In this article, I will provide a few examples of a Leh Ladakh Itinerary for 10 Days. To begin with, I will first detail an itinerary that I recommend followed by a few other ways that the same journey can be done. Depending on the places you want to cover, you can pick either of the below-mentioned travel plans for your Ladakh 10 days trip.
I will also include information on where you can stay and sightseeing places en route. Even if you wanted to travel in a different way, the information below will at least give you enough information to get started on drafting your own final travel plan.
If you have any other questions, you can contact me on Instagram and I will be happy to answer. You can also consider subscribing to my YouTube channel and asking a question there.
To organize your trip to Ladakh, book a taxi, rent a bike, or get the best hotel rates, you can contact Kunal @ 9910402252. From luxurious hotels to budget stays, he can help get you the best rates possible.
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How to Plan a Leh Ladakh Itinerary for 10 Days
Before we get on with talking about the itinerary, let me first cover a few important aspects of this trip. For all other details on visiting Ladakh like mobile network, clothes to pack, altitude sickness, the best time to visit, where to stay, etc, please take a look at How to Plan a Trip to Ladakh – A Complete Travel Guide.
By Public Transport
If you were thinking about traveling by public transport, my best advice would be to least add 3-4 days more. Though the trip can still be done, it will become a little hectic.
Trying to visit Ladakh in 10 days by bus or shared taxi will mean that you will be worrying more about getting to your next destination rather than enjoying the journey. I will try to provide a sample plan on how you can visit Ladakh by Bus in 10 days but it will be a bit challenging.
By Non-Local Taxis and Rented Bikes
Another important thing is about rented motorcycles and taxis. If you arrived in Leh on a bike that you rented outside Ladakh (Manali and Srinagar included), a non-local taxi, or by a self-drive rental, these vehicles are only good enough to bring you to Leh city.
You cannot take them toward Pangong, Nubra, or Moriri. For visiting these places, you will have to hire a taxi in Leh or rent a local bike. You must leave the vehicle you came by parked at the hotel.
By Private Vehicles
For private vehicles, it must be either registered in your name or your parents or any of your siblings. If you came by a vehicle that was registered in your cousin’s or friend’s name, you will again have to rent a local vehicle in Leh.
Inner Line Permit
Please note that Inner Line Permit is required to visit areas like Pangong Tso, Nubra Valley, and Tso Moriri. Without the permit, you can only reach the city of Leh but cannot go beyond.
This permit can be obtained from the DM office in Leh and can also be applied online. Please read How to Get Inner Line Permit for Ladakh for details on obtaining the permit and related charges.
Clothes to Pack
Since it is a road trip that we are talking about here, I am assuming that you will be in Ladakh in the summer. So in terms of clothing, please pack your clothes in layers.
What that necessarily means is that carry clothes that can be worn on top of one another. Weather in Ladakh is highly unpredictable and the temperature fluctuates depending on the place you are at or the time of the day.
For example, carry a few thermals, then your regular cotton clothes to wear on top of the thermals, then another layer of light woolens followed by a heavy windproof and waterproof jacket.
What this will ensure is that if you start to feel warm, you can just remove one layer of clothing and if feeling cold, you can conveniently add a layer. For more details on how to pack your clothes for Ladakh, please read Clothes for Ladakh trip: What to pack.
You will not necessarily need to wear thermals. For most of the trip, regular cotton clothes with light woolen clothes and a jacket will do. But just pack a pair to be on the safer side.
Acute Mountain Sickness
Last but not least, if this is your first trip to Ladakh, chances are that you will definitely suffer from acute mountain sickness in the first few days of the trip.
Gradual increase in altitude and plenty of rest are the best precautions against AMS. Stops like Sarchu and Pang on the Manali Leh highway, and lakes like Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri are at the highest altitudes. AMS strikes more people here than in any other place.
For more details on altitude sickness, to know what its symptoms are and how you can avoid it, please read How to handle Acute Mountain Sickness in Ladakh.
Leh Ladakh 10 Day Itinerary
For the sake of this article, I will assume that you are starting from Delhi. If your starting point is different, then the journey for Day 1 and Day 10 will be different. It could be longer or shorter depending on your hometown. The rest of the trip details will remain the same.
I will first start with the itinerary that I recommend.
- Delhi to Manali – Day 1
- Manali to Jispa – Day 2
- Jispa to Leh – Day 3
- Leh – Day 4
- Leh to Nubra Valley – Day 5
- Nubra Valley to Leh – Day 6
- Leh to Pangong Tso – Day 7
- Pangong Tso to Pang / Sarchu – Day 8
- Pang / Sarchu to Manali – Day 9
- Manali to Delhi – Day 10
The first drawback that this plan has is that it leaves the Srinagar Leh highway out. But at the same time, it ensures that you cover as much as possible from the rest of the areas, without stressing yourself or rushing too much.
Think of it this way. Manali to Leh is easily doable in 2 days whereas via Srinagar it will take about 3 days to reach Leh from Jammu.
With only 10 days in hand, it is best to leave Srinagar Leh highway for another trip at another time. For now, reach Leh via Manali and return by the same route. A detailed explanation of the itinerary is provided further in the article.
Also read: How to Plan a Trip to Leh Ladakh – Complete Travel Guide
Day 1 – Delhi to Manali
Not much to say about day 1 really except that it will be one long and monotonous journey. It can easily take about 13-15 hours, depending on your speed and breaks. An early start is highly advised so you can at least avoid the traffic in Delhi.
There are numerous hotels in Manali and you can pick either that suits your taste and budget.
Day 2 – Manali to Jispa / Sarchu
Start early from Manali so that you have plenty of time for sightseeing and breaks. Cross Rohtang Pass and descend down to Kokhsar. From there, continue all the way to Keylong. Do not however forget to tank up at Tandi as this will be the last petrol pump en route.
Keylong is a small town and a lot of people stay here as well because there are plenty of hotels here. I would however not recommend it because it is not much scenic in my opinion. Rather continue all the way to Jispa and stay there at any of the campsites.
If you wish, you can also go all the way to Sarchu and halt there instead. The benefit of doing this is that it will even out the journey on both Days 2 and 3. Sarchu is the middle point of the highway so you will travel equally on both days. Whereas if you stayed at Keylong or Jispa, your travel time on Day 3 will be a little higher.
