Visit Hanle, Ladakh
To visit Hanle, special entry permit from Government is essential.
Hanle is a located in Leh region of Union Territorie of Ladakh in India. This is where the MACE gamma-ray telescope is located.
Reach Hanle By Flight/Air:
Direct domestic flights from Delhi, Jammu and Mumbai is available to Leh airport. From airport one can hire taxi.
Leh to Hanle Distance: Hanle is around 260 km from Leh. Some say it is around 300 kms. However, because of the altitude and the number of stopovers you may, it takes 8 to 9 hours to reach Hanle from Leh.
Local transport at Hanle: It is advisable to hire taxi from Leh.
Best time to Visit Hanle
You can visit Hanle any time between June and September when the tourist season is at its peak. Being a cold desert, Hanle’s weather is extremely cold and harsh. During summer, days can be moderately warm and sun rays can be harsh. Make sure you pack a good sunblock lotion. However, at night the mercury really dips.
Hanle weather information
Temperature (Winter): Minimum: -30 to -10 Degree C, Maximum: -1 to 2 Degree C
Temperature (Summer): Minimum: 2-10 Degree C, Maximum: 15-30 Degree C
More information about Hanle, Ladakh
Hanle is a dry cold area. It is always best to carry very heavy woollen clothes and jackets. The altitude of the place is around 4270 m above sea level. The altitude at the village can be a bit lower but Indian Astronomical Observatory in this area is at an altitude of 4,500 meters. One must stay at Leh for a few days to adjust to the height, different air pressure and climate before going to Hanle.
Hanle, a valley surrounded by the Changthang Plateau, around 270 kilometers from Leh was found to be most suitable for such world’s highest gamma rays telescope.
The telescope in Hanle is situated at Mount Saraswati. Hanle also falls in the rain-shadow region in this part of the Himalayas, resulting in more number of clear nights in the year. Hanle has more photometric and spectroscopic nights.
At this height, Hanle has only half the Earth’s atmosphere, resulting in clear skies. Out of 365 nights there are around 270-280 nights observable nights.
The higher photon density along with the low background light level at this site helps in lowering the energy threshold of the Cherenkov telescope at Hanle.