Leh Ladakh 15 Days Itinerary – How to Plan Your Trip?

14 or 15 days is usually an ideal time for a trip to Ladakh. You will be able to cover almost all the places that are worth visiting without stressing yourself with long travel hours every day. How can you plan your Leh Ladakh 15 days itinerary to make the best of your time is what I will be discussing in this article.

I will suggest two different types of itineraries. One for a complete road trip to Ladakh starting from Delhi. The second set is for people who flew into Ladakh and have all 15 days to spend in Ladakh itself.

For the sake of this article, I will assume that you are traveling from Delhi. If you were coming from a different place, then only the journey for the first and last day will be different. The rest of the details will still apply.

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.

Leh Ladakh 15 Days Itinerary

I will begin by first mentioning an itinerary that I recommend followed by a few other ways the same journey can be done. 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.

• Delhi to Jammu – Day 1
• Jammu to Srinagar – Day 2
• Srinagar to Kargil – Day 3
• Kargil to Leh – Day 4
• Leh – Day 5
• Leh to Diskit / Hunder – Day 6
• Day Trip to Turtuk & Thang – Day 7
• Siachen Base Camp – Day 8
• Panamik to Pangong via Shyok – Day 9
• Pangong to Hanle – Day 10
• Umling La – Day 11
• Hanle to Karzok – Day 12
• Karzok to Pang / Sarchu – Day 13
• Pang / Sarchu to Manali – Day 14
• Manali to Delhi – Day 15

Before discussing the itinerary further, let me clarify a few points first. Mostly, people prefer to plan their trip via Manali but I will recommend reaching Ladakh via Srinagar because of the following reasons.

Acute Mountain Sickness in Ladakh

This remains to be the biggest concern for people traveling to Ladakh. The majority of the people traveling from Manali to Leh end up suffering from AMS around Sarchu and Pang.

The reason behind this is that the gain in altitude happens suddenly and tremendously. On the other hand, while traveling from Srinagar, you climb up gradually and the journey is spread over a period of 4 days.

This gives your body ample time to adjust itself to the height you are bringing it to. If you were traveling with family then I will strongly recommend that you plan via Srinagar only.

For more details on what AMS is and how you can handle it, please read How to Handle Acute Mountain Sickness in Ladakh.

Buffer Day

When traveling to a place like Ladakh, you must keep at least one day as a buffer. The unpredictability of the region will always remain during the trip and you may be forced to extend your stay at any of the places in between.

If your trip went well then you can use this day to stay at any of the places of your liking towards the end of the trip. Or you could just return home and relax for a day before getting back to work.

Managing Fuel

Last but not least is the question of managing fuel. You will be traveling some long distances without a gas station. So you will have to make arrangements to carry spare fuel.

You can get fuel at Pangong, Hanle, Karzok, and even at places like Pang and Sarchu. The dhabas and the guest houses here usually keep Diesel and petrol to sell to the tourists at a higher price. But there is really no guarantee about the quality of the fuel. Take a look at Fuel During Ladakh Trip – How to Manage for more details on this topic.

Now let me run down the itinerary for a better understanding.

Delhi to Jammu – Day 1

Get an early start from Delhi so that you can reach Jammu in time. It is a total of 600 kilometers that can easily take you 11 to 12 hours to complete. The road is in awesome condition and it is a smooth drive all the way.

If traveling by car then be prepared for a lot of tolls till Pathankot. Don’t wander too deep into Jammu city and stay somewhere closer to the highway to Srinagar.

If you were traveling by public transport then you can either catch a direct bus to Jammu from Delhi. You can even plan to complete this part of the journey by train.

Jammu to Srinagar – Day 2

The distance for this day’s travel is about 270 kilometers in total but traffic jams are way too common on the Jammu Srinagar highway. It will take you about 7 to 8 hours to complete so start early.

That is why I recommended you should stay closer to the highway. If you started early, you can avoid the long line of trucks that is common on this route.

Another way to do this journey is by the historic Mughal road, via Rajouri, Peer ki Gali, and Shopian. This is the more scenic of the two routes but is also longer, with a total of about 330 kilometers.

For more details, please read How to Travel from Jammu to Srinagar by Mughal Road. Depending on your own preference, you can either stay at a hotel in Srinagar or opt for a houseboat.

Srinagar to Kargil – Day 3

This is when you start your journey on the beautiful Srinagar Leh highway. The condition of the road is mostly smooth for the entire 220-odd kilometers of the journey. You will be traveling via some stunning vistas and towns like Kangan and Sonamarg and Drass.

Enjoy the scenic beauty all day and know why Kashmir is fondly called a paradise. Take a lunch break at either Sonamarg or Drass and have some delicious Kashmiri food. Kargil war memorial near Drass is definitely worth a visit.

You will also be crossing the high-altitude pass of Zoji La in between which is probably the worst patch of the road on this highway.

There is a daily bus from Srinagar to Leh that you can board for this journey. It starts early in the morning from the Srinagar Bus stand, breaks the journey in Kargil on Day 1, and reaches Leh city on Day 2.

