Can you travel from Srinagar to Leh in one day? The answer to this question is that you can try and will probably complete the journey as well. But should you do it? That is a definite no. Your Srinagar to Leh travel time depends not only on distance but also on several other factors that I will discuss in this article.
2 Days is the minimum and also the recommended duration of time for a journey on Srinagar Leh Highway. This will ensure that you do not just rush all the way and actually enjoy the journey and the beauty of Kashmir Valley. If you are able to spare a day more, you will be able to cover several major tourist attractions along the route.
Another thing that you must consider is that the Srinagar to Leh highway is not ‘easy’ in any manner. It is one of the most challenging roads in our country and can make your heart jump to your mouth in several places. This is not your usual highway where you can cruise at 100 kmph so you must plan your travel accordingly.
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Srinagar to Leh Travel Time and Itinerary Planning
The journey from Srinagar to Leh is a beautiful one in every manner. You travel through from the lush green valleys of Kashmir to the barren brown lands of Ladakh. There are three high-altitude passes on the way and you also cross towns of Sonamarg, Dras, and Kargil.
This is not one of your regular highways like others in the country where you just sit inside the vehicle, eager to reach the destination as soon as possible. Out here, every turn of the road holds a surprise and will invite you to take a break and step out. The actual fun on this route is actually in the journey itself and not the destination.
In this post, I will talk about an ideal Srinagar to Leh travel time and how the itinerary can be planned to make the most out of your time. For other details like the best time to visit, sightseeing, and where to stay, please take a look at How to Plan a Journey on Srinagar Leh Highway.
Srinagar to Leh Distance
The total distance between Srinagar to Leh is approximately 420 kilometers. The highest altitudes are at Namika La at 3,700 meters, Zoji La at 3,528 meters, and Fotu La at 4,108 meters.
Srinagar to Leh route
The route of the journey will be as mentioned below.
Srinagar – Ganderbal – Kangan – Sonamarg – Zoji La – Drass – Kargil – Mulbekh – Namika La – Fotu La – Lamayuru – Khaltse – Nimmu – Leh
Srinagar to Leh in One Day
Traveling from Srinagar to Leh in a single day is called a ‘Canon ball run’. A lot of people consider this in a hurry to either reach Leh or to reach back home after traveling to Ladakh.
This option is quite common among the locals and in my opinion, is best left for them only. The only way it can be completed is by getting aboard a shared taxi. It is neither possible nor recommended for a tourist to drive straight from Srinagar to Leh in one day on their own. However, the local taxi drivers here do that on a regular basis.
Also read: How to Plan a Trip to Leh Ladakh – A Complete Travel Guide
This journey starts sometime at midnight from Srinagar. You will be continuously traveling for the next 16-18 hours, reaching Leh by the next day evening. It will cost you anywhere between Rs. 2000 to Rs. 2500 per person.
If it was me, I would simply call it a ‘bone-breaking run’. You will be stuffed in a shared taxi with 7-8 other people (depending on which car it is) and will be traveling straight to Leh. Breaks will be limited to only a few to get something to eat or to answer nature calls.
You can, however, inquire at TRC Srinagar. I believe some taxi drivers do start this journey around mid-day as well. After 16-18 hours, they make it to Leh the next day morning.
Why you should Avoid It
The only upside to this is that you will reach Leh in a single day but there are several severe downsides. The first and foremost is that you practically miss everything that you came to Srinagar Leh highway for.
There is no time to enjoy the vistas and gaze upon the natural beauty of the region. You will only just be sitting inside a moving car and looking out of the window which I do not think is a fun idea if it is going to last 16-18 hours.
The second and more serious issue will be acute mountain sickness. You are bound to feel its symptoms if you take your body to such extreme heights in a matter of hours. Please read Acute Mountain Sickness in Ladakh to know what acute mountain sickness is, what it can do to you, what the symptoms are and how to handle it.
