As the winter settles in Leh Ladakh, the most common question that adventure travelers start to ask is “How to make a winter trip to Ladakh??”. A winter trip to Ladakh is something to be carefully planned because one wrong move can leave you in a life-threatening situation amidst harsh cold conditions.
Leh Ladakh in Winter 2024 – How, Why & Most Important Tips [Winter Trip to Leh Ladakh]
I have already shared a detailed article that outlines the travel plan for a winter trip to Leh Ladakh, which you can refer to as the starting point for planning this adventurous journey. In this article today, I will try to provide some valuable tips to all of you so that you can smoothly plan your trip to Ladakh in winter.
Tips for a winter trip to Ladakh
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Let's quickly dive into the details:
Why Leh – Ladakh in Winters?
Most of the high mountain passes start getting snowfall by late October – November. Heavy snowfall closes both the roads to Ladakh, that is, Srinagar to Leh and Manali to Leh.
The journey over Srinagar – Leh Highway and especially the Manali – Leh Highway gets very risky to travel by October end due to snowfall at high mountain passes, the black ice on road that skids the vehicles making driving risky and above all extremely harsh cold conditions with not much shelter and food at disposal on these roads in winters.
So:
The only option to travel to Leh Ladakh in winters after October is to directly fly to Leh from Delhi.
A Winter Trip to Ladakh
Winter tourism in Ladakh is always special but lately, it is rising like anything. Many senior travelers and lovers of Ladakh including me, who use to love this once upon a time remote place named Ladakh, now see much filth, garbage, and litter in-season time & hence, try to avoid visiting it in summers.
Especially, owing to the rise of domestic tourists (forgive me on saying the bitter truth, but you know it is true, don’t you?? ?? ) who litter like anything on the shores of holy Pangong Tso or Tso Moriri, at remotest passes, in remote corners and where not they throw those shitty plastic bottles out of their moving cars or those wafer packets which such morons eat, open the window and throw out… disturbs the ecological balance, flora, and fauna just for the mere show off of the 4×4 capabilities their supercars posses, for few 100 likes, smileys, RTs in the age of this virtual Social Media???…
Confronting them means getting into trouble, spoiling the mood, sometimes taking on punches and spoiling your trip as locals have closed their eyes, and they don’t come forward to beat the shit out of such jack morons. Aah, my heart bleeds as I write all this but anyways lets come back to topic 🙂 🙂 …
PS: You can help save this beautiful heaven from this filth & littering by learning, sharing, spreading and educating these Tips for Responsible Travel in the Himalayas.
2024 Leh Ladakh Winter Trip Itinerary | Ladakh Trip in January, February | Ladakh Winter Ride Plan
Winter Trip to Ladakh – Important Tips
Given below are some special tips for making a winter trip to Ladakh in the coming season for you.
1. It will be cold, read very cold, so go prepared well enough!!
Flying directly to a high altitude place like Leh (3500+ Mtr) can cause serious health issues sometimes if proper care is not taken for Acute Mountain Sickness. And when it is winters, there should be extra care that needs to be taken in order to help your body fight & cope with extreme cold plus high altitude together.
Hence, one must always be at least aware of the importance of acclimatization and tips to better acclimatize before venturing to further high altitude in Ladakh. But, in winters the highways to heaven called Leh Ladakh are closed and hence, flying to Leh in harsh cold conditions in the only option one has on disposal.
When traveling to Ladakh in winters, keeping your body hydrated is a challenge. You need to drink plenty of water and water must be warm or hot to drink. Keep sipping black tea, black coffee, or hot honey lemon tea to combat cold and still keep your body hydrated. Carry Garlic & Black Pepper too as they provide warmth in the body and supports in fighting the cold.
You should go prepared to Ladakh in winter with the heavy woolens clothing, keep yourself covered all the time and do now expose body parts to cold especially the chest and next areas. Wrap muffler around your neck to keep warm or keep zippers of jackets closed to cover your neck. Remember that if you get hit by cold, then there could be issues in acclimatization as well.
Partially frozen Tso Moriri in Ladakh…
2. Carry good sleeping gears
It is always good that you carry your sleeping bag, rated at least 0 to -10 degrees Celsius when making a winter trip to Ladakh. Otherwise, you can buy a fleece sleeping bag that can be inserted into your low temperature rated sleeping bag as a layer to increase the temperature beating.
