The 434 KM long Srinagar – Leh Highway is like a lifeline in the form of road connectivity between Leh – Ladakh and the rest of India via Kashmir Valley. Srinagar – Leh Highway, also known as National Highway – 1D (NH – 1D), is the most reliable and one of the only two roads to reach Ladakh by road, the other one being Manali – Leh Highway
In this article today, I will share this detailed Srinagar Leh road trip guide in with all of you.
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Let's quickly dive into the details:
Srinagar Leh Travel Guide
Generally, travelers or adventure lovers from all over the world loves or dreams of undertaking this road trip of their lifetime. They want to cover both routes connecting Leh Ladakh to the rest of India, i.e., a lifetime experience road trip traversing Srinagar – Leh – Manali Highways.
Apart from being famous for its enchanting views, the road from Srinagar to Leh via Kargil holds strategic importance for India. Being close to the LOC, you can also see a heavy army presence when you travel through Srinagar – Leh Highway.
The highway runs alongside the Indus River and through some extremely harsh and barren terrain including the three high mountain passes named Zozi La (3528 Mtrs), Namki La (3815 Mtrs) and Fotu La (4108 Mtrs). In any case, Srinagar – Leh highway offers some breathtaking landscapes ornamented by various historical and cultural constructions which are just like a dream treat for any traveler driving/riding through Srinagar – Leh Highway.
Better Acclimatization
Generally, people traveling or flying directly to Leh – Ladakh suffers from acute mountain sickness as Leh (3500 Mtrs) due to a sudden disturbance of altitude with which the body is adapted. However, Srinagar – Leh highway provides a gradual ascent to travelers. Hence, it helps them fight any chances of acute mountain sickness (AMS) caused due to high altitudes and let them enjoy the beautiful vistas in a relaxed manner.
There are other advantages of traveling to Ladakh from Srinagar side than from Manali side.
Season to Travel on Srinagar – Leh Highway
The 434 KM long Srinagar Highway generally remains closed for about six months in a year starting from November to May due to heavy snowfall on the mountain passes mainly Zozi La pass. Zojila pass starts receiving snowfall in November. Then any day of November (generally 15th November) the highway officially ceases to close as it becomes challenging for BRO to clear the snow.
Then, again, as the winter months resides, the BRO guys begin the snow clearance process in the spring season that is in March and repairs the damaged roads, bridges, and other parts of the highway. Finally, after completing this rigorous job of snow clearance and fixing the roads, bridges, etc. BRO announces the opening of Srinagar Leh Highway generally around early May to mid-May.
Pro Tip: You can keep a track of the updated status of Srinagar – Leh Highway using the article Srinagar Leh Highway Status 2020
So, what is the best time to travel from Srinagar to Leh by road?
Hence, the best time to travel from Srinagar to Ladakh via Kargil is from June to October. In late April or early May, if the highway gets open, then generally, the roads are in terrible shape and only improves as the season progress with constant repair work conducted by BRO.
By the end of May, as the road condition stabilizes, June remains mostly stable, and the monsoon comes to the party in July, creates havoc in lower hills connecting Srinagar to Jammu and further to other parts of India.
Is it safe to travel from Srinagar to Leh in monsoons?
The landslides are almost inevitable in monsoon season, which causes road blockages ever now and then. The Amarnath Yatra is in full flow in July – August, do expect heavy traffic and rush from Jammu – Srinagar – Kargil parts of the highway. Even the dominance of armed forces also increase in July – August owing to the security of pilgrims of Amarnath Yatra.
It is almost a nightmare to drive through Zoji La Pass in July – August especially when its raining or has rained previous days but at any day better than Rohtang Pass on Manali – Leh Highway which becomes more than hell during monsoon season.
One may opt to avoid Srinagar – Leh Highway during days alongside Independence Day in India, i.e., 15th August which is when the bandhs and strikes get more active. In the last couple of years (as of 2018), things were mostly stable. I advise you that you keep a check on the latest news on the Kashmir valley for any disruptions and plan to travel from Srinagar to Leh accordingly during this time of the year.
What about September?
As the end of August approaches, the Amarnath Yatra is over, and monsoon starts to reside from Northern India, the conditions improve much more to travel on Srinagar – Leh Highway and in September it could be called as the best time to travel. Still, you will not find any snow, of course. Even in August and late July, snow will be hard to touch except few patches on Zozi La pass.
Since the other side of Zozila Pass mainly Kargil onwards comes under rain shadow area where only the dry winds of monsoon reach. So, in July – August you need to tackle the monsoon rains and their havoc in lower hills only including Jammu, Srinagar, Zoji La pass, i.e., till you reach Kargil where there is very little rain during these months.
Throughout the season, you need to let pass large convoys of army trucks as army also stock up required materials in Leh – Ladakh through Srinagar – Leh road majorly. Traveling behind them may cause a delay of a few hours now and then in your entire journey on Srinagar Leh highway.
Is Srinagar Leh open in Winters?
Due to heavy snowfall at Zojila Pass, the road from Srinagar to Leh remains closed in the winter months from November to April. The actual Srinagar Leh Highway closing time mainly depends on snow in the season, but it is not safe to travel in November due to black ice and cold conditions.
A project has been approved to make Srinagar Leh Highway tunnel at Zojila pass to provide year-round connectivity from Srinagar to Kargil. However, it just got approved, so probably it will take a decade to be realized into reality.
Modes of Travel on Srinagar – Leh Highway
In this section let us look at some of the common modes of commute to make a Srinagar to Leh road trip.
Private Vehicles i.e. Cars and Bikes | Self Drive or Ride to Ladakh
Most people prefer to self-drive or self-ride to Ladakh by their car or own bike, and some also prefer to self-drive or self-ride to Ladakh by hiring a bike or car. In any case, a hired car/bike or personal car/bike, the idea is to live the passion of driving or riding through one of the toughest and adventurous terrains accessible in India.
You can take your own or rented, car or bike to Ladakh, but one must be careful while driving or riding through slushy roads, snow and water crossing or nallas. Also, it is always handy to learn little maintenance tasks of your vehicle before the start of this comparatively less arduous journey than Manali – Leh Highway.
Pro Tip: You must check the article on self drive tips for Leh – Ladakh trip.
Can I take a small car to Srinagar Leh Highway?
For cars, although an SUV/MUV is good to have and a 4WD SUV will help, I have seen hatchbacks (including Altos and Nano) and sedans doing good enough job on Srinagar – Leh Highway then on Manali – Leh Highway. If you want to try your sedan or hatchback drive to Ladakh, then Srinagar – Leh Highway is a better bet when compared to taking a sedan or hatch from Manali – Leh Highway.
However like on Manali – Leh Highway, with sedans/hatchbacks one must drive with extra care and caution even at Srinagar – Leh Highway and especially around Zozila pass (ascend and descend both).
You get less number of challenges on Srinagar – Leh Highway as compared to Manali – Leh Highway with only major hurdle being Zozila Pass. However, even then, whenever you are in doubt, always step out of your car, walk down the path, inspect with your foot and plan the path of exit before crossing a dangerous landslide or water crossing on your vehicle.
You can also park aside and see how others are crossing the risky section to plan your route of escape. In deep water-crossings, try to maintain the momentum without any half clutch measures and complete the entire stretch in one go only.
Similarly, in slush stretches, do not force the issue rather keep the smooth momentum with the required speed to pass you through, without half clutch measures. Do keep an eye on the direction of the vehicle too.
If you get stuck in the mud, then try to back and forth your vehicles to get out of the stuck position. It is always handy to ask your fellow co-travelers to get out of the car and push the vehicle from behind in case the car is struggling to pass through the mud or water crossing stretch.
Things to Carry on Self Drive Trip
Basic toolkit, screwdriver set, small hammer, puncture repair kit, iron rod, two or three “2 ltr” empty bottles of Pepsi / Coke / Limca, etc. to carry extra petrol or diesel (jerry cans will leak, cold drink bottles do not leak), funnel, towing rope, spare tube (must for bikes), Elfy or Fevi-quick (2-3 sachets), jump-start cables/wires, M-seal to prevent leakage, etc. were among the few things which I carried along on my trip to Ladakh. Also, do not forget to get your vehicle (car/bike) serviced about 2-3 weeks before the start of the Ladakh journey.
This will ensure that you have proper time in advance to test your serviced vehicle and get fixed any hitches that may have been introduced in that service
Pro Tip: If you are doing a self drive trip to Leh – Ladakh, then make sure to read my article on 40 Must Have Things to Carry on a Self Drive Trip to the Himalayas
Hiring a Private Taxi | Taxi Number or Private Number
All taxis (except Ladakh registration number) having taxi numbers or tourist permits number plates are only allowed for a drop in Leh Ladakh. As per the taxi union rules, only taxis with Leh number are only allowed to roam in the Ladakh region for sightseeing purposes. No Kashmir based taxis will be allowed for sightseeing.
If you want to travel within Leh Ladakh in your private taxi hired from a place other than Ladakh, then, in that case, you need to hire a taxi with a private number plate only. However, in the latter case, be ready for some queries by the local taxi drivers in Ladakh or police constables on your route. You need to ensure everyone interrogating with you guys have not rented that the vehicle.
If you can get hold of some taxi driver in Ladakh then hire that taxi only else go to Kargil first and change taxi from there. From Kargil, the Ladakh taxi driver can pick you, and you will have the advantage to cover the sightseeing places en-route Leh on Srinagar – Leh Highway like Alchi, Basgo, Likir, etc. before you reach Leh.
If that is not your plan then hire a direct taxi from Srinagar to Leh, but with a taxi hired with Srinagar number plate, you will not be able to do sightseeing en-route especially Sham Valley, as far as I know.
Where to get a taxi from Srinagar to Leh?
To hire a taxi, go directly to Srinagar taxi stand and bargain hard with the local drivers only, for a drop to Leh. Do not involve any tour operator or hotel staff at any stage. The local taxi drivers will charge about Rs 1500-1800 extra for a planned night halt on the way to Leh.
Srinagar to Leh taxi fare is close to Rs 16000 to Rs 17000 for a drop to Leh from Srinagar with a one-night halt, depending on your bargaining power, tourist rush and the time of the year you are visiting. You can refer to the latest taxi rates from Srinagar to Leh via Kargil in the article Leh Ladakh Taxi Rates 2020 – 21.
Srinagar – Leh Bus Service, JK SRTC and Others | Economical mode of travel
JKSRTC ply buses on Srinagar – Leh Highway, which is available at Srinagar Bus Stand near TRC Dal Lake and near Polo Ground in Leh. JKSRTC has both, standard as well as semi-deluxe buses which run on Srinagar – Leh Highway.
The super deluxe bus fare from Srinagar to Leh is around Rs 1320 per person, and semi-deluxe bus fare is Rs 925 per person from Srinagar to Leh. If you prefer to travel by a standard bus from Srinagar to Leh, the bus fare is Rs 470.
There are also private bus operators who run semi-deluxe buses in the form of tempo travelers between Srinagar – Leh. The charges of these buses from Srinagar to Leh is about Rs 1000 – Rs 1500 per seat.
Read the full detailed article on Srinagar to Leh bus services, which talks about their timing from Srinagar and Leh along with bus fare.
Srinagar to Leh buses generally stops overnight at Kargil and Sonamarg for tea and snacks. The bus from Leh does not stop overnight. The JKSRTC standard buses may not be as comfortable, though, but comfort comes with the price.
The bus from Srinagar to Leh starts at 8 AM at present and the bus from Leh to Srinagar starts at 2 PM, runs non-stop at night and arrives at 7.30 AM in Srinagar.
Pro Tip: If you are on a budget Ladakh trip then you can always refer my guide on making a trip to Ladakh by public transport
Shared Taxi | A Cannonball run
You can also buy yourself a seat in a shared taxi that runs every mid-night from Srinagar and reaches Leh on the next evening without any night halt. In the same way, shared taxis are run from Leh to Srinagar as well.
You need to pay about Rs 1800 to Rs 2200 per person for a drop to Leh from Srinagar or a drop to Srinagar from Leh. Of course, since it is shared with 7-8 other people plus the driver and completes the back-breaking cannonball run of Srinagar – Leh in 15-16 hours, you can imagine the level of comfort yourself. This one is the second cheapest mode of travel on Srinagar – Leh Highway but mind you, it could be the toughest on the body too 🙂
Also, not staying at Kargil will mean less acclimatization which may make you feel a bit sick in the first few days when you reach Leh.
Other travel modes
You can also get in touch with some travel agent or taxi union in Srinagar who also runs their private buses or Tempo Travelers on Srinagar – Leh Highway.
You can also travel from Srinagar to Leh flight as well if you want to see some really amazing aerial views of the Himalayas.
Planning Night Stay or Accommodation on Srinagar – Leh Highway
Based on my experience, you can opt to plan a journey on Srinagar – Leh Highway in one of the following ways –
Two Day Trip on Srinagar – Leh Highway
The options of stay or accommodation are minimal on Manali – Leh Highway due to the limited civilization. But on the Srinagar – Leh Highway, you get the respite as there are plenty of civilized places en-route, and you get to find accommodation either one or the other place.
You will find accommodation options every 70-80 odd KMs on an average. But still, a two-day journey on Srinagar – Leh Highway is the most common among all travelers as you tend to see the beauty in a relaxing manner as well as you help your body to acclimatize to the altitude of Leh.
Private Taxis and buses run by JKSRTC also cover the Srinagar – Leh Highway in two days with a night halt at Kargil. Mostly, people break up the journey on Srinagar – Leh Highway in the following ways over two days –
Srinagar – Kargil / Drass (Day 1) and Kargil / Drass – Leh (Day 2)
This option is mostly preferred by people as it evenly distributes the travel time of the entire journey in two days. However, on the second day, you need to leave early in the morning if you are interested in stopping at every other point to take pictures and still reach Leh in time :).
Personally, out of Kargil or Drass, you shall prefer to stay at Kargil due to varied options of accommodation available. But, sometimes, finding vegetarian food becomes difficult in Kargil in the late evening, and hence, you can opt to stay at Drass, which does offer a few accommodation options. However, if you have booked a hotel, you will surely get the veggie food in Kargil too.
The distance between Drass – Kargil is about 60 KMs only which means about 2 hours or more travel time the next day. Hence, prefer to stay at Kargil only.
If you are a vegetarian then most likely, what you can do is that if you are reaching Drass by about early evening, then it is good to take your dinner there and reach Kargil by the late evening or early night time. Maybe tea or coffee with some biscuits will make you feel good for the rest of the night.
It will surely help rather than sleeping without vegetarian food due to its unavailability in Kargil. Many new hotels have mushroomed by 2018, so this is not so common nowadays but something worth keeping in mind and checking with your hotel.
One Day Journey on Srinagar – Leh Highway
Srinagar – Leh (Day 1)
This option of completing the journey of Srinagar – Leh in a single day is most common among local people or people who are in a high rush and is least I recommend if you want to enjoy your travel.
Shared taxis are the preferred way to avail of this option. Although it could be the cheapest or time saving for you, this back-breaking, cannonball run of 15-16 Hrs with least stoppages does put a heavy toll on the body as well as the mind of an average traveler.
This long journey is extremely tiring and by traversing through the varied amount of altitudes in a single day, you are definitely running a risk of acute mountain sickness (AMS) or some severe headaches and for initial days spent in Leh.
Of course, this is true in case you have not stayed overnight in Gulmarg or Pahalgam or Sonamarg on previous nights of your tour. Undertaking this journey in a single day may certainly kill the joy of the journey.
Three Day Journey on Srinagar – Leh Highway
Srinagar – Kargil/Drass (Day 1) and Kargil/Drass – Lamayuru/Alchi (Day 2) and Lamayuru/Alchi – Leh (Day 3)
Well, by extending the journey of Srinagar – Leh Highway in three days, you give yourself a chance to explore the sightseeing places en-route thoroughly. There are many tourist destinations in the Ladakh region, which are situated on Srinagar – Leh Highway and require time if you wish to explore them.
Hence, by extending the journey with one day you give yourself ample time to explore these tourist places before you reach Leh. For more details on sightseeing refer to the section: Sightseeing on Srinagar – Leh Highway, below in the article.
Very few people follow this option due to a lack of time and to save money. If these two things have no place for consideration at your grounds, then I will say go with it, and you will make your journey on Srinagar – Leh Highway much more than a memorable experience :). The comparison of night halts (Drass/Kargil) is made in the first option, so opt as per your taste.
This option will mostly be available if you are traveling by your own vehicle. To be very frank, this option is not even available if you are hiring a private Srinagar registered taxi as well because Srinagar registered taxis are not allowed for local sightseeing in Ladakh region especially Sham Valley where all these tourist places are present.
In such a case you need to book a taxi to Kargil first from Srinagar and then hire yourself a taxi from Kargil to Leh, or you need to hire a Ladakh registered number taxi. Confirm in advance from the driver if he will do sightseeing for Sham Valley before booking it. Then, in the next two days after covering all tourist destinations including Mulbekh, Lamayuru, Redzong, Alchi, Likir, Sham Valley, etc. on the route you can reach Leh.
Staying one night at Alchi, which is lower in altitude than Leh, also make sure that your body is much more acclimatized to the altitude of Leh and you enjoy a lot better conditions once you reach Leh after a stay at Kargil and Alchi on previous nights.
You can check a very balanced and most common itinerary for Leh – Ladakh followed by many travelers including me at the link here for 13-14 days: Most Common Itinerary for Leh – Ladakh.
Alternate Route to Leh from Kargil via Batalik and Dah
There exists an alternate route to reach Leh once you reach Kargil, which is a bit more scenic than the usual route. The usual route goes like Kargil – Mulbekh – Lamayuru – Leh and the alternate, the less used route goes like Kargil – Batalik – Dah – Skurbuchan – Leh.
Please make a note that the route via Batalik requires you to get the Inner Line Permits from either DC Office Kargil or DC Office Leh. So, I will advise that you go to Leh from Kargil via Lamayuru following the usual route and then you can come back to Kargil via Batalik after getting the permits from Leh DC office at the time you apply permits for Ladakh sightseeing places like Nubra Valley, Pangong Tso, etc.
If you are returning via Manali – Leh Highway then you need to take permits from Kargil DC Office to go via the Batalik route and thereby miss the usual route to Leh which goes via Lamayuru.
Video – What to see on Srinagar to Leh Journey
Sightseeing on Srinagar – Leh Highway
Well while traversing this beautiful road of Srinagar – Leh Highway you also give yourself a chance to visit the following places either on the route or with little diversions from the route:
Maitreya at Mulbek, Lamayuru Monastery, Lunar Landscape, Redzong / Rizong Monastery, Alchi Monastery, Likir Monastery, Basgo Palace, Confluence at Nimmu, Magnetic Hills, Pathar Sahib Gurudwara, Phyang Monastery, Spituk Monastery.
You need to give yourself time to explore these places, especially Lamayuru, Alchi and Likir monasteries. Hence, if you plan to cover these sightseeing places either while going towards Leh from Srinagar or towards Srinagar from Leh, then give yourself at least three days to cover the entire Srinagar – Leh route.
List of Accommodation or Stay Options on Srinagar – Leh Highway
Srinagar – Leh Highway is much better than Manali – Leh Highway in terms of accommodation options it offers and one can find a decent place to stay within 125 odd KMs at max.
