Last Updated: November 2026. If you are driving or riding the Manali – Leh Highway, you will quickly find that most of it has no town, no hotel and no phone signal. Hence, knowing where you can actually sleep, and what each stop really offers, decides whether your trip is smooth or a long cold night. This is my running list of accommodation on the Manali Leh Highway: HP PWD rest houses, dormitory dhabha tents, camps and hotels, in the order you meet them from Manali to Leh. I first wrote it in 2011 and have kept it alive since, so every price below is marked with the year it comes from. 🙂 …
Quick Answer: For your first night out of Manali, stay at Jispa or Keylong (about 10,200 to 10,500 ft), not Sarchu (14,070 ft). Camps, guesthouses and HP PWD rest houses are the main options. PWD rest houses now cost Rs 1,000 per room for tourists and are booked online. Dhabha dorm tents are the last resort.
Manali Leh Highway Stays at a Glance (2026)
| Stop | Distance from Manali | What you will find |
|---|---|---|
| Sissu | 33 km via Atal Tunnel | HP PWD rest house, Triveni Hotel, small guesthouses |
| Keylong | 115 km (about 10,200 ft) | HPTDC Hotel Chandrabhaga, Nalwa Guest House, PWD rest house and circuit house |
| Jispa | 137 km (10,500 ft) | Camps, Hotel Ibex, Padma Lodge, PWD rest house |
| Darcha, Patseo, Zingzing Bar, Bharatpur | Beyond Jispa | Dhabha dorm tents, PWD rest house at Patseo |
| Sarchu | about 215 km (14,070 ft) | Tent camps, dorm tents |
| Pang | about 4,600 m | Dormitory dhabha tents |
| Upshi | 49 km before Leh | Basic guesthouses |
Keep in mind, the tunnel has changed this list. The stretch between Rohtang Pass and Sissu is now mostly bypassed via the 9.02 km Atal Tunnel, and Manali to Keylong takes only about 2 to 3 hours. The Khoksar rest house I listed in 2011 sits on that old road. I have not re-checked it, and it is no longer a stop most people make.
Where Should I Stay on the First Night of the Manali Leh Highway?
Quick Answer: Stay at Jispa or Keylong. Both sit near 10,200 to 10,500 ft, almost 4,000 ft lower than Sarchu at 14,070 ft, which is where first-timers most often get AMS. Sarchu works only on the second night, after you have acclimatised.
I suggest planning the highway around altitude and not around distance. Sarchu is a textbook AMS trap on Night 1, and my full argument is in Jispa over Sarchu as a stopover on the Manali – Leh Highway. Pang is higher still, at about 4,600 m. In case anyone in your group gets a headache, nausea or a sleepless night, do not push on. Go down. Sissu is one of the lowest stops on this list, so it is a sensible fallback if someone shows AMS symptoms. Please take a sensible call for yourself and your loved ones waiting for your safe return.
What Do I Need Before Entering Lahaul?
Quick Answer: Register for the free e-Aagman e-pass on the Himachal Pradesh government portal. At the SADA barrier in Sissu, non-Himachal vehicles pay Rs 200 for a car and Rs 50 for a two-wheeler (as of 2026). These are the entry formalities for Lahaul, and they are not hotel charges.
These two things did not exist when I wrote this article in 2011, so I am mentioning them here. Fill the e-Aagman form in Manali a day ahead, because mobile network near the checkpost is patchy. The details are in my complete Jispa guide.
How Do I Book HP PWD Rest Houses and Circuit Houses in Lahaul?
Quick Answer: Book online on the Him Atithi portal (himatithi.nic.in), at least 5 days before your stay. Tourists from outside Himachal pay Rs 1,000 per room per night, and the official FAQ says tourist bookings are online only. Walk-ins depend on the caretaker and vacancy.
This is the part of the 2011 article that changed the most. I originally wrote that you could phone the SDO, PWD Lahaul and pay Rs 350 as a tourist. As of 2026, the booking route is the Him Atithi portal, and the tourist rate is Rs 1,000 per room per night, while Himachalis pay Rs 500. My step-by-step walkthrough, with the tariff table and the caveats, is in How to Book HP PWD Rest Houses or FRHs. Read that before you plan around any rest house below.
What has not changed is the experience. Rooms are usually clean and comfortable, and most can fit 3 persons. Food can be an issue. Hence, either carry your own or ask the Chowkidar (watchman) to arrange it, and give him a tip for the trouble. At Rs 1,000, they are still good value in remote locations, but I never book in advance myself, and I have paid for it with a few tough nights in the past. Do not repeat my mistake.
For the record, these were the PWD numbers in 2011. I have not re-verified them and they are not the booking route any more: rest houses 01900-222276 (PWD Lahaul), circuit houses 01900-222501 (Keylong) and 01909-222224 (Udaipur).
Are Dormitory Dhabha Tents on the Manali Leh Highway Worth It?
Quick Answer: Only as an emergency. These tented dhabhas offer shared beds with quilts, but there is no privacy, toilets are mostly shared or absent, and kerosene smell lingers. They charged about Rs 50-75 per person in 2011. Expect more now and ask before sitting down.
Along the highway you will find tented dhabhas serving tea, biscuits, Maggi, momos, rice, dal and chapati. The kitchen sits in one corner of the tent, tables and chairs in the centre, and the beds around the other corners. There may or may not be metal beds. If there are none, the beds are made of rocks or stones with mattresses on top. You will always get quilts and mattresses.
These tents are NOT suitable for families. There is no privacy, there are holes in the tent because the kitchen is inside, and when the wind blows at night it gets cold. Since there is no phone or mobile signal at most of them, you cannot pre-book. In case you are travelling with children or elders, plan your halts so you never need one.
Where Can I Stay at Sissu, Gondla and Tandi?
Quick Answer: Sissu has an HP PWD rest house and Triveni Hotel, which charged Rs 400-700 for a double room in 2011. Gondla and Tandi have HP PWD rest houses only, as far as I know. My planner also lists Tandi as a fuel point on this stretch.
HP PWD Rest Houses at Sissu, Gondla and Tandi
All three have HP PWD rest houses. Read the booking section above, and check for food before you book.
Triveni Hotel & Restaurant, Sissu
Sissu is not a regular overnight stop, but in case a landslide or road block forces you to halt, or you are there to explore Lahaul, Triveni is a good option. It has great views, large rooms that fit more than 2-3 people, and decent meals. In 2011, double rooms ran Rs 400-700 depending on how many people share, the month and your bargaining. That price is old. Ask first.
Since Sissu is one of the lowest of these stops in altitude, it is the better choice if someone in the group is suffering from AMS symptoms. Contact (2011 listing, not re-verified): +91-1900-263044 or +91-9418204944.
Tandi matters for another reason. My fuel notes put the Tandi petrol pump 110 km from Manali, with the next one at Karu, 30 km before Leh. See fuel availability in Leh Ladakh before you plan your day.
Where Should I Stay at Keylong?
Quick Answer: Keylong (about 10,200 ft) has HP PWD rest and circuit houses, the HPTDC Hotel Chandrabhaga and Nalwa Guest House. My 2026 notes put Chandrabhaga at roughly Rs 2,500-4,000 a night, and budget guesthouses in Keylong at Rs 1,000-2,000.
HP PWD Rest House and Circuit House, Keylong
Check the booking route described above (Him Atithi for rest houses, and ask the PWD office about the circuit house). Check for food before booking.
HPTDC Hotel Chandrabhaga, Keylong
Hotel Chandrabhaga is run by HPTDC (Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation) and is a nice option, so many tourists halting in Keylong prefer it. In 2011, a double room cost about Rs 1,800 (MAP) and a four-person family suite Rs 2,900-3,000 (MAP). MAP means two meals are included, breakfast plus either lunch or dinner. In my Jispa vs Sarchu guide I put it in the mid-range at around Rs 2,500-4,000 in 2026. Book on the official HPTDC website or at the HPTDC offices in Manali or Delhi.
Nalwa Guest House, Keylong
Nalwa sits right on the highway, on the right side as you are about to exit Keylong coming from Manali. It is an economical stay with nice, comfortable rooms and hot water, but the food is not good. In 2011, a double with attached toilet cost Rs 400-500 and a double with shared toilet Rs 300-400. Those numbers are old, so treat them as a floor. Read the complete review: Nalwa Guest House, Keylong, Himachal Pradesh | Hotel Review.
