A trip to Ladakh is incomplete unless you have included the Srinagar to Leh Ladakh highway in it. You must dedicate at least a couple of days from your travel plan to explore and experience the charm of one of the most beautiful roads in our country. The journey from the lush green valleys of Kashmir to the majestic brown of Ladakh is nothing less than awe-inspiring.
The entire length of the highway is a beauty in itself as it runs through mesmerizing Kashmir and the scenic towns of Sonamarg and Drass. The road is usually considered easier in comparison to the Manali Leh highway because of better connectivity and availability of basic facilities.
It also remains longer for a longer duration than Manali Leh road and you never really get too far from civilization. You will continue to come across several small towns and villages after regular intervals and chances of getting stranded are lesser here. Amenities like a fuel station and accommodation choices too are better on Srinagar to Leh road.
In the post below, I will provide a complete travel guide on how you can plan a trip on the Srinagar to Leh Ladakh highway this year. The post below includes information on any latest updates, different routes, a road map, sightseeing, accommodation choices, safety tips, and itinerary planning.
For more information on visiting Ladakh, please take a look at How to Plan a Trip to Leh Ladakh – A Complete Travel Guide.
Quick Navigation
About Srinagar Leh Highway
For a brief overview, the Srinagar Leh highway is a 420 kilometers long road between the towns of Srinagar in Kashmir and Leh in Ladakh. It is actually a part of National Highway 1 that runs from Uri to Leh covering a total distance of 534 kilometers. The road was first declared as a National Highway in 2006 as NH 1D and was renamed National Highway 1 in 2010.
In older times, it just used to be a track, impassable even with ponies. Official construction of this road began in 1962, after the Sino-Indian war. The road was declared open for civilian traffic in 1974.
It usually remains closed for traffic from November to late April or early May due to heavy snowfall at the high altitude passes. The highest elevation point of the road is at Fotu La, at the height of 4,108 meters (13,478 ft).
How to Plan a Journey on Srinagar Leh Highway
The most common way of a journey on this road is via Sonamarg, Drass, Kargil, Mulbekh, and Lamayuru in 2 days. There is however an alternate route as well.
From Kargil, rather than continuing towards Mulbekh, one can also take the road towards Batalik and reach the village of Dah. From Dah, you can once again exit on Srinagar to Leh road either at Saraks (a little after Mulbekh) via Chiktan; or exit at Khalsi (after Lamayuru) via Skurbuchan and Damkhar.
Regular bus service remains available on the road between June and September and can be boarded from both Srinagar and Leh. A minimum time of 2 days is recommended to complete the journey with a night halt at Kargil but it can be done in a single day as well.
There are a total of 3 passes en route of which, Zojila Pass remains completely blocked during the winter season. Between the months of November to early April, the road is open only till Gagangir from the Srinagar side. From the Leh side though, the route remains open until Kargil for all 12 months.
Srinagar to Leh Route
There are two different routes that you can take to complete the journey.
For traveling from Srinagar to Leh via Kargil & Lamayuru, the route will be as mentioned below.
- Srinagar – Sonamarg
- Sonamarg – Zoji La – Drass
- Drass – Kargil
- Kargil- Mulbek – Namika La – Fotu La – Lamayuru
- Lamayuru – Hangro Loops – Khaltse – Nimmu – Leh
If you are however considering taking the route via Batalik, then the journey will change after you have reached Kargil.
- Srinagar – Sonamarg
- Sonamarg – Zoji La – Drass
- Drass – Kargil
- Kargil – Batalik – Dha – Skurbuchan – Khaltse OR Kargil – Batalik – Dha – Chitkan – Fotu La – Lamayuru – Khaltse
- Khaltse – Nimmu – Leh
Srinagar to Leh Route Map
In order to explain the routes better, let me first post a road map of Srinagar to Leh Highway. Feel free to save the map to your phone if you would like to keep it handy while traveling.
For a complete road map of the entire Ladakh region, including Zanskar and Manali Leh route as well, please take a look at A Detailed Road Map of Leh Ladakh & Zanskar Valley.
Since the map below is a bit large in size, I am posting a thumbnail of it here. But you can click on the map to view it in full size.
Let us now take a look at both of the routes I mentioned above in detail.
Srinagar to Leh via Kargil & Lamayuru
This is the most common way of traveling between Srinagar and Leh. The majority of the tourists prefer to travel this way and only a handful will pick the Batalik route, which we will talk about later. The bus and shared cabs services also travel on this route only.
Srinagar to Sonamarg = 79 km
Get ready to be awed by the beauty of Kashmir as soon as you start on this journey. The first destination will be Sonamarg, literally meaning meadows of gold, and it will only take you a couple of hours to reach there from Srinagar.
Beautiful in every way, Sonamarg is a place that will take your breath away. The presence of the Army is so heavy in this area that it will make you feel that you are in an Army base. There are soldiers posted every few hundred meters, on every road, every hill, and every bridge.
Don’t forget to take a break and eat at Sonamarg. This place has the most delicious food to offer and if you are a non-vegetarian, you are in for a treat.
If you were planning to stay in Sonamarg, a visit to the Thajiwas Glacier comes highly recommended. Hotels are a little expensive in Sonamarg, though, and finding a budget one could be a problem.
Sonamarg to Dras = 62 km
After crossing Sonamarg, you will be driving up the first high altitude pass on this road, Zoji La located at 11,640 ft. Visitors are required to register themselves before crossing the pass. If you are traveling early in the month, you may find the traffic to be controlled and one-sided.
It means that the vehicles from one side of the pass are allowed in the first half of the day and the remaining in the second half. Or the timings could also change to a few hours. It is different each year.
At Zojila, you will also encounter the roughest patch on this entire route. There is in fact no road at some places and it turns more into a dirt track. So if you are crossing the pass during monsoon or while it’s raining, extra caution is advised. There is also a war memorial at Zojila that is worth a visit.
Except for a bad section near the top, the rest of the road is in better condition and it won’t take you long to reach the beautiful town of Dras. You can either break your journey here or continue to Kargil and halt there for the night.
Hotels in Dras are pretty cheap and you can find a room for as low as Rs. 500 for the night. Kargil however is a little costlier and you may find it difficult to find a hotel if you are on a budget. If you don’t mind shedding a few hundreds more, then staying at Kargil would work just fine.
If you were planning for a road trip to Zanskar Valley, you can stay at Dras and take the Umba La road to reach Sankoo, rather than driving through Kargil.
Dras To Kargil = 64 km
A little after Dras is the Kargil War Memorial, also known as Dras War Memorial, built in the memory of soldiers killed in the 1999 war. You must take a break here and pay a visit.
Tiger Hill can also be viewed from Dras. This is the mountain that Pakistan Army captures during the war. It is actually visible from the highway itself which tells you how close to the road and deep inside the Indian territory they reached.
The roads here are in excellent condition and won’t take you much time to reach Kargil from Drass. After hearing and reading so many stories related to this town and the war here, you will be surprised as to how ordinary it looks. It is just like any other Indian city or village with people going on about their day-to-day life, amidst heavy security.
I love the setting of this beautiful mosque en route.
A little before Kargil is the Harka Bahadur Memorial. This is probably the closest that the Srinagar-Leh highway gets to the LoC. Here, the mountain across the river IS the LoC. The Suru river meets the Dras river here to form the Shingo river which then flows into Pakistan.
Kargil is where most people traveling on this road halt for the night so finding a hotel wouldn’t be a problem, but finding one on a budget could be quite a task.
If you were traveling by Srinagar to Leh bus, you will be staying in Kargil for the night. The bus halts here on Day 1 and resumes the journey on the morning of Day 2.
Kargil to Lamayuru
Around 40 kms from Kargil is the small village of Mulbekh. The prime attraction of this village is the 9 meters tall statue of Maitreya, the future Buddha, carved out of solid rock.
It is believed that this statue dates back to the 7th or 8th century when Buddhist missionaries came traveling east of the Himalayas. It is quite a marvel of art and you don’t want to miss seeing it while crossing the village.
Next is the 2nd high altitude pass on this route, Namika La, located at a height of 12,198 ft.
Another 40 odd kms from Namika La is the 3rd high altitude pass, Fotu La, located at 13,479 ft. It is also the highest point of Srinagar Leh highway. I crossed this pass once in the dead of the night. It was a crazy experience.
Descent from Fotu La will take you to the village of Lamayuru, which is famous for being the site of one of the oldest Gompas and the lunar landscape, also known as Lamayuru Moonland. Take a break here for a visit to the Gompa and click some photos.
Also read: How to Plan a Solo Trip to Ladakh
Lamayuru to Leh = 115 km
In the morning at Lamayuru, you should visit the monastery here and the lunar landscape.
Have breakfast and start your journey to Leh. If you can, start as early as possible because there are a few other places to visit on the way.
After Lamayuru, first comes the ascent of Hangro Loops, a series of 18 hairpin bends.
After this, it is a straight run to Leh. The places you can visit on the way are the famous Gurudwara Patthar Sahib, the Magnetic Hill of Ladakh, and the confluence of the Indus and Zanskar rivers. All these places are located right on the highway and you will not need to take a detour to get to them.
Srinagar to Leh via Batalik
The second route as shown on the map runs through the villages of Batalik and Dah (Dha). If you do wish to travel to Batalik then the journey after Kargil will change. You will no longer be crossing Namika La and Fotu La and will exit at Khaltse.
Srinagar to Kargil
The journey from Srinagar to Kargil will remain the same as I explained above. There is no change in that itinerary. On Day 1, you will arrive in Kargil and stay there for the night. On Day 2, you will take the road that goes towards Batalik.
Once your reach Batalik, continue towards the village of Dha. After you cross the village, a few kilometers later, you will have two choices. Either take the diversion towards the village of Chitkan and exit once again on Srinagar Leh highway a little after Namika La. Or from Dha, you can continue towards the village of Skurbuchan and then exit on the highway near Khaltse.
Kargil to Batalik = 54 km
The first destination will be the small village of Batalik. Before you go there though, I will recommend paying a visit to the Hunderman village. It is about 12 km from Kargil and will take you approximately 30 minutes to reach the village.
Hunderman can actually be visited even if you were going via Lamayuru and not Batalik. It is mostly in ruins now but you can see the Pakistani village and outpost from here. You can actually see a village across the border on the way as well.
The village is beautiful, small, not developed and the population is 21 only. The road is very narrow but in good condition.
The road was mined during the 1999 war and some may still be there along the road.
After coming back from Hunderman, start on your way to Batalik. After an hour’s drive covering 30 km from Kargil, you will reach Hamboting La, also spelled as Hambuting La. It is a high altitude pass at 4024 meters and is the only pass on this route.
It is a beautiful route with no traffic at all. Spend a few minutes at the Pass and move on towards your next destination, Batalik, which is about 24 km ahead of the Hamboting La.
Also read: When is the Best time to visit Ladakh?
Batalik to Leh = 177 km
You will not be allowed to take any pictures at Batalik. Stop here for some time and speak with Army jawans posted here. They can give you some insights into the region.
