Best Time to Visit Ladakh – A Complete Travel Guide

If you asked when is the best time to visit Ladakh, my answer would be that it depends on you. Let me explain. The best time to visit any place is different for every person. I am basing this on assumption on the fact that not everyone is looking for the same thing. Other factors like budget, mode of travel, etc also come into the picture.

With that being said, there is a certain time of the year when every tourist destination receives the majority of its visitors. In the case of Ladakh, it is the months from June to September that are considered as the best time to visit. But will that suit you as well? If yes, then which month is the best? Read on to find out.

When is the Best Time to Visit Ladakh

Ladakh presents a different color in every season. Every month brings its own set of surprises and its own set of delights. It has a little bit for everyone; from adventure seekers to photographers, to people looking for a bit of solitude to even families looking for a fun vacation.

It is that forbidden mysterious land that opens its doors for visitors only for a few months and then shies away under a thick white sheet of snow. Deciding on the best time to visit Ladakh can be a little confusing so let me break it down month by month.

Please note that in this article, I will only talk about the best time to visit Ladakh. For other details like how to reach, what to see, where to stay, and public transport services, please take a look at How to Plan a Trip to Leh Ladakh – Complete Travel Guide.

The temperature that I am mentioning below is the historical average in Leh City. Depending on the time of day, it will be different. High altitude areas like Pangong Lake and passes en route will be way colder than this. Please remember that during the night, the temperature here can go down to as low as 40 °c.

Ladakh in January to March

Until the month of March, winter in Ladakh remains at its peak. The temperature at night can drop to as far as minus 20 degrees Celsius.

January and February is the best time if you want to plan a trip to visit Ladakh in winter. All the lakes including Pangong and Moriri are completely frozen at this time. The famous Chadar trek also happens around this time only.

You cannot camp at Pangong Lake in winter though. There will be no campsites available and you will have to look for a guest house in either Durbuk, Tangtse, Spangmik, Man, or Merak. If you did not find accommodation, you will have to return to Leh after making a day trip to the lake.

Since all hotels are not operational at this time, you will have to call ahead and inquire. A few hotels remain open in winters as well but you will have to make your bookings in advance.

Running water may not be available everywhere as the water in taps freezes. Hot water will be presented to you but in buckets. Please check with your hotel about this before booking your stay.

Electricity too is limited to only a few hours of the day. It is not an ideal time to go unless you are capable of handling the extremely cold weather.

• Average Temperature in Leh City: -10 °c Minimum and 15 °c Maximum
• Clothes Needed: Heavy woolens, caps, windproof jacket, warm socks, thermals

Ladakh in April

Come April and everyone who is planning a trip to Ladakh that year starts to get anxious, waiting for the highways to open. Snowfall stops and summer starts to step in.

BRO continues to work clearing the snow and both the roads remain closed for most of the month of April. It is towards the end of April that Srinagar Leh highway is declared open but that depends on the weather and is not always the case. Sometimes the date can even get pushed up to early May.

Hotels and guest houses start to open up preparing for the tourist season. The only way to reach Ladakh in April is either by flight or by Srinagar Leh road towards the end of the month.

April is not really an ideal time to go, though. You do not get to see any snow and the weather will be freezing cold. You may have trouble finding accommodation and will miss traveling on Manali Leh or Srinagar Leh highway.

By Late April, all the lakes including Pangong and Moriri would have completely melted to their natural blue. The roads towards Nubra and Pangong are open this month. However, the route may get closed temporarily if it snows at Khardung La or Chang La.

• Average Temperature in Leh City: 5 °c Minimum and 25 °c Maximum
• Clothes Needed: Woolens, caps, windproof jacket, thermals

Ladakh in May

The month of May marks the beginning of the Tourist season in Ladakh. Srinagar Leh highway is declared open either by late April or early May. The opening of the Manali Leh route depends on how fast BRO is able to clear the snow but it is usually towards the end of the month.