What Are the Best Places to Stay in Jispa?
Quick Answer: Jispa Journeys camps are my first pick, then Padma Lodge if you do not want a tent. Hotel Ibex is the oldest property but now lists rooms from Rs 3,600 (EP) per night. Camps run roughly Rs 2,000-3,800 per person with meals in peak season 2026.
Jispa (10,500 ft, 137 km from Manali) is the stop I recommend for most first-timers. My complete Jispa guide puts 2026 prices at Rs 1,000-1,500 per person for budget camps, Rs 800-1,200 for a basic guesthouse room and Rs 2,500-4,500 for mid-range options. Most camps and hotels shut for winter, so check dates before you go.
HP PWD Rest House, Jispa
Booked the way I described above. Check for food before booking.
Jispa Journeys, Jispa
These tents were less than a km before Hotel Ibex on the right-hand side when going from Manali towards Leh, when I last wrote about them. In 2011 there were about 20-21 tents, 14 of them Swiss tents with attached toilets and the rest normal tents, with metal beds and usually 4 quilts. Prices then were Rs 400-600 for a normal tent and Rs 800-1,200 for a Swiss tent. Do not use those numbers today. See the 2026 range above.
I still recommend them over the pricier Hotel Ibex. According to the company’s own website, Jispa Journeys has been in the camping business since 2005 and runs fixed camps in Lahaul and Spiti from mid May to mid September every year. Read the full review: Jispa Journeys, Jispa, Himachal Pradesh | Hotel Review.
| Telephone or Mobile | +91-9418660225, +91-9418977499 (listed on their website, November 2026). Office landline +91-1902-254055. |
| info@jispajourneys.com | |
| Official Website | jispajourneys.com |
Padma Lodge, Jispa
I guess Padma Lodge is also about a km before Hotel Ibex. The rooms were clean, spacious and comfortable with hot water, and in 2011 a double-occupancy room cost Rs 700-1,200 depending on season and bargaining. If you cannot live with tents, Padma Lodge was my next best bet after Jispa Journeys. I have not re-verified the lodge, so call first. Contact (2011 listing): +91-9418033211 or +91-1900-233211 (Mr. Bir Singh).
Hotel Ibex, Jispa
Hotel Ibex is the oldest established property in Jispa, and its website says it has stood on the highway since 1995. Back in 2011, forum reviews complained about steep prices and a lukewarm welcome for Indian guests. I have not stayed here personally, so judge for yourself. The rooms are clean and spacious, and they serve beer too 🙂 …
| Meal plan | 2011 (my original listing) | 2026 (hotel website, “from” price per night) |
|---|---|---|
| EP (room only) | Rs 1,800 | Rs 3,600 |
| CP (with breakfast) | Rs 2,000 | Rs 4,000 |
| MAP (two meals) | Rs 2,400 | Rs 5,000 |
| AP (all meals) | Rs 2,800 | Rs 6,000 |
The hotel’s website also says it is closed for the winter season and reopens on April 1, 2027, with 2027 bookings open. Reservations: +91-9816036860, reception +91-8580933251, email hotelibexjispa@gmail.com. The official site is hotelibexjispa.com.
What About Darcha, Patseo, Zingzing Bar and Bharatpur?
Quick Answer: Beyond Jispa the options are thin. Darcha has a few basic guesthouses and dorm dhabha tents, Patseo has a PWD rest house, Zingzing Bar has about three dorm tents (2011), and Bharatpur has a few tents, cheaper than Sarchu. Phone booking is not possible at most.
Darcha: Very few, small guest houses with basic stays, and I am not aware of any specific one. There are several dormitory dhabha tents, and some have metal beds. It is always preferable to stay at Jispa or Keylong instead. Patseo: HP PWD rest house, booked as described above. Zingzing Bar: about three dormitory dhabha tents serving food and accommodation, as of my last visit. Bharatpur (some call it Bharatpur City 🙂 ) has a few tented stays and dorm dhabha tents. I doubt Swiss tents are available, but you may check. No phone booking possible, AFAIK.
What Are the Stay Options at Sarchu?
Quick Answer: Sarchu has plenty of tent camps within 8-10 km along the highway, with Swiss tents and normal tents. My 2026 notes put a basic Swiss tent at Rs 1,500-3,500 per night, twin sharing with simple meals. There is no power except a generator at dinner time. Carry a torch.
Coming from Manali, the camps I listed in 2011 appeared in this order: Blue Poppy Camps, Antrek Camps, Planet Himalaya Camps, Goldrop Camps and Himalayan Saga Camps. My Jispa vs Sarchu guide names Goldrop Camps and Himalayan Brothers among the 2026 options. The camp operators change from year to year, so ask what is open when you arrive. I never needed to book these tents in advance, and booking ahead usually just means you pay more. If you like cleanliness, carry a couple of blankets and a bed sheet, and layer them between the camp bedding and yourself 🙂 …
Price and Bargaining at Sarchu
In 2011, the range was about Rs 500-1,200 depending on the month, the time you reach and your bargaining. June was the most expensive month because only a few tents are set up, and reaching late in the day kills your bargaining power. Generally the price includes meals, so check that. The 2026 range above is the one to plan with. The 2011 figures are only useful to show how much prices have moved.
Just aside the police check post where you register your name, there was a structure with separate kitchen, dining and sleeping tents (about 7-8 tents), charging Rs 100-150 per person in 2011. Once you cross the Himachal border and enter Ladakh (a Union Territory since October 2019, I originally wrote Jammu and Kashmir), you will find 3-4 dormitory dhabha tents too.
Sarchu Camp Contacts (2011 Listings, Not Re-verified)
I have not been able to confirm these numbers for 2026. Websites for Goldrop (ladakhmanali.com) and Planet Himalaya (planethimalaya.in) did not load when I tried in November 2026, so I am not linking them. Treat every line below as a lead, not a fact.
| Camp | 2011 phone and email |
|---|---|
| Himalayan Saga Camps (about 25 Swiss tents, large dining tent, highest rates at Sarchu in 2011) | +91-1902-251848, travelinfo@himalayansaga.com |
| Goldrop Camps (about 30 tents, decent staff, fair deal) | +91-1902-251344, +91-9418411964, +91-9816245280, info@ladakhmanali.com |
| Planet Himalaya Camps | +91-1902-250083, +91-9816022839 (Virender), +91-9816056115 (Mohinder), +91-9418264805 (Bintu), office@planethimalaya.in |
| Antrek Camps | +91-1902-252292, +91-1902-254492, +91-1902-254006, +91-9816022292 (Naushad Kaludi), info@antrektours.com |
| Blue Poppy Camps | +91-1902-253156 (not sure if it works) |
Where Can I Stay at Pang and Upshi?
Quick Answer: Pang has 3-4 dormitory dhabha tents (2011) and sits at about 4,600 m, so it is a poor place to sleep if you are not acclimatised. Upshi has a few basic guesthouses. Push on to Leh instead, 49 km from Upshi and almost a straight run.
Upshi has a few basic guest houses, though I am not aware of any specific one, and both food and rooms would be very basic. It is better to move ahead to Leh. Within 2 hours you will have a wide choice. Try Changspa Road, Shanti Stupa Road or Fort Road. My lists of moderate budget hotels in Leh and cheap hotels in Leh will help you pick.
How Much Have Rates Changed Since 2011?
Quick Answer: A lot. Hotel Ibex’s cheapest room doubled from Rs 1,800 to a listed “from” Rs 3,600. PWD rest houses went from Rs 350 to Rs 1,000 for tourists. Sarchu camps went from Rs 500-1,200 to Rs 1,500-3,500. Do the math before you budget.
The three comparisons above are the only ones I could source this year, so take them as a direction and not a rate card. Anything marked 2011 in this article is only for reference. Verify locally, because prices at a camp can change with the rush on the day you arrive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where should I stay on the first night of a Manali to Leh trip?
Stay at Jispa (10,500 ft) or Keylong (about 10,200 ft). Sarchu sits at 14,070 ft, so first-timers face a much higher AMS risk there. Sarchu is better kept for the second night.
Can tourists stay at HP PWD rest houses on the Manali Leh Highway?