The road after Batalik towards Khaltse runs along with the Indus River. It is another wonderful route to drive on.
Your next stop will be Garkon Village which is about 30 km ahead of Batalik. It is an Aryan village and one of the four main villages in this region. The other three are Dah, Hanu, and Darchik. All these four villages are situated at the banks of the Indus River.
Darchik and Garkon villages are in Kargil district. The inhabitants of these villages are known as ‘Dards’. Locals also call them ‘Brokpas’ which in the Tibetan language means the highlanders. People here wear a different traditional costume occasionally and their headgear is very attractive.
The last time I was in this village, I was lucky enough to attend a festival. The locals were performing fully dressed up in their traditional attire.
After Garkon, you will exit on Srinagar Leh highway near Khaltse and continue to Leh The drive covering Batalik route will be a very long one and you must take an early start from Kargil.
If you wish to, you can turn right from Khaltse and go back to Lamayuru to stay for the night. The next day, you can reach Leh, covering the entire highway in 3 days.
Also read: Is Srinagar Leh Highway Safe for Tourists?
Accommodation on Srinagar Leh highway
Srinagar to Leh road runs through a very well-connected region. Almost every town or village on this route has accommodation choices in form of hotels or guesthouses.
Sonamarg, Drass, and Kargil are the preferred choices to stay but accommodation is available at other places like Mulbekh and Lamayuru as well.
There are a lot of hotels in Kargil and Sonamarg but finding one within budget could be a task. For a budget traveler, staying at either Dras or Lamayuru will be a better choice. I stayed in Greenland Guesthouse in Lamayuru a couple of times. It is a good place to stay with good facilities, including Airtel 4G network.
For a detailed version of the information below, I will request you to please take a look at Hotels and Guest Houses on Srinagar-Leh Highway. I have provided the names and numbers of some recommended hotels in this post.
Best Time to Travel from Srinagar to Leh by Road
The best time to travel on Srinagar Leh Highway is in the months of May, June, and September. The highway opens by late April and closes sometime in the month of November. These three months are when the road conditions will be at their best and the weather will be enjoyable.
Monsoon arrives in the region by late June and heavy rains can create a lot of havoc in July and August. A lot of people travel at this time as well but I will recommend avoiding it if you can. Landslides can sometimes block the road between Srinagar and Dras and you may not be allowed to travel further.
For more details on this, please take a look at When is the Best Time to Travel on Srinagar-Leh Highway.
Places to Visit
The entire highway is a beauty in itself, full of eye-catching vistas. Lush green hills, enchanting valleys, and then the barren desert of Ladakh after you cross Kargil – put this all together and you are in for a journey to cherish.
There are however several places that can be considered as highlights of the journey. I have covered this topic at great length in another post actually. Below is a list of the places but if you want to read about them in detail, I will request you to take a look at Tourist Attractions on Srinagar Leh Highway.
Putting all of this information here would have rendered this one page way too long. That is why I put it all in another post.
High Altitude Passes
- Zoji La
- Namika La
- Fotu La
- Hambuting La
Natural Wonders
- Lamayuru Lunar Landscape
- Indus Zanskar River Confluence
- Magnetic Hill
- Tiger Hill
- Thajiwas Glacier
Man-Made Wonders
- Hangro Loops
- Good Food
- Kargil War Memorial
- Several other war memorials on the way like Harka Bahadur Memorial, Zojila Memorial
Religious Places
- Lamayuru Monastery
- Redzong / Rizong Monastery
- Likir Monastery
- Alchi Monastery
- Phyang Monastery
- Spituk Monastery
- Gurudwara Patthar Sahib
- Mulbekh Monastery / Maitreya Buddha
- Basgo Monastery / Basgo Palace
Towns on Srinagar Leh Highway
- Srinagar
- Sonamarg
- Dras
- Kargil
- Mulbekh
- Lamayuru
- Nimmu
Mobile Network & Data Connectivity on Srinagar Leh Highway
The most important thing to remember here is that only postpaid cell phones work in Kashmir and Ladakh. BSNL has the widest connectivity here and works in the remotest of the locations. The voice clarity however can be really bad at some places. BSNL, Airtel, and Jio phones work well in Srinagar, Kargil, and Leh.
Starting from Srinagar, if you were on a postpaid connection, you will have some connectivity until Sonamarg. After Sonamarg, irrespective of which network you were on, your phone will not work again until you reach Kargil.
In Kargil, BSNL, Airtel, and Jio will provide an excellent network with good voice clarity and 4G data.
On the stretch from Kargil to Leh, Airtel will continue to keep come and go at regular intervals. You will not get reception with any other network.
On the Batalik stretch, you may get some reception with Airtel around Kargil but will lose network a few kilometers later.
Srinagar to Leh Itinerary
It is best to dedicate at least two days to travel from Srinagar to Leh. If you want to cover the Batalik route, then I will recommend spending 3 days on the road. Below are a few examples of itineraries that you can follow.
Most Common Itinerary
- Srinagar to Kargil – Day 1
- Kargil to Leh – Day 2
Covering Batalik Route
- Srinagar to Kargil – Day 1
- Kargil to Batalik to Lamayuru – Day 2
- Lamayuru to Leh – Day 3
This can however be done in 2 days as well. It is just that the travel time from Kargil to Leh via Batalik will be a little long.
4 Day Itinerary
- Srinagar to Sonamarg – Day 1
- Srinagar to Kargil – Day 2
- Kargil to Lamayuru either via Batalik or Mulbekh – Day 3
- Lamayuru to Leh – Day 4
Petrol Pumps on Srinagar Leh highway
Until Kargil, there are several fuel stations on the way. After Kargil however, the next one is in Leh itself, and no petrol pump in between except for the one near Khaltse.
Banks / ATM
Below is a list of places where you can find an ATM on the Srinagar Leh route. For a more detailed version of this information, please read ATMs, Mechanics & Petrol Pumps on Srinagar Leh Highway.
- Srinagar
- Ganderbal
- Manigam
- Wussan
- Kangan
- Hari Ganiwan
- Gund
- Sonamarg
- Dras
- Kargil
- Shargole
- Saspol
- Leh
Medical Assistance
You can find a Doctor and dispensary at Sonamarg, Drass, Lamayuru but this will be just a physician. For any serious concerns, you will have to rush back to Leh, Kargil, or Srinagar.
In case of a medical emergency, you can also seek help from any of the nearby Army establishments en route.
Also read: How to Plan a Trip to Ladakh by Public Transport
Altitude Sickness on Srinagar Leh Highway
It is rare for anyone to suffer from AMS while traveling from Srinagar to Leh. Chances of altitude sickness are more on the Manali Leh route but a few people may suffer from it on the Srinagar Leh highway as well.
The key factor here will be to give plenty of time to your body to acclimatize. The gain in altitude while reaching Leh via Srinagar is gradual. If you completed the journey from Jammu to Leh in 3 days, your body will adjust to high altitude before reaching Ladakh.
A lot of people however try to complete the journey in a single day and that is when they get prone to AMS. To know more about the causes and symptoms of altitude sickness and tips on how to avoid it, please take a look at How to Handle Acute Mountain Sickness in Ladakh.
Srinagar to Leh bus
There is a daily bus available from Srinagar to Leh that completes the journey in 2 days with a night halt at Kargil. It starts at 8 AM from the Tourist reception center near Dal Lake. It travels via Sonamarg, Drass, Kargil and covers a total distance of 425 kilometers.
The fare per person is about Rs. 1000. For more details, please take a look at Srinagar – Leh Bus Service – Fare, Schedule, and How to Book.
Permits for Srinagar to Leh
There is no permit required for traveling from Srinagar to Leh. You only need to obtain an Inner line permit upon your arrival in Leh; in order to visit the areas like Nubra Valley and Pangong Tso. But you do not need to get a permit to reach Leh from either Srinagar or Manali. For more details, please take a look at How to obtain an Inner Line Permit for Ladakh.
Srinagar to Leh Cab
If you are in for a non-stop journey spread over a period of 18-20 hours, then a private taxi will cost you about Rs. 15,000. For a 2 day journey, it will cost you about Rs. 17000. A trip for more than 2 and up to 6 days will cost about Rs. 30,000.
Srinagar to Leh Shared taxi
If you are a solo traveler, then a shared taxi would be your best bet. This again is a one-day non-stop journey and charges per person will be Rs. 2200. This is a great choice if you are on a budget trip but do not want to travel by bus.
For more details on private and shared cabs, please take a look at Srinagar Taxi Rates for Private & Shared Taxis.
How safe is the Srinagar Leh highway
Now coming to one of the most common questions that I get asked in terms of Srinagar to Leh road. All the unrest and violence in the region tends to scare people from coming this way.
The route is perfectly safe for tourists to travel upon and nothing should stop you from experiencing the beauty of it. The fact however can not be denied that you do not want to end up at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Before you go, just keep a close watch on the news. If there is a lot of violence and high tension, then best to wait it out. Things change in Kashmir by day and a little unrest is an everyday story here.
For more recent updates, you can take a look at Is Kashmir Safe to Visit for Tourists Now.
Other Tips
Below are some other tips that can be of help in planning a journey from Srinagar to Leh.
Srinagar Leh highway Opening Time
The Srinagar Leh highway usually gets declared open by Mid to Late April, unless there has been a heavy snowfall which may delay and push the opening time to early May.
Srinagar Leh highway Closing Time
November is the month when the highway gets closed. The exact time can vary from mid to late November. It can sometimes get delayed as well like in 2016 when the road was open until December.
Passes on Srinagar Leh highway
There are three passes on Srinagar to Leh road. Starting from Srinagar, the first one is Zoji La, just after Sonamarg, at an elevation of 3,528 meters. This pass is usually considered the toughest on this route.
The second one is Namika La, a little after Mulbekh, at a height of 3,700 meters.
The last one, a little before Lamayuru, is Fotu La which is the highest elevation point of the highway, at a height of 4,108 meters.
If you were traveling from the Batalik side to Leh, you will also cross Hamboting La at an altitude of 4024 meters.
Srinagar to Leh Best Route
The best route to travel from Srinagar to Leh is via Kargil, Lamayuru and Mulbekh. If this was your first visit to Ladakh, I will recommend sticking to this route. It is easier, more scenic, and has places that are definitely worth a visit.
If you have already covered the Lamayuru route once or had 3 days in hand for Srinagar to Leh, I will recommend covering the Batalik route as well.
Conclusion
I do hope that the information above on Srinagar to Leh highway was of help. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask in the comments section below and I will be happy to answer. You can also follow me on Instagram and chat with me live there or subscribe to my YouTube channel and ask a question there.
222 comments
Sir ritz car se Srinagar to ladakh ja skte hai …may end mein 25/05/2023
Haan aap ja sakte ho Amit Bhai
Hi Vargis, hope you are doing well.
We are also planning this trip in the second week of April. Pls suggest which route to take as Srinagar-Leh Highway will be closed at that time.
Also, in case, any other time of the month is suggested, kindly let us know.
