Nowadays a lot and a lot of travelers prefer to travel to Ladakh from Manali side and most of them say that “it is more beautiful” 🙂 🙂 … Well, others also have reasons like lack of leaves or some have security concerns while traveling from SrinagarKashmir side.

In this article today, I would like to suggest a very balanced and common itinerary for the travelers looking forward to traveling to Ladakh from Manali side. In the latter part of the article, I will also suggest some alterations to this popular itinerary for Manali to Ladakh.

You will be able to understand the changes if you are in the second category of people who do not wish to travel back from Srinagar – Kashmir side at all, then what options do you have to tweak this plan and make it work to come back from Ladakh from Manali side only.

Leh Ladakh from Manali day by day plan

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Leh Ladakh from Manali in 15 Days – Itinerary & Other Details

We already have the most common itinerary of Leh Ladakh which covers the entire Ladakh circuit from Srinagar to Ladakh to Manali. In this article, the itinerary for Ladakh from Manali side covers all three major tourist destinations of Ladakh including Nubra Valley, Pangong Tso Lake, and Tso Moriri Lake.

The itinerary also covers Srinagar – Leh Highway as well as Manali – Leh Highway, so it is apt for those who are looking forward to covering the entire circuit from Manali to Ladakh to Srinagar.

A word of caution about Manali to Leh

Please note that since your body will not be acclimatized well enough to travel on Manali – Leh Highway, there are chances of getting hit with Acute Mountain Sickness (more info on AMS) and especially on the second day you may feel it.

Most of the terrain on Manali – Leh Highway runs over 4000 Mtrs of altitude and by the time you reach such altitude, your body is not properly acclimatized. Hence, many people fall sick on Manali Leh Highway despite covering in a 25:75 ratio (Manali – Jispa/Keylong, Jispa/Keylong – Leh) in terms of distance.

The other issue is the Rohtang Pass permits fiasco !! When you travel from Manali to Rohtang Pass, you will need permits to travel beyond Rohtang Pass. But, you do not need permits if you are traveling from the other side of Rohtang Pass to Manali (that is from Leh, Lahaul, or Spiti).

If you are OK with these limitations, you can follow this travel plan for Ladakh from Manali side mentioned below.

Suraj Tal, as seen while traveling to Ladakh from Manali
Suraj Tal, as seen while traveling to Ladakh from Manali

Day 1 | Delhi – Manali/Solang Valley

  • Better stay at Solang Valley and avoid Manali as sleeping at Solang Valley does help in acclimatization
  • If going by own car, get the permit made in advance to drive on Manali – Rohtang Pass road
  • Enjoy the views of lower Himachal as you drive to Manali
  • Overnight at Manali/Solang Valley
  • About 13-14 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between

Day 2 | Manali/Solang Valley – Keylong/Jispa

  • It is always better to stay either at Keylong/Jispa so that you do not feel sick or hit by AMS
  • Avoid sleeping at Sarchu at any cost while going to Leh from Manali because your body will not be acclimatized by the time you reach there
  • I prefer staying at Jispa more because Keylong gives the feeling of a town while Jispa is closer to nature having the Bhaga river running just aside the Manali – Leh Highway at Jispa.
  • Overnight at Keylong/Jispa
  • About 6-7 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between

Day 3 | Keylong/Jispa – Baralacha La – Leh

  • Leave Keylong/Jispa early next morning, say by 4/5 AM types so that you reach Leh in the evening
  • You will witness the beauty of Manali – Leh Highway, with a couple of small lakes like Suraj Tal, Deepak Tal
  • You will cross over Baralacha La, Lachuchulung La, Nakee La, Taglang La passes
  • Overnight at Leh
  • About 11-12 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between

Day 4 | Leh Local Sightseeing + Acclimatisation

  • Complete the day for local sightseeing in Ladakh
  • Get the required inner line permits for sightseeing in Ladakh. You can apply for Ladakh Inner Line permits online and pay the required fee too
  • However, the permits need to get stamped at the Tourist Information Center in or Leh DC Office
  • 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 the tallest lord Buddha statue and Hunder has sand dunes and bacterian camel safari
  • About a 5-6 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between and at Khardung La

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
  • About 7-9 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between

Day 7 | Leh – Hemis Monastery – Chang La Pass – Pangong Tso Lake

  • Cover either of Hemis, Thicksey, and Shey on the go towards Pangong Tso
  • Overnight at Pangong Tso (Spangmik or Lukung)
  • About 5-6 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between
The wilderness of Changthang
The wilderness of Changthang

Day 8 | Pangong Tso Lake – Thicksey Monastery – Shey Palace – Leh

  • Cover either of Hemis, Thicksey, and Shey on return to Leh
  • Overnight at Leh
  • About 5-6 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between

Day 9 | Leh – Tso Moriri via Chumathang

  • Cover Karzok Monastery
  • Overnight at Karzok or Tso Moriri
  • About 8-9 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between

Day 10 | 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
  • About a 10-11 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between

Day 11 | Rest day at Leh

  • Do some rest or shopping, and enjoy the local culture at Leh
  • Sham Valley includes Alchi, Likir, Basgo Palace, Magnetic Hills, Confluence at Nimmu, Gurudwara Pather Sahib
  • Overnight at Leh
  • About 4-5 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between