Yes. Tourists from outside Himachal pay Rs 1,000 per room per night, and booking is online via the Him Atithi portal. Government officials on duty get priority, so a booking is not guaranteed.
Do I need to pre-book camps at Sarchu?
In my experience you do not need to. Booking ahead usually means paying more, and prices vary with the month and the time you reach. Carry cash and check whether meals are included.
Is there mobile network at the highway tents?
Mostly no. In 2011 there was no phone signal at the dorm dhabha tents, so pre-booking was impossible. Network is patchy even in Keylong and Jispa, so download maps and save phone numbers before you leave Manali.
Is Hotel Ibex in Jispa open in winter?
No. The hotel’s website says it is closed for the winter and reopens on April 1, 2027. Jispa Journeys runs its camps only from mid May to mid September.
Are the phone numbers in this article still working?
I re-checked Jispa Journeys and Hotel Ibex against their websites in November 2026. The Sissu, Padma Lodge and Sarchu camp numbers are from 2011 and unverified. Please tell me in the comments if you find one is dead.
Older operator references from the 2011 version of this post, kept for completeness and not re-verified in 2026: Antrek (antrek.co.in, camp.htm), Himalayan Saga (himalayansaga.com, hotels page), and the Jispa Journeys camping page. Their sites did not respond reliably when I checked, so confirm availability before you plan around them.
Related Reading
- How to plan a journey on the Manali – Leh Highway
- Jispa over Sarchu: stopover on the Manali – Leh Highway
- Lahaul Valley: the most complete guide
- Camping in Ladakh
- Baralacha La Pass 2026: opening date and road conditions
- Manali – Leh bus service
Conclusion
I hope the above article helps you plan your night stays and pick the right accommodation on the Manali – Leh Highway. This list started in 2011 and I will keep correcting it. If you have stayed at any of these places recently, or know a better one, please share it in the comments, feel free to ask your questions there too, and join the fellow travelers in the DwD Community to find travel partners. If friends or family are heading to Ladakh, share this article with them 🙂 …
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Is there any stay options available in Karu ??
No need to stay at Karu, better stay at Leh only
thanks for this info dear ! I will be driving ( MG 413 ) solo in July 2018 , I may need more later on route thanks again !!!
Thanks a lot Dheeraj, nice info.
Hi Dheeraj,
2 queries on Leh-Manali hoghway.
1. Time required for travelling JIspa to Leh city – in a xylo.
2. Where can I have my lunch at afternoon – if I start from Jispa in morning for Leh.
Regards,
Jispa to Leh will take about 12 Hrs. You can have lunch at Pang and a snack break at Sarchu.
Hi Dheeraj,
Is it required to prebook tent at Sarchu, Can’t i get gent on arrival there,
Whay is possibility i will not find any accomodation on arrival.
What are tentative rates for solo traveller ?
No need for pre-booking unless you have a particular place in mind to stay. Try to reach early in the day so that you have more sunlight to bargain better and move ahead in case deal is not getting cracked.
Hello Dheeraj, This page is very informative and I would like to thank you for your wonderful effort. I request some help in my cycling trip to Leh from Manali. As of now I am not planning to take any camping stuff to reduce the weight I am carrying. I am ready to take any type of accommodation (from dhabbas to hotel) through out the tour. Could you please advise me, whether I will get places for sleeping for my below tentative itinerary.
Manali-Marhi
Marhi-Sissu
Sissu to Jispa
Jispa to Zing Zing Bar
Zing Zing Bar to Brandy Nallah
Brandy Nallah to Pang
Pang to Tso Kar
Tso Kar to Upshi
Upshi to Leh
Any suggestions related to itinerary or any thing related to the tour is more than welcome 🙂
Cheers brother!
Hello Dennis,
Thank you.
There is nothing much present now at Marhi, not sure you will get anything to sleep there. Best is to reach near Kothi instead of Manali and try to reach Khoksar the next day else confirm from Manali about Marhi stay.
Sissu has plenty of options, Jispa too, Zingzing bar has dhabhas for stays, then after crossing Baralacha La pass, bharatpur city will have, then Sarchu/Pang, then Rumtse or go to Tso Kar and cross Taglang la next day to stay either at Rumtse or stretch to Upshi and finally Leh.
Hello Dheeraj,
Thanks for the reply.
I am very much interested to do Spiti valley also in my cycling tour. But I am struggling to figure a route which connects Manali-Spiti valley-Leh like a loop without travelling to and fro from Manali to Spiti route. Is it possible to do? What is your opinion if I start from Shimla, then to Spiti valley and to Leh. Its a long way..Is it doable?
Continued….
Or another route
Manali-Spiti valley-Kinnaur-Shimala route for cycling..Starting from Manali in Sep first week. Expecting 20-25 days of cycling to reach Shimla.
Please give me your suggestion especially in terms of monsoon rains in Kinnaur area.
Thanks,
Dennis
Hello Dennis,
If you want to do it in a loop to Leh, you have to follow the plan like from Shimla to Kinnaur to Kaza (Spiti) to Keylong to Jispa to Sarchu to Pang to Leh. This circuit you do not need to go to Manali so Manali will not come on this route but it covers Shimla – Spiti – Leh.
Are you interested in planning an itinerary for this route?
How many days do you have in hand? You can check a very balanced and most common itinerary for Spiti Valley followed by many travellers including me at the link here for 10-11 days: Most Common Itinerary for Spiti Valley.
Thanks Dheeraj for the response and I am sorry for the multiple questions which lacks clarity.
I am doing a cycling trip, I would like to do a Leh loop, ie. as you advised Shimla-Kinnaur-Kaza-Keylong-Leh. But the problem is, I am starting in July 3rd week and I read from your topics that it is monsoon season in Kinnaur area and it is dangerous to ride in July-August. So I changed my plan, now I am thinking Sonamarg-Kargil-Leh-Keylong-Kaza-Kinnaur-Shimla. In that in Leh, I am planning to stay 15-20 days. As per my thoughts, I will reach Kaza in Sep first/second week and Kinnaur in second half of Sep and by the end of Sep I will reach Shimla. Now my concerns in above plan is,
1. From your blogs I understand that Sep is a good month for Spiti valley. But can you advise is Kinnaur area is suitable for riding a MTB in Sep second half mainly in terms of monsoon rains.
2. Stay options from Keylong-Kaza-Kinnaur area. Since I am riding a cycle, my daily mileage can be around 35-60 kms depends on the road and high altitude passes. Can you advise whether there is staying options for me from Keylong-Kaza-Kinnaur. I am okay with any type of arrangements like tents, dhabbas or hotels etc. I am carrying a sleeping bag but NOT carrying camping stuff.
I have full dates from July 3rd week to Sep end. Your suggestions are most welcome.
Thanks,
D
Hello Dennis,
That’s fine. Hence, for better perspective on tracking previous multiple question I prefer more Travel Questions section :https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/ask-travel-question/ as it is easy to look at all questions at once for me even from admin panel. But, that’s fine. Coming back to your questions:
1. September is a very good time to be in Spiti Valley as well as Kinnaur Valley as by that time rains will be all gone.
2. From Leh to Kaza, I will suggest this to you:
Leh – Karu, Karu – Rumtse, Rumtse – Tso Kar, Tso Kar – Pang, Pang to Sarchu (this is 76 Kms, could be toughest day as there is nothing inbetween. May be hitch hike a bit), Sarchu – Bharatpur city tented colony or Zingzingbar across Baralacha la, then Jispa, then Keylong or Sissu, then Chatru, then Batal, then Chandratal, then losar, then losar to Kaza is 52 Kms, Kaza to Tabo, Tabo to Nako, Nako to Puh, Puh to Ribba / Jangi, Ribba / Jangi to Reckong Peo to Kalpa, Kalpa to Sangla, Sangla to Chitkul, Chitkul to Sarahan, Sarahan to Narkanda, Narkanda to Shimla.
These are the places you get accommodations in the forms of homestays, make shift dhabhas, camps, guest houses, hotels. You can make a plan depending on the days you wish to stay at these places mainly in Spiti and Kinnaur.
Thanks a lot Dheeraj for the response. It was very informative. As you said, I am posting my further queries in the link you provided.
Cheers,
Dennis
Cool, thank you 🙂
Hi Dheeraj,
As in this post you have mentioned about the places where we can stay during our journey from Manali to Leh….I was looking in to the List of Rest house/Circuit house and could not find any, neither in Jispa nor in Sarchu. As these are the two most common places to stay while traveling in this route.