Hi Vargis, It was really a good read. Very well explained. I am planning a trip in first week of october 2021 from jammu in my car (Ciaz) which has low ground clearance. I have few questions
1. Is the road good to travel via car moreover with such low ground clearance.
2. Is October first week good to travel
I am travelling from Jammu to Pahalgam, srinagar, Kargil to leh Ladakh.
I would be travelling with my cousin from Sonmarg to Leh by 29 may from Kashmir.we are only two ladies on our own . So please can u help us with privat taxi from Kashmir who will take us to Leh ,as well as hotel booking for the whole leh Ladakh and site seeing. I will be booking air tickets from Mumbai to Kashmir and back from Leh to Mumbai in advance.please let me know how many days will I need to see leh Ladakh with panong lake and Tosomori lake as well
Hi, there is a Ladhak Run on September 10th 2023, how will the terrain and weather be around that time. Should everyone take a blood thinner injection.
This is really a great post. You get all the information at one place. It covers each aspects. Thank you !
Hello Vargis,
Hope you’re doing well.
All the information is literally amazing and thanks for all the great work. Much appreciated.
I am planning a solo trip from 7-Aug to 13-Aug.
As per reading your articles, i made a draft itinerary as mentioned below:
Fly to Srinagar morning flight— spend day there and next day private taxi to kargil early morning hoping to reach late by 4pm— stay at kargil— next day public bus to leh— exploring nearby places ( all the tourist spots around there) for 3-4 days— fly back from leh..
Please let me know if this is good to go or if any improvisations are required? Kindly guide.
Hi Ketan – This is a good plan. How are you planning the local commute in Leh? Public transport or renting a bike?
I want to visit srinagar for the tulip season and then travel by road to leh to the pangong lake,nubia valley kargil. I need a agency to book all the taxi,hotels. We are Sr citizens so carrying oxygen cylinders will be a must. Please advise
It won’t be possible during the Tulip season sir. Srinagar Leh road won’t open that early
Hi Vargisbhai, we 6 person planning as below in end of may to 1st week of june: mostly 27th May to 2 june:
day-1: delhi to srinagar Reach airport at around 1 pm, drive strait to Sonmarg.
Day 2: Thajiwas Glacier visit and after lunch head to Dras, night stay at Dras.
Day 3: Dras to kargil, local sites stay at Kargil.
Day 4: Kargil to Srinagar stay.
Day 5: srinagar to Patnitop stay.
Day 6: Patnitop to Jammu, train from jammu at 1 pm for Delhi.
is this Itenery good ? also, pl give idea or help for stay options at Dras.. and if you can give your wtsapp number please..
[…] monastery is about 115 kilometers from Leh, on the Srinagar Leh highway. During the festival, mask dances by monks are held for two days. The festival is concluded by a […]
Hey Vargis..great blog. I have an automatic Duster bought about a year back. Would this car be ok for a trip to Leh from Manali and back by Srinagar route(in September end). I am asking as I don’t know if automatic vehicle can climb up a steep incline. Thought since you are looking at so many comments…you must be knowing as someone must have written something about this.
Hey Sandeep – Duster automatic is fine. 4×4 is not even needed unless you are planning to go extreme offroad.
[…] Srinagar to Leh Route Guide and Road Map […]
[…] 2 routes connecting Ladakh to the rest of the country. The first one is via Srinagar, known as Srinagar Leh Highway, and the second one via Manali, known as Manali Leh Highway. Both these roads are almost the same […]
Hello Vargis sir,
We are planning to travel from shrinagar – leh – manali by own bikes. We are a group of 5 people. Can you suggest us the person or agency who will take care of our bike permits?. We will be traveling in aug 2019.
Hello Ninad, You can talk to Rohit @ 9999622213 or 9910722252
Hello,
I plan to take the Balatik route on my way from Kargil to Leh. Are there any public buses that ply on this route?
Frequency of public transport is very less on Batalik route.
[…] Also read: Srinagar Leh Highway Route Guide & Road Map […]
Hi Vargis Bhai,
This is in continuation with our earlier discussion.
My trip days are nearer … Could you please assist me with the list of “Things to Carry” ?
A detailed list would be helpful ….
Plan Details:
Day 1: Arrival at Leh,… (ILP will be obtained)
Day 2: Leh to Nubra valley
Day 3: Nubra Valley to Leh
Day 4: Leh to Pangong
Day 4: Pangong to Leh
Day 5: Leh to Kargil
Day 6: Kargil to Srinagar
Pranaya Bhai please take a look at this article. I have covered this topic in details here.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/ladakh-checklist-things-to-carry-for-ladakh-trip/
Thanks Bhai for the response….
Welccome Bhai !!!
Hello Vargis – thx for your very enriching information and believe me they are very informative! Sincerely appreciate the same.
We are a group of 7 and plan to visit Vaisho devi followed by Srinagar – Sonamarg – kargil – leh/ ladakh and back. We plan to travel in the month of November around 20th. i understand that there is a chance of road closure at that time. Do we have any hope that we can find the road open? Manali-Leh goes out of question as it closed much before this. The reason why we chose this time is two fold:
1. All the group members time matches
2. We want to experience live snowfall and fresh snow.
Does it make sense for the plan? We are keeping 10-11 days for the whole trip. We are travelling from kolkata.
Many thx for your help n advance. if you could help me with your contact number it wll be fantastic to get on whatsapp.
Jyoti Singh
9007875555
Hi Jyoti – It is very hard to predict right now, all depends on how the weather turns and soon it starts to snow. Last year the road was open a bit into December as well. Will have to wait and see.
Thanks a lot Vargis
You are welcome Lidya
Hi Vargis, this question may be silly. I was planning to take a bus from Srinagar to Leh, and i want to ensure that i get the best spot to enjoy the view, so could you please let me know which seat i should take, is it on the left side or the right side?
And, on the way from Srinagar to Leh, will i be able to see the Kashmir Valley?
Thanks a lot
Hi Lidya – For going from Srinagar to Leh, take the seat on the right side of the bus, in the row behind the driver. And yes, you will get to see the valley.
Hi Vergis,Thanks for sharing valuable information which helps us alot.We are travelling from Leh to Srinagar in first week of August.If we take road from Khaltse – Skurbuchan – Dha – Batalik – Kargil, then for which places in this route In Line Permit is required.Also where should we get it from?
Hi Sayali, you will need ILP for Dha and Batalik which can be obtained from Leh city itself.
Is it safe to travel by car from Srinagar to Leh this June 18, from June 3 to 10th. What is the best place to stay in between Srinagar to Leh.
Kargil will be the best place to stay as it is the mid-point of the highway. And yes, it is quite safe to travel on the road by car. Please also take a look at the article below.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/is-srinagar-leh-highway-safe-for-tourists/
Nice guidance. I want to travel Srinagar to Leh and back by car. Is it safe (this June 3-10) and where to stay in night in between Srinagar to Leh.
Kargil will be the best place to stay as it is the mid-point of the highway. And yes, it is quite safe to travel on the road by car. Please also take a look at the article below.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/is-srinagar-leh-highway-safe-for-tourists/
Hello Mr. Vargis Khan
We are a group of 3 couples from Mumbai travelling on 26th June and planning a trip like this;
Day 1- Mumbai to Srinagar (overnight in house boat)
Day 2- Srinagar to Kargil (overnight at some hotel)
Day 3- Kargil to Leh (overnight at hotel)
Day 4- Leh (overnight at hotel)
Day 5- Leh to Nubra (overnight at camp)
Day 6- Nubra to Leh (overnight at hotel)
Day 7- Leh to Pangong (overnight at camp)
Day 8- Pangong to Leh (overnight at hotel)
Day 9- Leh to Mumbai
please help me out with the following queries;
1- I wanted to know if this itinerary seems okay or am i missing few must do places in leh.
2- Where can I add river rafting ? (and few other adventure sports if any)
3- should we do pangong or tso moriri ? I’ve heard pangong is just hyped because of the movie and are there any camps for overnight stay in tso moriri ?
4- is turtuk worth the place to visit ? if yes then will i have to add 1 more night in nubra ?
I want to make this trip very exciting and adventurous. I’m open for changes in this itinerary and make this trip a memorable one.
Waiting for your reply at your earliest. Thank You
Hello Mr. Jain,
1. Your itinerary is OK.
2. For river rafting you will have to either add another day of stay at Kargil or Leh. From both these places you will have to come to Nimmu with rafting people and then go back.
3. They are both equally beautiful but if you can just visit one then go to Pangong.
4. I have been to Turtuk 3 times so yes if you ask me, I love staying a day at that silent village. Nothing special here though, just a group of houses standing still in time and very scenic. Muslim village but very different kind of muslims than you would see in rest of India (I am saying this being a muslim myself)
Hi Varghis,
You blog website is quite insightful!! I generally dont post questions on website however I was quite intrigued to do so considering the immense knowledge you have regarding the entire region!!
We are planning a Ladakh trip from 18th to 31st Aug and have come up with like a draft itinerary:
Day 1: Reach Chandigarh by flight and take and overnight bus to Manali
Day 2: Reach Manali and enquire abt bike/car option for the trip and also arrange for Rohtang pass permit and chill in Manali that night
Day 3: Leave from Manali passing Rohtang and reach Sarchu. Camp at Sarchu that night
Day 4: Leave from Sarchu and reach Leh and stay at Leh hotel
Day 5: Hire Bike/car from Leh and go to Turtuk and stay that night in Turtuk
Day 6: Leave from Turtuk and then go to Nubra passsing Khardungla – Overnite at Nubra camp
Day 7 : Leave from Nubra and reach Leh. Local sighseing in Leh and spend the night in Leh
Day 8: Leave for Pangong Lake and camp there at night
Day 9: Leave from Pangong and reach Leh and stay the night at Leh
Day 10: Leave from Leh and ride through Kargil and stay overnite at Kargil
Day 11: Leave from Kargil and reach Srinagar and stay overnite
Day 12: Leave from Srinagar and reach Patnitop and stay overnite
Day 13: Leave from Patnitop and reach Chandigarh. Take a flight/train for Mumbai in the night
Day 14: Reach Mumbai
We have a lot of queries to ask you regarding this itinerary. Firstly do we get car/bike rentals from Manali and if yes is there a possibility that we can drop them at Leh or Srinagar if we decide to take a direct flight back home rather than riding back to drop the bikes? Can you share some good bike/car rental contacts if you have?
Do we need to carry a back up vehicle and mechanic throughout the trip as it is our first time and we are 2 couples travelling this route? If required can you share a list of Mechanics contacts which we can keep handy..
Will we get Vodafone or Jio Network range throughout the trip? If no, which providers network do we purchase for complete network trip connectivity?
Do you reckon to do the complete trip by car or bike as when i read most of your posts that the roads are quite challenging?
Also do we need to book the case camps in advance for places at Sarchu, Nubra, Pangong, etc? If yes do you have a list of contacts for them too..
Awaiting your response.
Regards,
Diana
Hello Diana,
About your itinerary,
Day 1: OK
Day 2: OK
Day 3: OK
Day 4: OK – Add a day in betweeen here. Must stay in Leh for a day to arrange permits before going to Nubra.