Day 12 | Leh – Lamayuru – Kargil

  • Cover Mulbekh Maitreya, Lamayuru Monastery, Lunar Landscapes
  • Overnight at Kargil
  • About 8-9 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between

Day 13 | Kargil – Drass – Zozi La – Sonamarg – Srinagar

  • Enjoy the vistas en route
  • Have a late lunch meal at Sonamarg, Overnight at Srinagar
  • About 7-8 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between

Day 14 | Srinagar – Patnitop – Jammu

  • Enjoy the vistas en route
  • Overnight at Jammu
  • About 8-9 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between

Day 15 | Jammu – Pathankot – Ambala – Delhi

  • Back Home
  • About 11-12 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between

Day 16 + 17 | Buffer days

  • Keep some buffer days in case of road closure due to landslides or snowfall or perhaps you want to enjoy more.
Nakee La at Manali - Leh Highway
Nakee La at Manali – Leh Highway

Ladakh from Manali side and coming back from Manali side only

The other option is that you do not travel over Srinagar Leh Highway and return back Manali from Tso Moriri itself, in which case you can split from Day 9 and follow the plan mentioned below:

Day 9 | Rest day at Leh

  • Do some rest or shopping, and enjoy the local culture at Leh
  • Sham Valley includes Alchi, Likir, Basgo Palace, Magnetic Hills, Confluence at Nimmu, Gurudwara Pather Sahib
  • Overnight at Leh
  • About 4-5 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between

Day 10 | Leh – Tso Moriri via Chumathang

  • Cover Karzok Monastery
  • Overnight at Karzok or Tso Moriri
  • About 8-9 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between

Day 11 | Tso Moriri – Tso Kar – Debring (Manali – Leh Highway starts) – Moore Plains – Pang / Sarchu

  • Try to start early in the day so that you reach Sarchu where the accommodation options are better than in Pang
  • Overnight at Sarchu or Pang
  • About 10-11 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between

Day 12 | Pang / Sarchu – Baralacha La – Keylong – Rohtang Pass – Manali

  • On the way cover Suraj Tal, and Deepak Tal which are on the roadsides only
  • Overnight at Manali
  • About an 11-12-hour drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between and of course the mess at Rohtang Pass.

Day 13 | Manali – Delhi

  • Return Home
  • About a 13-14 hours drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between

Day 14 + 15 | Buffer Days

  • Keep some buffer days in case of road closure due to landslides or snowfall or perhaps you want to enjoy more.
Wilderness Galore in Changthang
Wilderness Galore in Changthang

Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso Direct Route Option

You can save a day by making a direct trip to Pangong Tso from Nubra Valley as suggested below.

Day 6 | Hunder / Diskit – Shyok village / Wari La route – Pangong Tso

  • Take the direct route from Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso either via Shyok village or Wari La pass whichever is open.
  • In the last couple of years (as of 2019), the direct route between Nubra Valley – Shyok Village – Pangong Tso has been stabilized a lot. It is not as desolate in the season anymore as it used to be a few years back.
  • A lot of people do this route nowadays, so it should be fine for you to do that route as well. Just enquire at Agham village on the safer side or wait for a couple of cars to tag along on the route.
  • Overnight at Pangong Tso.
  • About 6-10-hour drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between and the route you take between Shyok and Wari La.

Day 7 | Pangong Tso Lake – Thiksey Monastery – Shey Palace – Leh

Alternatively, you can also make a day trip to Pangong Tso (if Shyok village and Wari La pass routes are closed) as below but that makes it a bit, in case.

Day 7 | Leh – Chang La – Pangong Tso – Chang La – Leh

  • Make a Day trip to Pangong Tso via Chang La Pass.
  • Overnight at Leh.
  • About 8-9 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between.

Additional Points for Manali to Ladakh Trip

  • You can also make a three-day trip to Nubra Valley so that you can spend one night a beautiful village Turtuk and remove the rest day at 9 or add one day to the above plan to visit Tutruk. I bet you will not regret it at all visiting Turtuk in Nubra Valley.
  • In Srinagar, you can also visit the Floating Market> Shalimar Garden.
  • You can check this nice & preferred list of accommodation options in the entire Leh – Ladakh (Leh, Nubra Valley, Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri) including moderate (cheap budget hotels as well).
  • Do you have any doubts related to the budget of your Ladakh trip?? Don’t worry, read this article on How to calculate cost or budget for Leh Ladakh trip
Excellent Roads at Moore Plains - Manali Leh Highway
Excellent Roads at Moore Plains – Manali Leh Highway

Why should you travel to Ladakh from Manali?

For many travelers, there are reasons to travel to Leh Ladakh from Manali side only. Previously, I have already shared the reasons to travel to Ladakh from Srinagar. However, many travelers also ask me about the reasons to travel from Manali to Leh Ladakh. Let us look at them one by one.

1. The shortest route to travel to Leh by road

The route from Delhi to Manali to Leh is considered to be the shortest route by road to reach Leh. Srinagar route is about 300+ km longer and takes an extra day to travel.

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2. Saves one day in the overall Ladakh plan

It takes four days to reach Leh from the Srinagar side while you save one day when you travel to Leh from the Manali side with overnight halts at Manali / Solang and Keylong / Jispa only. Thus, you save two days when you travel from Manali to Leh in both directions.

