The self-drive to Leh Ladakh is a dream drive for hundreds of adventurists all around the globe. As soon as the Leh – Ladakh season gets into full swing in May to September months, lots of adventure lovers prepare themselves to go for a self-drive run over the roof of the world. They travel up there via the ever-enthralling plus adventurous roads of Manali – Leh Highway or lush green beauty of Srinagar – Leh Highway.
So, how about looking into the details of a self-drive trip to Leh Ladakh in this article.
Let's quickly dive into the details:
Self-Drive to Leh Ladakh – Important Tips
In this article today, I would like to share seven handy tips for your upcoming self-drive expedition to Leh-Ladakh that you might want to keep at the back of your mind, rather always on mind, before you dive into the dream drive of your life to Leh Ladakh self-drive tour.
1. Over-confidence is your biggest enemy, so keep it away on Ladakh self-drive!!
Never be overconfident that you are master of driving, you have done Rohtang Pass ‘x’ number of times, you are a champ driver in plains, etc.. because driving to Ladakh especially via Manali – Leh Highway could be one of the strangest and adventurous drive you will ever undertake in life.
Never think that any overlying stone will not hit the underbelly, never think that the road ahead is straight as an arrow-like a runway and you can cruise through it, etc..
Such thinking can get you/your vehicle stranded in the middle of nowhere for hours to up to days on a self-drive trip to Ladakh.
Even the smoothest and straightest of the roads, which look super fine, newly laid tarmac are washed in between or have sudden bumps in them which can badly hurt your vehicle.
If you see a big rock lying in between on-road especially at sections with loose gravel then it is always you better step out and throw it away to make your way instead of taking any chance and getting your car’s underbelly hurt with it.
Hence, make sure when you make a Leh Ladakh road trip by car, you remember to leave the overconfidence of being a driving expert at home else be prepared to be stuck in the middle of nowhere or a dangerous pass due to it.
2. Never rush through any tricky section of the road on Ladakh drive
On any Leh Ladakh self-drive tour, whenever you are in doubt about some rough section of the road, maybe landslide section or pathetically rough road or a water crossing, etc. then never, ever rush through it.
Rather, carefully analyze that tricky section of the road by parking your vehicle aside and judging the situation. Try to see how other vehicles are crossing that section. And, if required, check/inspect the trouble section on your foot to prepare an exit route through it in your mind. Then finally go for it.
Rushing through the tricky sections on a Ladakh drive can end up in trouble as you never know what is beneath such sections. Sometimes sharp stones can either cut the tire or even worse, puncture the engine sump.
Pro Tip: If you are doing a self drive to Leh – Ladakh, then make sure to check on 40 Must Have Things to Carry on a Self Drive Trip to the Ladakh
3. Know Your Car or Vehicle Well
It is essential to know about your car or vehicle because you might find some of the stretches or sections of the road on Ladakh drive which are not possible to cross without a hit or scratches under-belly, especially with hatchbacks and sedans due to low ground clearance.
In such situations, when you take a small car to Ladakh, you need to know which parts of the underbelly of your car you might need to protect especially oil sump (which you need to protect all around the trip) and which parts you can let get the hit from below or have some scratches on it.
Hence, knowing about your car will help you a lot in making the right choices in tricky situations on any Leh Ladakh road trip by car.
4. Do Not Use Heaters
Use of heaters should be avoided at any cost especially at high altitude places like Manali – Leh Highway and Ladakh because the warm air by heater destroys the levels of oxygen content present inside and can make breathing very difficult and aggravate the AMS Symptoms.
Hence, it is best that you do not use the heaters in the car and maybe let the outside airflow in for proper circulation. Avoiding AMS or minimizing the chances of getting hit with AMS is a key factor in making a successful self drive Leh Ladakh trip.
Pro Tip: Do not forget to get your Car Insurance or Two Wheeler Insurance done before starting for the trip.
5. Do Not Drink & Drive
Should be first and foremost, but still, PLEASE do not take booze/drink at all while you are driving in the Himalayas, especially when driving from Delhi to Leh by road via Manali, which runs above 14000 feet at the major portion of it.
Drinking means you will have some real trouble in getting acclimatized with alcohol in your belly 🙂 and of course, will create the lapse in concentration while driving.
You already know the other perils of drunk driving apart from being a legal offense, so I am not going to stress upon this fact any further.
So, PLEASE do not mix drinks with your self-drive road trip to Leh Ladakh.
6. Always Help Others
While traveling in the mighty Himalayas, you must always help other people stuck on their way with whatever you can offer, be it a lift, push, pull, fuel, spares, rope, etc. because the help is always hard to find especially at places like Manali Leh Highway, Nubra to Pangong Tso, or Pangong Tso to Hanle, or Changthang or other remote routes of Ladakh.
Do not forget, this can happen to you at the very next turn, and it does not feel much good when someone comes after hours and passes by without offering any help on your dream Ladakh drive.
So, please always help others who are in need of your self drive Ladakh trip. It actually defines the spirit of a traveler inside you 🙂
7. Carry Essentials and other Spare Parts
On a self-drive to Ladakh trip, one should always try to carry:
- Basic Toolkit including Jack and Spanner
- Air Compressor and Foot pump
- Hydraulic Jack
- Spare Tyre (Check for puncture before leaving)
- Puncture Repair Kit
- Screwdriver Set
- Torchlight
- Jump Start Cables
- Spare Bulbs
- Tow Away Rope approx. 3-6 ton Capacity
- 1-2 Jerry Cans / Coke Bottles to carry spare fuel
- Funnel
- Spare Coolant and Engine Oil
- A Long Stick/Rod
- A Shovel and a Hammer
- 2-3 Packs of M-Seal and Quick Fix/Fevi-Quick/Elfy
- Plenty of Drinking Water and Snacks/Dry Fruits
- A water bottle to refill water and save the environment
For a more comprehensive list of spare parts & tools to carry with you in your car on a Ladakh trip, you can read our guide at the link: How to prepare your car for a Ladakh or Himalayan Trip.
Apart from the above driving related list for Ladakh self-drive trip, I use to follow my list of things to carry whenever I travel to Leh – Ladakh. Also, do not forget to get your vehicle serviced before 2-3 weeks when you go on a self-drive to Ladakh.
Leh Ladakh Self Drive – Frequently Asked Questions
There is nothing as such called the “Best” car for the Leh Ladakh trip. A lot of factors depend upon making a car the best for one or the other trip. We must understand that the driver sitting behind the wheels matters the most, and which car you have for the Ladakh trip is just a matter of commute option. Still, IMO, the best car will for Ladakh self-drive trip be the one with high ground clearance, spacious to carry luggage, comfortable for long drives and is in good mechanical condition.
You can certainly take a hatchback or sedan on a Leh Ladakh trip but surely there will be challenges. I have seen Tata Nano doing it so that any car can do it. It all depends upon your driving skills and how much you love your car. I have personally driven my Santro, Swift, and Swift dZire to many remote corners of the Himalayas. The tips in this article will help you with the majority of the challenges.
You can use the outside rented self-drive cars to reach Leh over Srinagar Leh Highway or Manali Leh Highway. However, these self-drive rented cars outside Leh Ladakh are not allowed to do any sightseeing within Ladakh including places like Nubra Valley, Pangong Tso, and Tso Moriri.
There is no option to rent a self-drive car in Leh Ladakh. You can, of course, rent a local taxi in Leh and ask the driver to let you drive in some sections in case he agrees.
No, unfortunately, there is no option to get a self-drive rental car in Leh Ladakh. You will have to rent a local taxi in Leh to do sightseeing within Ladakh. At max, you can ask the local driver to let you drive in some stretches, if possible for him.
No, like Leh, there is no option to get a self-drive rental car in Manali. You need to take a taxi from Manali to reach Leh first and then rent a local taxi in Leh. At max, you can ask the local driver to let you drive in some stretches, if possible for him.
No, like Leh, there is no option to get a self-drive rental car in Srinagar. You need to take a taxi from Srinagar to reach Leh first and then rent a local taxi in Leh. At max, you can ask the local driver to let you drive in some stretches, if possible for him.
Road Conditions in Ladakh
It always a good idea to plan your self-drive to Ladakh well enough so that you do not come with a nightmare experience from this heavenly road trip in the remote Himalayas. I found many people going to Ladakh drive without knowing the road conditions and then curse the place for their ignorance.
Hence, one of the key areas to know before going on a self-drive road trip to Leh Ladakh is the road conditions and the fuel stations or availability of fuel within Ladakh or inroads to Ladakh like Manali – Leh Highway and Srinagar – Leh Highway.
I know that the road conditions keep changing, but still, I feel that knowing about such road conditions in Ladakh is extremely critical. You can make critical and informed decisions such as whether you should take your car on a Leh Ladakh self-drive trip or should you take a small car to Ladakh like a sedan or hatchback, or should you have a 4×4 vehicle on your Ladakh road trip. Thus, if one knows the road conditions in advance, it might be beneficial in deciding on such factors.
Index of Ladakh Road Conditions
For each and every route section elaborated below, I will suggest car types with difficulty level as Easy, Manageable, Tough, Very Tough, Car Killer.
I have taken into account the overall driving comfort as well when suggesting a particular car type. So it is not just the driving but overall picture of which car is best for the Ladakh road trip.
PLEASE DO NOT take it literally especially when driving small cars to Ladakh as Sedans and Hatchbacks. Even, if it is mentioned that route is manageable for Sedans and Hatchbacks, you still have to drive with extreme caution and care. Hence, the seven tips mentioned in the article above will help you too on your Leh Ladakh road trip by car.
Leh Local Sightseeing & Sham Valley
Most of the roads around Leh town as well as Sham Valley are good in conditions throughout the year barring few sections where water keeps running through, thus damaging them.
Only very few sections of these roads are in bad condition. Sham Valley include Alchi, Likir, Basgo Palace, Magnetic Hills, Confluence at Nimmu, Gurudwara Pather Sahib and Leh Local Sightseeing include Namgyal Gompa, Leh Palace, Shanti Stupa, Shankar Gompa, Main Market, Hall of Fame, Spituk Gompa.
So, it is fairly easy to cover these places on your Leh Ladakh self-drive tour.
- Sedans/Hatchbacks = Easy.
- High Ground Clearance SUVs (4×2) = Easy.
- High Ground Clearance SUVs (4×4) = Easy.
Leh – Khardung La – Nubra Valley – Leh
The road conditions within Nubra Valley are very good but the ascent from South Pullu to Khardung La and then descent towards North Pullu has major sections of the road in tatters.
In winters or early summers like April and May, due to the presence of snow, it is extremely difficult to drive on this section (South Pullu – Khardung La – North Pullu). Once, you are in Nubra Valley most of the roads are in excellent condition including Turtuk and Panamik.
- Sedans/Hatchbacks = Easy (Nubra Valley) but Manageable (South Pullu – Khardung La – North Pullu), Very Tough in early summers.
- High Ground Clearance SUVs (4×2) = Easy to Manageable, tough in early summers
- High Ground Clearance SUVs (4×4) = Easy to Manageable.
So, when making a self-drive trip to Leh – Ladakh, Nubra Valley is mostly manageable by small cars.
Leh – Karu – Shakti – Chang La – Durbuk – Tangste – Pangong Tso (Lukung)
The road conditions towards Pangong Tso are a mix of good (Leh – Karu – Shakti, Durbuk – Tangste – Lukung), bad (Lukung – Spangmik) and very bad (Shakti – Chang La – Durbuk).
Roads from Leh up to Shakti are decent in conditions but again the ascend from Shakti to Changla is something very treacherous and with bad road conditions. Similarly, as you descend towards Durbuk from Changla, most of the road is in bad shape. From Lukung to Spangmik, there is no road but a dirt track.
- Sedans/Hatchbacks = Easy to Manageable, at least the climb up/down for Chang La and Lukung to Spangmik.
- High Ground Clearance SUVs (4×2) = Easy to Manageable, tough in early summers.
- High Ground Clearance SUVs (4×4) = Easy to Manageable.
So, when making a self-drive road trip to Ladakh, Pangong Tso is mostly manageable by small cars.
Leh – Upshi – Chumathang – Mahe – Sumdo – Kiagar Tso – Tso Moriri (Korzok)
The road conditions towards Tso Moriri are a mix of good and few bad. Roads from Leh up to Mahe are decent in conditions, but once you cross Kiagar Tso ahead of Sumdo, the dirt road is present for about the last 30 KMs. If it rains or in early summers when snow is present around roads, many sections form slush on them which is difficult to manage at times on a Ladakh drive.
- Sedans/Hatchbacks = Easy to Manageable but can be tough in early summers.
- High Ground Clearance SUVs (4×2) = Mostly Easy.
- High Ground Clearance SUVs (4×4) = Mostly Easy without 4×4.
So, when making a Ladakh self-drive tour, Tso Moriri is mostly manageable by small cars.
Pangong Tso (Spangmik) – Man – Merak – Chusul – Tsaga – Loma – Nyoma – Mahe – Sumdo – Kiagar Tso – Tso Moriri (Korzok)
The major part of this remote but most beautiful route of Ladakh in Changthang runs on a dirt track due to the absence of any road.
Lukung – Spangmik – Man – Merak – Chusul – Tsaga does not have any road at all and has some terrible sections where getting through with low ground clearance is very difficult, especially before Chusul due to loose sand and water crossings.
Tsaga – Loma – Nyoma – Mahe is a blacktop tarmac where it will be easy to drive. Even the diversion road to Hanle from Loma is in very good condition barring few patches.
- Sedans/Hatchbacks = Mostly tough from Spangmik to Tsaga La, chances of getting stuck but Easy to Manageable after Tsaga Village.
- High Ground Clearance SUVs (4×2) = Manageable, Tough at some sections when slush and ice are present on it.
- High Ground Clearance SUVs (4×4) = Manageable, Tough without 4×4 but Manageable with 4×4.
Hence, if you are self-driving to Ladakh in a small car, it will be tough for you to traverse the direct route from Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri.