If you are traveling by your own car or motorcycle, please do not attempt this. It will take a toll on your body as well as the vehicle as well. You will be driving through some of the most challenging roads and you do not want to be behind the wheel here if badly tired.
Srinagar to Leh in 2 Days
This is the most preferred way of traveling from Srinagar to Leh. The majority of the people plan their journey according to two days, irrespective of which way they are traveling from. I too will recommend this because of the following reasons.
Less Tiring & Better planning
This is the first and the foremost reason. A 2-day journey will ensure that you do not travel for long hours, do not rush and in the process do not tire yourself.
You will also be able to plan better for unseen events. Since there is no rush; in case you run into trouble, you will have some time in hand to handle the situation.
Also read: How to Plan a Trip to Ladakh with Children and Infants
Not Too Many Days
Let us put it this way. 2 days is just an adequate amount of time that does not require that you plan a long trip unless you are willing to. You do not rush through but also do not spend too many days here, in case you are short on time.
Breaks, Sightseeing & Photography
The road you will be traveling on is filled with such mesmerizing beauty that you would want to stop at every turn. A 2 days journey will give you ample time to do that.
You can click all that you want because you have time in hand to do that. It doesn’t matter if you are a photography enthusiast or just a cell phone photographer, you will have fun capturing memories of the trip that will last a lifetime.
Fewer Chances of AMS
This will be the most important reason. The increase in height will be a little gradual and chances of suffering from AMS will reduce significantly.
You would already have traveled from your hometown to Jammu to Srinagar in 2 or more days. Your body would already have acclimatized a little. Adding 2 more days on Srinagar Leh road will better prepare you for the higher altitude areas of Ladakh that you will later visit.
Where to Stay between Srinagar to Leh
The next question here is where to stop for the night on Day 1. There are several major towns on the Srinagar Leh highway. As per your convenience, you can choose to stay at either of them.
But you need to balance it in a way that your travel time gets divided in Day 1 and 2 equally. Listed below are the major stop points on the route. For names of some recommended hotels in these places, please take a look at Hotels and Guest Houses on Srinagar Leh Highway.
Sonamarg
This is the first major town you will come across after you start from Srinagar. The road distance between Srinagar and Sonamarg is about 80 kilometers which you can easily cover in 2 to 3 hours.
You should not stop here because if you do so then your journey for Day 2 will be way too long. You will have to start by the first light of the day from Sonamarg on Day 2, rush through the journey and then you can hope to reach Leh before dark.
Stopping at Sonamarg is ideal only if you are dedicating 3 days or more to Srinagar to Leh highway.
Dras
The distance between Srinagar to Dras is about 142 kilometers. You can reach here from Srinagar in about 5 – 6 hours. But if you halt here for the night, your travel time on Day 2 will exactly be the double of Day 1 because Leh is another 282 kilometers from Dras.
However, if you are on a budget trip and looking for cheap accommodation, then you should halt at Drass for the night. Hotels in Kargil are quite expensive. But in Dras, you will easily find a room for as little as Rs. 500 – Rs. 800.
Also read: Is Srinagar Leh Highway Safe for Tourists?
Kargil
The majority of the people chose to break their journey here on Day 1. It is more or less the midpoint of the highway. Srinagar from here is 209 kilometers and Leh at a distance of 213 kilometers. I too will recommend halting here for the night.
Also read: Banks, ATMs, Petrol Pumps and Mechanics on Srinagar Leh Highway
Lamayuru
A lot of people consider staying at Lamayuru as well but I will advise against it. The problem will be the same as with Drass. If staying at Lamayuru, on Day 1 you will cover 308 kilometers in 10-11 hours of travel while on Day 2 you will only travel 115 kilometers in 3 hours.
Based on my inputs above, it would be wise to travel from Srinagar to Kargil on Day 1 and Kargil to Leh on Day 2. This will give you ample amount to enjoy your journey without tiring yourself.
