Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri Route – Planning, Hotels, Tips

by Vargis.Khan

pangong tso to tso moriri route

With the recent increase in tourism in Ladakh, some of the lesser-known routes are also starting to get traveled upon quite frequently. Authorities have opened more areas for tourists and now you can travel from one place to another without having to come back to Leh. One such road that runs quite close to the border is the Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri route.

Until a few years ago, if a person wanted to include both Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri in their Ladakh itinerary, a return journey to Leh in between was inevitable. What it necessarily means is that no matter which lake you went to first, you will have to return to Leh before traveling to the other one.

Also Read: How to Plan a Trip to Leh Ladakh – A Complete Travel Guide

These were the times when the interconnecting road was not open for general tourists for security reasons. Thankfully, now you do not need to return to Leh and go directly from one lake to another. In the process, you will cover some beautiful and remote areas of Ladakh that not many have been to.

Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri

The direct route from Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri runs through a region called Changthang Valley. This entire area is extremely close to the border and will take you through places like Rezang La and Tsaga La.

These are the sites where the Indian Army battled with Chinese forces for control of the Ladakh region once in the Indo-China war of 1962. Read Lest we Forget: The Heroes of Rezang La for more details.

Due to the sensitivity of the region, only Indian citizens are allowed to travel across. Foreign nationals do not get permits for this route and are only allowed to travel as far as Pangong Tso.

This is also a very remote region with no phone facilities, cell phone reception, mechanics, gas stations, accommodation facilities. For most of the journey, there will not even be a road. Even though this route is becoming known now, the number of people traveling is still quite less.

Inner Line Permit

This entire route is considered a part of the inner line, areas closer to the border. For Indian nationals, an inner line permit is required in order to visit here.  It can either be applied online or obtained in person from DM office Leh. Please read How to get an Inner Liner Permit in Ladakh for more details.

You must however keep a couple of things in mind. The inner line permit does not have the option for applying for this route or Hanle village directly. Once you have filled out the form and selected all of the places allowed, the permit would have to be stamped for Hanle and Tso Moriri, as in the image below. Without the stamp, it will not be deemed valid.

The image below is actually of two different permits that I cropped and merged into one image to post it here.

chushul route permit

For security reasons, foreign nationals are not allowed to travel on this road. The farthest that you can go after getting a protected area permit is Pangong Lake. If you want to cover Tso Moriri as well, you will have to return to Leh and travel via the Chumathang route. For more details, please take a look at How to Plan a Trip from Leh to Tso Moriri.

Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri Route

There are a few ways that this journey can be completed by different routes. The most important thing to know here however is that all the variations are completely isolated places with broken roads.

I will highly recommend that you stick to the most common route which I will mention further in the article. Only deviate from this path when you are completely sure of where you are headed, your accommodation choices, and your vehicle’s capabilities.

Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri Route Map

For a better understanding of the routes I have explained below, let me also post a map of the region that you will be traveling through. It is a comprehensive map that shows every possible road you can take to reach Pangong Lake and Tso Moriri. Please click on the thumbnail below to view the map in full size or save it to your hard disk.

If you need a map of the entire Leh Ladakh, please read A Complete Road Map of Ladakh and Zanskar.

Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri Road map

Route 1: Spangmik – Man – Merak – Chushul – Loma – Nyoma – Mahe – Sumdo – Karzok

This first route is shorter in distance and is the most used one. The majority of the tourists would prefer going this way only and I will also recommend that you stick to it. It is also the most scenic way to complete the journey.

Chushul

The first destination to reach from Pangong Tso is Chushul. At an altitude of 4348 meters, (14268 ft), Chushul has an Advanced Landing Ground airstrip that was used in the Sino-Indian War and a war memorial.

From Spangmik, start driving on the dirt track right next to the lake. It is a very scenic drive and you will get some amazing views of Pangong. There is no road and you will continue driving on a dirt track for the most part of this journey. See the picture below for an example of the road.

man merak road

Cross the village of Man and continue towards Merak where you will be required to produce your permits. After registering yourself, continue towards Khaltse and from there to Chushul.

It is advised to follow the electricity wires that connect these villages to ensure that you do not take a wrong turn somewhere and end up in trouble with the Indian Army.

There is no road here which makes it highly probable to get lost but as long as you stay on the dirt track and with the electricity wires, you will be OK. At Chushul, you can take a quick break and visit the Chushul War Memorial, dedicated to the heroes who lost their lives in battle with China.

Also Read: Which is the Best Bike for Ladakh Trip

Tsaga

From Chushul, head towards the high altitude pass of Tsaga La, also known as Chagga La. As a matter of fact, there are 3 high-altitude passes that you will cross before reaching Loma. But because the climb is not steep at all, you will barely notice the passes.

At the village of Tsaga, you will again have to register yourself at the ITBP check post. This is also the first time that you will see a road ever since you left Pangong if you traveled via Man and Merak route.

Loma

The road from here is pretty good till Loma and it will not take you long to reach there. At Loma, you will again be registering yourself at the Army check post.

Please be very careful around the dogs here. Do not approach a dog in any case. If a dog approaches you, please get inside your vehicle and be on your way ASAP. These dogs are not at all friendly and if you are on a motorcycle, they will chase you not just for fun, but to attack.

If you stop here somewhere, please do not wander alone in the village. These dogs are highly dangerous, are not used to seeing a lot of strangers, and are capable of killing someone. Read The Beasts of Changthang Valley to know why I am saying this.

Nyoma & Mahe

From the check post at Loma, take the turn on your right and continue towards Nyoma and Mahe. The road from here is a mix of good and bad, the drive is scenic and it should not take you more than 90 minutes at most to reach Mahe.

There is a check-post at Mahe where you need to register yourself. Right next to that check-post, there is a bridge on your right. This is the road that you will have to turn on to reach Sumdo. Ask the locals if you are unable to spot the deviation.

Sumdo

A little later, you will arrive in the village of Sumdo. It can get a little confusing here about which way to go so ask the locals of the way to Karzok.

There is a small Dhaba near the place where the road turns towards Sumdo. Take a break, get something to eat, and be on your way.

Namshang La

Right after Sumdo, the ascent for Namahang La starts. The ascent is not that steep and the road is not that bad. However a few kilometers after you have crossed Namashang La, there will be no road at all and you will travel on dirt tracks until Karzok.

These tracks will get confusing at several places and you will have to stop and think which way to go. The best way to travel around here is to either follow a cab (Sumo or Bolero run by locals] or to follow the track which seems most prominent and traveled upon. The first lake you will come across to after Namashang La is Kiagar Tso.

Also Read: How to Handle Altitude Sickness in Ladakh

Karzok (Tso Moriri)

Continue on the tracks. 10 km before Karzok you will come across a bifurcation. The dirt track will continue to go straight and you will notice a road going towards your left.

You need to keep going straight. Do not turn left as that goes towards Chumur. You may see a few boards reading that the road straight ahead is closed but keep heading straight on the dirt tracks to Karzok. Do not turn left, go straight.

This is the most common way of traveling from Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri. The journey can get a little difficult at some places and there are a few water crossings as well on the way. But this is possibly the easiest and the most scenic route of all. If you truly want to enjoy the journey without being too adventurous and taking risks, follow the route I suggested above.

sumdo village

Route 2: Spangmik – Tangtse – Chushul

The only thing different in route 2 from route 1 is the journey between Spangmik and Chushul. The first road that I suggested above is a dirt road that travels right next to Pangong Lake. There is also a second road that you can choose for this journey.

It is a metalled road that runs a little away from Pangong and is mostly used by Army trucks. However, though, this route is longer by almost 80 km and you will miss the chance of driving next to the beautiful lake. The travel time is also longer if you went by this road.

But if you are not too keen about driving on a dirt track right next to the lake and would prefer a solid road instead, this is another route you can take to reach Chushul.

From Spangmik, head back to Lukung and continue to the village of Tangste. From there, you can turn left and take the road which is a straight drive to Chushul.

After Chushul, the rest of the journey will be the same as I mentioned above.

tso moriri

Route 3: Chushul – Kakasang La – Horla – Mahe

From Chushul, the route I explained above runs through the villages of Tsaga, Loma, and Nyoma and then goes to Mahe. If you wish to, you can also take a shortcut that can save you approximately 40 km. It will get you to Mahe without having to cross all the above-mentioned villages.

However, this road is drivable only by 4×4 vehicles because of the steep climb and severely damaged condition.

At Chushul, ask the locals for directions if you were not sure of which way to go. You will be crossing two high-altitude passes on this route, Kakasang La and Horla, both of which are steep ascents. Of the two, Kakasang La is notoriously difficult.

You will also come across four lakes before you reach Mahe. These are Mitpal Tso, Ordong Tso, Yashu Tso, and Yaye Tso. Please register yourself at the Army Check post just after Chushul. Your inner line permit will suffice and no additional passes are required to take this road.

However, chances are that Army will not allow you to head this way and will rather send you on the road towards Loma despite the ILPs.

Of these two routes, the one via Tsaga is the easier one. Please attempt the Kakasang La route only if you have a 4×4 car or a 350 CC above motorcycle with a solo rider.

Once you reach Mahe, the rest of the journey will be the same as I explained with the first route.

tso moriri

Route 4: Pangong to Loma to Hanle to Charchagan La to Karzok

There is also another road that you can take to reach Karzok from Loma. For this one, rather than going towards Nyoma, you can turn left and take the road toward Hanle and stay there for the night. Hanle is the last village on the Indian border and is a 55 km drive from Loma.