Can you please help me providing information about the Jispa and Sarchu Rest houses, are there any or not ?? Is there any near by Rest house/Circuit house where we can stay in order to solve both the purpose, as in, finish half of the journey in one day and have few people around 🙂
Nitin, Jispa does have a circuit house but Sarchu is nothing but a vastland where only camps are setup temporarily to provide shelter to travellers on Manali – Leh Highway. Jispa have couple of decent options to stay like Padma Lodge and Jispa Journeys.
hi dheeraj
i am planning to visit leh on may 29th i want to know that we can get any homestay or hotel on spot booking directly
Unless you are very much picky about stays and are OK to search few places, you should be able to find stays in Leh.
Very informative blog write up Dheeraj , thanks a lot …. v are a group of 10 from Bangalore , planing to hit the Manali – leh highway on bikes probably by first week of July . Needed suggestions on itinerary for 10days buddy. Also need to know whether shud v b taking any prior permissions to enter certain military active areas? If s then how?
Thank u
Raj
And , our group has individual waterproof , insulated tents, can v pitch tents where ever v stop by closing dusk, and spend a privacy group time . Is it suggested ? Lemme know brother
You should read: Top 10 Tips for Camping in Ladakh & Spiti Valley
It will take 4 days to reach Leh from Srinagar side starting from Delhi with stop overs at Jammu, Srinagar, Kargil and 3 days to come back from Leh from Manali side to Delhi with stopovers at Sarchu, Manali. This makes it 7 days. 1 Day is required in Leh for acclimatization. You have about 10 days. 1 Day can be used as Day trip to Pangong Tso and other day can be used as day trip to Nubra Valley or just Khardung La pass.
Again Update: April 2017 = Pay environment fees and apply for permits again (those who missed before)
The environment fees of Rs 400 & Inner Line Permits (most likely as well) will again be required in Ladakh for Indian Tourists / Nationals with effect from April 1st, 2017. This has been recently announced and is available on official website of Leh administration. It is expected that a public circular should follow soon as well. Hence, like it used to happen before 2014, all Indian Nationals or Indian Tourists WILL need to pay environment fees and may need to also get the inner line permits in Leh – Ladakh region in order to visit the restricted places like Dah, Hanu Villages, Pangong Tso, Man, Merak, Tso Moriri, Nyoma, Loma Bend, Khardung La, Nubra Valley, Turtuk, Tyakshi, Digger La, Tangyar (for trekking only).
https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/inner-line-permits-for-leh-ladakh/
Hi dheeraj,
I am planning to travel from srinagar – Chandigarh over a span of 14 days. Do you think this itinerary works? or should we make some modifications? Also We are travelling from August 28- September 10. Do you think we need to pre book? or will finding stay options be easy?
1 arrival and rest (srinagar)
2 srinagar local
3 srinagar to kargil
4 kargil local
5 kargil to leh via lamayouru alchi
6 leh local
7 leh to nubra diskit hunder
8 diskit to turruk night
9 turtuk to summur panamik ( night summur)
10 summur to panong
11 pangong to tsomoriri
12 tsomoriri to keylong
13 keylong to manali
14 manali – chandigarh
Your plan looks good to me and is easy enough. I will skip the day at Sumur / Panamik and add it for Hanle which is by far the most beautiful place in Ladakh.
hi there,
please do tell whom to contact to hire a cab for site seein in leh like going to pangongso, nubra etc… have spoken to few which turned out to be very expensive
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.
As per the taxi union rates of year 2016-17 (https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/leh-ladakh-taxi-rates-2016-17/) following is the break up
Srinagar – Leh in 2 days = 18400
Leh Local sightseeing = 2500-3000
Leh – Nubra Valley 2 Day = 10566
Leh – Pangong Tso 2 Day = 10301
Leh – Tso Moriri – Tso Kar – Sarchu – Manali 2-3 days = 29056
Leh – Manali 2 Days = 21588
Leh – Pangong Tso 1 Day = 8653
Leh – Nubra Valley 1 Day = 8053
You can usually get about 10-15% discount on these taxi rates after getting in touch with the driver directly.
Hi Dheeraj,
I am planning to travel to leh end of May 2016. As the routes have recently opened up, I believe the tents might not have been set up in Sarchu. I plan for a stay there on 28th May. Is it possible that I get accommodation there if these camp tents are not set up? Any info on this or any contact details of some person who can help with this will be really appreciated.
Sumit, you should stay in Jispa in any case while going to Leh from Manali. Also, at Sarchu, some of the tents might have been setup if you really wish to stay up there what we call Vomit Hilton 🙂
Hi,
I am planing to travel to leh …in june..Leaving delhi on 18 june ..Can u suggest my the way where to stop as i will be going via srinagar and coming back via manali..Delhi to leh via kargil…where to stop …and coming back from leh to delhi via manali…
plz sugest me as this will be my first tym traveling..plz email me.
thanks
Ankur Chawla
Hi Dheeraj
We are motorcycling from Hunder to Sakti village over Wari La. I was wondering if you know of any stay options in Sakti village. If we don’t find any, my guess is Karu would be the next option? Are there guesthouses in Karu?
Since we anyway have to come to Karu to fill our tanks before heading to Pangong, would Karu be a better option according to you?
Also, are there any other petrol bunks en route Hunder-Agham-Sakti-Chang La- Spangmik?
Cheers
Shubra
Shubra, there is small guest house/home stay at Sakti village but the quality of stay was below par. USe it only in case you need abosolutely else you can opt to stay at Tangtse. Karu does not have stay options, AFAIK. There is no petrol pump on this route.
hii
i and my friends were planning to travel to leh this august that is 2016 by a car,
i had few questions about manali-leh route i will be very thankful if you can help
1. we are hiring a self drive cab for our trip so do we need any permits to travel from manali to leh, and if yes where can we get those permits?
2. If we start early, say 3 am is it possible to reach leh same day or we have to stay at some place in between?
thank you hoping for your earliest reply
Thank you
Veryy Informative Mr.Dheeraj,, Thankuu for making the journey easy by your so helpful advice..
🙂
god bless
My pleasure, glad it helped you 🙂
Hi Dheeraj Ji,
We are 5 peopl (2 ladies) from Bangalore planning a Leh trip.. I have formed plan based on various inputs from your blog.. By the way I could not find any other site with so comprehensive information.. Great work..
I would like your opinion on the itinerary especially towards the leh-pangong-tso moriri-jispa-manali leg .. ie whether its doable or is too strenuous
DATE DAY ROUTE STAY TRANSPORT MODE
27-Jul MON BLR-DELHI DELHI FLIGHT
28-Jul TUE DELHI-SRINAGAR-KARGIL (FLT LANDING AT 10.30 am) KARGIL FLIGHT/TAXI
29-Jul WED KARGIL-LEH LEH TAXI
30-Jul THU LEH LOCAL LEH TAXI
31-Jul FRI RIVER RAFTING LEH NA
01-Aug SAT KHARDUNG LA-NUBRA VALLEY NUBRA BIKE
02-Aug SUN NUBRA VALLEY-LEH LEH BIKE
03-Aug MON LEH-PANGONG TSO PANGONG TSO TAXI
04-Aug TUE PANGONG -TSO MORIRI TSO MORIRI TAXI
05-Aug WED TSO MORIRI-JISPA JISPA TAXI
06-Aug THU JISPA-MANALI-DELHI BUS TO DELHI (at 4PM) BUS
07-Aug FRI DELHI-BLR FLIGHT
I will suggest that move the Rafting to half day you will get while coming from Nubra to Leh and use that day to Pangong tso to Leh and next day do Leh to Tso Moriri. For direct route of Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri, you will need to first get permits. Even if you get permits, army might send you back from Chusul post which can jeopardise the whole plan.
Thank You.. We may cancel the rafting itself… Do you think either the Nubra-Pangong direct route (Wari La) may be doable on rented bikes (with pillion) during this time?
Deepu, all the details about the direct routes of Nubra to Pangong Tso along with tips and risks which they pose are detailed under the articles: Tips for Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso Direct Route
Please read these articles and based on the details/risks highlighted, take a go-no-go decision.