If you are traveling by your own vehicle, you can travel at your own convenience. Bus service from Srinagar to Leh takes two days as well, halting at Kargil for the night.
Srinagar to Leh in 3 Days
A 3 days journey on the Srinagar Leh highway is an extended and more relaxed version of 2 days journey. It is not really required but if you can spend a day more, then, by all means, do it.
It will give you plenty of time to experience the real beauty of Kashmir. In the case of 3 days, you can plan the journey in the following manner.
Day 1: Srinagar to Sonamarg
Start early from Srinagar and you will reach Sonamarg within 3 hours. This will give you an entire day for local sightseeing. Check into a hotel and visit Thajiwas glacier.
Day 2: Sonamarg to Lamayuru
You will have to stretch this day a little. Start early from Sonamarg and reach all the way to Lamayuru. You will cross all three high-altitude passes on this route between Sonamarg and Lamayuru. Of all of them, Zoji La Pass will be the most fun and Fotu La will be the highest one.
Day 3: Lamayuru to Leh
It will take you only about 3-4 hours to reach Leh from here so you have the entire day in hand. Spend this time visiting Lamayuru monastery, Lunar landscapes, Indus Zanskar River confluence, Gurudwara Patthar Sahib, and Magnetic hill while on your way to Leh.
Leh to Srinagar
So far I have explained this from the point of view of someone traveling from Srinagar to Leh. The same actually also applies the other way around as well if you reached Ladakh via Manali and are now returning from the Srinagar side.
There also exists an alternate route that you can consider. If you went to Leh from Srinagar via the Kargil route and returning back to Srinagar again, then you can do your return journey via Batalik. The route in this case will be as below.
Leh – Nimmu – Khaltse – Skurbuchan – Dha – Batalik – Kargil – Drass – Zoji La – Sonamarg – Kangan – Ganderbal – Srinagar
So for your return journey, the Itinerary can be as mentioned below.
- Leh to Batalik – Day 1
- Batalik to Drass / Sonamarg – Day 2
- Drass / Sonamarg to Srinagar – Day 3
On Day 1, reach Batalik from Leh and stay there for the night. Since you would already have stayed at Kargil while going to Leh, you should consider spending the night at either Drass or Sonamarg on Day 2. On Day 3, you will return to Srinagar.
Also read: Best time to Travel from on Srinagar Leh Highway
Permits for Batalik Route
Please note that for visiting Batalik, you need to obtain an Inner line permit from the DM office Leh, the same permit that you need to Nubra Valley and Pangong as well. So you cannot really go to Leh via Batalik but can return to Srinagar this way.
If you want to cover the Batalik route while going to Leh, you will have to spend time in Kargil and arrange permits from there.
Zanskar Valley
The only road that currently connects Zanskar Valley to the rest of the country is from Kargil. Two more roads are currently under construction but it will be still a few years before they are completed.
The road from Padum to Darcha via Shinku La Pass has been carved out but for now, it can only be traveled upon by bikes or 4×4 vehicles. The other road connecting Padum to Nimmu via Zangla is far from completion.
So if you also want to add Zanskar Valley to your itinerary, you will have to travel from Kargil to Padum and take the same road back.
Another way to do it is to take the Umba La road from Dras and exit at Kargil.
Either way, to visit Zanskar, you will have to add at least 2 more days. Your Srinagar to Leh travel time will then be 4 days or more. The itinerary can be planned in the following manner.
- Srinagar to Kargil – Day 1
- Kargil to Padum – Day 2
- Sightseeing in Padum & Around – Day 3
- Padum to Kargil – Day 4
- Kargil to Leh – Day 5
Another way to do the journey is as mentioned below.
- Srinagar to Dras – Day 1
- Dras to Rangdum via Umba La and Sankoo – Day 2
- Rangdum to Padum – Day 3
- Padum to Kargil – Day 4
- Kargil to Leh – Day 5
If you cannot spend more than 4 days on the road, I will recommend following the first itinerary and skipping Day 3 in Padum.