You will get some quilts or blankets anyhow that can act as further layers over it. You can check this sleeping bag in case interested Quechua S5 Light Right Zip Adult Sleeping Bag
There will be guest houses or homestays offering quilts and blankets and at times heater if you are lucky with power availability, but your sleeping bag will surely provide you that mental satisfaction of survival in such cold conditions. The layers of blankets or quilts can always act as layers of further warmth.
Remember that Tso Moriri will be very harsh, don’t know why, but it will be and hence, in case you plan to visit this lake then better stay at Chumathang which is a much warmer place in comparison to other nearby places to Tso Moriri Lake.
Khardung La buried under snow…
3. Prepare your budget well, expect least from stays or food and carry enough cash
Do not expect many discounts as most of the hotels or accommodation options will be closed for winter in Ladakh. The stay options which will be open, may charge almost the same amount of tariff and sometimes more to include heating facilities these hotels provide during winters, of course, that comes with a cost.
This is barely limited to Leh only, and I am not talking of Nubra Valley or Pangong Tso or Tso Moriri. At these places, you will have to rely on basic guest houses or homestays which are run by the local families in winter.
Some hotels even provide rates with meals as it is mostly hard to find food nearby and especially at night I am not sure that you will want to walk down the lanes in Leh in bone freezing conditions.
So, check for sure about the availability of food before fixing the deal. You should also check how they are charging you, that is inclusive of meals or not. Be ready to satisfy your hunger with basic food of rice, dal, and if at all lucky, chapati 😉 on your adventure trip to Ladakh in winter. Maybe just Lamayuru and Gesmo restaurants will be open in Leh’s main market among the other well-known restaurants in Leh.
Do not depend upon ATMs as they might not be functional due to lack of power or less cash. Hence, carry enough cash with you to complete the Ladakh trip.
Frozen moments at Tso Moriri Lake…
4. Prepare a decent budget for transport too
Continuing from stays, taxis will mostly be available as personal taxis only on your winter Ladakh trip. Shared taxis will be rare to spot, and most buses also discontinue the services to tourist places in Ladakh. There will be fewer tourists and hence very less possibility to get shared tourist taxis to share such costs in winters.
Prepare your budget accordingly, keeping in mind that you might need to rent a private taxi and the taxi prices like we all know are quite hefty in Leh – Ladakh. You can check the latest Ladakh taxi union rates and get in touch with local drivers directly. You can get about 10-15% of discount by directly getting in touch with drivers and of course, talking in person rather on the phone always help in bargaining more.
As it will be winter in Ladakh, with the lack of tourists around there is no need to pre-book any taxis, what I feel personal.
Traffic at Khardung La on a Winter Trip to Ladakh…
5. Plan at least a couple of buffer days in hand avoid hassles from an abrupt snowfall
Check weather forecasts before venturing over Khardung La pass or Chang La pass and make sure that there are no signs of heavy snowfall for that very day or coming days. Otherwise, you can easily get caught for 2-3 days in Nubra Valley or Tangste in case it snows heavily on Khardung La Pass or Chang La Pass respectively.
So, take calculated risks after seeing weather conditions even if the roads will open soon when snowfall resides but it is always best to keep the overall plan for winter Ladakh trip safe as well 🙂 🙂
It is always better to keep a couple of buffer days for such abrupt snowfall contingencies as many times it also snows in Leh resulting in the cancellation of flights. Hence, always good to have a couple of buffer days to be spent in Leh or making a day trip to Sham Valley for all such contingency cases.
Roads on a Winter Trip to Ladakh…
6. Enjoy the frozen vistas & book a window seat of your flight
Well apart from everything we talked about making a trip to Ladakh in winter in this article, do not forget to enjoy the magnificent shades of infinite landscapes and endless horizons covered with the abundance of snow like an ocean of snow till the point eyes can see them 😉
Do book a window seat of the flight, if possible on the left-hand side to enjoy some of the magnificent white gold covered aerial views of Himalayas from the window. Since there will be not many tourists around, you can enjoy the places, monasteries along very very hospitable people of Ladakh in a calm, peaceful and relaxed manner.
Leh in Winters…
Video – Ladakh Winter Trip Tips
Don’t have time to read the full article? Check this less than 3-minute video on Discover With Dheeraj YouTube Channel these six important tips about a winter Ladakh trip. If you like my video, please do not forget to SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube channel.