Hotels and guesthouses would have become operational completely. There would still be a lot of snow around, especially towards the top of the peaks.

The roads at this time are usually in a bad situation as BRO starts the restoration work. Visiting Ladakh this time would mean that you either go there by Air or take the Srinagar Leh Highway in traveling early in the month.

If you want to include the Manali route as well, plan towards the end. Before doing so, make sure the road is open for tourists. You can check this post, Manali Leh Highway & Road Conditions where I post updates regularly.

• Average Temperature in Leh City: 13 °c Minimum and 28 °c Maximum
• Clothes Needed: Regular summer clothes, light woolens, caps, windproof jacket

Ladakh in June

The tourist season by this time is at its full peak. All the hotels and guest houses would be completely functional. This is the time to go if you also want to catch some snow at the passes on Manali Leh highway.

The roads however are still not completely restored and you may encounter a lot of rough patches on your way. You also will encounter a lot of water streams on the way as the snow starts to melt. By end of June, the region around Srinagar and Manali also starts getting pre-monsoon showers.

• Average Temperature in Leh City: 17 °c Minimum and 30 °c Maximum
• Clothes Needed: Regular summer clothes, light woolens, caps, windproof jacket

Ladakh in July

This is one of the perfect months for the Ladakh trip if you can make it in the first half before Monsoon hits the Himalayan region. Roads are in near perfect condition and all of Ladakh is open for visitors including some of the internal roads like the Wari La Pass route.

Ladakh at this time is filled with tourists and the valleys will present you with grand vistas all around. If visiting in the latter part of the month, be ready to handle rains on the way.

• Average Temperature in Leh City: 16 °c Minimum and 35 °c Maximum
• Clothes Needed: Regular summer clothes, light woolens, caps, windproof jacket

Ladakh in August

If greenery is on your mind, then this is the time to go. You may encounter rain but it is mostly limited to areas around Kullu, Manali, Srinagar, and Sonamarg.

Ladakh is in a rain shadow area and experiences very little rain. With all the global warming though, things have started to change and it can rain even in Ladakh sometimes. The unfortunate cloud burst incident of 2010 is an example of that.

Once you cross Baralacha La on the Manali Leh route and Zoji La on the Srinagar Leh highway, you ideally enter a rain shadow area where there is either very little or no rain at all.

If you are prepared and do not mind the rain, traveling at this time will present you with lush green valleys. You should also be for a lot of slush, landslides, and puddles. If the weather turned worst, the roads can also be blocked temporarily until they are cleared.

For a road trip by bike at this time, make sure you waterproof everything.

• Average Temperature in Leh City: 18 °c Minimum and 35 °c Maximum
• Clothes Needed: Regular summer clothes, light woolens, caps, windproof jacket

Ladakh in September

The month of September is a perfect time for a Ladakh visit.  Monsoon would be gone but would have left plenty of greenery behind in Kashmir and Himachal. Ladakh will be blossoming with colors everywhere.

Hotels and guesthouses will be all functional and roads in near perfect condition. The entire Ladakh brims with astonishing beauty at this time. If you were lucky and traveling after 15th September, you may also catch a snowfall at the top of any of the passes en route.

• Average Temperature in Leh City: 17 °c Minimum and 30 °c Maximum
• Clothes Needed: Regular summer clothes, light woolens, caps, windproof jacket

Ladakh in October

October marks the beginning of the winter season. Cold starts to settle everywhere. High altitude regions already start experiencing zero degree temperatures at night and there is a high chance that it may snow anytime.

Hotels and guest houses mostly would have closed already by late October. The top of almost high altitude passes would have received snowfall.

Srinagar Leh route remains open for most of October. Manali Leh Highway however closes around the 10th of the month. If planning a road trip this month, make sure you plan your itinerary in a way that you cross the Manali route maximum before the 10th.