The drawback of Sarchu is that it is at a very high altitude, almost double that of Manali. So you are bound to suffer from altitude sickness here and the night can be a very uncomfortable one.
My advice will be that you stay in either Keylong or Jispa. These are the only places where you can find a cemented hotel. Accommodation in Sarchu is only campsites and Chadar Tents.
Day 3 – Jispa / Sarchu to Leh
Your third day will again be a long journey so you must start from Jispa by the first light of the day. Keep your breaks limited and depending upon your speed, you should make it to Leh well in time to look for a hotel before dark.
Between Jispa and Leh, Deepak Tal, Suraj Tal, Baralacha La, Nakee La, Lachulung La, Tanglang La, Gata Loops, and Moore Plains are some of the key highlights of the journey. For a complete list of sightseeing spots on the route, please read Tourist Attractions on Manali Leh highway.
Day 4 – Leh
When short on time, a lot of people try to avoid staying at Leh altogether. They will arrive in the city and try to be on their way to Nubra or Pangong the very next day.
This however is not advisable nor the best thing to do. You must spend a day in the city after your arrival. Inner Line Permit is a mandate for visiting any other area in Ladakh and you will have to use this day to obtain it.
Even if you hurried, it will still be almost midday by the time you have the permits in your hand. By that time, it will be a bit late to start towards any other destination.
Do not worry, you will not get bored. There is plenty to see in Leh City. As a matter of fact, the entire town is a tourist attraction in itself. Skipping Leh will leave your trip incomplete. For a list of places you can see on this day, please read Places to Visit in & Around Leh Town.
Another important factor is that you arrived from Delhi to Leh within three days. Your body will be exhausted by long journeys and struggle to come to terms with high altitude. You must hence take a rest on this day. Let your body acclimatize properly to ensure that the journey further is hassle-free.
Day 5 – Leh to Diskit
On Day 5, you will start your journey from Leh to Nubra Valley. Start early in the day so that it gives you ample time for sightseeing. Pack your bags for good because you will not be returning to Leh after this and will circle back to Manali.
The most important thing to do is to ensure that you carry enough fuel to last the entire journey. Take a look at A Comprehensive Road Map of Ladakh to determine the total kilometers you will cover. Then based on your vehicle’s fuel efficiency, make arrangements to carry Petrol or Diesel.
The first stop of the day will be Khardung La which is about 35 kilometers from Leh. There is an Army-run canteen at the top where you may have some tea if you would like. After crossing Khardung La, you will descend into Nubra Valley and reach Khalsar.
Khalsar is a small village that you come across while coming down from Khardung La. Right after Khalsar, the road bifurcates. The one to your left goes to Diskit and Hunder and the one on your right goes to Panamik.
There are several towns here where you can find accommodation like Sumur, Panamik, Hunder or Diskit. Of all, I would recommend staying at Diskit because it has the most options in terms of hotels and guest houses.
If you reached well in time, you may visit the monastery in Diskit, or go to Hunder to see the sand dunes and Bactrian camel. Roads are mostly good except for a rough patch around Khardung La top, between South and North Pullu.
For accommodation in Nubra Valley, Please read Hotels and Guest Houses in Nubra Valley.
Day 6 – Diskit to Turtuk to Panamik
Spend this day in Nubra Valley and visit the local attractions. My recommendation will be that you drive further ahead from Diskit and go to the village of Turtuk. After that, you can drive another 10 kilometers to Thang, which is the last point on the India-Pakistan border.
For this day, you can either stay for the night in Turtuk or you can also start on your way back. Return to Diskit and then drive all the way back to Khalsar. From there, go to the other side of the valley and reach Panamik.
Panamik also has several guesthouses and homestays where you can stay for the night. The hot water spring in Panamik is worth a visit.
Another way to do this journey is to go straight to Turtuk on Day 5. On Day 6 then, you will come back and then stay at either Diskir or Panamik.
For a list of places you can visit in Nubra Valley, please read Places to Visit in Nubra Valley & Things to Do.
Day 7 – Panamik to to Pangong Tso
The destination for today is the famous Pangong Lake. Depending on where you stayed in Nubra Valley on Day 6, you will again have to drive back to Khalsar, to the very edge of the valley.
The road will bifurcate near Khalsar and you need to take the one that goes towards Agham Village. At Agham, there will again be a bifurcation and you need to turn left, towards Shyok Village.
After Shyok, you will reach Durbuk and then exit on Chang La Road near Tangtse. From there, it is a straight run to Spangmik, on the banks of Pangong Lake.
Travel time from Nubra Valley to Pangong Lake will be around 5-6 hours. For a more detailed version of the route I explained above, take a look at Nubra Valley to Pangong Lake by Shyok Road.
Accommodation at Pangong Lake can be in the form of guesthouses, homestays, and campsites. Campsites are spread on a long stretch along the banks of the lake. But for guesthouses and homestays, you will have to ask around in Spangmik, Man, or Merak.
For a list of places to stay and some recommended names, please take a look at Campsites, Chadar Tents, and Guest Houses at Pangong Lake.
Day 8 – Pangong Tso to Pang / Sarchu
From Pangong Lake, backtrack all the way to Karu. An early start is recommended because the journey can be a little long. On the way, you will also cross Chang La Pass.
From Karu, turn left on Manali Leh highway and start driving back towards Manali. But before you do that, make sure that you get fuel in Karu. If the petrol pump in Karu was not working, you will again have to drive back towards Leh and try the fuel station at Choglamsar.
Depending on your speed, you can either stay at Pang or Sarchu for the night. If you reached Pang by 3 PM, then continue to Sarchu and halt there for the night. If you reached Pang after 3, then it is best to call it a day there.
Day 9 – Pang / Sarchu to Manali
This will again be a long run so you must start by 6 AM. It is the same road that you took a few days back to reach Leh so keep your breaks limited and you will be able to make it to Manali by 5 PM.
If you skipped Rohtang while going to Leh, then cover it now. Rohtang Permit is not needed if you drive up the pass from this side. It is only applicable if you approach from the Manali side.
If you already covered Rohtang then skip it and travel through the Rohtang tunnel to reach Manali.
Day 10 – Manali to Delhi
Nothing much to say about this again except that it is again a long monotonous return journey home.