Nubra Valley – Agham – Wari La – Shakti – Chang La – Durbuk – Tangste – Pangong Tso (Lukung)
This one is mostly used by tourists interested in reaching Pangong Tso directly from Nubra Valley. The major part of the ascend and descend towards Wari La from Agham Village is tough, and roads are a mix of average and bad.
You will very rarely spot a taxi or other vehicle on this route when you drive over it. So in case of any exigency, help will be very hard to find.
- Sedans/Hatchbacks = Tough, at least the climb up/down for Wari La and then again to Changla. Very Tough and not recommended in early summers.
- High Ground Clearance SUVs (4×2) = Manageable, Tough in early summers.
- High Ground Clearance SUVs (4×4) = Manageable, Tough in early summers without 4×4.
Making a self-drive to Leh Ladakh and taking the direct route from Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso via Wari La will be a tough route in a small car.
Nubra Valley – Agham – Shyok Village – Durbuk – Tangste – Pangong Tso (Lukung)
As of 2019, this route is mostly used by tourists interested to reach Pangong Tso directly from Nubra Valley. Some of the sections between Agham and Shyok villages are extremely difficult for a small car especially, very much landslide-prone and will most likely get your heart in the mouth.
On a bad day, this whole stretch has a variety of troubles to greet you – water crossing (some nasty ones), loose rocks, sharp stones, big rocks in water crossings or standing water, etc.
Always inquire about the road conditions either at Agham Village or Khalsar Village before attempting this direct route from Nubra Valley side and either at Shyok village or at a GREF hut that comes after Shyok village from Durbuk side.
- Sedans/Hatchbacks = Tough to very tough, at times car killer too.
- High Ground Clearance SUVs (4×2) = Tough, maybe car killer when water flows heavily in July, August.
- High Ground Clearance SUVs (4×4) = Manageable to Tough even with 4×4 in some sections.
My recommendation is to attempt this route on your self-drive trip to Leh Ladakh only in a high ground clearance vehicle. In a small car, you may end up in trouble taking the direct route from Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso.
Loma – Hanle – Charchaghan La – Chumur – Tso Moriri (Korzok)
This remote route of Ladakh in Changthang runs on a dirt track due to the absence of any road. It also has some bad sections where getting through with low ground clearance vehicle is extremely difficult.
There is one VERY nasty water crossing near Charchaghan La; I guess which is very difficult to cross, especially post afternoon. Loma to Hanle is in excellent condition barring few patches.
Hence, it is not suggested to take this route on your Leh Ladakh self-drive tour, especially in a small car.
Skipped to the end? Check this infographic quickly
Download your FREE high-resolution version pdf copy of this infographic guide to learn these tips for a self-drive trip to Ladakh. If you liked it and found it helpful, please feel free to share it with your family and friends to help them too.
Conclusion
I hope the above tips would be useful for your upcoming self drive Leh – Ladakh road trip. If you know your friends or family are planning a road trip to Ladakh, do share this article with them to help them make a memorable Ladakh drive.
You may end up taking some well organized Leh Ladakh road trip packages but if you are making a self-drive road trip to Ladakh, I hope you take these tips seriously.
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, if you have been to a self-drive trip to Ladakh before, kindly share your thoughts, and other information you might feel is worth sharing with other Ladakh self-drive enthusiasts.
628 Comments
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Hi Dheeraj,
We are going by our Vehicle from Delhi on 11th Sep, just want to know that can we take our car anywhere in Leh Ladakh or there is any restriction to drive in Leh Ladkah with our personal vehicle.? We will go from Srinagar and will come back from Manali . Kindly let me know if any restrictions thru out our journey.
Thanks.
Aayush, there is no restriction of driving own private vehicle with a white number plate in anywhere in Ladakh. Srinagar – Ladakh – Manali route does not have any permit requirement in that direction as well.
Do we require snow chains?
Akash, no snow chains required in this season.
Hi DHEERAJ
I want to go Delhi to manali via shimla rampur kaza route starting on 1st of June
I have a alto k10 new
Its possible by this vehicle
Replied here: https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/rohtang-pass-closed-2014-2015/comment-page-1/#comment-330321
Hi Dheeraj,
First of all Many-2 Thanks for the valuable information, I will to update the same once I had a successful trip.
As per plan, I m going to take Del. – Srinagar – Leh – Manali / Srinagar (not sure) – Del from June 13 to June 22. I have i20 petrol, would it be advisable to go ahead in it or should I adopt on alternatives. I want to take the journey self drive but in case its not advisable than only I would take recourse. Any specific tips that you want to give although you written a wonderful write-up above.
Thanks,
Ashish…!
Ashish you may be able to make it as Manali – Leh might not open but the car will struggle on that route for sure. Rest can be managed but for sure car will take a toll on its underbody. I will prefer to have a High GC car in case I have one option with me.
Hii there,
I have a hyundai verna. I wanna drive to leh from punjab via srinagar. I have read and understood your tips. Plz advice any other precautions to take. Can i go to manali from leh on my way back.
Thanks
Harminder saini
Harminder, it will be tough as you see above but if you love adventure more than your car, then it is fine. You can travel back to Manali in case you planning after 20th June as the road will open by that time only. But, be ready for some bruises at the underbelly of the car.
hi dhiraj sharma 2day i visted to ur site, for leh ladhakh trip, ur information & tips are marvolus. i have i 20 diesel & going sri amarnath yatra since 2003 regularly , on 5th july we are interested to go leh from sonmarg & return via manali, we r 2 drivers kindly suggest abut the i20 is it the suitable..? & any spl. advice.
thanks.
Sajiv, just now a person by name Gaurav Sharma reported on DoW FB page that he did the entire trip by i20 car. Many others in the past have also done. However, you must not love your car more than travel else you might feel disappointed for taking it. Do Read the above article and please follow the tips mentioned in it.
Hello Dheeraj
m planning a 10 day trip from delhi (del-srinagar-leh-manali-del) from 5-15 june. I ve a Thar and a Fortuner. Which will be a better option. Also kindly advice since there might be snow on the road, some driving tips for driving on such a terrain. And after reading the above comments i ve found that the roads wud be in the worst conditions in early june as compared to the rest of the season, any particular suggestion.
Thanks
Yashpal, as long as you can follow the tips in the article above, it shall be fine. Both vehicles are capable enough to do the trip with Fortuner being more comfortable. Manali – Leh is expected to open on 15th June or a bit late, you keep your option open and plan to come from same route in case high does not open. Else postpone the plan by 10-12 days to do the entire circuit.
Hi Dhiraj. Your tips r quite helpful. We r planning to visit LEH via Srinagar route n cond back from manali n follow your suggested route / trip of 14 days from Delhi. Would first week of August would b okay? Whether there may b issues during 15th August? What r the arrangements of stay. Please guide us. Thanks.
SN Kumar ji, You can check the nice, preferred list of accommodation options in entire Leh – Ladakh (Leh, Nubra Valley, Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri) including moderate (cheap budget hotels as well) in the series of articles starting on the link here
It is monsoon time in general up there in North and at some parts of Manali – Leh Highway (like before Baralacha La) and Srinagar – Leh Highway (like before Kargil) you might need to face monsoon hassles but once you get closer to Ladakh, then Ladakh being rain shadow region is least affected by monsoon rains, though rains does reach Ladakh now but to minimum and mostly it might remains overcast conditions. There is no thumb rule of certainty about weather conditions but above is generally common pictures seen over last few years except ugly 2010 …
Regarding security issues, in general the tourist areas remain safe there but bandhs can affect the traffic movement. It is advised always that you leave the city in the early morning hours in such cases. Usually these bandhs are pre-declared and hence you can leave the city in early morning hours judging the situation around before the bandh gets active. As long as you can stick to main highway and tourist areas, there is in general no issues.
If you are really concerned about it more then probably you can skip the stay at Srinagar and move to Sonamarg the same day you reach Srinagar.
travelling from srinagar to leh on 29th May. want to hire vehicle from srinagar for drop at leh. which vehicle will be better scorpio or innova ? waht will be appx cost ( family of 3).
Both will do the job for you. For the leh – ladakh taxi union rate list 2015 – 16 including the contacts of some reliable taxi drivers within Leh – Ladakh, check the link here. You can get about 10-12% of discount by directly getting in touch with drivers and of course, talking in person rather on phone always help in bargaining more.
Hi Dheeraj,
First of all,I would like to appreciate your hard work for a information filled amazing blog for travellers like us.
Need your help/suggestions for our trip to delhi -manali-leh-srinagar-delhi from June12 night to June21 2015(9 days) which can be extended to 1more day.
It would be great if you can help us with itinerary as it will be our first self driven trip.Pls share the imp places to visit.
We are 4 guys and car we will be driving is Mahindra Quanto.
Questions along with itinerary are as follows:
1) Which route to follow – del -manali – leh or delhi-srinagar-leh?
2) Car can be changed if you think its not apt according to the road conditions.
3) Kindly advise us on the places to stay overnight.(Itinerary)
4) Are diesel vichels ( non-HP) not allowed after manali?
5) Can i apply for any permit if necessary in advance?
Thanks
Kindly Acknowledge
Rajat
Hi Dheeraj,
Can you pls respond to above query?
Thanks
Rajat
Rajat, replied: https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/7-useful-tips-for-a-self-drive-to-leh-ladakh/comment-page-2/#comment-327344
Hi Dheeraj,
Thank you.
It will take 3 days to reach Leh from Delhi via Manali side and 4 days to come back to Delhi from Leh via Srinagar side. This makes it 7 days. 1 Day is required in Leh for acclimatization. You have about 10 days. 1 Day can be used as Day trip to Pangong Tso and other day can be used as day trip to Nubra Valley or just Khardung La pass.
Quanto should be able to handle it with its high gc. You can check the nice, preferred list of accommodation options in entire Leh – Ladakh (Leh, Nubra Valley, Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri) including moderate (cheap budget hotels as well) in the series of articles starting on the link here
I do not think like previous years there will be any restrictions for coming down from Srinagar to Manali. The problem with vehicles and permit issues are for vehicles going from Manali to Ladakh in this direction only. No permits were required if you travel from Leh to Manali direction. This is the plan you can follow:
Day 1 | Delhi – Jammu / Patnitop
— Overnight at Jammu or Patnitop
Day 2 | Jammu / Patnitop – Srinagar
— Enjoy walk around Dal lake and may be Shikara ride as well
— If you have time then check out, floating market, Shalimar Garden.
— Overnight at Srinagar
Day 3 | Srinagar – Sonamarg – Zozi La – Drass – Kargil
— Enjoy the vistas enroute
— Have late drunch meal at Drass is you are a vegetarian as sometimes it gets difficult to find veg. food at Kargil
— Overnight at Kargil
Day 4 | Kargil – Lamayuru – Leh
— Cover Mulbekh Maitrey, Lamayuru Moanstery, Lunar Landscapes
— On the way you can also see Gurudwara Pather Sahib, Magnetic Hills, Confluence at Nimmu
— Overnight at Leh
Day 5 | Leh Local Sightseeing + Acclimatization
— To know the about the places to visit check the link: Travel Guide for Local Sightseeing of Leh Town in Ladakh
— Overnight at Leh
Day 6 | Leh – Khardung La – Diskit – Leh
– Head for Nubra Valley very early in the day and come back by late evening after visiting Deskit. If you have time go little further and see Hunder sand dunes too
– On the way enjoy a cup of soup at Highest Motorable Pass (as claimed) Khardung La
– Diskit has monasteries with tallest lord Buddha statue and Hunder has sand dunes and bacterian camel safari
Day 7 | Leh – Pangong Tso Lake – Leh
– Day trip to Pangong Tso
– Overnight at Leh
Day 8 | Leh – Taglang La – Pang – Sarchu
— Try to start early in the day so that you reach Sarchu where the accommodation options are better than Pang
— Overnight at Sarchu or Pang
Day 9 | Sarchu – Baralacha La – Keylong – Rohtang Pass – Manali
— On the way cover Suraj Tal, Deepak Tal which are on the road sides only
— Overnight at Manali
Day 10 | Manali – Delhi
Regards
Dheeraj
thanks Dheeraj 🙂
Hi Dheeraj,
we are planning to drive to leh in Scorpio in 1st week of august via Manali, what would be the weather at that time. is it safe!?
Satwik, Please refer the link in our community: FAQ | Is Monsoon season good time to travel to Ladakh? for more details.
Hi dheeraj..im planning to do a delhi-srinagar-leh-srinagar-delhi trip from 27 may to 15 jun 2015..few querries..
1. Is ford figo alright?
2. Self , wife n a kid..precautions reqd.
3. Is the date of journey alright?
4. Looking for another veh/ car to tag along as company..any guidance from u on this.
5. Any other guidance from u please.
Thanking u in anticipation. Regards.
Replied here: https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/about/comment-page-11/#comment-325686
Hi, i am from kashmir and would like to advice you to postpone the dates. The rainy season of march-april has extented this year. It is still rainy and cold. . The roads will be too bad to drive. You should plan from july onwards. And better to go by a suv.
Regards.
sir ham log 7 june 15 ko saharanpur se manali hote hue leh jane ka progrem hai bike se, kya theek rahega ?
Hi, I am planning to travel from bangalore to leh via srinagar in a Swift Ldi.during the trip I want to cover zanskar, so wanted to check the feasibility if swift will be able to manage the tough terrain and can cover the remaining journey without any problem.
Thanks,
Ashish
Zanskar is a very rough terrain and you need to carry some luck with you to make it with scratching or getting stuck. At times many small vehicles does return not even reaching Rangdum that is not even entering Zanskar Valley, such are the roads at times.
Hi dheeraj sir
We are planing to go leh via manali by Xuv500 & Duster in month of may is it OK?
Dhananjay, it is unlikely that both Manali – Leh Highway and Srinagar – Leh Highway will open in the month of May. Even in case they open, it may not stabilize or I feel even if weather stays stable in April and BRO is able to open the road, then best bet will be post mid of May and route shall only be Srinagar to Leh and back via same route as Manali – Leh has very very slim chance of opening before June. Stay tuned to road status articles and you will get updates on the roads 🙂
Hey people… I am extremely passionate about travelling, driving and riding. So any of you all need a driver or a co driver for your long journeys hire me…Jitu..8693882285 Mumbai
Hi
I have Innova 2.5 v 2005 make
I’m planning to travel Manali Leh on 5th June 2015
We are 5 people’s starting from pune Maharashtra on 2 June
Please suggest us
Hello narendra. Its seems good that yoy are planning in nearest time. Some precautions are mentioned below.