• Average Temperature in Leh City: 0 °c Minimum and 20 °c Maximum
• Clothes Needed: Heavy woolens, caps, windproof jacket, warm socks, thermals

Ladakh in November & December

Come November, the Srinagar Leh road closes and Ladakh gets totally cut off by road. A trip at this time can only be planned by flight. Srinagar Leh route may remain open in November sometimes but it is not advised at all to travel on.

The month of December is mostly the same as November. Both these months are probably the worst time to go. The weather will be very cold, vistas will be dull and you will not get to enjoy the trip.

Winter trip means snow all around which is not the case in November and December. Leh City in fact will be deprived of snow at this time.

• Average Temperature in Leh City: -7 °c Minimum and 10 °c Maximum
• Clothes Needed: Heavy woolens, caps, windproof jacket, warm socks, thermals

So depending on what I described above, below is a summary of the best time to visit Ladakh.

Best Time to Visit Ladakh by Road

The best time to visit Ladakh by road is the months of June, early July, and September.

Srinagar Leh highway opens sometime in April and closes by mid-November. Manali to Ladakh opens by late May and will close by Mid October.

The first few weeks of this time will present you with highly damaged roads that may even get temporarily closed. Later few weeks towards closing will always pose a risk of snowfall at top of the passes which may close the roads again. July and August will pose the problem of monsoon.

So by road, you should choose a time when the roads are stable and you can cover both the highways. Start from either Manali or Srinagar and end the trip at the other place, completing the Ladakh circuit.

Also read: Srinagar Leh Highway Route Guide and Road Map

Best Time to Visit Ladakh for Photography

The best time to visit Ladakh by photography is the months of July, August, and September. But it actually depends on what you are interested in shooting. If greenery is on your mind then your best bet would be August and September. During the monsoon, the valleys of Manali, Kashmir, and Lahaul are at full blossom and a delight to shoot.

If you do not want to risk the rain, the best time to visit Ladakh for Photography would be September. Monsoon would have just left the valley but you will still find plenty of green around Manali and Kashmir.

Go to Suru Valley and Zanskar and you will have grass and leaves changing colors from green to orange and even red as the fall season progresses. The same is the case with Nubra valley as you proceed towards Turtuk Village.

If you want to shoot a white Ladakh, then you should plan in late January or early February. On an overall basis, September is the best time to visit Ladakh for photography. Ladakh in September means multiple colors all around under a deep blue sky and you will just love what you shoot at this time.

Best Time to Visit Ladakh by Bike

Late June, early July, and September is the best time to visit Ladakh by Bike. Any earlier than this will see you struggle on bad broken roads.

August will have you getting drenched in rain as the Monsoon at this time is at its full swing which also means more furious water crossings. Any later than September will be too cold to be riding on motorcycles to Ladakh with a risk of snow and black ice.

Also read: Manali Leh Highway Route Guide and Road Map

Best Time to Visit Ladakh by Car

The best time to visit Ladakh by Car is from June to September. But it depends on what do you exactly mean by Car and what would you rather prefer.

If your car is a Sedan or Hatchback, you should only plan in early June and September. By this time, there are no chances of any rain or landslides, water crossings are not that furious or deep, and road conditions are a little better.

If you are in a 4X4 or SUV, then you can go anytime between June and September. If you want to go offloading and want to drive on broken roads, do it in May after Srinagar Leh highway opens or early June as soon as the Manali Leh highway is declared open.

Best Time to Visit Ladakh with Family

The best time to visit Ladakh with family is from July to early September. If you are traveling by Air and hiring a taxi in Ladakh with family, then any month between July and September is an ideal time to go.

If you are however planning to drive on your own, then do it in early June or September. You of course do not really want their hearts pounding as you take the car across a running water stream, or through slush on a narrow road, or getting stuck somewhere after the road is closed due to a recent landslide.

The weather after September 15th gets a little cold to be enjoying with your kids and elders. For more details, please take a look at How to Plan a Trip to Ladakh with Family.