3. Offers more adventure than Srinagar route

For the likes of adventure seekers, the journey over Manali Leh road offers much more adventure than Srinagar Leh Highway where you will find habitation almost about every 60 km.

4. Experience the beauty of Manali Leh road in the entirety

If you travel to Leh and come back from Leh via Manali only, you get a chance to see the same views from either direction. Hence, you can experience its beauty in entirety.

5. Well connected by HRTC & HPTDC buses

Unlike Srinagar Leh, you will find plenty of bus services option from Manali to Leh. Both HPTDC and HRTC run buses over Manali Leh Highway. There is, in fact, a tourist bus from HPTDC that runs doing all the sightseeing from Manali to Leh. It is one of the most preferred commute options to travel to Leh Ladakh from Manali. Then, HRTC offers a direct bus service from Delhi to Leh which covers the 1050 km journey in 2 days.

6. Avoids hassles of bandhs/strikes in Kashmir

A lot of people are concerned about the security and safety issues when traveling to Leh Ladakh by Srinagar or Kashmir’s side. Bandhs, Protests, and strikes happen in Kashmir, which mostly is predeclared and does not affect the tourist areas. Still, some people avoid to travel Kashmir and make a trip from Manali to Ladakh only.

The roads when you travel Ladakh from Manali and come from Srinagar side
The roads when you travel Ladakh from Manali and come from Srinagar side

Conclusion

I hope this plan or itinerary for Leh Ladakh from Manali side will be useful for travelers planning their journey at least for the first time. I will look forward to any questions or doubts you may have in the comments section of this article below.

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.

You can share your valuable suggestions and inputs you have or if would love to discuss your custom plan as well in the comments section.

What is the best bike or best motorcycle for Leh Ladakh bike trip? [4 Things to Consider]

If you want any customization or deviation from the above plan, feel free to ask any questions, and in case you know a friend who is interested in traveling Ladakh from Manali in such a plan, feel free to share the article with them.

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I am Dheeraj Sharma - a traveler, techie, and Himalayan lover. Since 2009, I have been helping thousands of travelers every year plan memorable & budget-friendly trips to the Himalayas - Smartly, Safely, and responsibly.

76 Comments

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  2. Sachin Puri on

    Effective 2018 you need permit for all circuits in Leh except main highways Manali-Leh or Srinagar-Leh or Kargil-Zanskar. All should know this for planning. Though you can apply for permits online but payment has to be made physically in Leh only.

  3. muneer ansari on

    Planning a trip from kashmir to kanyakumari on bikes so may you please give me some suggestions about the tour
    Completed nainitial,mysore,dhanaulti,manali,kasol and sang la on bikes

  4. Wow, very detailed stuff. I am planning to visit Leh Ladakh on Bike but i never visited there yet so was afraid about the changing weather conditions. You have shared very detailed information. No need to search anything other.

  5. Hello Dheeraj,

    Thank you for all the valuable information that you provide us!
    I am travelling to Leh starting from Manali on bike for the first time.
    From your Earlier post, I understand that we should not stay at Sarchu as I our body will not be acclimatized by then.
    How is the condition of road between Jispa and Leh?
    Can I cover the entire stretch from Jispa to Leh in a day, considering if I leave at 5AM and keeping in mind the the current road condition?

    Thanks in Advance.

    • Yes Abhishek, if you leave positively by 5-6 AM from Jispa you will reach by evening to Leh. Road conditions are a mix of bad, average and good.

  6. Hey Dheeraj,
    Your blog is of great help. My 70% of questions were cleared going though various topics.
    There are still some left,
    1) We are planning to go to ladkh June end so you think weather will be decent enough then ?or should I postponed or prepone it.
    2) we don’t have our own bikes, was thinking if we can take bike from Srinagar and drop it at Manali. Does that make sense or travelling to and fro Manali will be better ?
    3)Also I read in one of the blog that Manali they have dealers who had pre signed with Leh rental association. Do you know any such dealer?

    • Thanks, Atul !! My replies are below:

      1. Weather is fine in June end for a Ladakh trip and roads are stabilized too from initial avalanches/snow slides.
      2. Outside rented bikes are not allowed for sightseeing in Ladakh. So, you pay twice for outside rented bike. Then, for a drop of single bike it cost around 10-15K per bike
      3. I don’t know such a dealer.

      • Thanks Dheeraj for such quick response.
        My friends were keen to go ladkh via bike. But reading various posts I think it makes more sense to go in ladkh and hire bike. Rather than hiring from Manali given high chance of mountain sickness. Also taking bike from Srinagar, and then coming back to Manali will cost a good 10-12 k extra. So best will be to go and hire bike from ladkh?

  7. Pavan shukla on

    Hi Dheeraj,
    I want to know if visiting Hemis National Park is allowed or not.I never found that someone suggesting so.

  8. karnesh diwakar on

    Hello Dheeraj sir
    Hope u are doing fine..

    Day 1 Delhi to Manali June 4
    Day 2 Manali to jispa June 5
    Day 3 jispa to pangong June 6
    Day 4 relax whole day at pangong June 7
    Day 5 pangong to serchu June 8
    Day 6 sarchu to Solang velly June 9
    Day 7 Solang to Delhi. June 10

    Having one day in buffer

    Done ladakh via Srinagar in 2015
    Done sangla in 2015
    Done spitivally in 2016
    With your help..

