Not much to write about me really except for that I love to travel around whenever I can and to wherever I can. This blog is just a small attempt to share my travel experiences with the world. Hope you like it !!!
Hello virghis
We 5 people making plan to explore ladakh by self drive rent car from Delhi , by 3 September , iv heard about some stone pelters on convoy in 2015 , is such type of threat is still happening ??
thanks for your time , but what if we drive a zoom car from Delhi to leh , and then for further sightseeing we will hire bikes from leh , will it work ??
hi varghis,
As you mentioned, taking bike rent from manali to leh will make the journey smoothless. Is there any other place for bike rentals which is allowed in leh and nearest to manali.?
if so we can travel in bus or taxi till there.
Hi Faizal – No matter where you rent the bike from, it will be good enough only to be brought to Leh city. Once you get there, you will still need to rent a local bike there for sightseeing in Ladakh.
Hi Vargis,
Am planning a bike trip from Manali toh leh in june 2nd week. Are there any chances to see snow covered passes or drive along snow covered mountains?
And secondly I heard that going to pangong is not much of an issue with manali registered bikes and the union stops only for khardung la and nubra. Is that true??
Hi Chayan – Yes, in June second week you will find snow at the high altitude passes.
And no, the Manali rented bikes are not allowed for Pangong as well. Nowhere in Ladakh as a matter of fact, not even in Leh city. You just reach the hotel and park it there until you are going back home. Else you run a risk of the locals vandalizing the bike which has happened in the past.
Hi Vargis, We are planning to visit Leh in mid-August via Srinagar by taking a rented bike in chandigarh. Would there be any problem visiting Nubra valley, Pangong Lake etc around leh via this route.
Hi Sravan – Yes. Your Chandigarh rented bile will only be allowed to reach Leh City only. For visiting these places, you will have to rent another motorcycle from Leh and leave Chandigarh bikes parked at the hotel.
Hello vargis , actaully we are planning manali to leh trip in september last week by bike . so should we hire bike from manali or chandogarh .
in september last week manali- leh highway will open or not ?
but you mentioned in your blog like you can hire a bike from manali to leh but you would not be allowed to visit place near leh with manali hired bikes .
Yes. You can hire a bike in Manali and use it to reach Leh but not other areas. Last year, they were not even allowing these bikes to Leh as well, that is when I made this post.
Thanks for the information . in last week of september would it be a wise decision to go from leh to manali by .?? any hurdels like snow fall , road blocks and another concerns please lt me know so we would be carefull in our trip .
Vargis.KhanMay 9, 2018 - 2:31 pm
No September is a good time to travel on Manali Leh route. Chances of snowfall are more towards Mid October at Baralacha La. September should be OK.
ShisheerApril 16, 2018 - 2:53 pm
Hi, am a rider from Bangalore , me and my friend are planning Chandigarh – Manali – sarchu- Leh – Kargil- Srinagar- Gulmarg – patnitop- – Chandigarh trip on our own bikes registered in Bangalore . Do we need to expect the same problem as you mentioned above or we good In this case.? We getting bikes transferred from Bangalore to Chandigarh .
hi…this is vasista thanks for the information u shared with us..we were planning on bikes this may 7.as we are low of budget we are hesitating to stay in the hotels..we are expecting to carry a self camping gear with us…is there any problem with it..can we have our own camp anywhere in Srinagar Leh highway or overall trip..or else rent a camp wherever it is possible..which is cost efficient?.
and tell us about the best camping sites between srinagar and leh..
hi vargis..this is vasista.we are planning a tip in may 2018..we thought of renting a bike in Delhi.is there any problem with the permits near kargil..we just have driving license.and RC was not mine..not of our family too..will they allow my bike..
and is there any exception so that i can visit pangong lake by carrying a NOC form from the original owner of the bike
hi…this is vasista thanks for the information u shared with us..we were planning on bikes this may 7.as we are low of budget we are hesitating to stay in the hotels..we are expecting to carry a self camping gear with us…is there any problem with it..can we have our own camp anywhere in Srinagar Leh highway or overall trip..or else rent a camp wherever it is possible..which is cost efficient?.
and tell us about the best camping sites between srinagar and leh..