Ladakh 10 Days Itinerary including Srinagar Leh Highway
The above mention travel plan is what I will recommend for a 10 days trip to Ladakh. If however, you want to include Srinagar Leh highway as well in your itinerary, below is how you can do so.
- Delhi to Manali – Day 1
- Manali to Jispa – Day 2
- Jispa to Leh – Day 3
- Leh – Day 4
- Day Trip to Nubra Valley and return to Leh – Day 5
- Day Trip to Pangong Tso and return to Leh – Day 6
- Leh to Kargil – Day 7
- Kargil to Srinagar – Day 8
- Srinagar to Jammu – Day 9
- Jammu to Delhi – Day 10
The first four days of the trip will be the same as I explained in the first itinerary. On Day 5 and 6 however, rather than staying at Nubra or Pangong, you will make this a day trip and return to Leh by evening. Please note that this will be a long journey so you must start from Leh by the first light of the day, as early as possible.
On Day 5, take the road towards Khardung La and descend to Nubra Valley. From Khalsar, you can choose to go either Diskit / Hunder or Panamik. Whichever way you travel, please keep a close check on the time. Go as far as you can until 1 PM and then start on your way back to Leh via the same route.
On Day 6, start early again, reach Pangong via Chang La, spend some time at the lake, and return to Leh by evening.
Take the Srinagar Leh highway to reach Kargil where you will stay for the night on Day 7. You will reach Srinagar on Day 8, Jammu on Day 9, and Delhi on Day 10.
Starting from Srinagar
This itinerary can also be followed the other way around. This means you start from Srinagar and exit via Manali. In this case, it will be the following way.
- Delhi to Jammu – Day 1
- Jammu to Srinagar – Day 2
- Srinagar to Kargil – Day 3
- Kargil to Leh – Day 4
- Leh – Day 5
- Day trip to Nubra Valley and return to Leh – Day 6
- Leh to Pangong – Day 7
- Pangong to Pang / Sarchu – Day 8
- Pang / Sarchu to Manali – Day 9
- Manali to Delhi – Day 10
Leh Ladakh 10 day Itinerary
This is the third itinerary that can be followed. The thing with this one is that you will have to keep your permits arranged in advance, both in Manali for Rohtang and in Leh for other areas of Ladakh. You can either contact your hotel in Leh or a travel agent to arrange the inner line permits for you.
You will skip the day in Leh and use it for Hanle instead.
- Delhi to Manali – Day 1
- Manali to Jispa – Day 2
- Jispa to Leh – Day 3
- Leh to Nubra Valley – Day 4
- Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso – Day 5
- Pangong Tso to Hanle – Day 6
- Hanle to Karzok – Day 7
- Karzok to Pang / Sarchu – Day 8
- Pang / Sarchu to Manali – Day 9
- Manali to Delhi – Day 10
Also read: How to Plan a Trip from Leh to Tso Moriri
Details
This itinerary will take you to some of the remotest areas of Ladakh, in Changthang Valley. On Day 2 you will cross Rohtang for which you will have to make arrangements for your permits before your arrival in Manali. On Day 3 you will arrive in Leh.
There is no rest in between and on Day 4, you will be on your way to Nubra Valley. For this journey, once again you will have to contact a hotel or travel agent in Leh to keep your Inner line permits ready before your arrival. If you are not able to make these arrangements, this itinerary cannot be followed.
You will reach Pangong from Nubra Valley via Agham Shyok Road and spend the night there on Day 5. On Day 6 however, rather than returning to Leh, you will continue further towards Chushul via the villages of Man and Merak.
After Chushul, the road further will take you to Loma where you will register yourself at the Army check post. From Loma, take the 50 kilometers long stretch to reach Hanle Village, the last village on the Indian side of the border.
Spend the night at Hanle and return to Loma again the next day. From Loma, this time you will continue towards Karzok (Tso Moriri) via Nyoma, Mahe, and Sumdo. Stay for the night at Karzok, and then reach Pang the next day via Sumdo, Polo Kongka La, and Tso Kar.
From Pang, it will again be the return journey to Delhi via Manali as I described previously in the article.
Ladakh Itinerary 10 Days by Public Transport
If you were however traveling by Bus or other means of public transport, then your itinerary will change to the following.
- Delhi to Manali – Day 1
- Manali to Keylong – Day 2
- Keylong to Leh – Day 3
- Leh to Nubra Valley – Day 4
- Nubra Valley to Leh – Day 5
- Leh to Pangong Tso – Day 6
- Pangong Tso to Leh – Day 7
- Leh to Keylong – Day 8
- Keylong to Manali – Day 9
- Manali to Delhi – Day 10
Details
There are regular buses from Delhi to Manali that you can board from ISBT. But make sure that the timings are such that you are able to board the early morning bus from Manali to Leh. It starts between 5-6 AM.
For Manali to Leh journey, you have two options. Either board the HPTDC bus or the HRTC bus. For more details please read Manali to Leh Bus Service. Both these buses halt for the night at Keylong and then start early in the morning between 4 – 5 AM for Leh.
This time as well, you will have to contact a hotel in Leh and ensure that they keep your permits arranged in advance. On Day 4, you can either board the morning bus for Diskit (Nubra Valley) or a shared taxi; both of which you will get at Leh Bus stand.
Return to Leh the next day and reach Pangong on Day 6 by either Bus or shared taxi. Return to Leh on Day 7.
On Day 8, board the Leh to Manali Bus. It completes the journey in 2 days and will bring you back to Manali by the end of Day 9. On Day 10, you will return to Delhi from Manali.
This plan however will be very hectic and will stress you in terms of acute mountain sickness as well. If you missed your bus or could not find a shared taxi, the whole plan will go for a toss.
I do not recommend it and will highly advise that you at least have 13-14 days in hand if going to Ladakh by public transport.
Ladakh 10 Days Itinerary by Flight
There can of course be a few other variations to the journey. I will mention a few others as well. If you were reaching Leh city by flight and had the entire 10 days to spend in Ladakh itself, then you can plan in the following manner.
- Leh – Day 1
- Leh to Diskit – Day 2
- Diskit to Turtuk – Day 3
- Turtuk to Panamik – Day 4
- Panamik to Pangong via Shyok – Day 5
- Pangong to Hanle – Day 6
- Hanle to Karzok – Day 7
- Karzok to Leh via Tso Kar – Day 8
- Leh to Lamayuru to Leh – Day 9
- Fly Out – Day 10
Including Zanskar Valley
If you have been to Ladakh before and wanted to cover only Zanskar this time then plan like this.