The road is pretty good and you can easily find a guest house there to break the journey for the night. Please read How to Plan a Trip to Hanle to know accommodation choices here.

Interestingly, there is also a direct route from Hanle to Karzok via Salsal La and Charchagan La. This however is the toughest of all the roads and only doable if you have a 4×4 Car and know where you are headed.

This area is probably the remotest of all, mostly a dirt trail all the way across two really difficult passes. Getting permits for this route too is quite difficult. At a point on this road, you will barely be 25 kilometers away from Chumur where most of the Chinese incursions and Army stand-offs happen.

I added this route here only as good to know information. Permits for this road are not given at all and you will be sent back from Hanle. This is more of an off-roading experience for someone who knows exactly where they are headed.

If you wish to only include Hanle in your journey and do not want to take the Charchagan La road, you will have to drive 55 km back to Loma the next day. From there, you can continue your journey to Moriri as explained in route 1. Please be advised that you have to mention Hanle on your permit if you plan to visit there.

tso moriri lake

Route Summary

Of these, the first route is the most commonly used one, is the most scenic, doable by all vehicles, and is the one you should opt for. The second one is a longer version of the first and you should only do it if you want to avoid traveling on a dirt road.

I will not recommend attempting routes 3 unless you have already been in the area once and it was your second trip.

Route 4 is only good to know information and is not open for tourists.

Accommodation and Other Facilities

Accommodations on this route are rare. You will not find a decent place to stay till Karzok. If you must break the journey in between for whatever reason, your best chance is to speak to locals at one of the villages. If you are lucky, they may arrange a place for you to stay.

There are no guest houses or hotels however until Karzok. There is supposedly a government rest house in Loma where a friend of mine stayed but I cannot confirm where exactly it is.

Another option is to head towards Hanle from Loma if you have the permits. There is a guest house in Hanle and a couple of homestays run by locals where you can spend the night.

For a list of hotels and guest houses at Tso Moriri, please read Accommodation at Tso Moriri – Hotels, Guest Houses, Campsites, and Homestays.

Petrol Pump

There is no petrol pump on these routes. Hence it is absolutely necessary to tank up in Leh and carry some extra fuel. The Dhabas near Pangong Tso also offer petrol at an increased price. So in case you are running short on fuel, you can tank up there.

Mobile Network

There is no phone service, no payphones, and your mobile will remain out of coverage throughout the journey.

pangong tso to tso moriri route

Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri Road Conditions

Mentioned below is a quick summary of the road conditions between Pangong Lake and Tso Moriri.

  • Spangmik – Man – Merak – Khaltse – Chushul: A complete dirt trail with some very bad patches in between. You will have to be very carefully following the tracks made by other vehicles, mostly army trucks, to know that you are headed in the right direction.
  • Chushul – Tsaga / Chagga La – Loma: A mix of good, bad and ugly, mostly bad. You will mostly be traveling on dirt trails until you get closer to Loma.
  • Loma – Hanle: Freshly laid tarmac, easy drive.
  • Loma – Nyoma – Mahe: Tarmac on the road, easy drive.
  • Mahe – Sumdo: Tarmac on the road, easy drive.
  • Sumdo – Namashang La – Karzok: Dirt trail once again for about 75% of the journey. You will have to be very carefully following the tracks made by other vehicles, mostly army trucks, to know that you are headed in the right direction.
  • Chushul – Mitpal Tso – Kakasang La – Horla – Yaye Tso – Mahe: A necessarily 4×4 vehicle route with a steep ascent, nightmarish roads with big and sharp stones on the road. Hardly anyone travels on this road because of the terrible drive and also of the fact that Army doesn’t allow people to go this way. If you are traveling here, be ready to be all by yourself for the entire journey. In case of a breakdown of any kind, you will find yourself in a pickle.

pangong tso to tso moriri route

Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri – Conclusion

So the question, in the end, is why travel this way? It is primarily for two reasons.

First, you get to save a day that you would have otherwise wasted for your return journey to Leh from Pangong. This is extremely beneficial if you are short on time which is really the case for a lot of people.

The second reason is that you get to explore more. You travel through the beautiful Changthang valley which is one of the most scenic places in all of Ladakh. You can add more places like Hanle in your itinerary and journey through areas that even people who went to Ladakh haven’t yet seen.

With all the tourist rush in the last few years, even several known areas in Ladakh can feel a bit crowded in peak tourist season. Almost everyone goes to see Nubra Valley and Pangong Tso but only a handful venture out towards Changthang. So if you want to witness the empty barren landscapes that Ladakh is famous for, give Changthang Valley a try.

I hope this information on traveling from Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri was of help. If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask in the comments section below or at our Community Forum, and I will be happy to answer.

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136 comments

Ajay Dand June 9, 2023 - 2:56 pm

Hello Vargis,
we are 2-3 couples, all in late 50s planning to travel to Ladakh for about 8-10 days in mid-September 23 and Manali – Leh by road is definitely on the cards. However, we are wondering whether it would be better to do Manali-Leh or the other way around to avoid Mountain Sickness. What would you suggest?

Reply
Vargis.Khan June 10, 2023 - 9:52 am

Hello Ajay Ji,

It would be better to go via Srinagar to avoid altitude sickness and return via Manali. 8 to 10 days sounds a little tight for this though. It will be better to add 2-3 days more.

Reply
Santosh Raut February 10, 2023 - 5:12 pm

Hello Sir,
We are 4 family members (2 adults + 2 kids of 5 year & 10 year old) we are planning trip to leh ladakh from srinagar airport in the last week of May or first week of June, Major attractions we want to cover is Pangong Lake, Tso Kar, Tso morari lake, Changthang valley etc…
I have few questions :
1) As these are high altitude places, night stay at Pangong, Tso morari etc are comfortable for kids ?? Actually i had uncomfortable experience with sleep during my spiti valleys trip. At kaza & kalpa sleep was comfortable but at Nako lake sleep was disturbing.
2) How to plan itinerary in which we can choose stay at low altitude places, AND how to make possible to visit these places day time only and return to low altitude location for stay.

Reply
Vargis.Khan February 21, 2023 - 12:37 pm

Hello Mr. Raut – Yes, all these places are at a very high altitude and people feel symptoms of altitude sickness here. If you were uncomfortable in Spiti then chances are you will suffer from AMS here as well. How will you be traveling?

Reply
bhumikasept October 22, 2019 - 3:54 pm

Hi Vargis, your posts on Leh-Ladakh are really informative. I have couple of questions –
We will get 6.5 days in the region. Will be reaching Leh on Sunday morning and will fly back on next Saturday noon.
Planning to cover following :
Leh-Nubra-Turtuk-Leh-Pangong-Moriri via Chulshul-Leh

Do you thinkwe can cover anything better or do you suggest any edit on the route?
Other than Nubra, we will be looking for shared vehicle to travel.
To travel from Pangong to Tso Moriri, will we be able to find shared vehicle easily? If yes, do they stop on the way for pictures?

Thanks in advnace.

Reply
Vargis.Khan October 23, 2019 - 1:23 pm

Hi Bhumika,

The route is the best but there are no shared vehicles available between Pangong to Moriri, specially now that the tourist season is over. When are you planning to go?

Reply
bhumikasept October 23, 2019 - 1:26 pm

We are planing to go next week. Please suggest something as we do not want to miss on Tso Moriri.

Reply
bhumikasept October 23, 2019 - 1:29 pm

Do you think going back to Leh from Pangong and then traveling to Moriri would be feasible? But again do not want to miss on beautiful Chulshul route.

Reply
Sukla De Ghosh October 21, 2019 - 3:21 am

Thank you for your post full of information. I visited Leh Ladakh this October with my 6yrs twins n family. We went Pangong Tso to Tsomoriri via Chang La pass… n stayed at Kharu… then we took the road via Chumathang to Tsomoriri…. It was also a good comfortable journey.
Next time we want to follow your itinerary via Chusul.
Thank you.
Sukla De Ghosh.
Kolkata.

Reply
Vargis.Khan October 21, 2019 - 7:11 am

Thank you Sukla. How was the experience with the kids? Any problems?

Reply
Abdul Rahman August 16, 2019 - 8:53 am

Vargis.. Thanks a lot for providing such useful information, almost covering everything to take trip.. We have planed a bike trip from Tsomoriri to Pangong lake this month… How safe it is to complete within a day?? Any precautions to be taken??

Reply
Vargis.Khan August 16, 2019 - 5:09 pm

It is doable. It will be a very long ride so make sure you get an early start from Pangong, possibly by 6-7 AM

Reply
sourav nath July 26, 2019 - 2:31 pm

hello Mr, khan,
thanks for such a detailed post.need a your guidance in the below mentioned points.

(we are two persons on our own motorcycles).
1. Is the road to tso morori from pangong open, we plan to travel in the last week of august 2019.
2.is it possible to reach tso morori from pangong in a day.
3. is there options for stay at Mahe.
4. while returning back from tso morori we plan to stay at sarchu, (is this possible)

thanks in advance….keep up the good work.

regards
sourav

Reply
Vargis.Khan July 26, 2019 - 3:00 pm

Hello Mr. Nath,

1. Yes
2. Yes but easily 11-12 hours drive
3. No
4. Yes

Reply
sourav nath July 27, 2019 - 2:03 am

thanks a lot vargis bhai.

