Now and then I keep getting queries on the budget of Ladakh trip. So I believe a post around it will be helpful for many travelers looking forward to preparing the budget for their upcoming Leh Ladakh trip. To be very frank, the budget for any trip including Leh Ladakh depends a lot upon a person to person and the taste + comfort he/she prefers.
Ladakh is such a place where you can get varied stay options, unlike Spiti depending on your choice of comfort, preference, conditions, and circumstances. The variety may range from Rs 125-150 stay at some Dhabha tents to Rs 300 – 800 stay at low-cost hotels/homestays to Rs 1000 – 1500 at medium-cost hotels to Rs 3000 and above for hotels that offer much more comfort & luxury etc.
The same thing applies to food as well and depends on what you want to eat (Pizza or Dal Bhaat or Roti+Dal Fry or Maggie / Veg. Non-Veg. etc.). More importantly, where you want to eat and drink. But, in any case, I would try to sketch a basic average budget analysis for a Leh Ladakh trip based on the choice of accommodation and food by the majority of people.
Let's quickly dive into the details:
What is the budget of Ladakh Trip?
Given below is a basic itinerary for Leh Ladakh tour from Delhi (without any buffer days) covering all major tourist destinations of Leh Ladakh and followed widely by many travelers including me. We will be analyzing or finding the budget or cost for this Ladakh tour as a part of our exercise on what is the cost of Leh Ladakh trip.
You can roughly guess for yourself that for a similar Ladakh trip or based on your point of interest & preferences of stay, what will be the approximate cost or budget for your custom Leh Ladakh trip?
An example itinerary for Leh Ladakh covering almost all basic tourist places –
- Day 1 | Delhi – Jammu/Patnitop
- Day 2 | Jammu/Patnitop – Srinagar
- Day 3 | Srinagar – Kargil
- Day 4 | Kargil – Lamayuru – Leh
- Day 5 | Leh Local Sightseeing + Rest
- Day 6 | Leh – Khardung La – Diskit (Nubra Valley) – Hunder – Diskit
- Day 7 | Hunder/Diskit – Pangong Lake via Shyok route
- Day 8 | Pangong Tso – Hemis – Thicksey – Shey Palace – Leh
- Day 9 | Leh Rest Day or Sham Valley Tour around Leh including Magnetic Hills, Gurudwara Pather Sahib, Alchi, Likir, Basgo, Confluence at Nimmu
- Day 10 | Leh – Tso Moriri via Chumathang
- Day 11 | Tso Moriri – Tso Kar – Moore Plains (Manali – Leh Highway) – Pang – Sarchu
- Day 12 | Sarchu – Manali
- Day 13 | Manali – Delhi
So, you can see that for our sample Ladakh itinerary, we have taken 13 days (with one rest day in Leh). You can add/remove and modify the days according to your needs. Of course, the budget outcome will depend a bit on that, but I guess that is very much trivial to say.
Also, consider that while traveling alone, the cost of accommodation and transportation is bound to increase. However, while traveling in evenly balanced groups of 3-5 people, the cost of the Ladakh trip will surely decrease. As of now, I will also assume that you guys are two in number so that the budget can be calculated on a twin-sharing basis.
Now, to analyze the budget for the above or any other itinerary, we can categorize the budget into two major parts described below –
Food + Accommodation + Miscellaneous Budget of Ladakh Trip
Let us break down each of these components to understand the breakdown of Ladakh trip cost in detail.
Accommodation Cost
This example trip will need about 12-13 days at the very least, so roughly you will be spending some Rs 12000 – 18000 per person for food, accommodation, and other misc. expenditures.
If you are living in an average budget hotel with decent comfort and are traveling in a group (at least 2 in number) then the average cost per day for food, accommodation, and other misc. things like tolls, permit fees, entry fees to monasteries, etc. come to about Rs 1000-1500 per day.
Again, Rs 1000-1500 figure could be a low budget for someone and a little high for others depending upon the choice of stay and food or other activities you plan to do on your Ladakh trip.
Food Cost
For example, if you dine at a dhaba tent, then the cost of the meal would come out to be around Rs 50-70 only per person, and the same meal if you take at a restaurant at Changspa road in Leh then you might pay Rs 150 – Rs 170 per person or maybe more. Furthermore, in some high-end restaurants, the cost of food will go up much more.
Vegetarian or Non-Vegetarian also matters with respect to food pricing, so take that factor into account as well.
You should always carry your water bottle and refill it as many times as you need water. It will not only keep you hydrated always, but you will also help in saving the Himalayas from plastic garbage. Remember, every tiny step counts and your step in this direction can help save the Himalayas too !! 🙂 🙂
Miscellaneous Cost
The same thing applies to different activities. Here I have considered what is unavoidable such as tolls, permit charges, entry fees, snacks, etc. If you are going paragliding, rafting, shopping, etc.. then that will surely be something additional for you.