At some places like Mulbekh, Sonamarg, Drass, etc. the accommodation options could be very limited and basic guest house/homestay types while places like Kargil, Lamayuru does offer a varied number of accommodation options for different budget types.
So, it always better to break the journey at Kargil or Lamayuru but, of course, there are not many worries for places of stay on Srinagar – Leh Highway than on Manali – Leh Highway. You can also take a diversion to the towns of Alchi / Likir for a stay there as well. Of course, you will find basic homestay types of accommodation at both Alchi / Likir, but it would be a worthwhile experience in any case.
Here is the break up of accommodation options available on Srinagar – Leh Highway with distances –
- Srinagar – Sonamarg (80 KMs) | Decent number of accommodation options available at Sonamarg
- Sonamarg – Drass (65 KMs) | Decent number of accommodation options available at Drass
- Drass – Kargil (55 KMs) | Many accommodation options available at Kargil
- Kargil – Mulbekh (40 KMs) | Few basic / homestay accommodation options available at Mulbekh
- Mulbekh – Lamayuru (70 KMs) | Decent number of accommodation options available at Lamayuru
- Lamayuru – Alchi / Likir (55 – 65 KMs / 65 – 75 KMs) | Few basic / homestay accommodation options available at Alchi / Likir
- Lamayuru – Leh (125 KMs) | Many accommodation options available at Leh
- Alchi / Likir – Leh ( 65 KM / 55 KMs) | Many accommodation options available at Leh
Please keep in mind that Alchi and Likir are not exactly on Srinagar – Leh Highway and you need to take diversions near Sasapol bridge for Alchi. The distance between Alchi – Likir is about 21 KMs only.
Acclimatization and its importance on Srinagar – Leh Highway
Unlike Manali – Leh Highway, the journey on Srinagar – Leh Highway goes through a gradual increase in altitude, thereby helping our body to get acclimatized properly for the altitude of Leh. That is why I always prefer going through Srinagar – Leh Highway for a road trip to Ladakh than going via Manali – Leh Highway.
By going to Leh – Ladakh from Srinagar Leh Highway, one gives himself a chance to properly acclimatize to the high altitudes, thereby decreasing the chances of being hit by AMS. In the return leg, you can go via Leh – Manali Highway so that your body is properly acclimatized by the time you undertake the varied high altitudes on that route. This route helps you enjoy the Manali – Leh highway in a better way as well.
Having said that even on Srinagar – Leh Highway, it is always good that you take little precautions to minimize the effects of high altitude sickness further. Here are some tips which will help to acclimatize the body faster
- Try to cover the Srinagar – Leh journey in two days with a night halt at Kargil most preferably.
- Keep your body properly hydrated.
- Avoid sleeping at high altitudes.
- Avoid overexertion.
- Avoid tobacco and smoking and alcohol and other depressant drugs.
- Keep your body warm and eat lots of carbohydrates.
- Avoid sleep during the day.
- Sleep in an upright position, if possible.
- Carry preventive medicines for AMS.
- Immediately descend, if symptoms increase.
Fuel or Petrol Pumps on Srinagar – Leh Highway
Again, unlike Manali – Leh Highway, it is easy to find fuel or petrol on Srinagar – Leh Highway. One can get fuel or petrol on Srinagar Leh Highway at the places like Srinagar, Kangan, Sonamarg, Kargil, Mulbekh, Wakha, Khaltsi, Leh
ATMs on Srinagar – Leh Highway
As per my knowledge, there are ATMs available at Ganderbal, Drass, Kargil apart from Leh and Srinagar ATMs. But still, I feel you should carry enough cash with you in Ladakh because ATMs at these limited places can run out of money or become un-operational at any day or time. It has happened to me many times 🙂
Srinagar to Leh Road Conditions
- Srinagar To Sonamarg – Good, Very Good
- Sonamarg To Zojila Pass – Average, Bad, Slushy/Dusty
- Zojila Pass To Gumri – Average, Good
- Gumri To Drass – Good
- Drass To Kargil – Good
- Kargil To Mulbekh – Average, Good
- Mulbekh To Lamayuru – Good, Very Good
- Lamayuru To Saspul – Good, Very Good
- Saspul To Leh – Good, Very Good
Places on Srinagar – Leh Highway with their Distances and Altitudes
Generally, the places of on Srinagar – Leh Highway majorly goes like Srinagar – Sonamarg – Zozi La – Drass – Kargil – Mulbekh – Namika La – Fotu La – Lamayuru – Khaltsi – Sasapol – Nimmu – Leh and the approximate distances between these places is shown below briefly –
- Srinagar – Sonamarg (80 KMs)
- Sonamarg – Drass (65 KMs)
- Drass – Kargil (55 KMs)
- Kargil – Mulbekh (40 KMs)
- Mulbekh – Lamayuru (70 KMs)
- Lamayuru – Leh (125 KMs)
Map of Srinagar to Leh with Distances
Here is the map of Srinagar Leh Highway which you can download by right-clicking & then select the option: “Save Image As…”
Download your FREE high-resolution version pdf copy of this Srinagar to Leh Route Map. If, you liked it and found it helpful, please feel free to share it with your family and friends to help them too.
Pro Tip: In order to get more idea about the routes and distances, please refer the Road Map of Srinagar to Leh Highway.
FAQs – Srinagar to Leh Road Trip
Let us look at some of the commonly asked questions about the Srinagar Leh road trip in this section.
In general, it is fine to travel on Srinagar Leh Highway during Independence Day. The tourist areas remain safe mostly, but bandhs can affect the traffic movement. It is always advised that you leave the Srinagar city in the early morning hours in such cases. It is recommended to follow the news about Kashmir during your travel days and take the decision appropriately.
Summarized View of Facilities or Amenities on Srinagar – Leh Highway
| Facility | Places |
| Accommodations / Stay Options | Sonamarg, Drass, Kargil (Many options), Mulbekh, Lamayuru, Alchi |
| Food / Beverages | Ganderbal, Kangan, Gund, Zojila Pass, Gumri, Khaltsi, Nimmu |
| Diesel / Petrol Pumps | Kangan, Sonamarg, Kargil, Mulbekh, Wakha, Khaltsi |
| Mobile Connectivity | Up to Sonamarg both BSNL and Airtel postpaid connections works, then in Drass only BSNL, once you reach Kargil you will get the Airtel signal, but then in Mulbekh and Lamayuru only BSNL works, in Nimmu Airtel is restored along with BSNL and once you reach Leh both Airtel and BSNL work. You should refer 10 Tips on Mobile Phone Connectivity in Leh – Ladakh. Packet data works but only with BSNL that too with EDGE only. Prepaid connections from outside Jammu and Kashmir do not work in Leh – Ladakh. Carry only post-paid. |
| Fixed Phones | Ganderbal, Sonamarg, Drass, Kargil, Mulbekh, Lamayuru, Alchi, Nimmu and in between these places as well |
| Electricity | Almost all the towns en-route have electricity and I wonder if there is any town which lacks it. |
| Medical Facilities | Sonamarg, Drass (limited), Kargil, Lamayuru (limited) |
| ATMs | Ganderbal, Drass, Kargil |
| Mechanic / Puncture Shops | Ganderbal, Sonamarg, Kargil, Lamayuru (Puncture), Mulbekh (Puncture), Nimmu (Puncture) |
| Liquor Shops | Sonamarg, Drass, Kargil |
You can also check this less than 3-minute video on Discover With Dheeraj YouTube Channel to understand why you should choose Srinagar Leh Highway over Manali Leh Highway. If you like my video, please do not forget to SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube channel.
![Why avoid traveling on Manali Leh Highway in October for Ladakh trip? [5 Safety Reasons]](https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/yt_vid_thumbs/ladakh/104.png)
LAST UPDATED: December 2019
This article has been updated with the latest information about Srinagar – Leh Highway and is kept up to date every season to reflect the current status. Feel free to suggest any further updates you deem fit.
Conclusion
I hope this Srinagar Leh guide helps you with all the unanswered questions for making a successful trip from Srinagar to Ladakh. In case, if you still have any questions about your trip to Srinagar Leh Highway, feel free to post them in the comments section of this article.
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 Srinagar – Leh Highway before, kindly share your thoughts and other information you might feel is worth sharing with other fellow travelers and help them.
If you know your friends or family are planning a trip to Ladakh, do share this article with them to help them make a memorable Ladakh trip.
2,672 Comments
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Hi Dheeraj,
We are planning to go to Leh on 24th July via Srinagar. Will it be an appropriate time to visit ? Or do we need to take Manali-Leh route ? Thanks a lot for all the work that u r doing for this community
Pranav, it is fine time to travel to Ladakh from Srinagar side.
hi sir
pls suggest me how to book a advance and cheaper taxi or bus ticket from srinagar to leh highway..
Vijay you cannot do advance booking for these and have to do booking a day in advance after reaching Srinagar only.
Will I be able to enjoy or see Snow on Srinagar Leh highway in the last week of June? Also please suggest me with some good Pure Veg restaurants on the highway and Leh town.
Mohit, you will only be able to see some remains of snow at Zojila Pass towards the end of June. You will find veg food up there in Ladakh
Hi Dheeraj,
As I’ve previously posted, I’m planning a trip to Leh via the Jammu-Srinagar highway and back via Manali. However, I’ve just been reading travel warnings about this area and was wondering how accurate these warnings are (ie, if they are making the issue out to be bigger than it is). Below is an extract from what I’ve read. What are your thoughts on traveling this route?
Cities of Jammu and Srinagar (including the Jammu-Srinagar highway): We advise you to reconsider your need to travel to the cities of Jammu and Srinagar, including the Jammu-Srinagar highway, due to the risk of armed clashes, terrorist attacks and violent demonstrations. If you choose to travel to Srinagar, you should do so by air. All travel to the region should be via Manali, or by air to the region’s main city of Leh, in order to avoid potential trouble spots elsewhere in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Thanks!
Liesel
Liesel, yes there are intermittent issues with strikes / bandhs / protests and all, however, in most occasions tourist circuits are left aside from trouble. If you are concerned my advice will be also to fly to Srinagar and then move to Sonamarg that day only. Then you can take it easy all the way to back home as required.
Hi i am from kashmir and would like to tell you that there is nothing like that. Please fell free to go by road anywhere anytime you want. It is seriously safe all around
Thanks a ton Mansoor for confirming it. It really helps sitting outside and not going by the rumours.
Hi, Dhreeraj Sir, Plz suggest itinerary for 12 day, We are three People on bike, Planing to start Our Ride from DELHI-JAMMU-SRINAGAR-LEH-MANALI DELHI, So please suggest itinerary including tsomoriri lake, Pangong and Khurdang-La……?
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 tweak the above itinerary to make it 12 by removing the rest day in Leh after Pangong Tso visit and go to Tso Moriri from Leh.
Thanks for Dheeraj Sir
dheeraj jee we are planing to go leh from srinagar 17 june. i have hyundai accent .can we reach in 1 day ? sir please advice me .
Jitender, it will take about 18 Hrs of drive which is not recommended at all. Better night halt at Kargil and then move on.
sir i belong to dharmshala H.P. so i have good hill road driving experiance from last 20 years . dharmshala to jammu . srinagar. kargil . leh . back keylong manali and dharmshala so 6 days are good or not ? and also accent car which is new and done only 13000 kms . we are total 2 me & my friend . i shall be very very thankful to you
These are the night halts you will have to under go from Dharamshala in a hectic way with just 6-7 days in hand without buffer and any other location of Ladakh
Dharamashala to Patnitop
Patnitop to Sonamarg
Sonamarg – Leh, long drive
Leh Rest day
Leh – Sarchu
Sarchu to Manali
Manali to Dharamshala
Hi Dheeraj,
I am planning to travel on 19th June from Srinagar to Leh in my Maruti Suzuki ERTIGA.
Need your advise if ERTIGA will be fine for this route.
Also if road conditions are good then would want to take Leh – Manali route in retrun.
WIll that be okay for ERTIGA ?
Please advise.
Warm regards,
Ertiga shall be good to go, road conditions will not be good but if you are a decent driver and have experience of driving in hills, you can manage to pass Ertiga on Leh – Manali road as well. For Small cars 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,
We are about 15 friends planning a trip to leh. Our major issue is time, though I know that leh is one destination where you should go with as much time as possible.
We are reaching Srinagar on 27th June at 2 pm and want to head straight for sonmarg. Overnight at sonmarg
28th June we want to do sonmarg to leh ( please advise if this is possible. If so then we would like to be in leh on 28th Jun to 1st July
Start from leh on 2nd July and stay at Sarchu.
3rd July sarchu to jispa
4th July jispa to manali.
The queries now
1) can we do sonmarg to leh in one day and enjoy the drive enroute with all the picture stops
2) is the return trip from leh alright as planned by us
We would have 4 bikes 2 bullet and 2 hyosung.
Plus the 4 wheelers would be 4×4
Advice would be highly appreciated
Vivek
Vivek, yes, Sonamarg to Leh is possible. Journey over Manali – Leh is fine.
Hi Dheeraj,
thanks for your blog regarding srinagar to leh .
it is very help full for all of us.
since it’s my 1st time to travel on bike for mountain road.
i have some question for your please help.
1) I want to travel on Aug 1st or 2 nd week so it is a good time to travel or not
2) i want to hire a bike from srinager to leh & return we are two peoples so a single bike will be ok or we have to hire two bike
3) my travel as per below
mumbai to srinagar 2 day by train
srinagar rest
day -1 Srinagar-Kargil
day -2 kargil to leh
day -3 leh sight seen
day-4 leh to pangong lake to leh
day -5 leh to kargil
day -6 kargil to srinagr
please suggest how i can see the below site on my route
sham valley, alchi, likri, basgo, magnetic hill, gurudware sahib.
also give your advised which more site i can see on this plan.
day -7 srinagr stay
return to mumbai
looking for your prompt reply .
thanks
vaibhav
Hi Vaibhav,
1) Well, rains in general reaches up there during that time, so till Kargil you may have to face some hassles.
2) For Srinagar bike rental you can refer the link: https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/india/ladakh-zanskar-travel-guides/outside-rented-bikes-banned-ladakh-t1009-50.html#p12858
3) Alchi, Likir, Basgo, Magnetic Hills will fall on the route of Srinagar to Leh, so some you can cover on the way to Leh and some on the way back
Regards
Dheeraj
Thanks Dheeraj,
for the details share with us & your reply .
Hi ,
I am planning to visit leh from Srinagar. Our flight will be touch Srinagar on 3rd july after noon. Our return flight is from New Delhi. I have drafted my plan as bellow. Please check and let me know if I have missed anything .
Days Date Days Programme
1 3/7/2015 Fri Arrive Srinagar – Sonamarg
2 4/7/2015 Sat Sonamarg- Temisgam (Sham Valley)
3 5/7/2015 Sun Temisgam – Leh
4 6/7/2015 Mon Leh – Nubra Vlaley
5 7/7/2015 Tue Nubra Valley – Leh
6 8/7/2015 Wed Leh – Pangogn Lake – Leh
7 9/7/2015 Thu Leh – Sarchu
8 10/7/2015 Fri Sarchu – Manali
9 11/7/2015 Sat Manali = Delhi Overnight Bus
10 12/7/2015 Sun Arrive Delhi
Thank You
Aniket, with number of days you have in hand your plan is OK. But, you do risk a bit of AMS issue for going to Nubra without a rest day in Leh
I’m planning for zansakar valley-ladakh trip as follows
DAY1:Arv. Srinagar from kolkata by flight..stay at srinagar
DAY2:stay at kargil.
DAY3:stay at rangdum..is there any of altitude sickness for zansakar tour?
DAY4:stay at Padum
DAY5:whole ady sight sceen at zansak valley & stay at padum..
DAY6:stay at Kargil
DAY7:stay at uletokpo/alchi/lamayuru(suggest me which is better from natural beauty point of view)?
which route should i follow from kargil-via batalik-dha/lamayuru?which is more beautiful & feasible?
DAY8:stay at Leh
DAY9:Full day sight sceen at leh
DAY10:stay at dha-hanu village-homestay..
DAY11:Back to leh….is there any direct route dha hanu to hunder?if yes how?
DAY12:Visit of nubra valley…stay hunder/diskit/panamik(suggest me which is better from natural beauty point of view,camel safari etc)
DAY13:Camel safari & trip to turtuk & panamik…is it permitted to go upto siachen glaciar?..
where should i stay?
DAY14:Back to Leh…
DAY15:visit to pangong…stay at spagmik(suggest me the best camping ground for pangong)
DAY16:visit upto Chusul & back to leh…is it possible to come back to leh after covering sight sceen on the way/or stay at pangong?
DAY17;visit to tsokar..stay(suggest me the best camping ground for tso kar & wild life photography)
DAY18:visit to tsomariri-stay at karzok(suggest me the best camping ground)…is it realy required to stay separately in tso kar & tsomariri?Can we cover tso kar on the way to tso mariri?
DAY19:stay at sarchu..
DAY20:Stay at Manali/bhuntar
DAY21:Fly to kolkata via delhi from bhuntar…is AI flight service is regular from bhuntar to delhi?
MY QUESTIONS:
1)which is the best time for photography,weather,access for zansakar & rest of ladakh part?
2)which is the best time for wild life photography at tsokar?
3)is it possible to arrange DHA-HANU tour from uletokpo?Where should we stay another day-uletokpo/dha?
which is much more beautiful rt. from kargil-leh:via batlik-dha/via lamayuru?
4)is there any direct rt. from dha hanu to nubra skipping leh?if yes,how?
5)I want to explore nubra valley..pl. suggest tour prog. as i’m staying in nubra for 2 night…
6)Natural beautywise which is better:directly from nubra to pangong via warila or conventation rt. via leh?
7)Natural beauty wise which is better:directly from pangong to tsomariri/tsokar or conventional rt. via leh?
8)If i split this prog. in two separate tour-which will be better for except srinagar-zanskar tour?
option1;arv. leh from delhi by flight & return via manali rt.
option2;start with manali-leh rt. & fly to delhi from leh?
Regards,
sourav pramanik
Hi Sourav,
Please find my reply below:
A. It is better to reach directly at Padum, rest full day next and skip Rangdum on the way to have more control on situation in case you hit with AMS. Rangdum does not have much facilities, else stay at Parkachik or Panikhar only, with Panikhar prefered. On the way back you can split the tour with stay at Rangdum to enjoy the journey.
B Uley will be good to stay. You can follow any route but for Batalik, you will need to get permits from Leh. If you did not do Lamayuru before then do that route only.
C. In case you want to go to Dah Hanu, then no point going back again. While coming from Kargil, go to Dah Hanu, stay there and then come to Leh from there may be by staying at Alchi or directly to Leh. Skip Uley in that case. There is no direct route from Dahu Hanu to Nubra.
D. Siachen is not allowed, you can at max go up to Warshi village about 39 KMs ahead of Panamik starting this year.
C. Go to Tso Moriri first and then from there go to Tso Kar so that you can exit to Sarchu from Tso Kar only instead of backtracking it twice.
Regarding your QUESTIONS:
1) September is good time but snow will not be there though colors will be best.