- Delhi to Jammu – Day 1
- Jammu to Srinagar – Day 2
- Srinagar to Kargil – Day 3
- Kargil to Padum – Day 4
- Padum – Day 5
- Padum to Kargil – Day 6
- Kargil to Srinagar – Day 7
- Srinagar to Gulmarg to Srinagar – Day 8
- Srinagar to Jammu via Mughal Road – Day 9
- Jammu to Delhi – Day 10
Including Kashmir
Now since we are talking about covering a little bit of Kashmir as well, let me also suggest a few itineraries in that manner. The itinerary above is by road but a better way would be to plan it by air. You will fly to Leh city and fly out of Srinagar.
This will give you time to explore both Ladakh and Kashmir.
- Leh – Day 1
- Leh to Diskit – Day 2
- Diskit to Pangong – Day 3
- Pangong to Leh – Day 4
- Leh to Kargil – Day 5
- Kargil to Srinagar – Day 6
- Srinagar Sightseeing – Day 7
- Srinagar to Gulmarg – Day 8
- Gulmarg to Srinagar – Day 9
- Fly Out of Srinagar – Day 10
You will land in Leh, rent a private taxi for Ladakh sightseeing, and journey to Srinagar. Do some sightseeing in Kashmir and then fly out of Srinagar airport.
Keep in mind that for visiting places in Kashmir, your Ladakh-registered cab will not do and you will have to rent another cab in Srinagar.
Also Read: When is the Best time to visit Ladakh?
Another way you can plan the journey is like this.
- Leh – Day 1
- Leh to Diskit – Day 2
- Diskit to Pangong – Day 3
- Pangong to Leh – Day 4
- Leh to Kargil – Day 5
- Kargil to Sonamarg – Day 6
- Sonamarg to Srinagar – Day 7
- Srinagar to Gulmarg to Srinagar – Day 8
- Srinagar to Pahalgam to Srinagar – Day 9
- Fly Out of Srinagar – Day 10
Leh Ladakh Itinerary for 10 Days – Conclusion
The examples above are just a few of the numerous other ways that this journey can be completed. With 10 days in hand, you can definitely tweak and change the itinerary to cover places as per your liking.
I hope the information above on planning a trip to Leh Ladakh in 10 days was of help. If you have any questions, you can contact me on Instagram and I will be happy to answer. You can also consider subscribing to my YouTube channel and asking a question there.
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61 comments
Hi Vargis,
Loved the details that you have put here in your blog. Thanks for such guidance. I wanted a bit more help from you. Me and my wife are going to Leh-Ladakh in August 2022 and below is our itinerary. Please let me know if any changes required or any suggestions from your end. Also please suggest if bike would be good as we want to travel on a budget or we should go for shared taxis.
8 aug- Reach by flight to Leh at 8 AM. Check in at hotel rest whole day, if possible only Shanti stupa visit and local market.
9 aug – hall of fame, leh palace, sangam, magnetic hills, gurudwara patthar sahib
10 aug- from Leh to Dha-Hanu, Batalik, kargil (night stay in kargil)
11 aug- from kargil to shargole, mulbek, lamayuru, rizong and alchi(night at alchi)
12 aug- from alchi to likir, basgo, spituk, back to leh for night stay
13 aug- from Leh to khardung la, diskit, hunder(night at hunder)
14 aug- from hunder to sumur, shyok, tangtse, pangong tso lake(night at pangong)
15 aug- from pangong to tsaga la, tso moriri(night at korzok)
16 aug- from korzok to tso kar, puga valley, taglang la, hemis, thiksey, shey and back to leh night stay
17 aug- leh at leisure
18 aug- departure flight
Hi vargis ji,
I’m planning ladakh trip this September 2nd week and I’m totally confused as whether to choose kargil or tso moriri. Also I would like to know if it is possible to do river rafting in September. It would be helpful if u suggest any itinerary covering all places of tourist interest . Number of days is not a factor .
Thanks in advance
Lucky
Sir please help me with best group tour agent for round leh ladakh tour of 12 days from delhi with suv car. I want to explore Pangong, tso moriri, Hanle, Nubra Vally, leh, kargil, manali. Plz help me with the best agent with best price .
Our iternary looks like this:
7th August – Arrival in Leh early morning
Rest for the day
Arranging ILP and rental motorcycle
8th August – Visit Nubra Valley
Stay overnight
9th August- Nubra to Pangong lake
one night stay near pangong lake
10th August – Pangong – Tso Moriri
night stay near Tso Moriri
11 August – Return to leh
12th August – Leh sight seeing
shanti stupa, leh palace, leh market, Hall of fame
Tsemo castle , zorawar fort
Should I include anything else here?
13th August – Magnetic hill, lamayuru , Kargil war memorial
Attractions on the way to Kargil
Stay overnight in Kargil
14th August – Kargil to Srinagar
Stay at Srinagar
Public transport available?
We have 3 more days 15th,16th, 17th August.
We will take flight from Srinagar to Mumbai on 18th August.
Which else location we can cover? should we spent one more day in leh?
Zanskar valley would be very expensive, not sure If we can rent motorcycle in Kargil for Zanskar valley.
Cabs will be expensive and public transportation is limited as per one of your blogs.
Travelling on Srinagar-Leh highway around 15th August (before and after and on the same day )is safe?
Can we explore areas around Srinagar 15th & 16th august ?
Waiting to hear from you.
Hello Vargis,
We will start in Leh our moto (Himalayan) road-trip (we are 3 french guys). We will stay one day in Leh to get the permit and prepare stuff.
After that we have 13 days of travel + 1 day in Leh. We love off-road and large landscape, so we will try to do red road on your map! We have a tent to camp.
J1- Leh – Permit/moto
J2- Leh To Sham Valley, red road between Khalsi and Fotu La, then go to Dargoo and red road To Chitkan
J3- Chitkan to Dras, red road to Sankoo, then go to Pensi La
J4- Pensi La to Padum, exploring red road there, then go to Shing La. On your map, road between Padum and Shingo La are closed but on google map satelite we see a road, is it possible ?