Hi Addy – You cannot go directly to Nubra Valley. You will have to go to Leh first, get the permits and then move on to Nubra. You anyways will have to cross Leh while on the way to Nubra so going there directly anyways is not the wise thing to do. Take a look at this map, you will know what I mean.
Yes, you cannot take Manali rented bike to Nubra valley. Will have to leave those parked at the hotel in Leh and rent another Leh registered bikes for Nubra.
i) Agr me bike delhi se lekr aata hu Leh jane ke lie, or bike b personnel h mere hi naam se registered h, too kya me usse Leh hote hue Khardung La le ja skta hu.
ii) Leh jane ki lie raste aaj(27/9/2017) kb band honge, kya koi fix date hoti h.
1. Yes, bike aapke naam par hai and saare documents aapke paas hain toh aap usko Ladakh mein kahin bhi le ja sakte hain
2. Manali wala rasta sometime by mid-october band ho jaayega. Sringar wala road Novemeber mid tak band hoga
I must say.. The information you are providing here is such a help to us, Thank you so very much..
I’m reaching Manali by Aug 28th using friend bike from TamilNadu.. I have original RC, Is there an issue if I use the bike registered on someone’s name.. If it is an issue.. Does original RC help?
Hello Sethu Bhai – You can only use a motorcycle if it is either registered in your name, or a sibling’s or your parents. If a sibling or parents, then you will need to take an ID proof to prove the relationship. If registered in someone else’s name, you can only use it to reach Leh and will have to rent another motorcycle there to visit areas like Nubra or Pangong.
Hi vargis!
We are planning to ride from Delhi to Jammu to Leh
Planned to hire a bike in Delhi – can we take the same to Nubra and Pangang Tso? and even Tsomoriri.
Ride is scheduled in Aug.
kindly suggest
Hi Nanda – No you cannot use Delhi rented bike for Nubra, Pangong and Moriri.. You can only reach Leh and then will have to rent motorcycles from there for local sightseeing.
Sir, As per my knowledge, Now HP bikes are not allowed in Leh & Leh bikes not allowed in HP, But my organiser told that this matter has been resolved by them. Can you confirm that this issue has been solved with bike associations ? I am travelling from Manali -Leh – Manali ( Bike ) on 10 August.
Hello Varghis,
No doubt that your information is so helpful and up to date that we can truly rely on. Thanks for all your help and efforts, really appreciate it.
I have a doubt as I’m travelling to leh in August . I’m from Bangalore and I’m getting down in Chandigarh and planning to take a bus to Manali. As I have already booked bikes in manali to&fro trip to leh, is it safe for me to take manali bikes to leh and come back or you would recommend me to hire bikes from Chandigarh itself ?
And if you suggest me take ILP, then can you please brief me about ILP and how I can acquire that ?
Hi Sagar, Thank you for your appreciating words. If have rented bikes from Manali already then yes you can proceed as planned. In both the situations, you will have to rent motorcycles in Ladakh for local sightseeing. Chandigarh or Manali bikes can only be used to reach Leh.
I did check the article you wrote Vargis and helped to a great extent . I have one more doubt if you don’t mind
1. Even if I hire local bikes in leh then I need ILP to visit Nubra and other places ?
2. Can I apply for ILP and visit Nubra , Pangong To and all with Manali or Chandigarh bikes ? As I have the required permit for outside vehicle .
Hi Sagar, Yes even if you hire local bikes, you will still need to obtain ILP. The permit has nothing to do with rentals. Hiring a local bike to visit Nubra or Pangong is a self created and implemented rule by Ladakh locals. Legally they cannot do this but it is more or less their “gundagardi” to ensure that their bikes get rented and they make a good income during the tourist season.
Hello Vargis, hope you are doing good. I just thought over your guidelines before hiring bikes and an idea just flashed into my mind , I thought of clarifying with you once.