Kargil to Leh – Day 4

Starting as early as possible is of utmost importance on this day because there is so much sightseeing involved. The maximum number of tourist attractions that you will cover on Day 4 will probably be more than any other day of the journey.

Namika La and Fotu La will be two high-altitude passes that you will cross before reaching Leh. Lunar Landscape, Indus Zanskar Confluence, Magnetic Hill, Gurudwara Patthar Sahib, and Maitreya Buddha statue are some of the well-known tourist places that will fall on the way.

For a list of tourist attractions on the Srinagar to Leh route, please read What to See on Srinagar Leh Highway – A Complete List.

Hotels in Leh are available in plenty these days and in all budgets. However, if you were traveling in peak tourist season then I would recommend that you call and book in advance.

Leh – Day 5

You will be spending this day in Leh City itself. You will have the entire day for sightseeing and there is plenty to see. Leh Palace, Shanti Stupa, and Leh Market are some of the most common areas visited by tourists. For a complete list, please read Tourist Attractions in Leh City.

Leh to Diskit / Hunder – Day 6

Your next destination will be the beautiful Nubra Valley. Now once you leave Leh city, you will not be returning back and will continue traveling to Manali straight.

You will stay in Diskit for your first day, and spend the next couple of days sightseeing in the valley itself. The entire journey from Leh to Diskit will be about 6 to 7 hours depending on your speed and breaks. You will also be crossing the high-altitude pass of Khardung La on the way.

If not Diskit, you can also opt to stay in Hunder which is a short distance from Diskit. There is really no large difference between the two places and it all depends on where you liked it best personally. For a list of must-visit places in the Valley, please read A Complete List of Tourist Attractions in Nubra Valley.

Diskit to Turtuk – Day 7

You will be spending this day in Nubra Valley itself. From Diskit, continue driving another 100-odd kilometers to the small yet very beautiful village of Turtuk. The road on this route is mostly good and can take about 3 to 4 hours to complete.

You should drive all the way to Thang Village first which is the last point where civilians are allowed. From Thang, you can clearly see the villages on the Pakistan side of the border.

From Diskit or Hunder, go straight to Thang first. Spend some time there and then on your way back, visit Turtuk. You can either spend the night in Turtuk or return to Diskit again for the night.

Diskit to Siachen Base Camp to Panamik – Day 8

From Turtuk, drive back all the way to Diskit and then to Khalsar. From Khalsar, you will then reach the town of Panamik and explore the other side of Nubra Valley.

Continue driving on this road to the last point and you would have arrived at the Siachen Base Camp. It is now open for tourists and you do not need to get any special permission to get here.

Spend some time at the base camp and then come back to Panamik for the night. There is also a hot-water spring in Panamik that is worth visiting.

Panamik to Pangong – Day 9

Get a tankful of fuel done at the petrol pump in Khalsar before you continue the journey ahead. Your next destination will be the beautiful lake of Pangong.

From Panamik, drive back to Khalsar and then take the Agham Shyok road to reach Durbuk and continue driving to Pangong. The total journey will take you about 7 hours depending on your speed and breaks.

For more details, please take a look at How to Travel to Pangong from Nubra by Shyok Road. Accommodation at the lake is available in the form of campsites, wooden huts, cottages, and also as paying guests in the villages of Spangmik, Man, and Merak.

Pangong to Hanle – Day 10

You will be exploring the beautiful Changthang Valley today. Roads from here on will be a mix of good, bad, and ugly. Continue driving on the banks of Pangong towards Chushul via the village of Man and Merak.

After you arrive at Chushul, visit the famous war memorial here and continue your journey to Loma. There is a check post at Loma where you will register yourself and turn left on the 50 kilometers long road to Hanle.

Accommodation in Hanle will be in the form of homestays only. There are no large hotels or guest houses here. Also, keep in mind that only BSNL works in Hanle. No other network has reception here.

The observatory in Hanle is one place that you must not visit. Other than that, it is mostly a scenic drive that you should enjoy. For more details, please take a look at How to Plan a Trip to Hanle.

Umling La – Day 11

Day 11 of your trip will be spent reaching the highest motorable road in the world, the famous and mighty pass of Umling La. It is a day-long journey. From Hanle, you will reach Umling La and circle back to Hanle to stay for the night.

Please take a look at How to Reach Umling La Pass from Hanle for complete information on this route. On this day, you will actually be crossing three passes in total – Nurbu La, Umling La, and Photu La.

Hanle to Karzok –  Day 12

The next place to visit on our itinerary is the lake of Tso Moriri. It is smaller in size than Pangong but no less in beauty. Karzok is the village on its banks and that is where you will be staying for the night on Day 11.

From Hanle, you will first drive back 50 kilometers to Loma and then take the road towards Sumdo via Nyoma and Mahe. After Sumdo, it is completely a dirt trail for the last 50 kilometers till Karzok.

In fact, the road on this entire route will be a mix of good, bad, very bad, and ugly. For accommodation choices at Karzok, please read How to Plan a Trip to Tso Moriri.

Karzok to Pang / Sarchu – Day 13

From Karzok, drive back 50 kilometers to Sumdo again. Now take the road via Polo Kongka La to drive straight to Tso Kar across the More plains.