Hi Dheeraj,
I am planning to travel in my own bike from Manali to Leh in the month of August’15. Will you please guide me the permit process for that trip.?
Chandan
Chandan, Indians do not need any permits to travel to Ladakh and normal tourist destination and routes. The rule has changed last year only. So, go ahead without any worry of permits.
Hi Dheeraj,
Thanks a lot for your informative travelogue, it is really helping a lot of fellow travellers!
Please guide me on the below points:
1) On 21 June, I am travelling through Innova from Pagong Lake (Spangmik) to Manali and want intermediate stop at Pang, because reaching Pang will take around 12 hour (I think) and Sarchu is another 70 Kms far from Pang. Moreover I want to cover Tso Kar Lake on the way.
So a humble request to you to please advice the stay option in Pang and the feasibility of above.
2) Please also let us know if there is any timing of passing Rohtang Pass as next day i.e. 22 June I will be going from Pang to Manali.
Thanks in advance!
1. There isn’t much options available at Pang apart from the Dhabha dorm tents and couple of temporary structures/shed again in dorm form. Those are given on rent on shared basis.
2. If you are coming from Sarchu to Rohtang Pass to Manali direction, it is fine to travel without any permit.
Hi Dheeraj,
Thanks a lot for your reply.
Please also suggest if there is any time specified for crossing Rohtang Pass while coming from Sarchu to Manali as I will start from Pang early in the morning by 6:00 AM to reach Manali.
Raghvendra you are to to start from Pang at 6AM to reach Manali by evening. No restrictions.
Hi Dheeraj,
I got a plan for my group of 6 ppl and need your word on this…!
we are short on time and budget (short on budget rather than time)
day 1 : some manali local sight seeing or activities in solang and stay at solang valley
day 2 : solang valley to jispa
day 3 : jispa to leh
day 4 : leh local sight seeing
day 5 : leh – pangong one day trip
day 6 : leh to jispa
day 7 : jispa to manali
please enlighten me with some changes if needed here in the itinerary!!!
–>what would be the cost of a jeep if hired on a private hire basis with one night stay?
–>how about the return jeep arrangements from leh?
–>stay options in jispa??
–>will this itinerary do? how about acclimatisation??
Planning this from 9th june to 15th june (manali – leh – manali)…!
Thanks in advance!
please do also give an idea about the cheapest stay options in both solang valley and jispa…!
TY
Vishal, Solang is an expensive place, you might need to check on the spot only in case there is one. Else Iceland is a good option of stay up there. Secondly, for Jispa you can go with Jispa Journeys.
Regards
Dheeraj
Hi Vishal,
With number of days you have in hand, hardly you can do anything more than this. I am not sure what you mean by return of Jeep, if you talking about self hire Jeep then I do not think there is any possibility to get that. Jispa you can go with Jispa Journeys. Regarding itinerary, I already suggested that it is fine given the days in hand.
Regards
Dheeraj
Thanks Dheeraj for the reply..
I meant to ask what about hiring a jeep from leh to manali for returning back to manali?
I think from manali the taxi union provides only one way drop service to leh thats why this query?
Any idea on rates if we hire a 6-seater vehicle ?
Vishal, if you want self drive jeep in Ladakh, I do not think you will get one. But, in case you planning a taxi with a driver then you will get it. Yes, Manali taxi is allowed only for drop in Leh but Leh taxi after sightseeing in Ladakh will drop you back in Manali. For the leh – ladakh taxi union rate list 2015 – 16 including the contacts of some reliable taxi drivers within Leh – Ladakh, check the link here. You can get about 10-12% of discount by directly getting in touch with drivers and of course, talking in person rather on phone always help in bargaining more.
Hi
Lot of informative content Dheeraj. Thanks. We are planning the trip to leh from manali in the montha of July.
Is that a good time to visit as we don’t want too much tourist’s gathered. Would that be ok if we take our Maruti Swift Dezire for the trip ? We are confused weather we should hire a bike and visit or we should explore by our own car. Pls suggest.
Thank You
Mayank, July is good time to travel to Leh from Manali. It is season time so do expect tourists in any case in Ladakh as it opens just for 6 months only. Swift Dzire will suffer especially on Manali – Leh Highway but people have done it, a lot. 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.
Dheeraj all the articles that I went through they are written in 2012 or 2013. Is there any recent update on the road conditions ?
MAyank, the articles are written in 2012, 13 but they are continuously updated 🙂 …
Hi dheeraj
I planning a trip to leh by hired self driven car (Delhi registration). Can I visit nubra valley (diskit, hunder) using the same car?
Kamal, as long as it is black number plate then it shall be fine else with yellow plate you will not be allowed for sightseeing in Ladakh to Nubra, Pangong
Pls avail name of taxi drivers and operators which u having for Manali – Leh that i cn talk to them for hiring taxi.
Please refer the topic: List of Taxi Drivers for Ladakh – Srinagar – Leh – Manali
Hi, i’m planning for Leh trip from Manali to Leh with 20 fmly members. I wn to hire two tempo travller from chandigarh and back to chandigarg after completion of tour. I wn know that while gng to Leh via Rohtang pass, keylong etc….by taxi hired from chandigarh can we visit local site seen by same taxi after paying green tax to HPTC and same for Leh site seen like Nubra valley, Pangong Lake, Magnetic Hill, etc………….Pls suggest me ur opinion. Waiting for ur reply eagerly ………………..Have a nice day
Anup, you need to hire another tempo traveler after reaching Leh for sightseeing in Ladakh. This tempo traveler can only be used to go in and come out of Leh.
very informative dheeraj,
we from kerala are planning to drive to kerala would like to go to these above places,had enquired with couple of travel agents ,they r looting,thank god i found ur blog, we are planning to start from trivandrum on the 1st of october, 6th would reach delhi from there we r planning to go manali -srinager -kargil -leh. bck to delhi amritsar back via rajastan gujrat …
kindly advise as been to delhi and patna only ,since driving all way need the best route,accomadation.
pls help us in plannig
rgds
syed
Syed, before you make any plans of Manali – Leh in October, I will suggest that you read: 5 Reasons to Avoid Manali – Leh Highway in October
Dear dheeraj, as per our plan we were supposed to reach srinagar on 15-9-14, there is flood in j&k due to which jammu- srinagar & srinagar- leh is closed. Will the roads be doable when they open?
It should be open, it is passing stage of rains when a WD is hitting the region. It will be settled by then. Just keep an eye on weather conditions.
dear ,
i have receive lots of information form this blog, nice to read it. i have question, that, can we plan road trip manali to leh in last week of aug.2014 i.e.a bout 27th aug or fist week of sep. we are plan 2 days on manali leh highway drive by force one and with family. kindly guide us
Yes, August end is still season time to travel on Manali – Leh highway.
Just called Jispa Journeys and shocked to hear their rates. for a tent which can accomodate 2 people Mr Sherab is charging 2000. This is way too high and just not feasible.
That is insanely getting higher and higher 🙁 🙁 … Last year it used to be 13-1500 I guess.
We are group of four person planning to scale leh from Delhi on bike our rough plan is
Day 1 Delhi-rupnagar
Day 2 rupnagar -sarchu
Day 3 sarchu -leh
Day 4 nd 5 sight seeing
Day 6 panagong lake
Day 7 leh – sarchu
Day 8 sarchu – Chandigarh
Day 9 Chandigarh Day-Delhi
Sir we have only 9 days Fr d subject expedition . Ur suggestion or alteration,modification in plan is very much required
I will suggest that you refer the thread: Manali – Leh – Ladakh – Manali | Itinerary for 9 Days in DoW – Himalayan Travel Community as you have 9 days in hand.
Hi Dheeraj,
Thanks for this wonderful blog.
We are planning for leh trip via Manali – Leh highway by mid june.
Below is our plan, can you pls suggest any stay for us and also if the plan can optimized?