1.dont overtake any vehicle and keep distance of atleast 30 feet specially from truck and lorries.
2. Keep all maps of sygic downloaded.
3.keep list and distances to and from of fuel pumps
4.plan your journey ffirmly before starting.on while driving don’t make any changes in your plan.
have a rough idea aboit map on paper also.
dont drive in low reflection time in morning and evening
dont play music system in journey so that you can notify any changes in firing air pressure of tyres
Yogesh, thanks for sharing some very valuable tips 🙂
Narendra, seeing the bad weather so late in the season, I will highly recommend that you sift your road travel plan from Manali – Leh by couple of weeks as roads might open around mid of June only.
Thanks Dheeraj
If I started from Srinagar on 7
Kargil 8 , Leh 9, nubra 10 , pengog lake 11,
Tso morari lake 12 & then return via Manali
Is it possible
Waiting for your precious & valluble reply
Narendra it is too much to travel in single days. It is high altitude so you cannot do that fast paced that long distances each day. Srinagar to Leh is done in 2 days then rest of Leh in one day then 2 day trip to Nubra, Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri each.
Hi Dheeraj,
I’m somewhat of a greenhorn driver that’s always dreamt of driving up Khardung La. Driving up from Mumbai will probably kill me and my i20 before I get to the challenging mountain section. I want to know if there are cars or SUVs that I can hire from maybe Delhi and drive it myself. Any idea on the probable costs would be a great help. I can’t imagine being just a passenger in a hired taxi.
I know of bikers who ship their bikes to the base and then trek it up to mountain passes. Is such a thing (shipping) even possible with a hatchback?
Thanks and keep driving safe!
Sagar, please check the article: How to hire a Self Drive Car on Rent for Ladakh or Himalayas
Your Comment
Hi! mr Dheeraj sharma,
I want to make a trip to leh ladhak with hol Kashmir from Kolkata by self-driven TATA NANO Lx. Which time is better for this journey.How many days it will take.Last year I make trip of hol Sikkim by this car.is NANO Lx can make complete this journey.
Sanjoy, yes, Tata Nano should be able to do it with little efforts and skills. There will be section where nothing much can be done where you need to know which part to take the hit in under belly. Best time will be September to do this journey when water crossings are tamed and roads are best in condition in comparison to whole season. Regarding number of days to do, it all depends what all you need to cover. Whole of Kashmir + Ladakh may require more than 2 months too 😉
Hi, I am planning to drive down to leh and ladakh via manali in beginning may, in the maruti swift diesel.
firstly is the car suitable for this trip.
Manish, For hatchback/sedan taking on Manali – Leh Highway Or Spiti Valley via Manali Or Ladakh, please refer the link: FAQ | Can I do Leh – Ladakh / Spiti / Manali – Leh trip in Hatchback or Sedan? for more details.
Dear Sir,
we are planning to go visit leh ladhak and adajcent sight with khardungla and nubra,
will it be possible to go and come back from mumbai in 10 days.
please suggest.
Sorry sir forgot to mention our ride we will be on scorpio 1 with 4WD and second the new S8 version. planning on 5 june evening and return by 14 june night.
These rides should not be any problem 🙂
10 days Mumbai to Mumbai will be quite less. It will take 3 days to reach Leh from Delhi via Manali side and 4 days to come back to Delhi from Leh via Srinagar side. This makes it 7 days. 1 Day is required in Leh for acclimatization. You have about 10 days. 1 Day can be used as Day trip to Pangong Tso and other day can be used as day trip to Nubra Valley or just Khardung La pass.
Opt to go via Manali – Leh Highway and I will suggest that you refer the thread: Manali – Leh – Ladakh – Manali | Itinerary for 9 Days in DoW – Himalayan Travel Community as you have 9 days in hand.
Hi Dheeraj,
M planning to leh ladakh in July’15, please suggest which car would be suitable for the trip. I have 3 options, Honda Amaza/ Volkswagen Polo and Maruti Ritz?
Abhishek, For hatchback/sedan taking on Manali – Leh Highway Or Spiti Valley via Manali Or Ladakh, please refer the link: FAQ | Can I do Leh – Ladakh / Spiti / Manali – Leh trip in Hatchback or Sedan? for more details.
Dear dheeraj sir.is it possible to to drive from leh to jammutawi in 12 hrs by 2wheeler. I am coming to khardung la in may15 from TamilNadu by 2wheeler.I have plan for return by train.the nearby destination to TamilNadu ia jammutawi. The train timing is 11 pm.also pls let me know is there any accommodation speciality apart from leh.your earlier reply help me lot.kindly help on this too.thanks
manikandan, it is not possible. From Jammu you need to first reach Srinagar, then to Kargil next day and then finally on Day 3 to Leh. If you are to much used to driving in high himalayas and are OK with very long rides of more than 14+ Hrs back to back days, you can try Jammu to Sonamarg and then Soamarg to Leh but such a hectic ride is not recommended.
Thanks for the info sir.
Hi, Dheeraj
we are planning a 12 days road trip from delhi to ladakh by del-Srinagar-leh highway in august 2015 with my 6 friends by innova. will it be the right vehicle for leh and please guide how much does it takes via Srinagar and how is the highway to go.
thanks
Lalit, with careful driving and following the tips in the article above, Innova shall be fine enough. You can check a very balanced and most common itinerary for Leh – Ladakh followed by many travellers including me at the link here for 13-14 days: Most Common Itinerary for Leh – Ladakh.
Hi, Dheeraj is it not possilbe to come back from the same leh srinagar delhi why to come from manali side and i have heard that manali leh highway roads are not good than srinagar side and it takes one extra day to come back delhi p
Lalit, yes, it is quite possible to come back the same route from Srinagar – Leh only instead of going from Manali – Leh Highway. The difference will be two days because from Tso Moriri you will have to return to Leh first before starting the journey back to Srinagar.
Hi, Dheeraj
Thanks for your Guidance but we are not making any plans for Tso Moriri Lake. we will visit nubra and Pangong Lake with Khardungla and other local areas. And will it be fine to take a sedan like sunny and Etios for Ladakh via Srinagar Highway or only MUV/SUV will be required.
SUV is always preferred but in case you do not have the option then you can take it but DO ensure you follow the tips mentioned in the article above. Manali – Leh Highway is the soul of Ladakh trip.
Kudos to you Dheeraj. Doing a fantabulous job.
We are 10 guys planning Srinagar – Leh – Manali road trip. Would you please let me know whether 12 seater Tempo Traveller would be convenient or 2 Xylo would be comfortable for 10 of us and why. Thanks buddy.
Rajat, depends on person to person. I personally feel 2 cars are more comfortable than having a tempo traveller. Though tempo traveller is about 65% less the cost of two taxis and also have an advantage of the whole group traveling together.
Hi, I am planning to drive Strome from pune ladakh in 2015 season. would like to know your thoughts about it. Any useful tips are much appreciated
Aniruddha, Storme should do perfectly fine. Just go over the article and the links mentioned in it especially on how to prepare your car reference and above article tips and you shall be good to go.
Hi Aniruddha,
I am also planning a road trip to Leh Ladakh.
Looking forward to finding like minded travelers to share costs but more importantly making trip more enjoyable.
If you have any spare seat, I would love to join in. I live in Gujarat and can join in somewhere along the route.
You can contact me on arpit_175@yahoo.co.in or on 090909 13136.
Look forward to hearing from you.
Regards,
Arpit Desai
Arpit, you can also post your travel calendar entry so that more people can check it out once the season picks up momentum in time to come. Here is the link from where you can submit the entry in DoW Travel Partner Calendar using the button at the top: https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/dow-travel-partners-calendar/
Hi Deeraj i am from tamilnadu. I am planning my lifetime adventure trip to khardung la by my bike(pulsar 220),its about 3500 km.your tips for me?
Manikandan, I will suggest that you prepare yourself for a bike ride to Ladakh by reading out the series of articles we have prepared under the link: All you need to know for a Bike Ride to Ladakh & Himalayas
Thanks Mr deeraj
Hi, I am planning to drive down to ladakh in beginning may, in the Nissan Terrano XL D (110ps).
Firstly is the car suitable for this trip (it is a 2 wheel drive)?
Which route should I be taking?
Also, would a 4 year old and a 6 year old be able to undertake this trip?
Ashok, car is pretty much suitable and good enough to do Ladakh trip. However, I would say May first week is too early for Ladakh trip by road as both Srinagar – Leh Highway gets open and stable to some extent towards last week of May only.
Hi Ashok
R u still doing this trip. I am doing same in june 2015 with 2 kids, looking for tag along
thanks
prahu
dear Dheeraj
we are 6 frnds going to leh ladhaak tour from delhi on 2nd November with Toyota inova is it safe car and time to this tour
Anu, it is not the right time to travel by road to Ladakh. Please make a trip by road to Ladakh next year now.
Hi Dheeraj
I had gone through your total description of manali leh Highway and those were very useful for planning the trip.
Dheeraj we four friends are planning to travel Leh via manali in next year mean 2015. So which will be the best period and less crowdy. we will be travelling by our New Brand TaTa Safari Storme, 4 x 2 Version is there any doubts regarding vehicle kindly share and need to the best time i had Driven the car at Badrinath, amarnath Both in my previous
Tata Estate. We will start our journey From Rajkot Gujarat Nerely 2050 Kms. So i was somewhat concerned about the Car Do the needfull thanks…
Shishir, if you are looking for less crowd then September is the best month to plan the trip. Tata Safari will do good enough on those roads, don’t worry much about it.
Thanks Dheeraj.
As off for september it will be cool, By which dates do the highways and open and shut??
Shishir Srinagar to Leh opens and stabilize by late May AND Manali Leh opens and stabilize by mid of June types. Manali – Leh is not suggested to be traversed in October even if it is open or not AND Srinagar – Leh can be traversed till November mid if you can brave the cold.
Thanks Dheeraj,
As you said we are planning in Sep.2015, but we have to travel through manali – leh and return by leh – shrinagar…
September is the best time to travel these two highways.
Think there will no problem????
Thanks Boss.
Heartly appreciated.
Dheeraj bro we are 6 frnds planing for leh ladhaak tour on 2nd of November for ten days with my inova is it safe time and car to tour………
Anku, it is not the right time to travel by road to Ladakh. Please make a trip by road to Ladakh next year now.
Hello,
I am traveling this weekend to McLeodGanj from Delhi by my Car i.e i20. Please suggest me the route I should take and how is the drive to McLeod Ganj ? Its my first drive on hill station. Thank you
Praveen you need to take the route as: Delhi – Ambala – Anandpur Sahib – Nangal – Una – Amb – Kangra – Gaggal – Dharamshala – Mcleod Ganj. The roads are fine to take your i20 just be ready for the maddening crowd during this weekend 🙂
Hi Dheeraj,
We are group of 6 guys from Mumbai, planning to visit Leh-Ladakh next year August without any tour agency. We wanted to know the list of things we carry with us and precautions to be taken while at Leh Ladakh. How to acclimatize quickly with the weather conditions at Leh & Ladakh. What pracautions to be taken for childrens between Age of 3-5 years. One of the child has febrile Conversion history.
Thanks In Advance
Umesh Pawar
Umesh consult a doctor first and It depends on person to person to take the children of such age group because AMS do not matter with respect to age or sex or any physical health condition. It can happen to anyone of any age or sex or fitness I shall say :D… The issue with children is that they tend to exert the body considering it the same kind of place they belong to and this elevates the chances of getting struck with AMS. Secondly, they are not much expressive about their uneasy feelings, so it is parents who need to watch out and take care that the child is not suffering from uneasy feelings, headache or nausea and is behaving properly. With 2+ year child, I think he/she will also be NOT able to convey the uneasiness she may feel. You have to be vigilant and if you notice any such feeling or he/she tells you about such a feeling then please do not ascend anywhere, either descend to lower altitude or stay at the same place to watch things overnight and if symptom increase then start descending immediately. Same is applicable for any adult as well. And yes, do keep the body adequately hydrated!!
Also, PLEASE read the article: Traveling to Ladakh with Kids or Babies. This article covers this topic in complete detail.
To know about AMS and acclimatization including the tips to combat AMS, please DO READ: Acute Mountain Sickness and Importance of Acclimatization
Hi Dheeraj Ji,
We are a group of 4 guys planning a road trip from Kolkata to Leh Ladakh via Srinagar. We plan to start the journey on 25th October. We have a Nissan Micra which we will use for the trip.
My query is a) Is Nissan Micra capable of this Trip considering the Zojila Pass and as such there would be four adult occupants b) Considering the current flood situation, would the roads be repaired by BRO/Army by end of October.c) Since we would be reaching Ladakh by October End, would the roads be open for the return journey.
Hi Anil,
Please plan the trup next year now as the roads will be closed very soon. It is not a good idea to travel over Ladakh that late in October when roads can get closed at any day.
Regards
dheeraj
I m also planning my leh trip with one of my frnd on 25th oct.I will be starting from bhagalpur.road will get closed after 15th nov.
Hi Dhiraj Ji,
We are a group of 4 guys planning a road trip from Kolkata to Leh Ladakh via Srinagar. We plan to start the journey on 25th October. We have a Nissan Micra which we will use for the trip.
My query is a) Is Nissan Micra capable of this Trip considering the Zojila Pass and as such there would be four adult occupants b) Considering the current flood situation, would the roads be repaired by BRO/Army by end of October.c) Since we would be reaching Ladakh by October End, would the roads be open for the return journey.
I think I answered this before too Anil. Lemme know in case you still have not received the reply.