Hence, if you are going with a budget hotel or guest house having decent comfort, eating decent quality food, and including only mandatory miscellaneous charges then you may need to shell out Rs 12000 – 18000 per person for your Leh Ladakh itinerary of 12-13 days.
Mode of Transportation Budget of Ladakh Trip
On a trip to Leh Ladakh, the major cost comes out to be for taxis or transportation or fuel depending upon your mode of transport. Using public transport inside Leh – Ladakh is a challenge as the frequency of such vehicles is feeble and based on their schedules you may require 18-20 days to complete the above trip.
So, in Leh Ladakh, travelers mostly commute either by privately hired taxis or shared taxis run by tour operators or by finding travel partners and sharing the cost with them or riding rented bikes or ultimately self-drive on their bikes or cars. All these options will present you with different costs for the trip.
Let’s look at each one of them below to get an idea of the total cost for a Leh Ladakh trip.
Cost of Ladakh trip on Self-Drive Private Vehicle
You will be traveling about 3300-3600 km for the above Ladakh trip. So, if your bike gives a mileage of about 25 KMPL on average in mountains + plains, then you are looking for about Rs 13200 – 14400 for fuel. If it gives less, then adjust accordingly. I have assumed the average cost of petrol as Rs 100 per liter as of January 2023. In plains, it will be less, and in mountains, it will be more.
Similarly, you can calculate if you are driving the car. Just keep in mind that in hills, your car or bike will give much lesser mileage than in plains. So, calculate accordingly and divide them among the people traveling in the car to calculate the per-person cost. It is difficult/uncomfortable to travel to Ladakh with a pillion on a bike, so the cost is calculated singularly above.
Finally, taking food + accommodation into account, traveling to Ladakh by self-drive mode of transport, you are looking at about ((Rs 12000 – 18000) + (Rs 13200 – 14400) = (Rs 25200 – 32400)) as the total cost for the entire Leh Ladakh trip.
Self-Drive But Rented Vehicle
Here, the cost of fuel would be the same as for a self-drive private vehicle calculated above, but you will be adding the cost of bike/car rental as well. Usually, you get a decent bike in good condition at around Rs 1400 – 1500 per day depending on the make and model of the bike you rent.
You can check the updated Leh Ladakh Bike Rental Rates for 2024-25.
So, the cost of bike rent only from Delhi to Delhi Ladakh trip comes out to be around Rs 20,000 – 24,000 considering if you get a discount. Adding the fuel cost as calculated above, the cost here becomes approximately Rs 33,200 – 38,400.
This is a solo Ladakh ride cost. So, if you have a pillion then divide by two here.
Finally, taking food + accommodation into account, traveling to Ladakh by self-drive rented bike mode of transport, you are looking at about ((Rs 33,200 – 38,400) + (Rs 12000 – 18000) = (Rs 45,200 – 56,400)) as the total cost for the entire trip.
Privately Hired Taxi in Leh
The taxis outside Leh are not allowed to roam in Leh – Ladakh, and you are always required to hire a taxi that belongs to Leh only. So, I am considering the case when you will be hiring a private taxi in Leh only and to reach Leh you will be using public transport.
It may be the case that you are coming in a privately hired taxi from outside Leh. Or you may be flying directly to Leh etc. but here I will assume that you have used public transport such as the train to reach Jammu, JKSRTC buses to reach Srinagar, and then to Leh, HPTDC buses to reach Manali from Leh and further to Delhi.
Also, I will assume that on Day 11 you will be going to Leh from Tso Moriri since in public transport you cannot travel directly from Tso Moriri to Manali. Traveling in this way means one extra day being spent in Leh Ladakh, making it a 13-day trip. I am again assuming you are 4 in number.
I will break down the private taxi cost and the other transport costs for the entire trip as below –
- Day 1 – Day 4 (Delhi – Jammu – Srinagar – Kargil – Leh) = Rs 3000 per person
- Day 5 (Leh Local) = Rs 2400 / 4 = Rs 600 per person
- Day 6 – Day 8 (Leh – Khardung La – Nubra – Pangong – Leh) = Rs 22000 / 4 = Rs 5500 per person
- Day 9 – Day 10 (Leh – Tso Moriri – Tso Kar – Leh) = Rs 14000 / 4 = Rs 3500 per person
- Day 11 – Day 13 (Leh – Keylong – Manali – Delhi) = Rs 4000 per person
Considering a 10-12% discount on the rates of Leh Taxi Union after bargaining, the total cost comes out approximately to Rs 16,000 – 17,000 per person when traveling two in number.
This cost of a taxi in Ladakh per person will come down if more people are traveling with you to a maximum of 6.