As we all know HP and DL bikes are not allowed in leh anymore but how about PB (Punjab) bikes ? Is there any problem in leh if we go with PB boarding ? As we are landing in Chandigarh so I thought I will enter Punjab, hire bikes and start the expedition. What are your thoughts on this ?
Hello Sagar – I am doing well, how have you been? It doesnt really matter where the bike has been rented from. As long it was not rented from Leh, it cannot be used for visiting areas like Nubra valley, Pangong etc. You can only use it to reach Leh town.
Hai Dost,
You ar doing great job,Your information helping us lot,
Have one Doubt-
1. We are planning to Leh for 7 days from Manali,Planning to take rent bike from manali (Current situation it is not possible right because they are not allowing HP bikes)
2. From Srinagar can we go by rented bike to leh?
3.If we take ILP in manali do they allow to go in rented bike ??
Please do reply to my queries,,waiting for your answer bro
Hi Preetham – The situation has been resolved now. You can rent a bike in Manali for Ladakh however you can only use it to reach Leh. For visiting places in Ladakh, you will have to rent another motorcycle in Leh.
As we are renting another bikes in Delhi, please remind us how old should a bike be if we want to pass Rohtang.
It is a really sad situation for travelers. We might loose a bold advance payment for Manali bikes as they were booked. We also loose several days of our journey, as we start from Delhi.
Do you have any idea if it is going to solved soon?
The rule is around vehicles 10 years or older but to be on a safer side, do not rent motorcycles that are too old as they will not perform and will continue giving trouble. Look for motorcycles that are not older than a couple of years. Does not look like it is going to get resolved any time soon.
Hi Anurag – No problem right now with taxis but you never know. The way things right now are, I won’t be surprised if tomorrow they start blocking the taxis as well.
Hi Vargis,
Thanks for the Info, I too read it in a daily.
We are suppose to start our journey on 26th June from Manali (hired bikes) .
-If this ban prevails, what are the other options we can opt for?
– Is there any chance that this dispute gets over
Hi Sameer – Its hard that this dispute will get over anytime soon. Section 144 is still applicable in Manali so things are kind of in a mess. If it continues, I would recommend that you travel via Srinagar. There is no dispute on that side so you can rent a motorcycle from Srinagar.
63 comments
Hi Vargis Khan,
Is this issue still there? Rented bikes from srinagar is not allowed to nubura/pangong or to any other place in Ladakh.
Hi Shiva – Yes, it’s still there
Hello virghis
We 5 people making plan to explore ladakh by self drive rent car from Delhi , by 3 September , iv heard about some stone pelters on convoy in 2015 , is such type of threat is still happening ??
Hi Raman – Yes that is still a problem, can’t take a self drive to Ladakh. See the post below for more details please.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/self-drive-rental-non-local-taxis-still-banned-in-ladakh/
thanks for your time , but what if we drive a zoom car from Delhi to leh , and then for further sightseeing we will hire bikes from leh , will it work ??
Yes that will work. Until Leh there is no problem bringing a self drive rental.
hi varghis,
As you mentioned, taking bike rent from manali to leh will make the journey smoothless. Is there any other place for bike rentals which is allowed in leh and nearest to manali.?
if so we can travel in bus or taxi till there.
Hi Faizal – No matter where you rent the bike from, it will be good enough only to be brought to Leh city. Once you get there, you will still need to rent a local bike there for sightseeing in Ladakh.
Hi Vargis,
Am planning a bike trip from Manali toh leh in june 2nd week. Are there any chances to see snow covered passes or drive along snow covered mountains?
And secondly I heard that going to pangong is not much of an issue with manali registered bikes and the union stops only for khardung la and nubra. Is that true??
Hi Chayan – Yes, in June second week you will find snow at the high altitude passes.
And no, the Manali rented bikes are not allowed for Pangong as well. Nowhere in Ladakh as a matter of fact, not even in Leh city. You just reach the hotel and park it there until you are going back home. Else you run a risk of the locals vandalizing the bike which has happened in the past.