Day 0 (13-June-2014) | Chennai to Delhi & Delhi Station to Rupnagar Railway Station
Air & Train Travel to Rupnagar Railway Station
Day 1 (14-June-2014) | Rupnagar – Manali
Start by 8:30am after breakfast to Manali for Sight Seeing
Day 2 (15-June-2014) | Manali – Rohtang Pass – Keylong – Baralacha La – Sarchu – Moore Plains – Tso Kar – Tso Moriri
Start in the early morning by 5am & travel to Karzok (Tso Moriri) for Overnight stay
Day 3 (16-June-2014) | Tso Moriri – Hemis Monastery Museum(Optional) – Shey Palace – Leh
Start in the noon by 1pm after sight seeing & travel to Leh for Overnight stay in Leh
Day 4 (17-June-2014) | Leh – Khardung La – Hunder Sand Dunes – Sumur – Nubra Valley – Panamik
Sight Seeing (on bike – optional) & Overnight Stay at Leh
Day 5 (18-June-2014) | Leh – Pangong Tso Lake – Leh
Sight Seeing & Overnight Stay at Leh
Day 6 (19-June-2014) | Leh – Lamayuru – Kargil – Drass – Zozi La – Sonamarg – Srinagar
Start early in the morning with sight seeing & Overnight stay at Srinagar
Day 7 (20-June-2014) | Srinagar – Dal Lake – Amritsar
Sight Seeing & start in the evening for Overnight Travel towards Amritsar
Day 8 (21-June-2014) | Amritsar – Golden Temple
Visit Golden temple and board the return train for Delhi by 23:15 on 21-June-2014 & Overnight Travel to Delhi
Day 9 (22-June-2014) | Delhi – Sight Seeing and Return to Airport
You do not have sufficient number of days to do the road trip to Ladakh. It will take 3 days to reach Leh from Delhi via Manali side and 4 days to come back to Delhi from Leh via Srinagar side. This makes it 7 days. 1 Day is required in Leh for acclimatization. You have about 10 days. 1 Day can be used as Day trip to Pangong Tso and other day can be used as day trip to Nubra Valley or just Khardung La pass.
Opt to go via Manali – Leh Highway and I will suggest that you refer the thread: Manali – Leh – Ladakh – Manali | Itinerary for 9 Days in DoW – Himalayan Travel Community as you have 9 days in hand.
Also, our maps of Ladakh will give you a better idea too. Here is the link: DoW – Maps of Ladakh | Nubra Valley & Changthang
Hi,
Can we go to Tso Kar & Karzok on Travels Vehicle?
or Else we need take Leh Taxi
Thanks
Mahendra
Mahendra I could not understand your query. Do you mean you are taking outside taxi to Tso Kar and Tso Moriri? If yes, well people can create problem for you in that case and your taxi as it is not allowed.
Hi,
Thanks for good info.I am going to leh by road on 31st may from delhi via manali.Please do let me know if its better to stay at Keylong or Sarchu.We plan to make our first halt at manali and then another one before reaching Leh.How many days do you think we should stay at Leh so that we can see most of the places of interest.
best regards
Poonam
Keylong or Jispa are always better to stay while going to Leh from Manali as one is not acclimatized to sleep at high altitude of Sarchu. You can stay at Sarchu while coming back however. Regarding stay in Leh, months are even less to explore it. In case you interested in top 3 destinations, then you need 7 days in Ladakh only. Also, Manali – Leh Highway is closed at present and will only open in first week of June as per latest reports.
Hey Dheeraj,
Thanks a lot for this gr8 article.
We r a grp of 4 bikers starting from manali. We wish to do the manali leh strech in 3 days and return via the same route. Problem is we are on a tight schedule and will be spared with just 2 days in leh. Can u suggest what to do and what to skip in these 2 days.
Manish, while going from Manali to Leh it is highly not recommended to spend time on high altitude places like Sarchu or Pang rather stay at Keylong or Jispa one night and next day start early to reach Leh. This way you do not feel much sickness due to high altitude. So, do Manali to Leh in 2 days only.
HI DHEERAJ AFTER VAISHNODEVI DARSHAN WE WANT TO GO LEH BY ROAD WE COULD START OUR JOURNY FROM KATRA ON 1 JUNE 2014 WHICH ROUTE IS ADVISABLE TO LEH VIA SHRINAGAR OR VIA MANALI WE HAVE TO RETURN DELHI ON 11 JUNE 2014PLEASE ADVISE US
Parag, yes you should follow the Srinagar – Leh Highway and reach Leh. On return you can take Manali – Leh Highway. 11 days with 2 day trip to Nubra Valley and 1 day trip to Pangong Tso will be OK.
Got lot of ideas Thanx.
Glad to know, it was helpful for planning your trip to Manali – Leh Highway. Feel free to post any queries you have. Best wishes for the trip 🙂
Warehouse of such valuable information. I along with my colleagues driven on this road on intervening night of 2nd & 3rd Oct’13 in 14 hours from manali to break a national record. I remember having seen the some of the hotel signs you mentioned. This year in August I want to drive again on this road with atleast two halts to appreciate the beauty 🙂 Info compiled by you will be really handy.
Hello Jyoti,
That is wonderful to know !! yes, Manali – Leh Highway is indeed quite beautiful and one must give enough time to explore/feel its beauty as well. I am glad the list is helpful for you and would look forward in case you have any queries.
Regards
dheeraj
hello Dhiraj,
At first thanks. Without you and your blog it is not possible to plan a Leh tour. Its really amazing.Keep it up bro.
We are now end up with this:
07-09-2013 HWH: Train
08-09-2013 Delhi-Manali
09-09-2013 Manali >> Rent bikes
10-09-2013 Manali–Palchhan-Koth–Marhi–Rohtang–Gramphoo–Koksar–Sissu–Gondla–Tandi–Keylong-Jipsa
11-09-2013 Keylong-Gemur–Jispa–Darcha–Baralacha La–Sarchu-Pang
12-09-2013 Pang–Rumtse–Leh
13-09-2013 Leh(permits & all)-Khardung la-Leh
14-09-2013 Rest Day
15-09-2013 Leh–Shey–Thicksey-Upshi-Tangtse-Pangong Tso
16-09-2013 Pangong Tso–Hemis-Upshi/Karu
17-09-2013 Upshi/Karu–chumathang–Mahe–Tso Moriri
18-09-2013 Tso Moriri–Tso Kar-Morrey Plains–Pang–Sarchu
19-09-2013 Sarchu–Baralacha La–Jispa–Keylong
20-09-2013 Keylong–Rohtang Pass–Manali
21-09-2013 Manali-Delhi
The tour is on bike as I told you earlier. We exclude Nubra Valley as we don’t have time in hand more than this.IS it seems ok? Also is accommodation available at Pang and Sarchu as well as at Upshi/Karu?
Hi Dheeraj,
Am planning to travel by road from Jaipur to Leh, Srinagar and back with my mother, wife, two daughters (age 18 months and 9 yrs) and my cousin in mid June. Is it advisable to travel by Maruti Esteem and how is the road condition?
Kind regards,
Sameer.
Sameer, I will not suggest that you travel to Ladakh that too in esteem with you little daughter of aged 18 months. Though the caution is incorrect technically but I see it perfect practically. I also have a 18 yr old son but even after been Ladakh to several times I am refrain myself from thinking for taking the little kiddo to Ladakh.
The problem is availability of things at such remote places unless you plan to carry everything needed for the little one from home. Secondly, in case there is some issue of AMS, little kids cannot communicate properly how and hwat exactly they are feeling. So, it becomes more of a risk.
Hi Dheeraj,
Thanx for the prompt reply.
U know am spending a lot of time reading ur blog and the more I read the more amazed I get. U have managed to reply to all the queries and you have an answer for all.
U c I get vacation during this time of the year and i frantically want to do a long road trip with the family. I have very seriously taken your advice and have asked my wife to talk to my lil daughters paediatrician.
If i do get a green signal then I’ll start from Srinagar side and get back to Delhi via Manali (well i got this idea from ur blog).
In case of a red signal will do a road trip till Srinagar and back to Jaipur.
I wanted to do Kedarnath-Badrinath this year and Leh next year but cant travel to Badriniath (some family obligations) this year.
Thanks again
Happy blogging
Sameer.
Sameer, even in case you get a green signal brother I will advice that you do go via Srinagar side with two night stops between. One at Kargil and other one at Alchi or Uley followed by at least 2 nights halt at Leh. This will help tremendously in reducing the risks of AMS. Also, please sacrifice the journey over Manali – Leh Highway with a child of such small age. That one road is too isolated and too high to be done with a toddler. Almost 350+ KMs of journey do not have any signs of civilization in between sparing apart the temporary tented colonies.