    Again need your suggestions
    Thank u

    • Please postpone it by at least a week so that Manali – Leh Highway will be open. Also, as you have already done the high altitude regions, you understand that above plan is a welcome to being hospitalised. Also, you need permits now again from this year, so you cant make it that ways.

  9. Ajay sharma on

    Hi,

    I alongwith my 3 friends planning a trip from delhi to ladakh via manali and return from same route starting from 10 june 2017 and will end on 21 june 2017. We are planning this trip by i20 active diesel.

    Ease guide us on following aspects:
    1. Day wise itinary from delhi to leh and back.
    2. We want to cover all the important attractions. Kindly guide on that aspect.
    3. Which kind of permit is required to pass rohtang la.
    4. Is it necessary to book accomodation in advance durin visit or we can get it easily on reaching there.
    5. Will our i20 active diesel be able to troll through.
    6.What all important things we need to carry along.

    • Hey Ajay,

      For hatchback/sedan taking on Manali – Leh Highway and Ladakh, I will say:

      You will indeed face few tough challenges on the route. The hatchback/sedan will increase the level of every challenge even further, sedan is the worst candidate. My suggestion will be to go via Srinagar route as it will help you feel comfortable with the driving, provide more acclimatization and then once you have done the local Leh-Ladakh, then come back via Manali side. Secondly, since you are in hatch/sedan, then you need to drive with extra care as well. There will be some sections on the Manali – Leh highway in which you might need to sacrifice some scratches on the underbelly. Just make sure you do not bump the engine sump (know it before where it is placed in your car). You need to protect it all around the trip. Thirdly, whenever in doubt do not rush into the section rather park aside and feel the section with your foot, see how other vehicles are crossing it and make a planned route in your mind to cross that section. At the very least do carry Mseal, quick fix, funnel, jerry cans and towing rope with you all the time.

      Also, I will strongly suggest that you go through and read my series on Ladakh Self Drive tips at the links below:

      7 Useful Tips for a Self Drive to Leh – Ladakh, Routes and Road Conditions In Leh – Ladakh | Ladakh Self Drive Tips, Fuel Availability In Leh – Ladakh | Ladakh Self Drive Tips

      Regarding your plan for 11 days, you can follow below itinerary:

      Day 1 | Delhi – Manali/Solang Valley
      — Better stay at Solang Valley and avoid Manali as sleeping at Solang Valley does help in acclimatization
      — If going by own car, get the permit made in advance to drive on Manali – Rohtang Pass road through hotel/travel agent in Manali
      — Overnight at Manali/Solang Valley

      Day 2 | Manali/Solang Valley – Keylong/Jispa
      — It is always better to stay either at Keylong/Jispa so that you do not feel sick or hit by AMS.
      — Avoid sleeping at Sarchu at any cost while going to Leh from Manali because your body will not be acclimatized by the time you reach there.
      — I prefer staying at Jispa more because Keylong gives the feeling of a town while Jispa is more closer to nature having Bhaga river running just aside the Manali – Leh Highway at Jispa.
      — Overnight at Keylong/Jispa

      Day 3 | Keylong/Jispa – Leh
      — Leave Keylong/Jispa early next morning, say by 4/5 AM types, so that you reach Leh in the evening.
      — Overnight at Leh

      Day 4 | Leh Local Sightseeing + Inner Line Permits
      — To know the about the places to visit check the link: Travel Guide for Local Sightseeing of Leh Town in Ladakh
      — For more details on inner line permits process and to download application form read the link here
      — 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 – Taglang La – Moore Plains – Pang – Sarchu
      — Stay overnight at Sarchu

      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
      — Return home

      Day 11 | Buffer day to be kept incase of road closure due to landslides or snowfall or perhaps you want to enjoy more.

  10. Arvind Verma on

    Dheeraj sir,
    As we know there is no need of inner line permit from leh-khardung la-Diskit-Hunder-Turtuk…
    But sir what about sumur, panamik? Does we need permit for this route?
    Please clear sir……

  11. Pierre Mlr on

    Dear DHEERAJ,

    First I would like to thank you a lot for all you did and share on this website ! It really help me to plan my Bullet trip from Manali to Leh.

    I would like you advice about my itinerary and maybe your recommandation for the place to stay to sleep on the way, if possible as cheap and confortable as possible. I already reed some recommandation for hotel or campsite but i lose this page, and I you have time I will enjoy you direct recommandation.
    For information we a 2 persons on the Bullet 500.

    I want to take at least 6 days to rich Leh from Manali (by Wari La and Kardhung La) by following this approx. itinerary :

    Manali – Sarchu – Pang – Debring – Upshi – (Wari La) – Tyangar – Hunder (Sumur) – (Khardung La) – Leh

    So I would like to stop in 5 or 6 nice places for sleeping. Which places do you recommand me ?
    Do we need sleeping bag or everything are provided ?