Why only 6? Because one Scorpio taxi can accommodate 6 persons with ease :), anything more than that you need to hire two taxis.
However, I recommend that 5 people in one taxi are the optimum number to share the cost of a taxi.
Finally, taking food + accommodation into account, traveling by privately hired taxi in Leh and reaching Leh in public/shared transport, you are looking at about ((Rs 16000 – 17000) + (Rs 13000 – 19500) = (Rs 29000 – 36500)) as the total cost for the entire trip including 1 day added to travel between Tso Moriri – Leh.
If by any chance you plan to hire a private taxi to travel on Srinagar – Leh Highway and Manali – Leh Highway then the cost will go much higher because charges for Srinagar – Leh, and Manali – Leh in a private taxi are about Rs 20000 and Rs 25000 respectively as per rates in 2023.
If you are less in number, like 2 in this example, it is always suggested to travel by public transport such as shared taxis, JKSRTC buses, HPTDC buses on Srinagar – Leh, and Manali – Leh Highways in Himachal.
Wondering if there is any cheap mode of hiring a private taxi to Leh Ladakh from Manali or Srinagar. I shall say Yes as well as No, as you can find the details in my article on Cheap private taxi to Leh – Ladakh | A Myth or A Reality?
Shared Taxis or Public Transport or Travel Partners (in a group)
Assuming that instead of hiring a private taxi in Leh Ladakh you plan to travel by shared taxis run by tour operators or join with other travel partners to share the cost or you are about 5 in number then you are looking at about Rs 13000 – 14000 approximately.
If you further plan to travel in Ladakh by public buses then this figure as well will go down further considerably. However, at the same time, you may be required to stay for a longer period adjusting to the schedule of these public buses which means an increase in lodging + food costs.
Finally, taking food + accommodation into account, traveling shared taxis (or public transport or along with travel partners) in Leh and reaching Leh in public/shared transport, you are looking at about ((Rs 13000 – 14000) + (Rs 12000 – 18000) = (Rs 25000 – 32000)) as the total cost for the entire trip.
Conclusion
If I look at the above scenarios or examples, then, of course, it may not be the case every time. Sometimes you will be hiring the bike from Delhi only and sometimes partially. There can be cases where you will travel to Leh Ladakh by bus or public transport and then hire a bike in Leh to ride to only a few places.
DO NO forget to check the top 15 tips on Responsible Travel in the Himalayas.
Similarly, you may travel to Manali on public transport and then hire a bike from Manali, etc. There could be similar other cases as well as flying directly to Leh etc. I have tried to cover many general cases here, and we can surely discuss custom cases in the comments section below if you like or have any difficulties.
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.
Otherwise, if you are looking at them individually or day by day then you will be able to calculate the cost estimate of your Leh Ladakh trip for any such custom combination with fair ease.
I will look forward to your queries or doubts in the comments section below and know your perspective/tips of cost or budget analysis for the Ladakh trip as well. Kindly share your valuable thoughts/feedback/inputs etc. here with many other fellow travelers.
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Hi Dheeraj,
I have planned to do this itinerary starting from Srinagar-Zansar-Leh-Nubra-Ladakh-Spiti. Made few tweaks on your suggested plan.
Having spoken to few taxi drivers for SUV fare, lowest quote I got for Srinagar-Zansar-Leh-Nubra-Ladakh and drop in Batal/Losar for 23 days – 115000. Avg of 5000/day.
And for Spiti region, I’m getting quote of 3500/day. For 10days it will be 35000.
Overall i find it bit expensive. So wanted to know if this is a normal fare. Or want to negotiate in person once I reach Srinagar.
Day 1 | Srinagar Day Tour.
Day 2 | Srinagar Day Tour.
~Dal Lake, Shikara ride, floating market, Shalimar garden.
Day 3 | Srinagar – Sonamarg – Zoji La – Dras – Kargil (200km – 5h30m).
~Start early from Srinagar.
~Have a late lunch at Dras. Visit Kargil War Memorial. Overnight at Kargil.
Day 4 | Kargil – Rangdum. (127km)
~Overnight Rangdum.
Day 5 | Rangum – Padam. (104km)
Day 6 | Padum – Day Tour. (60-75km)
~Visit Zangla, Stongdey, Karsha.
~Overnight at Padam.
Day 7 | Padum – Dzongkhul Monastery – Penzi La Pass – Rangdum. Overnight at Rangdum. (135Km)
Day 8 | Rangdum – Panikhar – Sankoo – Kargil. (120km -3hrs)
~ Check out rock carved statue at Khartse Road.
~ Overnight at Kargil.