2) September is good time too.
3) Answered above
4) Answered above
5) Answered above
6) Best is to follow normal route to PAngong Tso
7) Both are good, since Chusul route is sensitive, you in any case cannot stop to take pictures. If caught you will land up in deep trouble.
8) Your current program is good.
Regards,
Dheeraj
Hi Dheeraj,
Thanks for great suggestion..
So,now modified prog. becomes
OPTION1:(ZANSAKR)
DAY1;Arv. srinagar from kolkata..stay
DAY2:stay at kargil…
DAY3:stay at panikhar…
Pl. give me contact details for camp/homestay/hotel/resort at panikhar
DAY4:stay padum
DAY5:full day tour around padum
pl. give a suitable adventurous prog. for this day
DAY6:stay at rangdum/kargil
DAY7:leave early from rangdum.. collect ILP from kargil for dha hanu..
stay at dha hanu…is it feasible to reach dha hanu from rangdum on the same day?
pl. give me contact details for homestay at dha hanu…
DAY8:stay at uletokpo…
pl. suggest a suiatble prog. for this day
DAY9:stay at leh
DAY10:fly to kolkata…
is this tour prog. perfect from all respect in mid. august–mid. september?
kindly suggest what the places to see enroute & around(including small walk/light treking) daywise..
Regards
Sourav Pramanik
Hi Sourav,
Yes it is feasible to reach Dah from Rangdum, better leave early as it will be a long day. Regarding stay at Panikhar, book the JKTDC bungload/pwd rest house as that is the only option I know there apart from homestays. The plan seems balanced now. Regarding sightseeing in Padum, refer: Itinerary for My Zanskar Trip in September – 2012
Hellow Dheeraj ji, please tell me in Sringar from which point I can get a shared taxi to Leh which drop us there without any halt.
You can get that from Srinagar taxi stand or taxi stand opposite TRC (Torusit Reception cEnter)
Hi Dheeraj,
I am planning to visit Leh from Srinagar during 1st Aug to 9th Aug 2015.
What are my options of getting two wheelers on rent as compared to Manali. I have been to below threads from your community however did not get any specific details for Srinagar rentals.
Do you recommend any?
https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/travel-guide-for-manali-leh-highway/
https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/5-tips-to-rent-bike-in-leh-ladakh/
https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/india/himalayan-travel-guides/topic1818.html
https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/india/ladakh-zanskar-travel-guides/ladakh-bike-rental-rates-2014-t954.html
https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/list-of-accommodation-options-on-manali-leh-highway/
https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/how-to-plan-a-journey-on-manali-leh-highway/
Waiting for your valuable inputs 🙂
Regards,
Sujit
Sujit, for Srinagar bike rental you can refer the link: https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/india/ladakh-zanskar-travel-guides/outside-rented-bikes-banned-ladakh-t1009-50.html#p12858
Thanks a lot Dheeraj 🙂
Sir,I also feel my self a good driver and my dream distinction is ofcorce leh. I had read all your suggestions in ur blog ,I am from Allahabad. My privios trip is from Allahabad-goa.v r planning for leh in next few weeks, kindly suggest me the exact date of travel via Srinagar- leg highway & minimum time to feel the glory of leh. (Thank you).
Amit, please plan the trip around 25th June types so that Manali – Leh will open and settle by the time you reach there. 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.
I am planning to visit Delhi to Leh via Srinagar in July 14th in my own SUV and return via Manali. Please let me know do I need to get any permit for my car to travel from Srinagar to Leh?
No, you do not need any permit for it.
Hi Dheeraj Ji,
11th of this month we are starting from Kolkata in my personal XUV 5oo and reaching Srinagar by 13th Evening. We plan to start on 14th morning from Srinagar to Kargil.
What is the best time to start from Srinagar? Any other suggestion from your side.
Cheers
Shantanu
Shantanu, I follow a principle of “Leave Early, Sleep Early” when in mountains as it gives me an oppotunity to have buffer sunlight left in the later half of the day in case I get stuck somewhere on the way. I consider anything late than 7.30 AM as quite late.
Hello Buddy,
Can you please let me know the time table to cross Zojila pass. I’ll be crossing Zojilla on 15th June and theres a lot confusion . I have spoken to few hotels at sonmarg (they gave different answers) , two of them said from sonmarg side, vehicular movement window is early morning one like it used to be and 2 said from this year its 1 PM onwards. Can you please shed some light on this as i need to decide my next stay accordingly .
Sumit, please refer: Srinagar Leh Highway Status 2015
Hi,
We 5 people planning a bike trip to Ladakh. We will reach at Delhi on 7th June 2015. And booked return tickets on 20th June 2015. We wish to start ride from Srinagar and End in Manali Via Leah. We need rental bikes (Enfield 350cc)
Please help me on itinerary
Look forward replies
Bareer, 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 skip the rest day in Leh to suit your needs. Regarding bike rental: 5 Tips to Rent Bike in Leh – Ladakh and Ride with Pillion
Hi Dheeraj
As i discussed earlier with you about my itenary about manali -leh trip , you said that there may be manali-leh highway will not get opened.
so i have planned another itenary can you please suggest actually we have total 9 no of days.
1st Day – 13th of June — Ambala- Patnitop 0r Baltal – 2:00 Am
2nd Day – 14th June – Patnitop 0r Baltal to Sringar
3rd Day -15th June – Kargil
4th Day- 16th June- Leh
5th day – 17th June-Nubra Valley, Hunder Via Khardungla
6th Day- Nubra valley – Pangong
7th Day pangong- Pang
8th Day Pang – Keylong
9th day Keylong-Manali- Ambala
Hi Rajat,
I am not sure about which Baltal you have referenced here. Baltal is after Sonamarg on Srinagar – Kargil route. So, prefer Patnitop here. Itinerary is very very hectic and poses a threat of AMS for sure as there is no rest in Leh before going to Nubra, then you taking direct route to Pangong as well which depends if the Wari La route is open or not.
Regards
Dheeraj
Hi Dheeraj,
Please can you suggest as per your itinery for 2 day trip from Srinagar to Leh, my Flight from Kolkata to Srinagar will reach at 12 noon. Do you think it is possible to leave for Leh on the same day in Taxi reaching Kargil by night for dinner and stay.
Avijeet, you will reach Kargil in that case by 8-9 PM and will miss the beauty on the route especially after Zojila pass as I believe it will be evening by that time.
Hi Dheeraj,
Thanks for all the wonderful information you have compiled for other travelers. Me and my brothers are planning trip to laddhak this July. We plan to rent self drive car from zoom car. We are leaving from gurgaon, planning to go via srinagar to leh and return via shimla. Following is the itinerary i have planned currently. Let me know you suggestion. WE all are 6 people and all of us know driving and we are renting XUV500.
day 1: Gurgaon to Jammu
Day 2: Jammu to srinagar (Can we do gurgaon to srinagar in 1 day, if we leave early ?)
Day 3: Srinagar to kargil
Day 4: Kargil to Leh (visiting places on the way)
Day 5 : Leh to Nubra (Back to leh same night. What all we can cover in this trip ? )
Day 6: Leh to Pangong Tso (Overnight stay)
Day 7 : Pangong Tso to Tso morir (I undestand this is too long, can we on previous day, i.e day 6, start for tso Morir and take break mid way and then cover rest of the distance on day 7)
Day 8 : Tso morir to sarchu/keylong
Day 9: Sarchu/Keylong to Manali
Day 10: Manali to Gurgaon
Also, till how late time can we drive ? I mean 7-8 PM ? Leh town, how long is it awake ? On day 5 we plan to come back same day, so till what time it is advisable to reach back ?
Thanks
Aditya
Hi Aditya,
My replies below:
1. Gurgaon to Srinagar will be too long to stretch
2. You are trying to cover too much in too little time and I am afraid there are lot of challenges in it with major one being AMS. If anyone of you hit with AMS, the trip is all gone unless you plan to risk the life of that person to fulfill the plan of covering too much in too little. Read more about acclimatization: Acute Mountain Sickness and Importance of Acclimatization
3. You should plan a rest day on Day 5, then do Nubra valley day trip on Day 6, then day 7 to day trip to Pangoong tso and then do Leh to Sarchu or Pangong tso to sarchu on Day 8. Day 9 reach Manali and day 10 reach Gurgaon.
Regards
Dheeraj
Hi dheeraj
First of all thank you for the awesome work you are doing here.
We are a group of three from kerala planning to make a trip as per the itinerary you suggested, starting on the second week of July. I have two questions:
1. We are planning to rent a self drive car from delhi. As per your article only private number taxis are allowed to ply around ladakh region. The self drive rental cars have yellow number plates. Is that going to be a problem? Any way around this problem you can suggest?
2. Do we need to book our accommodation beforehand or can we get reasonable stay for our family group on a walk-in basis?
Thanks in advance,
arun
Hi Arun,
Regarding self-drive car to Ladakh, this year a lot of queries I am seeing on the questioning of self drive cars being allowed or not allowed. Seems I need to take a try myself 😆 😆
As per the rule, only yellow number plate is banned for sightseeing and both white and black plates are allowed. This is the basic rule, in case Ladakh taxi union has started creating nuisance about black number plate as well recently I am not aware but by the rule book upto last year black number plates were allowed and I did not read any bad instance for such matter though there could be but not in my knowledge.
If you are open to search here and there at few places and do not have any specific place to stay, then it is fine to book on the spot.
Regards
Dheeraj
Hi Dheeraj..
We are group of 4 from Haridwar and planning to travel Leh with our own car Swift petrol variant from Haridwar itself via Srinagar and will return via manali route.
We have 14 -15 days in which we want to explore srinagar, kargil , leh , nubra valley, pangong lake, hunder.
Can you please guide us
– the best possible route to travel leh from haridwar as we unable to comprehend the route like how much kilometers we should travel per day, where we need to take hault for rest and which route option we should opt.
– Will it be good option to take our swift (Total travel kilo-meter distance till date 11K)
Thanks
Mayank
Mayank,
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.
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.
Regards
Dheeraj
Thanks Dheeraj 🙂
hiii
dheeraj
is there any oneway traffice timing from srinagar to leh…
i am planning to go leh from (srinagar -drass-kargil-leh in 1and half day )
please suggest me
so i can plan accordingly
thank you
Yes Karnesh, there is one way traffic at Zojila Pass on Srinagar – Leh Highway. For details of the timings, please refer the thread: https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/india/road-status-conditions-f32/srinagar-leh-highway-status-2015-2016-t2398.html
thank you dheeraj 🙂
Hi Dheeraj G,
we a group of 8-9 members including 3-4 kids of age group 3-7 yrs, are planning to Srinagar- Leh- Manali with our own cars Scorpio and Duster ( self drive) on 19th to 26th June15.
I have some doubts kindly clear.
1- Is it safe to travel with kids of these age group?
2- Are 8-9 days are sufficient for this trip?
3- Are these cars fine for this trip or not ?
kindly guide
waiting for your reply.
vishal…
Hi Vishal,
1. 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 less than 3 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.
2. Less number of days you have in hand. 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.
3. Cars are fine but driver should also be good enough to drive in these conditions. It will be an adventure trip not a family vacation.
Regards
Dheeraj
Hi dheeraj. Nice info. Just wanted to know. Is it advisable to start from manali leh highway and the return journey on srinagar leh highway. What would be the approx time from Leh to reach srinagar. And then srinagar to delhi if taken by road. Thanks 🙂
Replied to your query: https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/places-on-manali-leh-highway-a-detailed-description/comment-page-2/#comment-328321
Hai Dheeraj, please kindly inform what about the avalaibility of methylated spirits (or spiritus or denatured alcohol) for Trangia stove in Srinagar and Leh? Is it common or easy to find in what shop in Srinagar or only one-two shop selling that fuel? What kind of shop? Where did I can buy that fuel in Srinagar and Leh? Please reply as I really need the info about this..Thank you so much
I highly doubt you wil get it up there. Cannot realy guarntee if you wil get it up there. May be in Leh as there many camping rental shops up there.
hi Dheeraj
I am from punjab and planing for a solo trip in mid of june to leh via srinagar and return via manali. i have plenty of time near about 18-20 days. i will be choosing public transport for my trip. Can you please guide me with itinerary with all possible resources i can use to make the best out of it. thanks..! XX
Hi Dheeraj I am planning to leave from Delhi to leh in my own swift dzire diesel on 15th of may..we are 5 ppl in all..can u plzz suggest if its possible to do this in dzire..via Srinagar..
Abhinav, I will not recommend dzire that early in the season especially if you love your car. The road conditions at Zojila pass will be quite challenging to tackle. You will have to tackle it twice too, going and coming back.
Hi Chetan,
Since you will be doing it with public transport, I will suggest for the plan and flow suggestion you refer the itinerary in the plan: Most Common Itinerary for Leh – Ladakh.
This will help you on basic flow and based on the availability of public transport, you can continue in this flow.
You are alone 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 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 and look forward to meet new people and share cultural thoughts and values over the trip. No where else in the world you will find more smiling and helpful people as Ladakhis are 🙂
Regards
Dheeraj
🙂 awesome…! your info really makes me feel lighter as i was bit scared and worried about my plan before. thanks
Chetan, glad to know that bro that DoW is helpful to such extent 🙂
HEY CHETAN,
Me and my two friends are going by public transport
If you wish, you can join us. The trip will be great fun..
ABHINAV
9806165964
Hi Dheeraj
We are group of 4 people planning for a trip to Leh.
Plan outline :
1. Will be reaching from delhi to srinagar on 19th June around 4 in the evening and planing to leave for kargil on the same day and will do an overnight stay @Kargil.
2. Next day will be moving for Leh and planing to stay and roam around there for next 5days and will be coming back to srinagar to board our flight on 7th day.
Queries that we have :
1. Is traveling is allowed and safe during evening to Kargil, will be starting around 5 from Srinagar to kargil???
2. Shall we book a cab for all the 7days (if so which cab for 4 people and how much will they charge) ?? This include going from Srinagar to Kargil stay overnight, from Kargil to Leh and continue with the cab for roaming around the places in Leh.
3. Or should we go via bus or public transport from srinagar–>>Kargil and Kargil –> Leh after a overnight stay in kargil??
4. Good budget guest house in an around leh.
Replied here: https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/leh-ladakh-taxi-rates-2014-15/comment-page-4/#comment-327379
hi dheeraj..
thank you for detailed info you shared.
we are planning our trip from 14th may from ahmedabad by private car safari decor2.0
i have certain queries, would you pl. help me out
we will be at srinagar on 17th MAY
do we need road permit for our personal vehicle to travel from srinagar to leh ?
after reading you post, we were thinking of covering the places on the way from kargil but
also we are planning for a trek in leh so, pl. suggest what to do?
we are planning for 6-7 days of trek.
in return which route do u suggest leh – Manali or leh srinagar.
Hi Keyur,
1. You do not need any permits for the personal vehicle to travel to Leh
2. You will be able to cover all these places in 2 days. Then you can trek in Leh. Which trek you planning?
3. Leh – Manali Highway will not open by that time when you return.
Regards
Dheeraj
Hi Dheeraj,
I cannot Thank You enough for your posts. I prefer planning my vacations rather than opting for packages offered by travel portals & travel agents. After reading your posts, I planned the following itinerary for my vacation.
1. Please tell me if you would recommend any changes to my itinerary:
28-May (Thu): Mumbai to Delhi to Agra & back to Delhi
29-May (Fri): Delhi to Srinagar
30-May (Sat): Srinagar to Gulmarg
31-May (Sun): Srinagar to Sonmarg to Kargil
1-Jun (Mon) Kargil to Lamayuru & on the way sightseeing to Leh (hopefully will find a Leh car for the whole trip)
2-Jun (Tue): Leh Local Sightseeing & searching for good car & guide to rent for 7-day trip (if not found above)
3-Jun (Wed): Leh to Nubra valley
4-Jun (Thu): Nubra to Leh return trip
5-Jun (Fri): Leh to Pangong Tso
6-Jun (Sat): Pangong Tso to Leh return trip
7-Jun (Sun): Leh to Tso Moriri
8-Jun (Mon): Tso Moriri to Leh return trip
9-Jun (Tue): Fly out of Leh to Mumbai
2. Speaking to the Car drivers listed on your website. Most of them mention 40 K for the Leh – Nubra – Pangong – Tso Moriri – Leh part of the trip (without including the Srinagar to Leh journey). It is just me & my wife and this seems pretty steep. Is this the amount to be expected for the taxi/car rent?
3. I checked the taxi fare card also, will it be less expensive to hire separate taxis/cars for each of the following outings, as I will be having time in Leh:
a. Leh to Nubra (night halt) & return on 2nd day
b. Leh to Pangong Tso (night halt) & return on 2nd day
c. Leh to Tso Moriri (night halt) & return on 2nd day
4. I can search for share taxis in Srinagar, Sonmarg, Kargil, or Leh to reduce the cost but not sure if there will be sharing options available to meet the above itinerary. Any recommendations?
5. I checked your calendar. Are there any visitors who can share a car for reducing cost for any part of above Ladakh itinerary?
Hi
1. Your itinerary seems fine to me. Nice home work done 🙂
2. Yes, veryy correct. It will come around that much only.
3. Hiring taxis on different routes will be more costly than hiring a single taxi for entire route as driver eventually will give more discount to you for entire tour.
4. 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 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 and look forward to meet new people and share cultural thoughts and values over the trip. No where else in the world you will find more smiling and helpful people as Ladakhis are 🙂
5. If there is no entry in the calendar on such dates, make yours if someone else have same needs at least they can get connected.
Regards
Dheeraj
Dheeraj,
This is an extraordinary article. Very well written, can’t help you enough for how much insight has this shared with me.
Though I wanted to ask you:
1. Is there a possibility to camp at any of the spots on this highway? I’m sure there are permission protocols to follow too, just curious to know if this can be done.
2. Okay, so what we are planning is to take the bikes from Bombay by Cargo (train) till Jammu Tawi and then start our journey from there, cover Srinagar-Leh and while coming back, we’re doing a full-fledged road trip back to Bombay.
What are the limitations to this? If you can shed some light or bring in a better suggestion, we’d be more than happy 🙂
Thanks bro, already.
Hi Omkar,
1. Yes, there is possibility. For information on pitching your own camps in Leh – Ladakh, please refer our FAQ in the community: FAQ | Can I pitch my own tents or camps anywhere in Ladakh?
2. Limitations aren’t any apart from time spent. How about carrying bikes back from Ambala on the way back instead riding in plains back to Bombay in scorching heat?
Regards
Dheeraj
Hey Dheeraj,
Thanks for the reply.
We re-looked at the entire plan, we ended up deciding that we load our bikes back at Delhi while coming back. We’d love to consider Ambala now.
Thanks for sharing the link, I’ll take a good look at it.
We’re doing this first week of september, with an avenger 220 and a Honda Activa.
Still a little skeptical on Activa but we don’t have an option, would that do? 🙂
Omkar, with determination and will and some efforts to do it in tricky sections like Water Crossings and Slush sections, you shall be fine to do it. Travel as light as possible 🙂
Your reply will help me convince my fellow riders a lot, they weren’t ready at all. And early september sounds good too, right?