Best Time to Visit Ladakh by Flight

The best time to visit Ladakh by flight is from May to September. But this is open for discussion as well. Going by air will pretty much come down to what you are looking for and when can you go.

Ladakh is accessible by Air throughout the year. You always have the option of hiring a cab there for local sightseeing. If snow is what you want, visit in January or February. Otherwise, any time from May to September will be ideal to be in Ladakh.

Best Time to Visit Leh Ladakh for Honeymoon

The best time to visit Ladakh for a honeymoon is in April, September, or early October. The weather at this time will be just perfect for a honeymooning couple.

Other than this, you can actually go anytime between April to Mid-October if you are catching a flight. The only problem is that the sun in June, July, and August is a little too harsh for a honeymoon.

For a road trip, September is a good time if you want a trip with very less adventure, or anytime from July to September if your spouse is as adventurous as you are.

Best Time to visit Ladakh for Snow

The best time to visit Ladakh to see snow is in late January, February, or early March for a winter trip and May, early June, late September, and early October for a summer trip.

January to early March is when the region is buried under a thick sheet of snow. The lakes of Pangong and Tso Moriri will be completely frozen at this time.

If you only want to see a little bit of snow and do not want to plan a winter trip, you should plan in May or early June. This is when you will definitely find some snow at the top of the passes. You can also plan in late September or early October and may even catch a snowfall at this time.

Best Time to Visit Ladakh by Public Transport

If you are planning to travel by Public transport, you should visit Ladakh in July, August, or early September. The buses from Manali and Srinagar to Leh and other internal areas of Ladakh remain available during this period only.

This is also the time when the entire valley is filled with tourists. If not a bus, you have the highest chance of boarding a shared taxi within your budget in these months.

There will be very little waiting time anywhere. Even if you cannot find a bus or taxi, you will still have the option of hitchhiking.

Also read: Complete List of All Tourist Attractions in Ladakh

Best Time to Visit Leh Ladakh via Manali

Manali Leh highway opens in early June. So anytime between 15^th June till 15^th July and September would be best to travel on this road.

The first two weeks of June will put you on bad roads with a possibility of a temporary shutdown due to restoration work. August will see you getting drenched in rain and may even come across a landslide. October onwards will have you encounter extreme cold with a high chance of snowfall at Baralacha La.

Best Time to Visit Leh Ladakh via Srinagar

The best time to visit Leh Ladakh via Srinagar is in May, June, early July, and September. It is pretty much the same deal as the Manali Leh highway. The only difference is that this road opens a month earlier and closes a month later.

An ideal time from Srinagar would be between Mid May to early July and September.; for the same reasons that I mentioned for Manali Leh road. Rains can play havoc around Zoji La so late July and August are best avoided.

Also read: Is Srinagar Leh Highway Safe for Tourists?

 Best Time to Visit Ladakh on a Budget

If planning a budget trip to Ladakh, the best time to go would be anywhere between July and September. All hotels are open during this time and you have a higher possibility of finding accommodation within your price range.

Public transport services too will be all operational and you can easily find a Bus or shared taxi towards any desired destination. Go any earlier or later than this and you may struggle to find budget accommodation and transport.

Best Season to Visit Ladakh

The season of summer and fall are the best to visit Ladakh. The weather in summer is suitable for all kinds of tourists and will make the journey pleasurable.

Go there in September during the fall season and you will witness the natural beauty at its best. You will see beautiful colors within the shades of grey of a cold desert under a deep blue sky. It is not just the trees, leaves, and flowers that you will find colors in, but also in the mountains.

Also read: How to Plan a Trip to Ladakh by Public Transport

Best Month to Visit Ladakh

June and September are the best months for a trip to Ladakh.

Best Time to Visit Ladakh in Winter

Late January, February, and early March are the best time to visit Ladakh in winter.

Conclusion

I think I have covered the topic of the best time to visit Ladakh from every aspect here, and I hope this information was of help. If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask in the comments section below, or at our Community Forum, and I will be happy to answer.