Trip Plan
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The Most Comprehensive Road Trip Itinerary for Ladakh
Important Distance route instructions for Ladakh Road Trip
Day 2(04 Jun) : Leh and Around
Attractions : Stok Palace, Thicksey Monastery, Leh Market & Sunset at Shanti Stupa
Distance : 35 kms max
Road Condition : Excellent all around Leh ( Traffic and parking issues near Leh markets of Fort Road / Changspa / Main Bazaar )
Food Recommendation : Cloud 9 is an excellent place for lunch / La Pizzata for wood fired Pizza / Grand Dragon for fine dining Restaurant & for a glass of beer in the open
After a relaxed breakfast, visit the Stok Palace .. this is followed by visit to Thicksey Monastery. .. Cafe Cloud near Thicksey should be choice for lunch so plan the site seeing accordingly. Will come back to the hotel and then take some rest. We will explore the Leh town in the evening followed by Sunset at Shanti Stupa is a must
Day 3 (05 Jun) : Leh to Nubra Valley
Route : Leh – Khardung La – Khalsar – Diskit – Hunder
Attractions : Khardung La, Giant Buddha Statue @ Diskit , Sand Dunes @ Hunder Village
Distance : 125 kms 4 hrs ( 3 hrs of stoppage time, total 7 hrs )
Road Condition : Bad Around Khardung La ( Rest smooth 2 lane, road construction work is still in progress 2016 summer )
Food Recommendation : Dhabas available at North Pullu – Khardung Village – Khalsar – Diskit
Khardung La is the highest motorable road in the world at 18,500 ft. you will begin our ascend to this acclaimed pass and take it slow .. The views around are incredible .. If we pay attention, we can spot a frozen water fall as well …It can snow at anytime of the year in Khardung La, so if you keep our fingers crossed, you can encounter fresh snow fall. Once you cross over then the views are awesome. You can start after breakfast by 9 or 10 AM and have your lunch once you reach Khardung Village, there is Mid Way resort there with nice meal options. If you like to eat local food, then there is a small Dhabha on the right side of the road where locals eat. There is a beautiful Giant Budha statue just as you approach Diskit, do visit it as well. But you must make it to a point to reach the sand dunes when the sun is setting, it is absolutely divine to walk on the sand dunes in the evening.
Tip: Find your own private sand dune and spend the evening till it gets dark here ( You may have to walk a little )
Imp : On a clear day in July and Aug, the Sun Rays are pretty strong in the afternoon. Kindly plan in such a way that we reach Diskit / Hunder only by 4 PM
Imp : Carry a an extra can of fuel from Leh on this section of the trip : No Fuel Available till your reach back Leh ( Must for Scorpio / not required for XUV / Fortuner / Must for Bikes )
Day 4 (6 Jun) : Nubra Valley to Pangong via Shyok
Route : Hunder – Diskit – Khalsar – Agyam – Shyok – Durbuk – Tangste – Lukung – Spangmik
Attractions : Wilderness Drive to Agyam, Drive through Shyok RIver Bed
Distance : 155 kms 6 hrs ( 1 hrs of stoppage time, total 7 hrs )
Road Condition : Bad after Agyam ( Lot of slides , dry river bed , etc If its raining then this section is very tricky 4×4 preferred if not dry )
Food Recommendation : Dhabas are only available near Durbuk ( You wil find an odd tea shop on way before that ) – Khalsar has some Dhabhas ( Pack your food from the camp / hotel in Nubra and then have it at a place of your choice )
Do remember to soak in the serenity early morning at the sand dunes .. It is absolutely divine to go for an early morning walk at the sand dunes … To listen to the gurgling sound of the stream and enjoy the crisp morning air … Today you will drive via Shyok to reach the greatest lake of Ladakh .. if you like to maximise our experience of the Pangong lake then again it is recommended that you start latest by 9 AM
You can have a meal at Tangste main market. Simple meals are provided here. 3 Idiots crew stayed in Tangste . Along the way you can find tea / Maggi / some snacks… Its magical to see the changing hues of Pangong Lake with the variation in the Sun intensity … Listen to the waves lapping the shores, watch the migratory birds and see the sun fade away at the horizon .. Whether it is a moon lit night or star studded night … The night sky is brilliant in Pangong .. One can spend hours looking at the sky … ( Loose Fuel Available in the market )
Day 5 (7 Jun) : Pangong to Leh
Route : Spangmik – Lukung – Tangste – Durbuk – Chang La – Zingral – Shakti – Karu – Leh
Attractions : Chang La @ 17,500 ft
Distance : 155 kms 5 hrs ( 1 hrs of stoppage time, total 6 hrs )
Road Condition : Bad around Chang La
