In this article, I will provide some information on choices of accommodation at Tso Moriri and at places along the route. The reason why I mentioned route as well is that there are different roads that you can take to get to Tso Moriri; details on which I will further explain in this article.
Tso Moriri is one of the two gems of a lake of Ladakh; the other being Pangong Tso. This lake is a remarkable beauty in itself. It’s deep blue presenting a feast for the eyes; under the blue of a pollution-free sky. Surrounded by green fields and against the majestic grey of surrounding barren hills, it presents a feast for the eyes. It is one place which in my opinion must find a place in the itineraries of every person visiting Ladakh.
Leh to Tso Moriri Routes
There are three different routes that you can take to reach Tso Moriri. The first one is from Leh to Karzok via Chumathang. The second one is from Leh via Tso Kar and More Plains. The third route is via Pangong and Chushul.
- Leh – Upshi – Chumathang – Mahe – Sumdo – Karzok (Tso Moriri). Shortest Route
- Leh – Upshi – Rumtse – Tanglang La – Debring – Tso Kar – Polo Kongka La – Sumdo – Karzok
- Leh – Pangong Tso – Chushul – Mahe – Sumdo – Karzok
Traveling by the first route, you can easily reach Karzok from Leh in 6-7 hours and can also make it a day trip; reaching Leh back by evening. By the second route, it will take you about 7-8 hours, and is best to stay at Karzok for the night; returning to Leh the next day.
The third route is the longest and it is best to do it in 3-4 days. You should reach Pangong from Leh on day 1, go to Hanle on Day 2, reach Karzok on the third and return to Leh on the fourth day.
Please note that Inner Line Permit is required in order to visit Tso Moriri. This permit can either be applied for online or you can get it in person from DM office Leh. Please take a look at How to Obtain Inner Line Permit for Ladakh for more details on how you can procure the permit and what the related charges are.
Acute Mountain Sickness
Tso Moriri and its nearby areas are at one of the highest altitudes in Ladakh. It is one of the places where you are most likely to suffer from high altitude sickness. It is best to include Tso Moriri in your itinerary after you have spent a few days in Ladakh; or have visited areas like Nubra valley first.
Some people try to cover Tso Moriri while going on their way to Leh from Manali. I would strongly advise against attempting so. The first reason is of Inner Line Permit for which you will anyways have to go to Leh first. If somehow you managed to get the permits beforehand, before you started for Leh, you will suffer AMS during your stay at Karzok.
For more details on what acute mountain sickness is, what its symptoms are, and how you can tackle it better, please read How to Handle Acute Mountain Sickness in Ladakh.
Accommodation at Tso Moriri Lake
Below are details on accommodation choices at Karzok, the village located right next to Tso Moriri Lake. I will further provide information on stay options en route in the article.
Hotels at Tso Moriri
Karzok is a very small village and there are no big luxurious hotels here. The choice of stay is pretty much limited to a handful of guest houses, campsites, and Homestays. Hotel Tso Moriri and Lake View Hotel are two good hotels in Karzok.
The hotels are pretty decent and comfortable and are good enough to stay at for a couple of days. As tourism in Ladakh increases, the quality of these hotels improves and the fares increase.
Guest House Near Tso Moriri
A guest house is your best choice of stay for accommodation. To be honest, it is hard to differentiate between a hotel and a guest house here. They are pretty much the same deal and can fall under the same umbrella.
Though not luxurious, they are all very comfortable, neat and spacious. Prices too will not be that steep and you can easily get a guest house between Rs. 1000 – Rs. 1500. During the peak tourist season, it can even get higher than this these days.
Lake views Guest Gouse, Mentok Guest House, and Crane Guest House are three that I have heard good feedback on.
Also read: How to Plan a Trip to Leh Ladakh
Tso Moriri Homestay
A homestay at Tso Moriri is the best choice for a homely and cost-effective stay. There are multiple options available and you can easily manage to stay for the night for between Rs. 500 to Rs. 1000 including meals. Goose Homestay is probably the one that I have received the most positive feedback on. Definitely, a great place to stay.