Thanks a lot, means a lot Dheeraj. 🙂
Yeah, and BTW, we will be there too on the DoW Mega Meet from 4th to 14th September, looking forward to catch you up there.
That’s even more awesome.
Looking forward to it. Cheers! 🙂
Dheeraj,
Sorry to bother but one last question.
While coming back, we’re doing back from Leh to Manali, even that works right considering the majority that travels Manali to Leh on the same highway.
yes that shall be fine.
Hi Deeraj Sir,
We am from Chennai. Myself and 2 more friends planned to travel Ladakh july first week via srinagar –> kargil–>leh–manali–>delhi.
Our Plan . Please assist our plan and guide us
Day 1: Reach Srinagar night Stay
Day 2: BY Bus from srinagar to kargil
Day 3: kargil to leh
Day 4: Hire bike in leh .Please guide us from here where and how to visit places.
day 5: ????
day 6:????
day 7:????
day 8:???
Day 9: Let – sarchu ( any taxi)
day10 : reach manali
day 11: manali -delhi.
or
we can travel back to chennai from leh ( by flight) after site seeing in leh. which is best option .
Deeraj Sir, please assist us on the above plan . after hire bike in leh how we can go for site seeing or any procedures to be followed. We are totally dependent on your suggestion for this tour
Hi Praveen,
For renting bikes in Leh – Ladakh along with current Bike Union Prices, you can check the DwD Community thread: Leh – Ladakh Bike Rental Rates 2015 – 16 & Reliable Shops
Regarding your plan:
Day 5 | 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 6 | 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 7 | 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 8 | Pangong Tso Lake – Thicksey Monastery – Shey Palace – Leh
— Cover either of Hemis, Thicksey and Shey on return to Leh
— Overnight at Leh
Day 9: Let – sarchu ( any taxi)
day10 : reach manali
day 11: manali -delhi.
Thank you Deeraj Sir,
One more help. If we plan to return via flight leh to delhi directly instead road way(leh-manali-delhi). we have 3 more days .ie Days 9,10,11
Is there any other place we can visit for 2 more days in LEh instead of below plan.
Day 9: Let – sarchu ( any taxi)
day10 : reach manali
day 11: manali -delhi.
Yes, Praveen, you can do Tso Moriri lake in that case and rest for Day 11 or fly out.
Day 1 | Leh – Tso Moriri via Chumathang
— Cover Karzok Monastery
— Overnight at Karzok or Tso Moriri
Day 2 | Tso Moriri – Tso Kar – Debring (Manali – Leh Highway starts) – Taglang La – Upshi – Leh
— Come back via Tso Kar and Manali – Leh Highway to Leh
— Overnight at Leh
Dheeraj Ji,
How to return to Manali from Leh on our own. we are only 3 members.
Any Bus service Running from Leh to Manali ??
Thanks
Praveen
Praveen, there are many options to return to Manali from Leh. Both HRTC and HPTDC buses run between Manali – Leh. HPTDC ones are tourist buses and stop for sightseeing too plus are semi-deluxe. HRTC ones are normal buses. You can read about them in the article: How to plan a journey on Manali Leh Highway
Hello Dheeraj,
Your post is really helpful. Actually I am planning for Ladakh trip. So I think it will be worthy for me to plan my tour more properly.
Regards
Paromita
Paromita, yeah, for places like Ladakh, it is always better to do some planning then no planning.
Hi Dhiraj,
Awesome info, Plz suggest if the following plan can work out:
– Day1: Evening start from srinagar to Kargil. O/n stay at kargil.
– Day2: Start from Kargil to Leh.
– Day3: Leh to Nubra Valley. O/n stay at Nubra.
– Day4: Nubra to Leh. O/n stay at Leh.
– Day5: Bike ride to Pangong Lake. O/n stay at Pangong.
– Day6: Back to Leh and o/n stay at Leh.
– Day7: Start for Manali early morning. Stay somewhere on the way.
– Day8: Continue to Manali and then hike another cab for Delhi airport and reach early morning next day.
I would like to know the following details:
– Stay suggestiion at Srinagar as few of them will reach a day earlier and places can touch early morning at srinagar in few hours.
– Stay suggestion at Kargil
– What all permits will be required overall for all the places i mentioned along with the place where i need to get it from and how long it takes to get all this.
– I am not sure on the place to stay on way to manali from leh.
– What all places I should not miss on way to Leh-Manali.
– Places i can cover which i should not miss on way to Srinagar-Leh.
– Also, to cover points between Srinagar-Leh, do you suggest Ladakh vehicle or I can rely on Srinagar number plate vehicles.
– Last one, if i start from Leh on 7th early morning, can i reach delhi airport by 9th day early morning say by 9AM ?
Looks to be too many questions 🙂 .. Thanks a lot in advance.
–
–
Govind, best you can do is below:
Day 1 | Srinagar rest or go up to Sonamarg
Day 2 | Sonamarg to Leh
Day 3 | Rest in Leh
Day 4 | Leh – Nubra
Day 5 | Nubra – Leh
Day 6 | Leh – Pangong Tso – Leh
Day 7 | Leh – Sarchu / Jispa
Day 8 | Sarchu / Jispa – Manali
Regards
Dheeraj
Hello Dhiraj ji,
I am sure you are doing great… As let me start with saying thanks here for your suggestions in all aspects of Leh trip.
As we are a small group from Ahmedabad and will start our journey on 20 AUG.
Day 1: AMD to CHD by train, Unload the vehicle and assemble it. Stay at CHD night.
Day 2: CHD to Srinagar by bike ( will leave early morning) Stay at Srinagar
Day 3: Srinagar to Kargil ( Stay at Kargil)
Day 4: Kargil to Leh, Stay at Leh ( Local sight seen, Please suggest place which are must visit)
Day 5: Leh to NV via Khardung LA. ( If possible We will come back same say, Please suggest if possible) or will stay at NV
Day 6: Leh to Pangong TSO , Stay at Pangong TSO (
Day 7: Pangong TSO to leh
Day 8 : Leh to TSO Moriri, stay at TSO moriri
Day 9: TSO Moriri to Sarchu, Stay at Sarchu
Day 10 : Sarchu to Manali, Stay at Manali
Day 11 : Manali to CHD and then on the way to AMD via train.
Please advise here if any changes required.
Maulik all looks fine except that you are not sleping a night in Leh which should be done for better acclimattization. And also, Leh – Nubra Valley in single day without acclimaitzation will leave signs of AMS.
Hi Dheeraj,
Thank you for all the incredible information in the article. It helped me plan my itinerary.
Here is the plan. Please do let me know as and when you get time if this looks fine.(3rd july to 13 july)
Day1: delhi to jammu. reach jammu by evening
Day2: Jammu to srinagar, relax in boat house
Day3;srinagar to kargil: stay at kargil, sightseeing if we reach a bit early
Day4: kargil to leh via batalik dah (permit required, will try and get that in kargil)
day5: relax in leh and local sightseeing
Day6: nubru valley and come back by evening
Day 7 : Pangong Tso from leh and camp overnight (not sure if this is allowed)
Day 8: come back to leh and start towards delhi via jipsa
Day 9: jipsa to manali
day 10 : manali to delhi
Please do let me know if I am doing anything wrong in the itinerary. Any suggestions as according to this I have 1 reserve day as well with me.
Thanks in advance.
Following are my suggestions Raunaq
Day 7 : Pangong Tso day trip or Leh to Pangong tso
Day 8 : Leh to Jispa / Sarchu or Pangong tso to Sarchu
Day 9 : Jispa / Sarchu to manali
Thanks for the suggestion… Highly appreciated..:)
Just a small enquiry….isnt the journey from pangong to sarchu too long like 13/14 hrs…would it be recommended that I come to leh from pangong and leave next day…and do rafting in leh if available
Raunaq, yes the journey is long but with less days some people does make it. However, if you want you should come to Leh, may be do rafting if time allows in second half and next day leave for Sarchu. However, this will need 2 days of trip to Pangong Tso.
In case you have reserve day, it will be better to make two day trip to Nubra Valley.
Hi Dheeraj,
We are a group of 4 friends planning to visit Leh – Ladakh in the second week of June. We are basically from Mumbai and planning to hire a car from Zoom Cars, Delhi . We have 15 days in our hands including travel from Mumbai to Delhi and vice-versa.. could you please suggest me full itinerary? considering we want to explore all the place in Ladakh.
Alok, 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
Hi Dheeraj,
Thanks for your reply. I want to visit unexplored/less travelled places in Ladakh. Could you suggest me those places and routes to accommodate them in the itinerary you have mentioned in the link..
Alok, I believe with 15 days in hand better stick to the itinerary suggested as for the first time everything will be less explored for you guys. Feel it an adventure trip not a vacation trip. The less explored places comes ith greater risk of isolation and no help in miles plus bad roads. So, it is better to feel the conventional ladakh which in anyways will be new to you in relaxed and comfortable manner. Keep something for the second visit too 😀 😀
Lol.. Okay
Hi I am planning to do the trip with family on self driven car. Kids 11 and 13 years… going via Srinagar and coming back via manali.
Any specific advise for kids ?
thaks
prabhu
In general, it is fine 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 5+ year child, I think he/she would be able to convey the uneasiness with little efforts. 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.
Hi Deeraj,
First of all , you are doing a good job and thank you so much for your service.
Can you please help with whether my plan below will work or not ?
Group info – 5 male adults , average age – 32 , decent fitness and 4 of us are good drivers
Car – XUV 500 ( planning to take it from zoom cars, delhi)
We are from bangalore
Late night on April 29th, we will reach Delhi by air and then take zoon rental car and then the idea is to drive to Leh via thru srinagar and return via manali to delhi by late evening on 3rd May .
if not 4 days, extending it by one more day, can we make it ?
Do you think it is practical and possible ? please suggest
Thanks
Madhu
Madhu, first of all, Manali – Leh Highway is not even close to opening, so forget on that front. Srinagar – Leh Highway is expected to open in the last of April, though there was a recent snowfall again few days back. Hence, again it is dicey to say that it will open or not and even if it opens for tourist vehicles, then in that case the road conditions that early remains a bit risky as cut snow melts quickly and many a times cause avalanches etc..
Hi Dheeraj,
Thanks for your reply. I checked somewhere in your site only on some other post that srinagar leh route will be open from 26th April. How do I get the latest update on this ?
Also, if I take return route back from leh to delhi via srinagar only, do you think we can make it in 4 to 5 days ??
Thanks
Madhu
Madhu, here is a thread with all the status updates on Srinagar – Leh Road: https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/india/road-status-conditions-f32/srinagar-leh-highway-status-2015-2016-t2398.html
There has been a spell of snow couple of days back and rains too up there. Hence, the expected date might shift. It takes two days to reach Srinagar from Leh and vice-versa. If you have just 4-5 days in hand for the entire trip, better skip this trip instead of just being on the road for 4 days.
Hi Dheeraj,
Thank you so much for your time. I understand that to cover what I earlier said might not work. I have made changes to the plan. Please let me know your opinion
Day 1- Arrive directly to Srinagar
Day 2 – Take rental bikes and drive from srinagar to kargil and over night stay
Day 3 – Drive from Kargil to Leh and stay
Day y- Relax at leh and take a direct flight back from leh to bangalore.
The challenge here is, the transportation costs to carry the bikes from leh to srinagar, ( Lion Tour & Travels) is charging Rs.10k per bike which is too high.
Is there a way that I can get one way rentals from Leh, so that I can book my flight direct to Leh and drive till srinagar and drop the bikes.
Your quick reply is highly appreciated, since I have very less days to start my trip. 🙂
Thanks
Madhu
Madhu, in general the rates are such only for one way bike rental 🙂 … Similar charges will be required for Leh bike being dropped in Srinagar.
Dheeraj Ji Pranaam !
I am planning to hit road from Srinagar to Leh on my Bicycle. I wanted to know whether Khardungla Pass does fall in this route. If no, from where should I deviate to reach Khardungla pass & then reach Leh.
If you could enlighten me on this query, It would be really helpful for me to plan accordingly.
Dhanyavaad !
Chetan
Pranaam Chetan ji,
No, Khardung La pass is 39 KMs from Leh. Once you reach Leh, you can paddle up there from Leh after spending a day or two in Leh.
Regards
Dheeraj
Hi,
Your post is really helpful but I still have some queries.
1.We are five friends and we ll be coming down to ladakh on 30th of April.We ll reach ladakh on 30th via flight, so ll it be difficult for us to acclaimatize there?
2.We are planning a stay of around 6 days in ladakh including Nubra valley. So plz suggest us how can we accommodate aur time?
3. We’re planning a return road trip to Srinagar with a day hault in kargil.So is a 3 day trip enough?
Please help us out.
Hi Ankur,
You can follow the plan like below but returning to Srinagar will not be possible in these days unless you skip Pangong Tso or Nubra Valley.
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 Sightseeing + Acclimatization
— Hire a taxi from Leh taxi stand or Hotel whichever suits you.
— Bargain hard with taxi driver. Book that single taxi for entire trip after explaining the complete plan.
— 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 – Pangong Tso – Leh
— Do not plan to stay overnight at Pangong Tso as you will not be acclimatized and may fall sick. So, make a day trip only.
— Overnight at Leh
Day 6 | Rest day at Leh to enjoy local culture and some shopping OR Monastery tour OR Sham Valley tour OR Fly back home
— Overnight at Leh
— Monastery tour may include Hemis, Thicksey and Shey monasteries. They come on the route of Pangong Tso but as you will be doing day trip, it will be a bit hectic to include them on that day only.
— Sham Valley include Alchi, Likir, Basgo Palace, Magnetic Hills, Confluence at Nimmu, Gurudwara Pather Sahib
My flight will land on Aug 23, 2015 at about 10 am at leh &return flight is at Aug 28, 2015 from shri Nagar I am 55 years old with my wife how to plan my journey please suggest the best option
Surender ji, effectively you have just 5 days in hand with you out of which first two days MUST be followed as below for best acclimatization else you may fall ill.
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
Then you have one day with you and I will suggest that you make a day trip to Khardung La on this day. Then start moving towards Srinagar as below:
Day 4 | Leh – Lamayuru – Kargil
— Cover Mulbekh Maitrey, Lamayuru Moanstery, Lunar Landscapes
— On the way you can also see Gurudwara Pather Sahib, Magnetic Hills, Confluence at Nimmu
— Overnight at Kargil
Day 5 | Kargil – Drass – Zozi La – Sonamarg – Srinagar
— Enjoy the vistas enroute
— Have late drunch meal at Sonamarg
— Overnight at Srinagar
Hi dheeraj,
Thanks for your reply it was really helpful.
I would like to tell you that we wolud stay in Ladakh for 6 days + 3days travelling to Srinagar. It makes the travel time to 9 days.
So I wana ask that will the Highway (leh-Srinagar) open by then?
Ankur, authorities have analyzed the situation and also have looked into the priority of shipping raw products and vegetables to Leh from Srinagar in few days from now as they expect the Srinagar – Leh Highway to open very soon in coming days. Again I will say chances of allowing tourist that early might be 50:50 only.
Hi Dheeraj,
Thanks for the information. A small help- We are a group of about 10 people travelling to Leh from Srinagar in Sep this year. Would you be able to share contacts of people in Srinagar who can give bikes on rent. We will be flying out from Leh and would like to leave the bikes in Leh itself. Thanks in advance.
For Srinagar bike rental you can refer the link: https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/india/ladakh-zanskar-travel-guides/outside-rented-bikes-banned-ladakh-t1009-50.html#p12858
thanks for the detailed information!!
i am planning this summer (2015).i want to hire self driven SUV for Leh. . from Gurgaon planning to go via srinagar and come via manali. i will be crossing delhi, punjab, J& K, and Himachal. where in i have to pay the interstate tax. can you please guide about,
1). do we need to pay each entry?
2). how much in each state ?
3). any other hassles related to this like waiting at border etc..
4). under the pressure of taxi union in Manali, they are charging for private and out side taxis to go to rohtang pass. how much they charge and how to pay when you are coming from other side of rohtang ( kargil Leh).
5). your information that only ladkh taxi no, can run there, raises concern as the hired car will have a taxi no. and self driving is the main charm of the travel. i do not want my new city’s bruised belly so planning to hire a SUV.
thanks!!
Hi,
1. AFAIK, black number plate self drive cars do not need to pay any taxes but you can confirm from the rental guys.
2. Not sure about commercial ones.
3. I do not think so as IMHO, you will just pay toll only
4. There is no permit required when you come from Leh side. It is only for Manali to Rohtang Pass road and that too in that direction only.
5. As long as it has black number plate, there will not be any trouble.
Regards
Dheeraj
Thanks a lot!!
Hi Dheeraj,
You are doing a great job and your experience on this route is evident. We are 7 in a family group. We have Mahindra XUV 500. Our plan is to drive from Delhi to Leh. Doubt is that will the vehicle be okey to drive through Zozila Pass. What is the status of road from Jammu to srinagar after the floods.
Puneet
Hi puneet. this time road has been totally damaged.so plz this month u can’t go.june is good choice to go. N your xuv500 is a good car it’s ground clereance is nice. So n joy ur journey.
Srinagar – Leh Highway Update: The highway is all expected to open in the last week of April as per the reports from BRO: https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/india/road-status-conditions-f32/srinagar-leh-highway-status-2015-2016-t2398-10.html#p19380
if Your XUV if having 200mm ground clearance there should not be any issue, as reported M&M had tried to minimize the burden of higher duty by reducing the ground clearance of XUV500 from 200 mm to 160 mm.
160mm !! real trouble as Honda city has 165mm , you can imagine!!!
I think there is an engine cover that has been introduced to lower the ground clearance, you can get that removed to increase the GC, AFAIK.
Puneet, Xuv 5oo shall be a good vehicle to travel to Ladakh 🙂
how much kms it is about if we are planning delhi to leh via srinagr thn all famous places at leh laddakh and then back to delhi via manali??
It is almost 1350 km from Delhi to leh
Vishal you can expect to cover about 3200-3500 KM in total for the round trip of Ladakh covering all the famous places in between.
Dear friend,
First of all, thank you soooooooo much for such wonderful information. It is really useful. I´ll use your website for planning my trip to Leh-Ladack region for sure!
I´m with lots of doubts, but every time that I look for your website I can solve one of them! 🙂
I´m a single traveler from Brazil and to be honest I concern of travelling alone.
it seems that the region is safe for solo woman traveler, isn´t it?
Another thing is: Is it easy to find transportation in Srinagar going to Leh? I really would like to do like you suggested: in 2 days (exploring a little bit and taking time to see the beautiful road instead of going in a rush). I´m travelling on vacation, so I´ll have just few days (maybe 12 in total). Because of this, I need a reasonable plan, in order to make a memorable trip!
Any advice will be really aprecciated it!