Hi Vargis, We are planning to visit Leh in mid-August via Srinagar by taking a rented bike in chandigarh. Would there be any problem visiting Nubra valley, Pangong Lake etc around leh via this route.
Thanks,
-sravan
Hi Sravan – Yes. Your Chandigarh rented bile will only be allowed to reach Leh City only. For visiting these places, you will have to rent another motorcycle from Leh and leave Chandigarh bikes parked at the hotel.
Hi if u take ur personal car all the way to Kargil from Delhi will there be an issue of locals.
No issue at all anywhere as long as the car is registered in your name and you have all the paperwork.
Hello vargis , actaully we are planning manali to leh trip in september last week by bike . so should we hire bike from manali or chandogarh .
in september last week manali- leh highway will open or not ?
You can rent from either of the places Krishna but I will recommend Manali. And yes, the highway will remain open in Sep last week.
but you mentioned in your blog like you can hire a bike from manali to leh but you would not be allowed to visit place near leh with manali hired bikes .
Yes. You can hire a bike in Manali and use it to reach Leh but not other areas. Last year, they were not even allowing these bikes to Leh as well, that is when I made this post.
Thanks for the information . in last week of september would it be a wise decision to go from leh to manali by .?? any hurdels like snow fall , road blocks and another concerns please lt me know so we would be carefull in our trip .
No September is a good time to travel on Manali Leh route. Chances of snowfall are more towards Mid October at Baralacha La. September should be OK.
Hi, am a rider from Bangalore , me and my friend are planning Chandigarh – Manali – sarchu- Leh – Kargil- Srinagar- Gulmarg – patnitop- – Chandigarh trip on our own bikes registered in Bangalore . Do we need to expect the same problem as you mentioned above or we good In this case.? We getting bikes transferred from Bangalore to Chandigarh .
This was a temporary situation that arose in 2017. It is not the case anymore.
hi…this is vasista thanks for the information u shared with us..we were planning on bikes this may 7.as we are low of budget we are hesitating to stay in the hotels..we are expecting to carry a self camping gear with us…is there any problem with it..can we have our own camp anywhere in Srinagar Leh highway or overall trip..or else rent a camp wherever it is possible..which is cost efficient?.
and tell us about the best camping sites between srinagar and leh..
Camping on Srinagar Leh highway could be a problem but you can get hotels for Rs. 500 – Rs. 700 for night in most of the places in Ladakh.
For camping sites in Ladakh, take a look at the article below.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/where-can-you-camp-in-ladakh/
hi vargis..this is vasista.we are planning a tip in may 2018..we thought of renting a bike in Delhi.is there any problem with the permits near kargil..we just have driving license.and RC was not mine..not of our family too..will they allow my bike..
and is there any exception so that i can visit pangong lake by carrying a NOC form from the original owner of the bike
Best not take any chances Vasista. Use the Delhi bike to only reach Leh and rent another bike there for local sightseeing.
hi…this is vasista thanks for the information u shared with us..we were planning on bikes this may 7.as we are low of budget we are hesitating to stay in the hotels..we are expecting to carry a self camping gear with us…is there any problem with it..can we have our own camp anywhere in Srinagar Leh highway or overall trip..or else rent a camp wherever it is possible..which is cost efficient?.
and tell us about the best camping sites between srinagar and leh..
Camping on Srinagar Leh highway could be a problem but you can get hotels for Rs. 500 – Rs. 700 for night in most of the places in Ladakh.
For camping sites in Ladakh, take a look at the article below.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/where-can-you-camp-in-ladakh/
Hi mate, thanks for all the information provided in the above article.