J5- Shing Lo to Leh
J6- Leh to Thand (Nubra Valley), red road, then come back to Khalsar. It the part to OP Baba Shrine must to see ? If yes we will plan a second day there
J7- Khalsar to Lukung and red road to Ane La
J8- Ane La to Pangong Tso, then to chushul (red road), and to Loma
J9- Loma To Hanle (Is red road between Loma and Photi la open ?), Umling La (but today always not possible :/), otherwise we will stay in Hanle area.
J10 – Hanle to Chumur, then to Karzok and Sumdo
J11- Sumdo to Leh
J12-
J13-
J14-
There are 3 days more but I know that I am very optimistic 😀 So I think some difficults roads or days problems will slow us down.
Your help will be very very welcome 😀
The depart is in 2 weeks!
Regards,
Victor
Hi Victor – Sorry I missed responding on your comment. I was traveling myself on the dates when you commented here.
Hi Vargis- this is a great article I have taken notes for my trip coming week. I am traveling to Leh via Manali with my wife. Mine is a 14 days trip and I am flying back from Delhi. I am getting my own bike from Bangalore. On 29th July I am leaving from Manali staying at Jispa and 30th evening I shud be reaching LEH right? Then on 31st I am planning to Obtain Inner Line Permit for Nubra and do sight seeing in Leh itself (Santi stupa,magnetic hills,India zanskar confluence and Leh main mkt by evening) is it doable? 1st August planning to travel Nubra via Khardung La stay at Diskit and return to Leh via panamik on 2nd. On 2nd August itself planning to start for Pangong Tso and return by 3rd evening and rest. I do not have a plan for 4th and 5th of August can you suggest something. On 6th I will start towards Srinagar staying at Kargil overnight and do little sight seeing in Kargil ie visit memorial and push off for srinagar. 8th and 9th at Srinagar sight seeing and 10th early morning I will fly back to Bangalore. Please let me know if this is doable plan or any changes you will suggest. And how is the weather in these highway off late?
Hi Kartik,
31st – Yes it is doable but not all of the places.
2nd – Don’t come back to Leh. Go straight from Nubra to Pangong via Shyok road
3rd – Dont come back to Leh, go to hanle
4th – Hanle to Karzok (Moriri)
5th – Karzok to Leh
Weather will be OK. Pleasant and warm during day but cold at night. Be prepared for rain on Manali – Leh and Leh – Srinagar route.
Hi Friend, thanks you for all the information you have shared via your blogs. They have all the details one can think of, amazed to see such detailed information on leh and Spiti. I have finally made a plan after reading many of your blogs (will go through others as well)
I would like to share my plan with you and take your suggestion and have few questions as well.
I have 12 days (18 to 29 – both days included) in total and my plan is to leave Delhi on 17th night and get back by 30th morning.
I will have to spend 18th night in Manali and will catch the earlt morning bus to leh, I beleive I will reach Leh by 20th evening or night.
As suggested by you, I will then spend next day in Leh, arranging my permit, doing sightseeing, and most importantly renting a bike. Which brings me to my first question, I would be needing the bike for around 6 days – how much rent can I expect?
Second – I beleive I will have to catch return bus on 27th to reach delhi on time which leaves me with 5 more days and a bike. I have read your blogs for routes, where we can take direct routes from place A to B without having to come back to Leh and I am willing to do that. Can you suggest a plan which I can follow to cover best and most of ladakh?
I would also like to make arrangements for extra fuel (do the guys I am renting te bike from arrange for fuel too?) I would like to spend quality time at places and not touch and go.
Thanks again for your great work, I will wait for your response.
Ignore my first question, I found one of your blog with the details.
Will wait for your response on my other query. Thanks again 🙂
Actually I am a little confused. You are leaving Delhi on 17th evening, which means you will reach Manali on 18th. You are planning to spend 19th in Manali itself?
If you reach Leh on 20th, then spend 21st there renting motorcycle, arranging permits etc.
21 – Leh to Diskit (Nubra)
22 – Diskit to Turtuk to Panamik
23 – Panamik to Pangong via Shyok
24 – Pangong to Hanle
25 – Hanle to Karzok (Tso Moriri) via Chushul
26 – Karzok to Leh via Tso Kar
27 – Take a ride on Srinagar Leh highway until Lamayuru, see Magnetic Hills, Gurudwara Patthar Sahib, Indus Zanskar confluence etc
28 – Leh to Keylong by Bus
29 – Early morning bus from Keylong, reach Manali by 1 PM, have lunch, the bus will then continue to Delhi
30 – Reach Delhi at around 4 or 5 AM
Hi Vargis, thanks for your prompt response and your suggestion.
I will actually spend 18th in Manali as I won’t be able to catch the early morning bus to Leh and will have to wait for bus on 19th morning.
Is there a way I can use 18th any better?
Also, you have mentioned 21 twice.
I beleive I need to spend day 21 for permits, rentals etc, but you have mentioned 21 again to go to nubra as well.
Which means I have to skip something from the above itinerary.
What should I skip?
And will it be a vise decision to choose Srinagar-leh bus instead of choosing the Manali-leh to reach Leh? I can utilize 18th this way and can complete the circuit as well.
Thanks again:)
Aakash
Hi Aakash –
Thanks for catching that.
If you reach Manali on 18th, then you can take the morning bus from Manali that will get you to Leh on the same day. So you will actually reach Leh on 19th itself at around 8 PM. See the post below for details on this bus.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/manali-to-leh-one-day-bus-service/
So you will get to Leh on 19th, spend 20th arranging your permits and bike and then follow the plan that I suggested 21st onwards.
In case you miss the 19th bus and do this journey in 2 days, then you will reach Leh on 20th and can then follow the plan like this.