Day 9 | Kargil – Lamayuru – Leh. (215Km – 5hrs)
~ Take Batalik route
~ Cover Mulbekh Maitrey, Lamayuru Monastery, Lunar Landscapes
~ On the way you can also see Gurudwara Pather Sahib, Magnetic Hills, Confluence at Nimmu
~ Overnight at Leh
Day 10 | Leh Local Sightseeing + Inner Line Permits
— Overnight in Leh.
Day 11 | Leh – Khardung La – Diskit – Hunder – Turtuk
— Head for Nubra Valley and stay overnight at Turtuk
— On the way enjoy a cup of soup at Highest Motorable Pass (as claimed) Khardung La.
— enjoy the culture in the Turtuk Village
— do mention Turtuk on the permits
Day 12 | Turtuk – Hunder
— Spend whole day at Turtuk and reach Hunder by evening.
— Overnight at Hunder
Day 13 | Hunder – Deskit – Sumur – Panamik – Sumur
— Diskit has monasteries with tallest lord Buddha statue and Hunder has sand dunes and bacterian camel safari
— Enjoy drive upto Panamik, visit Yarab Tso Lake and back to overnight stay at Kyagar or Tiger or Sumur
— Enjoy walks in Hunder, Deskit, Sumur villages for the last 3 days
Day 14 | Sumur/Kyagar – Panamik – Sumur – Khardung La – Leh
— Sumur has a famous monastery to check out and Panamik has hot water springs
— Overnight at Leh
Day 15 | Rest day at Leh to enjoy local culture and some shopping.
~ Trip Lamayuru and Back.
— Overnight at Leh
Day 16 | Leh – Hemis Monastery – Pangong Tso Lake
— Cover either of Hemis, Thicksey and Shey on the go towards Pangong Tso
— Overnight at Pangong Tso (Stay in Man is better than Spangmik)
Day 17 | Man – Chushul – Hanle. (154kms)
— Overnight at Hanle.
Day 18 | Hanle – Loma – Nyoma – Mahe – Korzok / Tso Moriri Lake OR Hanle – Salsal La – Tso Moriri Lake. (160kms)
— Overnight at Tso Moriri lake
Day 19 | Tso Moriri – Tso Kar – Debring (Manali – Leh Highway starts) – Moore Plains – Pang.
— Overnight to Pang ( Prefer Pang, instead of Sarchu )
Day 20 | Pang – Sarchu – Baralacha La – Jispa – Keylong.
— On the way cover Suraj Tal, Deepak Tal which are on the road sides only
— Overnight at Keylong.
Day 21 | Keylong – Gramphu – Batal.
– Overnight stay in Batal.
Day 22 | Batal – Chandrataal.
Day 23 | Chandrataal – Losar.
Day 24 | Losar – Chicham – Kibber
– Visit Monastery.
– Overnight stay in Kibber.
Day 25 | Kibber – Kaza – Langza – Hikkim – Komic – Attargu – Mud .
-Overnight stay in Mud.
Day 26 | Mud – Attargu – Dhankar Lake – Tabo ( 80kms).
-Overnight stay in Tabo.
Day 27 | Tabo – Gue – Nako – Khab – Chitkul.
– Overnight stay in Kalpa.
–
Day 28 | Rest day in Chitkul.
– Overnight stay in Chitkul.
Day 29 | Chitkul – Roghion – Tumman.
Overnight stay in Tumman.
Day 30 | Tumman – Aut – Tirthan (Entrance gate) .
Day 31 | Buffer day
That is one hell of a trip brother !! Well, charges seems reasonable based upon the rates of taxis in Ladakh and Spiti
HI Sir This is Ahmed we are travelling in Aug last week. we will start from Delhi and our tour is for 10 to 12 days.
1) From Delhi its good to start from Srinagar then Leh manali and all or we should start from Manali.
2) We are 6 frnds and we want to hire taxi from Delhi to cover all the places how much will be total cost if we hire from Delhi to Srinagar Leh Manali and all and coming back to Delhi?
3) Kindly suggest few places where we should go by bike coz we want to explore the places by bikes?
4) What will be the approx. cost including Rental car, Bikes in few places, Budget hotels and meals for 12 days? places will Start from Delhi and cover Manali leh Ladakh Srinagar kargil and all places which we should go?
5) Kindly suggest the best route map to cover max places which are worth and duration we should stay there?
I did reply to your other question in Travel Questions section? Still again,
1. 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.
2. For the leh – ladakh taxi union rate list 2018 – 19 including the contacts of some reliable taxi drivers within Leh – Ladakh, check the link here. You can get about 12-15% of discount by directly getting in touch with drivers and of course, talking in person rather on phone always help in bargaining more. You can call the local drivers directly to connect with them and check the more comprehensive List of Taxi Drivers for Ladakh – Srinagar – Leh – Manali with recommendations/reviews for DoW community members.
