Leh Ladakh Itinerary 14 Days – An Ideal Travel Plan

With 2 weeks in hand, you can rest assured that your trip to Ladakh will be a very comfortable one. It gives you the window to tweak and mold your itinerary in several different ways. You will be able to cover the majority of the tourist areas without rushing too much on any given day.  In this post, I will be sharing a few such examples of a Leh Ladakh Itinerary of 14 Days.

I will suggest the itineraries below in a few different ways. The first is for people traveling by their own vehicle, either a car or a motorcycle. After that, I will recommend an itinerary for people planning to visit by public transport completely.

The third set of itineraries will be for someone who is flying into the city of Leh and has entire 14 days to spend in Ladakh itself. 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.

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Leh Ladakh Itinerary 14 Days

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

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 – Day 6
• Diskit to Turtuk to Panamik – Day 7
• Panamik to Pangong via Shyok – Day 8
• Pangong to Hanle – Day 9
• Umling La – Day 10
• Hanle to Karzok – Day 11
• Karzok to Pang / Sarchu – Day 12
• Pang / Sarchu to Manali – Day 13
• Manali to Delhi – Day 14

Before I go on detailing this itinerary, let me first clarify why I am recommending traveling this way. Usually, Manali becomes a preferred choice for people to approach Ladakh from. I will however suggest that you go via Srinagar and return via Manali. Below is why.

Also Read: How to Plan a Trip to Ladakh with Children

Acute Mountain Sickness in Ladakh

This remains to be one of the biggest concerns for people while traveling to Ladakh. No matter how much tourism increases here, the fact is that Ladakh is still a cold barren high altitude desert.

It is located at an elevation that you probably have never been to before. This is the first time your body will experience an altitude so high and it may trigger the symptoms of acute mountain sickness, also known as altitude sickness.

Slow gain in altitude and plenty of rest is the key to avoiding altitude sickness which doesn’t really happen if you went via Manali. In a matter of a couple of days, the gain in altitude happens tremendously as you cross over Rohtang Pass and reach places like Pang and Sarchu.

The route via Srinagar, however, rises in altitude a bit more gradually. It allows your body a little more time to acclimatize itself to the change.

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

Buffer Day

When traveling to a place like Ladakh, it is important that you keep at least one day as a buffer. The unpredictability of the region and weather here can force you to prolong your stay by a day or two anywhere on the route. Keeping a day over and above your entire trip plan will at least give you the ability to afford to do so.

If everything went as planned, then you can use this day to relax at any place of your liking towards the end of the trip. Or you could just return home and rest for a day before getting back to work.

Managing Fuel

Last but not least is the question of how to manage fuel during this trip. Petrol pumps in Ladakh are still limited to just Leh City and one in Nubra Valley. There are no gas stations anywhere on the routes toward Pangong, Hanle, or Tso Moriri.

You can buy Petrol or Diesel in Black from the guest houses, dhabas, and Chadar tents but there is no guarantee about the quality of the fuel. This is a risk that I will recommend that you don’t take unless absolutely necessary.

This means that you will have to carry spare fuel depending on your vehicle’s mileage, and distance you intend to cover. For more details, please read Fuel During Ladakh Trip – How to Manage where I have talked about this in greater detail.

Now getting back to our itinerary, let me now give a day-by-day run down of how your journey will be.

Delhi to Jammu – Day 1

• Start early from Delhi
• The total distance is about 600 kilometers
• Travel time of 12 to 13 hours
• Roads are mostly good with a lot of tolls in between
• Overnight at Jammu

Jammu to Srinagar – Day 2

• Start early again from Srinagar. Long traffic Jams are common on this route.
• Overnight at Srinagar
• A total distance of 270 kilometers
• Travel time of 7 to 8 hours
• Either stay at a hotel in Srinagar or a houseboat. Read Hotel Grand Valley Inn – A Great Place to Stay in Srinagar.
• You can also take the alternate route via Mughal Road to reach Srinagar. For more details, read How to Plan a Journey on Mughal Road.

Srinagar to Kargil – Day 3

• Travel through the beautiful vistas of Kashmir Valley
• Overnight at Kargil
• Total distance of 200 kilometers
• Travel time of 8 to 9 hours
• Cross Zoji La and see Kargil War Memorial at Drass

Kargil to Leh – Day 4

• The vistas start to change from lush green to barren desert as you get closer to Kargil and approach Leh.
• The total distance of 220 Kilometers
• Travel Time of 7 to 8 Hours.
• Plenty of sightseeing to do today including Magnetic Hill, Gurudwara Patthar Sahib, Mulbekh Maitreya, Indus Zanskar Confluence, etc. For more details read What to See on Srinagar Leh Highway – A Complete List.
• Overnight in Leh

Leh – Day 5

• Spend the day in Leh City
• Visit local attractions in Leh city like Leh palace, local market, Shanti Stoopa, etc. Read Tourist Places in Leh City for details.

