Meet the cutest ‘toll collectors’ in the Himalayas and why Zanskar deserves a spot on every traveller’s bucket list
If you have been doomscrolling Instagram lately, you probably have caught a glimpse of that viral clip of a biker stopped in his tracks by the absolute cutest “toll booth” gang in India. The video, shared on Instargram by Wanderlust Nomad, is too cute to skip. The video shows the traveller riding a red motorcycle down a dusty mountain trail. His path is suddenly blocked by a handful of local kids who greet him in Nepali, “mala lai de” (mujhe de do). They aren’t trying to cause trouble; they’re just collecting their tax to let him pass. The going rate? A packet of Parle-G or Milk Bikis. The kind-hearted biker, completely caught off guard, laughs and admits he is out of biscuits, pulling out chocolates from his backpack instead. When he asks one of the little boys his name. “Aarush,” the kid says innocently. Taking the chocolate, they divide the loot perfectly fairly among themselves and happily wave him on his way.The internet collectively melted, and rightly so. This candid moment captures the warmth of Himalayan culture and the unique, joyful connections adventure riders often make with remote mountain communities. But beyond this, the video showed the wild, barren, and beautiful backdrop of the Zanskar Valley in Ladakh.The videoIf watching that clip gave you an instant itch to pack your bags, and head to the mountains, you are not the only one. Here is a deep dive into the region where that magic happened, and how you can map out the trip of a lifetime.The unfiltered reality of ZanskarFor years, Zanskar was the wild child of Ladakh that nobody really talked about. While regular tourists were busy taking selfies at Pangong Lake or riding double-humped camels in Nubra Valley, Zanskar sat quietly tucked away in the Kargil district. Heavy winter snow completely erases its roads from the map for about six months every single year.When you finally get there during the summer, the landscape hits you hard. We are talking high-altitude desert, massive mountains, endless dusty plains, and a bright and clear sky.But what really sticks with you isn’t just the geography, it’s the people. The region follows Tibetan Buddhism, and surviving in such an isolated environment has baked a deep, unshakable sense of community into the local DNA. That easy warmth you saw in the viral video? That is not a one-off for the cameras. Whether it’s kids playfully asking for a toll or a family working in a barley field waving you over for a cup of salty butter tea, the hospitality here is fierce and entirely genuine.How to reach
canva
The video obviously makes you want to drive on a two-wheeler, but honestly, you don’t need to be a hardcore biker to pull off a Zanskar trip. It is an epic route for families, friends renting an SUV, or anyone who just loves a good, old-fashioned road trip.You can drive straight into Zanskar from the Manali-Leh highway, cutting across the newly opened Shinku La pass. Rent a solid 4×4 in Manali, and you’ve got yourself a highly accessible adventure that still throws in enough river crossings and rolling bends to keep your heart racing.What to do when you get there
canva
Once you roll into Padum, the main town and administrative hub of the valley, you use it as your basecamp. The scale of this place is massive, so if you want the real Zanskar experience, you need to hike to the Honeycomb Monastery, if you only have time for one major detour, point your compass toward Phugtal Monastery. It is one of the very few monasteries left in Ladakh that you can only reach by hiking. The trekking trail is quiet, peaceful, and totally worth the sore legs.Head out to older villages like Stongdey or Karsha and find a local homestay. This is where you get the real deal, eating home-cooked Ladakhi meals right out of the kitchen, sitting around a bukhari (a traditional wood-fired stove) while the host tells stories, and waking up to the sun hitting the Zanskar range right outside your bedroom window.A reality check on responsible travel
canva
Let’s circle back to those kids and their biscuit toll. It is undeniably cute, but it is also a good reminder to tread lightly in these remote zones. Throwing plastic-wrapped snacks or candies out of a car window leaves trash in an ecosystem that doesn’t have garbage trucks to clean it up, and it accidentally normalizes begging among children who should be in school. If you really want to be a responsible traveller, eat at small family dhabas, pay fair rates for your homestays, and buy local crafts directly from the makers.Zanskar is one of the last few spots on the map that still feels entirely raw and unfiltered. Brave the dirt roads, roll down your windows, and talk to the locals, the valley is definitely going to steal your heart.