22 – Leh to Diskit (Nubra)
23 – Diskit to Pangong via Shyok
24 – Pangong to Hanle
25 – Hanle to Karzok (Tso Moriri) via Chushul
26 – Karzok to Leh via Tso Kar
27 – Take a ride on Srinagar Leh highway until Lamayuru, see Magnetic Hills, Gurudwara Patthar Sahib, Indus Zanskar confluence etc
28 – Leh to Keylong by Bus
29 – Early morning bus from Keylong, reach Manali by 1 PM, have lunch, the bus will then continue to Delhi
30 – Reach Delhi at around 4 or 5 AM
or like this
22 – Leh to Diskit (Nubra)
23 – Diskit to Turtuk to Panamik
24 – Panamik to Pangong via Shyok
25 – Pangong to Hanle
26 – Hanle to Karzok (Tso Moriri) via Chushul
27 – Karzok to Leh via Tso Kar
28 – Leh to Keylong by Bus
29 – Early morning bus from Keylong, reach Manali by 1 PM, have lunch, the bus will then continue to Delhi
30 – Reach Delhi at around 4 or 5 AM
🙂 Thanks Vargis bhai.
Just one last thing, which one is better?
1) Turtuk to Panamik
2) ride to Leh-Srinagar highway.
I was actually thinking that you may ask this question. 🙂
I will recommend that you take a day’s ride towards Srinagar highway. You would anyways see Nubra while in Diskit so better to spend the additional day exploring the other side of Ladakh towards Kargil.
I am really glad to have found your blog, thanks again for your help Vargis bhai .
Thank you for your kind words Aakash Bhai. Do let me know how your trip went and don’t forget to share some pics.
Will surely do 🙂
Dear Sir,
I was going through your article( Self driven vehicles in Leh) and I read rules regarding Vehicle Registered in Family or Friend’s Name.
What if the vehicle is registered in name of business firm?
Hi Amit -Sorry I missed responding on your comment earlier. Do you still need this information?
Hi Vargis, have gone through other comments on your blog. The query has been resolved now. Thanks
Thanks Bro. Sorry I couldn’t respond at that time, was traveling myself.
Hi Vargis,
Your blog is really helpful for people like me who want to plan a Ladakh trip but know nothing. Thanks to you.
This would be my first solo trip, and i’m planning to do it by public buses/shared taxis. I have prepared the following itinerary for my travel. I’ll be flying to Srinagar from Delhi and return flight is from Leh. Please suggest on my itinerary, if it need to be changed considering i’ll travel by public buses/shared taxis. Few questions:
1. Is it easy to get shared taxis and/or public buses on the spot for all the routes in my itinerary? Can i do it?
2. Are people willing to share taxis with single male traveller? is it possible? Is it easy to find travel partners when you reach Srinagar?
3. Do i need to book my homestays/camps in advance or can i book on the spot for all locations in my itinerary? i wish to keep my stay expenses in budget!
4. Kindly give any suggestions which you may have. It will help me.
Itinerary
26-06-18 Delhi to Srinagar
27-06-18 Srinagar to Gulmarg and back
28-06-18 Srinagar to Sonmarg
29-06-18 Sonmarg to Kargil via Zozi la/Drass
30-06-18 Kargil to Leh via Layamaru
01-07-18 Stay at Leh
02-07-18 Leh to Nubra valley
03-07-18 Nubra valley to Leh
04-07-18 Leh to Pangong Tso
05-07-18 Pangong Tso to Leh
06-07-18 Leh to Delhi
Hi Bharat -Sorry I missed responding on your comment earlier. Do you still need this information or have you already traveled as per your plan?
Hi Vargis bhai,
Thanks for sharing lot of information.
I have some queries can you help me to clarify the same.
I am planning to travel to leh from delhi from 8th June to 17th june.
Delhi – Srinagar – Leh [To avoid wastage of time at manali for permit]
Leh – Manali – Delhi [Is it safe to take this route while returning]
Is it safe to travel alone with my wife in my car to Leh. Self drive [Vitara Bizarre]. Car is on my name. Having all necessary papers. Is it allowed to drive personal car in inland areas?
Is this car safe to take to inland roads?
Itinerary:-
8th June:- Delhi to katra/patnitop
9th June:- Srinagar
10th June:- Kargil
11th June. Leh
12th June:- Leh [apply inner land permit] Visit Leh Palace, Shanti Stupa or local market.
13th June:- Nubra Valley via khardung-la-pass [Night stay at Turkut or Diskit]
14th:- Pangong Lake Via Shyok Village if u suggest.
15th:- Pangong Lake to Sarchu
16th:- Manali
17th:- Delhi
Can you suggest plan require any modifications.
Regard,
Akshit
Hi Akshit Bhai – Your itinerary is good, no change required. Yes, Leh to Manali is safe as long as you have decent enough driving experience. Car is yours, you have the paperwork so you are fee to take it to Inland as well, no issues there. Snow has not yet started melting so you will not find many water streams but in case you do, then be a bit careful. Brezza is front wheel drive. Friend of mine took his Brezza to Ladakh and it got stuck a few times while crossing the streams.
Hello Varghis,
I am planning for a one month trip to leh-ladakh,zanskar,spiti and lahaul valley starting in september first week(The last two were added after i saw your blog but I digress). I have some questions
Is it feasible(without any hurry enjoy it, not in a hurry)to cover all these in one month?
If not, what is your recommended time I spend for the total trip?
Can you please give me an itinerary for doing all these together?
Is it possible to do any treks here for even better views(is it even possible to get better views)?
What will be closed by September last week and October first so that I don’t get stranded?
It is a solo trip and I am planning to do it on bike. I would also love to cover as much as possible
Huge thanks for the already existing vast knowledge base and for answering these questions.
Hi Karthik,
1. Yes
2. One month is sufficient
3. Where are you traveling from?
4. I am not much into trekking so cannot advise you on that, sorry
5. No it will be all open
Hi Varghis Sir,
I am coming from TN and I will be transporting my bike from here. So I am open to startinga at whatever place is best. But I also want to end at a place where I can load my bike back on train. Is it better to start at Srinagar or any other place(the bike is coming by train too). Where would it be the best to end?
thanks for the swift reply
Yes, you can get it to Jammu and then go to Srinagar from there. Then circle back to Manali and reach Srinagar again via Dharamshala. From Srinagar, go back to Jammu again and load the motorcycle in the train. You have one month brother. That is plenty of time to explore and I totally envy you for it.
Hi Bhargis,
I am travelling to leh on 22nd Sep’18. I will be reaching leh via flight and my trip will be almost 10 days. I will start from leh to delhi via flight on 10th day. So can you please give me an suitable itinerary for this complete 9 Nights.
I will reach at Leh Airport on 23rd Sep Morning and trip will end on 1st Oct morning at Leh Airport.