Reply
Vargis.Khan July 27, 2019 - 9:45 am

You are welcome Bhai !!!

Reply
Vikram Ambani July 13, 2019 - 9:57 am

HI Vargis,
Thanks for your blog, This will be my 3rd Road Trip in Ladakh. Due to time constraints, I shall be
reaching Leh- Day 1
Day 2- Nubra
Day 3- Pangong( Which route is advisable from Nubra to Pangong)
Day 4- Tso Moriri( which route is advisable for a bike)
Day 5- Sarchu
Day 6- Manali

Reply
Vargis.Khan July 13, 2019 - 3:37 pm

How will you be traveling in Ladakh Vikram?

Reply
Pravishti July 8, 2019 - 5:51 am

Hi Vargis,

I’ll be traveling on this route with my family in first week of September. Is this route safe during that time ?

Thanks

Reply
Pravishti July 8, 2019 - 5:53 am

As in safe from rains and landslides ?

Reply
Vargis.Khan July 8, 2019 - 6:06 am

It is safe now Pravishti. It is smooth road all the way now.

Reply
Pravishti July 8, 2019 - 6:29 am

Thanks 🙂

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Ashu May 24, 2019 - 6:00 am

Hello Vergil’s….really a very good article on Leh trip. Please advice extended trip to Turtuk and Siachen base. Ashu Chaudhary. Thanks.

Reply
Pranav Mehta May 18, 2019 - 12:32 pm

Hi. Is the road from Pangong to Tso Moriri open this year?

Reply
Vargis.Khan May 18, 2019 - 4:38 pm

Yes it is

Reply
Sai Swaroop June 12, 2019 - 5:57 am

Hi vargis
we are planning to do leh to pangong one day and to tosmoriri one day and to sarchu the next day. We are 8 people travelling on 4 350cc bikes.

Please suggest us a route which is feasible and doable. And the tank capacity is 13.5 liters. Where can we find petrol/fuel station in between. What are the measures we need to take. Please provide us needed information. Any information is helpful

Thanks,
Swaroop

Reply
Dysta Kinanty January 9, 2019 - 9:12 am

hi vargis,

please check my plan below :

D1. Leh-Khardung La-Turtuk (stay)
D2. Turtuk-Nubra-Hunder (stay)
D3. Hunder-Pangong (stay)
D4. Pangong-Moriri (stay)
D5. Moriri-Leh (finish)

that is my driver suggestion…

is that doable? I mean direct route Pangong to Moriri (day 4).
if so, is it true, that we must have different permit to enter that area?

thank you, bhai……..

-dysta-

Reply
salamath sharieff July 23, 2018 - 7:50 am

Hi Vargis,

Let me first thank you for all the support you are giving to the community.

We are planning ride from Tso Moriri to Pangong via Chushul as suggested by you. And also have taken the inner permit for the 8 circuit available online. Do I require any other permit to travel this route. We all are Indians..
And also like you have mentioned in your blog that this road is very isolated, DO we need to carry gas (we are riding 1 classic 500 and 2 Himalayan).

Thanks

Reply
Vargis.Khan July 23, 2018 - 12:31 pm

Hi Salamath – Thank you for your kind words.

1. Permits – No your regular ILP will work, no other permit required.
2. Gas – Carry a little in 2 Liter Pepsi bottles to be safe and tank up whenever you can. See the article below on where you can find fuel in Ladakh.

https://vargiskhan.com/log/fuel-availability-in-leh-ladakh-manage/

Reply
Navneet June 20, 2018 - 7:37 am

Hello Varghis bhai!
First of all a big thank to you for keeping newbies like us informed about Ladakh trip!
I am planning to visit Ladakh mid-September this year. Pangon Tso to Hanle to Tso Moriri and Diskit to Pangong Tso via Agham-Shyok route are on my itinerary.
1. How would be the road conditions for these two around mid-Spetember?
2. What is the status of ILP for these two routes now a days?

P.S.: We have a 5 year old kid accompanying us to the tour. Any problems (beside the ususal AMS and cold) with the kid you suspect for these two routes?

Thanks

Reply
Vargis.Khan June 20, 2018 - 3:06 pm

Hello Navneet Bhai,

1. Shyok road is good these days, a smooth run. Pangong to Hanle to Moriri is a mix of good, bad and ugly.
2. Both the routes are open and permits are being issued now
3. Nothing apart from the usual cold and AMS. Just carry a good sunblock lotion as well. Sun is quite harsh up there and since kids tend to run around a little, they get more exposed to the sun and adults.

Reply
Nidhi June 12, 2018 - 3:23 am

Hi Vargis,
First of all you are doing a great job with this blog.Its really helpful.So big thumbs up from myside.:-)

I am also planning to visit leh in July 2018. My husband and I shall be traveling alone so need your advice/guidance about the stays and mode of transport best preferred.
Also at nubra,pangong should we prefer homestays/tents over Hotels ?

Is it advisable to use public transport(Bus/Shared taxi) for travel to Leh-Nubra-Leh and Leh-Pangong-Leh and if yes, from where can I get the details of the same;
or hire a private taxi and if yes, do you have any references there ? Is there a need for some local guide/travel agent ?

We have made 3 possible itinerary, please suggest the best possible.
Day 1 and Day 7 are fixed(tickets already booked to and from Leh), for other days you can suggest any rescheduling to accommodate another place/point.

Day 1 : Arrival at Leh.
Day 2 : Travel from Leh to Nubra Valley.
Day 3 : Travel Back to Leh
Day 4 : Travel from Leh to Pangong Tso.
Day 5 : Travel back to Leh
Day 6 : Leisure at Leh
Day 7 : Leave for Delhi

Day 1 : Arrival at Leh.
Day 2 : Travel from Leh to Nubra Valley.
Day 3 : Day at Nubra(multiple villages).
Day 4 : Travel Back to Leh
Day 5 : Travel from Leh to Pangong Tso.
Day 6 : Travel Back to Leh.
Day 7 : Leave for Delhi

Day 1 : Arrival at Leh.
Day 2 : Leisure at Leh
Day 3 : Travel from Leh to Nubra Valley.
Day 4 : Travel Back to Leh
Day 5 : Travel from Leh to Pangong Tso.
Day 6 : Travel Back to Leh. Leisure at Leh
Day 7 : Leave for Delhi

If we do not get the permits for the above places online, is it a time consuming and tedious task to get them on the spot.

Thanks for your help in advance.

Reply
Vargis.Khan June 12, 2018 - 1:38 pm

Hi Nidhi – Not sure if you have yet or not but I will recommend taking a look at the article below. Let me know if you still have any other questions.

Reply
Nidhi June 13, 2018 - 5:57 am

Thanks for replying. I have already read the article and my queries were more related to finding the transporter details there and public transport Schedule and fares. Also if you could help in identifying some known taxi service there.

For Permits, online permits can be obtained how many days before the actual travel date or they are taken on the spot ?

Reply
Vargis.Khan June 13, 2018 - 4:11 pm

Sorry, I forgot to give the link to the article that I was talking about. Here it is.

https://vargiskhan.com/log/ideal-itinerary-visit-ladakh-in-7-days/

I have mentioned here how you can travel in Ladakh with an itinerary for 7 days. Take a look please.

For taxi in Leh, please contact Nasir in Leh @ 9906229203

If private tax i did not work, then you can always board shared cabs from leh bus stand to both Nubra and Pangong. These run every morning on a daily basis.

Reply
Nidhi June 14, 2018 - 6:19 am

Thank you so very much for the information. You are really doing a great job !!

Reply
Vargis.Khan June 14, 2018 - 1:47 pm

Thank you Nidhi.

Santosh.B June 5, 2018 - 2:22 pm

• Day 1 – Arrival at airport. Rest day in Leh for acclimatization & local shopping
• Day 2 – Drive to Kargil in the morning & Night stay in Kargil.
• Places to visit on the way :-
â—‹ View point Phey village on the Leh-Srinagar highway
â—‹ Sangam, Confluence Of Zanskar & Indus River Near Leh
â—‹ PatharSahib Gurudwara
â—‹ Magnetic Hill
â—‹ Moonland
â—‹ Lamayuru Monastery & village
• Day 3 – Drive to Drass to see the Kargil War Memorial. Night stay in Leh
• Place to visit:-
â—‹ Kargil war memorial
â—‹ Fotula top (highest point on the Srinagar-Leh road 13479ft)
â—‹ Alchi monastery
• Day 4 – Drive to Turtuk (Nubra Valley) with a stopover at Khardung La. Evening at Hunder sand dunes. Overnight at Nubra Valley.
• Places to visit on the way:-
â—‹ Khardungla (Claimed to be a Highest motorable road in the world)
â—‹ South Pullu
â—‹ Hunder sand dunes
â—‹ Turtuk (last village between the India-Pakistan border)
• Day 5 – Explore Hunder sand dunes in the morning. Have Bactrian camel safari & Drive back to Leh. Overnight at Leh.
• Day 6 – Drive to Pangong Lake, with a visit to Thiksey Monastery on the way. Overnight at Pangong Lake at tents.
• Places to visit on the way
○ Rancho’s school (from 3 idiots)
â—‹ Thiksey Monastery
○ Chang la top (World’s third highest pass- 175688 ft)
â—‹ Himalayan marmot
â—‹ Star gazing at Pangong
â—‹ And Pangong in the morning
• Day 7 – Morning photography at Pangong Lake. Drive from Pangong Lake to Tsomoriri. Overnight at Tsomoriri in the Homestays or tents.
• Day 8 – Morning photography at Tso Moriri. After that, drive back to Leh. Reach in the evening.
• Day 9 – Visit Leh Palace, Shanti Stupa.