Day 5: OK
Day 6: Turtuk is a part of Nubra valley, comes after passing Khardungla and Diskit
Day 7 : OK
Day 8: OK
Day 9: OK
Day 10: OK
Day 11: OK
Day 12: OK
Day 13: OK
Day 14: OK
1. Yes renting a bike from Manali and dropping at Srinagar is a choice but will cost you additional for it. Please contact Parvez in Manali at 93186 46559 for renting bikes and more information on this.
Vodafone or Jio connectivity will be limited to only a few places. Please see the article below for more detaiils on mobile networks in Ladakh.
Bike or Car really is more of a personal choice depending on several factors. I personaly would prefer a bike trip.
No need to book in advnce. Just reacch your destination, find a hotel per your liking and negotiate a deal.
Hello Mr. Vargis
I planned to come to ladakh from srinagar on 26th and we have returning flight from srinagar on 3rd june. I need to come back from LEH to SRINAGAR in one day in a tempo traveller. We are in a group of 6. From where can i book this? Can u pls suggest some travel agency.
Regards
Tushar
Hi Tushar – You will have to talk to some travel agent in Leh to book this. I am sorry but I do not have any contacts.
Hello
If from pangong to tsomoriri,we take route via loma,mahe…would it be a one day trip?
If not,where could we stay overnite? I have msgd u in whatsapp and awaiting ur reply
Regards
Sucharita
Hello
If from pangong,route to karzok via loma,mahe is taken…..is it a one day trip?
If not ,where cud we stay overnite ?
I have msgd u in whatsapp and waiting for ur answer.
Regards
Sucharita
Sir
I have messaged u in ur whatsapp number.kindly see to it and reply.i am counting on your feedback
Replied and discussed Sucharita Ji 🙂
Sir
Waiting for your answer.
Sucharita
Just replied now Sucharita, sorry about the delay
Hello
Some more querries.I have prepared an itinerary .Can u pls tell me whether its ok and we could get the stay facilities for the night halts.
Day 1 – Srinagar- drass -nite stay at kargil
Day 2 – Kargil – Leh
Day 3 – Stay at Leh
Day 4 – Leh – khardung la – Diskit – Hunder – Turtuk
Day 5 – Turtuk – sumur – panamik – leh
Day 6 – Leh – nite stay at pangong
Day 7 – Pangong – loma – chusul – nite stay at hanle
Day 8 – Hanle – Loma – Tsomoriri
Day 9 – Tsomlriri – Tsokar -Debring- moore plains – Pang
Day 10 – pang – jispa – sarchu – manali
Is there good stay at Hanle, Tsomoriri??
Please tell me whether the schedule is too hectic?
Regards
Sucharita
Hello Sucharita,
Day 1 – Looks good
Day 2 – Looks good
Day 3 – Looks good
Day 4 – Looks good but will be a long journey so ensure that you start as early as possible from Leh. Possibly by first light of the day.
Day 5 – Looks good. Though you may actually go straight to Pangong from Nubra and save a day in between.
Day 6 – Looks good
Day 7- Looks good
Day 8 – Looks good
Day 9 – Looks good
Day 10 – Looks good
Few things in the itinerary though.
1. You said in your first comment that you are renting a car. From where? With driver or self drive rental? This may cause a bit of a problem.
2. Hanle has just one guest house which sometimes can be full. This year because a new pass Umling La came in the picture so a lot of people will be going this way to conquer it. Route for that pass is via Hanle so accommmodation here may become a challenge. You may have to stay as a paying guest with a local so be prepared for that.
3. Pang is all camps, no cemented hotels. Being a lady, you may not like to stay here because of washrooms, shared and not really hygienic.
4. Can you add more days to your travel?
Please let me know and I can suggest an itinerary accordingly.
Hi
Great write up and details.good work.wanted to ask about my srinagar -leh-manali trip.Do i need to book withvtravel agents??would be travelling after 15th june ..5 adults…rented car.how much cost difference would it make if we book on our own and wthbtravel agents?? Do the travel agents accept our customised plan? Waiting for a reply
Regards and thanks
Sucharita
Hello Sucharita – Do not go with a travel agent. Go on your own and as per your own itinerary. I can help plan your trip but booking a travel agent will just mean additional cost, nothing else.
Sir
Can i have ur mail id so dat i could fill in all my queries if i were to make arrangements widout travel agent?it would be helpful sir..if u dont mind
Regards
Sucharita
Yes..two days more can be added to the plan.please suggest the changes to plan keeping in mind the accomodation and seeing dat it does not get hectic.we would take a rented car wth driver ..not our own.pls sugggest that too as from where it would be beneficial
Sucharita
Sir
Two days could be added to the itinerary as u asked.we would take a rented car wth driver..not our own.please suggest the changes in the plan,help me with car and stay bookings.i would follow your advise.Also if u can let me ur mail id..it would be beneficial for me to fill in all my querries.Thanks
Regards
Sucharita
Please click on “Contact Me” tab in the menu bar and send me an email. I will reply to it once I receive your email.
Hi,
Thanks for the information. We(group of 8) will be reaching srinagar on 2nd June around 3 clock in afternoon, Can we travel to dras/Sonmarg on sameday and stay at Dras/Sonmarg for overnight and next day head towards Leh? WE are planning to book a private taxi.
Hello Meenaxi – I will advise against it. Stay at Srinagar on the day you arrive and travel the next day. However if you must and want to book a taxi, then ask the driver to pick you from the airport itself and go straight to Sonamarg. You cannot make it to Drass, that is way too far but you may reach Sonamarg before it gets dark.
Can one drive from pangong lake to leh after 5pm
You must not
Hi,
Yeah its a two way bike tour from manali to srinagar. So, to go up to Srinagar from manali and come backfrom srinagar to manali, which routes are suitable?
Also want to know that, any of the entry permit to be taken before our journey starts?
Also it is worth enough to go all the way upto srinagar and come back to manali to observe good landscape views?
And minimum of how many days do we need to complete this tour in a bike for two way trip to malai to srinagar?
Thanks.
Mubarak
Since you are form Sri Lanka, you will have to arrange for a protected area permit for sightseeing in Ladakh. I must ask, are you renting motorcycle from Manali for the trip? Secondly, can you add more days to the trip or 12 days is all that you can afford?
For 12 days, Your travel plan will be
Manali to Sriangar – 2-3 Days
Srinagar to Leh – 2 days
Leh – 1 day at least to arrange permit and rent another motorcycle because your Manali rented bike cannot be used for sightseeing in Ladakh
Leh to Nubra
Nubra to Pangong via Shyok road
Pangong to Leh – 3 days in total for this
Leh to Sarchu
Sarchu to Leh
Hi Mr. Vargis,
This is Mubarak from Srilanka.
Just went through your most valuable information about Leh – Manali tour.
I have some important inquiries from you regarding my bike tour from Manali – Srinagar – Leh – Manali.
Please kindly help me by replying following questions:
1. I am planning on leaving from manali from a bike towards Srinagar via Leh/Ladakh. I hope there are two different roads to reach srinagar from manali. So, which road you suggest me to go to srinagar and come back to manali ?
2. Do you suggest me to go all the way to srinagar and come back via Leh to witness the heartbreaking scenes?
3. We are hiring a personal bike and will be going on our own rather going with a tour guides. Kindly share with me the difficulties if We go on our own.
4. Our tour period will June/July 2018. Hope its the best period to travel on a bike?
5. Kindly advice me on the route and we have planned to cover everything in 10 Days. Kindly share your advisable itinerary.
Would love to hear some valuable advises from you.
Much needed help since I am from Sri lanka.
Cheers.
Jai hind.
Jai Hind Mubarak Bhai,
You can visit Ladakh in June or July but I am not sure about what your plan is? You want to go to Srinagar from Manali and then circle back to Manali via Ladakh?”
Dear Vargis,
yes. Starting my journey from manali towards srinagar and come to manali via Leh.
Will it be possible to make it within 12 days? And from manali – Srinagar which road is perfect and continent?
Or, do you suggest me to go only upto Leh and return back to manali?
Looking forward for your valuable reply.
Mubarak.
Cheer from srilanka
Mubarak Bhai – Is there a reason why you want to go to Sriangar first and then circle back to Manali again from Leh? Why not go from Manali to Leh and return to Srinagar? Are you planning to rent a bike?
Hi Vargis Bai,
There is no particular reason to go to srinagar first and then Leh. it can be other way around (Manali to Leh and then Srinagar and back to manali via another route – Please share the possible routes as well)
Yes, I am renting a bike from Manali and return it in Manali itself.
And if go a round trip to srinagar via Leh, how many days i have to allocate for entire tour?
And do you suggest me to go to srinagar and come back? I don’t have particular reason to upto Srinagar. It can be upto Leh and come back. but I have around 12 days on my tour. I want to have a maximum use of the bike tour.
Kindly advice.
Please come on whats app, So i can have more details from you.
+94771787718
Best regards,
Mubarak
I cant seem to message you on Watsapp for some reason Bhai. Please drop me a message on +91********** and I will reply
Mr. Vargis, I am very much surprised to see that you have all the answers in your article for the questions that would arise regarding the srinagar – Leh trip. very wonderful article with all the details. From my childhood , Ladakh was one of the best tourism place I was interested to visit. I have planned to visit by september this year. I will contact you , if I need any clarifications. Thank you.
Hello Mr. Rajkumar – Thank you for your kind words, I really appreciate it. Please feel free to ask any queries and I will be glad to help in any way that I can.
see u in leh on sept 2018
lots of luv and envy to vargis ji As i hear about ladak from childhood. And nw decide for a ride from tvm
Thank you so much Mahin Bhai. I appreciate your kind words.
Hello Mr. Khan, I just wanted to know, Can I reach srinagar from Leh in one day. If I start in Innova from Leh at 2pm, How long shall it take for me to reach srinagar. Is it safe to drive at night if driven by local cab driver?
Hello Tushar – If you started from Srinagar by 2 PM, you will reach Leh the next morning. The journey is about 18-20 hours if non-stop. Local drivers do this all the time so as long as you have an experienced driver with you, you can do it.
Vargis Bhai! Just came here to thank you for all your invaluable contribution and commitment in helping travellers. I am just amazed at how you’ve already made an article about every single relevant question one could have. Keep doing this great work Sir. Hope to cross paths with you some day and I’m also going to follow you FB now.
Sumit Bhai – Thank you so much for your kind words, I really appreciate it. Will definitely love to meet you someday and maybe ride together for a trip.
Hi Vargis,
I’m amazed by how dedicated and complete your web is.
It helps me a lot to plan my trip Leh, Ladakh.
On 12 – 20 Aug 2018, I plan to go to Leh via Srinagar Leh Highway, with the itinerary as follow:
Day 1 Srinagar to Kargil via Bus.