Waiting for your reply.
Hi Abhishek – For 9 days trip, please take a look at this article.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/leh-ladakh-9-days-itinerary-3-detailed-travel-plans/
Hi Vargis,
First of all, I would like to mention that your blog is amazing and it is of great help for all of us who are planning for Ladakh trip for the first time.
Well, we are a bunch of 6 guys planning for Leh in the 2nd week of June. We have already rented Z Tata Hexa from Zoomcar, Delhi for 10 days and our itinerary as of now is as mentioned below:
1. June 4th – Delhi to Manali
2. June 5th – Stay at Manali (Since it is Tuesday, Rohtang pass will be closed :P)
3. June 6th – Manali to Jispa/Keylong
4. June 7th – Jispa to Leh
5. June 8th – Leh local + Obtain ILPs
6. June 9th – Leh to Hunder & Diskit to Leh back (via Khardungla)
7. June 10th – Leh to Pangong Lake to Leh back
8. June 11th – Leh to Sarchu/Pang
9. June 12th – Pang/Sarchu to Manali
10. June 13th – Manali to Delhi
Some queries:
1. Whether to stay at Jispa or Keylong while onward journey keeping cost in mind?
2. Whether to stay at Sarchu or Pang while downward journey keeping cost in mind?
3. Is there any possibility that Rohtang pass won’t open by 4th June, if yes what can we do, since we have booked the car and flights till Delhi
4. We thought of doing the return journey via Leh-Srinagar-Jammu-Delhi but heard about some disturbance in Srinagar a day before. What would be your call on that?
5. Since, self drive cars are not allowed to visit near by areas around Leh, we have planned to take rental bikes for 2 days i.e. on 9th & 10th, so any reliable contact for that?
6. Can we get the ILP through online? I went through some blogs and got to know that the Rohatng pass permit can be obtained online, how much uncertainity is there that we won’t be able to get the permit for June 6th, because we are tight on schedule and can’t extend our itinerary by even a single day.
Request for your kind advice.
Regards,
Swapneel Saha
Hi Swapneel,
1. Jispa will be better if you want to stay at camp; Keylong if hotels are your prefrence.
2. Sarchu will be better.
3. No it will defiinitley be open unless the weather turns once again.
4. You are OK to go via Srinagar as well. Nothing that will disrupt tourist movement.
5. Sorry, I do not have any contacts for bike rental. Just walk around in Leh, test a few bikes and rent the one that looks best.
6. Get both Rohtang permit and ILP in person. You will anyways be in Manali for a day. Online ILP is just a form filling formality. You will still have to go to the DM office to get it signed, stamped and make the payment.
Hello vargis bhai….As usual no words to praise your hard work for giving us different intineraries..I am giving my itinerary as follows:
Day 1(friday) : Manali to keylong (by hrtc bus)
Day 2(saturday) : keylong to leh (hrtc bus)
Day3 (sunday) : Getting inner line permit and rest in leh
Day 4 (monday): Leh city tour
Day 5 (tuesday):Leh to khardungla to diskit (stay in diskit)
Day 6 (wednesday): Diskit-hunder-panamik-diskit (via shared taxi or any other mode of transport)
Day 7 (thursday): Diskit-turtuk-diskit (via shared taxi or any other mode of transport)
Day 8 (Friday):diskit-leh via bus (stay in leh)
Day 9 (Saturday): leh to pangong via bus (stay in pangong lake)
Day 10 (Sunday): pangong to leh via bus (stay in leh)
Day 11(monday) : leh to keylong (stay in keylong)
Day 12(tuesday): keylong to manali (stay in manali)
Bhai I have studied your blog completely and made this itinerary as per dates of bus services available according to your blog. We are planning to travel mainly via public transport this time. Next time we we will be going on bikes.So kindly check the itinerary and suggest me any changes or tell me any other place that I can add to my trip.
Harry Bhai, thank you for your kind words. Your trip plan is perfect. No change required anywhere.
Thnku bhai…..
You are welcome Bhai
Hello vargis Bhai
I have read many of your blogs and that made my mind to plan my dream trip. You are really doing a wonderful job by helping first timers like me. Now I have made some rough plans and need your help to refine it. So the dates I have decided are 14-21 Sept. We are group of 4-5 ppl. Need help with following points:
1) There are two ways which I have short listed to start this trip:
Either landing in Srinagar and start road trip in a cab till leh staying one night at Kargil or directly landing in leh.
Now which one do you recommend considering the no of days I have in my itienary ?
2) I enquired about a tour package which will cover from Srinagar airport to leh airport with hotels & sightseeing for Rs 19000 per person. How is it ?
Or renting a bike and exploring leh n ladhak on our own would better as I have a desire to do a bike trip there ?
Kindly guide
Hello Bhumij Bhai,
If you have one week, then I would highly recommend that you land directly in Leh and use these 7 days to explore Ladakh. You can rent bikes in Leh city. It would save you a lot of hassle, money and you will be able to enjoy better,
Hi vargis bhai,
we are planning a 10 days road trip to leh from delhi in july, where we are planning take rental bikes in manali. I just want to know whether do you have any idea about the rental cost for the bike..!? And what will be the cost estimation per person for these 10 days trip according to you..!?
Thanks in Advance
Hello Teja Bhai – Bike rent depends on which bike you chose but at an average, it will be between 1000 to 1500 per day. For your other question, please take a look at the article below.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/cost-of-motorcycle-trip-to-ladakh/
Vargis Bhai. Can you help me build an itinerary for Manali-Leh-Srinagar for 10 nights 11 days.
We are 6 of us planning to start on 9th July by car. Also we were thinking if it is possible to cover river rafting at Zanskar within the given number of days.
Dhruwang Bhai – I suggested a few itineraries in the article above. Which one suited you the closest?
Hello
Thank you for the very informative read. I have a trip planned for leh ladakh in month of August – 5th to 15th. It’s to be the long trip from Manali as you discussed in your first itinerary. Wanted to know if it’s suitable a time – too crowded ? What would be the most suitable to visit amongst June July or August. These are all spring months there so I’m not expecting much snow either…
Hello – Late June or Early July will be the best time among these three months. It will not be crowded but August does bring a risk of Monsoon.