All the best and thanks for the warm words of appreciation 🙂
Hi Dheeraj, Thanks for sharing all the information. They are really very very usefull, especially for the person who is planning to travel on this highway for the first time. We are group of 6 people planning to travel from Delhi to Leh via Manali and returning back via Srinagar. We are planning to go on 5th June and returning on 12th from Leh. We have few doubts in our mind and it will be great if you can guide us on the same. 1. whether Manali Leh highway will be open by this time i.e. 5th June, No. 2 – If we go without booking hotels on the way, can we get descent accommodation on arrival on the way as we might be having 1-2 girls and staying in dhaba will not be possible. No. 3 – Can we get cab (Jeep or Sumo) from Manali itself on the spot for Leh and return via srinagar if we reach Manali by Bus.
Sachine, Firstly, I will suggest you that please plan it in other direction as going via Srinagar – Leh Highway will be much much easier on your body and help you acclimatize to the high altitude of Manali – Leh Highway. Also, it allows you to enjoy the beauty of Manali – Leh by splitting the journey almost evenly in two days which is very difficult in the other direction. Thirdly, it will allow you to fit Tso Moriri lake into the itinerary in better way. You can read more reasons on the link here
1. Manali – Leh highway has opened.
2. Yes, you can get decent accommodation after a little search over there.
3. Yes, you can get that too. But, that will only be for drop to Leh. After reach Leh, you will have to hire a taxi of Ladakh registration for the entire tour.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
HELLO DHEERAJ,
Me and my three friends and planning to go leh on 11 july 2013. do you believe it is the right time to visit leh.
Moreover can you tell me the cost of accommodation at tents on places like NUBRA VALLEY,PANGONG LAKE, TSO MO RIRI?
Hi Archit,
Yes it is the right time to visit Leh – Ladakh including Pangong Tso , Tso Moriri, Nubra Valley. For accommodation, check the nice, preferred list of accommodation options in entire Leh – Ladakh (Leh, Nubra Valley, Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri) including moderate and cheap budget hotels as well in the series of articles starting on the link here
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
Hi Dheeraj
Now that we are booked from Mumbai to Jammu>Srinara>Leh>Manali>Chandgarh>Mumbai, I am going through the lots and very relevant info on your website.
One question for now: I understand that we can take a bus (HPSRTC / private) from Leh to Manali. Since the bus will halt on the way at night, do the bus service arrange accommodation for the passenger (with or without costs is not the issue here> if they do not, how do I know where to book accommodation and at what place?
Best wishes, Kishore Nair
Kishore, yes the HPTDC bus does provide the accommodation at their HPTDC property at Keylong. The prices of bus tickets are both ways inclusive of accommodation and exclusive too.
Once again, a highly informative post. thnx for d effort, brothr! 🙂
Thanks alot Jags 🙂
Dear Dheeraj,
Can u pls tell some low cost hotels in manali for over night stay and thru whom we can take permission in advance to cross rohtang pass.
Thanks
praveen
You can check out hotels around Manali – Naggar road or Vashishth or Old Manali where you will get some cheap/economic hotel for stay in Manali.
Regards,
Dheeraj Sharma
Hi Dheeraj,
Can you suggest any good value-for-money accomodation in Mandi. We will reach there this Sunday evening.
Regards,
Abhishek.
Hi Abhishek,
Though I have never stayed in Mandi but we does stop over at a roadside restaurant cum hotel by the name Roti, always. It is nicely located, right on the highway but we never been into the Mandi town.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
Hi Dheeraj Sharma,
Your blog is awesome.
Me and my wife are going to stay at Johnson's Hotel,The Mall, Circuite House, Manali from 16th Aug to 19th Aug.
Can you please let me know the list of places we can cover around Manali during our stay. Also I am thinking to return from Manali to Delhi via Chandigarh on 20th Aug using public transport, in day time so that we can see the beauty of the valleys around Manali.
Can you please help me with an itinerary to visit the places around Manali and for return journey from Manali to Delhi Via Chandigarh.
Thanks a lot in Advance.
Regards,
Hari
Hello Hari,
You might like to follow a plan like below:
Day 1 – Reach Manali, take rest for half of the day and enjoy the x-mas in the evening including Mall road. (I assume that you will be reaching in the morning by Volvo)
Day 2 – Manali Local sightseeing which includes Hadimba Temple, Manu Temple, Mall Road, Local Monastery, Vashisth Hot Water Springs (never found it interesting) etc.
Day 3 – Manali – Snow Point at Rohtang Pass – Manali. Enjoy in snow and come back to Manali
Day 4 – Manali – Naggar Castle(stay at Naggar and enjoy the place)
Day 5 – Naggar Castle – Manali – Delhi (Checkout from Naggar Castle by noon. Since, the volvo will be around 5.30 PM types, so either you can spend a sometime hanging around Naggar only and after lunch leave for Manali or come back to Manali and hang around on Mall road and finally take the return bus)
I hope this helps. Let me know incase you need more info. or have any queries or doubts.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
Dheeraj, You are perfect.
Thanks a lot for detailed itinerary. It is very much helpful to us :)))
Day1 and Day2 – I guess we don’t need to hire taxi. I assume we can cover by walk.
Day3 – What will be the taxi fares to reach Rohtang Pass?
Day4 – Manali – Naggar Castle – Kulu sightseeing – Back to Manali by evening or night, Is this possible? Will this be tiresome or hectic?
Day5 – Are there any day time bus/Shared taxi services from Manali to Chandigarh to reach Chandigarh by 10.30/11 am so that we can catch PASCHIM EXPRESS train. What will be the fare?
Is it possible to fit any of Rahalla Falls/ Kothi /Arjun gufa in the itinerary?
Thanks again for your quick help.
Regards,
Hari
Hello Hari,
1. Yes, you can cover mostly on your own without any taxi. If required, get that auto rickshaw for a pick drop at some place.
2. I guess they charge about 3.5-4K for big taxi and much less than that for small taxi like Alto, WagonR etc.
3. Yes, very much possible. Not too much tiresome I believe. BTW, there is nothin to see in Kullu, better keep yourself to Manali – Naggar – Manali to enjoy more time at beautiful Naggar.
4. I am not sure about such buses but yes, of course they do run in evening.
5. They all comes on the way to Rohtang Pass, if you reach Rohtang Pass early morning as suggested by leaving at 3.30-4.00 AM types, you will start back from Rohtang Pass early as well and on the way back you can visit these places.
I hope this helps. Let me know incase you need more info. or have any queries or doubts.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
Thanks a lot for all your blogs, our leh ladakh bike trip was almost all planned with your articles here. I have one more question, like you said we stay in solang valley rather than in manali, for better acclimatization, may I request you to suggest some good places to stay please? Thanks a lot again!
Hi Pradeep,
Check for Hotel Iceland, very nice and decent.
Regards
Dheeraj sharma
Thanks a lot!
R/H at Chitkul
B & R Division Karchham, BhawaNagar (Ponda)
01786-253303
73 Kms.
4 Sets
R/H at Rakchham
B & R Division Karchham, BhawaNagar (Ponda)
01786-253303
66 Kms.
2 Sets
R/H at Sangla
Under Deputy Commissioner Kinnour
01786-222252
34 Kms.
7 Sets
R/H at Urni
B & R Division Karchham, BhawaNagar (Ponda)
01786-253303
28 Kms.
2 Sets
R/H at Tapri
B & R Division Karchham, BhawaNagar (Ponda)
01786-253303
20 Kms.
4 Sets
R/H at Panda
B & R Division Karchham, BhawaNagar (Ponda)