Hello Gisele,
It is pleasure to know that site is helpful in clearing your doubts for Ladakh trip. Region of Ladakh is more or less safe for traveling solo and many people travel solo up there every year. You can get a shared jeep to Kargil from Srinagar easily at the taxi stand opposite tourist reception center. Next day take a shared jeep from Kargil over to Leh. Then rest for a day in Leh, get your Protected Area Permits done and book over shared taxis for Nubra Valley and Pangong Tso for couple of days. Finally book a shared taxi for Manali – Leh Highway 🙂
Regards
Dheeraj
Hey buddy… must say this is not only usefull but also valuable information shared by yourself… but frankly speaking I am nervous after reading it.. need your help… I’m visiting Leh this June. I desided to come via Jammu hence I hav booked train tickets thinking I’ll take the Srinagar – Leh route. I was under an impression that it will take me 1 day to reach Leh form jammu via srinager… but going through your blog it seems srinagar to leh would take me 1 day including a night stay in kargil… I’m dam confused… I think my planning has gone wrong…
Mahesh from Jammu you will need 3 days to reach Leh. Jammu to Srinagar, Srinagar to Kargil and then Kargil to Leh.
Thank you for ypur prompt reply Dheeraj. Just wanted to know will i get hotels for over night stay if on the spot in Srinagar and Kargil??? Or will i have to book it in advance. I’m enable to find any cheap hotels in Kargil…
With some search here and there, you should be able to find hotel on the spot too.
Hi Dheeraj,
First of all i must admit that this blog of yours is very informative and is more than enough to plan a trip to Leh Ladakh just by going through it.
I am planning for my Leh trip via Srinagar – Leh NH 1D after Amarnath Darshan on 27th July 2015.
Most Probably ill take a night halt in Baltal on 27th.
I would be very grateful if you plan me a trip starting from 28th July from Baltal, i will have to fly from Leh on 3rd August, So basically i have 28, 29, 30, 31, 1 and 2 (6 Days) from Baltal to Leh.
And we are 4 people, we need to see Alchi, Likir, Sham Valley as you mentioned above on route via highway so suggest us from where we need to hire rented cars or taxis (in our case we are starting from baltal). And information on permits and approx cost will be highly appreciated.
Thanks
Prateek Agarwal
Kolkata
You can do something like below. You do not need any permits for it.
28: Baltal – Kargil / Lamayuru
29: Kargil / Lamayuru – Sham Valley – Leh
30: Leh Local + Rest
31: Leh – Nubra Valley
1: Nubra Valley – Leh
2: Day trip to Pangong Tso
Hi,
All d informations u hav given r great n vl b helpful.
I wanted to ask u is it safe for two people to travel by road on a bike,
I wanted to know d safety point during d travel.Are der enough policemen
or army personal on d full journey of Sri-Leh highway?
Any type of theft or nuisances by miscreants?
Please help me to plan my trip by answering d query on safety measures if
2 people r travelling by road on a bike,is it advisable acc to u or not.
I m planning my trip by June 15.
Thanks a lot.
Meenakshi, yes it is more or less safe to travel by road and loads of people do it. Also, you get fellow bikers on the way and can accompany for one or other section. theft or nuisances by miscreants are very very uncommon, in fact in the last 5+ years of being connected with these regions have heard only couple of such incidences only. Locals are very nice and very helpful at any odd hour of the day.
HI Dheeraj, I noticed that your article is from 2011. Is there any update in the phone connectivity on the Srinagar to Leh route? I will be travelling by bike in July 2015 and need to keep in touch with my wife who will understandably be worried. Which towns on the route will my Vodafone postpaid work in? Do I need to get a BSNL connection? Are there any towns on the way in which there is no mobile signal? Please do give an update. And thanks for the very helpful and informative article. Cheers! Monish
Monish, the article is old but is kept updated with almost latest updates. You can consider it last season version mostly. If anything important changes, it gets updated. There will be places where you will not get any connectivity of any postpaid connection. The signal will fade away after Sonamarg and then comes around Drass / Kargil region. So, in between you may not get connectivty, however end of everyday you will get connectivity.
Carry a postpaid connection of BSNL/MTNL as that has the maximum coverage.
Hi Dheeraj, I’ve been following DOW for a while now and i must say you guys do a great job and it’s very helpful for people like us.
I am doing this route in May 2015. We have a prepared itinerary given below. Kindly guide if there are any changes to be made. We are a group of 7 people and we plan to take a hired taxi. What is our best option? As per your suggestion, We need to take a LADHAK number plated taxi from Kargil, yes? If so, do we need any further permits for them to take us forward to Nubra and Pangong?
Also, it would be very kind of you to provide a little detailed explanation of places to visit on the Srinagar to Leh highway. In the sense of what will be coming first along the route etc
Date Source Destination
17-May Mumbai Srinagar – Sonmarg
18-May Sonmarg Kargil
19-May Kargil Leh
20-May Leh Leh
21-May Leh Nubra
22-May Nubra Pangong
23-May Pangong Leh – Upshi
24-May Uphsi Jispa
25-May Jispa Manali
26-May Manali Amritsar/Chandigarh – Mumbai
Regards,
Harshet
Hi dheeraj…..HV been following up on or blog…..u do an amazing job!!! I need help…..will be travelling wit my 9mnth baby girl frm the 14 the sept to the 22nd sept….want to tk the Srinagar to ladakh route…..can u help me work an ITenary….as am a lil confused…….would b of grt help…..since hv my baby along…..its gonna b her first trip…….thankss
Also would like to add……we HV our tickets booked arrival and departure would b Srinagar…..
Suggested the itinerary in the other comment 🙂
Sharleen, 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 less than 3 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 itinerary you have 9 days in hand and can follow something like below plan:
Day 1 | Delhi – 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 2 | 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 3 | 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 4 | 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 5 | 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 6 | 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 7 | Leh – Pangong Tso Lake – Leh
– Day trip to Pangong Tso
– Overnight at Leh
Day 8 | Leh – Lamayuru – Kargil
— Cover Mulbekh Maitrey, Lamayuru Moanstery, Lunar Landscapes
— On the way you can also see Gurudwara Pather Sahib, Magnetic Hills, Confluence at Nimmu
— Overnight at Kargil
Day 9 | Kargil – Drass – Zozi La – Sonamarg – Srinagar
— Enjoy the vistas enroute
— Have late drunch meal at Sonamarg
— Overnight at Srinagar
Hi Harshet,
Seeing the bad weather so late in the season, I highly doubt that roads to Leh will open by that time of the season, especially Manali – Leh is very unlikely to open before second week of June 🙁
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.
The Leh taxi guys now can come up to Srinagar and pick you guys up. In case you do not have any foreigner in the group, there are no permits required for the itinerary places you have mentioned.
Your itinerary is more or less looking fine to me except Pangong Tso to Nubra Valley via Wari La will be closed at Wari La. Here is the detailed version of Srinagar to Leh
Day 2 | 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 3 | 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 4 | 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 5 | 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 6 | Hunder / Diskit – Wari La – Leh
— Sumur has a famous monastery to check out and Panamik has hot water springs
— Overnight at Leh
Day 7 | Leh – Chang La – Pangong Tso Lake – Leh / Upshi
Day trip to Pangong Tso
I am planning for a trip in oct-2015, on 25 oct, I am in Leh by air from Delhi, from there, after sightseeing in leh, I wish to take govt. bus for Srinagar , plz clerify
Pramod, apart from cold conditions in Ladakh during that time of the year, traveling on Srinagar – Leh Highway is fine. You will get the JKSRTC buses plying on the highway.
I am planning journey from leh to Srinagar via road via road, plz guide me, abt stay in between i.e kargil or elsewhere, plz
Pramod, on Srinagar Leh Highway you will just need a night halt at Kargil. There are plenty of options there in Kargil for stay.
Hi
I am from Belgium and I am planning a 2 months trip to India.
On 18th July I will reach Srinagar where I will spend few days.
On 23 th July I intend to reach Kargil by road.
On the following day I will reach Lamayuru or Alchi or Uletokpo
En route I would like to do sight seeing : Maitreya Buddha at Mulbekh, Lamayuru Monastery, Moon landscape and Rizong Monastery
On the following day I will reach Leh
En route, some sightseeing Alchi, Likir, Basgo, confluence at Nimmu, etc
I would like to know if there are always taxis available or if it is necessary to book in advance. If it is necessary, could you please advice. How many days before ? Where ?
The same question for accomodation.
Thanks for your reply
Best regards
Philippe
Hi Philippe,
The taxis will not be available that random. You can book taxi from Srinagar to Kargil in one go. Then from Kargil book a taxi which can take you all the way to Leh in next couple of days covering the above places. This will be more convenient. It is not necessary to book in advance at these two locations and can be managed at the Srinagar and Kargil taxi stand respectively on the spot.
Regarding accommodation too, in case you are comfortable with searching few places, that can also be managed on the spot. Also, your taxi guys can be able to help you too in it.
Regards
Dheeraj
Hi Dheera
Thaks for your early reply.
During my stay in Laddak I would like to visit Nubra valley, Pangon Lake, Tso Moriri Lake, Turtuk … places where, as a foreigner, I still need a permit.
Could you tell me if it is quite easy to get that permit (I will stay fews days in Leh before my programmed tour) or if it is better for me to organize my trip though a local agent, that means a more expensive program.
Thanks for your help.
Regards
Philippe
from Belgium
Hi Philippe,
It is mandatory for you as a foreigner to go through a travel agent for getting the permits to these places. However, it is not necessary that you book tours through them and get them expensive. Hence, after reaching leh, get in touch with some local travel agent who can arrange permit for you. Pay them the required fees for the permits and then photocopies done for the permit, about 8-10 which needs to be submitted at various checkposts on the way to sightseeing places in Ladakh. After that you can start looking for travel partners to share taxi costs to sightseeing places and make your own plan of travel. Just keep in mind that order of visit should be like Nubra Valley, Pangong Tso Lake and then Tso Moriri lake at last in order to have better acclimatization schedule to fight AMS.
Regards
Dheeraj
Hi Dheeraj,
A really informative piece of work. I have a few questions.
1) Could you gimme an idea of the taxi charge/rate if I have to spend 6 days in leh covering Nubra valley, Pangong , Tso Moriri lake and in and around leh.
2) I am thinking of going from Tso moriri to Pangong directly to save a day. Please give your opinion on this.
3) Sham Valley can be done while coming from Kargil to Leh ?
4) A 9 day itenary from Srinagar to Leh covering travel and budget accomodation with 2 meals per day should be approx how much ?
Hello Sayantani,
1. I feel these 3 places should cost you around 37-38K
2.
Regarding Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri route or Pangong Tso to Hanle, the permits to Man – Merak – Chusul – Tsaga or remote Changthang routes are being given by DC office in Leh at ON and OFF basis, so keep your fingers crossed and hope for the best if they start issuing the permits by the time you visit or issue you on your lucky day. Also, even if the permits are given then as well there is no guarantee that you will be allowed to cross Chusul Post or not because since last year several such incidents happened and people with permits also had to return via same route. The story is same this year too and only handful of people have passed through Chusul this year too on their lucky days. Then this is completely a dirt track all the way with quite a bumpy ride upto Tsaga. That churns most things in your stomach 😀 … Finally, totally isolated with no one around you in miles. All this will mean that you will have to risk it for at least a day getting wasted if you are not allowed because there will be no guarantee until you cross Chusul and Tsaga post. Otherwise, you have to take the traditional routes only via Upshi – Chumathang.
3. Leave early from Kargil to cover Sham Valley at ease.
4. Take 900-1200 per person per day for food and stay in case you looking for budget accommodation and on the spot.
Regards
Dheeraj
Hello Sir, I need a taxi for my following itinerary. Please guide me with the approximate cost so that it helps me to bargain….
Day 1 | Reaching in Srinagar ( **NO TAXI FOR THIS DAY… AS I WILL BE RESTING AT THE HOTEL)
Day 2 | Srinagar to Kargil ( TAXI NEEDED FROM THIS DAY IN MORNING)
— Overnight at Kargil
Day 3| Kargil – Leh
— Overnight at Leh
Day 4 | Leh Local Sightseeing + Acclimatization
— Overnight at Leh
Day 5 | Leh – Khardung La – Diskit – Hunder
— Head for Nubra Valley and stay overnight at Hunder / Diskit
Day 6 | Hunder / Diskit – Sumur – Panamik – Sumur – Khardung La – Leh
— Overnight at Leh
Day 7| Leh – Hemis Monastery – Pangong Tso Lake
— Overnight at Pangong Tso
Day 8 | Pangong Tso Lake – Thicksey Monastery – Shey Palace – Leh
TAXI TILL 8th DAY NIGHT…. AS I WILL BE LEAVING FOR DELHI THE NEXT DAY from LEH AIRPORT on My Own
**********************
Day 9: *No taxi as I m leaving on my own
(Therefore Taxi for TOTAL 7 DAYS… that is from 2nd day morning till the 8th day night)
Thank you.
Mohit, the cost of taxi should be around 35-36K as per taxi union rates of this year.
Hi dheeraj……
I am planning for leh ladakh from srinagar by road .
Will reach srinagar @ 4 pm on 2nd may.
Please give a balanced route plan for this trip .
arrival : 2/5/15 @ 4:00 pm @srinagar airport
Departure : 8/5/15 @ 10’30 am from leh
We need jain food .
Please help me with your valuable guidance
Praveen, it is very unlikely at present that road from Srinagar to Leh will be open during that time of the year considering that late snowfall in April.
Hello Dheeraj,
We are planning a trip of 10-11 people to Leh-Ladakh around 15th May 2015. We plan to reach Srinagar from Bangalore and from there travel to Leh via Kargil by road. Is this time suitable and safe for the travel? Also would be great if you could chalk out a rough itinerary for the overall trip since we don’t want to miss out on any must-see places. We plan to spend around 12 days for the trip from Srinagar.
Thanks,
Regards,
Manisha
Manisha, these is a very fair chance that road to Srinagar – Leh will not be open during that time of the year considering late weather snowfall and hampering of snow clearance operations. Are you still sure you want to risk it?
Hello Dheeraj 🙂
First of all thankyou so much for regular updates on Shrinagar-Leh-Manali trip.
The knowledge you share is very precious for us.
I am planning to visit leh ladakh in may end or june first week with my friends from Chandigarh.
First of all we are confused in choosing a vehicle , We are a group of 6-7 people and if things work fine then we will hire a taxi.
Scorpio comes with jump seats in third row so its gonna be quite uncomfortable for 6-7 people in a scorpio.
Second option is Mahindra Xylo , I think its comfortable for 6-7 people excluding driver and it has a proper third row.
Last but not least , Toyota Innova , We all know that its gonna be comfortable but i have doubts about its ground clearance.
Bolero is also an option but once again i am not very sure if it has a proper third row or not.
We will go by shrinagar-leh highway and come back through Leh-Manali highway.
We have to hire a taxi from Chandigarh only , and as you mentioned above that tourist vehicles outside Leh are not allowed for sightseeing , So once again there is quite a confusion here.
Please guide us as we all are first timers in our group.
Thankyou 🙂
Hi Rahul,
Best bet considering all options will be Xylo. You can use your taxi outside Ladakh for traveling into Leh and then exiting Leh but for inside Leh – Ladakh you will need to again hire a local Leh taxi.
Regards
Dheeraj
Thankyou so much Dheeraj 🙂
You have already mentioned some phone numbers for Local Leh drivers ,, and we will try to contact them as soon as we reach there or before starting from chandigarh.
Cheerz !!!
Sounds good Rahul !!
Hi Dheeraj,
Plz guide me,
I plane 4 day tour from leh to Srinagar with family(wife & son) in mid of sep.
Its my first tour to leh , so plz guide about place and from I get safe taxi and hotels.
thanks
Raj, it takes 2 days to reach Leh from Srinagar with overnigth stop at Kargil. Are you sure you want to do Ladakh trip in 4 days? 2 days you have will be used again to return without seeing anything in Ladakh?
Greetings to you sir!
I am planing to make a road trip to Leh from Srinagar.
I have no days limit…n want to explore this scenic beauty to the extreme(even in the odds)…leaving no regrets!
If convenient please make a full plan for me…best time to visit…considering i am free!
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.
Hello Sir, Can you please guide me on my itinerary for a road trip to Leh from Srinagar. We are 3 people. I will be landing in Srinagar on 25th June in noon and hv booked return ticket on 3rd July from Leh to Delhi.
Thank you.
Hi Mohit,
You can follow up the below itinerary for Leh – Ladakh:
Day 2 | Reach Srinagar and rest up there
— 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 – 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 7 | 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 8 | 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 9 | Pangong Tso Lake – Thicksey Monastery – Shey Palace – Leh
— Cover either of Hemis, Thicksey and Shey on return to Leh
— Overnight at Leh
It starts from Day 2, but that actually will be your Day 1 and hence, making it a 8 day plan which you need as you will fly on Day 9
Regards
Dheeraj
Thank you so Much Sir… 🙂
How much will be the Taxi cost according to you if I hire it for the above days and as per above itinerary? Just guide mr the approx cost according to your opinion
Mohit, it should range around 35-38K as per current taxi union rates.
Hi Dheeraj,
Great article i must say, now i can easily plan my trip i.e Sriniagar – leh.
1- I am planning to go in mid of sept. is it safe at that time.
2- How many days trip do i need to plan to cover the most no of spots.
3- Will i get bikes on rent in srinagar and is it advisable to drive with pillion passanger(bike).
After reading your article i am getting a felling that Manali – leh route is not so safe, so i am planning to come back via leh – Srinagar covering Batalik route, or should i go with Leh – Manali route. Do we have any good points to cover at Leh – Manali route?
Hi Rohit,
1. Yes, it is quite a good time to travel on Srinagar to Leh
2. You can check a very balanced and most common itinerary for Leh – Ladakh starting from Delhi followed by many travellers including me at the link here for 13-14 days: Most Common Itinerary for Leh – Ladakh.
3. For Srinagar bike rental you can refer the link: https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/india/ladakh-zanskar-travel-guides/outside-rented-bikes-banned-ladakh-t1009-50.html#p12858
Regarding driving with pillion, since it is long journeys mostly in ladakh so if you travel light and ok to push here and there, it is mostly manageable. I hope you are comfortable with pillion riding for long hours.
Not sure what is your safety concern on Manali – Leh Highway, it is of course desolated and bit more adventurous. However, the beauty is unmatched and journey of Manali – Leh Highway is soul of Ladakh trip 🙂
Hi Dheeraj,
article was awesome and found me very useful lamp-post for Srinagar-Leh journey.
I was to Manali-Rohtang Pass in the June 2015. Now I am planning for Srinagar-Leh, self-drive trip in December this year. Plz guide me about-
1. How much safe it is to travel this time?
2. Whether military allows to travel this road in December or do I need to take their permission?
3. Else suggest me a good chilli winter time (early winter or post winter) to travel.
4. Do I get / How to get self drive SUV/MUV in Srinagar?
Thanks
Hello Warun,
1. Quite unsafe, in case Zojila is open, it may close anyday, so the risk of getting your vehicle stuck is very high even if Zojila is open during that time of the year.
2. All depends if Zojila Pass is open or not. In case it is open, they will allow but risk is up there as mentioned in point 1
3. By road you cannot travel to Ladakh in winters, you can take flight into Leh and then can travel within Ladakh.
4. You will not get any self drive car in Srinagar. Only taxis will be available.
Regards
Dheeraj
Dear Dheeraj,
can you do me favour to make itinerary for 6 days trip from Srinagar to Leh to Manali.
regards,
nipun
Nipun, 6 days will be too less for Ladakh trip. It takes 2 days to reach Leh from Srinagar, then 2 days from Leh to Manali. One day you need to rest in Leh only for acclimatization. With one day left with you, you can either make a day trip to Pangong Tso or Khardung La.