3. You can go all the places in Ladakh on bike but you should have experience of it.
Hi Dheeraj,
We would be 3 members and want to hire a taxi from Leh for the full trip. We kept 2 more reserve days at Pangong,Tso-Moriri, which may help us overcome any hurdles during the journey.
Request expert advice on tour plan, best taxi and accommodation details.
# Date Trip
1 2-Aug Leh Sightseeing (Night stay at Leh)
2 3-Aug Leh- Nubra Valley via Khardungla pass (Night stay at Nubra Valley)
3 4-Aug Nubra Valley- Pangong Tso Via shyok(Night stay at Pangong)
4 5-Aug Pangong stay(Night stay at Pangong)
5 6-Aug Pangong Tso -Tso Moriri(Night stay at Tso Moriri)
6 7-Aug Tso Moriri Stay(Night stay at Tso Moriri)
7 8-Aug Tso Moriri – Pang(Night stay at Pang)
8 9-Aug Pang- Jispa(Night stay at Jispa)
9 10-Aug Jispa- Keylong- Sarchu(Night stay at Sarchu)
10 11-Aug Sarchu-Leh(Night stay at Leh)
11 12-Aug Leh Sightseeing
12 13-Aug Flight To Delhi
If you are directly reaching at Leh by flight, then sleep in Leh fo at least two days before going out to Nubra Valley. Once there your plan looks OK except instead of Pang, stay at Sarchu and do Sarchu – Shingo La near Darcha – Jispa to cover a new pass and then come back by Jispa to Pang or Sarchu and then to Leh.
Also, you have so many days but missing Hanle in between. I believe you should spare a day for Hanle in between Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri
HI DHEERAJ,
Can you check this itinerary-
date – 28thjune to 7th july
day 1 – flight ti leh from Mumbai
rest for the day at leh
day 2 rental bike
leh- nubra
day 3
nubra- pangong
day 4
pangong to leh
day 5
local sightseeing at leh
day 6
leh – sarchu by rental car
day 7
sarchu – manali
day 8
exploring manali
day 9
manali – delhi
day 10
delhi to Mumbai flight
we have only booked the stay at leh for day 1,
do u think we need to book anything prior ?
also is the itinerary okay ? our budget is around 35 k per person
and we are total 4 people
You should move Day 5 as Day 2 and rest looks OK with me. No need to book the hotels unless you are very particular about a place to stay. 35K is very reasonable and doable budget for this kind of Ladakh trip. It should be below it.
Hi Dheeraj,
Visiting Ladakh has always my dream and now when it is finally coming true, I have started exploring options to make it memorable. I have really liked your blogs since they are very informative. We are a group of 4 friends planning to finally go to Leh on 13th July and will return by 18th July. The travel is by air, since some of them had holiday issues.
Our itinerary is as follows (We have tried to follow the itinerary that you have suggested in one of your blog with minor tweaks):
13th July – Morning flight – Leh – Rest and Acclimatization – visit shanti stupa
14th July – Leh Local Sightseeing + Acclimatization – visit hall of fame, Pathar Sahib, Magnetic Hill, Spituk Monestry
15th July – Leh – Khardung La – Deskit – Hunder
16th July – Hunder / Diskit – Sumur – Panamik – Sumur – Khardung La – Leh
17th July – Leh – Chang La – Pangong Tso – Chang La – Leh
18th July – Morning flight – Delhi
We have done the hotel booking in Leh and are looking for accommodation in Nubra.
I have been in contact with many travel agents. I am getting a rate of 37K for a private car for the entire trip for site seeing, plus they are ready to give us 2 rooms with breakfast at Diskit.
Is the rate given by travel agent fine or we can get better rates locally? What is your opinion?
Harpreet, you should travel to Pangong tso directly from Nubra Valley as the road is fine now a days. For the leh – ladakh taxi union rate list 2018 – 19 including the contacts of some reliable taxi drivers within Leh – Ladakh, check the link here. You can get about 12-15% of discount by directly getting in touch with drivers and of course, talking in person rather on phone always help in bargaining more. You can call the local drivers directly to connect with them and check the more comprehensive List of Taxi Drivers for Ladakh – Srinagar – Leh – Manali with recommendations/reviews for DoW community members.
You should take the direct taxi instead of travel agent and book some hotels on your own.
Hi Dheeraj,
We are planning from Delhi-Chandigarh Self Driven(SUV Car) Leh-Ladhak Tour Via Manali-leh highway with group of 5-6 in July ending. Can you please help us with the car-rentals, itinerary, stays, other suggestions etc. What problems will we get if we hire a ZOOMCAR, MYLES ETC, for our travel…
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 travellers including me at the link here for 13-14 days: Most Common Itinerary for Leh – Ladakh.
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.
