5 reasons not to visit Tso Moriri from Manali side

There have been many queries where people ask me, “Can I visit Tso Moriri from Manali side?” That is while going to Leh from Manali they want to cover the Tso Moriri lake as well and then reach Leh.

This trend of queries for visiting Tso Moriri from Manali side had especially become common after 2014 when the inner line permits were exempted for the Indians visiting major tourist places in Ladakh, including this beautiful Tso Moriri Lake. The urge to visit Tso Moriri while coming to Leh from Manali side seems logical because it is a short detour and for those who plan to exit from Srinagar side, it makes perfect sense to save the day.

As of 2021, Inner Line Permits are not required for Indians/domestic tourists to visit Tso Moriri Lake and other inner line areas of Ladakh.

However, though what looks on the map in terms of distance does not quantify anything about altitude. Hence, in today’s article, I would like to answer this in detail why not visit Tso Moriri Lake when coming to Leh from Manali side?

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Planning to visit Tso Moriri from Manali side?

Below are the top five reasons I believe you should not visit Tso Moriri when you are traveling from Manali to Leh. Let us look at them one by one.

1. No Acclimatisation to sleep at Tso Moriri

You should not visit Tso Moriri from Manali to Leh because your body will never be acclimatized to sleep at such a high altitude. I never recommend people to even sleep at Sarchu while traveling from Manali to Leh. Keep in mind, that Sarchu is about 300 Mtrs less in altitude than Tso Moriri Lake and 300 Mtrs is quite a lot when it comes to altitude.

And, if you are suffering from AMS, even a difference of 100 Mtrs can save or take your life. Sarchu is even considered to be vomit Hilton as most people keep vomiting while sleeping up there, or they mostly don’t tend to sleep. Very few people get away without experiencing symptoms of AMS even at Sarchu.

Now, Tso Moriri Lake is even higher in altitude than Sarchu. So, there is no gradual ascend for your body to accept such a high altitude. You cannot sleep that early in the trip at such height. It is because you may have only slept at Manali, or even sleeping at Jispa does not help.

On the other hand, if you are coming back from Leh side, then your body is in much better condition to accept sleeping at the high altitude of Tso Moriri Lake. The main reason is that you are coming after covering other high-altitude places in Ladakh, especially sleeping at Pangong Tso. Such acclimatization will help you enjoy the beauty of the lake much more and without any worries of falling sick.

You can read more about acclimatization in my article on Acute Mountain Sickness and the Importance of Acclimatization

2. No help nearby in case of a medical emergency

Tso Moriri is located at a desolate place in Ladakh, and in case there is any help that is required whatsoever after falling severely sick due to AMS (which you can), you are looking for about an 8-hour drive to Leh.

Any wise person can judge what it means to be away from medical help for about 8 Hrs in any medical emergency. Hitting with AMS badly is indeed an emergency because AMS can be fatal if not dealt with, quickly.

The main problem is when people are suffering from AMS, they tend to avoid admitting it and either say it is motion sickness or says it is fatigue. This ignorance aggravates the symptoms further, and the condition worsens mostly.

Hence, traveling to Tso Moriri from Manali is not a good idea in case you end up needing medical help.

3. Only Leh taxis are allowed to visit Tso Moriri

As per Leh Taxi union rules, you will have to have a taxi based out in Leh to visit Tso Moriri Lake unless you are not traveling by car or bike. When coming from Manali, you will have a Manali taxi in most cases unless you plan to call a Leh-based taxi to pick you up from Manali or make such an arrangement on Manali – Leh Highway. Hence, you cannot visit Tso Moriri on such taxis unless you want to end up in a struggle with an already unacclimatized body 😉

Keep in mind if you are traveling by bus including the HPTDC deluxe bus to Leh, there is no option to travel to Tso Moriri directly in such a case as all buses run between Manali and Leh only.

4. Only Leh-rented bikes are allowed to visit Tso Moriri

As per Leh bike rental union rules, you will have to have a rented bike based out in Leh to visit Tso Moriri Lake unless you are not traveling by bike. When coming from Manali, you will be having Manali or Delhi rented bike which will not be allowed at Tso Moriri, if confronted at the various checkpoints installed by union guys.

Hence, similar to taxis, you cannot visit Tso Moriri on an outside Leh rented bike unless you want to end up in a struggle with an already unacclimatized body. In general, Tso Moriri is more or less neglected by the union guys because it is not so popular among the majority of tourists.

5. Protected Area Permits are required to visit Tso Moriri for foreigners

In case you need to visit Tso Moriri Lake from Manali or Ladakh, as of 2021, Indians do not need Ladakh Inner Line Permits to visit Inner Line areas of Ladakh, including Nubra Valley, Pangong Tso, and Tso Moriri.

You just need to apply for the Ladakh Environment Fee online.

Although inner line permits are available online, domestic tourists need to get the permit copy stamped from the DC office in Leh or the Tourist Reception Center (TRC) in Leh. Also, the fee for the Inner Line Permit needs to be paid in person.

However, in case you are a foreigner, you need a protected area permit to visit Tso Moriri. This permit is issued from the DC office in Leh as well as online. In the case of PAP online, you can select the travel agent and pay the fee as well. So, this is a trivial issue for a foreigner visiting Tso Moriri Lake.

You can more read about the Protected Area Permit.

Don’t have time to read the full article? You can check this short video on Discover With Dheeraj YouTube Channel on this topic. If you like my video, please do not forget to SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube channel.

Conclusion

Well, I have tried to enlist the five reasons not to visit Tso Moriri from Manali side. However, the first reason combined with the second reason should be enough for any wise person not to risk their life and play with the emotions of family/friends sitting back at home, wishing for his safe return.

Why do I say so?

Well, because I have been through many such incidents where youngsters set aside such important tips and think their young bodies can overpower biology and the body’s acclimatization needs. However, many such incidents bring agony, chaos, or panic to them as well as family and friends who can’t do anything sitting three days or 1500 KM away from them back at home.

Have a travel question?? You can subscribe to my YouTube channel and leave a comment to ask your travel questions about traveling to the Himalayas.

In the end, a humble request to you all to seriously consider the above tips and avoid ending up in trouble. Add one extra day to your plan or drop any other place as I am sure that is not more valuable than your life or your loved ones.

Did you face any issues while visiting Tso Moriri or do you have more such reasons? I will be glad to hear them in the comments section or on my Instagram account Of course, it will help other fellow travelers too.

Please feel free to share this article with your friends or family who you know will be going on a trip to Ladakh or planning to visit Tso Moriri from Manali side, you may end up saving a life 😉 🙂 …