Camp Sites at Tso Moriri
There are several campsites at Karzok that you can choose from. It may not be a great if you are on a limited budget though as it is the costliest form of accommodation at Tso Moriri.
Tso Moriri Camp and Resort, Nomadic Life Camp, The Norling Camp, and Golden Mark camps are to name a few. Their charges however may be out of budget for a lot of people but bargain hard and these people tend to slash down marginally from what they originally quote.
Self Camping at Tso Moriri
If you are carrying your own gear then yes, you can definitely camp at Tso Moriri. However, do keep in mind that Tso Moriri falls under wetland reserve; which means that camping too close to the lake or at its banks is forbidden by the law.
You must camp at a distance. The better way around this would be to speak to a local villager or an existing campsite and pay them off to give you a good spot to camp.
In exchange for the money, they will also let you use their washrooms which is a great option. Take a look at Camping in Ladakh: Preparations and Precautions below for a few other tips on self camping in Ladakh.
The above was in terms of staying at the Karzok. Mentioned below is information on accommodation available on the three different routes leading to the lake.
Leh to Karzok Direct Route via Chumathang
If you are taking the Karu, Upshi, Kumdok, Chumathang, Kere route to reach Karzok, then the last available hotel is at Upshi and then at Chumathang. There is just one very basic hotel at Chumathang.
However, reaching Karzok in a day from Leh is very easy. If you started early, you can easily be at Karzok way before sunset hence there is really no point in breaking the journey in between. If you however would like to stay on the way, then Chumathang is a great choice.
It also goes by the name of Hot Spring Resort. As the name suggests, there is a hot water spring near the hotel.
Tso Kar to Tso Moriri
If you are visiting Karzok while going to Leh or coming from Leh via Tanglang La and Moore plains; the last accommodation available would be at Tso Kar in form of a Chadar tent.
There is another Chadar tent at Debring (the bifurcation where you take the turn towards Tso Kar) but it’s not permanent. Chances are that you may find it there and you may not. Once you have crossed Tso Kar, there are no more hotels, guest houses, or tents until Karzok.
Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri
If you are continuing to Tso Moriri from Pangong via Changthang valley, then you need at least 2 days to complete this journey. It can be done in 1 day as well but then you will just be rushing through the journey which is not recommended. You will be tired, exhausted, will have to ride continuously with very few breaks
There are also chances are that you will end up riding even after dark which can be very dangerous as there are no roads in this region, just unpaved dirt tracks. The entire route is of great scenic beauty and you should take the journey slow while taking plenty of sightseeing/photography breaks.
Accommodation is available only at Chushul and Hanle on the way; in the form of paying guests and one guest house in Hanle by the name of Sonam Guest House (also called Padma Homestay). In recent years, a couple of more guest houses have come up but Sonam Guest House remains to be the most famous one.
An ideal way to complete this journey would be to reach Hanle from Pangong on Day 1, spend the night there and continue to Tso Moriri on Day 2. There is no place to stay at any other village [Loma, Nyoma, Mahe, Sumdo] on the route.
There are government rest houses in these villages but it really depends on your luck. You may or may not find the caretaker at the guest house and he may or may not let you stay. Another option is to talk to the villagers and request to let you stay as a paying guest for the night.
Conclusion
I hope this information on accommodation at Tso Moriri was helpful. If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask in the comments section below or at our Community Forum and I would be glad to answer. If you know of any other hotel or guest house at any of the places mentioned below, please do share the information in order to help others.
42 comments
Hello Vargis,
I am planning to visit Leh in May 2022 along with parents ( ~70 years age), tentative itinerary:
Day1 – Bangalore to Srinagar –> Stay at Srinagar
Day2 – Srinagar to Kargil ( on the way Sonmarg, Baltal & Drass) –> Stay at Kargil
Day3 – kargil to Leh ( On the way Alchi, magnetic hill ) –> Stay at Leh
Day4 – Leh local sight seeing & permits for other places –> Stay at Leh
Day5: Activities at Leh –> Stay at Leh
Day6 – Leh to Nubra Valley via Khardungla pass –> Stay at Nubra valley (Hunder)
Day7 – Nubra valley to Pangong Tso –> stay at Pangong Tso tents
Day8 – Pangong Tso to Leh via Chang la–> Stay at Leh
Day9- Leh to Tso moiri –> stay at Korzok village
Day10 – Tso Moiri to Sarchu –> Stay to Sarchu
Day11 – Sarchu to Manali –> Stay at Manali
Day12 – Manali to Chandigarh –> Stay at Chandigarh
Day13 – Chandigarh to Bangalore
Could you please suggest if Day7 and Day9 can be done with parents due to AMS..
for Day9, is there a suggestion to come down yo low altitude place?