Thnx for your quick response…. i’ll try to extend some days nd come back to you.
again thnx a lot.
Ok…1last question…if i incrrase my trip by 1night…you would prefer tso moriri or a extra night in manali to enjoy rohatang pass…
I will prefer Tso Moriri anyday, it is pristine and journey to it is just too wonderful while Manali is totally crowded and many a times chaotic especially in May – June. Rohtang Pass, I never ever liked somehow 🙁
Kindly guide me on my itinerary as follows, do tell me if I need to change it…
DAY COUNT DAY DATES –
1 SUNDAY 27th June Dasy 0 – : BVI to JAMMU
2 MONDAY 28th June Transfer in Train Reach jammu on 29th June @ 1.45 am (midnight )
3 TUESDAY 29th June Day 01st : Arrival Srinagar via Jammu & sightseeing at pahalgam and full day sight seen .Overnight stay House boat
4 WEDNESDAY 30th June Day 02rd : Srinagar – Gulmarg . Overnight stay Gulmarg .
5 THURSDAY 1st july Day 03th : Gulmarg -Srinagar – Enroute Sonmarg sightseeing and transfers to Kargil – Kargil – Overnight stay Kargil
6 FRIDAY 2nd july Day 04th : Kargil – Transfers to Leh- Overnight stay Leh
7 SATURDAY 3rd july Day 05th : Leh local sightseeing . Overnight stay Leh
8 SUNDAY 4th july Day 06th : Leh-Pangon Lake . Overnight stay Panang lake
9 MONDAY 5th july Day 07th : Pangong Lake –Leh. Overnight stay Leh
10 TUESDAY 6th july Day 08th : Leh –Nubra Valley. Overnight stay Nubra Valley
11 WEDNESDAY 7th july Day 09th : Nubra Valley –Leh. Overnight stay Leh
12 THURSDAY 8th july Day 10th : Leh-Tanglangla Pass- Sarchu- Jispa . Overnight stay Jispa .
13 FRIDAY 9th july Day 11th : Jispa –Keylong –Rohtang Pass-Manali . Overnight stay Manali
14 SATURDAY 10th july Day 12th : Manali –Amritsar . Overnight stay Amritsar .
15 SUNDAY 11th july Day 13th : Local Sight in Amritsar and evening drop railway station / Airport an end of services
Also let me know if we can add Tso moriri if we go directly from Pangong to Nubra, will save 1 night there, which we can use to go tso moriri
Hi Tejas,
1. On Day 3, I assume it is Srinagar not Pahalgam
2. Day 5, start a bit early in the day
3. Please do Nubra Valley first and then do Pangong Tso lake. Very important else you may fall ill due to AMS.
4. Rest looks fine to me.
5. If you can add a day here or probably drop Gulmarg then you can do Tso Moriri. Or you can do a day trip to Pangong Tso and then do Leh to Tso Moriri, Tso Moriri to Sarchu and Sarchu to Manali. I will not recommend direct route of Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri due to its uncertain access nature and long journey. Keep it a bit relaxed like above to enjoy properly.
Regards
Dheeraj
Hi Dheeraj,
Thanks for the prompt reply…
Kindly tell me if I save a night by travelling from Leh – Nubra – Pangong – Leh
Where sould I utilize it??
night in Tso Moriri or a night in Maniali….As what I heard from travel agents is that both Pangong & Tso moriri is alomst same feeling…
Need you guidance for the same…
Tejas, I will suggest that you keep it relaxed the way it has been done or add one day to include Tso Moriri OR drop Gulmarg is what I will suggest except anything. Risks associated to Wari La route are higher than dropping Gulmarg or adding a day.
Regarding Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso route, in order to take Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso via Shyok village, you need not need any permits. However, with such a small distance it appears tempting to be done BUT just to analyze the difficulty I will strongly suggest that you read:Trip Report | Nubra – Shyok Village – Pangong Tso Route. The report is from couple of year back in June & in July/August, most likely the route is washed away. Similar, reports are there from last year as well. So better confirm first, analyze the high risk involved and then only attempt it or better avoid it unless very much sure.
Next possible way is to attempt Wari La route, which is also a bit desolated but doable enough. If your driver agrees to travel on this route then take the Wari La route to Pangong Tso. Remember that any help required on both these routes will be HARD to find in miles of distance. If you have couple of vehicles then only take this route otherwise best is to avoid it.
Hi,
Thanks for your detailed itinerary. Last year i traveled with my friends with very few days in hand via manali route and stayed overnight @ sarachu (Big Mistake), next day we were back in Manali with bad headaches.
1. This year we have enough days for the trip. And we are starting from srinagar. We will be glad if you can help us with itinerary for Srinagar-Leh-Manali
2. Is there a specific reason you advise going Khardung-la before Chang la-Pangong tso ?
Eagerly waiting for your response and thanks in advance.
Hi Arvind,
Yes, that was very much the bad idea to stay at Sarchu while going from Manali to Leh. Never I recommend it. It is more like invitation to trouble, though it depends if trouble will trouble you or not 😀 😀 … But, invitation should also be avoided.
Good to know that you are traveling from Srinagar side this year. 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.
Regarding Khardung La, first of all it is less in altitude than Chang La though just by a metre 😀 … Read the detailed article: Top 12 Highest Motorable Passes or Roads in the World – The Myths & The Realities
Well, more real reason is your night stay. Pangong Tso is much much higher than Nubra Valley. Hence, if you stay at Nubra Valley overnight and then come back vis Khardung La, the body acclimatize more towards high altitude of sleeping at Pangong Tso. This helps and you stay mostly out of trouble of AMS at Pangong Tso when you have an overnight stay at Nubra Valley. Though this even does not 100% guarantee that it will be trouble free, however, there isn’t much way out for us with less number of days in hand.
Dheeraj aka Devil, Seems like you enjoyed my misfortune.. Lol. Just kidding. 😀
First thing, thank you so much for taking out time for answering my query, which holds lot of value since you have been there done that not like some travel site which covers khardungla and pangong same day, I wonder how people survive who opt for them.
Anyways, I really appreciate your effort in giving us the best details possible. However i’ll be back if i have more questions so don’t be very happy 😀
Thanks a lot.
People do survive but again in some cases they also get hospitalized and take next day flight back home as well 🙂 🙂 … So, better not to risk that chance, is just what I am describing above 🙂 🙂 …
Feel free to be back with any number of queries, always happy to help 🙂
Devil Devil Where are you!! 😀
Hi Dheeraj I’m back… Need your experience right now desperately..
As we are planning from srinagar this July (as you know what happened to us on manali way :p) We just realized that aren’t much bike hiring options from srinagar for one way trip..
We are almost thinking to take bike from manali to srinagar and continue from there, (if you are laughing at our weird plan right now then go ahead :p But pple travel from delhi too so i think it’s okay)
so the plan: Manali-srinagar-leh-manali
Can you please advise from your experience if getting bike on hire for one way from srinagar is actually difficult ?
And also what about this plan? Does it make sense?
Thanks.
Arvind, I am just here buddy 🙂 🙂
I think if you have luxury of time, that will make sense as well doing it from Manali and stopping it at Manali. It will need additional 2 days from Manali to Srinagar. However, to add to the confusion 🙂
For Srinagar bike rental you can refer the link: https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/india/ladakh-zanskar-travel-guides/outside-rented-bikes-banned-ladakh-t1009-50.html#p12858
Bikes rented outside Leh are not allowed for sightseeing inside Ladakh except Tso Moriri and Tso Kar lakes which can be done while going to Manali from Leh. Private bikes are completely allowed. You can use the outside rented bike to reach Leh but then for going to Pangong Tso, nubra Valley, etc.. you need to hire rented bikes from Leh only.
To know more about this rule and present situation, please refer the link: Bikes Rented Outside Leh Banned in Ladakh
Since, this is the first time rule is getting implemented no one is sure what will happen or what will not. I personally feel larger groups will be targetted more than smaller groups or individuals.
For renting bikes in Leh – Ladakh along with current Bike Union Prices, you can check the DwD Community thread: Leh – Ladakh Bike Rental Rates 2014 – 15 & Reliable Shops
Hmmm, Interesting! BTW this is my friend’s plan (who actually had to go Hospital at Sarchu)
Day1 HYDERABAD – DELHI- Manali
Day2 MANALI TO JISPA
Day3 JISPA TO SARCHU
Day4 SARCHU TO TSOKAR
Day5 TSOKAR TO PANGONG TSO
Day6 PANGONG TSO TO LEH
Day7 LEH
Day8 LEH TO NUBRA VALLEY & BACK (Karu)
Day9 KARU TO SARCHU
Day10 SARCHU TO MANALI
Day11 MANALI TO N DELHI
This is Mine ( we may get upto 14 days leaves)
Day1 HYDERABAD TO DELHI (evening) TO MANALI
Day2 MANALI-MANDI-PATHANKOT – 346 Kms
Day3 PATHANKOT TO BANIHAL – 254 Kms
Day4 BANIHAL TO SRINAGAR – 107 Kms
Day5 SRINAGAR TO KARGIL
Day6 KARGIL TO LEH
Day7 LEH
Day8 LEH- NUBRA VALLEY -LEH
Day9 LEH TO PANGONG TSO LAKE
Day10 PANGONG TSO TO LEH
Day11 LEH TO SARCHU/PANG/KEYLONG
Day12 SARCHU TO MANALI
Day13 MANALI TO N DELHI
(Will have to sjip couple of places, but there is a chance we may get 1-2 extra day leave(s) + Better in terms of Acclimatization, Plus will save one way drop charges of bike)
Any suggestions? Regarding the itinerary?
About new rules we can not help it that case in either case, that we will have to see how it goes.
Regards.
At any given day, Plan B looks much better. Plan A will highly likely will lead all of you in hospital or in bad health expect few rare exceptional people 🙁 🙁 …
You are sacrificing alot on sightseeing in Ladakh. Not sure if bike ride into the Ladakh is that much worth or not for you, you are better judge there. You also have a much better option of hiring bikes in Delhi and save good days for you and then You can follow 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,
Yes it is true, we are skipping few places with this plan but as they say in your Leh trip, you must leave something for next time 😀
We will definitely comeback again, last time we flirt with it, this time a kiss (lol) 😀
However on a serious note, my friends have agreed to my plan, we may add few places depending upon the number of days we have (high chance that we may have upto 16 days).
I really appreciate your help all this while..
Thanks 😀
Best wishes for the trip and if in case you happen to be happy to spread smiles, please execute our initiatives of DoW Causes on your own when you travel there, 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.
Oh yes Definitely!! I would to do that.. I’ll send the pictures too after the trip.. Thanks a lot for your time Dheeraj.. Will keep in touch ..
You are doing a very good job, keep up.
Regards.
we are 6 youngsters from Cochin who wish to visit Leh Ladakh region from Aug 15 to Aug 23rd. Based on your valuable advises in this page we have prepared our itinerary .
Aug 15th : Reaching Srinagar
Aug 16th: Take taxi -Srinagar- Kargil -Overnight stay at Kargil.
Aug 17th: Kargil-Lamayaru-Leh- Arrange hotel- Take rest
Aug 18th-Leh- Nubra valley-Stay at Hunder
Aug 19th: Enjoy Nubra valley-Return to Leh
Aug 20th: Head to Pangong lake-Stay at Pangong lake
Aug 21st: Come back to Leh
Aug 22nd- Leh srinagar-By taxi
Aug 23rd- Srinagar to cochin (Flight at 14.00 Hrs)
As we are not familair with the region we just want to make sure that whether our plan is OK ?
Whether we can cover Leh -manali road also within this time frame and catch our flight from Chandgarh ?
Akhil, there are two things
1. You need at least an extra day for acclimatization in Leh before climbing Khardung La and going to Nubra Valley else it increases the chances of getting hit with AMS. So, add one day there.
2. Leh to Srinagar is more than 16+ Hrs of drive. Will you be able to do it? Next possible solution for you is that On 22, start early morning at try to reach Sonamarg that day. Next day leave early morning from Sonamarg and reach Srinagar in 3-4 Hrs for taking afternoon flight.
Leh to Manali can only be covered in two days unless you want to roll for about 18 Hrs on the road
Regards
Dheeraj
Hi Dheeraj,
Fantastic way to help ppl with your immense knowledge about the route of North India…
Kindly help me with route I should plan by road trip starting Srinagar – Leh – Amritsar, as I’m too keen to go Golden temple…Also we are all comin in couple…3 couple & road trip is OK with us…no issue…
Kindly help with route & Itineary
Tejas, how many total number of days do you have in hand??
Am still awaiting for my below query
Hi Dheeraj,
My Friends & Me are planning for a trip to Jammu- Srinagar-Leh-Jammu in June. We are 8 of us. Will be taking train from Mumai to Jammu den temp travller frm der on. I have contacted one agent who has given me below itinerary Rates:
Standard Package: Rs 26,050/- per person (cost based on 8 adults)
Hotel Used:
Leh: Hotel Yak Tail / Similar
Nubra velley : Mystique Meadows Swiss cottage camp / Similar
Srinagar: City Grace/ Similar
Srinagar: Khilona Group of Houseboat / Similar
Kargil : Hotel Siachen
TOUR ITINERARY
Day 01: Jammu – Srinagar
Pick-up from Jammu and transfer to Srinagar . Overnight stay at Srinagar
Day 02: Srinagar – Kargil
Pick-up from Srinagar and transfer to Kargil . Overnight stay at Kargil.
Day 03: Kargil – Leh
Pick-up from Jammu and transfer to Leh . Overnight stay at Leh.
Day 04: Nubra Valley
After an early breakfast we drive to Nubra Valley leads through Khardung-la-Pass (the highest motor able road in the world). Nubra Valley is popularly known as Ldorma or the valley of flowers. It is situated to the North of Ladakh between the Karakoram and Ladakh ranges of the Himalayas.
Overnight stay at Nubra Valley
DAY 05: Return From Nubra Valley
After having breakfast proceed for your return journey from Nubra valley. While returning back visit Diskit Monastery, Hunder villages and the white sand dunes and take a camel safari on the double humped Bactrian Camels (at your own cost). Overnight stay at Leh
DAY 06: Pangong Lake
Early Morning proceed for Pangong lake , reach Pangong lake. You will have amazing time and will have beautiful experience there. One rarely feels so close to nature and environment and the scenery is unforgettable. Later, you will leave Pangong lake by seeing Chang-la-mountain pass. Return Leh by evening. Overnight stay at Leh
DAY 07: Historical Monuments with Alchi Monastery
After breakfast, proceed to Alchi (70 km west of Leh). On the way visit one of the famous Gurudwara Pattar Sahib, The Magnetic hill and Hall of Fame. Arrive in Alchi, visit to Alchi Monastery, built in the 11th century, it is a treasure trove of early Buddhist art in the Kashmiri tradition, a style quite different from the Tibetan art found in Ladakh’s other monasteries. It was constructed under the supervision of Kaldan Shesrab, a follower of Rinchen Zangpo, the man responsible for reviving an interest in Buddhism at that time. Alchi is one of the few remaining examples of that era. Return to Leh.
Overnight stay at Leh
DAY 08: Leh- Kargil
Departure from Leh and transfer to Kargil . Overnight stay at Kargil
Day 09: Kargil – Srinagar
Pick-up from Kargil and transfer to Srinagar . Overnight stay at Srinagar
Day 10: Srinagar – Jammu Drop
Pick-up from Srinagar & Drop at Jammu
Inclusion:
· Accommodation as per the selected packages
· Meal: Breakfast & Dinner
· All sightseeing as per the particular itinerary of selected package
· All transportation by Pvt non A/c tempo Traveler
· Inner Line permit
· All applicable hotel taxes
Exclusion:
Anything which is not mentioned in the above inclusion
Any expense occurred due to uncertainty / natural climatic conditions
Note: The above rates are on per person basis
Gst: 3.09% extra
****************
Kindly help me with below queries:
1. Is the plan /rates are proper or i can get better ones. are there more charge / hidden cost which we will hv to bare aftr reaching der
2. is 1 day enough to see Srinagar as am keen to explore Sringar.
3. can u pls suggest more places to see in Srinagar
4.while coming back we hv been offered same router Leh-Kargil-srinagar-jammu
instead leh – malai would be good .
M very confused if you can help me with making this plan
Awaiting response. Thnx in advance 🙂
Hi Wickedfina,
Well, to get the rate sorted, you can also take the rates from info@offbeatescapes.com to compare the rates of Ladakh trip. In the past two years, many readers have had good reports of them on the similar itinerary. They know me or DoW very well and should be able to offer some discounts further with the reference.
Given the days you have in hand, the itinerary seems just OK but I will not recommend at all climbing Khardung LA Pass into Nubra Valley without a day of acclimatization in Leh. So, add a day in there. Also, see if you can take a flight to Srinagar because you are wasting at least three days to reach back Jammu and to reach Srinagar from Jammu. Best will be to take flight to Srinagar and then take flight out of Leh. I know it will be expensive but if you calculate the number of days of travel tempo traveler cost, food and stay cost, then the money you will be spending in flights won’t be at staggering difference.
Since, you have less days, best is that you either take flight out of Leh OR better do Manali – Leh Highway which is very very beautiful in case you do not want to take flight back. There is no point taking the same Srinagar – Kargil route on the way back. You will reach Chandigarh as well in 3 days as you are reaching Jammu from Leh. So, in case you taking train from Jammu, similar train can be taken from Chandigarh OR Amabala.
Sorry for the delay as I somehow missed the entire page of comments.
Regards
Dheeraj
Hi Wickedfina…
I too have planned for June visit.. I have the exact same 10 day plan with a local there. n cost is lesser. plus trasfer is not using tempo traveler. he’ll get us 2 xylos if req.
lemme know if u are OK to join us as we are 2 ppl & we Aare short on company… 🙁
Hello Dheeraj,
First of all, it is really not worth, no matter how much I thank you for this wonderful blog. You have done a wonderful job in getting the tour details documented here.
We are 5 people planning a trip to Leh on 25th July to 2nd August this year.
Please advise if the plan below is fine or we need to add ton it more:
25th: Kolata to Srinagar by flight..
26th : Srinagar to Kargil via road..
27th: Kargil to Leh via road.. take rest for acclimatization
28th: Leh Local site scene
29th: leh to Nubra..night stay at Nubra
30th : back to leh
31st: leh to Pangong back to leh
1st: leh to Tsomriri back to leh
2nd: Leh to delhi by flight…
Please suggest if anything e can add in this or whether we need to change
Also it would be very helpful if you can provide the local site scene points in Leh and the points we need to cover while going to Nubra/Pangong/Tso miriri…
Thanking you in advance..
Arkadeep
Hello Arkadeep,
Thank you. All, I will advice is that you are one day short for visiting Tso Moriri, so better skip it and do two day trip to Pangong Tso. Else increase the day and do Tso Moriri in two days as it is not possible in just one day. Rest all looks good.