If you want to travel via Umba La in 4 days, you can still do so but the journey between Dras to Padum can be a little long so start early.
Srinagar to Leh Travel Time – Conclusion
In the end, I would like to summarize this by saying that a one-day journey on Srinagar to Leh road is not at all recommended. You should give it a minimum of 2 days. If you have more time, you can spend 3 days as well allowing yourself more time to explore the beautiful Kashmir valley.
I hope this information on Srinagar to Leh travel time 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.
57 comments
Mr Vargis, Planning trip to srinagar next may end or June.Would like some help from you. We a family of 4 would like to visit Srinagar Gurez valley as we have already seen the common places in Srinagar. Our likely itinerary would be: Frm Airport straight to sonmarg ,next 2/3 days Gurez valley tour, then Kargil then to leh. I have already seen Pangong and Nubra ,so would like to visit any other places other than these 2. Could u pl suggest a better itinerary. Return flight from Leh.
I am planning yo go to leh from Srinagar
Question
1) Foreigner can go by bus sameas local / Indian
2) Is it adviceable to go back from Leh to Delhi by flight?
Thanks alt
Shuk
Malaysia
1. Yes
2. Depends on the time you have in hand and budget
Is it ok to go by car in month of July to Leh to Srinagar?
What about road conditions?
Yes. Road conditions will be Ok. Be prepared for the rain though
Hi Vargis, I am Chandan from Noida and intend to travel to Leh in first week of June-23 by Honda City along with my family. Which route would you suggest for Leh.
1. Noida Manali Leh
2. Noida Srinagar Leh
3. Noida Kinnaur Kaza Leh
Will be a great help if you can suggest me the best route and any advice from your side for travelling on these routes. Also can I cover Spiti in this travel to Leh or while on returning from Leh.
Hi Chandan – Bhai Honda City mein Kaza to Manali road toh bilkul cover mat karna, bekaar gaadi damage ho jaayegi. The best route for you will be Noida – Srinagr – Leh.
Hi Vargis, I am planning a kashmir trip (Srinagar, Pahalgam, Sonamarg) from July 4-12. I booked my roundttip flight tickets from Mumbai, but later realise my dates coincide with the yatra. I am now worried that it’ll be too crowded during that time and the whole point of a holiday will be defeated. Your advice please?
Hi Tabrez – The point of a holiday will not be defeated entirely but yes, it is going to be a lot crowded around Pahalgam and Sonamarg especially.
Hi Vargis . I m planning a trip from mumbai to Srinagar and Srinagar to leh . My trip starts from 30th April .
30th April to 2nd- Amritsar
2nd to 6 th – Srinagar
6th and 7th – Srinagar to Leh by road
7th to 12 – Leh
13th -Back to mumbai . It this a feasible plan pls let me know if I can make any amendments.
It is a doable plan Aaishwarya. How will you be traveling?
Hi Vargis, I’m Vijay. Me and my fiancé are planning a honeymoon to Leh Ladakh in September end this year, with a mix of adventure and luxury. I’ve read most of your posts and have already contacted Nasir (and made friends with him, lol). The itinerary goes as follows:
Day 1 (22nd Sept): flight from Delhi to Srinagar. Nasir picks up from the airport. We go to Sonamarg and stay there.
Day 2: Sonamarg to Kargil
Day 3: Kargil to Leh
Day 4: sightseeing in Leh
Day 5: Leh to Nubra valley (Hunder)
Day 6: sightseeing (a day visit to Turtuk)
Day 7 (28th Sept): Nubra valley to Pangong Tso to Leh (don’t want to spend the night in Pangong given the basic options available at Pangong and the weather in September end)
Day 8: Leh to Sarchu (please suggest if there’s anything better than this to plan! Don’t want the pain of going to Tso Moriri)
Day 9: Sarchu (or what you suggest) to Manali
Day 10: relax in Manali
Day 11 (2nd Oct): Flight to Delhi.