Hi Dheeraj,
I read your article and would keep these suggestions handy. I am planning for a road trip in Swidt Dzire VDI from Ranchi to Debring via Delhi, Manali, Keylong & Sarchu. This would be my first real long trip (previous max has been 1200 km) and would require your guidance as there will be 4 persons including a 3 year old kid. We plan to leave Ranchi by 12 September and be back by 25 Sept. Guidance is required basically for :-
1. Any update whether the ongoing flood in J&K has deteriorated the roads more.
2. Is our route selection good? One of our friends would actually meet us in Debring, hence the route.
3. Is it fine to take a 3 year old with us? What precautions to be taken. Someone suggested us to buy blood thinning tablets, is it advisable or a must ?
4. Do we need to really take fuel supplies with us, or tanking up from Manali would do the trick?
5. Last but not the least, would you by any chance have a recent update on the condition of the road.
Apologies for putting up for my lengthy mail, helped by my anxiety & excitement.
Regards,
Abhinav
It depends on person to person to take the children of such age group because AMS do not matter with respect to age or sex or any physical health condition. It can happen to anyone of any age or sex or fitness I shall say :D… The issue with children is that they tend to exert the body considering it the same kind of place they belong to and this elevates the chances of getting struck with AMS. Secondly, they are not much expressive about their uneasy feelings, so it is parents who need to watch out and take care that the child is not suffering from uneasy feelings, headache or nausea and is behaving properly. With 2+ year child, I think he/she will also be NOT able to convey the uneasiness she may feel. You have to be vigilant and if you notice any such feeling or he/she tells you about such a feeling then please do not ascend anywhere, either descend to lower altitude or stay at the same place to watch things overnight and if symptom increase then start descending immediately. Same is applicable for any adult as well. And yes, do keep the body adequately hydrated!!
Also, PLEASE read the article: Traveling to Ladakh with Kids or Babies. This article covers this topic in complete detail.
Regarding queries,
1. apart from Srinagar – Kargil road, all roads are mostly fine within Ladakh.
2. Seeing the current situation, Manali – Leh is better than opting for Srinagar Leh. Debring?? I hope you are not going to stay there and move to Leh from there after picking your friend else you might end up in AMS
3. Already answered above.
4. If you can do 365 KMs after tanking up at Tandi near Keylong upto Karu, it should be fine without carrying fuel.
5. The road between Rohtang Pass Northern side to Keylong is a bit rough at present, rest all is OK to drive.
Regards
dheeraj
Dear Dheeraj,
Here is a very nice piece of information you have provided. I also read that Mahindra Scorpio is a good vehicle to use on this trip. A query I have is that does one need to have a 4WD vehicle or 2WD can also manage it. I own Scorpio VLX 2WD hence. Also do I need to make any modifications in the car to make it fit for this trip?
Thanks in adv.
Manas, you should do good with a 2WD vehicle too as long as you are able to take care of the tips mentioned in the article above 🙂
Hi Deeraj
This real great blog. I gone through most of discussion’s. It’s really helpful.
We 5 people r planning to a safari from Gujarat Rajasthan Chandigarh Spiti Leh Ladhakh Srinagar Rajasthan Gujarat.
V r 5 people with our own innova.
V r planning to start on 15th August fro. Gujarat.
I hv few queries.
1 is Innova is perfect for this journey?
2 is 15th August to 15 September is proper time to travel in this area.
3 I came to know Road near Wangtu Karcham is broken nd they made a rough bypass. Is that road is good to cross by Innova?
4 Any other suggestions from you.
Hi Umrish,
1. As long as you can drive carefully, Innova should do the job.
2. Yes, it should be good enough time with some buffer too.
3. Yes, even small cars are going through it but what you need is careful driving.
There could be many for such a trip, ready above article tips carefully and that should cover most of common queries.
Regards
Dheeraj
Deeraj
Thanks for your prompt reply. It cut down my some worries.
I wl send u our entire itinerary for your suggestions.
Since 28 yrs I m doing trekking nd driving in himalaya so having small experience of mountain driving but still I wl follow yr suggestions.
As v r entering from Shimla side nd want visit Hanle before Leh, from where v can get inner line permit?
Can v get from Kalpa? If so then v can skip Shimla.
Once again thank ton for yr reply
Urmish
Urmish, if that was sarcastic, unfortunately I cannot make a judgement with a mere comment when someone asks if Innova is a good car to drive in such a terrain or not, may have 28 years of “small” driving experience in hills !! Here, it is general and without letting know background I have to advice people about careful driving as these are no other common roads like any other hills.
You need to arrange the permit in advance from Leh for Hanle which I doubt you will get but you can still try with some agent in Leh.
Dear Dheeraj,
I am extremely sorry if u felt my reply sarcastic. It was not was not in that way. I just want give u information that i m having LITTLE experience of mountain driving nd that why i mentioned that I mentioned a have SMALL EXPERIENCE (means not regular driving. I also mentioned I WILL FOLLOW YOUR SUGGETIONS.
I dont have any idea about road condition of Leh & Ladhakh, nd that’s why I asked for Innova.
I hv read almost entire your blog nd planning accordingly.
Nd still i want more advice from.
Once again I apologize if I hurt u by my words but my intention was not that.
No worries Urmish, it is just that you mentioned 28 years and small experience together, that is where it sounded to me Sarcastic… But, I don’t have any hard feelings so no worries on it dear. Good that the confusion is sorted and this is in general I hate about written communication 🙂 🙂
Anyways, feel free to post your queries or doubts 🙂
Dear Dheeraj and Urmish, The Karchham detour is doable in an Innova. I was there last month. Dheeraj, although in my previous posts, I had enquired about Ladakh, as I did not have more than 10- 11 days with me,I went with family on a self drive trip to Sangla, and Spiti valley.
Thanks for the updates Manjir. It will be quite different in the monsoon months 🙂
Agreed Dheeraj.
Hi Dheeraj,
me and 2 of my friends are plaining to travel delhi to leh ladhakh via manali by bike on 15th August and 3 of us own pulsar 180cc and it will be solo ride,plz let me know wud tht be ok on this bike ? and it will be first time for 3 of us on hill road and we are plaining for maximum 12 days trip wud this be ok ? and what all things we need to carry for the trip dheeraj and how we can get tht two sided self on bike where we can put our luggage coz we are very xited for the trip.
I’ll be glad if u can give me some advice on this trip.
thanks in advance.
regards
Samuel john
Samuel, a lot of people have done Ladakh trip over such bikes, so completely fine. You need to figure out that how you are going to tuck up your luggage. You can check a very balanced and most common itinerary for Leh – Ladakh followed by many travellers including me at the link here for 13-14 days: Most Common Itinerary for Leh – Ladakh.
Keeping the order of places same, you can curtail the above itinerary to suit your needs. Do keep buffer days as you will be traveling in monsoon months.
If it will be the first time then it is going to be a severe challenge for you guys especially the hills roads, long days of travel, high altitude terrain and water crossings as well as slush present on roads.
Dear Sir,
I and two of my frineds are planning to go to Leh Laddak from Delhi,then from Leh we want to go to Kargil and return to Delhi from Kashmir.We want to go by our car, we have two options,Toyota Etios Diesel and Swift Dzire Petrol. Please advise which will be the best option for us.Thanks Nitin
Nitin, both are similar in nature and have similar cons. So, you can take any of them on ground. However, with Maruti the added advantage you get is widespread reach + availability of mechanics and parts. So, better decision will be dzire. For hatchback/sedan taking on Manali – Leh Highway Or Spiti Valley via Manali Or Ladakh, please refer the link: FAQ | Can I do Leh – Ladakh / Spiti / Manali – Leh trip in Hatchback or Sedan? for more details.
Hi Dheeraj, thanks a lot for these useful tips.
I am planning for a road trip starting July last week, from Vadodara Gujarat to Leh, via manali and return journey via Srinagar. I have acccess to Verna Fluidic & I20, which car would you sugest. Only two of us, me and my wife. Also let me know if any special mods required for the car.
Thanks & regards
Hiten
Hiten, since both are low GC though I will avoid both of them but still if there is no choice better take i20. I hope you have gone through the article above and understand it will not be child’s play to cross over the water crossings especially on Manali – Leh route. Also, I will suggest you that please plan it in other direction as going via Srinagar – Leh Highway will be much much easier on your body and help you acclimatize to the high altitude of Manali – Leh Highway. Also, it allows you to enjoy the beauty of Manali – Leh by splitting the journey almost evenly in two days which is very difficult in the other direction. Thirdly, it will allow you to fit Tso Moriri lake into the itinerary in better way. You can read more reasons on the link here
Thanks Dheeraj, thanks for the prompt reply
Any particular reason on choosing i20 over verna fluidic. I was reading your blogs yesterday and have planned to go the other way i.e. Srinagar-Leh-Manali as u suggest. We have no time restrictions and are planning to use local taxi’s for visiting other places from Leh. Can you suggest an Itinerary that covers all the must see places and the best suited sequence. We are planning to leave between 25-28th of July.
Thanks & best regards
Hiten
i forgot to mention, we will be taking local taxi’s where ever the roads are not doable by our car..
If you can make it to Leh, then you can mostly cover other parts of Ladakh too. The only concern will be Manali – Leh Highway and some sections of passes in Ladakh. Rest doable.
You can check a very balanced and most common itinerary for Leh – Ladakh followed by many travellers including me at the link here for 13-14 days: Most Common Itinerary for Leh – Ladakh.
The reason of choosing i20 over verna are three, one it does not have a boot which bumps every time you cross a deep pothole or bumpy section so kind of over head or over hang. (2) it appears more low GC to me than i20, even if same don’t consider due to 1. (3) damage to underbelly or anywhere else will be less costly in terms of money as well as feelings in i20 than verna 🙂
Dheerajji, thanks once again for the practical piece of advice.
I do agree to the third reason, but i have already overcome the 1st & 2nd by adding ROGERAB spring adjusters to my verna fluidic which makes the suspension a bit rigid and restricts it from bouncing while bumping over pot holes, the compression of spring is restricted by 20-25% and moreover with only two of us on board its not too loaded. But still I will go for I20 as suggested. I am taking the Srinagar route on my forward journey, do you think there will be any hurdles on that road too.
Regards
Hiten
Hiten bhai, actually I had Santro and when I used to drive it it always give me freedom in many cases but now I drive a dzire and the boot is the biggest issue in it though yes it gives me comfortable ride with luggage all in it. However, in certain sections, when I get out of a pothole, it does hit from the boot. That is why driving sedans are much trickier than driving hatches in these region, what I personally feel.
Dheeraj,
I am 68 yrs old. Plan to drive to Leh from Mumbai with my wife and one only one vehicle, single driver – SCORPIO Automatic 2WD.
Request suggestions
Alan ji, firstly hats off to the spirit of traveling you carry !! I think you should be able to do fine with Scorpio over Leh – Ladakh trip.
Sir I want to ask about my vehicle.We are 4 friends and planning to go from delhi srinagar leh by our indigo cs with a driver.Indigo cs is ok for leh.plz reply
For hatchback/sedan taking on Manali – Leh Highway and Ladakh, I will say:
You will indeed face few tough challenges on the route. The hatchback/sedan will increase the level of every challenge even further, sedan is the worst candidate. My suggestion will be to go via Srinagar route as it will help you feel comfortable with the driving, provide more acclimatization and then once you have done the local Leh-Ladakh, then come back via Manali side. Secondly, since you are in hatch/sedan, then you need to drive with extra care as well. There will be some sections on the Manali – Leh highway in which you might need to sacrifice some scratches on the underbelly. Just make sure you do not bump the engine sump (know it before where it is placed in your car). You need to protect it all around the trip. Thirdly, whenever in doubt do not rush into the section rather park aside and feel the section with your foot, see how other vehicles are crossing it and make a planned route in your mind to cross that section. At the very least do carry Mseal, quick fix, funnel, jerry cans and towing rope with you all the time.
Also, I will strongly suggest that you go through and read my series on Ladakh Self Drive tips at the links below:
7 Useful Tips for a Self Drive to Leh – Ladakh, Routes and Road Conditions In Leh – Ladakh | Ladakh Self Drive Tips, Fuel Availability In Leh – Ladakh | Ladakh Self Drive Tips
Hi Dheeraj I am going to be traveling in September first week with my family. I have a few questions would like your help.
1)will my grand vitara be good for the terrain?
2) can I take my dog with me?
3)since my gv is petrol will it be a problem on the roads?
4) should I get special off road tires fitted?
Regards
Tejaspreet, below are my replies to the queries:
1) Yes, it should be well suited for the trip. No worries on that front. You need to carry extra fuel though at places.
2) Never thought of it but AMS might affect the dogs too, please consult the veterinary doc for taking the dogs to High altitude regions.
3) No problems at all just that since it gives less mileage, so carry spare fuel just in case required.
4) No really needed. Stock ones should be fine.
Regards
dheeraj
Hi,
We are planning to travel in 1st week of august with a swift and a ritz. 4 person per car & 4 players.
I would like to know that what will be the conditions of road in august? Because I saw some pictures of manali-leh road in google which make me very surprised.
Also we are travelling to Leh-Ladakh for 1st time, therefore could you please give us your valuable suggestions. Like how much fuel to be store, what type of food should we take with us, etc.
And last but not the least,how many days for trip from Delhi? We are thinking for around 9-10 days.
Thanks,
Vikas
Vikas 9-10 days is like touching Leh and coming back. From Srinagar side it takes 4 days to reach and from Manali side it takes 3 days with a mandatory stop in Leh for one day as acclimatization. So, 8 days are gone. Also, if you love your car then better think about the decision to take it. It will surely get bruised no matter what from the under belly scrapes. Very rarely a person can void those scrapes at the under belly and in August I highly doubt you will with fully loaded car.
Hi Dheeraj,
Thanks for your valuable suggestions.
What about the flight? can we do like this,Delhi to Leh by Flight, Leh to Manali by road(Bike/car), Manali to Delhi by road(Bus).
Or let me know any other plan as per you, if applicable.
Thanks in advance for your reply.
Regards,
Vikas
Vikas, that seems much more practical to me for 10 days, you can do something like below:
Day 1 | Delhi – Leh (By Flight)
— Checkin at Hotel. Many hotels provide free pick and drop from Airport. Ask while you book them.
— Take ample of rest as well as water or anything that keep your body hydrated enough. DO NOT OVER HYDRATE. Take ORS Soluted water or ORS – L tetra packs from home.