    Thank you very much.
    Best Regards
    Pierre

    • Hi Pierre,

      Well, I am assuming you have stayed in Leh for at least couple days to acclimatize before going down the road to Khardung La pass. In six days you should plan the trip in this manner:

      Plan A – In case you do not find any company to take the direct route between Pangong Tso – Nubra Valley. Going along on that route is not recommended
      Day 1 | Leh – Khardung La – Nubra Valley (Hunder – Deskit)
      Day 2 | Nubra Valley (Sumur – Panamik) – Khardung La – Nubra Valley
      Day 3 | Leh – Pangong Tso covering Hemis
      Day 4 | Pangong tso – Karu (fill fuel) – Tso Kar lake
      Day 5 | Tso Kar lake – Sarchu – Baralacha La – Jispa
      Day 6 | Jispa – Keylong – Manali

      Plan B – in case you get company to travel the direct route from Pangong Tso – Nubra Valley
      Day 1 | Leh – Khardung La – Nubra Valley (Hunder – Deskit)
      Day 2 | Nubra Valley – Agham – Shyok – Pangong Tso
      Day 3 | Pangong Tso – Karu (fill fuel and carry extra fuel) – Upshi/Chumathang
      Day 4 | Upshi/Chumathang – Tso Moriri lake
      Day 5 | Tso Moriri Lake – Tso Kar lake – Sarchu
      Day 6 | Sarchu – Jispa – Keylong – Manali

      • Pierre Mlr on

        Hi Dheeraj,

        Thank you for your answer.
        I was maybe not enough clear but actually I’ll ride from MANALI to LEH and not LEH to MANALI as you answer.

        So has you don’t really recommand to go to Tso Moriri and Pangong Tso when coming from Manali I didn’t plan it.

        So in link with your answer I plan my trip in this way (after one sleep in Solang Valley for acclimation) :

        Day 1 : Solang Valley, Keylong, Jispa – 140 km
        Day 2 : Jispa, Baralacha La, Sarchu – 84 km
        Day 3 : Sarchu, Taglang La, Upshi – 204 km
        Day 4 : Upshi, Wari La, Hunder – 150 km
        Day 5 : Nubra Valley (Hunder, Diskit, Panamik, Summur, Khalsar or other ?) – 150 km
        Day 6 : Khalsar, Khardung La, Leh – 95 km

        What’s your opinion about :
        1- this plan and the place I choose for night ?
        2- the road from Karu to Agham through Wari LA ?
        3- the place I absolutely shouln’t miss on this way ?

        Thanks a lot.
        Cheers
        Pierre

        • Hello Pierre,

          Following edit I will suggest:

          Day 1 : Solang Valley, Keylong, Jispa – 140 km
          Day 2 : Jispa, Baralacha La, Sarchu – Taglang La – Upshi –
          Day 3 : Upshi – Leh, get your protect area permits
          Day 4 : Leh – Khardung La – Hunder – 125 km
          Day 5 : Nubra Valley (Hunder, Diskit, Panamik, Summur, Khalsar or other ?) – 150 km
          Day 6 : Nubra Valley – Wari La route or Agham/Shyok route to Pangong tso. Agham/shyok is shorter but only attempt these routes if you have company on the road.

  12. Arvind Verma on

    Dheeraj Sir,
    Can you give give me the km. Breakdown of sightseeing in ladhak….like leh to nubra valley (how much km?)….leh to Tso moriri lake and leh to pangong lake……..
    Waiting for your reply sir……..

  13. Mayank Sharma on

    Hi,

    I am planning for a road trip from Delhi to Leh starting from July 31, 2016. I will be travelling via manali leh highway and also return back from the same.

    Previously we planned to go via srinagar and return from manali but due to srinagar unrest we have changed our plan.

    I am driving by myself with my duster car and three other friends.

    Please can you suggest me if I should postpone my trip as I heard that monsoon might trouble us during this trip. I am really confused

    I will really appreciate if someone can share with me what kind of hurdles I face during this trip.

    Looking forward for your reply.

    Thanks & Regards

  14. 1) Can Turtuk be covered in a 2 day 1 night trip to Nubra Valley. Night stay planned at Hunder. If yes, how?
    2) Any specific prayer timings at Monasteries?

    • No Ajay, it can only be done if you directly go to Turtuk and next day come back from Turtuk do Hunder-Deskit on the way back to Leh. Ver very long.

    • Santosh Yadav on

      Hi Dheeraj,

      Do you have any about current situation of Jammu Srinagar highway? Is it safe or we should change the route to manali leh instead of Srinagar leh?? How is the roads condition of manali leh route? We have plan of leaving from Delhi on 16th July.

      • I will suggest to have a word with some hotel guy in Srinagar and then take a call to go from Manali side. These things are dependent from person to person judgement call and what a person feels is OK to him or her given the circumstances. So, best is to talk to a local hotel guy in Srinagar and confirm about the ground situation in tourist places and Srinagar – Leh route. Having being stuck in riots/curfews myself at times, my personal suggestion will be to avoid unless unrest is over and take the Manali route.

      • Tirthankar Saha on

        R ull plaining for motorcycle trip? Plz call or whatsup me if i can join you. I own avenger 220. 9811160619

  15. Dhaval Soni on

    Hii sir

    I have read your whole article for Manali – leh road trip.. It was just awsem.. Am from Ahmedabad I’am tourism lover and i have completed my masters in tourism management and working with travel agency and dealing with domestic tours.. But for me travel in himalayas for a long is my lifetime dream especially manali-leh road trip by bike. My route is (all night stays) Delhi-Shimla-Manali-Solang Valley-Jispa-Sarchu-Pangong-Leh-Nubra–Leh. Now i have some questions related this. I hope u will give me answer for this.