PS: Nasir stays with us for the whole duration from Srinagar airport to Manali airport.
Grateful for your advice. Also, very important given its our honeymoon, and I don’t want to mess it up.
Thanks,
Vijay Sharma
Also, Vargis, this is the first time we’re travelling to these heights, and have no clue what to expect. If you want to suggest any kind of change in the itinerary, I’ll be highly grateful. (Cost is not my concern here). Please suggest us the best possible itinerary (though I know this is not your KRA). Any other important information to take care of, will be highly appreciated as well. Just a dear help needed to make our experience memorable and comfortable.
Warm regards,
Vijay
Your trip plan is fine Vijay. You made a good decision to stay from Srinagar. It will help you acclimatize better.
Hi Vijay – Your itinerary looks great brother. No change is needed there really. You have planned it well
Bangalore – Srinagar( 2 days) – kargil to Rangdum (stay) (bus) -padum (Day 1 visit local karsha and to spend time in village , day 2 (cha -phutkal montesary (stay)-day 3 back to padum- zangala – lingshed -lamyaru -sham valley – leh (2 days) -side trips to Nubra Valley( 2 days) -turtuk or hunder (stay) – sumur -panamik or warshi (stay) – agam – shyok -pangong Lake (stay) -Man -merak – hanle village (2 days) -photi la pass visit. if possible to umling LA – tso moriri (stay) -tso khar – tangala -rohtang pass – Keylong – Manali, we are 4 and planned for a 16 days trip with a budget of 25 k each. First 2 days in Srinagar, from Srinagar bus to Kargil , kargil to rangdum bus, Where ever possible we will public transport and shared cab. Leh to nubra valley bus, From nubra to tangla, we have planned to hire cab. Could you please tell us if this plan is workable also suggest means of transport from padum to lamyaru considering our budget. Please give us your opinion
The plan is doable. You have sufficient time. The best way to get to Padum to Kargil to Lamayuru is by shared cab. The bus frequency is way too less
Hello, we are a group of 9 and we want to travel from Srinagar to leh by stopping in Kargil. I was looking for the time(hours) of travelling in each day as we have people having motion sickness with us. Can you help me out with that
Hi Nihar – It will be between 6 to 8 hours on both days
Our flight lands at Srinagar at around 1pm and we plan to drive straight to Sonamarg. If we are there in time then we visit the Thajiwas glacier else chill.
The next morning, we plan to depart for Leh. My question is can we make it to Leh by evening with halts at Kargil War Memorial, moon land at Lamayuru and lunch?
Is it advisable to do the drive on a single day with kids below 8yrs? We have visited Lamayuru monastery twice earlier and do not want to stop now. Short on time hence the one day drive to Leh from Sonamarg. The plan is for the 3rd week of May.
Yes it is doable, easily
Hi sir hope you are doing good, right now we are at leh, and bow we want return to delhi by our rented self drive car, but as you know leh – manali highway is affected by rain even mandi kullu and many other places and roads were damaged. So we are considering to return to delhi via srinagar so we have flight from delhi to Ahmedabad on 24 August at 8 p.m so what is the best and possible route for this pls suggest and guide and also any permits require for this route or any other thing that need to be take care pls suggest . Thank you.
You will have to take Leh – Kargil – Srinagar – Jammu – Pathankot – Chandigarh – Delhi route Saptarshi. No permits are required but there is curfew in Srinagar right now due to Article 370 situation so you may face a little problem there as well.
Hi, Vargis.
Is it possible to break down Srinagar to Leh journey at Mublekh? Does following sound do-able using only state transport and taxis?
I intend to visit kargil war memorial first and from there depending on transport availability reach Kargil or Mublekh village for a night’s stay. Second day, I’ll be resuming journey towards Leh.