Any kind of advise will be helpful .. This itinerary is made after going through your blogs ..
Best Regards,
Nusrat
namasthe khan bhai
i like you blog and how you explain all the things in a proper understandable way
i want to ask weather there is an good place to stay at night in the way from HUNDER to PANGONG LAKE .In mid point of half the way
Namaste Bishal Bhai – Thank you for your kind words. There is no place to stay on Shyok road. You can look for accommodation as paying guests in Agham or Shyok villages but no hotels or guesthouses. The next place you can stay at is Tangste or Durbuk where there is a hotel
Sir… I am.plannig for Leh trip with my wife for 8 days after mid January . This will be our 2nd trip . Last time we covered Pangong , diskit , hunder.
Planning to cover Kargil , turtuk, nubra valley , tso moriri, tso Kar lakes and other places … I think Hanle and Pangong won’t b possible due to border tension … Kindly advice on how I should go about to enjoy the winter in Ladakh and cover maximum places .. and are there any good stay available in Tso moriri area (Chumthang) , Kargil and nubra area this winter .. please guide me
Hi Vargis, can u plz help me plan the trip. me nd wife travelling from srinagar to leh
19TH MAY SHIKARA SRINAGAR
20TH MAY SRINAGAR KARGIL STAY KARGIL
21ST MAY KARGIL KARGIL LEH STAY LEH
22ND MAY LEH LEH STAY LEH
23 RD MAY LEH LEH NUBRA VALLEY STAY SUMUR/HUNDER
24TH MAY HUNDER PANGONG TSO STAY PANGONG TSO
25TH MAY PANGONG TSO HANLE STAY HANLE
26TH MAY HANLE TSO MORRIRI STAY TSO MORIIRI
27TH MAY TSO MORRIRI LEH LEH
28TH MAY RETURN
hi vargis bhai,
I am Rupali from Kolkata, want to go ladakh between Aug to Sep in this year. We are 7adults. Can we travel direct route to Nubra – Pangong & Tso-Moriri in a single cab? Which cab is appropriate for this route?
Hello Rupali Ji,
Yes you can travel on this route in August September. Any SUV will be good enough for the route.
Hi Vargis,
We planning a chandigarh srinagar kargil leh manali route in a 4×4. Any suggestions for a 8 day itinerary. Also is it a good idea to do both Pangyong and Tsomoriri? Or is one lake good enough. Also is it a good idea from Karzok to head out towards Manali without returning to Leh.
Your suggestions for stopovers first 3 nights for acclimatising would be very welcome.
In case of a breakdown is it possible to get a truck in Leh to bail out the vehicle as my SUV cannot be towed.
Many thanks again
Vishal
Hi Vishal – 8 days can be a bit of a tight schedule. Can you throw in a day more? Also, when are you planning to travel, which month? Let me know and I can suggest an itinerary accordingly.
Getting a tow-truck will be a task next to impossible because of no phone connectivity. If there is a break down, you will have no means to call anyone and ask for help. The only way out is that you wait for someone to pass you buy and then a person from the group hops in for the ride to reach Leh and come back with a truck. Even then chances of finding a truck will be tough and then rest of the group will be stranded with the vehicle. So make sure that you prepare your vehicle in advance and remove any chance of a breakdown.
Hello Khan Bhai ,
I am Planning to visit leh in April 18 of 2017 , first of all I want to know is this a good time to visit Leh and other nearby places ?
I have Pongong Lake and Moriri lake also in my plan.
suggest me for should i take bike on rent or Car with driver will be good choice?