Hey Vargis, hi again,
We are planning for the Leh travel in end of June and we have almost 9 days. ie 29th June till 7 july. 8th july is our return to Mumbai. We are taking a flight from mumbai to Leh and will reach on 29th. What is the best you can suggest so that we cover the important places. We are also looking forward to take a ride on the Srinagar Leh till Kargil might be. I might be wrong but need guidance to plan our travel. My iternary was
Day 1: Reach Leh. Arrange for permits and look out for bike rentals.
Day 2: Go to Nubra. Stay
Day 3: Go to Pangong and stay.
Day 4: Return to Leh. Want to go to Tso Moriri from here but its along patch. Stay at Leh.
Day 5: go to Tso Moriri. Stay there else Hanle.
Day 6: Return to Leh. Stay at Leh.
After this can we still plan to go to Lamayaruor proceed further till Kargil, stay and come back on 7th July?
Need your expert advise. Thanks in advance.
Hi Prashant,
You can plan like this
29 – Leh
30 – Leh to Kargil
1 – Kargil to Leh via Batalik
2 – Diskit (Nubra)
3 – Panamik (Nubra)
4 – Pangong via Shyok road
5 – Hanle via Chushul
6 – Karzok (Tso Moriri)
7 – Leh via Tso Kar
8 – Fly Out
iam k parameshwar iyer i want to visit amarnath on june 28 2018 by bike from jammu to sonamarg via srinagar how is the road condition what precaution to be can i travel
Road condition will be Ok. It is after Sonamarg that the ascent of Zojila starts which is the worst stretch on this route.
Hi Mr Khan
I have Australian passport with Indian OCI ( overseas citizen of India ) Do you know if I will get permit to travel to leh & Ladakh
Plan is to travel with 6 friends who are all Indian passport holders
Thanks
Manu
Hello Manu – Yes you can visit Ladakh. You will have to obtain a Protected Area Permit though. Please see the link below where I have provided the details.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/obtaining-ladakh-protected-area-permit/
Hi vargis ji,
I’m planning ladakh trip this September 2nd week and I’m totally confused as whether to choose kargil or tso moriri. Also I would like to know if it is possible to do river rafting in September. It would be helpful if u suggest any itinerary covering all places of tourist interest . Number of days is not a factor .
Thanks in advance
Lucky
Hi Mr. Khan, Car registration is in my wife’s name and she is not part of the tour. Please let me know if still i can take the car to Nubra and Pangong lake.
I can carry Marrige certificate or Aadhar card.
Thanks
Amit
Amit Bhai it will be fine just as long as you are carrying RC, Insurance, PUC and are able to prove that the owner of the car is your wife.
Dear Vargis,
We are 8 friends planning to travel Leh Ladak for 10 – 12 days in last 2 weeks of May 2018. We are based in Mumbai and plan to start our trip from Srinagar. Our itinerary is as below:
Day 1 – Reach Srinagar by flight and overnight there.
Day 2 – Leave Srinagar for Sonmarg. Start from Sonmarg and reach Kargil via Drass, Overnight at Kargil.
Day 3 – Leave Kargil, Reach Leh.
Day 4 – City tour of Leh. Overnight in Leh
Day 5 – Drive to Khardung La, to Nubra Valley. Visit Hundar. Drive back to Diskit for overnight
Day 6 – Day trip to Turtuk village, Panamik and Return back to Hundar for night stay. Overnight Hundar.
Day 7 – Leave early morning and reach Leh. Overnight in Leh.
Day 8 – Leave early morning for Pangong Tso. Stay overnight there.
Day 9 – Leave Pangong early morning and start driving towards Tso Moriri Lake. On the way visit hot springs at Chumathang. Stay overnight in Tso Moriri.
Day 10 – Leave Tso Moriri after breakfast and head towards the Tso Kar. Drive back to Jispa. Overnight at Jispa.
Day 11 – Check-out after breakfast and head towards Manali. Drive through the beautiful Lahaul valley onwards to Rohtang La. Overnight at Manali.
Day 12 – Manali to Chandigarh and return flight to Mumbai.
Can you suggest if our itinerary is fine. We also plan to stay in Hanley village if possible for overnight. Also, we are planning to travel by Tempo Traveler. Is that an ideal transport or we should take 2 Innova car? We prefer to be together and tempo traveler. Also, we dont want to make our trip too hectic with too much long distance travel everyday. Need your guidance please.
Thanks
RJ
Hello RJ,
Few things,
1. Day 9 is a bit of long journey so ensure that you get an early start from Pangong, probably by first light of the day. It may very well take you up to 12 hours to complete this. You will almost reach back Leh and then go to Tso Moriri from there.
2. Day 10 is again very long, almost not doable. Start by first light of the day from Tso Kar and aim for Sarchu, not Jispa. This you can do.
3. If you want to include Hanle, you will have to add 2 more days at least.
4. Tempo traveler is fine but where are you renting it from? Any vehicle rented from Srinagar will not be allowed for sightseeing in Ladakh.
5. A big IF here is that Manali Leh route opens at your time of travel. It usually opens by late May or early June. In 2017, it was declared open sometime around 10th June.
6. Overall, I will recommend that you throw in a couple of more days here if you can and postpone the trip for first 2 weeks of June if you can.
Hello Vargis Bhai…I am planning following itinerary for leh in June 2018.Please throw some light for its feasibility
June 4. Patnitop to Sonmarg
June 5. Sonmarg to Kargil
June 6. Kargil to Leh
June 7. Leh
June 8. Leh to Hunder
June 9. Hunder to Pangog
June 10. Pangog to Leh
June 11. Leh to Keylong
June 12. Keylong to Mandi
Vehicle will be i20 petrol.
Hello Santosh Bhai – Your itinerary looks doable. Low GC of I20 can be a bit of problem though specially at water crossings which will definitely be there in June due to melting snow.
Mr Khan, please the taxi rate if we need to hire from Leh to visit Nubra valley and Pangong lake for 2 day trip. Do we have private parking available to leave the Zoom car in Leh.
Thanks.
Hi Amit – A private taxi for 2 days in Leh will cost you between 12 – 15k. Yes you can find private parking in Leh to leave your Zoomcar but in case you do not, then you will have to keep a room in any of the hotels and leave it parked at the hotel itself; while you went for sightseeing to Nubra and Pangong.