Interstellar

A trip to India’s highest astronomical observatory by OVERDRIVE (India’s largest auto magazine) and Mercedes-Benz

- Alan D’cruz

Just before the weather turned and the passes closed for the winter, the OD team managed to squeeze in one more trip to the mountains. For the third edition of our Starstruck Drive we planned to push the limits by heading higher than we’ve ever gone before in the quest to find the most pristine night sky possible. And boy did we arrive at the perfect destination in the village of Hanle - a tiny settlement, deep in the Himalayas. But don’t just take our word for it, this picturesque little village is also home to the Indian Astronomical Observatory, one of the highest optical observatories in the world. It made for the perfect stargazing experience and a great way to live life in OVERDRIVE.

THE PLAINS

Our journey started in Chandigarh where we met with seven of our readers who would be accompanying us on the challenging but exciting drive up into the Himalayas and on to Leh. In typical OD style we started bright and early in the morning, making our way through the plains and into the foothills. Once on the the highway our readers started to get comfortable with the four Mercedes-Benz GLS, GLE and two GLCs that formed our convoy for the trip. The leisurely drive up to Manali proved to be a great experience for everyone as was evident from the smiling faces and excited chatter around the dinning table at the end of the day.

LEH, HERE WE COME