01786-253303
8 Kms.
2 Sets.
Circuit House at Narkanda
B & R Division Kumarsain/ Deputy Commissioner Kumarsain
01782-242434
20 Kms.
5 Sets
R/H at Narkanda
B & R Division Kumarsain
01782-205231
65 Kms.
5 Sets
R/H at Kumarsain
B & R Division Kumarsain
01782-205231
Local
10 Sets
R/H at Thanedhar
B & R Division Kumarsain
01782-205231
38 Kms.
2 Sets
R/H at Luri
B & R Division Kumarsain
01782-205231
20 Kms.
2 Sets
R/H at Baragaon
B & R Division Kumarsain
01782-205231
17 Kms.
2 Sets
R/H at Jalog
B & R Division Kumarsain
01782-205231
35 Kms.
4 Sets
R/H at Suni
B & R Division Kumarsain
01782-205231
70 Kms
4 Sets
R/H at Nirmand
B & R Division Nirmand
01904-255140
Local
5 Sets
R/H at Arsu
B & R Division Nirmand
01904-255140
13 Kms.
2 Sets
R/H at Sarahan
B & R Division Nirmand
01904-255140
28 Kms.
2 Sets
R/H at Anni
B & R Division Nirmand
01904-255140
62 Kms.
4 Sets
R/H at Khanag
B & R Division Nirmand
01904-255140
85 Kms.
2 Sets
R/H at Dalash
B & R Division Nirmand
01904-255140
70 Kms.
3 Sets
R/H at Neether
B & R Division Nirmand
01904-255140
66 Kms.
4 Sets
New Circuit House at Kaza
B & R Division Kaza/A.D.C. office Kaza
01906-222252 / 222202
1.5 00Km
10 sets
Odl Circuit House at Kaza
B & R Division Kaza/A.D.C. office Kaza
01906-222252
1.00Km
4 Sets
Class-III R/H at Kaza
B & R Division Kaza/A.D.C. office Kaza
01906-222252
0.500 Km
3Sets
Old R/H at Lossar
B & R Division Kaza/A.D.C. office Kaza
01906-222252
56 Kms
2 Sets
New R/H at Lossar
B & R Division Kaza/A.D.C. office Kaza
01906-222252
56 Kms
3 Sets
R/H at Pangmo
B & R Division Kaza/A.D.C. office Kaza
01906-222252
24 Kms
3 Sets
Old R/H at Sagnam
B & R Division Kaza/A.D.C. office Kaza
01906-222252
40 Kms
2 Sets
New R/H at Sagnam
B & R Division Kaza/A.D.C. office Kaza
01906-222252
40Kms
4 Sets
R/H at Tabo
B & R Division Kaza/A.D.C. office Kaza
01906-222252
47 Kms
5 Sets
R/H at Lari
B & R Division Kaza/A.D.C. office Kaza
01906-222252
50 Kms
3 Sets
R/H at Sumdo
B & R Division Kaza/A.D.C. office Kaza
01906-222252
74 Kms
2 Sets
R/H at Poh
B & R Division Kaza/A.D.C. office Kaza
01906-222252
36 Kms
3 Sets
R/H at Kungri
B & R Division Kaza/A.D.C. office Kaza
01906-222252
34 Kms.
3 Sets
Circuit House Rampur
B & R Division Rampur
01782-233017
2 Kms.
8 Sets
Circuit House Sarahan
B & R Division Rampur
01782-233017
43 Kms.
5 Sets
R/H Rampur
B & R Division Rampur
01782-233017
2 Kms.
5 Sets
R/H Gaura
B & R Division Rampur
01782-233017
19 Kms.
2 Sets
R/H Nirath
B & R Division Rampur
01782-233017
18 Kms.
2 Sets
R/H Sarahan (Gharat)
B & R Division Rampur
01782-233017
38 Kms.
3 Sets
R/H Daranghati
B & R Division Rampur
01782-233017
42 Kms.
2 Sets
New R/H Jeori
B & R Division Rampur
01782-233017
25 Kms.
4 Sets
Old R/H Jeori
B & R Division Rampur
01782-233017
25 Kms.
3 Sets
R/H Bahli
B & R Division Rampur
01782-233017
42 Kms.
3 Sets
R/H Nankhari
B & R Division Rampur
01782-233017
60 Kms.
5 Sets
Circuit House at Kalpa
Under Deputy Commissioner Kinnour
01786-222252
8.500 Kms
8 Sets
R/H at Kalpa
B & R Division Kalpa
01786-226027
Local
4 Sets
R/H at Roghi
B & R Division Kalpa
01786-226027
7 Kms.
2 Sets
R/H at Recong-Peo
Under D.C. & A.C. Kinnour
01786-222227
Local
15 Sets
R/H at Jangi
B & R Division Kalpa
01786-226027
40 Kms.
4 Sets
R/H at Rarang
B & R Division Kalpa
01786-226027
35 Kms.
4 Sets
R/H at Ribba
B & R Division Kalpa
01786-226027
35 Kms.
4 Sets
R/H at Moorang
B & R Division Kalpa
01786-226027
45Kms.
2 Sets (under repair)
R/H at Kanam
B & R Division Kalpa
01786-226027
55 Kms.
2 sets
R/H at Pooh
B & R Division Kalpa
01786-226027
82 Kms.
1 Set (under repair)
R/H at Yangthang
B & R Division Kalpa
01786-226027
107 Kms.
3 Sets
R/H at Namgia
B & R Division Kalpa
01786-226027
97 Kms.
2 Sets.
I find it very useful…is a list PWD guest houses.
Hello Debanjan,
Thanks for sharing the list here as well. Please keep in mind that you pre-book them otherwise at most of them you will not be entertained due to lack of interest by caretakers (exceptions apart).
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
thanks for for your comment…can you tell me the actual booking procedure of those PWD guest house and CURCIT house? because i have called them but two officer told me two different process so bit confusing for me!!!!I know you are the person who can help me…
Hi Debanjan,
Sorry, even I do not have clear understanding of the process and all I know is that they need to be booked from the district offices only. Not sure what is the logic behind it but sadly this is what I know 🙁 … Not sure how a person coming from Kinnaur side can book the PWD guest house at Tabo when he will reach Kaza next day :p … So, we generally land directly and try our luck at that very moment. One time we had to sleep in car with my family as no PWD Guest House offered us the room 😥
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
Hi Dheeraj,
Out of all the tented accommodations at Sarchu, which ones are the best in terms of comfort and also has attached toilets.
Thanks.
Hi Nisha,
I have heard good words for Goldrop Camps at Sarchu most of the time. I have never stayed there so cannot tell from the personal experience rather what I have read and heard by other travelers.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
Thanks for your reply Dheeraj but your friends number is missing in your post.Do you know anything about 'CHANDRATAL LAKE CAMP RETREAT'-owner 'Escapades'.
"If I want to stay there for a night then your friend Sahil will arange it for us",it's great…
Your site is too good…
Hi Debanjan,
You can contact Sahil at below numbers:
E: info@nomadicdestinations.com
M: 91.9650.8242.68(Delhi), 91.9459.1051.44(Losar)
I do not have idea about that. Also, I just noticed that you are taking a small kid to Chandratal. I will not suggest in such a case that you camp overnight at Chandratal. you guys will not be acclimatized to stay overnight at Chandratal altitude and hence, could mean trouble with the kid. Best option is, first you spend one night at Solang Valley and then go to Keylong or Jispa and spend one night there. Next day explore Suraj tal + Deepakt tal on Manali – Leh Highway and come back to either stay overnight at jispa/Keylong or come back upto Khoksar. Next day leave early morning and go to visit Chandratal, take lunch there and spend sometime around the lake and get back to Losar by evening. This way your body will be better acclimatized. Also, no one allows you to camp on the banks of Chandratal and tents are allowed only 2.5 KMs before the lake.
Regards
Dheeraj sharma
thanks friend…
Most welcome anytime, Debanjan. I hope the itinerary helps. Feel free to let me know any other quires you have 🙂
Regards
Dheeraj
can you suggest stay option near chandrataal & surajtaal lake?
Hi Debanjan,
Getting an accommodation near Chandratal depends upon the availability of tents there. If you go through a Travel agency then yes, you will have the tent setup for you. Otherwise, there is a guy who puts up tent about 2.5 KMs from Chandratal, where allowed and if tents will be available you can stay there. Also, there is one Dhabha at Battal which can offer you a stone built room but again only in case if it is available.
So, better to go either to Losar and stay at Nomad;s Cottage or PWD rest house. Please note, if you refer Devil on Wheels blog to Sahil so being my friend he can offer you the deal at 50% (Rs 1100 only) 🙂 … He can also arrange tents for you in case required. Check with him, his number below.
There is no place to stay around Suraj Tal, it is just aside Manali – Leh Highway. Closest you can stay is Zingzing bar at dorm tents or prefer staying at Jispa in some good luxury tent or Hotel Ibex or Padma Guest House and then make a day trip to Suraj Tal.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
Thanks alot Karan. I am glad you like the information and it was useful for you.
A very comprehensive review of the options available. Very good work. Karan