For local sightseeing and sightseeing on this entire route that you will be following from Srinagar to Leh including Nubra and PAngong Tso, 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.
Regards
Dheeraj
Hi Dheeraj,
Thank you so much for the info! Its a bliss for people who want to plan a trip to Leh. Really appreciate your patience to reply to all the post 🙂
I am planning a trip with my parents. We are reaching Leh via Delhi from flight on 23rd June. I have booked my return from Srinagar on the 3rd of July. Could you please help us plan our itinerary? Leh – Nubra – Pangong – Kargil – Srinagar. We’d prefer more of lakes & activities (like river rafting) than monasteries. Although we will visit some in Leh & if they happened to be on our way.
Please do let me know so that we can plan the trip accordingly & book the car and hotels for our stay.
It would be great to hear your suggestions!
Cheers!!
Prachita
Hello Prachita,
Thank you, glad you loved the info. present on DoW for planning your Ladakh trip. This is itinerary which you can follow:
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 hard with taxi driver. Book that single taxi for entire trip after explaining the complete plan.
— 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) – Taglang La – Upshi – Leh
— Come back via Tso Kar and Manali – Leh Highway to Leh
— Overnight at Leh
Day 9 | Leh – Lamayuru – Kargil
— Cover Mulbekh Maitrey, Lamayuru Moanstery, Lunar Landscapes
— On the way you can also see Gurudwara Pather Sahib, Magnetic Hills, Confluence at Nimmu
— Overnight at Kargil
Day 10 | Kargil – Drass – Zozi La – Sonamarg – Srinagar
— Enjoy the vistas enroute
— Have late drunch meal at Sonamarg
— Overnight at Srinagar
Day 11 | Fly back from Srinagar
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 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.
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
Regards
Dheeraj
Thank you so much for your valuable reply. Means much 🙂
Wanted to check if we can do River Rafting in Leh? Is it safe? Also, if we wish to spend one day in Srinagar then which part of the itinerary can we skip?
Thanks again 🙂
I will suggest since you are spending too much time and money, then why skip something after going that far in the heaven. Better add a day OR perhaps book a flight in Srinagar that is from afternoon which will give you half a day to see enough in Srinagar. Plus previous day evening as well. Will not recommend skipping anything in Ladakh. For river rafting, you can do it near Leh at Nimmu or Phey. Start early from Nubra Valley towards Leh and skip visiting Panamik and Sumur, not that worth if you keen on rafting. Then after coming to Leh, go and do rafting on that day in the second half.
Hi Dheeraj,
Thanks again 🙂 Wanted to check if we can do Nubra – Pangong & Pangong Tsomoriri directly instead of getting back to Leh. We can save almost 2 days if we do so. Please share your suggestions.
Thanks in advance 🙂
Regarding Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso route, in order to take Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso via Shyok village, you need not need any permits. However, with such a small distance it appears tempting to be done BUT just to analyze the difficulty I will strongly suggest that you read:Trip Report | Nubra – Shyok Village – Pangong Tso Route. The report is from couple of year back in June & in July/August, most likely the route is washed away. Similar, reports are there from last year as well. So better confirm first, analyze the high risk involved and then only attempt it or better avoid it unless very much sure.
Next possible way is to attempt Wari La route, which is also a bit desolated but doable enough. If your driver agrees to travel on this route then take the Wari La route to Pangong Tso. Remember that any help required on both these routes will be HARD to find in miles of distance. If you have couple of vehicles then only take this route otherwise best is to avoid it.
Regarding Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri route or Pangong Tso to Hanle, the permits to Man – Merak – Chusul – Tsaga or remote Changthang routes are being given by DC office in Leh at ON and OFF basis, so keep your fingers crossed and hope for the best if they start issuing the permits by the time you visit or issue you on your lucky day. Also, even if the permits are given then as well there is no guarantee that you will be allowed to cross Chusul Post or not because since last year several such incidents happened and people with permits also had to return via same route. The story is same this year too and only handful of people have passed through Chusul this year too on their lucky days. All this will mean that you will have to risk it for at least a day getting wasted if you are not allowed because there will be no guarantee until you cross Chusul and Tsaga post. Otherwise, you have to take the traditional routes only via Upshi – Chumathang.
Thanks Dheeraj. I wonder how many times am I going to thank you for your valuable suggestions.. 🙂
I had a word with Rigzin, he said that we can easily do Nubra – Pangong in June (According to him there is no risk involved). And about Pangong – Tsomoriri he mentioned that he will arrange the permit which will cost us Rs. 360/- per person.
While discussing about the hotels, he suggested us to only book a hotel in Leh for the 1st two days & he will take care of our accommodating in other places and that it will be cheaper. He also said that our itinerary may shift a little here and there because of which booking hotels in advance may not be the right option. Can we trust him when it comes to hotel bookings in Nubra – Pangong – Tsomoriri & Kargil??
Also, I asked him for the quotation for the entire trip :
Day 1 : Airport pick up
Day 2 : Leh Palace, Shanti Stupa , Local site seeing
Day 3 : Leh – Hundar
Day 4 : Hundar to Pangong
Day 5 : Pangong – Tso moriri
Day 6 : Back to Leh
Day 7 : Leh Kargil
Day 8 : Kargil Srinagar
Day 9 :
Day 10 :
Day 11 : Departure
I m sure that we might stay a day extra either at Pangong or Nubra. I prefer reaching Srinagar on Day 9 evening.
He had quoted Rs. 54500/- and offered 10% discount. After a lil’ more negotiation he agreed to give a 15% discount. That is about 46k. Do you think that the quotation is reasonable? This trip is a gift from me to my parents & I only hope to spend it rightly.
Please do share your feedback. Will be waiting.
Once again, thanks in advance 🙂 🙂
Rigzin, is the best person up there for the Changthang region. Regarding pricing, it seems OK considering this year’s price list. Permit is also standard cost taken by govt. with Rs 20 per day per person, Rs 200 for environment fees and one time Rs 10 or 20 to red cross fund.
He is right, you just need to look around here and there to find some hotels after Leh. But, be mentally ready to search a bit. I am saying this because some people want everything as per plan and stick very hard to it. So, you need to be flexible here.
Thanks Dheeraj. We’ve booked him for our trip.. Will bother you again if I get stuck anywhere .. 😀 Looking forward to have a great trip with my family! Many thanks for all your suggestions.. !! Means much 🙂
Rigzin, is a very dear friend, much like a extended family in my travel. He is more like a rockstar there, won’t let you get bored with his amazing hilarious stories if one connects well with him 🙂 🙂 … I am sure you will enjoy. Best wishes for the trip and if in case you happen to be happy to spread smiles, please execute our initiatives of DoW Causes on your own when you travel there, 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.
Rigzin can also help you in getting these causes executed as he has helped numerous readers in past years.
Sure Dheeraj, will be more than happy to be a part of it! Will definitely ask Rigzin about it. We all LOVE DoW 🙂
Awesome, thanks a ton !!
Dear All,
We a group of 5-6 guys planing to visit leh during Nov-2015 Diwali holiday. can you suggest us the best solution .Also pls let us know the rental for the bike suitable .
which would be the best solution via manali or via Srinagar in bike
pls send us the suitable plan for approx 6-7 day
Regards
S.Prassana Giri
8128690016
Prassana, the road travel season in Ladakh ends by September or at max. first week of October as beyond that it becomes very risky and extremely cold to travel by road. Hence, November is not the right time to travel to Leh by road and even if you plan to travel by Air and inside car then in Ladakh, it will be quite very very cold up there in Ladakh in November.
Hi Dheeraj,
we are group of 6 and planning our trip shrinagar leh manali in mid aug on bike. we have 15 days. please suggest appropriate Itinerary.
Hi Sandip,
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
Regards
Dheeraj
Hi, This was very informative article, Thanks!
I am panning a trip Srinagar -Leh -Manali in second week of June 2015.
Can you give me a detail on how do i book taxi online or on call.
Thanks!
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.
Thank you for this valuable information..
I am planning to go to leh in the first or second week of may….will the Srinagar-Leh highway be open at that time?
Nidhi, I will suggest you to keep the plan flexible by couple of weeks as sometimes the Srinagar – Leh Highway do not open by mid of May.
Hello Dheeraj,
First of all I would like to congratulate and thank you for all the efforts you are putting into place. Unlike many forums that contain information on Ladakh DOW just rocks!! Because of its simplicity, crisp and brief info…Hats OFF!! 🙂
I am planning for Sringar – Leh – Ladakh trip in the month of June (2nd or 3rd week). As I read in your forums Srinagar – Leh seems to be more comfortable to experience this amazing part of India, may be later on I would opt for more adventurous route via Manali as I would be taking air route on return. Can you please help me with my following queries:
1. Looking for a suitable itinerary starting from Srinagar to Leh for 2 days travel, assuming one day halt in Kargil, highly looking forward for places worth seeing on its way.
2. I would like to visit places around Leh, Nubra valley, Pangong Tso, Tso Kar & Tso Moriri and return by flight from Leh. If you can provide me suitable time frame for each of the points and the halt?
3. Where are the better chances of spotting black necked crane as I do wildlife photography so definitely would like to spot one, of course time and destiny matters. As far as I know Tso Kar is one place and Changthang region is quite known for Black Necked Crane.
4. I would be accompanied with my parents and close friends total 8 people, I guess I would need 2 vehicles. Can you please let me know if its fine to take my parents along as my father is 60+ , he just love Himalayas , no critical illness but have little BP issue. Curious to assess the risk first as Leh, Khardungla, Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri etc are at high altitude.
Thanks a lot for your help.
Hello Indranil,
Thanks for the mighty appreciation 🙂
1 + 2. 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 follow it from Srinagar to all the way once you are back from Tso Moriri to Leh instead of going to Sarchu
3. Spot on, Tso Kar is the best place to spot birds in Ladakh.
4. Regarding this please read the thread: https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/india/himalayan-travel-guides/acute-mountain-sickness-acclimatization-t16-20.html
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
Hi Dheeraj,
Its me once again, you helped me a lot in My Kinnaur-Lahaul-Spiti Trip on Sept.2014. First of all thanks for your very informative blog.You are doing a fantastic work. I would just like to request you to have a look at the below itinerary for my upcoming Leh-Ladakh-Zanskar Trip starting from June 7,2015:
Day 1 | Srinagar – Kargil
Day 2 | Kargil – Padum
Day 3 | Padum ( covering Stongde, Zang La & Karsha) – Rangdum / Parakchik
Day 4 | Parakchik / Rangdum – Lamayuru
Day 5 | Lamayuru (covering Sham Valley) – Leh
Day 6 | Leh – Turtuk
Day 7 |Turtuk (covering Panamik & Sumur)– Diskit / Hunder
Day 8 |Hunder – Diskit – Wari La – PangongTso Lake
Day 9 | PangongTso Lake (+/- Marisimik La) – Chumathang
Day 10 | Chumathang – Hanle
Day 11 | Hanle – TsoMoriri
Day 12 | TsoMoriri – Leh
Day 13 | Leh – Delhi
Now my queries are:
1.Whether Penzi La Pass is accessible on June 8,what about the chances of its opening to allow us to take to Padum,
2.Probablity of taking Wari La Route from Hunder to Pangong Tso,( I’ve talked to both the drivers Rigzin & Hassan,recommended by you.They both told that usually Penzi La will open after May 15 and we will be able to take the Wari La route.What about yours expert opinion regarding this?)
3.Whether ILP is needed for Wari La & Hanle route,
4.Do you think this is a good plan keeping in mind among other things the AMS/acclimatization aspects.
With Rregards – SANJIB.
Hi Sanjib,
Day 3 is too much I believe and if I see Day2, 3 and 4 together they are too hectic back to back with chances of hitting AMS high. Again no rest in Leh I see. Rest looks decent to me but you will have to add few days more to make it less hectic.
Regarding queries,
1. Penzi La most likely be open during that time.
2. I agree with them, most likely Wari La will open but that is no mans land and road would hav just opened though not stabilizied. In case any help that will not be available for many KMs
3. For Hanle you need the ILP, Wari La can be written too as anyways you will be applying for the permits.
4. Comments above
Regards
Dheeraj
PS: Sorry for the delayed reply.
Hi – Thank you for all your fantastic work. I have reald almost every post based on which i am planning my itenary for which i need your expert advise. We are a group of 4 boys who want to be absolutely adventerous so no luxury at all. Plan to arrive in Srinagar from Mumbai on 12th June and spend a day in Srinagar.
Our proposed plan – 14 days starting from 13th June to 26th June
Hire a taxi from Srinagar – Kargil on June 13th
Change taxi for a leh / Ladakh taxi to allow sight seeing and take the permit route to Leh
Return after Leh / Ladak via Manali on 26th June.
Please come up with the most memorable itenary for us that i can just print and execture to the “T”
Hello Jay,
A happy new year to you and your family !!
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 should look from Srinagar onward.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
PS: Sorry for the late reply, I was on a trip to Kumaon, Uttarakhand for the last 8-9 days.
Dear Dheeraj
main april last week se may first week ke beech me Ladakh jane plan kar raha hu via Srinagar highway please suggest me ki kya ye time theek rahega wahan jane ke liye. mera dream hai ladakh jana badi muskil se office se leave approve hui hai or main ye mauka khona nahi chahta, please suggest
Abhinav, yaar roads to most likely band honge tab jaane ki liye. But, tum fly kar sakte ho.
In other words,Sir-If I can spare Four days-Two for Leh-Nubra-Leh,Two for Leh-Pangong Tso/Spangmik-Leh,and one day for Leh-Monastery Tour….Considering that we have kids and don’t want to exert ourselves-which one is better to avoid ?
Utkarsh, if you have 4 days then make 2 day trip to Nubra Valley and 2 day trip to Pangong Tso. You can cover Hemis Monastery on the way to PAngong Tso and while coming back from Pangong tso you can do both Shey Palace and Thicksey monasteries too.
Sir,Which of the below two options,are better-from Scenic and adventure point of view.
1)Leh-Monastery Tour-Leh-After Breakfast, start your journey towards Lamayuru monastry, covering Likir, Basgo& Alchi later during the day. While
returning, don’t forget to give a stop at Magnetic Hill & Gurudwara Sri Pathar Sahib. Overnight at Leh. Opt this tour if you
are really interested to get real insight into Buddhism & its shrines, else club Rafting &
Alchi, to make it more of fun.
2)AfterBreakfast,atNubra,following overnight stay there, check out from the camps & visit Deskit Monastery, Hot Water Springs,
Panamik via confluence of Shyok & Nubra River across Sumoor. Return to Leh by Evening. Overnight at Leh.
Option 2 is much better than option 1, IMHO
Thank You for yur Feedback,Sir.We have actually a revised plan-Planning to go from Manali.KINDLY GIVE YOUR VALUABLE OPINION…
Day1
Delhi-Manali(by VOLVO)-
Jispa/Sarchu (Day 1 of 2)
On previous evening, you will board VOLVO from Delhi, for onward journey to Manali.
Arrival at Manali (Day 1) by 7am. After Breakfast, start your journey to Leh, with first
move towards Jispa enroute Rohtang La & Keylong.
Overnight at Jispa.Jispa Journey Camps, Jispa, Breakfast & Dinner
Day2
Jispa/Sarchu-Leh (Day 2 of2)
Start early Morning after Breakfast, for your journey to Leh.Enroute you will come across
beautiful landscapes of Baralancha-la, Chandratal Lake, Tanglangla, Moore Planes &
Upshi, the route most loved by Shutterbug community.
Overnight at Leh.Ladakh Residency /Ladakh Sarai , Leh, Breakfast & Dinner
Day3
Leh LocalSightseeing +
Acclimitization
We categoricaly recommend all our travelers to keep a day for Acclimitization to avoid
Altitude Sickness, therefore you are kept at Leh , only to gear up for visits to higher Altitudes
during following days.Today, you will start your tour after Breakfast, & cover Shey &
Thiksey Monastery with Leh Palace, Shanti Stupa & Hall of fame. Dont exert your body, if
you are feeling tired at anytime during the day.
Overnight at Leh Ladakh Residency / Ladakh Sarai,Leh, Breakfast& Dinner
Day4
Leh-Nubra-Leh(2-Day Trip,Day 1 of 2)
After Breakfast, move towards Highest Motorable Road of The World, KhardungLa
Pass. Have a cup of Tea there, get yourself clicked with the Khardungla Signboard by BRO
& proceed towards Nubra valley covering Deskit Monastery enroute. Check-in at
Hotel/Camp, freshen up & later you can have a Double Hump Bactarian Camel ride. Dont
forget to click this unique mammal, found in cold Desert. It was once used to carry the trade
material on silk route.
Overnight at Hunder/Nubra Camps/Hotel.Heaven Adventure Camps / Cold Desert Camp,Hunder –
Breakfast &Dinner
© A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d w w w . a l i f e t i m e t r i p . c o m
Page 4
Day5
Leh-Nubra-Leh, Return from
Nubra covering Sumoor, (2-Day Trip, Day 2 of 2)
AfterBreakfast, check out from the camps & visit Deskit Monastery, Hot Water Springs,
Panamik via confluence of Shyok & Nubra River across Sumoor. Return to Leh by
Evening. Overnight at Leh.
LadakhResidency/Ladakh Sarai,
Leh, Breakfast& Dinner
Day6
Leh-Pangong/Spangmik-Leh(2-Day Trip, Day1 of 2)
After Breakfast, check out from Leh & proceedfor one of the most scenic, Pangong
Tso/Spangmik via Changla Pass (17350 ft).Overnight at Camps.
WatermarkCamps,Pangong,
Breakfast &Dinner
Day7
Leh-Pangong/Spangmik-Leh(2-Day Trip, Day2of 2)
After Breakfast, check out from Camps for return journey to Leh. Enroute visit Hemis
Monastery. Overnight at Leh
LadakhResidency/Ladakh Sarai,
Leh, Breakfast& Dinner
Day8 Drop at Leh Airport
After early morning Breakfast, say adios to the
beauty of Leh & proceed for Airport for return.
We are 6 persons and planned for lifetime trip to Leh Laddakh starting from 8th June to 16th June 2015. Kindly suggest / guide for itinerary and whatever comes to your mind,
We will be reaching Srinagar on 8th afternoon 1:30pm by Air and leaving on 16th morning directly from leh 8.00 AM by Air.
Arrival in Srinagar –8th June
Overnight stay at GULMARG
Day 1 – 9th June
Early Morning after breakfast leave for Kargil, by visiting Sonamarg (Known As Meadow of Gold), cross famous Zodjila pass, Drass Village (2nd Coldest Inhabitated place in the World), Enroute have a magnificent view of Kargil war Famous Peaks (Tiger, Tololing) from Vijay war memorial hall site, reach Kargil by evening. Overnight stay at Kargil.
Day 02 – 10th June
Morning after Breakfast leave for Ule, enroute visit Mulbek, Giant Living Buddha Sculpture on Rock Mountain, Lamayuru, one of the oldest Monastery of Ladakh and enjoy the view of Moon Landscape. Arrive Ule by afternoon. Overnight stay at Ule.
Day 04 – 11th june
After Breakfast leave for Leh enroute visit Alchi, Likir Monastery, Magnetic Hill, Pathar Sahib Gurudwara and Hall of Fame museum. Reach Leh by afternoon. Overnight stay at Leh.