Leh to Diskit / Hunder – Day 6

• Start early from Leh
• Cross Khardung La and reach Nubra Valley
• Overnight in Diskit or Hunder
• Total Distance of 120 kilometers
• Total Travel time of 6 to 7 hours
• See Bactrian Camel, Diskit Monastery, and Hunder Sand Dunes. Read Tourist Places in Nubra Valley for a complete list.

Diskit to Turtuk to Panamik – Day 7

• Spend the day exploring Nubra Valley
• Drive all the way to Turtuk & Thang and have lunch there
• Drive back to Diskit and then reach Panamik
• Overnight Stay in Diskit, Hunder, Panamik or Sumur
• Total drive of 200 to 250 kilometers

Panamik to Pangong via Shyok – Day 8

• Reach the famous lake of Pangong, the very symbol of Ladakh
• From Diskit, reach Back Khalsar and take Agham Shyok road to reach Pangong
• A total of 190 kilometers are to be covered on this day
• Travel time of 7 to 8 hours
• Read How to Plan a Journey on Agham Shyok Road for route details

Pangong to Hanle – Day 9

• Travel through Changthang Valley and reach Hanle via Man, Merak, Chusul, and Loma.
• Overnight at Hanle
• The total distance is about 170 kilometers
• Travel time of 8 to 10 hours

Day Trip to Umling La – Day 10

• Spend the day in Hanle and visit Umling La Pass
• Overnight stay in Hanle
• It will take you an entire day to go to Umling La Pass and return to Hanle by late afternoon

Hanle to Karzok – Day 11

• Drive back to Loma from Hanle and reach Karzok via Nyoma, Mahe, and Sumdo
• Overnight at Karzok
• The total distance is about 150 Kilometers
• Travel time of 8 to 9 hours

Karzok to Pang / Sarchu – Day 12

• Drive back to Sumdo from Karzok
• Take the route via Polo Kongka La to reach Tso Kar
• Spend some time at the lake and exit on Manali Leh highway near Debring
• Overnight at either Pang or Sarchu
• The total distance is about 140 kilometers to Pang and 210 kilometers to Sarchu
• Travel time of 8 to 10 hours in total

Pang / Sarchu to Manali – Day 13

• Reach Manali while crossing the 4 high altitude passes of Nakee La, Lachulung La, Baralacha La, and Rohtang La
• Overnight in Manali
• The total distance is 300 kilometers from Pang and 220 kilometers from Sarchu
• Travel time of 9 to 10 hours

Manali to Delhi – Day 14

• Drive back home via Chandigarh
• Total distance of 550 kilometers
• Travel time of 14 to 15 hours

14 Days Itinerary for Leh Ladakh

Now the above itinerary was for someone traveling by their own vehicle. If you were however planning to rely on public transport then the below itinerary would be better. I am suggesting this itinerary from Manali because, by public transport, it is easier to go via Manali than 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 Tso – 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

For public transport, you will be using both buses and shared taxis throughout the journey. Shared taxis are available in Leh at the main bus stand every morning. So if there is no bus available, you can be sure that a shared cab will definitely be there.

There is no public transport available between Nubra, Pangong, and Moriri direct so you really have no choice but to return to Leh city.

Take a look at How I Traveled to Leh by Public Transport to understand the journey better in an actual travelogue. For further information, you may also want to read How to Travel to Ladakh on Budget by Bus and Shared Taxis.

14 Days in Ladakh

If you were however flying into Leh and intended to spend the entire 14 days in Ladakh itself then the journey can be planned in a manner like below.

• Arrival in Leh – Day 1
• Leh – Day 2
• Leh to Kargil – Day 3
• Kargil to Leh – 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
• Fly Out -Day 14

The itinerary above however assumed that you are renting either a private cab or a motorcycle for moving around in Ladakh locally. If you were, however, planning to do so by Bus and shared cab, then the journey would have to be like the below.

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

Since there is no public transport available on internal direct routes; you will have to reach back Leh from Nubra, Pangong, and Moriri to get a mode of transport to your next destination.

Leh Ladakh in 14 Days

If you also want to include Zanskar Valley in your trip, then your Leh Ladakh itinerary of 14 days can be modified as mentioned below.

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

If you want, you can also modify it to spend another day in Padum. In order to make up for it, you can remove your stay in Panamik and head straight to Pangong from Diskit.

Leh Ladakh Itinerary 14 Days – Conclusion

When you visit Ladakh and the two highways from Manali and Srinagar, you get a very large region to cover during your trip. So yes, it definitely makes sense to set aside at least 14 days for this trip.

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 14 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.

These are just some examples of how a Leh Ladakh Itinerary of 14 Days can be planned. Depending on your mode of travel, budget, and preference, you can tweak these travel plans to form your own final itinerary.

I hope the information above on a Leh Ladakh Itinerary of 14 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.