We are planning for nightstays at Pangond & Tsomoriri. Do we get any Tents for rent ?

Reply
Vargis.Khan June 5, 2018 - 9:12 pm

Yes there are a lot of tents available at Pangong and Moriri. You however cannot go directly from Pangong to Moriri, that route is off limits this year for tourists.

Reply
Kesheng June 6, 2018 - 6:03 pm

Sir a bit confusion, me and my friends are planing to go Leh and also want to visit pangong and tso moriri but following through chusul sumdo karzok. You said no permission for tourist, is it same for locals from Manali because we all are locals. I don’t travel much and it’s our first time.

Reply
Aashika May 9, 2018 - 7:22 am

Hi vargis thanks for the blog ! It is really helpful

I have a doubt ,we are planning our trip in next month June 2018, below is the itenarry

Day 01 Leh arrival
Day 02 Leh local
Day 03 Leh to Nubra
Day 04 Nubra – Pangong
Day 05 Pangong to Tsomoriri
Day 06 Tsomoriri to Leh
Day 07 Leh rest day
Day 08 Leh to Kargil
Day 09 Kargil to Srinagar
Day 10 Srinagar day out
Day 11 Srinagar to Gulmarg
Day 12 Srinagar airport departure
Day

Is this itenarry sounds good? Or it’s bit hectic from pangong to tsomerir?
We will be missing changla pass so will it make any difference if we are not able to cover it.Also,people are saying that AMS will hit u if you are making it so hectic

Kindly guide as

Reply
Vargis.Khan May 9, 2018 - 2:17 pm

Hi Aashika – Permits for Pangong to Moriri route are not being issued this year so you will actually have to come back to Leh from Pangong and go to Moriri the next day via Chumathang. Rest of the plan looks good.

Reply
piyush May 23, 2018 - 12:16 pm

are we getting permit to visit hanley and chushul..

Reply
Vargis.Khan May 23, 2018 - 1:26 pm

No

Reply
UPENDRA SWAMI May 6, 2018 - 10:00 am

Hi Vargis Bhai
Thanks for putting up such a comprehensive information about Ladakh on your blog.
I have travelled to Leh solo on my bike earlier in September as well. I am planning another trip this year. I missed the lakes last time. I plan to take the route to Tso Kar from Debring and from Tso Kar to Tso Moriri with night halt at Tso Moriri (Karzok). Then From Tso Moriri I want to go direct to Pangong Tso and then come to Leh. Is it good and advisable to do so? I know there are some problems with the permits this year. Hope for things to get better by September.

Reply
Vargis.Khan May 7, 2018 - 1:13 am

Hi Upendra Bhai, As of now permits for Moriri to Pangong direct route via Chushul are not being issued right now so you will have to check in September first if that situation changes. Second, you mean go directly to Moriri via Tso Kar from Manali without going to Leh?

Reply
UPENDRA SWAMI May 14, 2018 - 11:17 am

Yes Vargis bhai. If I need permits, than can I get them online and go ahead?

Reply
Vargis.Khan May 15, 2018 - 5:01 pm

ILP online is just a form filling formality. You will still need to go to Leh first to make payment and get your permits signed and stamped Bhai.

Reply
Sunaina April 26, 2018 - 5:43 am

Hello Vargis,

Your post is really very helpful. We are planning to travel to Leh in June second week. This is the itinerary we have planned. we will start from Delhi. Please suggest changes.

Distance Hours
Day1- Delhi to Jammu (11 hrs)
Day2- Jammu to Srinagar (8.5 hrs)
Day3- Srinagar to Kargil (6 hrs)
Day4- Kargil to Leh (5 hrs)
Day5- Leh (Local sightseeing)
Day6- Leh to Nubra (5 hrs)
Day7- Nubra to Pangong Tso (8 hrs Via Agam Shyok)
Day8- Pang to Tso Moriri (8.5 hrs, Need to start by 5 AM)
Day9- Karzok to Sarchu (4 hrs)
Day10 – Manali (5 hrs)
Day11- Delhi (13 hrs)

Also, can we travel from Karzok (Tso Moriri) to Manali in one day?

Thanks in advance!

Reply
Vargis.Khan April 26, 2018 - 5:02 pm

Hi Sunaina,

Your itinerary looks good except for Day 7 and 8. The Chushul route from Pangong to Moriri is closed for tourists this year so far and there are talks that Shyok route may be closed as well. Please take a look at the article below.

https://vargiskhan.com/log/permits-in-ladakh/

Reply
Sunaina April 27, 2018 - 3:22 am

Thanks for your response! Shall we remove Tso Moriri from the itinerary? Or i guess we can come back to Leh and continue to Tso Mosriri other day.

Reply
Vargis.Khan April 27, 2018 - 1:37 pm

Correct. You will have to add a day there, come back to Leh from Pangong and go to Moriri the next day.

Reply
Dipika Sehgal February 9, 2018 - 9:25 am

Hello Vargis

I must say you have put in a very comprehensive information here. I would need your advise on the following itinerary to be undertaken in the month of June this year. We are a party of 4 adults and 2 children. We’ll reach Leh by Air and then hire a local 4X4 vehicle to move around.

Day 1: Arrive in Leh by 1130 Rest and walk around to acclimatise. Arrange for permits
Day 2: Local Sightseeing – Confluence of Indus and Zanskar; Pathar Sahib Gurudwara (Can it be done in a day?)
Day3: Drive from Leh to Diskit and try to cover Panamik & Yarab Tso on this day.
Day 4: Diskit – Hunder – Turtuk – Diskit
Day 5: Diskit – Pangong via Shyok (Now is this possible? If yes, where can we stay the Night?)
Day 6: Pangong to Tso Moriri (Please advise best/short route)
Day 7: At Tso Moriri
Day 8: Tso Moriri to Leh
Day 9: Fly back from Leh

Since Nubra valley is on a lower altitude, will it be OK to Proceed there on Day 2?

Reply
Vargis.Khan February 9, 2018 - 2:31 pm

Hello Dipika, Thank you for your kind words. Please see my suggeestions below.

Day 1 – Looks good
Day 2 – Looks good. Yes it can be done in a day
Day 3 – Covering Panamik and Yarab will be a bit much for this day. Best go straight to Diskit.
Day 4 – Looks good
Day 5 – Cover Panamik and Yarab Tso on this day. Start early from Diskit, reach Panamik, see the lake and then go to Pangong. Via Shyok road it is a journey of about 6 hours from Panamik so plan accordingly. Plenty of options to stay at Pangong, please see the article below for a list of places to stay.

https://vargiskhan.com/log/accommodation-at-pangong-tso/

Day 6 – Best to do this journey in 2 days. Reach Hanle on this day rather than going straight to Karzok.
Day 7 – Reach Karzok today (Tso Moriri)
Day 8 – Looks good. Take the route via Tso Kar for this journey.
Day 9 – Looks goood.

Reply
Rasika January 31, 2018 - 8:04 am

Hi Vargis,

Me and my husband are planning to visit Leh this summer. I liked your plans but can you suggest which places are must visit? Kargil or Tso Moriri? As we are planning for 6 to 7 days only and need to include maximum places that can be visited by bike or car.

Reply
Vargis.Khan January 31, 2018 - 5:10 pm

Hi Rasika – Both the places have their pros and cons. Kargil is not that scenic but the drive from Leh to Kargil is quite beautiful. Tso Moriri of course is a very enchanting lake and must visit if you can find time. For 6 and 7 days, take a look at the article below. I have suggested some itineraries here and you can follow either.

https://vargiskhan.com/log/ideal-itinerary-visit-ladakh-in-7-days/

https://vargiskhan.com/log/leh-ladakh-in-6-days/

Reply
Aparna Mishra November 8, 2017 - 5:05 am

Vargis-
Thanks for such an informative write-up. we are planning to visit leh/ladakh in the month of April (arrival 15th and departure 21st). we are a family of three that includes 12 yr old child. I have following itinerary in mind-
Day-1, Arrival at Leh, reach hotel by 10:00 am. spend time visiting Leh market, Shanti stupa and Leh palace, O.N at Leh.
day-2 start after breakfast and sightseeing Likir, Alchi Monastery, Pathar Sahib Gurudwara, Hall of Fame museum and Sangam (Confluence of Zanskar & Indus River). Back to Leh by evening, O.N at Leh
day-3 start early from Leh to visit Nubra Valley (not sure if we can be back same day to Leh). we plan to book an accommodation in Nubra Valley.
day-4, want to visit Pangong Lake. I believe from Nubra Valley, we can not go directly to pangong. can you advise how do we fit this in our current plan. do we need to book accommodation here as well?
day-5 or day 6, want to visit Tso Morini, can you advise how do we fit this in our itinerary. do we need to book accommodation here or can manage to stay in Leh.
Day-7, early morning flight.
Request you to help me in planning Pangong, Tso Morini and Nubra valley so that we get sufficient time for sight seeing. Also day-6 we want to be back in Leh so that it is easier to catch flight next day. Please advise which all places we should be booking our accommodation. we are not interested in package tour. Any help is appreciated.
Regards,
Aparna Misshra