— Do not over exert your body at any cost. Avoid too much up-down on stairs or avoid it in entirety, if possible.
— After 5-6 Hrs of rest you can visit Leh Palace, Local Leh market, Shankar Gompa .
— If you feel exerted go back to Hotel, have dinner at Hotel and take rest. Avoid any exertion. Else continue and,
— Follow the sunset by stroll at Changspa road and have a nice dinner on varied cuisines offered in-around Changspa road.
— Go back to hotel for overnight stay at Leh.
Day 2 | Leh Local Sighseeing + Acclimatization
— Hire a taxi from Leh taxi stand or Hotel whichever suits you.
— Bargain with taxi driver and you can refer the thread for a comprehensive list of drivers: List of Taxi Drivers for Ladakh – Srinagar – Leh – Manali
— Take his inputs if you feel reasonable and if required modify the plan accordingly but should suits you best.
— Ask him to be with you guys starting first day itself, if required and charged reasonable else do it at your own.
— Again DO NOT over exert and take little steps and slow walks only.
— If feeling OK then do Local sightseeing. To know the about the places to visit check the link: Travel Guide for Local Sightseeing of Leh Town in Ladakh
— Do not use stairs at any of these places just to see them as it will exert your body much more.
— Overnight at Leh
Day 3 | Leh – Khardung La – Diskit – Hunder
— Head for Nubra Valley and stay overnight at Hunder / Diskit
— On the way enjoy a cup of soup at Highest Motorable Pass (as claimed) Khardung La
— Diskit has monasteries with tallest lord Buddha statue and Hunder has sand dunes and bacterian camel safari
Day 4 | Hunder / Diskit – Sumur – Panamik – Sumur – Khardung La – Leh
— Sumur has a famous monastery to check out and Panamik has hot water springs
— Overnight at Leh
Day 5 | Leh – Hemis Monastery – Pangong Tso Lake
— Cover either of Hemis, Thicksey and Shey on the go towards Pangong Tso
— Overnight at Pangong Tso (Spangmik or Lukung)
Day 6 | Pangong Tso Lake – Thicksey Monastery – Shey Palace – Leh
— Cover either of Hemis, Thicksey and Shey on return to Leh
— Overnight at Leh
Day 7 | Leh – Tso Moriri via Chumathang
— Cover Karzok Monastery
— Overnight at Karzok or Tso Moriri
Day 8 | Tso Moriri – Tso Kar – Debring (Manali – Leh Highway starts) – Moore Plains – Pang / Sarchu
— Try to start early in the day so that you reach Sarchu where the accommodation options are better than Pang
— Overnight at Sarchu or Pang
Day 9 | Pang / Sarchu – Baralacha La – Keylong – Rohtang Pass – Manali
— On the way cover Suraj Tal, Deepak Tal which are on the road sides only
— Overnight at Manali
Day 10 | Manali – Delhi
— Return
Hi,
I am from Bangalore.
For first time two of us wish to drive thru manali to leh or manali to spiti valley.
We plan to hire self driven car from delhi.
I saw that you had some reservations about self driven hired cars.
Could u please elaborate.
We plan to make the road trip in first week of july and prefer driving rather than bus tours or riding a bike.
Hi Srimanth,
I am not sure if anyone will be able to give a car on rent for self drive to Ladakh. It is a major liability and will cost you a deep hole in pocket. I will advice you better hire a taxi and tip the driver to let you drive. For two of you it will be quite costly too. Also, please keep in mind first two weeks of July is Kalachakra festival in Ladakh, means you can expect lacs of people in Leh – Ladakh during that time and accommodation will be very hard to find.
Regards
Dheeraj
Thanx.
How about manali to kaza/ keylong.
Can we hire taxis from manali?? How much would it cost ?? will it be the same as hiring self drive ??
Days are not a problem as long as we have the freedom to enjoy the drive and visit places.
COuld u suggest itinerary ??
Manali to Kaza is closed and expected to open in last week of June types as per latest reports. So, first week of July for tour to Spiti Valley will be good enough. You can check a very balanced and most common itinerary for Spiti Valley followed by many travellers including me at the link here for 10-11 days: Most Common Itinerary for Spiti Valley.
HI
WE 3 (FRIENDS- ALL R GOOD DRIVERS, HV EXPERIENCE BEFORE) R PLANNING FOR A TRIP WITH MAHINDRA XUV 500 2W DRIVE TO LADAKH IN JUL 1-20TH (KOLKATA- KOLKATA). WILL GO VIA SRINAGAR(CAN REACH IN 60 HRS WE THINK).
Q1. BACK VIA SAME ROUTE OR MANALI IS BETTER?
Q2. WHAT IS THE BEST TOUR PLAN? CAN U PL PLAN FOR US. PLEASE.(WE HAV NOT BEEN IN J&K EARLIER)
Q3. WHAT DOCUMENTS/PERMISSION R REQUIRED( WE ALL HAVE INTERNATIONAL PASSPORT BUT DRIVING LICENSE OF WB)?
Pradip, please use small Caps in your text.
1. Manali – Leh is much better to return.
2. How many days ex. Delhi you can spare?
3. Are you NRIs or OCI or PIO holders?
Regards
Dheeraj
Hi DoW,
For our road trip to Leh starting 7th June ( i know it’s too near now :-)), but we are still looking for reasonable, private number self-drive car hire starting and ending at Chandigarh. Any pointers please?
We have an Innova available as back-up if nothing else works out. It is a taxi number but since it is of my friend he’ll give it for self-drive but considering the Taxi Union Issues at Leh, we would prefer a private number or else we might end up paying for both for about 3-4 days I guess.
Sorry, no references for Self Drive cars to Ladakh. Better hire a taxi and tip the driver to let you drive. It will be more economical as well as have less liability. In case, the Innova is taxi, you will end up paying more for sure as you need to hire local Leh taxi in that case.
A good one stop point for all important info I must say..
We are doing Chd-Patnitop-Srinagar-Kargil-Leh-Sarchu/Jispa-Manali-Chd from 7th to 20th June.
We have 2 days at Leh after spending one night each at Pangong and Nubra/Hunder. One I know we need for local sightseeing but can you please advise how can we utilise 2nd day? Was wondering if we can do Zanskar Valley or Hemis National Park or any other? Which one we should and pointers towards the same will be much appreciated.
Also, will WariLa be open in June? so we can do Nubra-Pangong in a day instead of overnight at Leh!
Also, I was trying to create an event in Calendar for the said dates so if anyone wants to join us in their car during the trip can get along, but I am unable to create one in calendar. Can you please help on that too? Thanks much 🙂
Umang, you need to post in Travel Partners section and one of the member from Moderation team will be able to create a Calendar Entry for you. It is not open to public to reduce clutter in the calendar.
Umang, I will suggest that you use these two days as one day for Turtuk and split 2 day journey of Manali – Leh into 3 days. Zanskar Valley need 5 days for touch and come. Wari La will be 60:40, in favour of open
Thanks Dheeraj!
So is it good if we do like this?
Day1 – Leh to Hunder (local sightseeing and overnight) ; Day 2 – Hunder-Turtuk-Hunder (Overnight at Hunder); Day 3- Hunder-Leh
Also, how do you suggest to spilt Leh-Manali into 3 days? Are you referring to do Leh-Tso Moriri-Sarchu/Jispa-Manali? OR something else?
As I inquired, I was told Tso Moriri could be difficult due to both permits issue as well as road conditions and available help enroute!
Umang, it should be like:
Day 1: Leh – Khardung La – Turtuk
Day 2: Turtuk – Deskit / Hunder
Day 3: Deskit / Hunder – Sumur – Panamik – Khardung La – Leh
For Leh – Manali:
Leh – Tso Moriri
Tso Moriri – Tso Kar – Pang – Sarchu
Sarchu – Baralacha La – Jispa
Jispa – Rohtang Pass – Leh
Two things:
1. Any issues/challenges/Precautions w.r.t. Leh-Tso Moriri? Which route preferable?
2. You have advised stay both at Sarch n Jispa one night each. I think they are just couple of hours away, so wondering any specific reasons for suggesting that one?
Thanks again for all help!
Hi Umang,
1. Leh – Tso Moriri is all built till Kiagar Tso and after which dirt track leads you to Tso Moriri. Not much issues there at all. You can come from Tso Kar which is also built mostly and have dirt tracks at some section.
2. It will help you enjoy the journey at little pace, sit, relax, click, sit, relax click. You can spend time at Jispa which itself is beautiful location. Also, it is not couple of hours. It will take about 4 Hrs of journey…
Dear Sir
I am going to Leh via Manali from Delhi in Dzire in June end.
Is it necessary to get Sump Guard fitted in my car, if so, please tell from where can I get it done properly and at reasonable cost?
Dear Dheeraj Sir
Please reply and will Dzire be able to Make it through Manali to Leh highway
Your response is awaited. 🙂
For hatchback/sedan taking on Manali – Leh Highway Or Spiti Valley via Manali Or Ladakh, please refer the link: FAQ | Can I do Leh – Ladakh / Spiti / Manali – Leh trip in Hatchback or Sedan? for more details.
Keshav, it is not necessary but if you have it then it is extra comfort for you in terms of worry factor. Else 100s of people do it hatches and sedans without sump guard with careful and cautious driving.
Thanks alot Dheeraj ji, Your reply is much of a relief for me.
Please let me know from where in Delhi I can get sump guard installed in Dzire and any idea about price?
Please suggest
Keshav, sorry brother but I think you can get in touch with guys at Maruti, they should be able to help you. I had contact MSS Naraina earlier for my dzire and they said they will do so. But, I did not opt for it late.
Dear Sir
Thanks alot for providing so much of relevant and helpful information, i have successfully completed my Ladakh trip in my car, just could not cover tso moriri lake.
Sir i heard from a hotelier in leh that one can even go to Karakoram highway via leh, is it true? If yes please tell how can one go there?
What kind of formalities are needed?
Keshav, good to know that you had a great trip to Ladakh and DoW was helpful. If possible, try and share your Himalayan experience with us at DoW – Himalayan Travel Community as Photo Tale or Travel Tale Or your reviews of the hotels/guest houses where you stayed or dhabhas/restaurants you ate food on your trip… All this might help others planning the similar trip too 🙂 🙂
I do not think what you were told about Karakoram Highway is true and sorry but I do not have idea about formalities. I think you have to travel through China or Pakistan with valid permissions and VISA from them.
Sure, I will provide all the detailed review of hotels, eating points, road conditions on DOW Community to add that bit of information i have now after coming back.
What shall be the next adventurous roadtrip ? Pls suggest
Thanks a lot Keshav, will look forward to it. Next should be your Spiti Valley trip 🙂
Hello,
we are planning to cover himalays, via srinagar, leh, manali etc…
will go on Bike yahmha FZ, we are 2 person with luggage, is it possible, dheeraj ji need ur suggestions
Puneet, people have done it in the past with pillion but do travel very very light to support it. There will be points where you can get down and require a push.
We are reaching Srinagar on 30th May from Kolkata. its a 13 day trip. Can we do this?
30th may -> Kolkata – Srinagar (via Delhi)
31st May — Gulmarg
1st June – Srinagar sight places
2nd June – Srinagar – Pahelgam (stay over night)
3rd June – Pahelgam – Leh (via Sonmarg).
Better do it like:
30th may -> Kolkata – Srinagar (via Delhi)
31st May — Srinagar – Pahalgam
1st June – Pahalgam – Srinagar/Sonamarg
2nd June – Srinagar/Sonamarg – Kargil
3rd June – Kargil – Leh
Dear Dheeraj
we will be in ladakh for 4 weeks in August and want to rent a self drive car (a 4WD seems to be more adapted since we go on a long trip and maybe will go deep into the country). We arrive by plane in Delhi and would like to rent the car in Delhi. We can also if you have a better suggestion rent it elsewhere. Thanks a lot for your help. We already rent a self drive car for a 5000 Km trip in India and did many trips in africa and south america driving 4WD drive cars on bad road conditions.
I do not really think that you will get any self drive for Ladakh … Even if you get it, it will make a big hole in your pocket in terms of cost. Plus you will be running a high liability with you over such adventurous roads. So, it is better that you hire a taxi and tip the driver to let you drive in soe sections of the road.
Thanks a lot for your advice
I have a question:
Can we do this?
Srinagar – Pahelgam (stay over night)
Pahelgam – Leh (via Sonmarg)
Well with very very mad mad drive, it will be very tough to make it. Better add a day or two here.
ok . thank you for your suggestions ..
Dheeraj sir
I have ford figo .
I want to know which side it will be safer to climb up from – srinagar to leh or manali to leh..
i have gone via manali side on 15th april 2014 upto 20 kms behind of rohtang pass (it was raining ) because it was closed due to snow …
would it be safer on figo ??
3 members – me ,mom,dad
And your articles are excellent .
Manav, you need to face some challenges for sure. I will request you to read above article and decide on your own if you want to make it or not.
We r planning to cover Srinagar-leh-Pangong-Tso Moriri-Manali Trip in Our Safari…..Is it will be OK ?
Jagroop, with careful and cautious driving, you can very well do almost all parts of Ladakh in a Safari. You have enough power as well as GC, just need a person who can steer you through slush and water crossings without much fuss.
Dear Dheeraj,
Thanks for the wealth of information provided on road trips to Leh / Ladakh in particular and other safety tips in general.
Planning to drive from Bangalore to Leh – via srinagar and back via Manali – with 3 friends. (total of 4 in the SUV). I have a Mercedez ML 350 (4WD) – Automatic.
I need to know the following:
a) due to rough terrain – would my Merc be subjected to wear and tear that would make repair costs expensive later on?
b) due to Automatic Transmission – would it be difficult to drive in the mountain region?
c) Are the roads (from Delhi to Leh & Back) dangerous terrain – as my family is apprehensive about the safety ?
Would appreciate your response.