Food Recommendation : Have your meal at Cloud 9 or in Leh ( No point anywhere on way )
Enjoy the morning sunrise and walk along the lake shore. See the changing hues of the Grand Lake and get mesmerized by its beauty. Enjoy a leisurely breakfast and at your own pace head back to Leh. Evening you can either head to the market or just enjoy a relaxed evening at the hotel. Route is ( Dhabhas available at Tangste / Chang La / Karu ) Or Lunch at Cafe Cloud near Thicksey
You will really enjoy a relaxed day in Leh here before you begin the Manali Section – If you can afford the time do it
Day 6 (8 Jun) : Leh to Tso Moriri
Route : Leh – Upshi – ( Take Manali Highway from Upshi ) Tanglung La – Debring – Tso Kar – Sumdo – Korzok ( Tso Moriri )
Attractions : Tanglung La , Moreh Plains, Tso Kar
Distance : 240 kms 8 hrs ( 3 hrs of stoppage time, total 11 hrs )
Road Condition : Mostly Good ( From Debring Dirt road begins all the way till Tso Moriri )
Food Recommendation : Have your meal at Debring Or Best get it packed at Upshi or from your hotel and have it at a place of your choice
After breakfast from Leh recommended start time 8 AM. We begin our drive to Manali but we go via the lakes of Ladakh. We first will head to Tso Moriri via Tanglung La and once you reach Debring which is marked by a cluster of Parachute dhabhas, take the dirt track to Tso Kar on your left .. This section is the begining of Moreh Plains and you will merge back here only on your return from Tso Moriri … The dirt tracks are quite clearly marked and you will not be lost … The first point is Upshi where you will find some Dhabhas ..
( Just before Upshi roughly 70kms from Leh, please remember to pay the J&K Tax which is very important, applicable for Self Drive Rented vehicles only from Zoom / Myles / Voler / etc )
Imp : Carry a an extra can of fuel from Leh on this section of the trip : No Fuel Available till your reach Tandi ( Must for Scorpio / not required for XUV / Fortuner / Must for Bikes )
Day 7 (9 Jun) : Tso Moriri to Sarchu
Route : Tso Moriri – Sumdo – Tso Kar – Debring – Moreh Plains – Pang – Sarchu
Attractions : Tanglung La , Moreh Plains, Tso Kar
Distance : 240 kms 8 hrs ( 2 hrs of stoppage time, total 10 hrs )
Road Condition : Good and Bad (Pang to Sarchu is bad, Moreh Plains is excellent )
Food Recommendation : At Pang or just before Sarchu ( Choose a clean Dhabha and eat )
You need to start after an early breakfast by 7 AM, our destination is Sarchu, A high altitude plains at 15,000 ft. The route will take us through Tanglung La and into Moreh Plains. This is arguably the most beautiful part of the drive. Moreh Plains is incredibly beautiful with over 50 kms of flat land at 14,000 ft is beyond imagination …Just as you cross Moreh Plains, you will descend into Pang ( characterized by clusters of Dhabha ) You can have a tea/lunch break here .. Just you begin the drive from Pang, you will enter the sculpted gorges which is then followed by ascend to Lachung La, Nakee La. Once you cross the two passes you will encouter the famous Gata Loops, a 21 hair pin bends descending into plains of Sarchu. Numerous photo opportunities will exist on this day … Sarchu plains @ 15,000 ft is another marvel of nature. If you are a photography lover, then take extra buffer in your hand and start at 5 AM. Do enjoy a late night walk at Sarchu Plains, if you reach early while it is still day take a walk towards the river .
Day 8 (10 Jun) : Sarchu to Manali
Route : Sarchu – Baralacha La – Zing Zing Bar – Darcha – Jispa – Keylong – Tandi ( Fuel Available) – Koksar – Sissu – Rohtang Pass – Marhi – Kothi – Solang
Attractions : Barlacha La, Suraj Tal, Deepak Tal, Rohtang Pass
Distance : 225 kms 9 hrs ( 2 hrs of stoppage time, total 11 hrs )
Road Condition : Good and Bad (Sarchu to Jispa really bad, good after that except near Koskhar for 20 kms, final construction work happening 2016 status )
Food Recommendation : At Jispa or Keylong : Koksar Dhabhas are not hygienic / Dabhas at Marhi is your next choice
Drive from Sarchu to Manali should be covered in 10 hours So you need to start after an early breakfast. Recommended time of start 7 AM. It is a beautiful drive through the most beautiful of the high passes the Baralacha La. Suraj Tal, Deepak Tal and then Jispa are all incredibly beautiful …. The final ascend is to Rohtang Pass,which is our last of the high altitude passes before you descend into Manali. Meals can be had at Keylong or even Kokshar. If you want proper meals, then you need head to the market in Keylong. Till June add 3 hrs to the drive time due to traffic Jam in Rohtang. From July, the traffic jams at Rohtang disappear