Alternatively, if you are one of those who want to get the whole package done through a single point of contact, you can also fill the form below and get in touch with one of our hand picked Destination Specialists to book your hotels, bikes or taxis at the special discounted prices for DwD Community members: Ladakh Hotels & Camps Booking Form.
For the leh – ladakh taxi union rate list 2018 – 19 including the contacts of some reliable taxi drivers within Leh – Ladakh, check the link here. You can get about 12-15% of discount by directly getting in touch with drivers and of course, talking in person rather on phone always help in bargaining more. You can call the local drivers directly to connect with them and check the more comprehensive List of Taxi Drivers for Ladakh – Srinagar – Leh – Manali with recommendations/reviews for DoW community members.
At times, while going from Srinagar to Leh, you might need to work out few things if there have been some tensions in taxi unions of Kargil and Leh. In order to settle it out, what they do is that they make a transit point just before Fotu La while going to Leh from Kargil. All Leh taxis stop there and kargil taxis too. They exchange passengers and move back in respective directions. Leh taxis take passengers to Leh coming from Srinagar/Kargil and Kargil guys take passengers to Srinagar/kargil coming from Leh. But, that happens only when there is an issue.
For the list of good restaurants in Leh – Ladakh or eateries or food joints where food is enjoyed by many travellers including me, you can check the link here: List of Good Restaurants in Leh – Ladakh | Restaurant Reviews
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.
To know about AMS and acclimatization including the tips to combat AMS, please DO READ: Acute Mountain Sickness and Importance of Acclimatization
For details on inner line permits process and to download application form read the link here
Hi, Dheeraj
I am planning for Manali – Leh , one way by bike and return flight. I would be travelling with my wife as a pillion rider. I am confused if i should go with a package tour or should i choose to go on our own. I am mainly concerned about the luggage to be carried on bike. Also, are there any chances of finding companions from manali if we dont book any package now. Please advise us.
Thank you
Yogesh, yes you should be able to find a companion who may be interested to tag along with you. Package tour depends on what your budget is as they will charge the money for sure for it. Rest you should read: 5 Tips to Rent Bike in Leh – Ladakh and Ride with Pillion
Hi Dheeraj,
I am big fan of DOW and i am following you from last 2 years.I am planning for a solo trip from delhi to leh-ladakh via my bike FZ150. I have never tried any road trip, this would be my first. I need your help regarding organizing my trip. I need to purchase everything from Riding jacket to boots and all the basic things which you have mentioned. would you also recommend any group which organize this trip without any money because i have a very small budget.
Sorry PRateek, I am not aware of any groups. You can post your entry in travel calendar from the main menu and start looking for travel partners.
Hi Dheeraj,
I am planning for a solo trip from delhi to leh-ladakh via my bike FZ150. I have never tried any road trip, this would be my first. I need your help regarding organizing my trip. I need to purchase everything from Riding jacket to boots and all the basic things which you have mentioned. would you also recommend any group which organize this trip without any money because i have a very small budget.
And one more thing to add. I am very big fan of DOW and following you from last 2 years.You are doing a great job. Gob bless you brother.
Thank you so very much Prateek, I hope you get the travel partner. 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.
Replied to your other comments.
Hey can u help me with something? I am planning a pillion ride to leh from kerala .. can i have a pillion ride to leh..? If yes can you give me a budget plan .. and useful tips as this is my first ride to leh.. waiting for your reply plz help
Akash, you can read the article on budget above. For the other questions, you can 5 Tips to Rent Bike in Leh – Ladakh and Ride with Pillion
Hi Dheeraj,
Your blog is really helpful! But, need your help on my itinerary and know the budget for the same. It’s a 9-day long trip which I am planning for Sep (including the day I reach Leh and the day I leave for my hometown). The itinerary is as follows:
Day 1:In Leh. Planning for the next day.
Day 2:Bike to Magneti Hills. Indus and Zanskar. Sunset at Shanti Stupa.
Day 3:Drive in a taxi to Nubra valley through Khardung La. Evening at Hunder Dunes.
Day 4: Diskit Monastery in morning. Pangong.
Day 5:Back to Leh. Thicksey Monastery
Day 6:Hemis, Stakna and Matho. Leh Palace and local Leh markets.
Day 7:Tsomoriri Lake. Chumathang Plateau and hot springs.
Day 8:Back to Leh. Relax with friends.
Day 9:Leh to hometown.
So, I want to know how much will I be spending per head if we plan to stay in an average hotel. Also, lemme know if I am missing out a place that I should go to in my itinerary.Thanks!
You will be spending around 25-40K for the taxi for above tour. and for a stay in average hotel + food, you can count for about Rs 1200 per day per person. Rest it will be your air tickets and extra you would like to spend on shopping.
Thanks for a quick response! However, you mean 25-40k we ll Just be spending on taxi only?
Also, am I missing on any other place which I should visit but have not made it a part of Mubarak’s itinerary?