Regards,
Hi Ramesh,
Thanks for the appreciation. Here are my responses:
a) Yeah, especially on Manali – Leh Highway there will be some wear and tear. Drive with caution, you have enough ground clearance to tackle through. Rest follow the tips as mentioned above and you should be in general good with just a service.
b) Hmm.. that;s a bit tricky for someone like me who has not tested automatic machines when there is real need of manual shift of gear into first one. So, I will not be best to answer it. However, there are situations when MT need to be put into first gear as well.
c) It is adventurous certainly and that comes with a risk only. So, yes, it is not to be treated as a vacation trip rather an adventure trip where you need to be ready for anything and everything.
Hi, Though I have been able to get very valuable information from your website, however, can you please suggest me an itinerary from Delhi to Leh and back for 7-8 days, if possible. I plan to leave in end of May this year with my father in my Renault Duster – Diesel. Thanks in advance for your help.
Rohit, It will take 3 days to reach Leh from Delhi via Manali side and 4 days to come back to Delhi from Leh via Srinagar side. This makes it 7 days. 1 Day is required in Leh for acclimatization.
Hi d, it’s superb to have Ur tips which better then excellent. I’m planing to travel by my duster in last week of may via Gwalior – delhi – srinagar – leh….. Iam 34 yrs driving since age of 12. pls advice or comment.
Amit Duster will do just fine and you have enough power as well as GC to over come bad patches too. Go ahead with the plan. I am sure you must have gone through the list of tips for self drive in the article above. Just keep them in mind and you should be good to go.
Dear Dheeraj,
Hi!
I am planning a road trip to leh from Delhi with my son(10yrs) and wife.Am planning it for june in my Swift VDI.
So i just want to confirm, is the right time and right vehicle for this trip.
Also can u pls suggest me the places for night halt and from where can i do my advance booking for guest houses/hotels.
Thanks a tonn
Nishant
For hatchback/sedan taking on Manali – Leh Highway and Ladakh, please refer the link: FAQ | Can I do Leh – Ladakh trip in Hatchback or Sedan? for more details.
How many days do you have in hand? June is fine time to visit but do not expect much from road conditions.
Hi! Am planning for 10 days trip.
Thanks for the link.
TC
Nishant
Best wishes, but I feel 10 days are less for a road trip to Ladakh.
Hi,
We are coming delhi to leh via srinagr , please find below route basis on day count .
day first
stared 1.00 AM
from delh to srinagar ( 800 km )
we have time till 9 PM at night .
and i think 20 hours is enough along with 5 , 6 stopagges to reach srinagr .
day 2 srinagar sightseen and local highest point .
from day 3 to day 6
till manali
day 7 manali to manikaran
day 8 manikaran to chanigarh
day 9 chandigarh to delhi .
hopfully these are enough days or anything hapnd delayed 1 or 2 days more .
overall 12 dys are enough .
please answr below points .
1 –> we are 6 in group and using Avenger . is it fine basis on comfert and travel mode .
2 —> how’s food availbility .
3—> and security premisses eqipments require or not
4 —> in bad weather conditions , what should be dos dons as per you
5 —> what would be prefer in altitude headache , eyes pain fever etc .
6 —>is any teror kind of things are worry or not .
7—> only srinagar ,manali chandigarh hotel stays are prfered and rest of self camping . so is it require any permission etc .
8 –> if any major damage happpnd to any body else through biking . how do we attain that circumtrances and go for futher because i recovering through that wther conditiones .
Please answr above asking points
Are you just traveling Srinagar – Leh and Manali – Leh as I see you have just 4 days till Manali?
Hi Dheeraj,
I just stumbled upon your blog and fell in love it with right away. The information provided is very helpful. I am planing on driving from Delhi to leh end of June along with my family. My 60 plus parents, my 5 and 10 year old boys. I live in the United States and have absolutely no idea about the travel logistics. Would it be hard to travel with kids?
Do you know of any services that will drive Travellers back and forth. What would you recommend?
Hello Gonsar,
well, I will suggest that you fly to Srinagar and then take the road journey from there till MAnali and then to Chandigarh or Delhi to take flight back. That will be the best way to take it on. I do not really feel you will be easily able to find self drive options for Ladakh. Hence, better go with taxi only.
You can check a very balanced and most common itinerary for Leh – Ladakh followed by many travellers including me at the link here for 13-14 days: Most Common Itinerary for Leh – Ladakh. You can start the itinerary from Srinagar.
For accommodation, check the nice, preferred list of accommodation options in entire Leh – Ladakh (Leh, Nubra Valley, Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri) including moderate and cheap budget hotels as well in the series of articles starting on the link here
For the leh – ladakh taxi union rate list 2014 – 15 including the contacts of some reliable taxi drivers within Leh – Ladakh, check the link here. You can get about 10-12% of discount by directly getting in touch with drivers and of course, talking in person rather on phone always help in bargaining more.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
Thank you so much Dheeraj for the wealth of info. You are awesome.
Thank you Gonsar, enjoy your trip to Ladakh 🙂
We, a couple from Dubai is self driving through Chandigarh – Manali – Leh – Kargil – Srinagar route starting on 20th June and ending on 4th July. If you wish to join us hiring another car, please respond.
DoW has started an initiative under DoW – Himalayan Travel Community for finding Travel Partners or Companions, leave your message in Travel Partners section at the link: Ladakh & Zanskar – Travel Partners Section. There is also a DoW Travel Calendar linked here which can be used to easily and quickly spot a travel partner with similar dates of all the people looking for Travel Partners for their trips. May be you meet someone online going over the same dates.
Hi Dheeraj, I am planning to do Leh this year (June / July) from Bangalore in my Maruti Dzire ZXI Petrol (GC-170 mm). I drive very carefully and cautiously. I have read that August / September is a good time as the terrain becomes a little better bcos of heavy vehicular movement in the peak months of June / July. Last year, I did a 11K road trip across 11 states ( including hills of Uttarakhand)in the same car. Please advice on Leh….. I have been following your blog keenly for a year now.
Santhosh, you are good with the driving skills and I do not think you you will face much trouble. You already have read the article above and sticking to tips up there will help you with all means required. The only troublesome parts in August will be Zojila Pass and Rohtang Pass due to monsoon rains in August. So, if you making in September mid types, it will be perfect for you to self drive d-zire over there. If you have more time then join us over Spiti Valley Mega Meet of DoW and as the meet finish at Chandratal you can continue to Ladakh from there as some bikers in the meet will do the same 🙂 🙂
Hi Dheeraj, I have been to Leh from Delhi in my Scorpio in 2012. I undertook the road trip with two college friends. I want to do it again but this time with my family (wife and two kids aged 14 and 9). The Scorpio is well maintained will have done 100,000 kms in another 15 days, is it okay to take it to Leh again? I plan to take the Delhi – Srinagar – Leh – Manali – Delhi route. Should I take the car to Khardungla (for Nubra Valley) and Changla (for Pangyong Lake)? Is mid June a good time for the trip? Manjir Ghosh
Manjir, as long as your vehicle is in good condition and you can vouch for its reliability there is no problem at all. The Scorpio rules in that terrain 🙂 … You can take the car to Khardung La and Chang La for sure. Drive with some care and caution, you already have experienced the roads of Ladakh. Plus you must have gone reading the above article too. Mid June should be fine, you will find snow at both passes, go with heavy woolens.
Dear Dheeraj, Thanks a lot for the advice. Yes, I agree, I will have to drive with a lot of care and caution.:)
Best wishes for the trip Manjir and if by chance you happen to be happy to spread smiles, please support the initiatives of DoW Causes in order to help the local community up there in remote Himalayas. You can check more details about them at: DoW – Causes | A Step Towards Responsible Travel and can execute them on your own.
First I thank u for gave us a very usful tips going for leh
laddak adventure like road wheater staying food and so many other tips.
thaku once again.
Anil, best wishes for your Ladakh trip. Glad that you found the information pretty useful for your trip.
We are 10 in a group, 3 of us are taking a bullet for this dream ride and rest will hire a jeep or gypsy coz it is more safe with girls and low riders, we are planning in august, plz suggest any imp stuff that is missed out in the above conversations
Rakesh, sorry but I could not understand what exactly is your query here 🙂
dheeraj v are planning to ho in the first week of may…. via manali v r from delhi…. n vil b a group of arnd 8-10 people… wants to njoy ths road bt thru taxi only…. traveller or sme innova temme can v booze above manali on the way obviously driver wil nt take it…. nd how much time it will take to njoy the whole trip delhi to leh…. ang yeahh… v r students and gals also vil b thr with us…
Hi Raj,
Unfortunately, in general, by first week of May, Manali – Leh Highway will not be open and hence you will not be able to take this route to Leh. However, you can fly to Leh and visit different places in Ladakh. Manali – Leh Highway opens by late May or early June only. Last year it opened mid of May which was quite early. I will suggest you make this trip happen in first or second week of June only.
PLEASE DO NOT BOOZE at all as it will make you sick and will not help you in acclimatization.
Regards
dheeraj sharma
Need information on self-driving SUV in leh. We’re planning to come to leh directly and trying to get a suv for 7 days in self-driving mode. If someone knows about the site/contact for rent/hire a SUV in self-driving mode, then would be great. Thanks in advance.
Jogi, AFAIK, I don’t think companies give SUVs on rent for Ladakh but you can always check with major players if they can. Also, be ready to shed some handsome money for it, may be better proposition could be to tie up with second hand vendor for a sale and purchase after 10 days 🙂 … OR Best is to get some taxi and ask the driver or even pay him to let you drive 🙂
Hi, very informative post. keep up the good work… ok, we are two friends planning a trip by car to ladakh in september end leaving on the 28th sep from Delhi. we would like to know whether it is feasible to go at that time and what documents/permits will we require if any…
Ishan, before you venture on this journey, please go through: 5 Reasons to Avoid Manali – Leh Highway in October
hi dheeraj – first thing first – a big thanks for your responses..
I m planning trip to leh in 2nd week of august in a rented scorpio (self drived) from Delhi..couple of questions..
1 – will there be any difficulty by taxi union as this is commercial vehicle self driven (black number plate with yellow numbers)
1 – i m regular city driver in delhi and visited various hill stations — will it be difficult to drive on Leh – manali highway?
Thanks
hello brother
along with a friend am planning a trip to ladakh from kerala to top of india (car -land cruiser) is it possible to go with only 1 person..?? would be able to complete the drive ??
Fahed, it depends how many days you are targetting and also how much comfortable the single driver is with long drives of about 7-8 Hrs a day. With careful planning, it shall be done.
thanks for the reply bro.. 15-20 days is sheduled..
In that case, you can check a very balanced and most common itinerary for Leh – Ladakh followed by many travelers including me at the link here for 14-15 days: Most Common Itinerary for Leh – Ladakh.
Hi Deeraj ,
Thanks for such informations .
We are hiring taxi
(innova) from delhi to leh ,is it possible to use our own taxi for local sight seeing near leh (as pangong lake etc)or we need to get any permit to travel in leh if we use taxi with number plate of Delhi .Also let me know how much time it will take to get permit in leh for those .
Thanks in Advance 🙂
– Ashish
Taxis outside Ladakh are not allowed to do any sightseeing within Leh – Ladakh. You can use them for drop-in and take-away modes only. So, the taxi you are hiring locally must have private number plate otherwise you will have to again hire a taxi within Ladakh and pay for your local taxi without using it.
In Ladakh you need just Inner Line Permits to travel restricted places of Ladakh. For details on inner line permits process and to download application form read the link here
Leh and kargil programme
19th July 2013 start from mumbai to Amritser 10.00pm
1748 Km – Distance from Mumbai to Amritsar via Ahmedabad
20th July reach around 11.00pm to Amritser
21st July stay at Amritser
side sense Golden temple and Wagha border
22nd July Amritser to manali
From: Amritsar (Punjab)
Distance: 415.0 km (approx 6 hrs, 20 mins)
23rd July Manali to Sarchu
220 kms (136.00 miles) – Manali Sarchu distance
Time Required – 8 hour(s) 24 min(s).
24th July Sarchu to leh
253 kms (157.00 miles) – Sarchu Leh distance
Time Required – 8 hour(s) 58 min(s).
25th July stay at leh
26th July stay at leh
27th July stay at leh
28th July leh to Kargil
263 kms (164.00 miles) – Leh Kargil distance
Time Required – 6 hour(s) 5 min(s).
29th July stay at Kargil
30th July Kargil to srinager
202 kms (126.00 miles) – Kargil Srinagar distance
Time Required – 6hour(s) 45 min(s).
1st Aug Shrinager to Delhi
Delhi (Delhi) to Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) is 873 km.
Time by road is 14 hrs, 10 mins.
2nd Aug delhi to mumbai
Delhi (Delhi) to Mumbai (Maharashtra) is 1433 km.
Time by road is 19 hrs, 40 mins.
3rd Aug Mumbai
this my program so pl give me suggestion
this best time to go and what precaution to take
I have Scorpio car 2wd is it OK to drive
thanks
hi deeraj give reply
Hi Rajesh,
The only suggestions I will give here is avoid stay at Sarchu and stay at Jispa. Next day do jispa to Leh, though long but it will be much much easy on health. For 3 days in Leh, do first day as permits + rest. Second day visit Khardung La or leave very early to make a day trip to Hunder and be back though keeping back to back long days in mind will suggest just upto Khardung La. Third day do day trip to Pangong Tso.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
Thanks Dheeraj.
I have Scorpio Car this is good for travel and this is good time to go also
Yes, Rajesh, Scorpio is good to go 🙂
in u r side u give suggestion to go from jammu – shrinager-kargil-leh and i am going from manali. so which is good and how much time and km take from delhi to jammu
Rajesh, Delhi to Jammu is about 8-9 Hrs drive, then again Jammur to Srinagar is 8-9 Hrs, Srinagar to Kargil is 7-8 Hrs, Kargil to Leh is about 8-9 Hrs.