Reply
Vargis.Khan November 13, 2017 - 5:17 pm

Hi Aparna – It will be a little hard to cover all the places in 6 days, specially early in the season because the direct road from Nubra to Pangong will probably not be open by then. If it is not, then your itinerary will have to be like this

Day 1 – Arrival in Leh
Day 2 – Day long trip on Srinagar Leh highway
Day 3 – Leh to Nubra Valley
Day 4 – Nubra Valley to Leh
Day 5 – Leh to Pangong Tso
Day 6 – Pangong Tso to Leh

If Shyok road is open, then the itienrary can be,

Day 1 – Arrival in Leh
Day 2 – Day long trip on Srinagar Leh highway
Day 3 – Leh to Nubra Valley
Day 4 – Nubra valley to Pangong Tso
Day 5 – Pangong Tso to Moriri (very long drive)
Day 6 – Moriri to Leh

Take a look at this article please. You have total 6 days in hand to explore Ladakh, departure on 7th day. The article below details on how you can plan your 6 day trip.

https://vargiskhan.com/log/leh-ladakh-in-6-days/

Reply
Akhilesh Thakur October 21, 2017 - 8:48 am

Thanks Vargis for lovely blog and very detailed info. I would like to update the road status and weather for the folks who plans to visit Ladakh in recent time. I am just back from 20 days road trip from Mumbai to ladakh.
Weather is cold from 4pm evening to 9am in morning in leh. It is very cold in places on Manali Leh Highway after keylong and on pangong lake and tsomoriri. Any height above 4000meters is very cold to drive motorcycle. Days are shorter and have just 11hrs of sunshine.
Road is good on most of the places but here is the bad patches where road work is going on and would require more time to cover.
1) Rohtang pass to keylong – 20km road is very bad after Rohtang pass towards keylong.
2) Sarchu to Pang- 35km is very bad after Sarchu to Pang.
3) khardungla pass is very bad from south pullu to north pullu close to 30km. Tar road work in progress.
4) Karu to changla road is bad another 35km. Road widening and concreting work going on.
5) upshi to chumathang – in between 40km road is bad for road widening and concreting work.
6) Sumdo to tsokar road is bad- another 40km bad patch.
7) Srinagar to Jammu- road widening work on valley and bad patches.

Most of the road would be tarred by next season and would have very good roads to travel in Ladakh region. October is good time as the weather is very cold and handful of tourists. But for motorcycle, plan as recommended by Vargis before 15oct.

Reply
Vargis.Khan October 21, 2017 - 8:50 pm

Thank you so much for the update Akhilesh Bhai, I really appreciate it. Do share some pics as well when you get a chance.

Reply
Akhilesh Thakur October 22, 2017 - 3:51 am

Sure. Whole Ladakh region is beautiful and cannot be captured in pics. However will post soon.

Reply
Vargis.Khan October 23, 2017 - 3:13 pm

Thanks Akhilesh Bhai

Reply
Sameer Suryavanshi September 20, 2017 - 11:25 pm

Hi Vargis

We are 6 friends arriving Leh at 30th September by flight and return flight at 8th October. We are planning to cover most of places on bike. Can you please suggest itinerary plan for us.
We want to cover nubra, khardungla, pangong lake, tsomoriri lake and Sonmarg.

Thanks
Sameer

Reply
Vargis.Khan September 21, 2017 - 2:02 pm

Hi Sameer – Sonamarg is a bit far to cover, barely 2-3 hours from Srinagar. Since your return flight is from Leh itself, you will have to skip it unless you want do dedicate 2-3 days for just Sonamarg, one day to reach there and 2nd day to come back. Itinerary you can follow is

30 – Arrive Leh, rest and arrange permits.
1 – Leh to Nubra valley
2 – Nubra to Pangong via Shyok road
3 – Pangong to Hanle
4 – Hanle to Karzok (Tso Moriri)
5 – Karzok to Leh via More plains and Tso Kar
6 – Leh to Lamayuru and back to Leh
7 – Buffer day
8 – Return Flight

Reply
Sameer Suryavanshi September 21, 2017 - 2:37 pm

Thanks bhai…

Can you please suggest the bike ride to leh to sonmarg is worth to spend 2-3 day ?

Else we will follow the given iternary.

Again thank you so much for your worthy time.

Reply
Vargis.Khan September 21, 2017 - 2:43 pm

Sameer Bhai it is not really worth it actually. You would almost reach Srinagar so it is way too long a journey for a day. You will have to break it like reach Kargil first, then reach Sonamarg the next day and then ride for 16-18 hours on the third day to reach back Leh from Sonamarg. I would suggest that you focus on Ladakh for now, follow the itinerary I suggested and leave Kashmir and Sonamarg for another time. On 6th day, you can either chose to reach Lamayuru from Leh, see magnetic hill, gurudwara patthar sahib, indus zanskar confluence etc on the way and reach back Leh by evening. Or what can you also do is on day 6, reach Kargil and stay there for the night. On day 7, go back to Leh. This way, you would have covered almost half of the Srinagar Leh highway and then you can plan a visit to Kashmir in future. So your final itinerary will be like this.

30 – Arrive Leh, rest and arrange permits.
1 – Leh to Nubra valley
2 – Nubra to Pangong via Shyok road
3 – Pangong to Hanle
4 – Hanle to Karzok (Tso Moriri)
5 – Karzok to Leh via More plains and Tso Kar
6 – Leh to Kargil
7 – Kargil to Leh
8 – Return Flight

Reply
Sameer Suryavanshi September 22, 2017 - 12:39 pm

Thanks bhai..

I think this is best option.

Vargis.Khan September 28, 2017 - 3:57 pm

You are welcome Bhai

Amit September 20, 2017 - 8:48 am

Hi Vargis,
Let me begin by telling you that yours is the most comprehensive travelogue ever!
Coming straight to the point, I’m sharing my brief itinerary with you. Kindly share your thoughts on it:

27th Sep: Land in Leh, get the permits done, get on a bike and go to Alchi/Uleytokpo. and night camp there.
[queries here: 1)please suggest which one is better (Alchi/Uleytokpo) and also whether they require ILPs, 2) Does it make sense to go all the way to Lamayuru?]

28th Sep: Come back towards Leh visitng Leh Palace, Shankar Gompa, shanti stupa on the way, and camp/stay some place near Thiksey/Shey

29th Sep: Come back to Leh and join my couple of friends, rest.

30th Sep: Leave for Nubra via Khardungla/Diskit; night stay at a camp in Nubra

1st Oct: Leave for Pangong via Shyok (referring to your map here!) and camp at Spangmik/Man/Merak [Please suggest where it would be the best to camp]

2nd Oct: Leave for Hanle via Chushul/Loma/Rhongo (again, referring to your map here!). Stay at Hanle

3rd Oct: Leave for Karzok (Tso Moriri) retracing path till Loma and then continuing on Nyoma-Sumdo road till we reach Tso Moriri. Stay at Karzok.

4th Oct: Leave for Leh. Stay overnight.

5th Oct: Fly back!

A few queries, again.

1. Am I overdoing it? Specially 1st Oct onwards
2. I feel that 29th is being wasted, but is there a way to land, get permits (asking for my friends who are landing on 29th) and leave/reach NUbra the same day via Khardungla without killing yourself?

Phew!

And Vargis never stop writing!

Amit

Reply
Vargis.Khan September 20, 2017 - 2:34 pm

Hello Amit – Thank you for your encouraging words. I really appreciate it.

Your itinerary is mostly Ok except for the first 3 days. Better way around this would be to stay in Leh on 27th. Doing all that you mentioned will be a lot of hassle. Land in Leh, check in to a hotel and get your permits done first. Then check out a few motorcycles and rent which seems the best. Test ride it in Leh and area around to ensure no problems. Then on 28th, you may go all the way up to Lamayuru and stay there. Come back on 29th to Leh and then follow rest of the itinerary as you described. Where you are camping on your own, plesae ensure that you are not doing so in the middle of nowhere. At Pangong, speak to any of the camp site owners and ask them to give you a spot to pitch your own tent. Best would be to camp there at Spangmik. Take a look at this article please.

https://vargiskhan.com/log/camping-in-ladakh-preparations-precautions/

Reply
BALA August 31, 2017 - 1:19 pm

.Does share taxi available for kargil to zanskar valley

Reply
Vargis.Khan August 31, 2017 - 2:33 pm

Yes but you may not get one that goes all the way from Kargil to Padum. May have to break the journey like Kargil to Sankoo, then find another for Rangdum and then another from there to go to Padum. Hitchhiking is also a great option in tourist season.

Reply
Ruth August 18, 2017 - 8:40 am

Hi Vargis,

I have a question, I’m a foreigner and I plan to join 5 of my friends which are all Indian nationals for their Ladakh trip. One of the itinerary is to go from Pangong directly to Tsomoriri via man-merak-chushul-nyoma- loma.
You said this route is strictly forbidden for foreigners, even if we’re holding a PAP permit?