Overnight at Kargil
Day 2 Kargil to Leh by Bus
Arriving at Leh and take a rest
Day 3 Explore Leh (Shanti Stupa, Leh Palace & Leh Market)
Day 4 Go to Hemis & Thiksey Monastery
Day 5 Go to Nubra Valley by taxi
Visit Panamik or Hunder Sand Dunes
Overnight at Hunder/Diskit
Day 6 Visit Panamik or Hunder Sand Dunes
Back to Leh
Day 7 Go to Pangong Tso by bus
Overnight at Pangong Tso
Day 8 Back to Leh
Explore Leh
Day 9 Go to Delhi by Flight
What do you think of my itinerary?
Note: I am quite worry to travel Srinagar Leh Highway in Aug due to the monsoon and Amarnath Yattra, but I already bought the plane ticket so the trip must go on. But do you perhaps have any advice for me regarding to this?
Many thanks
Hello Lidya – Thank you so much for your encouraging words.
Your itinerary is perfect, no change required at all. Yes it will be Monsoon up in the hills but since you will be traveling in a local bus from Srinagar to Leh, you do not have to worry about it much. You can proceed with your trip as planned.
Thanks a lot, i really appreciate your fast feedback.
You are welcome
Hi Vargis,
I have another question.
I found that some travel agent in Leh providing the transportation service from Leh to Nubra then to Pangong within 3 days via Shyok or Warila. What do you think about this? Will it be a difficult journey, in terms of road condition and safety?
Many thanks
Hello Lidya – That is actually the ideal way to travel, saving a day in between. Leh to Nubra, then Nubra to Pangong via Shyok and Pangong to Leh. Route is quite safe and you do not have to worry about anything.
Hi Vargis Bhai,
Glad that your blog is very much helpful to plan to Leh. I need your help.
Trip Days: 8 Days (SriNagar to Leh to SriNagar)
Time: August 2018
Want to Visit the Places: Magnetic Hill, Magie Point, Sonmarg, Drass Sector, Kargil, Leh, Pangong, Khardun La Pas, Nubra Valley, Moriri
If Possible want to See few places at Sri Nagar
Please Suggest
Hello Pranaya Bhai – Thank you for your kind words. How are you planning to travel? Bike, Car or Public transport?
Hi Bhai,
I am planning to complete the trip by Car only.
Please suggest, accordingly I will plan.
Thanks…
Bhai for 8 days, you can travel in the following manner.
Day 1: Srinagar to Kargil
Day 2: Kargil to Leh
Day 3: Leh, arrange permits
Day 4: Leh to Nubra valley
Day 5: Nubra Valley to Pangong via Shyok road
Day 6: Pangong to Leh via Chang La
Day 7: Leh to Batalik (arrange for this permit on Day 3)
Day 8: Batalik to Srinagar
As you can see, Tso Moriri will be too difficult to squeeze in here unless you can throw in at least 2 more days.
Thanks Bhai,
This detailed plan, will help us ..
Two more questions
1. How to get Permit, which you are taking
2. Is it possible/good to add some places on day of arrival (after 6pm) at Srinagar or better to stay at room ?
Pranaya
Bhai I am talking about Inner Line Permit which is a mandate to visit Nubra and Pangong. Take a loo at the post below. I have explained all the necessary details here.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/obtaining-ilp-for-ladakh/
Hard to visit anywhere after arrival at 6. I will recommend that you stay close to Dal Lake. That way, you can take a walk along the lake, very beautiful Or better yet, I will recommend that you stay at a houseboat in the lake.
Hi Vargis Bhai,
This is in continuation with our earlier discussion.
My trip days are nearer 🙂 … Could you please assist me with the list of “Things to Carry” ?
A detailed list would be helpful ….
Plan Details:
Day 1: Arrival at Leh,… (ILP will be obtained)
Day 2: Leh to Nubra valley
Day 3: Nubra Valley to Leh
Day 4: Leh to Pangong
Day 4: Pangong to Leh
Day 5: Leh to Kargil
Day 6: Kargil to Srinagar
Pranaya
Pranaya Bhai please take a look at this article. I have covered this topic in details here.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/ladakh-checklist-things-to-carry-for-ladakh-trip/
Thanks Bhai, for detailed information. 🙂
You are welcome Bhai
to acclimatize in Leh, what is the minimum days require One day is enough or not ?
It varies for everyone but on a general basis and for most people, one day is sufficient.
I am planning a trip to Ladakh from 25th May 2018,
Which route should i take
Delhi – Manali – Leh – Srinagar
Srinagar – Leh – -Manali – Delhi
Reach via Srinagar and plan your return journey by Manali
Hi Vargis,
Exactly this is my plan too. I am going in the bike (Friend’s bike) from manali to Leh. but i need to return my bike back in manali. So, whats your route suggestion from Manali – Srinagar – Manali?
Kindly assist me on this.
+94771787718 If can, please chat over whatsapp. Thats more convenient.
Best regards,
Mubarak.
Hi, Firstly thanks for providing so many details. Its really helpful. I have a question regarding Manali Leh route.. We are planning to visit Leh in i20 Car via Manali and then returning back via srinagar in early May 2018. 1) Will the routes be open to Leh during that time? 2) Will our car be able to travel in the route considering the ground clearance is only 170 mm? 3) With this car will it be possible to reach till Pangong Lake?
Hello Krishna,
Thank you for your appreciating words. Coming to your quesitons,
1. Manali Leh opens by late May or early June so you will not be able to cover this route unless you delay your trip by a month at least.
2. I know someone who has been to Ladakh in I20 but you cannot do so early in the season. That is the time when the roads are worst with lot of slush and water crossing which will be a huge problem in I20. Better plan for either late June, first week of July or September.
3. Yes I20 will be able to go to Pangong but the route near Chang La is really bad which may become a problem.
Overall you will have to be really good at the wheel and extremely careful. Even after this, be prepared that underbelly of your car will still hit the ground at a few places.
Thanks for your reply. How about taking Srinagar Leh route in Mid May??
You can do it provided but it is still early in the season. There will be water crossings on the way and a lot of slush caused by melting snow, specially around Zoji La Pass. However, except for this section and a few other bad patches, this road is comparatively better as compared to Manali Leh. This year Srinagar Leh opened around Mid May so that too will remain a question.
Thanks a lot
You are welcome
Take a look at this article as well please.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/how-to-prepare-your-car-for-ladakh-trip/
Hi Vargis your blog is really useful for all travelers..The details you provided is very accurate..we are planning from srinagar to leh in 5 th june 2017..it’s a right time to go there ? We love road journey and nature..I think it’s open weather ?
Hello Mr. Parmar = Thank you for your encouraging words. I am glad that the information was of help. Yes, you can travel in the month of June from Srinagar to Leh. It is a good time to go.
Hi Vargis bhai! what an awesome blog you have written. I am following your blog very minutely. We 4 friends have planned Srinagar- Leh- manali ex Delhi sometime around mid Jun next year. Will be asking your vital tips regarding our itinerary etc in coming days. Thanks.
Hello Suman Bhai – Thank you for your encouraging words. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have and I will be glad to help.
Vargis bhai….Happy New year.. well, as I said earlier, I will be asking you questions regarding our trip. Our gross itinerary that we chalked out is.. Ok first let me tell you..We have 09 days in hand from Srinagar to Manali. Is it doable?
Our itinerary looks like:
Day 1- Srinagar to Drass
Day 2- Drass to Lamayuru
Day 3- Lamayuru to Leh
Day 4 to Day 9- Leh to Manali (your help needed to make a full itinerary)
We want to avail MCV buses wherever possible. But, it seems, as u have written, that buses have their own schedule. So how can we break our stopover at our chosen night stays? Do we need cabs for this? Our probable time of journey is around 12/13th May.
Please help.
Our dates from Srinagar will be around 20/22nd May
Suman Bhai – Since you are traveling by public transport, you will have to postpone your plan by a few weeks. Leh Manali route doesnt open at least until late May or early June. After opening, it takes another couple of weeks for the bus service to start. If I was you, I will delay by a full month and plan on the same dates for the month of June.
Hi Vargis…Thank you for writing such an amazing & informative blog! I am traveling to Ladakh next week & my stay is from 13th Sep – 22nd Sep. I will be landing in Leh on 13th morning. I want your advice on things I should definitely not miss during this trip. Initial itinerary is to stay in Leh from 13-15 & check out on 16th for Nubra, spend two days there & then back to
Leh on 18th. Beyond that it’s all flexible & I want to know what else to include. After reading this blog Kargil & Drass has caught my imagination. Let me know what to include. I intend to take a cab to cover my travels
Hello Nihar Bhai – If you are hiring a private cab and have a few days in hand, you can plan in the following manner.
13th – Land in Leh, rest, arrange permits
14th – Take a day long drive towards Kargil. Reach until Lamayuru and return to Leh by evening. See Gurudwara Patthar Sahib, Indus Zanskar confluence, magnetic hill, Mulbekh Maitreya and Lamayuru Lunar Landscape.
15th – Head to Nubra valley, stay in Diskit
16th – Diskit to Panamik
17th – Panamik to Pangong
18th – Pangong to Hanle
19th – Hanle to Karzok (Tso Moriri)
20th – Karzok to Leh
21st – Buffer Day
22nd – Return flight
Hi vargis bro…
I m from rajasthan. And planing to complete circle. Sei nagar to leh and then leh to manali…
We are 7 -8 frds with bolero car …
Give me ur valuble suggestion what is best time. Best of best month to completw this circuit when we can get snow. But avoid rain… what about safty on sri nagar leh road….can bolero is ok for this tour…..is it ok to from leh we stay at diskit then pangong and from pangong direct to manali. Or we have to go back leh for fuel. ……plz guide full jurny
Hi Prahlad – If you want to see snow then best to go early in the season, in May. Bolero will be Ok but ground clearance can be a problem at some places. And yes, from Leh you can go to Nubra, then to Pangong and from there, directly to Manali.
Thx. Dear. For ur reply………….and ur blog and post are too good for a travler….its very helpful in planing…………..and one thing i want to know. ….that. my pre paid airtel or jio will work there in j&k. Or i have to arrange some thing more for mobile connectivity or internet
Thanks Prahlad. Prepaid phones do not work in J&K. You will have to get a postpaid connection. Take a look at this post.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/mobile-phone-services-in-leh-areas-ladakh/
thx. Bro. For ur valuble sugestions…before leave for leh. We will contact to again for final suggestion round 2..hehehe…..thx bro..happy diwali.
You are welcome bro. Feel free to ask me if you need any further help with your trip.
Hi Vargis, first of all thank you for such an informative and interesting website. It is truly helpful for a foreigner like me. There are three of us Malaysians who would like to visit Srinagar and Leh for the first time. My travel date is from 12 September 2017 onward and is flexible. I append my itinerary as below:
Day 1 Fly from Delhi to Srinagar. Sight see and overnight in Srinagar
Day 2 Srinagar to Gulmarg. Overnight in Gulmarg
Day 3 Gulmarg to Pahalgam. Overnight in Pahalgam
Day 4 Pahalgam to Drass/Kargil via Sonamarg. Overnight in Drass/Kargil
Day 5 Drass/Kargil to Leh. Overnight in Leh
Day 6 Acclimatize/Sight seeing in Leh
Day 7 Leh to Nubra Valley. Overnight in Diksit.
