Best / Most Common Itinerary for Leh Ladakh Road Trip in 2024
On request of some avid readers of the blog and so many like-minded travelers seeking guidance for their tour to Leh – Ladakh, I would like to sketch below one of the most popular Ladakh itineraries. Many of Leh – Ladakh lovers follow it, including me, as it covers all three major tourist destinations of Ladakh, including Nubra Valley, Pangong Tso Lake, and Tso Moriri Lake.
The itinerary also covers the Srinagar Leh Highway as well as the Manali – Leh Highway, so it is apt for those looking forward to covering the entire Ladakh circuit. If you are making a trip to Ladakh in winter, then better refer most common itinerary for a winter trip to Ladakh
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Why travel Ladakh from Srinagar side?
I have started from Srinagar side because it gives at least two benefits, if not more. First, the body gets better acclimatized due to gradual ascent by the time you reach Leh and when you return from Manali Leh Highway, hence fewer chances of getting stuck with Acute Mountain Sickness (more info on AMS) and more enjoyment of views on Manali – Leh Highway.
If you start via Manali – Leh Highway, then most of the terrain 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 – Keylong, Keylong – Leh) in terms of distance.
Secondly, you save one day as Tso Moriri and Tso Kar Lakes can be adjusted once you start towards Manali from Leh. This way, you are not required to return to Leh from Tso Moriri to go toward Kargil or Srinagar.
Finally, you need to get inner line permits to travel to Tso Moriri which you will not get when traveling from Manali side. The permits need to be stamped in Leh Information Center or Leh DC office. Since 2022, permits are not required for domestic tourists to travel anywhere in Ladakh including the Umling La pass. You only need to pay the environment/green/ecology fee and carry a receipt of the payment
For now, these reasons are good enough to start your Ladakh journey from Srinagar side 🙂 …
Well, strangely this year in 2024, as of January 22, 2024, Srinagar Leh Highway is…
12-14 Days Itinerary for Leh Ladakh by Road
When you plan for the Ladakh trip, it is better to plan the trip with a good number of days in hand. Cramming too many places in the Ladakh road trip does not make any sense because you will not enjoy the real beauty of the trip. Hence, I have kept about 12-14 days for this common itinerary of Ladakh trip.
Day 1 | Delhi – Jammu / Patnitop
Overnight at Jammu or Patnitop
About a 12-13 Hours drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between
Day 2 | Jammu / Patnitop – Srinagar
Enjoy a walk around Dal Lake and maybe a Shikara ride as well
Overnight at Srinagar
About an 8-9 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between
Day 3 | Srinagar – Sonamarg – Zozi La – Drass – Kargil
Since 2022, permits are not required for domestic tourists to travel anywhere in Ladakh including the Umling La pass. You only need to pay the environment/green/ecology fee and carry a receipt of the payment.
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 a 6-10 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between and the route you take between Shyok and Wari La.
Day 8 | Pangong Tso Lake – Thicksey Monastery – Shey Palace – Leh
About a 6-7 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between
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 8 | Leh – Chang La – Pangong Tso – Chang La – Leh
Make a Day trip to Pangong Tso via Chang La Pass.
Overnight at Leh.
About an 8-9 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between.
Additional Points for Ladakh trip from Srinagar
You can also make a three-day trip to Nubra Valley so that you can spend one night in the beautiful village of Turtuk and remove the rest day at 9 or add one day to the above plan to visit Turtuk. 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.
Any doubts related to the budget of your Ladakh trip?? Don’t worry, check this complete guide on How to calculate the cost or budget for Leh – Ladakh trip
Conclusion
I hope this plan or itinerary for Leh Ladakh from the Srinagar side will be useful for travelers planning their journey at least for the first time.
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I look forward to any questions or doubts or valuable suggestions and inputs you have and would love to discuss your custom plan as well in the comments section.
You can share your valuable suggestions and inputs you have or you would love to discuss your custom plan as well in the comments section. 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 Srinagar in such a plan, feel free to share the article with them.