Reply
Vargis.Khan August 18, 2017 - 2:04 pm

Hello Ruth – Correct. Foreign nationals are not allowed beyond Man / Merak for security reasons. Your PAP will only be until these places, you won’t get permit for Changthang Valley.

Reply
Dipika Rajendran Mahesh August 24, 2017 - 7:18 am

Hi vargis,
Is hanle worth visiting..? Can u explain ur experience..

Reply
Vargis.Khan August 24, 2017 - 1:22 pm

Hello Dipika – It is definitely worth visiting. I highly recommend it, gives you the real taste of Ladakh. It is a place that not many tourists go to, very peaceful. Take a look at this article please.

https://vargiskhan.com/log/plan-trip-hanle-ladakh/

Reply
vikas singh August 4, 2017 - 10:07 am

Hello Sir

We are 4 friends arriving Leh at 27th August by flight. We are going to stay at Kargil on 27th Night & Leh at 28th night for better acclimatization. We are 4 people on Bike and it is our first trip to Leh. Here is our itinerary

27th- Leh to Kargil (night Stay)
28th- Kargil-Leh (Night Stay)
29th- Leh-Khardung La-Diskit-Leh
30th- Leh-Sarchu (Night Stay)
31st- Sacrhu- Tso Moriri (Stay)
1st- Tso Moriri- Pangong (Night Stay)
2nd- Pangong-Leh
3rd- Leave Leh (By flight)

Reply
Vargis.Khan August 4, 2017 - 5:21 pm

Hello Vikas,

Are you renting bikes in Leh? Your itinerary can be changed a bit for better. I am assuming that you are renting motorcycles so you should travel this way,

27th – Leh, rest, rent motorcycles and arrange permits
28th – Leh to Diskit
29th – Diskit to Pangong via Shyok or Wari La road
30th – Pangong to Hanle
31st – Hanle to Karzok, Tso Moriri
1st – Tso Moriri to Leh
2nd – Leh to Lamayuru and back to Leh
3rd – Leave Leh

You do not really need to go all the way to Kargil. Just reach until Lamayuru and return to Leh by evening. On the way you will be able to cover most of the tourist destination, nothing worth going all the way to Kargil.

Reply
vikas August 5, 2017 - 2:25 am

Thank you sir. I will discuss this with my friends. thank you so much

Reply
Vargis.Khan August 5, 2017 - 10:09 pm

You are welcome Bhai

Reply
sudhagar gopal July 2, 2017 - 6:14 am

Hi Vargis,
Please find our bike riding plan – please let me know if you find any concerns. Thanks

Day 1: Delhi – Amritsar
Day 2: Amritsar – Srinagar
Day 3: Srinagar – Kargil
Day 4: Kargil – Leh
Day 5: Leh – Nubra Valley
Day 6: Nubra valley – Pangong Lake
Day 7: Pangong – Tso Morriri
Day 8: Tso Morriri – Jispa
Day 9: Jispa – Bilaspur
Day 10: Bilaspur – Delhi

Regards
Sudhagar

Reply
Vargis.Khan July 3, 2017 - 4:25 pm

Hi Sudhagar – Just one concern. Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri is a 2 days ride, via Hanle or Leh. I will recommend that you change it to Leh to Hanle and Hanle to Tso Moriri.

Reply
sudhagar July 4, 2017 - 10:53 am

Hi Vargis, thanks for your time. yes sure I will workout on your suggestions.

Reply
Vargis.Khan July 5, 2017 - 4:13 pm

You are welcome Bhai

Reply
Nikheel June 20, 2017 - 3:27 pm

Hi Vargis…quite a comprehensive write up. Thank you for giving all details . I have a question . I am doing Manali-Leh-and back next month. We drive in our SUV from Manali to Leh with a overnight halt at Jispa. After a 2 night halt at Leh we leave as per below itinerary

1-Leh-Turtuk-Diskit. Halt at Diskit
2. Diskit-Warshi-Diskit..Halt at Diskit
3. Diskit-Pangong-Hanle-Tso Moriri (night halts at Pangong/Hanle/Tso-Moriri
4.Tso-Moriri-Manali

Any feedback/Advice/tips on the above itinerary?

Reply
Vargis.Khan June 20, 2017 - 5:20 pm

Hi Nikheel – Itinerary looks good except for the last day, that is essentially a 2 days journey. Do Karzok to Pang/Sarchu and reach Manali the next day.

Reply
Nikheel June 21, 2017 - 12:38 am

Thanks Vargis. Duly noted

Reply
Nikheel June 21, 2017 - 1:16 am

Vargis
One more query. I see that Hanle is not mentioned on the online ILP form as the places mentioned are :

Khalsi,Domkhar, Skurbuchan, Hanu, Baima, Dha in Khalsi Sub-Division.
Khardong, Khalsar, Trith upto Warsi and Yarma Gonbo, Disket, Hunder, Turtuk, Pachathang, Tyakshi in Nubra Upshi, TsomoRiRi/Korzok in Nyoma Sub-Division.
pshi, Dipling, Puga, TsomoRiRi/Korzok in Nyoma Sub-Division.
Kharu, Changla, Durbuk, Tangtse, Lukhung, Spangmik, Man-merag(Pangong Lake) in Nyoma Sub-Division.
Upshi, Chumathang, Mahe, Loma Bend in Nyoma Division

Will there be an issue since Hanle is a part of my circuit. Also do you suggest we apply manually once we arrive in Leh? Your thoughts please .

Reply
Vargis.Khan June 21, 2017 - 1:48 am

You are welcome bro !! And yes, Hanle and the entire Chumathang valley is not on the ILP site. For this you will have to go to DM office in Leh and get a permit.

Reply
Nikheel June 21, 2017 - 2:28 am

Thanks Vargis . Much appreciated .

Vargis.Khan June 21, 2017 - 2:38 am

Welcome Bhai

Shubham Khandelwal June 12, 2017 - 2:09 pm

Hi Vargis,
Is photography still banned in Hanle? If yes, is there any possible work around?

Reply
Vargis.Khan June 12, 2017 - 9:41 pm

Hi Shubham – Yes it is still banned in Hanle. Only other option is your cell phone which surprisingly we were not asked to submit at the check post either of the three times I have been in Hanle.

Reply
Kartik June 7, 2017 - 6:01 am

Hey vargis

Thanks for the post. Wanted to know if lake side route is advisable for bikers ?? Also wanted to know , how often you ve come across flat tyre situation ??

Reply
Vargis.Khan June 7, 2017 - 2:50 pm

Hi Kartik – The lake side route is actually advisable only for bikers. I had two flat tyres during the journey, once near Rezang La and again as a little before Karzok. Both times it was in the middle of nowhere so had to change the tubes myself, luckily I was carrying two spare tubes.

Reply
Abhishek Sharma May 30, 2017 - 3:18 pm

Hi Vargis,
I am going from delhi to leh on 10th June and have planned a 12 day trip. My itinerary will be as follows
Day 1: Delhi to Manali
Day 2: Manali to Jispa
Day 3: Jispa to Pang
Day 4: Pang to Leh
Day 5: Leh to Nubra
Day 6: Nubra to Leh
Day 7: Leh to Pangong
Day 8: Pangong to Leh
Day 9: Leh to Tso Moriri
Day 10: Tso Moriri to Sarchu
Day 11: Sarchu to Manali
Day 12: Manali to Delhi

Can you please suggest any changes or whatsover to the itinerary. We are currently 3 guys who are going for the first time on rented bikes and have to reach delhi by 7:00 PM on 21st. And please can you also give the list of items that we need to take apart from riding gears.

Hoping to hear from you soon

Reply
Vargis.Khan May 30, 2017 - 4:15 pm

Hi Abhishek – The only concern I have around your itinerary is the last day travel. You said you have to reach Delhi before 7.30 PM so in order to do that, ensure that you are starting from Manali possibly by 5 AM and keep your breaks limited.

Apart from riding gear, carry all spare cables (clutch, accelerator, brakes), spare tubes, foot pump, spare head lamp, bungee cords, nylon rope, good sunblock lotion, cold creams, and that black polythene cover you can get at hardware stores to wrap around your bags before you mount them on motorcycles. Its very important otherwise your bags will get ruined, once you mount them on motorcycles, apart from bungee cords tie the nylon rope as well as the bugee cord wont be able to keep them in the same place at rough patches. Get some jerry cans to carry spare fuel, if not jerry cans then plenty of 2 liters Pepsi bottles.

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Rohit singh May 29, 2017 - 5:34 pm

Namaste Vargis ji,
We are 6 of us, 3 are reaching directly to Leh and 3 from Chandigarh via car
Below is my itinerary
Day 0 : chandigarh to Srinagar
Day 1 : Srinagar to kargil
Day 2 : kargil to mublekh
Day 3 : leh nearby
Day 4 : leh
Day 5 : leh to Nubra, stay at hunder
Day 6 :hunder to pangong tso
Day 7 : pangong to somewhere in between mood and chumathang
Day 8 : tso moriri to Leh
Day 9 : half of the co travellers leave by flight, other half begins journey towards sarchu
Day 10 : sarchu to manali
Day 11: manali to Chandigarh

Please share your experience on the above mentioned details.

I have some questions,
We are travelling in a XUV 500 4*2 (2wd), is it possible to travel through shyok and agham to pangong tso.
Are there any places to stay between mood and chumathang ? If not, Is it safe to camp in between ?
How much time will it take from hanle to reach Leh via karzok ?