Day 8 Diksit to Turtuk and back to Leh. Overnight in Leh
Day 9 Leh to Pangong and return. Overnight in Leh
Day 10 Fly back to Delhi
My questions are as follows:
1. Are the number of days sufficient to cover the areas mentioned or will additional days be necessary?
2. Are the roads accessible during my travel dates?
3. Is the weather conducive for travel during this period?
4. Is it possible to hire a car from Pahalgam to Leh or do we have to go back to Srinagar to do so?
5. Does the route from Pahalgam covers Sonamarg on the way to Kargil?
6. Is it sufficient to stop and have a meal to experience the beauty of Sonamarg or is it advisable to spend a night
in this town?
7. For a first timer visiting these places would you recommend an overnight stay in Drass or Kargil?
8. Will I need a protected area permit to visit Srinagar or for passing through or staying overnight in Kargil?
9. You have suggested in many of the postings that hotel are easily available and it is cheaper for travelers to
book when they arrive at a place. Since my travel dates are between 12 September 2017 till the end of
September 2017, is this easy to get hotels if I don’t book in advance? Am I traveling during tourist season to
the above mentioned areas?Won’t it be safer for foreigners like to me have their hotels and stay confirmed
before we arrive?
Your kind help in answering my queries is most appreciated. I will also be glad if you find it is necessary to make any amendments to my itinerary. Lastly I would be very grateful for any contact numbers of taxis/private vehicles, hotels, tour agents or agents for the application of protected area permit. A rough costing from you for the above trip will be an added bonus. Thank you in advance.
Hello Pritam,
Thank you for your encouraging words.
1. Add two more days if you can. One day for stay at Pangong, do not do this in one day. Go to Pangong, stay there and come back the next day. Second day as buffer, for just in case situations. Do not tie yourself down to strict dates, be flexible for at least one day.
2. Yes roads will be open.
3. Weather will be OK as well.
4. I am not really sure about this. I can give you a contact in Srinagar though, you can talk to him. He can help you with a taxi so you can check if he can get it arranged from Pehalgam itself.
5. Yes it does
6. It depends. If you can spare one day for Sonamarg then by all means do it. Thajiwas Glacier is nearby and definitely worth a visit.
7. Stay at Kargil, it will shorten your Leh journey, giving you ample time to reach there and check in to a hotel.
8. No permit needed for Srinagar or reaching Leh. you will need the permit to visit Nubra and Pangong only.
9. I will still recommend to find a hotel on spot. You are traveling towards the end of tourist season so there won’t be many torusts around, easier to find a hotel.
For taxi in Srinagar, you can talk to Faisal at 09596410670. For Leh you can talk to Sonam Angdus at 9469272773.
Hi,
I will be reaching Srinagar Airport around 11am on 12th Aug and have to catch return flight from Srinagar on 17th at 3:30pm.
Please help me with the complete itinerary from Srinagar to Leh and back.. Any contacts for hiring taxi from Srinagar will be great., we are 7 ppl.
Also, let me know if i need to get any inner permits..
Hello,
You are really short on time and a trip to Leh will mean just going there and coming back, you won’t be able to explore or see much. For taxi, call Faisal in Srinagar at 95964 10670. You will need a driver who is ready to do a rushed journey with you and then also the fact that you will need to rent another taxi in Leh. The one you rented in Srinagar cant be used for sightseeing in Ladakh. For taxi in Leh, you can contact Sonam Angdus at 9469272773.
Considering the above, what you can do is land in Srinagar on 12th and get a taxi to go to Leh straight, a non-stop journey. You will reach there on 13th during day sometime. Get your permits arranged on the same day. On 14th, take a day trip to Nubra valley and be back in Leh by evening. On 15th, take a day trip to Pangong Tso, back to Leh by evening. On 16th, start your return journey to Srinagar and catch catch your flight on 17th.
Thanks Vargis for your reply. Can you please tell me what sort of permits we would need in Leh? From what I have read online, Indian travellers do not need permits. Also, how do we go about arranging the permits?
Thanks in advance.
Hi Anjali – Inner line permits are required for Indian citizens as well in order to travel beyond Leh, towards Nubra and Pangong. No permit is required to travel from Srinagar to Leh. Please read the following post for details on Inner line permits.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/obtaining-ilp-for-ladakh/
Hi Vargis,
I registered for permit online and got a receipt of permit. There was no option to make payment or upload documents.
Am I supposed to visit the DC office for further process?
Please let me know if there is any other way in which I don’t need to visit the office in person to save time. Is it possible for an agent to get permit on my behalf?
Hello Anjali – There is no option yet to make online payment. You will have to visit the DM office anyways to pay and get it stamped/signed. The online portal right now pretty much is just filling up the form, nothing more. Yes, you can contact an agent as well in Leh to get you the permits but a better option would be to ask the hotel you are staying at. If you have booked in advance, ask them to keep your permits ready as well. If you haven’t booked, you can do the same when you check in to a hotel in Leh upon arrival. Just tell them to get you the permits next day and they will do it.
Hi Vargis Below is our planned itinerary. The dates are fixed as we only have that long to spare. Please suggest if we should change it any way
Day 1: Start from Srinagar to Kargil at noon. Have lunch on the way to Kargil [Would be great if you can suggest some good places to eat]
Day 2: Travel from Kargil to Leh and reach by 2pm. Got to Shanti Stupa, magnetic hill and at night scout local markets
Day 3: Leh – Thiksley Monastery – Pangong Lake – Leh
Day 4: Start at Khardung La pass and come back to Leh by 2pm. Travel from Leh to Kargil
Day 5: Kargil – Srinagar and leave back home in the evening
Midhu – Your timelines are way too strict. You cannot start from Srinagar by noon and make it to Kargil, cannot make it to Leh from Kargil before 2 noon and similarly, cannot do Leh to Srinagar in one day before evening falls.
Dear vargis, i am planning to go to leh via manali. following is the itinary as suggested by agency.day 1 ambala to manali Day 2 in manali.Day 3 manali to keylong.Day 4 kaylong to leh.Day5 leh.Day 6leh to nubra.Day 7 nubra to leh.Day 8 leh to pangong & back. Day 9 fly back to delhi.I can increase a day or two.Pl suggest anything better. Are we missing any thing worth seeing. RAKESH TIKU MORADABAD email [email protected] can mail me also I shall be thankful to u.
Hello Rakesh — The itinerary looks Ok except for going to Pangong and coming back the same day, It will be a long journey and you will not get any time to spend at the lake. How much is the agency charging you for this?
Hello Mr.Vargis, Thanks for your suggestions. I want to Know whether Srinagar Leh Road is open now for Private vehicles, someone inform that Road is open. if that is position then we will start our Trip as scheduled i:e on 27th May 2017. Pl. confirm and also inform Time table-2017 for private vehicles/Bikes. Thanks a lot. DILIP RAJGURAV
Hello Dilip – Highway is not yet open for tourists but will be in next couple of days. Timings will be out only after the road is declared open.
Dear Vargis,
I with my wife have planned a tour from Srinagar to Leh on dtd-14.06.2017. Would you suggest me about tourist locations in Leh and no. of days required to cover entire Leh tourist places apart from the journey days? I have gone through the replies/suggestions posted by you on this article. My keen request to you to give me a complete Itinerary of min 06days except the journey days(i.e, 02days frm Srinagar to Leh & 02days frm Leh to Srinagar by road).
I will be grateful to you if you would suggest the Taxi trip from Srinagar to Leh & Vice versa covering each tourist places during the road trip.
Eagerly waiting for your valuable suggestion.
Warm Regards,
Pitambar Ghosh
Raigarh, CG
Mob No-07773002810
Hello Mr. Gosh – Do you only have 6 days in hand or are you saying a minimum 6 days but you can add more? I will also suggest that you take a look at the following article.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/common-srinagar-to-ladakh-itinerary/
Hi Vargis,
7 of us have planned 10 days trip(9 nights) from srinagar to leh “May 16th to 26th”,
and we are flying back home from srinagar.
1.Please help us plan our trip proper,
2.We want to hire innova or any other available 7 seaters for our journey, could you please suggest us few at affordable price.
3.How much does a bike per day cost in Leh?
Thanks
Hi Siddesh – First of all, Srinagar Leh highway is not yet open and as of now, the expected opening date is sometime after 15th May, no confirmed date yet.
For rates of motorcycles in Leh this year, take a loo at the following article.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/ladakh-motorcycle-rental-rates-list-2017/
I can give you the name and number of my contact in Srinagar. He runs a rental agency there. You can talk to him and see if you are able to strike a deal. Let me know.
Yes brother please..that will be a great help to plan our trip in budget.thanks for the motor bike rates.
Hi Siddhesh – His name is Faisal and number is 9596410670. Let him know you got his number from me
Hallo Mr.VARGIS. Thanks a lot for your advice. Will take your advice again and try to delay tour for some period. Your advices are really helpful for Travellers. DILIP RAJGURAV PUNE MS
You are welcome Sir !!!
Good Morning Mr. VARGIS, I want your advice for Jammu-Srinagar-Leh Trip by Bike [R.E. M/CYCLE] starting on 27th May 2017. My son is planned this trip alongwith 4 other friends. I want to know is it right time to do so. How is wether condition. are roads open for safe journey. Pl. advice complete suitable plan with details for this journey starting from 27th May 2017 because all travellers are new to this region. Pl. inform about travle permits etc. for the same. Pl. help. Mr.DILIP RAJGURAV PUNE
Hello Mr. Rajgura – Srinagar Leh highway will open around 20th of this month. Road conditions in the initial few weeks are really bad as BRO starts restoration work. What is your son’s itinerary? What all places is he planning to cover? If he can, I would advise to delay the trip by a few weeks, do it in June sometime and roads will be in a better condition.
For permits, please read the following article.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/ladakh-inner-line-permit-ilp-implemented/
Hello Vargis,
Thank you so much for a beautiful blog …It is really a great information for anyone who is looking for leh …
I just need to know that starting from Srinagar to leh and ending with leh to manali is advisable ….Means we are going to come back from leh to manali ….
So required similar kind of information for leh to manali …That would really be a great help to us for deciding out final plan …
Regads
Kapil
Hello Kapil – It entirely depends on your date of travels. Srianagar Leh highway will probably open by first week of May and Manali to Leh will open by first week of June. If you are traveling before June, you will have to return via Sriangar only. If after June, you can go via Sriangar and come back via Manali. What are your planned dates of travel? Have you prepared an itinerary that I can look at and suggest changes if required any?
Dear Varghis,
I am planning srinagar_leh_srinagar from june 4th to june 14th is it the ideal time to take this route?
Regards,
Aditya parab
Hi Aditya – Yes you can do the trip a this however an ideal time would be by delaying it a couple of weeks.
hi Vargis,
Good morning!