    1. I’am intrested for Solo trip on manali leh tour. Should i do this?
    2. Is this route is safe like if i can carry cash, mobile, SLR??
    3. I’ll be able to experience snow in between in June to September??
    4. Is it ok if i dont do advance bookings for accommodation??
    5. In bike 180 cc will work??
    Should i combine manali-leh and leh-srinagar?
    6. if iam travelling Solo with out any group (me & my bike) what problems could i face?

    I need your Reply Sir.

    Thank You
    (Dhaval Soni)

  16. Dhaval Soni on

    Hii sir,

    I have read your whole article for Manali – leh road trip.. It was just awsem.. Am from Ahmedabad I’am tourism lover and i have completed my masters in tourism management and working with travel agency and dealing with domestic tours.. But for me travel in himalayas for a long is my lifetime dream especially manali-leh road trip by bike. My route is (all night stays) Delhi-Shimla-Manali-Solang Valley-Jispa-Sarchu-Pangong-Leh-Nubra–Leh. Now i have some questions related this. I hope u will give me answer for this.
    1. I’am intrested for Solo trip on manali leh tour. Should i do this?
    2. Is this route is safe like if i can carry cash, mobile, SLR??
    3. I’ll be able to experience snow in between in June to September??
    4. Is it ok if i dont do advance bookings for accommodation??
    5. In bike 180 cc will work??
    Should i combine manali-leh and leh-srinagar?
    6. if iam travelling Solo with out any group (me & my bike) what problems could i face?
    I need your Reply Sir.
    Thank You
    (Dhaval Soni)

  17. Vineet Kuriyal on

    Hi,

    I would appreciate if you could share information on cab fares from Manali to Leh roundtrip covering Lahul, Lamayuru, Alchi Monastery, Khardong La, Nubra Valley and Pangong lake.

    The trip shall be for 8 days and would include 3 people.

    Also, please inform about the cab fares for self drive packages. And would the package include Hotel accommodation or not.

    Please forgive if you have shared the same information elsewhere, I wasn’t able to find it.

    Looking forward to your reply.

    Have a great day ahead.

    • For the leh – ladakh taxi union rate list 2016 – 17 including the contacts of some reliable taxi drivers within Leh – Ladakh, check the link here. You can get about 12-15% of discount by directly getting in touch with drivers and of course, talking in person rather on phone always help in bargaining more.

  18. Hi. Is there any issue driving a cousins pvt innova. Also, is the trip OK for kids 6 n 9 years.

  19. Satish Nair on

    Hi Dheeraj

    I am a 62 year old retiree who started biking in 2008 after ages. I did a Leh trip in 2009 with 5 friends, which was a bit in haste. This year I am planning a 4 to 5 week solo ride from Bombay to Leh and back in leisure as time’s with me!

    On a regular basis I ride solo to the South / Western region and to Sangla in 2013 to run the Himalayan Marathon (Full Marathon at 10k elevation)

    My bike is a Machismo500 registered at Navi Mumbai in 20018 Aug, hope it will pass. I plan to cover the Bombay Chandigarh stretch in 3 days each way. So I am left 3 weeks for the ride. Will appreciate if you can suggest a good ride plan with an alternate to extension by 5 days..

    Regards
    Satish

    • Hello Satish ji,

      I will suggest below one plan in which you can add buffer/rest days as and when needed when you are there:

      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 – 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 + Inner Line Permits
      — To know the about the places to visit check the link: Travel Guide for Local Sightseeing of Leh Town in Ladakh
      — For more details on inner line permits process and to download application form read the link here
      — Overnight at Leh

      Day 6 | Leh – Khardung La – Diskit – Hunder – Turtuk
      — Head for Nubra Valley and stay overnight at Turtuk
      — On the way enjoy a cup of soup at Highest Motorable Pass (as claimed) Khardung La
      — enjoy the culture in the Turtuk Village
      — do mention Turtuk on the permits

      Day 7 | Turtuk – Hunder
      — Spend whole day at Turtuk and reach Hunder by evening
      — Overnight at Hunder

      Day 8 | Hunder – Deskit – Sumur – Panamik – Sumur
      — Diskit has monasteries with tallest lord Buddha statue and Hunder has sand dunes and bacterian camel safari
      — Enjoy drive upto Panamik, visit Yarab Tso Lake and back to overnight stay at Kyagar or Tiger or Sumur
      — Enjoy walks in Hunder, Deskit, Sumur villages for the last 3 days

      Day 9 | Sumur/Kyagar – Panamik – Sumur – Khardung La – Leh
      — Sumur has a famous monastery to check out and Panamik has hot water springs
      — Overnight at Leh

      Day 10 | Rest day at Leh to enjoy local culture and some shopping OR Monastery tour
      — Monastery tour may include Hemis, Thicksey, Stakna 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.
      — Overnight at Leh

      Day 11 | Leh – Sham Valley – Leh
      — Sham Valley include Alchi, Likir, Basgo Palace, Magnetic Hills, Confluence at Nimmu, Gurudwara Pather Sahib
      — Overnight at Leh

      Day 12 | Leh – Hemis Monastery – Pangong Tso Lake
      — Cover either of Hemis, Thicksey and Shey on the go towards Pangong Tso
      — Overnight at Pangong Tso (Spangmik)

      Day 13 | Pangong Tso Lake – Shey – Thicksey – Leh
      — Mention all the places of this route as mentioned above on the permits and Nyoma as well
      — Overnight at Hanle