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Vargis.Khan May 30, 2017 - 1:06 am

Hello Rohit Bhai,

Yes you can take your XUV500 on Agham Shyok road as long as the person behind the wheel has decent enough driving experience. Are you planning to do Pangong Tso to Moriri via Changthang or Chumathang? From Pangong, you can come back to Karu and stay there or stay at the only hotel at Chumathang. If you want to camp, find a local dhaba and camp somewhere close to it. From Hanle to Karzok, it is easily a 6-7 hours drive at minimum.

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barverohit May 29, 2017 - 8:51 am

Hello Vargis,

Your Blog is very nice and informative. We could design our whole itinerary with it.

We are doing a round trip from Pune to Pune, following is out iternary. 5 days for Pune to Srinagar and 5 days for travelling back from Manali to Pune.

22-Jun Srinagar Sonmarg
Sonmagr Zozi la
Zozi la Dras
Dras Kargil

23-Jun Kargil Mulbekh
Mulbekh Lamayuru
Lamayuru Leh

24-Jun Leh Leh
25-Jun Leh Khardung La 
Khardung La  Diskit
Diskit Hunder

26-Jun Hunder Panamik
Panamik Sumur
Sumur Khardung La 
Khardung La  Leh

27-Jun Leh Hemis
Hemis Zingral
Zingral Tangste
Tangste Pangong Lake

28-Jun Pangong Lake Chushul
Chushul Mahe (Via Nyoma)
Mahe Karzok (Tso Moriri)

29-Jun Tso Moriri Sumdo
Sumdo Meroo
Meroo Pang
Pang Sarchu

30-Jun Sarchu Zing Zing Bar
Zing Zing Bar Jispa
jispa Keylong
Keylong Rohtang Pas
Rohtang Pas Manali

We leave from Leh to Pangong on 27th Jun. We plan to Visit Tso Moriri and directly go to Sarchu. This distance is however approximately 600 Kms.

Can you please advise about where can we get fuel in this route. It seems that there is no petrol pump available after Karu. We are traveling on Bikes and not sure about the mileage they would offer 🙂 being RE 500, and Dominar.

Thanks for posting the articles, they really helped.

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Vargis.Khan May 30, 2017 - 1:02 am

No petrol pumps once you cross Karu Rohit. Though there is a high chance of getting petrol at the Chadar tents at Pangong, for over Rs. 100 per liter. That is your only choice. Both Dominar and RE 500 will not give above 25 average over there so plan, calculate and take sufficient fuel. And also, if you want to do Pangong to Moriri in one day, ensure that you reach by first light of the day, as early as 5 AM, and keep your breaks limited.

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barverohit May 30, 2017 - 4:01 am

Thanks for your prompt reply and help Vargis!

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Vargis.Khan May 30, 2017 - 4:09 pm

You are welcome. Right where the Pangong Lake starts, at Spangmik, there is a series of Chadar tents. Ask for Petrol there. I have gotten it 3 times from there so I am sure you will find it there this year as well. Price last time was Rs. 110 pet liter. Also, what I meant to say was that if you want to reach Moriri the same day, leave Pangong before 6 in the morning and keep your breaks limited.

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Vivek Goenka May 17, 2017 - 7:49 pm

Hi Vargisji
i am reaching leh on 17th june via delhi manali road and i have to reach manali by 24th june.
so how can i plan my itinerary. i want to visit nubra, khardungla, pangong lake, tsomoriri lake and the local sightseeings of leh.
can you kindly help me out with this issue..

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Vargis.Khan May 17, 2017 - 8:50 pm

Hello Mr. Goenka – Please let me know how you are traveling and I can suggest an itinerary accordingly.

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Vivek Goenka May 17, 2017 - 8:54 pm

i will be hiring a car as we are 7 members and i want a halt in nubra pangong and tsomoriri

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Vivek Goenka May 18, 2017 - 4:31 am

we want to hire private taxi.. and we are coming to leh by private taxi registered in delhi

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Vargis.Khan May 18, 2017 - 4:40 am

The Delhi registered Taxi will be a problem. You cannot use it for local sightseeing and will have to leave it parked in Leh. From Leh, you will rent another cab to visit Nubra, Pangong and Tso Moriri. After visiting these places, you will have to come back to Leh to board your Delhi registered taxi. With your limited days of travel, you will have to skip Moriri and follow the below plan.

18th Leh ( Local sight seeing and arrange permits)
19th Leh to Nubra Valley (Diskit)
20th Nubra Valley to Leh
21st Leh to Pangong Tso
22nd Pangong Tso to Leh
23rd Leh to Sarchu
24th Sarchu to Manali

OR

If you want to include Tso Moriri, you can follow either of the following plans.

18th Leh ( Local sight seeing and arrange permits)
19th Leh to Nubra Valley (Diskit)
20th Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso via Agham Shyok road
21st Pangong Tso to Leh
22nd Leh to Tso Moriri (Karzok)
23rd Karzok to Pang / Sarchu
24th Pang / Sarchu to Manali

OR

18th Leh ( Local sight seeing and arrange permits)
19th Leh to Nubra Valley (Diskit)
20th Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso via Agham Shyok road
21st Pangong Tso to Hanle via Chushul
22nd Hanle to Tso Moriri (Karzok)
23rd Karzok to Pang / Sarchu
24th Pang / Sarchu to Manali
.
Of these three options, I will recommend the last one but first you must talk to the taxi driver in Ladakh, the one you will rent to visit Nubra etc. Tell him that you plan to go back to Manali after Karzok so your Delhi registered taxi will just follow you all along the route. After Karzok, as you exit on Manali Leh highway, you can continue to Manali in your Delhi cab and the Ladakh driver can come back to Leh. If he agrees, follow the third itinerary, if he doesn’t then follow the first one.

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Vivek Goenka May 18, 2017 - 8:00 pm

thank you mr vargisji for your help.

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Vargis.Khan May 18, 2017 - 9:05 pm

You are welcome Sir

Ganesh Borhade May 17, 2017 - 11:05 am

Hi Mr. Vargis,

Kindly suggest if the below plan is OK.
27-May 12.00 Noon arrival at Srinagar Airport and book a cab to Hotel, Leisure at Hotel take tour of Dallake and Mughal Garden
28-May srinagar to kargil via zojila pass sonamarg. Visit drass 99war memorial museum. Tiger hill tololing hill.  (Overnight in kargil )
29-May kargil to leh via fotula pass visit mulbek stone curving mitriya buddha statue. lamayuru moonland view lamayuru monestry .sangam point Indus and zanskar river confluence view. magnetic hill. guruduara pather sahib.Hall of fame museums (Overnight in leh )
30-May leh local Indus valley sightseeing visit hemis monestry. thiksey monestry .rancho school .shey place. Stok place. 71ft of Buddha statue at stok Village  (Overnight in leh )
31-May leh to nubra valley via khardongla pass highest motorable road in the world. visit disket monastery. hunder sandunes double hump camel safari  (Overnight in hunder Villege )
01-Jun early morning back to leh via khardongla pass (119 Kms). Have a lunch at leh market.then after lunch take a bike   move to pangong lake via changla pass (156 Kms) (overnight in spangmik village pangong lake )
(No.of bikes 3)
02-Jun pangong lake to back leh via changla pass (overnight in leh )
03-Jun leh to jispa/ keylong via taglangla pass. Baralacha pass.visit morie plains.Pang .serchu .suraj taal (Overnight in jispa/keylong)
04-Jun jispa/ keylong to manali via famous rothang pass (overnight in manali)
05-Jun manali to Chandigarh drop 

Regards,
Ganesh B

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Vargis.Khan May 17, 2017 - 8:18 pm

Hello Mr. Borhade – Your itinerary is perfect, I wouldnt change a thing.

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arvind May 4, 2017 - 2:34 pm

Hello Mr Vargis,
Hearty thanks for all the information compiled and presented in such user friendly manner.
I’m planning to visit Ladakh during second-third week of Jun 17 for 10 days.
I’ve drafted the following itinerary; please comment and let me know if you suggest any changes :-
Day 1- arrival at Leh by air, from Delhi
Day 2- at Leh
Day 3 – Leh to Kargil, Dras via Fotu La/ Namika La. Night halt at Kargil
Day 4 – Kargil to Leh via Biamah. Night halt at Leh
Day 5 – Leh to Khardung La, Nubra valley, Diskit, Thoise. Night stay at Thoise
Day 6 – Proceed to Base Camp via Panamik. Proceed to Karu. Night halt at Karu
Day 7 – Proceed to Pangong Tso. Night halt at Tangtse
Day 8 – Proceed to Tso Moriri. Night halt at Moriri (??? is it workable on Xylo)
Day 9 – Tso Moriri. Night halt at Moriri
Day 10 – Proceed to Leh
Day 11 – Morning, flight to Delhi

Looking forward to hear from you.
Thanking you in advance :),
arvind

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Vargis.Khan May 5, 2017 - 12:44 am

Hi Arvind – A few questions,

On Day 6, how do you plan on coming to Karu? Via Leh or Wari La?

On Day 8, Pangong Tso to Moriri via Chushul is essentially a 2 days journey, specially when you are in a car. You will have to change the itinerary accordingly.

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arvind May 5, 2017 - 5:35 pm

Sincere thanks Mr Vargis for your prompt response and comments.