[…] while discussing what to see in Ladakh as you travel. The reason why I am starting the journey from Srinagar and ending at Manali is that it is better for high altitude acclimatization and it saves you the […]
Hi Vargis,
Your comments and all your posts on ladakh tour has helped me alot… Understanding weather conditions and risks… Thank you very much..
Listening to ur plan, we are planning for ladakh a road trip, 6 members all are bikers…..
21st Sepetember: arrive Srinagar by flight
22nd Sepetember: Srinagar to Kargil and halt
23rd : kargil to leh
24: leh to nubra valley & nubra to leh (halt)
25th: Leh to pangong
26th pangong to tso moriri (Halt)
27th Tso moriri to sarchu (Halt)
28th Sarchu to manali via (Rohtang)
29th manali ma pathankot / Jammu
30th jammu to srinagar via mughal road
1st flight back from srinagar
This is our entire itenary
Firstly sir, what according to you a rough figure will do, will be the total expense of this plan.
Our halt places are correct as per plan??
Any other suggestion or place we missed or u like to give us……
Thank you
Hello – Sorry I missed responding on your comment until now. Please let me know if you are still looking forward to this information.
Planning my journey from srinagar to leh. Is is good to go on first week of june?
Hello – Sorry I missed responding on your comment until now. Please let me know if you are still looking forward to this information.
Hi vargis,
Your post of travel plan really helped me out…as we are planning for 10 days from mumbai….
We wish to cover most of the Himalayan range..
Going on the mid September month
Arriving srinagar by flight
We are bike travellers
21st sept- Srinagar to kargil (Halt)
22nd September – Kargil to leh
23rd Leh to nubra
24th Nubra to pangong
25th Pangong to tso moriri
26th Tso moriri to sarchu
27th Sarchu to manali via rohtang
28th Manali to pathankot jammu
29th Jammu to srinagar via mughal road
30th Flight back
We understood from your post of halting at srinagar when we arrive and then halt in kargil which we are going with it
My doubts are
In this entire itenary, after kargil which is the point where we should be staying for the night
What do you think about the route plan, can you add some stops and tell us a better way
Where all will be the permits??
As we are bike lovers, is there any suggestions or help you can provide for cheap bikes in srinagar.
Hello – Sorry I missed responding on your comment until now. Please let me know if you are still looking forward to this information.
Surely
Hi vargis, we a group of 3 are planning for a trip to leh through srinagar. Here below is our plan. Please tell me what you think.
Reaching srinagar from mumbai by flight. Staying 1 day in houseboat and dal lake.
Next day take a rented vehicle with driver from srinagar to kargil (one way). Staying in kargil overnight.
Next day renting a car (self drive would be great) to leh (as i read somewhere tha cars with registartion outside leh and kargil sector is not allowed for sight sighing in leh area, please confirm).
Dropping the car in leh and renting bikes to visit near to leh areas like nubrah valley, pangong etc. for next 3-4 days.
Taking a return flight from leh to mumbai.
Your suggestions will be much appreciated.
Hi Vargis
I wish to go to Leh from Srinagar Kindly let me know houseboat at best place in Srinagar at budget of 500 to 800 INR per day
Hi Trupti – I don’t know any houseboat owners myself but you can try talking to Faisal in Srinagar at 9596410670. He can direct you to someone good and reasonably priced.
Hi Vargis kindly I wish to travel from Shrinagar to Leh Kindly let me know best place to stay overnight in Srinagar in houseboat you may provide contact no. of houseboat owner providing 1 day stay near by 500 to 800 INR. Thanks!
Hi Trupti – I don’t know any houseboat owners myself but you can try talking to Faisal in Srinagar at 9596410670. He can direct you to someone good and reasonably priced.
Hi,
I was planning to visit Leh in 1st week of May from Delhi by air. But all the blogs and articles I have read have warned of AMS. Do you think I could consider taking the following route?
Delhi – Srinagar by flight
Srinagar – Leh by bus
Leh – Delhi by flight
My only concern is whether the Srinagar-Leh bus route will be functional. Also, I wonder if it is a safe road to go by bus – some folks in my family get nauseous when moving on hilly terrains.