Me and my wife are travelling from Hyderabad to Leh from 14th May to 21st May. As of now, only dates are decided and havent booked the tickets yet. Below is the best itinerary I received from one of the agents:-
Day 1 – Delhi – Leh
Day 2 – Leh
Day 3 – Leh – Nubra
Day 4 – Nubra – Pangong
Day 5 – Pangong – Chushul – Pangong
Day 6 – Pangong – Leh
Day 7 – Leh
Day 8 – Leh – Delhi
I initially dint want to include Kashmir for security reasons but since my above itinerary includes 4 nights in Leh, I would like to know if I can replace my Day 1 journey from Delhi to Leh with Srinagar to Leh since flights from Hyderabad to Srinagar are inexpensive(almost half) than Hyderabad to Leh so that I can spend the same amount on journey instead of flight.
1) Can you suggest if I can replace my Day1 with Srinagar as explained above
2) I heard that Kargil to Leh route is under construction. Is it recommended to take that route or are there any alternatives?
3) Can you suggest if I can add anything else to my itinerary since this could be one and only trip to Leh in a lifetime?
Many thanks in advance.
Chaitanya
Hello Chaitanya,
1. Sringar to Leh is a 2 days journey at the least. Try to do this in one day and you will kill the fun, just sitting in a cab running non-stop. I would definitely recommend doing Srinagar to Leh, just a matter of one day but it will be a drive of a life time.
2. No other alternative. Entire Srinagar Leh road will be under construction/maintenance around the time of your travel. The road will most probably sometime in early April and at the dates you mentioned, BRO will be busy restoring it at several places. However though, you should still be able to drive through it. This is also why you must give it 2 days because there could be roadblocks and you may get delayed by a few hours at some stretches.
3. I am not really sure about Pangong – Chushul – Pangong. Nothing really that you wouldnt already have seen on Day 4 so this is one day that you can take out and add to Srinagar Leh highway. Also, ask you agent how is he planning to take you from Nubra to Pangong? Wari La route will definitely be closed and I am not sure about the Agham Shyok road as well. So if he is planning to bring you back to Leh and then take to Pangong, it will be one hell of a long journey for one day.
If you are interested, I can give you the contact # of a driver I know in Leh. Let me know. He would be able to give you a better price, let him know you are a friend of mine, and he is a jolly good humble fellow. Will make your journey convenient and better. Let me know.
Dear Vargis,
Thanks a lot for your prompt reply and more importantly for your kind gesture. Please give me the driver’s number. Also, since I would be spending big chunk on traveling, will your friend be able to provide any sharing options for our rides. I have ignored Srinagar to Leh for now since it takes 2 days. One of my friends who visited Leh last year spoke very high about Turtuk, so Im planning to that consider for the 1 day I had saved by skipping Srinagar. My final itinerary looks like below and please suggest if it is doable.
Day1 – reach Leh and acclimatize
Day2 – Leh – Turtuk and stay overnight
Day3 – Turtuk – Nubra Valley and stay overnight
Day4- Nubra – Pangong(via Shayok valley). I read your comments. But one of the itineraries I received from Yatra.com mentioned this and they were boasting themselves that this is their USP and no other travel agent is offering this route. So I thought of considering it. This is tentative for now and will decide then and there whether to take it.
Day5 – Pangong – Leh
Day6 – Leh – Sham valley – Alchi
Day7 – Alchi-Lay
Day 8 – Take off
Let me know if this makes sense.
Regards
Chaitanya.
Hello Chaitanya,
Number of the driver is 9469272773. His name is Sonam Angdus. He will not be able to provide a sharing option though, he is more like a private taxi driver.
Talk to Sonam about the Agham Shyok road. He will be able to tell you better about whether or not to take this route. More than the travel agents, it is the local drivers that will suggest if it is safe to take the route or not.
You itinerary looks absolutely fine.
hi Vargis,
Thanks a lot for the contact. I have talked to Sonam and he has confirmed that Agam Shyok road is indeed accessible. My final itinerary looks like below. Would like to know your feedback on the same :-
Day1 – Reach leh and acclimatize
D2- Leh – Sham Valley – Leh
D3 – Leh-Nubra-Hunder
D4 – Nubra-Pangong
D5- Pangong – Tsomoriri
D6 – Tsomoriri-Leh
D7- Leh local
D8 – Departure
Hi Chaitanya – Itinerary looks good except for Pangong to Tso Moriri. Not really good for a single day journey, it is ideally done in two days.
Are you guys traveling with Sonam? What did he say about Pangong to Moriri?
You are welcome Manik.
Roads aren’t that bad to Tso Moriri if you travel from Leh. It is more or less the same that you will see in rest of Ladakh. Just the last 50 kms from Sumdo to Karzok is a dirt trail all the way. Still, since you will be returning from Manali, I would still recommend that you include it in the journey if time permits.
Hunder, Diskit, Turtuk are all in Nubra valley. Easily doable in 2 days. Hanle will be a little off track. It is a days journey from Pangong Tso, after Chushul with really bad roads. From there, either it is again a 2 days journey back to Leh or you go directly from Hanle to Tso Moriri via Loma, Nyoma and Mahe. Again bad roads.
Lots of hotels in Leh, should not be a problem finding one. Depends on your budget but there are all kinds of hotels in Leh.
Coming to your itinerary,
1. Any reason why you would rather stay at Patnitop than Srinagar? Just curious.
2. Sonamarg to Kargil is merely 3 hours journey, why do you want to halt at Kargil? You can make it to Leh on the same day. It will be a bit of long journey but doable if you started early from Sonamarg. That way you can save a day here.
3. A better way would be start really early from Ludhiana and take it all the way to Srinagar. On day 2 reach Kargil and day 3 reach Leh.
4. Leh to Turtuk is good.
5. While coming back to Leh, take the diversion to Panamik for a small drive. Will add 2-3 hours to the journey but totally worth it.
6. If you want to go to Moriri, then route back would be the one I suggested. If short on time and do not want to go to Moriri, then start early from Leh and reach Sarchu. Then from Sarchu, drive all the way to Manali.
Sir your blog will help me Iam frm Hyderabad and planning to go on 10th may Srinagar with 5 Childrens 4 adults on 13th may Srinagar to kargil night halt on 14th may kargil to Le. Some questions in my mind 1. Cn we go in may 13th this route
2. Roete will clear on may month aftr heavy snow this year 3. In kargil cn we get pure veg hotle for eating 4. Aftr reaching Leh how was weather for children suitable or nt children age 7yr 11yr and 12 years 5. It is easy to take Breath sea level high place 6. Can we get pure veg hotle in Leh if yes thn which area bcs we R pure Vegetarian 7. We will return grm Leh on 20th may . I thing u can help me more Comfortable way . Your Advice give me smooth journey thanking you
Hello Chetan,
Srinagar Leh highway usually opens by late April or early May but due to high amount of snow this year, a delay in opening is expected. It will probably open by Mid May and at that time, roads will be in worst ever condition. Also, since the roads would have just opened, most of the hotels and guest houses would be closed so finding one would be tough, specially if you are looking for a pure veg one. If possible, please postpone your trip by a few weeks to ensure a safe and memorable journey for your family.
By the way, how are you planning to travel from Srinagar to Leh?
Tq Sir for ur feed back
You are welcome Bro
hello sir,
i will be visiting Leh in the month of August-2017, can u help me out for itinerary part?
No. of person= 2
Route= Srinagar-Kargil- Leh-Leh (Local Sight Seeing)- Kargil-Sringara
No. of Days=8
is it possible for 8 days to cover this route by bike?
regadrs,
nipun
Hello Nipun – For 8 days, you can do the following itinerary.
Sringar to Drass
Drass to Leh
Leh to Nubra Valley
Nubra Valley to Leh
Leh to Pangong
Pangong to Leh
Leh to Kargil
Kargil to Srinagar.
And yes, you can do this journey on a bike.
Hi Vargis.
Your blog is awesome.
I was planning a road trip to leh via srinagar and back through manali from punjab in self driven suv around june-july 2017.
Wanted your help in planning my itinerary, i would be having 11-12 days at my disposal.
I also wanted to ask if we need to book the hotels in advance or not.
Would appreciate your help.
Thanks
Manik
Thanks Manik. No need to book any hotels in advance, you would just end up paying more. Just reach there, look for a hotel that you like in terms of location, price and hygiene and negotiate a deal.
Do you have an itinerary you need me to look at or would you like me to suggest an itinerary for you?
Thanks virgis for your response. This would be my first visit and i am not aware kf the places that should not be missed. Would request you to help me with the itinerary.
Thanks
Hi Manik – For 11-12 days covering both highways and all tourist places, you can follow the following itinerary.
Srinagar to Kargil
Kargil to Leh
Leh
Leh to Nubra Valley
Nubra Valley to Leh
Leh to Pangong Tso
Pangong Tso to Leh
Leh to Tso Moriri
Tso Moriri to Sarchu
Sarchu to Manali
Let me know if you need any further details.
Thanks a lot Vargis,
I donot want to go to Tso Moriri as i have heard that the roads are not good, i have shortlisted the following- Hunder, Daskit, Turtuk, Pangong Tso and Hanle(if possible). can these be covered in 5 days?
Also wanted some knowledge on the places/accomodation to stay in and around Leh.
I am planning the route as follows (please let me know if it is right):
Ludhiana to Patnitop
Patnitop to Sonamarg
Sonamarg to Kargil
Kargil to Leh
Leh
Leh to Hunder, Daksit, Turtuk
Back to leh
Leh to Pangong
Pangong to Leh
Route from Leh to Manali? (need your help on this)
Thanks for your help.
You are welcome Manik.
Roads aren’t that bad to Tso Moriri if you travel from Leh. It is more or less the same that you will see in rest of Ladakh. Just the last 50 kms from Sumdo to Karzok is a dirt trail all the way. Still, since you will be returning from Manali, I would still recommend that you include it in the journey if time permits.
Hunder, Diskit, Turtuk are all in Nubra valley. Easily doable in 2 days. Hanle will be a little off track. It is a days journey from Pangong Tso, after Chushul with really bad roads. From there, either it is again a 2 days journey back to Leh or you go directly from Hanle to Tso Moriri via Loma, Nyoma and Mahe. Again bad roads.
Lots of hotels in Leh, should not be a problem finding one. Depends on your budget but there are all kinds of hotels in Leh.
Coming to your itinerary,
1. Any reason why you would rather stay at Patnitop than Srinagar? Just curious.
2. Sonamarg to Kargil is merely 3 hours journey, why do you want to halt at Kargil? You can make it to Leh on the same day. It will be a bit of long journey but doable if you started early from Sonamarg. That way you can save a day here.
3. A better way would be start really early from Ludhiana and take it all the way to Srinagar. On day 2 reach Kargil and day 3 reach Leh.
4. Leh to Turtuk is good.
5. While coming back to Leh, take the diversion to Panamik for a small drive. Will add 2-3 hours to the journey but totally worth it.
6. If you want to go to Moriri, then route back would be the one I suggested. If short on time and do not want to go to Moriri, then start early from Leh and reach Sarchu. Then from Sarchu, drive all the way to Manali.
Thanks a lot Vargis, much appreciated.