Me and 3 of my mates were thinking of hiring 4 bikes from Manali to go through the below planned route-
Day 1. MANALI TO JISPA
(Manali to Rohtang Pass//Rohtang Pass to Keylong//Keylong to Jispa)
Day 2. JISPA TO SARCHU
(Jispa to Barachala Pass//Barchala Pass to Zing Zing Bar//Zing Zing Bar to Sarchu)
Day 3. SARCHU TO TSO KAR RESORTS
(Sarchu to Gata Loops//Gata Loops to Lachulung La//Lachulung La to Pang//Pang to Tanglang La//Tanglang La to Tso Kar)
Day 4. TSO KAR RESORTS TO NUBRA VALLEY
Day 5. NUBRA VALLEY TO LEH / Return Bikes at LEH
But from your explanation on the situation between the two brother state’s animosity, I guess the above is not possible?
We would be grateful if you may guide us as to what possible solutions Can we adopt to make this trip happen?
Thanks a ton for the help and guidance!!!
Hi Addy – You cannot go directly to Nubra Valley. You will have to go to Leh first, get the permits and then move on to Nubra. You anyways will have to cross Leh while on the way to Nubra so going there directly anyways is not the wise thing to do. Take a look at this map, you will know what I mean.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/ladakh-road-map-detailed-road-map-ladakh/
Yes, you cannot take Manali rented bike to Nubra valley. Will have to leave those parked at the hotel in Leh and rent another Leh registered bikes for Nubra.
Hlo Vargis,
i) Agr me bike delhi se lekr aata hu Leh jane ke lie, or bike b personnel h mere hi naam se registered h, too kya me usse Leh hote hue Khardung La le ja skta hu.
ii) Leh jane ki lie raste aaj(27/9/2017) kb band honge, kya koi fix date hoti h.
Hello Rao,
1. Yes, bike aapke naam par hai and saare documents aapke paas hain toh aap usko Ladakh mein kahin bhi le ja sakte hain
2. Manali wala rasta sometime by mid-october band ho jaayega. Sringar wala road Novemeber mid tak band hoga
Can we take manali bikes till kardung la ?
No you cannot Abid. Manali bikes are only allowed till Leh. For Khardung La, you will need to rent another motorcycle from Leh.
is manali bikes allowed in kardung la ?
No they are not. You will need to rent motorcycles from Leh to visit Khardung La
Hello Bhai..
I must say.. The information you are providing here is such a help to us, Thank you so very much..
I’m reaching Manali by Aug 28th using friend bike from TamilNadu.. I have original RC, Is there an issue if I use the bike registered on someone’s name.. If it is an issue.. Does original RC help?
Thanks
Sethu
Hello Sethu Bhai – You can only use a motorcycle if it is either registered in your name, or a sibling’s or your parents. If a sibling or parents, then you will need to take an ID proof to prove the relationship. If registered in someone else’s name, you can only use it to reach Leh and will have to rent another motorcycle there to visit areas like Nubra or Pangong.
Hi vargis!
We are planning to ride from Delhi to Jammu to Leh
Planned to hire a bike in Delhi – can we take the same to Nubra and Pangang Tso? and even Tsomoriri.
Ride is scheduled in Aug.
kindly suggest
Hi Nanda – No you cannot use Delhi rented bike for Nubra, Pangong and Moriri.. You can only reach Leh and then will have to rent motorcycles from there for local sightseeing.
Sir, As per my knowledge, Now HP bikes are not allowed in Leh & Leh bikes not allowed in HP, But my organiser told that this matter has been resolved by them. Can you confirm that this issue has been solved with bike associations ? I am travelling from Manali -Leh – Manali ( Bike ) on 10 August.
Hello Pratik Bhai – Yes this matter has been resolved.
Hey Vargis, so if the issue is resolved now then HP bikes are allowed to visit Pangong ?
No, you can only take those to reach as far as Leh. From there you will have to rent local Leh motorcycles to visit Pangong.
Hello Varghis,
No doubt that your information is so helpful and up to date that we can truly rely on. Thanks for all your help and efforts, really appreciate it.
I have a doubt as I’m travelling to leh in August . I’m from Bangalore and I’m getting down in Chandigarh and planning to take a bus to Manali. As I have already booked bikes in manali to&fro trip to leh, is it safe for me to take manali bikes to leh and come back or you would recommend me to hire bikes from Chandigarh itself ?