Thanks in advance.
Hallo vargis
I have querry
Is it ok if we travel n mid June along we kids age 8 to 13.
Any oxygen or health issue while travelling from Srinagar to let.
I mean any oxygen or other precautions.
Hi Bhupinder,
Yes it is perfectly fine traveling with your kids. Do lake a look at the article below though, should give you more insight.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/traveling-to-ladakh-with-children/
Hello Vargis sir
I am Sanjay from Chandigarh me and my friends (4 no.) are planing for Leh by road on bike via Srinagar.we have bike 180cc pulser and 200 cc pulser.is the is suitable for riding and please share all the details for trip… like route and stay, )we all are going first time and we want put our own camp….please share all the details..we are planning trip from 1st june Is this time is possible for trip….
Thanks
Yes you can definitely bring Pulsar to Ladakh but just ensure that you are traveling solo and light. 1st June is a good time to go, roads will all be open by then,
Hello, Can the road trip with kids from Srinagar to Leh and sightseeing possible in a week? or should I plan to fly from Mumbai to Leh directly for a week. Would it be advisable to start sightseeing the next day in Leh?
Hello – If you have just one week than it is better to fly directly to Ladakh. Or you can reach Srinagar first and take a fly out from Leh. You can plan something like this,
1. Land in Leh. Rest and arrange permits
2. Rest if required and if your children complain of any uneasiness
3. Take a drive on Srinagar Leh highway until Lamayuru
4. Nubra Valley
5. Go to Pangong via Agham Shyok road
6. Arrive back in Leh
7. Fly out of Leh
Hi bro,
We are a couple planned to start trip on sep .10 to leh then srinagar (flights). Ques is what kind of shoe we need to take..
(Travel mode:15-17 days by shared taxi).
Hi Bala – Just carry a warm pair of socks and normal sports shoes. You do not need any special shoes for Ladakh, your regular ones will work just fine since you are traveling by taxis.
Sir Vargis Khan
Your Informations are very good!
We may stay in Leh Couple days and can book bus ticket reserve in 2 or 3 days advance?
Will road open in Middle October?
Hi vargis,
Myself Arjun, planning the road trip from Srinagar to Leh and I wound all your trips very useful..
Me and my 2 friends have to planned to do this route from 14th aug 2017 to 24 August Srinagar -leh- Srinagar.
I would like to know if we can use the same bikes that we hire from Srinagar to travel in nubra valley and pangong..!! And can you suggest some good bike rentals for the same..
Thanks and regards
Arjun
Hi Arjun – No the Srinagar rented bikes cannot be used for Nubra and Pangong. You can only travel till Leh on these bikes and then will have to rent another from Leh for sightseeing in nearby areas. For renting motorcycles in Srinagar, please see the article below.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/best-place-rent-a-bike-in-srinagar/
Dear Vargis
We are a family of three including our 11yr old son. Our plan is as below
July 3 Chandigarh (arriving 10.30AM at airport) to Udhampur/Patnitop
July 4 Udhampu/Patnitop to Sonamarg
July 5 Sonamarg to Leh
July 6 Leh sightseeing
July 7 Leh to Nubra valley (recommend Panama or Turtuk?)
July 8 Nubra to Pangong Tso
July 9 Panging Tso to Tso moriri
July 10 Tso moriri to Sarchu
July 11 Sarchu to Manali
July 12 Manali to chandigarh
is the above itinerary viable? My return flight is at 11AM from chandigarh on 13th july
I want to take a chauffeur driven rented car from chandigarh only for going to Leh and coming back. Since my return is from Tso moriri to Manali and I will use local taxi for all the touristic spots where can I ask my chandigarh driver to come and pick me on 10th july on the way to Manali.
