen in the air,” he added.

Rajendran specifically listed places such as Nubra Valley and Hanle, which have very less oxygen. Khardung La Pass, which is located at 18,000 feet, also has a similar condition. 

"The oxygen at these places is so thin, which makes it very difficult to breathe, even cab drivers ask you not to stand outside at these peaks for more than 10 minutes (sic),” said Rajendran.

'Not supposed to be this adventurous'

Although Rajendran said, he and his family took two days to acclimatise to the harsh conditions, they found it difficult to breathe and cope with the high altitude in Ladakh. Hence, they cancelled their bookings and took a flight back home.

“The vacation was supposed to be relaxing and enjoyable, but not this adventurous, putting the health at risk. Ladakh is so beautiful, no doubt about it, but it might not suit everyone,” he concluded.

Many users thanked the traveller for sharing his “informative thread”, while others took to X, to post advices, or share experiences from their travels.