Video about – Can I plan a Ladakh trip in winters?
Conclusion
Well, I hope the above tips for making a winter trip to Ladakh will help you with your upcoming trip. I will look forward to any questions or doubts in the comments section of the article. If you have any valuable suggestions or inputs which you would like to share with fellow travelers to help them, please leave them in comments, and I will update the article accordingly.
In the end, please feel free to share this article will your friends or family who are planning a trip to Leh Ladakh in winter.
LAST UPDATED: Dec 2023 This article has been updated with the latest information about making a winter trip to Ladakh. It is kept up to date every season to reflect the current status. Feel free to suggest any further updates you deem fit that I may have missed.
I am Dheeraj Sharma - a traveler, techie, and Himalayan lover. Since 2009, I have been helping thousands of travelers every year plan memorable & budget-friendly trips to the Himalayas - Smartly, Safely, and responsibly.
Hi Dheeraj,
My sincere thanks for keeping us informed and helping us planning well and keeping ourselves safe. Your effort is highly appreciated.
I am from Dehradun and although I have visited Leh once (June 2014), knowing the dynamic Himalayan conditions I still need some help planning my trip this time. If you could please guide me with this.
I am thinking to make this trip by driving my car from 18-30 October. Last time I did it through the loop Dehradun-srinagar-kargil-Leh-Kartso-keylong-manali-Dehradun. This time I have a desire to have the pleasure of seeing the endless beauty of the Manali-Leh route during this early winter days. I want to visit Nubra and Pangong this time too. Please, suggest
I will not recommend driving to Leh post mid of October. I know over the Internet there are many people, who might, but personally, I prefer a safety over adventure. So, if you will ask me I will not suggest making a trip to Manali Leh Highway beyond mid of October.
sidheswar on
I knew its too risky and now your words have just killed the leftover courage. 🙂
Anyways, what if I start on 10th through Manali and comback from Kargil-Srinagar around 25th. How risky this would be? Should I do it or I must not? If you think I can please also suggest Dos and Don’ts for driving to Nubra valley and Pangong.
That will still be much much better. Up to 15th October, now a days it is in usualy OK but beyond that things get uncertain
shahid on
hello guy i came to know about this Red Sauce Restaurant which is open throughout the year in leh during this chilling cold with all variety of food ………. Italian, Continental, Mexican, Thai, Chinese, Local food and etc. Red Sauce Dining place is one of the best as its very warm and enclosed restaurant which cater all the chadar trek people and locals. The Best ever thing about Red Sauce is Home Delivery services which helps people to sit back in hotel and get their food on bed.
Thank you so much, will be helpful to many people.
Ravisankar.G on
Hi Dheeraj,
I have already completed Leh bike trip in June 2016. And I would like to go again in Winter season. So plan is to Fly to Leh and 6-7 days bike trip around the areas and return back from Leh. So is it advisable for a bike trip in winter ?? Please suggest.
Well, it will be too cold in Ladakh to do a bike trip. Unless you have proper gear and experience of riding in ice/snow, I will not recommend bike trip in Ladakh in winters. Even experienced guys struggle and mostly BRO does not allow bikes towards Chang La pass and Khardung La pass.
Ravisankar.G on
Hi Dheeraj,
Thanks for the advice. Then when will be the best time to go and enjoy the beauty of ladakh in snow.
If you want to in winters, you can go following the tips mentioned in the article above but bike ride is not a good idea. For bike ride you should plan something in late May or early June or mid June when Manali – Leh Highway opens.
Keshav on
Can you tell me sir ?is it ok to study in kargil ?and how may higher secondary schools (class 12 ) schools are there in kargil cuz my son need to study there … plz send me the list of schools in kargil
Sorry Keshav, I wil not be able to comment on that as don’t have such a information.
Deepshikha on
Hello,
My name is Deepshikha, am from Delhi, Your article is really very informative 🙂 I am planning to visit Leh this winter in Dec last week with my husband. If any one visiting in same time, same dates and would like to join us. Please let me know.
In case you are looking out for travel partners, you can submit a travel calendar entry from the menu to increase the visibility of your request. Else in comments it will not be that visible.