April is not a good time to visit Ladakh Prasann Bhai … Both the highways will be closed at that time and you will have to catch a file to Leh.
VARGIS Vaiya what is the best time for visit in leh – ladakh?
Hello Anindya – September is the best time to visit Ladakh
Hi Vargis,
I am flying to leh from 21st April to 1st May. is it possible to cover Pangong, moriri and henle in bike ….
Hi Nishith – Yes you should be able to rent a bike at this time and cover all these places.
Hi Vargis
i will be going to Tsomoriri on 10th September 2016. we are 8 people. can you please suggest where we should stay
Hi Umang – There are several hotels and camp sites at Tso Moriri so finding an accommodation should not be a problem in September.
hi,
i am planning a trip to Leh first week of Sept. my Email [email protected] would you send me your contact info please so i can plan my trip betterThanks
Hi ..thanks for your blogs with loads of useful information , I am booked for ladakh during odd time of the year ( Nov-15) , where can i add accomodation in tsomoriri , can you help me any guest house no ?
Hi Himadri, I do not have number of a guest house in Karzok. Since you will be traveling in November, finding a place to stay should not be a problem either in form of a hotel, guest house or home stay. There will not be many tourists around at that time.
Hello Vargis Bhai,
I need your prompt suggestion on my following itenary:
Can I do Tso Miriri in place of Pangong, or which one is better?
Please, suggest. Thanks in advance.
D1: 17th July Night- Delhi to Manali (Bus)
D2: 18th July Morning – Freshen up somewhere in manali, Pick-up bike, Get Permit, Have Lunch
D2: 18th July After-Noon – Head to Solang Valley, Night Stay at Solang. (Hotel Iceland) (12KM)
D3: 19th July Early Morning – Head towards Sarchu, Night Stay at Sarchu, (Goldrop Camp,
Adventure Camps, Sarchu Heights etc) – (11 Hrs-224 KM). Lunch at Jispa.
Places to visit: Deepak Tal & Suraj Tal (known as origin of Bhaga River) and Cross Baralacha Pass (16020 ft) Reach Sarchu.
D4: 20th Early Morning- Head to Leh (8 Hrs- 251 KM), Night Stay at Leh. Lunch at??
On the Way: Gatta Loops, a series of 21 hairpin bends carved into the mountainside, way up the Lachung La pass (4985M above sea leve)l, Skyangchu Thang (Biggest and Highest Plateau on Earth on Stretch of 42 Kms), Tanglang La Pass 17,585ft, second highest motorable road in the world. Banks of Indus River & Indus Valley.
D5: 21st Early Morning- Get Inner Line Permit, Leh Local Sightseeing (Shey – Thiksey – Hall of Fame –
Shanti Stupa)
Thiksey Monastery 19 Kms from Leh, Thiksey is one of the largest and most impressive Gompas of Ladakh. The Thiksey monastery provides a panoramic view of the green Indus Valley from its vantage point atop a hill. It has chambers full of statues, Stupas and colorful Tankhas.
Hall of Fame Hall of Fame near Leh is worth a visit for every citizen. It is a glorious museum constructed by Indian army. You can see the memorabilia, eminent defence personalities with biographies, images and weapons used during Kargil war.
Shey Palace & Monastery This summer palace of the erstwhile King of Leh is set upon a hill. The monastery itself has a 7.5 meter high, copper statue of a sitting Buddha, wrought in gold. This is the largest of its kind in the world.
Shanti Stupa is located at about 1km from Leh. It was built by a Japanese order and has wonderful views over Leh and the Indus valley especially at sunset. The stupa was built in 1980s and is a beautiful monument decorated with colourful paintings and enshrines large statues of Buddha.
D6: 22nd Early Morning- Leh to Nubra Valley, Night Stay at Hundur. (5 Hrs- 120 KM)
Via Khardung la pass the highest motorable pass in the world (18,380 feet). On the way you get excellent view of great Karakoram Range. Keep driving through Syok River and reach Hundur by Afternoon. After Lunch visit sand dunes for camel safari.
D7: 23rd Early Morning – Hundur to Pangong Lake via Leh. (10Hrs- 260 KM). Lunch at Leh.
