I’m back from my Leh Ladakh road trip and I can’t stop thinking about it. It was my dad’s dream road trip and hence, we did this to celebrate his superannuation (retirement from bank). On the eastern part of Jammu and Kashmir, Situated Ladakh which is a high altitude desert of India. The rich waters of the Zanskar River irrigate the landscape in Ladakh. Leh, the capital of Ladakh, better known as Little Tibet, due to its Tibetan culture and a large amount of monasteries spread here and there, is described as brown shaded hill ranges and a crystal blue sky. As you all know, I was had visited Ladakh recently with my family by road.
If you are planning to go on a road trip to Leh then I would suggest you must take the Manali – Leh route. We started out trip from Kanpur (which is my home city) while I joined my family in Delhi (as I was in Delhi at that time).
Our route was: Kanpur- Delhi- Shimla- Manali- Sarchu – Leh.
Sarchu is 227kms from Manali and is situated on the border of Himanchal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir. As there are no hotels in Sarchu, you have to stay in tents. I suggest you book your tents in advance as there are hardly 6-8 camps. We booked our tents from Dorje Camps website. Tents are spacious and have clean washrooms. Food and chai facility is also good. It is the best option to stay and trust me, it’ll be your best star-gazing experience EVER.
My tour was really a memorable one. We had planned everything. When you plan a visit to Ladakh, you must have a reasonable idea about what to do and what not to. Here are important Tips and suggestions while going to Leh Ladakh from my own experience and learning.
• Getting there:
For the best experience, go by road. The road drive is really enjoyable. Many airways function frequent flights all season long. Climate can play spoilsport at any time of the season, and may disrupt plans. I visited Leh in the month of July, though you can plan the trip anytime between May to Sept.
• Climate:
Stinging cool from Nov to March with temperature ranges dropping many degrees below normal. Everything is freezing over. The several weeks of July to Aug are nicely heated, while it is perfectly cool during the other months. It is always cool at higher altitudes. Make sure you always bring heated outfits with you in Ladakh at year ’round.
• Best time to visit Leh Ladakh:
July to early-October when roads are open, but schedules differ every season. No vehicle movement is possible the remaining season. You can fly in all other periods based on your chance to hold up against the cool.
• Places to stay:
There is no lack of accommodations in Leh for all costs. But choices restricted at all other locations. Unless you are planning to camp, it is recommended to book in advance.
• Connectivity:
Only BSNL and Idea postpaid work in Leh and Kargil, with no Internet available for Idea. Most other locations either have no connection or only state-run BSNL works. You can book a hotel that has a WiFi. That will help you a lot.
• Bonus tip:
Make sure you notice and read all the sign boards. There are so many interesting facts mentioned all through + the warning signs at some places are really funny. And yes, keep your speed slow to normal. Don’t rush, enjoy the views.
The area provides amazing picturesque sceneries, so bring as many cameras as you can. Some monasteries, however, may not allow photography within their premises. But every turn and every road of Ladakh has new view which is breathtaking. The outskirts of Leh city are fab!
Here are the pit-stops from Manali to Leh and handy ideas to make the most of it. Save this if you are planning a road trip from Manali to Leh.
Manali – 0km
Rohtang Pass – 50kms from Manali – Stop for a while and click pictures
Kokhsar Village – 60kms – Here the road diverts. One road goes to Spiti while the other goes to Leh. Also, make sure you visit Chandra-taal. It’s very VERY beautiful.
Tandi – 110kms
Keylong – 120kms – Last petrol filling station. The next one you’ll get in Leh so make sure you carry extra fuel with you before leaving Keylong
Jispa – 142kms – After this, you’ll get to cross the Naala (s) or Rapta (s) or river-on-the-roads including paagal-naala, the biggest of all
Darcha – 150kms – It’s an Army check-point
Zingzingbar – 173kms – It’s a last camp before Baralacha La
Baralacha La – 195kms – It’s the 3rd highest pass and if you are lucky, you’ll get to play with snow
Sarchu – 227kms (Scroll back to top for details)
Gata Loops – 260kms – Snake-like road, it has 21 loops back to back taking to straight to the top
Nakee La – 270kms – 4th highest pass of Ladakh
Lachunglung La – 285kms – Single lane tough roads starts from here. Make sure you cross it during the day-light
Pang – 305kms – It’s the highest village situated at 15000 feet. It is advisable that you don’t stop here for a longer time as it can cause severe headache.
Plains – 325kms – This is the most magnificent area (doesn’t have a specific name), the most commonly seen in movies; a long stretch of 30-40kms, plain area and magnificent view of snow-covered mountains, long empty roads and blue sky. It’s the most favorite of mine.
Tanglang La – 390kms – It’s the 2nd highest pass of the world
Upshi – 420kms – Leh-Ladakh region starts from here.
Karu – 430kms – It’s an Army base-camp; road to Pangong goes from here.
Leh – 470kms – And you are here!
Also read: 8 Best Places To Visit In Leh Ladakh + Photos From My Archive