Hey Pinky,
Yes, you will be spending that much money on taxi. As per the taxi union rates of year 2017-18 (https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/leh-ladakh-taxi-rates-2017-18/) following is the break up
Srinagar – Leh in 2 days = 18400
Leh Local sightseeing = 2500-3000
Leh – Nubra Valley 2 Day = 10566
Leh – Pangong Tso 2 Day = 10301
Leh – Tso Moriri – Tso Kar – Sarchu – Manali 2-3 days = 29056
Leh – Manali 2 Days = 21588
Leh – Pangong Tso 1 Day = 8653
Leh – Nubra Valley 1 Day = 8053
You can usually get about 10-15% discount on these taxi rates after getting in touch with the driver directly. You can call the local drivers directly to connect with them and check the more comprehensive List of Taxi Drivers for Ladakh – Srinagar – Leh – Manali with recommendations/reviews for DoW community members.
You have covered most places. I will suggest that you cover Turtuk in Nubra Valley and club the monastery tour while coming back from Pangong Tso lake or going to tso Moriri. All those monasteries fall on the route.
Thanks for a quick response! Am I missing on any other place which I should visit but have not made it a part of the itinerary?
Just replied to your other comment.
Hi Dheeraj,
Me and my wife Swathi are avid followers are DOW and have been a great fans from past 3-4 years. Our family trip upto Keylong in 2015 and my bike trip to Ladakh circuit last year were successful greatly because of the info we got from DOW. We are planning family trip as per below schedule in 2018. In spite of so many posts on this topic, we still have questions and looking at you to guide us
We would be 4-7 members and want to hire a taxi from Srinagar for the full trip. Is it possible to get a taxi from Srinagar and get a drop in Manali/Chandigarh? If yes, should we book taxi in advance? What would be approx taxi fare and cost of accomodation in 2018? We kept a day free at Srinagar to search and book Taxi for the trip. We kept three more reserve days at Leh,Nubra,Tso-Morori, which may help us overcome any hurdles during the journey.
Request expert advice on tour plan, best taxi and accommodation details.
# Date Trip
1 23-May Jammu – Srinagar
2 24-May Srinagar Local
3 25-May Srinagar – Kargil
4 26-May Kargil – Lamayuru, Leh
5 27-May Leh Local
6 28-May Leh-Hunder
7 29-May Hunder Local
8 30-May Hunder-Pangong ( We want to take Shyok route and don’t want to come back to Leh)
9 31-May Pangong – Tso Morori
10 1-Jun Stay at Tso-Morori
11 2-Jun Tso-Morori – Sarchu
12 3-Jun Sarchu-Manali
13 4-Jun Manali-Chandigarh
I am glad and honored to have such loyal readers from the past. Happy to know that DoW was always helpful in the need of hour 🙂 … You have to call up a Ladakh taxi for a pickup in Srinagar that will drop you Manali after covering whole of Ladakh. I will highly recommend to add two days:
1. One in Nubra Valley for visiting Turtuk, may be use the same day kept for Hunder local to visit Turtuk
2. One day between Pangong tso and Tso Moriri to break the journey between at Hanle, the most beautiful place in Ladakh
4 pax.ex- manali or ex- srinagar to leh and other related places and back.10 days.may last week to June 1st week.including budget hotels.
If you are looking for competitive and customized Ladakh tour and packages, you can connect with info@offbeatescapes.com as most of the readers in the past five years have had very good feedback about them and especially their transparent policies along with being there with you all the time in need. So, we trust them the most. You can refer my name or DoW to Gaurav, the guy who runs it. He knows us very well and should be able to offer some special rates being a DoW Member. You can just refer him the DwD Community Member Username in such a case or screenshot/link of this reply here.
Hi
We wnt to go leh ladakh next year in may end from shrinagar to leh kargil and back from leh to manali.
We are 20persons so i wnt to knw that how to complete this circle in 12 to 14 day and what is a cost for all trip . We take food with us.
Thank you ..
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 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
For the leh – ladakh taxi union rate list 2017 – 18 including the contacts of some reliable taxi drivers within Leh – Ladakh, check the link here. You can get about 12-15% of discount by directly getting in touch with drivers and of course, talking in person rather on phone always help in bargaining more. You can call the local drivers directly to connect with them and check the more comprehensive List of Taxi Drivers for Ladakh – Srinagar – Leh – Manali with recommendations/reviews for DoW community members.
Great website and has critical information for travelers. I will be going to Ladakh for a month from Mid August to Mid September. I was wondering what a cheap meal would cost in Leh, as I need to budget. If anyone can provide me some numbers would be really grateful.
Sunil, a cheap meal could be as low as Rs 20-30 like Thupka (noodles and veggies) on a dhabha.