Hi Dheeraj,
I am planning to go Delhi – Srinagar – Leh – Pangong Tso – Leh – Manali – Delhi trip with my 2 another friends. I have TATA Manza aqua diesel car. Please suggest, is it better vehicle for the trip and selected road.
one more question – which time should i go for it
Sanjay, for hatchback/sedan taking on Manali – Leh Highway and Ladakh, Please refer the link: FAQ | Can I do Leh – Ladakh trip in Hatchback or Sedan? for more details.
is august right time to go to leh
Vinod, It is monsoon time and at some parts of Manali – Leh Highway (like before Baralacha La) and Srinagar – Leh Highway (like before Kargil) you might need to face monsoon hassles but once you get closer to Ladakh, then Ladakh being rain shadow region is least affected by monsoon rains, though rains does reach Ladakh now but to minimum and mostly it might remains overcast conditions. There is no thumb rule of certainty about weather conditions but above is generally common pictures seen over last few years except ugly 2010 …
Hi sheer am.. Nice info.
We r planning our trip from aug 29 to sep13.
Any idea of the weather? My friends will b on bikes.. And I will follow them in a car maybe with a backup driver.
Anybody know any good car rentals in Delhi?
How is the general drive by car .. Is it safe or will a bike b better (ktm390)?
Hi Deeraj,
Thanks for the useful tips.
We (4 friends) are planning the trip in August. The dilemma is which car to take for the trip, we have Honda city, Ford Fiesta (automatic) and i20.
As part of planning, we were reading lot of blogs and talking to friends who have already done the trip and most of them suggested to take SUV. Please help selecting the car for the trip.
We have prepared the tentative itinerary for the trip. Please suggest if the same is ok or do we need to extend the trip by couple of days.
Thanks
Jarmaan
Leaving Mumbai – Friday evening at 9 pm – 2nd August 2013
Day 1: Mumbai to Delhi ( 1428 Kms – 19 Hrs )
Day 2: Delhi to Jammu (699 KM)
Day 3: Jammu to Kargil ( 490 Kms)
Day 4: Kargil to Leh (235 KM)
Day 5: Leh
Day 6: Leh to Nubra Valley (125 KM)
Visit Khardung – la – pass, Diskit Monastery
Day 7: Nubra Valley to Wari La/ Leh
Visit the Sand Dunes & camel safari
Day 8: Wari La/Leh to Pangong
Day 9: Pangong to Hanle (Pangong – Loma – Nyoma – Korzok – Hanle)
Day 10: Hanle to Tso Moriri
Day 11: Tso Moriri to Sarchu
Day 12: Sarchu to Jispa (113 KM)
Day 13: Jispa to Manali (115 KM)
Day 14: Manali to Delhi (560 KM)
Day 15: Delhi to Udaipur (660 Km)
Day 16: Uadipur to Mumbai (760 KM)
Jarmaan, you itinerary looks fine BUT depends if you will get the permits for direct route of Tso Moriri – Pangong Tso via Chusul. If they are not give then you need to come back all the way to Leh and head to Hanle from there next day. Regarding the cars you have in options, unfortunately I will not suggest anyone of them for the route you are trying to go for. Had it been normal routes while coming back to Leh and then taking onward journey to Pangong & Tso Moriri then alos it will be very difficult to judge among any of these cars due to very low GC. Though fiesta could be fine BUT with Automatic, I feel a bit apprehensive.
Thanks Dheeraj.
Hi sudhir
u gave us a vry useful tips going for laddk by road. But i want to know me and my frind going to ladak midle of july i have yamaha 150cc bike wouldd it beter for us for going there. Waiting in ur bter suggestion
Anil, I feel you can make it. Well though it is not required to have more powerful bike like Bullet/RE but always preferable. 150cc will be able to do it as I have read many accounts of such bikes in the past but may struggle at some places where it might be required to push manually, especially I believe if you get stuck in some water crossing. DO NOT push the bike beyond its limit in case your stuck rather user your own physical power to get it out.
Also, going with pillion will make it more tougher.
Hi Dheeraj, I really liked the responses to all questions asked. It feels nice to hear the the fact and details about the place like ladakh. I am planning on taking a road trip starting second week of AUG and considering that 12 days should be enough(Please Advise). I have gone through all the answers and details which youu have mentioned above and they are definately helpful.What is your opinion on the time chosen and what do you think should be my prime focus on?
Jitendra, it is monsoon time and at some parts of Manali – Leh Highway (like before Baralacha La) and Srinagar – Leh Highway (like before Kargil) you might need to face monsoon hassles but once you get closer to Ladakh, then Ladakh being rain shadow region is least affected by monsoon rains, though rains does reach Ladakh now but to minimum and mostly it might remains overcast conditions. There is no thumb rule of certainty about weather conditions but above is generally common pictures seen over last few years except ugly 2010 …
12 days shall be fine. For basic guidance, You can check a very balanced and most common itinerary for Leh – Ladakh followed by many travelers including me at the link here for 13 days: Most Common Itinerary for Leh – Ladakh.
Hi dheeraj im planning to go leh via manali route and I will be going with my Hyundai Verna,as I read ur posts I found that it is very tough to go by a car with so low ground clearence,now what I am planning is to go manali with my vehicle and hire a self drive car from there and i want U to plan my trip which includes everything and if possible for U we can take a local guide cum driver to stay with us in our entire trip from manali to leh and leh to manali.so please arrange my trip as i will be coming on 14/06/2013.we will be 3-4 peoples all guys an quick response will be really very helpful.and we are planning a maximum of 8-9 days in total.
Punit Aggarwal-98551-87511.
Punit, I do not arrange any trip just out of passion and love for Himalayas run this blog and info. sharing platform as community. Self Drive vehicle that is car, might not be feasible to hire on rent there. Best bet will be to hire a taxi and ask the driver to request you drive. 9 days again are tad low in number for a ladakh road trip
Hi dheeraj
i want to know whether mahindra convertible jeep is a good option to travel leh.
In what sense are you asking about it? Regarding performance and GC I do not feel there shall be an issue, regarding comfort, you might be the better judge 🙂
hi dheeraj , me and my friends are planning to visit kaza from shimla and got manali via kunzam pass , but was unable to find current road and pass status, can you help me with that , we are planning to go by swift car
Jagbir, check the most updated status for Kaza to Manali at the community at the link: Manali – Kunzum Pass – Spiti Valley Road Status 2013
You can also start a thread in the Itinerary Advice section of the community to plan the entire trip. Here is the link for it: Itinerary Advice | Lahaul, Spiti & Kinnaur Valley
We five frnds r planning to go leh via manali by innova on 15 th this month pls suggest will it b fine.
Vineet, roads are open and by that time intial trouble will be over as well and Manali – Leh will be to some extent get stabilized too. Shall be fine to Travel.
Hi There
I am taking my friend’s bike on tour to Leh. do i need to take a authority letter for the the bike from its owner.
It is always better to take one else cops might get into you and trouble you here and there. Do carry his/her valid ID proof with authorization letter as well.
Hello dheeraj once again. This time I want to ask a very atypical question regarding the trip. Can we take one of our friend’s car even if he is not coming with us? Will there be any problem or restriction if the owner of the car not with us and if yes, what precautions can we take?
regards
darvesh
There is no issue in that front. However, you can expect some extortion in some cases 😉 … So, generally they will ask you for authority letter (not required but to disturb) of the person who owns it. So, go prepared with it along with all the people knowing who owns the car and what relation do you guys carry with him/her. Better take his/her photo ID too with that authority letter that mentions that you guys are authorized to drive.
It is just to safe guard yourself from any forceful issues and save time and energy in argument!! Also, make sure that everyone with you have IDs with them.
Hey dheeraj….I have read your posts…they are very helpful…. we are 5 people planning our trip from chandigarh to leh via srinagar….how many days would be sufficient? We will be going by innova…would it be fine? We are planning from june 12 to june 21…is it sufficient time? Waiting for your valuable reply 🙂
For a road trip you can check a very balanced and most common itinerary for Leh – Ladakh followed by many travelers including me at the link here for 14-15 days: Most Common Itinerary for Leh – Ladakh.
You can take out the rest days in between and that is what you will need for the Ladakh road trip at minimum
Hello Friends.
we are planning a sefl drive trip for Delhi-Manali- Leh -Ladhak -Kargil-Srinagar-Delhi in the last week of June.
we have a Scorpio but looking for the can rent options too.
Also do you think this itenary can be covered sensibly in 9 days schedule?
regards
Sandeep Jain
Sandeep, friend 9 days are too less for a road trip circuit of Ladakh tour. It takes 3 days to reach Leh from Delhi via Manali and takes 4 days to reach Leh from Delhi via Srinagar or vice-versa. Considering that 7 days have already gone on road, you are left with just 2 days. 1 day will be required for little acclimatization and permits. So, you will be left with one day on which either you can visit Khardung La or Pangong Tso as day trip.
Thanks Deeraj. I agree 9 days are quite tight..we are re-considering to extend this to 11-13 days.
However we are 6 people and looking for a self-drive rental car option.
Though there are some options listed on net, many does not rent a vehicle for Ladhak.
Would you be able to recommend few nice and check options?
Sandeep, that is what I also know that most of the car rentals do not provide the car on rent for Ladakh 🙁
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
PS: Sorry for the delayed response, I was traveling to Spiti Valley for past 10 days
Hi Dheeraj,
We are a group of 7 people planning to visit leh by road from mumbai in our scorpio,,,,,wanted to know the right month to visit as some say that in october leh road vl be closed,,,,,,want imp tips from u as we are first timers and none of us have been to that part of India any time……
Hi Chandan,
It is always nice to plan your journey in last 10 days of June or first 2-3 weeks of July when you can find ample of snow on roads and roads will be open by that time from both Srinagar as well as Manali side to Leh – Ladakh. However, please keep in mind that road conditions hardly improve on Manali – Leh road and remains almost quite challenging + adventurous all throughout the season. It improves slightly towards the end of season that is September or October first week but by that time snow is all gone and risk of road closure increases. So, you need to be prepared for all the adventure that Manali – Leh Highway offers a traveller in the month of June – July and situation worsens when monsoon comes in late July, August and early September now a days. So IMHO, overall whatever best window you will get so that you avoid monsoons, see ample of snow and roads are open for you will be like 15th June – 20th July window.
If you want to see beautiful colours of Ladakh then second half/late of September is THE best time to visit Leh – Ladakh when these colours are oozing and burning out vividly and of course, the road conditions does get better in late September type when rains reside the region completely. It is my favorite time to visit Leh – Ladakh region and yeah, tourists head count all dips a bit in late in the season.
You can check a very balanced and most common itinerary for Leh – Ladakh by Air followed by many travelers including me at the link here for 8 days: Leh – Ladakh | Most Common Itinerary by Air.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
hi dheeraj, i am planning to visit laddakh in may 1st or second week.. is that the right time?/ also i am planning to go on the byk as i can carry the byk in train till amritsar and ride from their onwards.. any special suggestion you would like to giv me?? or can you please let me know the important things that i need to carry? your reply would be appreciated
Hi Chetaan,
Only Srinagar – Leh Highway will be open by that time that too we need to see though BRO has declared that they will open by end of March but such claims are mostly dependent on clear weather in coming weeks. Check the list of things to carry for Leh – Ladakh or other trip including basic medical kit, clothing, must haves etc. at the link here: List of Things to Carry for Leh – Ladakh trip.
Regards
Dheeraj
thanks for the reply. but bhai.. i guess the list is for people who are willing to go by car.. what special stuff i need to carry if i am going on byk.. and what time of june is good for me to leave also on byk what is the duration?? as amtirsar to laddakh is 1000km.. any special suggestions reardging the route?
Chetaan, most of things and tips in the article above would apply to bike ride as well. But, definitely you should carry water proof riding gear for sure including gloves, jackets, pants, shoes apart from other common necessary safety accessories. You should also carry M-Seal as well as extra pair of clutch wires, clutch plates too.
Make the joruney after 15th of June as by that time roads would have got a bit settled too. You can check a very balanced and most common itinerary for Leh – Ladakh followed by many travelers including me at the link here for 14-15 days: Most Common Itinerary for Leh – Ladakh.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
the route u showed is form delhi to laddakh.. what route would i follow if i am going from amritsar, and how many days of trip ideally it should be?
Delhi to Amritsar, Amritsar, Amritsar to Jammu/Patnitop and then as suggested above from patnitop onward
Hi dheeraj and chetaan,
I am planning to visit Ladakh by car during first week of July. Can we face any medical problems at high altitudes? if yes, how do we handle it?
You can check a very balanced and most common itinerary for Leh – Ladakh followed by many travelers including me at the link here for 14-15 days: Most Common Itinerary for Leh – Ladakh.
Read more about it at: Acute Mountain Sickness and Importance of Acclimatization
Hi Dheeraj, hope you are doing well. We had visited Leh last year in august. This year, once again we are planning to go there in the month of June. We plan to visit the places this time that we could not visit last time apart from the usual ones. so i’d like you to comment and advise me on the itinerary i have prepared for the trip this time:
1) Leh-Turtuk-Leh (If its possible to do this trip in 2 days with some time spent at hundar)
2) Leh-Pangong tso-Tso Moriri-Leh (if there would be no issue about fuel and how many days will it take to reach back Leh)
so in total, we plan to visit Pangong tso, Turtuk, tso moriri and hudar and the days we have in hand would be 11. please advise on how to go about it and please also let us know if its possible to get the permits in advance by sending our IDs on the mail to some local person.
waiting to hear from you.
Hey Ravi,
Good to hear from you!!
1. Leh – Turtu – Leh in 2 days will be very tight and is possible if you do directly Leh – Turtuk and back in these two days. Sumur and Panamik cannot be done.
2. Direct route to Tso Moriri from Pangong Tso is closed as of now and permits for it are not being issued since last year apart from only few exceptional cases. You will have to do it in traditional way.
Would you like to go for it in traditional way?
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
hello dhiraj,
we have 8 gyes, from mumbai (Maharashtra) planned for ladhakh by our self cars, swift dezire & indica vista (both new cars)
so we plan that travel from manali – leh road & return from leh – shrinagar road. kindly advise us.
Hi, we have planning amarnath yatra 2013, at the end of june. actually we have travelling by self car swift dezire from mumbai. after amarnath yatra we plan for ladakh by road srinagar-kargil-leh and then leh-rohtnag pass-shimla-delhi-mumbai. we have sufficeint time for travel this trip. is it possible? please guide us. awaiting for ur comments, thanks.