      Day 14 | Leh – Chumathang – Mahe – Nyoma – Loma – Hanle
      — Overnight at Hanle

      Day 15 | Hanle – Loma – Nyoma – Mahe – Korzok / Tso Moriri Lake OR Hanle – Salsal La – Tso Moriri Lake
      — Overnight at Tso Moriri lake

      Day 16 | Tso Moriri – Tso Kar – Debring (Manali – Leh Highway starts) – Moore Plains – Pang / Sarchu
      — Try to start early in the day so that you reach Sarchu where the accommodation options are better than Pang
      — Overnight at Sarchu or Pang

      Day 17 | Pang / Sarchu – Baralacha La – Jispa
      — On the way cover Suraj Tal, Deepak Tal which are on the road sides only
      — Overnight at Jispa

      Day 18 | Jispa – Keylong – Rohtang Pass – Manali
      — On the way cover Suraj Tal, Deepak Tal which are on the road sides only
      — Overnight at Manali

      Day 19 | Manali – Delhi
      — Return home

      Day 20 | As buffer day that can be used at will wherever required by you

  20. Can you suggest some reliable options for hiring self drive car from Manali.

    • Vijay, there are no self drive cars available in Manali. Moreover, outside rented self drive cars are not allowed for any sightseeing in Ladakh

  21. Hi Dheeraj,

    We are Planning a trip to Manali-Leh-Manali starting from Delhi on night of 10th June and below is the itinerary

    Day1 Delhi to chandigarh to Manali
    Day2 Manali to Jispa
    Day3 Jispa to Leh
    Day4 Leh Local Sightseeing
    Day5 Leh – Khardung La – Diskit – Hunder – Leh
    Day6 Leh – Pangong Tso Lake (Hemis, Thicksey and Shey)
    Day7 Pangong Tso Lake – Tso Moriri via Chumathang
    Day8 Tso Moriri – Tso Kar – Debring (Manali – Leh Highway starts) – Moore Plains – Pang / Sarchu
    Day9 Sarchu – Baralacha La – Keylong – Rohtang Pass – Manali
    Day10 Manali – Delhi

    Kindly advise if above plan is okay or any modifications are required.

    Also we are planning to get a taxi from Delhi/ Chandigarh. While going through your other posts I got to know that outside taxis can not be used for Leh Sightseeing. So I believe that it can not be used for Day 4 and Day 5 for above plan but could there be issue with taxi from Day 6 onwards when we are leaving Leh for Pangong Tso and further.

    • Hi Gunajan,

      You are doing too much in too little time on hand. It will be quite an hectic trip. It cannot be used for Day4, 5, 6, 7. You cannot visit Nubra, Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri in outside rented taxis, each route has a taxi union barrier to check the pass.

      • thanks for your reply. In this case kindly advise what we can take out of out itinerary.

        • I will suggest that you do like

          Day7 Pangong Tso Lake – Leh
          Day8 Leh – Sarchu
          Day9 Sarchu – Baralacha La – Keylong – Rohtang Pass – Manali

        • gunjan Sharma on

          Hi Dheeraj, One more question. If we take a Private taxi (white no plate) with vehicle registered on Driver’s name. Will that be okay for local sight seeing in leh

        • Yes Gunjan as long as the vehicle owner is with you in the car and you all share the same story who he is and whom the car belongs too.

        • hello gunjan we are also planning the same trip but on 13th june!! are your dates flexible??

  22. hi,dheeraj
    its very helpful to read you for the ladakh trip ..and you are doing best job in the world..hats off to you
    i want to rent bike from chandigarh and my route is ..chandigarh–pathankot srinagar-kargil-leh-nubra-leh-pangong-tsomoriri sarchu manali -chandigarh..in 14 days..I am solo rider of age 36
    my query is ..
    1) Is it possible in 14 days?
    2) rented bike in chandigarh can pass through srinagar? ,leh?,manali?
    3) will I need any permits to cross any pass in this route such as rohatang ( I cross rohtang from leh to manali)?
    4) will I need any other permits please mention…
    5) accommodation in this route is easily available in june first week in 2016? or i have to booked it in advance .
    6) what route you suggest in 14 days trip for solo rider to complete sight seenig and easy bike rental system that ..chandigarh-srinagar-leh – manali is better or manali-dharmashala-srinagar-leh-manali is better ?
    kindly reply
    awaiting for your suggestion
    aatish

    • 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.

      No permits required if you follow above route. 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

      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

      This year as per reports, rule is going to be stricter. Manali rental guys have formalized a deal that for the days Manali bike is parked in Leh and Leh bike is rented, they will charge 50% of the rent of the bike. So, confirm with Manali rental guys first about this signoff.

      For renting bikes in Leh – Ladakh along with current Bike Union Prices, you can check the DwD Community thread: Leh – Ladakh Bike Rental Rates 2016 – 17 & Reliable Shops

      The one way bike rental is quite costly and leave a big dent in pocket for you, sometimes like 12K for just the pickup from Manali. Be sure if you are ready to make that investment or not or if at all it is worth the money spent. My suggestion is unless you are hard core biker and cannot live up the passion of biking, it is not wise to spend that much money just for the pickup of bike.