And if you suggest me take ILP, then can you please brief me about ILP and how I can acquire that ?
Waiting for your response.
Thanks
Hi Sagar, Thank you for your appreciating words. If have rented bikes from Manali already then yes you can proceed as planned. In both the situations, you will have to rent motorcycles in Ladakh for local sightseeing. Chandigarh or Manali bikes can only be used to reach Leh.
For ILP, please read through the following post.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/obtaining-ilp-for-ladakh/
I did check the article you wrote Vargis and helped to a great extent . I have one more doubt if you don’t mind
1. Even if I hire local bikes in leh then I need ILP to visit Nubra and other places ?
2. Can I apply for ILP and visit Nubra , Pangong To and all with Manali or Chandigarh bikes ? As I have the required permit for outside vehicle .
Hi Sagar, Yes even if you hire local bikes, you will still need to obtain ILP. The permit has nothing to do with rentals. Hiring a local bike to visit Nubra or Pangong is a self created and implemented rule by Ladakh locals. Legally they cannot do this but it is more or less their “gundagardi” to ensure that their bikes get rented and they make a good income during the tourist season.
Hello Vargis, hope you are doing good. I just thought over your guidelines before hiring bikes and an idea just flashed into my mind , I thought of clarifying with you once.
As we all know HP and DL bikes are not allowed in leh anymore but how about PB (Punjab) bikes ? Is there any problem in leh if we go with PB boarding ? As we are landing in Chandigarh so I thought I will enter Punjab, hire bikes and start the expedition. What are your thoughts on this ?
Hello Sagar – I am doing well, how have you been? It doesnt really matter where the bike has been rented from. As long it was not rented from Leh, it cannot be used for visiting areas like Nubra valley, Pangong etc. You can only use it to reach Leh town.
Hai Dost,
You ar doing great job,Your information helping us lot,
Have one Doubt-
1. We are planning to Leh for 7 days from Manali,Planning to take rent bike from manali (Current situation it is not possible right because they are not allowing HP bikes)
2. From Srinagar can we go by rented bike to leh?
3.If we take ILP in manali do they allow to go in rented bike ??
Please do reply to my queries,,waiting for your answer bro
Hi Preetham – The situation has been resolved now. You can rent a bike in Manali for Ladakh however you can only use it to reach Leh. For visiting places in Ladakh, you will have to rent another motorcycle in Leh.
As we are renting another bikes in Delhi, please remind us how old should a bike be if we want to pass Rohtang.
It is a really sad situation for travelers. We might loose a bold advance payment for Manali bikes as they were booked. We also loose several days of our journey, as we start from Delhi.
Do you have any idea if it is going to solved soon?
The rule is around vehicles 10 years or older but to be on a safer side, do not rent motorcycles that are too old as they will not perform and will continue giving trouble. Look for motorcycles that are not older than a couple of years. Does not look like it is going to get resolved any time soon.
Can we hire a SUV from Manali till Leh? and stick to our same itinerary.
No problem right now with with taxis but even if you hire one from Manali, you will still have to rent another cab from Leh for sightseeing.
Alright .. thanks a lot man . will look for alternatives.
You are welcome !!!
HI vargis,
Is there any prob in Manali-Leh route via rented Car..?
Hi Anurag – No problem right now with taxis but you never know. The way things right now are, I won’t be surprised if tomorrow they start blocking the taxis as well.
Hi Vargis,
Thanks for the Info, I too read it in a daily.
We are suppose to start our journey on 26th June from Manali (hired bikes) .
-If this ban prevails, what are the other options we can opt for?
– Is there any chance that this dispute gets over
-Sameer
Hi Sameer – Its hard that this dispute will get over anytime soon. Section 144 is still applicable in Manali so things are kind of in a mess. If it continues, I would recommend that you travel via Srinagar. There is no dispute on that side so you can rent a motorcycle from Srinagar.