I was planning for patnitop as driving all the way to srinagar would be tiring (i will try for srinagar by starting early).
I believe hanle should be ruled out.
I was curious about the accommodation as it would be a peak season and wanted to keep few hotels shortlisted (budget would be average) and wanted to know about the camps also (panning to stay in one of those in Pangong)
Thanks as always 😉
You are welcome bro …
Definitely try for Srinagar. That way only your first day of the journey will be long which you can compensate for by starting early but it will save an additional day for you.
Yeah you should rule out Hanle unless you are planning to cover Changthang circuit (Chushul, Loma, Hanle, Nyoma, Mahe) as well.
Hotels are in plenty in Leh and you should not have problem finding one at all. I can make a few recommendations if you would like.
Campsites too at Pangong are in plenty. Expect the cost to be anywhere from Rs. 1500 onwards per person including meals. It all depends on your negotiation skills. Just walk into a camp site where there are no previous guests and negotiate the best you can. They will usually drop down to Rs. 1000 per person. Cheaper option would be chadar tent but I doubt you would want to stay there. Take a look at the article below.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/accommodation-at-pangong-tso/
Hi Vargis, since the time is nearing and only a month is left, i am eagerly waiting for my journey, i have finalized the following route ( and on your feedback i have also included Tso Moriri :)), please spare a moment on that and let me know your thoughts:
Day 1 – Gurgaon to Jammu/udhampur (hopefully situation remains ok, i really want to go via this route)
Day 2 – Jammu/udhampur to Sonamarg
Day 3 – Sonamarg – Kargil
Day 4 – Kargil – Leh
Day 5 – Leh local
Day 6 – Leh – Diksit – Hunder
Day 7 – Hunder – Panamik – Leh
Day 8 – Leh – Pangong Tso
Day 9 – Pangong Tso – Leh
Day 10 – Leh – Tso Moriri (please help me with the route)
Day 11 – Tso Moriri – Sarchu
Day 12 – Sarchu – Manali
Also, can you please help me with carrying of extra fuel (how much fuel is required and for which route) can i carry 2 20 ltrs Bisleri cans for the duel. I am not booking anything for accomodation, will see on spot.
Hi Manik – I am glad you are all set for your trip. Do not forget to share some pics when you are back brother.
Your itinerary looks Ok. For Tso Moriri, travel on the Manali Leh highway from Leh until Upshi. From Upshi, take the diversion towards Chumathang, and then travel straight to Karzok via Sumdo.
Your fuel need will depend on which bike you are riding, can you let me know please?
i will be travelling by suv
I thought you wrote 2 2 liters Bisleri bottles, LOL … that is why I assumed that you are taking a bike. The only stretch on your itinerary that you will have to arrange fuel for is Leh – Karzok – Manali, the return journey. 2 20 liters jerry cans will be more than enough.
Hello Sir… I am planning for leh on my bike this year from Delhi in June starting I will be going from Srinagar and coming back from manali…..I have query regarding manali leh highway opening and chances of rain in June starting please help Sir….
Hi Rahul – I would be glad to help. Almost next to none chances of rain in June in Ladakh, or on Manali Leh or Srinagar Leh highway. Manali Leh highway usually opens in early June so I would say that you are safe planning your journey by mid or 3rd week of June.
Hi, I am planning a tour from Delhi-Srinagar-Leh-Recongpeo-Shimla-delhi in coming March. Please suggest me route and number of days required to cover the entire trip.
You will not be able to do this journey in March as the roads are closed at this time. You will have to push your plans at least until late June.
Hi Vargis,
Thanks for detail description. We are 4 friends travelling from Chandigarh to Leh via Srinagar. Is it safe to travel at this point of time considering the disturbance ?
Hi Neeraj – Please review the article at the link below for information on situation in Srinagar.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/current-situation-in-srinagar-for-tourists-travelling-ladakh/
Hey Neeraj
I am planning chd-leh trip via srinagar , if you dont mind could you share your experiances like the places you have stayed and distance planning.
Hi
Vargis
I
I have a plan ride motorcycle trip dehli-srinagar-leh,itinerary need permit same way from Leh to Srinagar? I’m Thai.
Possible on mid april?
I am sorry but I did not understand the question. Are you asking me to help you prepare an itinerary or is your question related to permits?
Sorry for not clearly.
I asking for permit from Srinagar to Leh.
A foreign nationals need to get inner line permit to enter Leh?
I’m Thai tourist.
You do not need a permit to travel from Srinagar to Leh. Permit is required for visiting nearby areas around Leh, like Nubra valley and Pangong Tso
Is this road operational in last week of October? I plan to take this road from 28th to 30th October
Yes it will be operational
Hi we are planning to go to ladakh in September 4-11 via srinagar.
How is the weather road conditions.
And you don’t recommend wari la?
Roads will be good at that time but weather may get a little colder. Wari La depends on what is your mode of travel. Take a look at the below post for more information on Wari La.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/nubra-valley-to-pangong-tso-via-wari-la/
friend I am planning a solo road trip (on Bike) Delhi- Srinagar- Leh- Manali- Delhi in first week of september 2016. Will i encounter rains at that time ? And are there bike mechanics available on the route ? My main concern is punctured tyre.
You will most probably not encounter any rain in September. And yes, you can find mechanics on the route.
Hey Sidharth
I am also planning for a solo trip around the same time .
I am from Pune .
Do you mind if I join you.
It’s my first time in J&k
And Ladakh .
If yes you could message me on whatsapp 9637456474
Gautam
friend I plan on strting from delhi on 1 sept and returning back by 11th.
I’ll be taking the manali route due to the current situation in Kashmir valley.
let me know if u can club your plan with mine. contact me on 9012530777.
Hi
I dont know if you could help me with it since I tried searching a lot but couldn’t really find any help. I am planning to fly to Srinagar, ride down all the way(following your map) to Leh and then Spiti, back to Leh and fly out. Is there any provision I can hire the bike from Srinagar and drop it at Leh? A lot of places in Chandigarh, Manali and Delhi has this facility but didn’t find any in Srinagar (internet didnt help much). I found one guy who said we can drop it off in Leh but I will have to bear the bike transportation cost from Leh-Srinagar, but I would really like to know if there are any rentals who can waive off this fee.
Also, can you suggest how many days trip should I take for the above mentioned itinerary? I am planning to do it on the 1st week of this September.
Honestly, I do not really have any contacts with bike rentals but yes, all of them will charge you a little extra if you are planning to drop the bike in Leh. What I would better suggest is that you take a shared taxi or bus to reach Leh and hire a motorcycle there because the thing is that they won’t let you use a Srinagar rented bike for sight seeing in Ladakh. There was a lot of fuss in Leh last year about this and it is still going on. You may or may not get in trouble with the locals if you went to Nubra or Pangong or a Srinagar rented bike. To be on a safer side, you anyways would have to rent another bike in Ladakh.
Number of days depend on how far do you want to cover Spiti? Just reach Kaza and go back to Leh?
Hi Vargis
I havent really done my research on spiti as such so if you could help me with it? It would be Leh-Spiti-Leh. Preferably cover most parts (remote too) of Spiti since I am not sure when will I visit again. Oh and I would love to spend a day at the monastery if its permitted.
Hi,
Can we do Sonamarg to Leh in one day? I wd start early morning from Sonamarg
You can but chances are that in all proximity, you will reach Leh after dark
Just to give you an Idea, last year we started at about 9 AM from Leh and reached Drass by 8 PM which is about another 63 kms from Sonamarg so if you want to cover it in a day, start as early as by 6 AM, take fewer breaks and then you can reach Leh by 6 PM.
Hi Vargis, I am traveling in first week on August from Srinagar to Leh, will it be raining in Srinagar and Leh at that time? I am kinda hoping to capture mesmerizing beauty of Leh-Ladakh, will the weather ruin my plans? Any idea what trends of weather have you seen so far?
Hi Deepak – You may encounter rain in August until Sonmarg but most likely not after that, not in Ladakh.
Thanks Vargis.
you are welcome brother
Hi Vargis, Thanks for wonderful post, really appreciated. Just wanted to check with you if it is possible to do Srinagar to Lamayuru in one day on the motorcycle?
Hi Mahesh – It is best advised that you do not. In order to reach Lamayuru, you will have to start from Srinagar by first light of the day, rush through the journey and even then you will reach Lamayuru after dark.
Thank you Vergis for your valuable input. Will follow the same.
You are welcome brother
HI… Iam planning a trip across India covering all states by road in November. I was wondering if you can recommend the best route fi different from what Google Map throws up and a recommendations for me to stop for the night on the drive down from Srinagar to Manali. I would prefer around the mid point. I should be in Srinagar around the 15th of December.
Do you mean Srinagar to Manali direct or Srinagar to Manali via Leh?
sir..
i m plannig from sonamerg to leh on 16th july..
how i travel? and which option is suitable for me. i m alone for go stok kangri trek.
please guide me how to book buse for this route?
thanks for help..
pl. give me your contact no.
Your best bet would be to board a bus. Unfortunately there is no advance booking available, just reach the Srinagar bus stand early in the morning and board the bus to Leh.
I’m travelling to ladakh this july,i have a flight from srinagar to chennai on july 15th afternoon.
when do you think i should start my journey from leh to srinagar.
should u start on 13th? and where do i book the buses and is there any guarantee that i will get a confirmed ticket
You should start on 14th morning, reach Srinagar by 14th evening and catch your flight on 15th. Unfortunately there is no advance booking system available, you will have to reach Leh bus stand early in the morning and board the bus to Srinagar.
Howzit 🙂
My two children and self are looking to travel via public transport from Srinagar to Leh in Aug 2017. Re the buses there, can one book ahead of time, and what’s the deal with potential restroom breaks?
Thanks in advance,
Nick,
Hi Nick – No advance booking available, you will have to reach the bus stand early morning and board the bus. The bus will stop at several places for restroom breaks and sight seeing so no problem there. I suggest that you look at the following post for more information on bus services.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/leh-bus-service-buses-ladakh/
Hi Vargis,
Thanks for the information you have provided here. I am a solo traveler landing in Srinagar on 25th evening.
Can you please let me know which option would be better to travel from Srinagar to Leh?
Can I book a shared taxi or bus in the same evening, and leave the next day to Kargil?
If I travel by bus/ shared taxi, will I have time to get down and see the tourist attractions along the way?
Thanks,
Suahs
Suhas – You will not get a bus in the evening, you can board it only in early morning. And yes, they do stop at several points for sight seeing
Hi,we are planning from srinagar to leh in 2nd November it’s a right time to go there? I m love cold weather n I think it’s off session there in November so my tour to leh-ladkha is cheep right? And which route is good for travel?srinagar -leh or manali -leh
It is off season that is correct but it wont cost you less by a great margin. Highway most probably will be open in early November so you should be able to complete the journey.
hi we are planing from srinagar to leh by july 3rd week 2016, how much time it will take to reach leh & is it nessery to stay one night in Drass
It takes a minimum of 2 days for Srinagar to Leh Pavan. You can stay either at Sonmarg, Drass or Kargil.