It is possible to do so but as mentioned above you will need to face a lot of challenges in Swift car and low ground clearance will make your life a bit difficult too. Do check all above tips and carry the required spares and essentials.
Hi dheeraj,
we have 4 friends plans for ladakh by road manali-leh, and return by leh-kargil-shrinagar by self vehical swift dezire. please advise us.
Hi Sachin,
Firstly, I will suggest you that please plan it in other direction as going via Srinagar – Leh Highway will be much much easier on your body and help you acclimatize to the high altitude of Manali – Leh Highway. Also, it allows you to enjoy the beauty of Manali – Leh by splitting the journey almost evenly in two days which is very difficult in the other direction. Thirdly, it will allow you to fit Tso Moriri lake into the itinerary in better way. You can read more reasons on the link here
How many days you have in hand?
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
Dear Dheeraj, V r 7 member School Gang now in 50s planned going Srinagar_leh by road on May10th thru 15th. Saw ur valuable inputs postponed it now to June27th Driving from Srinagar to Leh(one way). Need inputs on time taken fr the drive to Leh with Stopover in Kargil(one of the guys is keen in looking at the shelling place of the un mentionabe War) and then proceed to Leh In all we kept 4 days. Plan to fly back Leh-Delhi. Is the time sufficient?
Hello Mr Prabhu,
If you want to explore a bit more of Ladakh then 5 days will not be that sufficient. Two days will be utilized by Srinagar – Leh journey and one day in Leh for acclimatization and inner line permits if not two. To get the information about time taken to travel and important places to see refer: Most Common Itinerary for Leh – Ladakh
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
hello dheeraj.
i went through ur blogs n found em really informative.really appreciated sir.
We are a group of 8 members who are plannin to go to leh ladakh via manali from chandigarh from 20th may to 31st may.None of us actually had such a bike experienceof travelling on such steep slopes.bt we wish to do it this time
my queries:
1. shall we opt bike to leh from manali or prefer car
2.how many days would it take via bike or car to reach leh from manali considering we take a halt at rohtang pass
3.how much budget shud we think of before plannin out such a trip
4. are 7 to 8 days sufficient enuff fr manali to leh trip n returnin bk to manali
i ll wait fr your response…….
thanks
Hello Dr. Apoorv,
Can you postpone your trip by a month because roads (Manali – Leh Highway) will not be open by that time of the year?
Regards
Dheeraj
hi,
ya obviously if the path is closed thn surely we ll postpone it by a mnth…but i was concerned as then rains might create a problem in the journey?as you know the weather conditions better i trust ur judgement n kindly guide us for the trip sir.
regards
Dr. apoorv
Rains does happen but between last week of June upto Mid of July it is mostly dry period and OK to travel.
1. I will suggest that you go by car and when in Ladakh hire a bike for a day or two to see, if you liking it and how much comforatble are you with it. Based on comfort and experience carry on with bike for rest of the trip. Do no hurry by taking bike in Manali, better do it from Srinagar side. I am suggesting because none of you have any experience with it.
2. Brother, you cannot halt at Rohtang Pass 🙂 … It takes two days to reach Leh with overnight halt at Keylong while going to Leh and at Sarchu while coming from Leh because of AMS, hope being a doc you understand AMS and how bad it could get.
3. For doubts related to budget for Leh – Ladakh trip, I am sure the link below will help you alot for getting an idea of overall budget:
How to calculate cost or budget for Leh – Ladakh trip
Still, in case you have any doubt, kindly let me know.
4. 8 days shall be OK for Manali – Leh and then Ladakh sightseeing and then coming back to Manali, if possible add a day or two to enjoy it more.
Regards
Dheeraj
Great help,cofidence i get here.may i know if i can travell manali-leh by maruti Dzire ?? I have done delhi-shimla-kaza-kunzum-chandratal-rohtang-manali i dzire successfuly.thanks
Manoj, you will be facing similar challenges and some a bit difficult ones especially oon Manali – Leh Highway. But, since you are familiar with the terrain I will say it should be manageable with similar efforts.
Also, I will strongly suggest that you go through and read my series on Ladakh Self Drive tips at the links below:
7 Useful Tips for a Self Drive to Leh – Ladakh, Routes and Road Conditions In Leh – Ladakh | Ladakh Self Drive Tips, Fuel Availability In Leh – Ladakh | Ladakh Self Drive Tips
thats really helpful dheeraj…we had been to ladakh last summer and i’d suggest people to really avoid going in a small car and sticking to the points mentioned..we had gone there in i-10, unfortunately, got hit by a big stone. then we had to wait for a few hours to get some help but fortunately some local driver came to our rescue. still we had to wait there in the open desert for 24 hours in freezing conditions to get our car fixed. trust me guys, those 24 hours were the one of most difficult ones of our lives with no network coverage and depending completely on getting help from others. please avoid small cars, driving roughly, and yes, do help others if possible. 🙂
Thanks Ravi, pleasure is mine. Also, thanks alot for sharing your experience and I can really imagine what you might have gone through in that situation. That is why I keep warning people for not taking things so lightly in Trans Himalayan region but sadly they feel them same as any other Manali, Shimla, Mussoorrie type destinations and end up getting in trouble. Your shared experience might help others too, keeping them aware of the difficulties and keep them mentally prepared for any such circumstance 🙂
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
Pls let me know abt this plan route : Chandigarh-Udhampur-Srinagar-Kargil-Leh( Nebra,Pangong Tso)-Pang-Keylong-Manali-Amritsar.
Hi Rahul,
You can check a very balanced and most common itinerary for Leh – Ladakh followed by many travelers including me at the link here for 14-15 days: Most Common Itinerary for Leh – Ladakh.
For accommodation, check the nice, preferred list of accommodation options in entire Leh – Ladakh (Leh, Nubra Valley, Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri) including moderate and cheap budget hotels as well in the series of articles starting on the link here
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
Hi dheeraj…
Thanks a lot for the information. I just want to know that is it possible to plan a trip to Laddakh in Tata Indica Vista car as I am planning to visit there on 28 or should I hire a taxi….
Nitin, it is not advised to travel over Manali – Leh Highway that late in the season even if it is open by then. Taglang La and Baralacha La was snowed out last week, so not sure if it is open or not. Moreover, BRO undertake any rescue or clearance operations upto 30th October only in general. Better make plan for Ladakh next year!!
Regards
Dheeraj
dear mr dheeraj ji,
sir i am planning a trip from rajasthan to leh-ladhak , i am planning my trip on bike (bullet) , i am having jonga also,
can you please suggest me ,if i go on bike what things i can carry with me and which time is more favorable for me to visit let-ladhak , actually i am getting married next year and i really want to do it please reply.
Hello Daksh,
All this is monsoon time now and you will face challenges now on roads to Ladakh. Better make the trip in the second/third week of September with good amount of time in hand.
Firstly, I will suggest you that please plan it in other direction as going via Srinagar – Leh Highway will be much much easier on your body and help you acclimatize to the high altitude of Manali – Leh Highway. Also, it allows you to enjoy the beauty of Manali – Leh by splitting the journey almost evenly in two days which is very difficult in the other direction. Thirdly, it will allow you to fit Tso Moriri lake into the itinerary in better way. You can read more reasons on the link here
You can check a very balanced and most common itinerary for Leh – Ladakh followed by many travelers including me at the link here: Most Common Itinerary for Leh – Ladakh.
For accommodation, check the nice, preferred list of accommodation options in entire Leh – Ladakh including moderate and cheap budget hotels as well in the series of articles starting on the link here
Check the list of things to carry for Leh – Ladakh or other trip including basic medical kit, clothing, must haves etc. at the link here: List of Things to Carry for Leh – Ladakh trip.
I hope this helps. Let me know incase you need more info. or have any queries or doubts.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
Hi Dheeraj,
firstly, let me thank you for these wonderful posts. These info’s are helping a lot of travelers like me.
Now to business end. We are group of 5 friends travelling via Delhi-Srinagar-Leh-Sarchu-Manali-Delhi from August 2nd to 12th.
We are taking Innova.
My queries are:
1) We are not expert drivers, rather a rookie. We are driving for 1st time in mountians. Is the route fine to drive 1st time, if driven with precautions.
2) How much steep are turns/loops on this route?
3) What would you suggest should be the strategy to drive in case of huge water holes at Zozila pass.
4) What should be the approx limit for a person to drive in this path, given we have driven for around ~300 kms at stretch in plains.
5) AMS sickness medicine Diamox, should be taken before the start of trip, or once we are on srinagar highway, as we want to be in precautionary mode rather than take medicine when feeling nausea/uneasiness etc.
Again thanks a lot for all your advice.
Hello Gaurav,
1. Yes, if you take precautions and drive cautiously, then you can do it. Some useful tips are mentioned above in the article, try and keep them in mind.
2. Some are very steep, some are OK and other times you will find a flat road, but still do not cruise on it as still there could be a sudden bump out of no where, which can damage the car. Bottomline, mostly manageable.
3. Just park aside and see how other vehicles are crossing it, even then if it is not clear then try to go into the water crossing to inspect on foot and plan a path of exit through it.
4. It depends upon person to person and mountains, number of KMs do not matter at all, it depends how many hours are you guys comfortable with. Most likely, you will not need more than 10 Hr drive at any day except first and last if you are going via Srinagar side and coming back via Manali side, excluding any Traffic Jams of Rohtang Pass.
5. Te actual course starts 2-3 nights before the start of the trip and continues 2-3 days into the high altitude region. DO CONSULT a doctor or physician before taking this medicine because it a sulpha drug and does have its own side effects and especially to the people allergic to sulpha drugs. Toe and finger sensations are pretty common when you take it, so please consult the doctor as well.
I hope this helps. Let me know incase you need more info. or have any queries or doubts.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
Thanks a lot Dheeraj. Really appreciate the efforts.
Few more queries, hope you won’t mind 😉
1) If we go via Delhi-Srinagar route, do we still need permit? And where on this route can we get permit?
2) NON HP vehicles permit issue will occur on this route also? What if we are already there, won’t they allow to take the car in Leh? If that situation happens, what are the options we should look at?
3) Do you have contact of any local there, who can help us out in case of such situations, some local guide or tour planner?
Thanks
Hello Gaurav,
1. On Srinagar – Leh Highway, you do not need any permits.
2. nopes, if you come down from Rohtang Pass towards Manali, then you do not need any permits. It is only applicable while climbing up.
3. Guess, you do not need any, in case yes. Please let me know.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
We are planing trip to Delhi-Manali-Leh on 20th of this month. From manali to Rohtang By pass, Do we need any permit? We are 5 people travelling in a swift hatchback. I know in Leh, for some places we need permit but not sure about Manali-Rohtang.
Hi Vishal,
If you are traveling on your own car or taxi which has registration outside Himchal Pradesh then you will need permit to on Manali – Rohtang Pass road (in direction from Manali to Rohtang Pass to Keylong/Leh not Keylong/Leh to Manali). If you are traveling on bike or using the public transport or shared taxis or taxis registered in Himchal Pradesh then you do not require any permits. More information about this permit and where to get it in Manali, what documents are required etc. can be found on the link: Non – HP Vehicles Need Permit on Manali – Rohtang Pass Road
For more details on inner line permits process for Leh – Ladakh and to download the application form, check the link here
For hatchback/sedan taking on Manali – Leh Highway and Ladakh, I will say:
You will indeed face few tough challenges on the route. The hatchback/sedan will increase the level of every challenge even further, sedan is the worst candidate. My suggestion will be to go via Srinagar route as it will help you feel comfortable with the driving, provide more acclimatization and then once you have done the local Leh-Ladakh, then come back via Manali side. Secondly, since you are in hatch/sedan, then you need to drive with extra care as well. There will be some sections on the Manali – Leh highway in which you might need to sacrifice some scratches on the underbelly. Just make sure you do not bump the engine sump (know it before where it is placed in your car). You need to protect it all around the trip. Thirdly, whenever in doubt do not rush into the section rather park aside and feel the section with your foot, see how other vehicles are crossing it and make a planned route in your mind to cross that section. At the very least do carry Mseal, quick fix, funnel, jerry cans and towing rope with you all the time.
Also, I will strongly suggest that you go through and read my series on Ladakh Self Drive tips at the links below:
7 Useful Tips for a Self Drive to Leh – Ladakh, Routes and Road Conditions In Leh – Ladakh | Ladakh Self Drive Tips, Fuel Availability In Leh – Ladakh | Ladakh Self Drive Tips
I hope this helps. Let me know incase you have any queries.
Regards,
Dheeraj Sharma
hello, dheeraj g, Thanks for ur kind reply and provide usefull information. FROM ladhak by setro car to manali how long it will take time? and with 6 years old child can come with us, in two days? do we need any permit from ladhak to manali?
Hello Binod,
You will not need any permits for it brother. If there are no time constraints then you can do it like: Leh – Sarchu, Sarchu – Jispa, Jispa – Manali. Otherwise, do it like Leh – Sarchu and Sarchu – Manali. Do prepare well by reading the articles above and researching a bit more, since you are driving with small kid.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
Very usefull…it really helps…
I'm planing my trip to leh via manali and returning back through Srinagar on 14th of june in i20 crdi.i would like u to suggest me can I be able to do it in i20.
Add in essentials to carry: water and snacks.Even if you are not stranded enroute at times getting a meal when you want it may not always be possible.
Thanks alot, updated the list with the suggestions 🙂
nice post
thanks alot Samaresh. Glad that you like the tips? Did you get a chance for s self drive to Ladakh? You yourself ride so much, any tips you would like to give 🙂
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
Very useful tips! I would add the following too:
– Be Prepared for any eventuality – breakdowns, road blockages, accidents, medical emergencies
– Research your route well, so that you know what to expect
– Driving conditions in Ladakh are like nothing else you may have encountered before in the plains or mountains, do not generalise on drive times, conditions or expectations on facilities en route
Thanks alot HVK sir for your valuable tips. Yes, nothing is certain in this Himalayan range… all you need is luck and some skills especially on a hatchback or sedan. Not researching and preparing again leads to some nightmare journeys, have seen many doing the mistake and then regretting.
Regards
Dheeraj