      I will suggest that you go through the articles mentioned under the DwD Community thread for bike trip to Ladakh or any other part of Himalayas at the link: All About Bike Ride to Ladakh & Himalayas. This will help you cover almost all your queries related to bike trip to Ladakh or Himalayas.

  23. sanjeev barve on

    i intend to visit leh & kargil on bike in July 16, following the route delhi – chandigarh – manali – leh -kargil – srinagar – jammu – delhi. My co-traveller will ride on his own bike, and I will use my nephew’s Haryana registration bike ( my bike being 12 yrs. old, couldn’t obtain permit at Manali, last year ) Now I would like to know –
    1. Are there any restrictions on travelling from leh to nubra and pangong on our bikes ?
    2. Do I need to produce any additional document( e.g. affidavit of my nephew stating the evidence and purpose of handing over his bike to me ) for obtention of permit at Manali ?

    • Hi Sanjeev,

      1. If confronted then yes, you will not be allowed for sightseeing and wil be forced to hire/rent a bike from Leh. They have issued some union passes this year and guess the bikes might need to carry them. Still early season so details will unflod when Manali – Leh opens.
      2. You can carry one for sure because that will really help.

  24. Is it possible to cover from jammu via srinagar leh [hemis,nubra,pangyong lake,tso moriri]manali kaza nako shimla in a span of around 12-14 days ,, enjoying each place ,and the ride also….any possible itineraries friends??

  25. well planning to visit ladakh soon,,however aftergoing through all the posts and seeing the itineraries given here for 9 days or even 14 days which say that to cover from point A to point B you should start really early morning and that journey would require approx 8-9 hours ,,i wonder how much would one be getting time to stop over and enjoy the beauty of the places in between with i,m sure so many beautiful scenes at every corner.and i think in this tour the places en route would be more enchanting and making you feel like stopping than your point A and point B..
    i want to know from my friends who have been there if they could really stop over n spend some nice time en route and soak in the beauty of the places or was it just that enjoy running ur eyes here n there without stopping much in between[as much as ur heart wanted to] so that you reach ur destination from where u have started since each point is far from the other point,,like e.g srinagar to kargil and kargil to leh is like 200km, and that too mountains,a tedious bike journey

    • Yogesh, the above times does include sightseeing on the way as well. You can consider about couple of hrs of photo breaks each day. It is best to do it at ease but all depends upon how much time you have in hand. If couple of hrs of sightseeing is not enough for you then consider increasing the days.

  26. hey what u charge for a SUV car from manali to leh for one week(self drive)

  27. Abhay Gupta on

    Hi Dheeraj,

    I am planning Self riding bike trip to leh in june. We will be starting from jammu and finishing in Chandigarh covering the whole circuit. I have couple of queries:

    1. Which back up vehicle should we use eg. Some pick up vehicle or SUV like Innova. Also as SUV’s from from outside are baned in LADAKH as I got information from your blogs. What about pick ups, are they also banned or we can rent a pick up along a driver from jammu. And if you have some contact of Pick up vehicle person do tell.

    2. Some of my friend will be bringing bikes which are of third person. So, wanted to ask that if some one is riding on a bike which is third person bike is it allowed.
    Hoping for a positive reply.

    Thanks,
    Abhay

    • i got a similar plan pal ,but from august end onwards… all the best.. which bike u got…i plan to use my discover 150cc..lol ,since always seeing and reading bullets all over ladakh trips…giving a feel that any other bike has nothing to do in here..hehehe

    • Abhay, pickup will be cheap and best bet for backup vehicle. It will be difficult for them as bike chcking rules from this year are going to be stricter.

  28. HI Dheeraj,

    I am planning for Ladakh trip from Manali for 9 days

    Which is the best option to rent bike? Should I rent a bike from manali or in leh.

    I understand bike rented outside leh are banned in ladakh.

    Can you also suggest a good itinerary for 9 days trip from manali.

  29. Harshawardhan on

    Hey I am from Maharashtra and planning to for Leh -Ladakh Bike ride with 6 of my friends in first week of June.
    I wanted to know if bikes with HP passing are allowed these days in Leh(We are planning to bring our own but in case if we couldn’t). I read on your blog that they are not allowed these days in Leh.
    I am planning to start ride from Shrinagar and end at Manali so what are the chances that Rohtang La and Khardung La be open by May end?
    Also can you help us planning our Itinerary and contacts for Stay.
    Our Itinerary goes like this
    Day 1- Arrive at Srinagar
    Day 2- Srinagar -Sonamarg -Zozi La -Drass -Kargil
    Day 3- Kargil- Lamayuru – Leh
    Day 4- Stay at Leh and Local sightseeing
    Day 5- Leh – Khardung La – Nubra Valley – Diskit – Hunder
    Day 6- Back to Leh from Hunder and 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
    Overnight at Leh
    Day 9- Leh – Tso Moriri via Chumathang
    Overnight Tso Moriri
    Day 10- Tso Moriri – Leh
    Overnight at Leh
    Day 11- Leh to Manali
    or perhaps you could suggest good Itinerary so that we can have most of Leh-Ladakh

    • Road shall be open by May end. Plan looks fine well Day 1o shall be Tso Moriri to Sarchu, you do not need to come back to Leh. Then from Sarchu to Manali on Day 11

    • ashok raja on

      Hi Could please tell me the plan of transportation? whether bringing your own bike or Hiring Bikes or is this a non Biking Trip ?