Thanks for the reply. Really helps .
Hello Dheeraj,
Thank you for sharing this budget Itinerary… My wife and I are planning a trip to Ladakh this September 2017 and have followed this itinerary suggested by you with the only difference that we plan to fly in and out of Ladakh due to time constraints.. However, when we shared our plan with few of the drivers recommended by you, they have given us a price quotation much higher than what we expected according to this itinerary… As we are budget travelers, we were looking at a 8 day trip to Ladakh(5 days tour, 2 days complete rest) in mid range vehicle like Scorpio… Please find our itinerary below and can you kindly help us figure out what should be the total cost of our package (on traveling) according to you as we wish to negotiate further with them?
17th September, Sunday: Day 1- early morning flight to Leh ; whole day rest
18th September, Monday: Day 2- Sham Valley Tour (Magnetic Hill, Sangam at nimmu, Hall of Fame Museum, Spituk Monastery) with Likir monastery
(if possible will add Lamayuru to the list)
19th September, Tuesday: Day 3- Leh Local Sightseeing (Shanti Stupa, Stok Palace, Leh Palace, Leh Market)
20th September, Wednesday: Day 4- Nubra valley and back (Khardung La, only Hunder and Deksit Monastery) and back to leh
21st September, Thursday: Day 5- Rest for full day or Hemis, Thiksey and Shey Monastery
22nd Spetember, Friday: Day 6- Pangong Lake , back to leh
23rd September, Saturday: Day 7 – Tso Moriri and Tso Kar, back to leh
24th September, Sunday Day 8- flight to delhi
Awaiting your reply eagerly,
Best Regards,
Varun
As per the taxi union rates of year 2017-18 (https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/leh-ladakh-taxi-rates-2017-18/) following is the break up
Srinagar – Leh in 2 days = 18400
Leh Local sightseeing = 2500-3000
Leh – Nubra Valley 2 Day = 10566
Leh – Pangong Tso 2 Day = 10301
Leh – Tso Moriri – Tso Kar – Sarchu – Manali 2-3 days = 29056
Leh – Manali 2 Days = 21588
Leh – Pangong Tso 1 Day = 8653
Leh – Nubra Valley 1 Day = 8053
You can usually get about 10-15% discount on these taxi rates after getting in touch with the driver directly. You can call the local drivers directly to connect with them and check the more comprehensive List of Taxi Drivers for Ladakh – Srinagar – Leh – Manali with recommendations/reviews for DoW community members.
Do two day trip to Nubra Valley and Pangong tso each. You are a couple and private taxis are very costly in Leh but you will be able to find the shared taxi without much fuss at all. There are lots of flyers which people put at cafes, dine-ins, restaurants, travel agent desks/shops/whiteboards wanting to share the taxis for different trips within Ladakh. Even travel agent organize such shared taxis trip as well but charge a little higher about Rs 200-300 more than it would ideally cost. So, in the worst case, you can always go back to them and book a seat for yourself. Gelling up with people in Ladakh is more or less easy because many people travel solo
Hi Dheeraj,
I’ve been going through your articles and they are extremely informative.
I’m planning a trip across India with my friend who’s a US citizen starting first week of October which looks something like this. I need your inputs because you have so much experience.
Delhi-Leh-Sringar-Guwahati-Shillong-Cherrapunji-Guwahati-Bangalore-Puducherry-Kanyakumari-Kerela-Karnataka-Goa-Mumbai-Udaipur-Jaisalmer-Amritsar-Delhi
All this has to be done in 28 days. Plus it’s a budget trip Rs 75K for the complete trip.
Now, I’m planning to be in Leh for 6 days maximum. For this, I was thinking of flying to Leh (Rs 3000 per person), renting a bike there and spending 4 days in Leh (Nubra Valley and Pangong and acclimatization, Rs 8-10k for 2 people) and then taking a bus ride to Srinagar (2 days – Rs 1500) and flying to Guwahati from Srinagar. Will there be buses plying in the first week of October and also, do we get to see everything in a bus ride?
I was thinking of flying to Srinagar first and renting a bike from Srinagar to Srinagar but that would throw off the budget completely and also I don’t think I can fit that in 6-7 days. What do you think about it? Do you have any suggestions or comments? And what about the permits since their is a foreign national with me?
Also I’m flying from Srinagar because there is a huge difference between flights to Guwahati from Leh and Srinagar.
Looking forward to your reply.
Thanks in advance
Sahil
Hey Sahil,
1. You need at least two days of acclimatization in Leh after flying, then two day each for Nubra and Pangong Tso and then two day to reach Srinagar. This makes it 8 days. The buses will keep plying on Leh to Srinagar route in first week of October. Don’t go to Srinagar and to Leh, best is to go to Leh and then drive to Srinagar for renting bikes.