Day 05 – 12th june
After Breakfast leave for Pangong Lake 14,500 ft, through Changla Pass 17,350 ft. (third Highest Motorable road in the world) Arrival at Camp, Hot Lunch will be served aat Camp, Later free time at Leisure and enjoy the color changing lake and the sun set on the banks of lake. Overnight stay on the banks of Pangong Lake.
Day 06 – 13th june
Early morning enjoy the pictuereque view of Sun rise on lake. After Breakfast drive back to Leh, enroute visit Hemis, Thikse Monastery and Shey Palace. Overnight stay at Leh.
Day 07 – 14th june
After Breakfast drive to Nubra Valley via Khardungla (Highest Motorable road in the World, 18,380 ft) Arrive at Hundur by afternoon. Lunch at Camp, rest of the day one is free to explore Deskit, Hunder Villages and camel Safari in Sand Dunes between Deskit and Hunder Village. Overnight stay at Nubra Valley.
Day 08 – 15th june
After Breakfast visit Deskit Monastery, where you can have a magnificient view of Nubra Valley and drive back to Leh by same Route, crossing Khardungla Pass. Overnight stay at Leh .
Day 09-16th June-flight at 8 AM from leh to hyderabad
Are you going through any travel agent?? If yes and above is his itinerary where he is sending you to Pangong Tso without any acclimatization, please drop that travel agent immediately 🙂
Dheeraj,
I plan to take my Maruti Alto from Kolkata to Delhi-Srinagar-Leh-Manali-Delhi-Kolkata in first week of October, 2015. This trip is around 7000KM, and I will spend approx three weeks (21 days) for this
My questions are
1. As I understand correctly, I do not need to book hotel in advance, as October is a lean season, pls confirm
2. Is Alto good enough for this trip? My concern is do I need to cross deep streams in October?
3. I will be carrying the following documents ( Car registration book, tax payment token, valid pollution certificate, insurance paper) along with driving licence / passport/ adhar of all the members. I have read https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/most-common-itinerary-for-leh-ladakh/ and just want to know if any permission needed to visit any of the places mention here. My concern is after reaching some place X, I do not want that I need a permission from place Y to visit place X. This will altogether spoil the fun. Can you guide, what are the possible permission I need to obtain and from where?
4. Somewhere I read that Manali to Leh needs some permit. Leh to Manali ( to be done in 3 days, along with sight seeing, ) dose this require any permit?
Thanks a lot in advance for your advice.
I do not recommend plying on Manali – Leh Highway in October, better please read: 5 Reasons to Avoid Manali – Leh Highway in October
Hi,
I am planning to do Blr-Srinagar-Leh-Manali-Blr by selfdrive car and planning to buy ford ecosports diesel for it. Please let me know if this car is good enough for such terrain.
Sejal, I hope you are not planning to buy this car only for this trip 😉 … It is is the case then buy a thar 😀 … Else, Ecosport will be OK to drive on this terrain as it has good ground clearance. But it does not mean that you cannot laze out on driving skills. You need to be good at driving to drive over such remote regions of Trans Himalayas.
hi sejal,well your question was from dheeraj about eco sports,i found this interesing so i have a suggestion for you,if you are buying ford ecosports only for this trip so u better buy duster or thar(specially for this trip) because suspension of eco sports will not help you to soak bumps and rough terrain comparatively duster or thar,i also have eco sports and duster but when i drive both car on rough terrain duster is pleasent to drive if i compare it to eco sports,but in city drive i feel opposite.
Hi Dheeraj, i would be travelling via the srinagar- leh highway starting this september 27th and this is my itinerary. Request your inputs on the same.
27th- Land in srinagar and leave for leh- stop at sonmarg
28th- Reach Leh
29th- Local Sightseeing
30th- Leh- Pangong-Leh(Will this be feasible given that chang la pass receives snow this time of the year)
1st- Leh- Diskit/ Hunder Via khardungla
2nd- Diskit/ Hunder to Leh
3rd- leh to Sonmarg
4th- Sonmarg to Airport
Gopal, your itinerary seems fine to me.
We are 4 adults, 3 children (6 yr, 11 yr and 14 yr) planning to go to Leh on 14th June 2015 and will return back on 25 June 2015 (early morning flight) via delhi-sri nagar (by air )-srinagar-leh by road and leh-delhi – by air.
We will reach srinagar on 14 evening.We want to go to gulmarg also.
Please sugest the route and explain that is there any harm of change of wheather to children or not as smmaller one is very weak.
Tanuj, It is fine 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 5+ year child, I think he/she would be able to convey the uneasiness with little efforts. 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.
Hey Deeraj,
I am sorry but I am not able to find the update on srinagar present situation in the community. We are travelling on 21st September to 30 September. Can you pls help us with the info.
Sorry Praveen, I was out for last 10 days to Spiti Valley with no connectivity. You must be on your trip now. DwD Community has a thread of Srinagar – Leh Highway status.
Hi Dheeraj,
We are 3 friends planning a trip to Leh-Ladakh from Gurgaon on our car(Dezire).We are planning to start on 5th sep evening and come back by 15th sept.We are planning go via Srinagar.Can you suggest us the itinerary for this trip.
regards
Rishabh
Hello Rishabh,
I see that you have about 10 days in hand which for a road trip to Ladakh are somehow short in number. All I can suggest you is the following plan:
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
Hi Dheeraj,
Thanks for your valuable inputs.
Is there a option of hiring only driver since we ll be having our own car?
Actually we are not sure whether we will be able to drive through Leh and other places on our own, though we have good experience of driving but not enough in hilly areas.
What do you suggest.
Thanks,
Rishabh
Rishab, it could be possible. Just check with some drivers, they will be able to help you offer some deal now.
Hi Dheeraj,
I have planned my visit Srinagar to Leh on 19 – Sep-14. I heard that there is flood in jammu nad kashmir as well in leh ladakh, is it safe visiting Srinagar – Leh by road now? or should i postpone my trip. Pls let me know i am confused.
Pradeep, replied in the community 🙂
Hi Dheeraj
we are 6 people travelling from Srinagar to leh. The plan goes as follows:
Sep 21: 1pm will reach Srinagar from Bangalore. Sight Seeing in Srinagar(iwant your suggestions here)
Sep 22: Srinagar to Kargil
Sep 23: Kargil to Leh
Sep 24,25 & 26: Sightseeing in leh like kardung la pangang tso etc
Sep 27: Leh to Sarchu
Sep 28: Sarchu to manali
Sep 29: Manali to Srinagar
My questions are
1. Are there bike rentals available in sri nagar. If yes, what may be the approx. price for a bullet and is it easily available in sri nagar city
2. I heard there is paragliding n skiing in leh. Is it true?
3 Can we also cover dharmashala while returning back
4. Is there a route from manali to sri nagar. bcoz we wanna cover both Srinagar-Leh & Leh- Manali but our flight is from Srinagar on 30th September at 4pm and also we have to return the rented bikes. So is this plan possible? Need suggestions.
Looking forward to hear from you.
Regards
Praveen
Hello Praveen,
1. For Srinagar bike rental you can refer the link: https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/india/ladakh-zanskar-travel-guides/outside-rented-bikes-banned-ladakh-t1009-50.html#p12858
2. Never heard that.
3. You will be barely covering Leh Ladakh as you do not have enough time on hand rather just being on road all days.
4. Manali to Srinagar might take three days. You can go to Dharamshala, then to Jammu/Patnitop and finally to Srinagar.
Regards
Dheeraj
HI Dheeraj
Myself[Chandrakant] and my friend are planning a short trip to Leh Ladakh,sometime in September 1st or 2nd week.
We will fly till Srinagar,from there would hire a vehicle for road journey to Leh with one night
hault at Kargil,some sight seeing if possible.Acclimatize in Leh,sight seeing in Leh and around,
back to Srinagar by road and to Mumbai further.We are estimating a 10 to 12 day trip,are these
good amount of days,i am sure we can’t see every thing but some selective good place,since we are
planning to do a bike trip some time in next year,but thats very uncertain.
We will try to convince couple of more friends which can also be a good sharing and fun.
Please help us with this planning also if you can give a rough estimate with the expenditure.I am getting good deals with airfare for Srinagar for which i am preferring it.
Regards
Chandrakant
Hi Chandrakant,
12 days are good enough for making a decent trip to Ladakh from Srinagar. You can follow something like below:
Day 1 | Mumbai – 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 2 | 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 3 | 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 4 | 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 5 | 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 6 | 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 7 | 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 8 | Pangong Tso Lake – Thicksey Monastery – Shey Palace – Leh
— Cover either of Hemis, Thicksey and Shey on return to Leh
— Overnight at Leh
Day 9 | Leh – Dah Hanu Villages
Day 10 | Dah – Hanu Villages to Kargil via Batalik route. Take permits from DC Office in Leh for using Batalik route.
Day 11 | Kargil to Srinagar
Day 12 | Fly back from Srinagar.
Regards
Dheeraj
Hi Dheeraj
Thanks for your valuable feedback,i will keep you posted with the final dates of our trip,incase I plan to go alone can I still. Follow the same itinerary? We might not do sightseeing at srinagar and also have to manage the budget.Can I do a bike trip when I am at Leh for some short distant? Finally is September right time to go,cause people are scaring me that it will be untaularable?
You can do bike in Leh as there are rentals available. You should be able to follow the same with little efforts of finding the shared cabs and taxis 🙂
Hi Mr.Chandrakant, This is Pradeep from Bangalore. We are 2 person reaching Srinagar on 17th and going to Ladakh on 19th or 20th. If you are interested we can share the Taxi. You can reach me on 9901996735
Hello Dheeraj. You are doing a commendable job.
I am 63 years .Have been planning a trip to Leh for quite some time but could find no companion. Now I have decided to do it on my own.
Will reach Srinagar by flight from Lucknow on 3rd Sept. Have no contrainst of time. From Srinagar I wish to go up to Leh in a leasurely pace. A night at each of the places where accomadation is available. After reaching Leh I would want to do all the local sight seeing (would three days be enough). From Leh I will take a flight back.
Taxi would be beyomd my budget.
Is it possibe to do it by bus which appears to be the only way.
Also please let me know the average cost of staying in hotels in each place. Say four places.Please also suggest suitable good but budget hotel in Srinagar and Leh. Regards and thanks.
Hello Rakesh ji,
You are alone 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 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 and look forward to meet new people and share cultural thoughts and values over the trip. No where else in the world you will find more smiling and helpful people as Ladakhis are 🙂
Secondly, if you do not have any time constraints then why not do it leisure trip. 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 follow this itinerary after Srinagar and From Tso Moriri, you can return to Leh instead of going over to Manali – Leh Highway.
Regards
Dheeraj
Ho DOW:D, Need ur help to figure out my problem.
We are group of 8 flying to Srinagar from Mumbai on 26th Sep. We want to go to leh from Sri-Kargil-Leh on 27th Sep.
So we are confuesd that we should book our cab/winger online or should we check it after arrival. Please suggest what to do.. and if you guys have any good details about the fares for vehil from Sri to leh please let me know.
Please Reply.
regards,
Bharat Verma(luckyverma4u@gmaial.com)
Bharat, better book it on the spot. There will be plenty of options available there. Taxis cost about 14-15K for a drop to Leh from Srinagar with night halt at Kargil. Tempo Travelers charge in general 35% more than taxis.
Thanks for all the info.
I just want to confirm my flight from delhi will land srinagar at 1 PM is it possible to travel to drass by cab same day leaving around 2 and reach there by 7.
Currently we only have 1(acclimatisation)+2 days in leh . So if above mentioned is possible we will get an extra day in leh to roam around
our current itinerary
23 Aug del – srinagar (1 PM)flight
24-25 sri nagar to leh by cab
26 acclimatisation
27 Khardungla pass
28 pangnong lake
29-30 Leh to srinagar
31 – srinagar to delhi flight at 4pm
Thanks
Priyesh
Hi Priyesh,
What you can do in that case is better save the day on return. Start on 30th from Leh and reach Sonamarg by evening. Then next morning leave from Sonamarg and take the flight easily from Srinagar on 31. This will save you a day and you can actually do 2 day trip to Nubra Valley covering Khardung La, Deskit, Hunder, Sumur, Panamik. Leaving at 1 PM from Srinagar will be too late for Kargil or Drass I feel.
REgards
Dheeraj
Hi Dheeraj,
Firstly I’d like to thank you to help out first timers like me on this encyclopedia of Leh travel related information you’ve shared here. Like many, I’ve been bitten by Leh bug & finally after 10 years of returning from just visiting Spiti Valley & Kaza, this year I’ll be able to visit this true heaven on Earth.
Me and my friends will travel from Chandigarh to Leh & back in our own car(Duster). Itinerary is as follows, starting from 4th September:
4th : Chandigarh starting at 3pm, to Pathankot/Jammu.
5th : Pathankot/Jammu > Srinagar
6th : Srinagar > Kargil
7th : Kargil > Leh
8th, 9th, 10th : Leh & nearby places. Option: Khardung La, Pangdong lake & Tso Moriri Lake
11th : Leh > Sarchu
12th : Sarch > Manali
13th : Manali > Chandigarh
Many of my queries have been solved through your articles, but some are still left. I’d be thankful on your input in this:
1) Is it safe to travel through Srinagar, even though we’ll use that place as a night halt?
2) My car is HP registered. Based on that is there any permit we’ll have to get? I guess Inner line permit is not required by Indians, so permit free travel I hope!
3) We’re confused with what to do during our stay in Leh to choose form many options that are available like Nubra, Khardungla, Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri, etc.. What’s the best to choose?
4) Is it okay to have a night halt in Sarchu while coming back, to be safe from AMS?
Also, are whether conditions reliable in September?
And any other tips, advice?
Thanks.. 🙂
Did some more research for Leh. Planning to do the following:
8th: Leh > Khardhung La > Leh (Is Nubra valley possible the same day?)
9th: Leh > Pangong Tso
10th: Pangong Tso > Tso Moriri
11th: Tso Moriri > Sarchu
Is it possible to do Tso Moriri to Manali same day while coming back, and Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri in a day?
Thanks again
Akshut, can you tell me your complete plan. I mean are you saying on Day 1 you will reach Leh from flight and head to Khardung La?? 😯 😯
Regarding Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri route or Pangong Tso to Hanle, the permits to Man – Merak – Chusul – Tsaga or remote Changthang routes are being given by DC office in Leh at ON and OFF basis, so keep your fingers crossed and hope for the best if they start issuing the permits by the time you visit or issue you on your lucky day. Also, even if the permits are given then as well there is no guarantee that you will be allowed to cross Chusul Post or not because last year several such incidents happened and people with permits also had to return via same route. All this will mean that you will have to risk it for at least a day getting wasted if you are not allowed because there will be no guarantee until you cross Chusul and Tsaga post. Otherwise, you have to take the traditional routes only via Leh.
How do you plan to do this trip? Commute?
Hi Akshut,
Please find the replies below:
1) So, far so good. No issues reported by anyone and tourist areas remain mostly unaffected.
2) Yes, no need to get any permits as long as you stick to normal routes in Ladakh.
3) 1 Day you need to rest and acclimatize, second day make a day trip to Khardung La and third day make day trip to Pangong Tso.
4) Should be fine enough. Instead of going back to Leh, you can start early from Pangong Tso as well and reach Sarchu from there.
Septemeber is in general a good time to travel
Regards
Dheeraj
Hi Dheeraj,
Thanks for your reply.
Just a couple of questions more:
1) We’re taking Srinagar > Leh > Manali route & travelling in a Duster Diesel 85 PS. Is it good enough of a car to cope up with the terrain? I’m talking about major passes & highways only. Not planning to go deep offloading, but I guess offloading will be compulsory in places where there are no roads, eg. Tso Moriri route, etc. What’s your view?
2) After staying a night in Hanle we are planning to go directly to Pangong Tso, by not crossing Leh. Is it a good route to take in Spetember? Again, will a diesel Duster be able to cope up with this route? Thanks again.
I’m Sorry, I mean Hunder not Hanle.
Oops I replied based on Hanle. Well, even in that case if you feel you can go over the desolated route of Wari La, then only go else please do not try as that route is rarely taken by anyone and any help will be hard to seek if required. Otherwise, if you OK traveling on desolated route, you can do it in duster.
1) Yes, it is very much possible to take Duster there. It will do good and people have even taken nanos, it just needs right attitude. Also, with Duster you need not have to worry about GC too. Take some caution and drive safe.
2) No, better stick to original route as you can be sent back by Army from Chusul or Tsaga even after having permits which will spoil the day for you.
Regards
Dheeraj
Hi Dheeraj,
i am planning of srinagar-leh-srinagar from 9th Sep to 15th, where can i rent a bike in srinagar, do the rental agancy give bikes for a one way trip ?
And, what will the best itinerary considering the number of days.
Thanks in advance 🙂
Pratik, it takes 4 days for Srinagar to Leh and back. One day will be required for rest and you have just 7 days. Are you sure you want to do this trip?
Hi Dheeraj,
I have planned my trip from 15th August for 15 days. My itinerary would be same as mentioned by you in https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/most-common-itinerary-for-leh-ladakh/.
Here are my questions:
1. I would be renting bikes from stoneheadbikes in Delhi. What are your reviews on that?
2. Is there a list of bike servicing points for the journey?
3. Is there a list of petrol pump points for the journey?
Hi Gaurav,
1. Outside rented bikes are banned in Ladakh, so be very sure by asking the bike rentals in Leh if you will be allowed else you will end up paying for two bikes when in Leh.
2. For petrol pumps you can refer: Fuel Availability In Leh – Ladakh | Ladakh Self Drive Tips
3. For Mechanic points, refer the table at the article below for Srinagar to Leh and for Manali to Leh, look at the similar table in Manali – Leh Guide form the menu.
Hi Dheeraj,
Congratulations on doing a wonderful Job in supporting and Helping Travelers in guiding them to Plan their trips effectively. We really appreciate what you do.
My friends & I Have booked to reach Srinagar on the 15th Of August And return on the 30th from Chandigarh. We have a Car for ourselves for the trip. Could you hep me with a sample iternary where we ‘d like to see – Magnetic Hill, Indus & Zanskar confluence, Nubra valley, Pangong Tso & Tso Morriri as a a primary visit spots. Do recommend if any of these should be avoided to save time and see more places. Looking forward to your response
Thanks alot Manish. 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 add rest day in between and also visit Turtuk by extending the trip to Nubra Valley in the above itinerary by a day.
Hello Sir / Experts,
I am planning to visit Kasmir in mid of Oct-2014 with 6N-7D plan. I want my tour plan should be optimum between travel & relaxing . Kindly suggest if order / time for each places is correct or not?
My Plan –
Day-1 Kol -Del-Srinagar -Flight (morning flight) -> Houseboat (1N)
Day-2 Srinagar -> Pahelgam (2N)
Day-4 PahalGam ->Gulmarg (1N)
Day-5 Gulmarg -> Sonmarg (1N)
Day-6 Sonmarg ->Srinagar (1N)
Day-7 Srinagar-Del-Kol flight back (late afternoon/ evening flight)
This looks decent given the time you have on hands.