Night Stay at Pangong Lake Bank in Camp.
D8: 24th Early Morning: Witness the Sun-Rise. After Breakfast Leave for Ule Via Leh. (8Hrs-210KM).
Lunch at Leh.
If time permits, enroute to Alchi visit Gurudwara Pathar Sahib, Magnetic Mountain & Likir Monastery
D9: 25th Early Morning: Ule to kargil. (8 Hs-160 KM). Overnight at Kargil.
Leave for Kargil, enroute have a spectacular view of Moonlandscape, Lamayuru (Oldest Monastery in Ladakh) and Giant Maitreya Buddha at Mulbekh.
D10: 26th Early Morning: Kargil- Drass- Sonamarg- Srinagar (8Hrs – 204 Kms). Night Stay at Srinagar.
After early Breakfast by 5.00 am drive to Srinagar passing through Drass, the second coldest inhabited Place on earth and you can have spectacular view of Kargil War famous Peaks Tiger Hill and Tololing Peak. Drop at Srinagar.
D11: 27th Early Morning: Full Day local Tour in Srinagar. Night stay at Boat House, if possible.
D12: 28th Early Morning; Get Flight to Delhi.
Hello Ranjan,
1. Rather than going to Solang, stay in Manali for the day. Test the bike, take it towards Rohtang and see if it is able to perform. If not, pick another.
2. Pangong is always and anytime better than Moriri.You will need at least one more day to do Moriri in this itinerary.
3. You can have lunch at Pang on your way to Leh
4. Nubra to Pangong via Leh the same day would be a very long journey and you will reach Pangong in dead of night. Do this in two days or take the Agham Shyok road to reach Pangong from Hunder.
Thanks Vargisb bhai, for all your valuable inputs. These are really helpful.
You are welcome brother
Hi vargis, we r four friends nd hd two bullet bikes, we plan leh ladakh tour from 4 july to 19 july.. Actually apka article dekha spangmik, maan, merak, chushul to karzok vala shortcut hai jo..and we wanna do this.. Kya ap hmein thoda guide kr skte hai k 1 din mein tso moriri kaise ponchna hai.. Kitna petrol chahiye nd kaha kaha se milega is rste mein.. Koi problem to nai hai.. Atms kahan pe milega nd most imp subah kitni jldi jana pdega..
Pls agr ap hmein guide krdo, pls achi tra se guide krdo
Thnx..
Pangong to Tso Moriri in a day would be very difficult ….. you are better off taking two days to cover this route
Thnx And agr hunder se pangong jana hai via wari la to ek din mein ho jayega?
And black petrol jo milta hai dhabhas mein uska koi nuksan to nahi hai??
Hunder se pangong ek din mein ho jaayega par kaafi lamba drive rahega …. aur sadak bhi kaafi kharab hai Wari La ke aas paas …. Petrol ki toh ab koi kya gaurantee de sakta hai ke usmein kitna petrol hai aur kitna kerosene … no way to tell
4 july jalandhar to patnitop
5 july patnitop to srinagar
6 july srinagar to kargil
7 july kargil to leh
8 july leh rest
9 july leh rest
10 july hunder to pangong
11 july pangong to hanle
12 july hanle to tso moriri
13 july tso moriri to sarchu
14 july sarchu to sissu
15 july sissu to kaza
16 july kaza rest
17july kaza to reckong peo
18 july reckong peo to shimla
19 july shimla to jalandhar
What is ur view on tht???
1. Why do you wanna stay at Patnitop? Start really early from Jalandhar and reach Srinagar straight.
2. Why stay for 2 days in Leh for rest? Just spend one day, more than enough.
3. Moriri to Sarchu would be too long .. Stay at Pang
4. Save a day, reach straight to srinagar from Jalandar and use that day to visit Chandrataal. Do it Sissu to Chandrataal and Chandrataal to Kaza.
Awesome. Really well summarized :). That is definitely a confidence booster. Will take care of the things you have mentioned. I will definitely post about my experiences once I am back.