The road to Polo Kongka La is quite bad but then a smooth drive all the way to Tso Kar. Spend some time at the lake and then you will exit on Manali Leh highway nearby Debring.

Now depending on how long you took to reach here, you can either spend the night at Pang or drive a little further to Sarchu and break the journey there.

Pang / Sarchu to Manali – Day 14

If you stayed at Pang the night before, then start as early as 7 AM. You will be driving on the Manali Leh highway today. Your journey for the day will include crossing 4 high altitude passes before you finally make it to Manali by evening.

If you were able to start from Pang or Sarchu by 8 then you should be able to reach Manali by 5 PM easily. You can either cross Rohtang Pass on the way or take the tunnel route to Manali. If you had a day to spare, you can also plan your night stay at the campsites in Jispa.

Manali to Delhi – Day 15

Not really much to write about this day except that this will be a long and monotonous journey back home. You will drive back to Chandigarh and then take NH1 to reach back Delhi. Depending on your speed and breaks, it may take you as many as 14 to 15 hours before you finally made home.

This was of course just one way that the journey can be done. Based on your own preference and liking, the same journey can be done in multiple other ways. I will suggest a few other alternate versions as well.

Leh Ladakh 15 days itinerary from Manali

If you wanted to start the trip from Manali and end at Srinagar, then below is how it will turn out. You will have to keep your Rohtang Permit arranged online in advance or spend a day in Manali getting it. Or you can contact a hotel or travel agent there to arrange it for you.

• Delhi to Manali – Day 1
• Manali to Jispa / Sarchu – Day 2
• Jispa / Sarchu to Leh – Day 3
• Leh – Day 4
• Leh to Diskit – Day 5
• Diskit to Turtuk to Panamik – Day 6
• Panamik to Pangong via Shyok – Day 7
• Pangong to Hanle – Day 8
• Umling La – Day 9
• Hanle to Karzok – Day 10
• Karzok to Leh – Day 11
• Leh to Kargil – Day 12
• Kargil to Srinagar – Day 13
• Srinagar to Jammu – Day 14
• Jammu to Delhi – Day 15

The above itineraries however would be more suitable if you were traveling by your own transport. If you were planning to go by public transport, then I will recommend the itinerary below.

15 Days Leh Ladakh Itinerary by Public Transport

I am recommending this plan from the Manali side because, by public transport, it is easier to go from Manali and return via Srinagar.

• Delhi to Manali – Day 1
• Manali to Keylong – Day 2
• Keylong to Leh – Day 3
• Leh – Day 4
• Leh to Diskit – Day 5
• Diskit to Leh – Day 6
• Leh to Pangong – Day 7
• Pangong to Leh – Day 8
• Leh to Tso Moriri – Day 9
• Tso Moriri to Leh – Day 10
• Leh to Kargil – Day 11
• Kargil to Srinagar – Day 12
• Srinagar to Jammu – Day 13
• Jammu to Delhi – Day 14
• Buffer Day – Day 15

If you were planning to fly into Ladakh and spend all 15 days there, then you can travel in the following manner.

15 Days in Ladakh

For the itinerary below, I am assuming that you are renting either a private taxi or a motorcycle in Ladakh.

• Arrival in Leh – Day 1
• Leh – Day 2
• Leh to Kargil – Day 3
• Kargil to Leh via Batalik – Day 4
• Leh to Diskit – Day 5
• Diskit to Turtuk – Day 6
• Turtuk to Panamik – Day 7
• Panamik to Pangong – Day 8
• Pangong to Hanle – Day 9
• Hanle to Karzok – Day 10
• Karzok to Sarchu – Day 11
• Sarchu to Jispa – Day 12
• Jispa to Leh – Day 13
• Leh – Day 14
• Fly Out -Day 15

Zanskar & Ladakh Trip in 15 Days

If you wanted to include Zanskar Valley in your trip too, then the journey can be done in the following manner.

• 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 Lamayuru via Lingshed – Day 6
• Lamayuru to Leh – Day 7
• Leh – Day 8
• Leh to Diskit – Day 9
• Diskit to Pangong – Day 10
• Pangong to Hanle – Day 11
• Hanle to Karzok – Day 12
• Karzok to Pang / Sarchu – Day 13
• Pang / Sarchu to Manali – Day 14
• Manali to Delhi – Day 15

Leh Ladakh 15 days itinerary – Conclusion

When you are on a 15 days trip to Ladakh, the number of ways you can plan this journey can be endless. It will really be a relaxed and fun trip with ample sightseeing involved.

The itineraries I suggested above are just a few examples. The journey can be tweaked in numerous other ways depending on the places that you want to visit.

I am not saying that a road trip to Ladakh cannot be done in a lesser number of days. The minimum time required for this trip in my opinion is just 9 days but that will really be a rushed journey. You will be on the road every day and most of your sightseeing will happen only on the move.

But with 15 days in hand, you can easily restrict your travel time to no more than 5 to 6 hours a day and spend much time enjoying the natural beauty around you.

I hope the information above on Leh Ladakh 15 days itinerary 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.