Suggest some car rental company in chandigarh who go to Leh regularly. Also
Hello Mr. Chakraborty,
About your itinerary,
July 3 Chandigarh (arriving 10.30AM at airport) to Udhampur/Patnitop – Try to make this to Patnitop or else the journey to Sonamarg will be too long.
July 5 Sonamarg to Leh – Again a very long journey, must start from Sonamarg by 5 in the morning.
July 9 Panging Tso to Tso moriri – This is ideally a 2 days journey, too long for one day.
I do not have a contact in Chandigarh but I can help you with a taxi driver in Leh. Please let me know if interested. Since your phones will be out of reach, ask your driver to come back and wait for you at either Upshi or Pang. Your Leh taxi will exit on Manali Leh highway near Pang (If you also want to cover Tso Kar) so he can drop you there before coming back to Leh. If you do not want to cover Tso Kar, then ask the driver to wait for your at Upshi.
Thanks Vargis. I have changed my plan due to ongoing problem in Srinagar. new itinerary is
4th July, 2017 : Arrival Leh airport (10.30AM) & transfer to the hotel in Leh – Over Night Stay in Leh
Local sightseeing like Sangam, Hall of Fame, Pather Sahib, Shanti Stupa & Leh Palace
5th July, 2017 : Leh- Lamayuru via Rizong, Alchi, Likir, Basgo, Phyang ,confluence of Indus and Zanskar Over
night Stay in Leh
6th July, 2017 Leh – Nubra – visit to Diskit-Hunder-Panamic-Sumur –Over Night Stay in Nubra
7th July, 2017 Nubra – Turtuk – Diskit Over Night Stay in Nubra
8th July, 2017 : Nubra – Pangong Via Shyok – Over Night Stay in Pangong
9th July, 2017 : Pangong – Tso-morriri – Over Night Stay in Tso-morriri
10th July, 2017 : Tso-morriri – Sarchu/Jispa– Over Night Stay in Sarchu/Jispa
11th July, 2017 : Sarchu – Manali–
Can you recommend a better plan? My interests are Pangong, Nubra valley and tso morriri. Arriving at Leh airport on 4th july morning and have to be back to manali by 11th July as my return flight is from chandigarh on 13th july at 12 noon.
Please recommend a good taxi driver in Leh for this trip and my expectation is it may cost 30-35k INR for taxi fare as per above itinerary
Hello Shekhar – Better way of doing the journey would be as below.
4th – Leh
5th – Leh- Lamayuru – Leh
6th – Leh to Diskit
7th – to Pangong
8th – to Hanle
9th – to Karzok (Moriri)
10th – to Pang
11th – to Manali
Driver’s name is Sonam Angdus and you can speak to him at 9469272773. Let me him know you got his number from me.
hello Vargis ji,
we are 2 couples with 4 children going to leh via srinagar and as per your advice we will stay at soanmarg and Lamayuru and reach leh3rd day.
please let me know if the permit is required for the kids below 12 years, we have 2 kids aged 9yrs and 2kids 11yrs.
can we take online permit?
Thanks
Hello Nitin Ji – No permit is required anywhere in Ladakh for kids under 12 years of age.
Hey Vargis,
Your blog is much helpful to sort out the do’s & dont’s and specially to make our itinerary. Few questions to you.
I’m landing on Chandigarh airport by 1PM on 29th July 2017. Taking a bus/car, reaching Manali by mid night. We are starting the trip from Manali to Leh. So, I prefer, while going -> “Manali – Srinagar – Leh” & while returning -> “Leh – Sarchu – Manali”. Suggest me if this is possible in 6-7 days ?
We have to board the return flight from Chandigarh by 6AM on 6th August 2017.
Trip – 29th July – 5th August 2017.
Cheers,
Anand
+91-9790823145
Hi Anand, I am a little confused by your question actually. From Chandigarh you want to first go to Manali, then reach Srinagar, then Leh and come back to Manali? Why not go straight to Srinagar from Chandigarh and return to Manali via Leh? Any specific reason for going to Manali first from Chandigarh?