Would definitely love to hear about how your trip went brother …. Btw, I will also be traveling to Ladakh in July this year
Oh! That is great. What time you are planning to visit and what is the route you are planning to take. It would be really nice if we meet up some place in Ladakh 🙂
Havent finalised the dates yet but it would most probably be in first 10 days of July
Thanks. Yes, I was indeed planning to get the bike checked/serviced at Leh as well since the journey north towards nubra valley will be about 500 kms and the journey east towards pangong-hanle-tsomoriri will be about 750 kms both of which are difficult stretches where the bike needs to perform well. I am planning to learn few important things about bike repairs like changing clutch cable, removing air filter for performance in high altitudes and most importantly fixing punctures. What is your take on solo riding? Are there a lot of people riding solo in Ladakh? Is photography restricted in any place?
Honestly I do not really like riding alone but that is just because I need someone to talk to, not because of fear of a breakdown. Is not that what adventure is all about? The fear of uncertainty? Everything that happens on this trip will be a memory that you will cherish. We spent the night out on the road in middle of nowhere in freezing cold, not a soul in sight, with no idea of where we were and without a clue of what we were going to do next day. True that we were scared shitless that night but now when I think about it, it was one of those moments that will last in my memories forever. So relax, prepare, but no do not sweat. Get your bikes checked in Manali, take a test run, ride slow and careful and you will be okay. Get it serviced again in Leh before starting the journey back home. The key to any vehicle is the sound, familiarize yourself with the sound of the motorcycle when its running in perfect condition and keep an ear out for any unfamiliar sounds while on the journey. If there is any problem with the bike, the sound will be the first indication.
In July and August, you will find plenty of people travelling on the route. If I was you, riding solo, I would probably stay close to another group or maybe just make friends and ride with them. That way If I run into any trouble, I would have someone to help me out.
Photography is prohibited in Hanle. You will have to leave your camera and all the photography equipment at the check post in Nyoma and collect it the next day on your way back.
Thanks for the quick response. Assuming I take a newer vehicle for rent and the risk of breakdoan is low. But, things can go wrong sometimes even with a new bike. What are the options in hand in case we are stranded which can happen on any route in Ladakh. Are the army guys helpful ? what are the other options just in case?
Its a hard question to answer really. The second thing it would depend on is where did the break down happen and the nature of problem.
For mechanical trouble, up until Jispa, there is a mechanic available on Manali Leh highway so a breakdown between Manali to Jispa would mean that you will have to get a mechanic from nearby town. There are plenty of travellers on the route so you will need to find someone who is willing to help and by help i mean get a mechanic for you or watch your bike and luggage while you do it. Same thing applies on Srinagar Leh highway, you can get a mechanic but the question is to find someone who can help. For areas around Leh, there are no mechanics in the local villages so a breakdown would mean trouble. To ensure that you do not run into this situation and also because of the fact that you will be riding alone, I suggest that you get your motorcycle fully checked before leaving Manali and then again in Leh, just to make sure. Army folks are quite helpful. There was an incident when we got lost and stranded on the Moriri to Pangong route and had to spend the entire night out on the road. It was the Army people who helped us the next day by helping us carry the motorcycle back to Leh.
Carry a puncture repair kit along with and learn how to fix a flat tyre in Manali, very important. At least you will be able to take care of that problem on your own.
Hi Vargis,
The unpaved roads you mentioned which we have to take to reach Tsomoriri concerns me a little. I am planning to do a solo bike ride this time and this is one of the route I am planning to take. What are the risks of bike breakdown and what are options available in case we are stranded in the middle of this route.
The risk of bike breaking down would actually depend on the motorcycle and not really the road. If the bike is not a good condition, it can break down on you anywhere on the route, leaving you stranded.
Hi vargis,
am planning for a tso moriri trip. It wil start from sarchu. Vehicle that we are using is innova. Can we reach in one day from sarchu? Can i have the numbers of hotels, homestays or tent houses? From tsomoiri we would be going to leh followed by nubra. Nubra to pangong.
Hi Chukhu …. Sarchu to Karzok in a day would be a very long and tiring journey but doable ….. Start really early from Sarchu and then you will reach Moriri by late evening. I am sorry but I do not have any phone #s of the hotels over there.