Day 6: I am planning to reach Karu via Wari La, but if you have any suggestion please let me know. My idea was to avoid staying at Leh again, and be closer to Pangong Tso so that next day we can reach the lake early.

Day 8: Yes, having read your blog, and comments I expected that this question will come from you 🙂 I had drafted this travel plan prior to reading you blog. But I still have chance to tweak the same to some extent. The flight tickets, however, are booked, thus total no of days remain fixed.

Please suggest :-

(a) If I should keep an additional day at Nubra valley, or my plan is ok?
(b) Should I skip one of the lakes ? As I don’t want to hurry up too much, esp towards the end of the trip. If affirmative, which one should I skip ? Pangong or Moriri ?
(c) And if I decide to skip Pangong, where should I take night break after Karu, on my way to Moriri ?

Thanks in anticipation, again 😉
Arvind

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Vargis.Khan May 6, 2017 - 12:28 am

Hello Arvind – Better to do this in the following manner.

Day 1- arrival at Leh by air, from Delhi (Your flight will arrive early in the morning, plenty of time to arrange permits, local sightseeing, and altitude acclimatization)
Day 2 – Leh to Kargil, Dras via Fotu La/ Namika La. Night halt at Kargil
Day 3 – Kargil to Leh via Biamah. Night halt at Leh
Day 4 – Leh to Khardung La, Nubra valley, Diskit, Thoise. Night stay at Thoise

Day 5 – Proceed to Base Camp via Panamik. Proceed to Karu. Night halt at Karu (You cannot go all the way to Base camp on this day and then take Wari La to come back to Karu, will be too long a journey. Best to go until Panamik or Warshi and come back. Actually I do not even think that they will let you go any further than Warshi.

Day 6 – Proceed to Pangong Tso. (Any reason why you want to stay at Tangste and not by the lake?)
Day 7 – Proceed to Hanle
Day 9 – Proceed to Tso Moriri. Night halt at Moriri
Day 10 – Proceed to Leh
Day 11 – Morning, flight to Delhi

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arvind May 6, 2017 - 5:34 pm

Hello Mr Vargis
Your keenness to share information and experience, and outlook to help others is really exemplary !
I have got your point, from your comments in the last two posts. I’ll accordingly modify my plan.
(a) will consider dropping the second day halt at Leh, and instead start for Kargil on Day 2.
(b) stay at Nubra valley/ Panamik for the second night too. Proceed to Pangong third day morning.
(c) stay at Pangong for one night, by the lake, and one night at Moriri OR the second night at Karu.
(d) stay at Leh on day 9/ 10.

One last query, that missed you attention in my previous post…

Should I skip one of the lakes ? As I don’t want to hurry up too much, esp towards the end of the trip. If affirmative, which one should I skip ? Pangong or Moriri ?

Thanks again, and warm regards,
arvind

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Vargis.Khan May 8, 2017 - 1:41 am

Hi Arvind, Thank you for your kind words brother, I appreciate it.

I am a little confused though, so what is your final itinerary now? Are you dropping Hanle?

Honestly, both lakes are a beauty in themselves. Pangong of course is the larger and the popular one. If you are to pick one, then go for Pangong.

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arvind May 8, 2017 - 4:28 pm

Hello there, Mr Vargis.
With valuable inputs from you and some of my friends, and consultation with one of the tour operators at Ladakh, I have finalised the following itinerary :-
Day # 1- Reach Leh
Day # 2- Local Leh, & around
Day # 3- To Khardungla etc …..Thois (night stay)
Day # 4- To Turtuk etc ….Sumur (night stay)
Day # 5- To Base Camp, Panamik etc … Panamik (night stay)
Day # 6- To Pangong Tso …. (night stay)
Day # 7- At Pangong Tso …. To Tangtse (night stay)
Day # 8- To Tso Moriri …. Hanle (night stay)
Day # 9- To Tso Moriri ….. Moriri (night stay)
Day # 10- To Leh
Day # 11- Depart Leh

I’ll be engaging a Xylo for the entire trip. Most of the places I am planning to put up in the Home Stays; prefer to engage with the local people.

Thanks once again for your kind inputs and suggestions.
Hope to meet you sometime in Delhi.

With Best Wishes and Warm Regards,
arvind

Vargis.Khan May 9, 2017 - 4:03 am

Your itinerary looks good brother. Do not forget to shared your experience and a few pictures once you are back. I

Subhasis April 29, 2017 - 6:30 am

Hi Vargis,
First of all you are doing a great job with this blog.Its really helpful.So big thumbs up from myside.:-)

I am also planning to visit leh in Aug 2017
Below is my plan.kindly advise if its ok.
Me and my wife will be travelling.
Also let me know advance room booking is required in nubra,pangong or tso morir if we follow this plan? Or we can go and avail it?
Also we have booked Innova hope its will be ok?

6th–》 Reach Leh and acclimatize
7th–》 leh
8th-》 leh to nubra(via khardung la)
9th–》 nubra to pangong(via wari la)
10th–》 pangong to tso moriri( via chushul)
11th–》 tso morir to leh

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Vargis.Khan April 29, 2017 - 5:03 pm

Hi Subhais – Thank you for your kind words. No need to book in advance, you will get plenty of places to stay at. For your itinerary;

6th–》 Reach Leh and acclimatize – OK
7th–》 leh – May want to use this day to travel a bit towards Sham valley on Srinagar Leh highway.
8th-》 leh to nubra(via khardung la) – Ok
9th–》 nubra to pangong(via wari la) – Ok. This is really a tough climb. You will have to check with your taxi driver if he is willing to take you this way.

10th–》 pangong to tso moriri( via chushul) – This is actually a 2 day journey. Pangong to Hanle and Hanle to Tso Moriri.

11th–》 tso morir to leh – OK

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Subhasis April 29, 2017 - 5:55 pm

Thanks a lot Vargis for your reply. Its very helpful information. Do you have phone number of any driver or cab agency who will be willing to go through above mentioned path.I have already checked with 3 cab services but they are not willing to take to these roads.

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Vargis.Khan April 30, 2017 - 1:43 pm

Hi Subhasis – You can contact Sonam Angdus at 9469272773. He is a driver in Leh. Let him know you got his number from me and he will take good care of you.

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Kallol Das. April 30, 2017 - 2:16 pm

A very good professional and well behaved tibetian driver. Toyota inova. Mr Dawa. Contact no 9622037724, 8130355246. We have visited in September 16. Pangong to tso moriri via chushul valley.
My heartiest congratulations to Mr vargis Khan for helpful information about the awesome remote route. If any information required anyone can email me.

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Vargis.Khan April 30, 2017 - 2:28 pm

Thank you so much for sharing this information Mr. Das.

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BALA August 31, 2017 - 1:16 pm

Hi Friends,
1.Does share taxi available for leh to hanle or otherwise going on share taxi to pangong then can i get individual taxi to hanle from pangong.?
2.in leh shared taxis are available only for up&down or fro and return on other taxis (for pang,moriri,nubra etc)

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Vargis.Khan August 31, 2017 - 2:37 pm

1. No shared taxis on this route, neither direct from Leh to Hanle or from Pangong. If you want to visit Hanle, it either has to be by your own vehicle or board the direct bus that goes to Hanle from Leh.
2. Not sure I understand the question but if you are asking that will it be the same taxi to get you to these places and bring back, then the answer is no. You will board a taxi from Leh and then will have to find a different one for return journey. Best would be to check with the driver if he plans on staying there for the night and can bring you back the next morning.

Bishnu prasad Sahoo April 14, 2017 - 9:06 am

Hello Vargis,
we are planning for a Pangong so to Tso Moriri in late Aug / Early September Via Hanle (Night stay)
day 1- departure to pangsong so and stay in spangmik
day 2 ride on bikes via maan merak and stay in hanle
day 3 hanle to karzok
day 4 karzok to leh
is this fine??
how many approx kms of drive
how much fuel do we need the rides are bikes
the stay options in the drive from Pangong so to karzok if you prove a better plan .

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Vargis.Khan April 15, 2017 - 4:17 am

Hi Bishnu – Plan looks Ok. Your fuel requirement will depend on which bikes you are riding, rented or your own? Both these places have several camp sites you could stay at.

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SK AZHARUDDIN April 6, 2017 - 9:09 am

Leh–nubra–Diskit (halt)–pangong (Halt)–Moriri (Halt)–Sarchu(halt)

Can I do it on R15 V2 as is fuel tank is only of 12 litrs?
In this itinerary where are petrol pump is available

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Vargis.Khan April 8, 2017 - 5:40 am

Pangong to Moriri in a day how? I am assuming you mean the chushul route in which case it would be Pangong, Hanle (halt) and then moiriri.

You should be able to do it. Just carry sufficient fuel. No petrol pumps anywhere once you leave Leh however you willl be able to get Petrol in black at Pangong and then at Moriri as well. Most of the locals and Dhabas sell petrol at about Rs. 100 pet liter.

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nikhil March 29, 2017 - 11:26 am

how much time it take to reach tsomoriri from pangong lake?

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Vargis.Khan March 29, 2017 - 2:13 pm

It is ideally a 2 days journey

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Kallol das October 7, 2016 - 11:58 am

Now bsnl mobile get network in the almost total the road.

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Vargis.Khan October 8, 2016 - 2:38 pm

Thanks Kallol. I appreciate the information.

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