Deepshikha on
Hello Dheeraj,
Thanks for the info, I missed that calendar option. Just checked now but I am unable to select dates. Could you please help me with this?
Oops, can you please try some other browser. I am able to do so on my chrome.
Harish on
Hi Dheeraj. We have been to Ladakh thrice by road all time by road in June and August. We are planning to visit this time in end November Is it fine. Pl suggest itenry for4-5days. Me and my wife aged49and46
Day 1 | Delhi – Leh (By Flight)
— Checkin at Hotel. Many hotels provide free pick and drop from Airport. Ask while you book them.
— Take ample of rest as well as water or anything that keep your body hydrated enough. DO NOT OVER HYDRATE. Take ORS Soluted water or ORS – L tetra packs from home.
— Do not over exert your body at any cost. Avoid too much up-down on stairs or avoid it in entirety, if possible.
— After 5-6 Hrs of rest you can visit Leh Palace, Local Leh market, Shankar Gompa .
— If you feel exerted go back to Hotel, have dinner at Hotel and take rest. Avoid any exertion. Else continue and,
— Follow the sunset by stroll at Changspa road and have a nice dinner on varied cuisines offered in-around Changspa road.
— Go back to hotel for overnight stay at Leh.
Day 2 | Leh Local Sighseeing + Acclimatization
— Hire a taxi from Leh taxi stand or Hotel whichever suits you.
— Bargain hard with taxi driver. Book that single taxi for entire trip after explaining the complete plan.
— Take his inputs if you feel reasonable and if required modify the plan accordingly but should suits you best.
— Ask him to be with you guys starting first day itself, if required and charged reasonable else do it at your own.
— Again DO NOT over exert and take little steps and slow walks only.
— If feeling OK then do Local sightseeing. To know the about the places to visit check the link: Travel Guide for Local Sightseeing of Leh Town in Ladakh
— Do not use stairs at any of these places just to see them as it will exert your body much more.
— Overnight at Leh
Day 3 | Leh – Khardung La – Diskit – Hunder
— Head for Nubra Valley and stay overnight at Hunder / Diskit
— On the way enjoy a cup of soup at Highest Motorable Pass (as claimed) Khardung La
— Diskit has monasteries with tallest lord Buddha statue and Hunder has sand dunes and bacterian camel safari
Day 4 | Hunder / Diskit – Sumur – Panamik – Sumur – Khardung La – Leh
— Sumur has a famous monastery to check out and Panamik has hot water springs
— Overnight at Leh
Day 5 | Leh – Pangong Tso – Leh
— Do not plan to stay overnight at Pangong Tso as you will not be acclimatized and may fall sick. So, make a day trip only.
— Overnight at Leh
Sumit Mishra on
Hi Dheeraj,
Me along with 3 other friends planning for Winter in Leh, we all are aged b/w 25-27, we are planning for a 6-7 days stay in Leh-Ladakh and to explore possible itinerary. Could you please tell us what would be the approx expenditure considering the above itinerary you have mentioned for 6 days. Please do reply it would be very much helpful.
Thanks
Best is you get one taxi and keep it with you. PRices in Ladakh are based on Point to Point. Example 11K for return trip to Pangong Tso and 11 K for Nubra Valley. For the leh – ladakh taxi union rate list 2016 – 17 including the contacts of some reliable taxi drivers within Leh – Ladakh, check the link here. You can get about 12-15% of discount by directly getting in touch with drivers and of course, talking in person rather on phone always help in bargaining more.
Sumit Mishra on
How do I book a taxi for all of the travel in Leh ? is it possible only after going there in Leh or is there any other way ?
Hello Sumit, try Shanti guest house at Shanti Stupa road for winters.
ZF on
Hi Dheeraj,
Your blog is amazing, really. Thank you for all the information.
I am going to Leh with 2 friends on 12 September 2016 (next week!).
We have to fly in to Leh from Delhi.
We have actually bought flight tickets to Srinagar as we planned to use road from Srinagar to Leh.
But we were advised against it (by a friend who just got back 4 days ago and also by a tour agent – a Kashmiri) due to the current unrest in Srinagar.
We’ll be doing the common itinerary (Nubra Valley, Pangong).
What’s the weather like now? Any advice?
Weather is good and pleasant, couple of spells of snowfall so light woollens and one heavy woollen jacket is recommended. Yes, please avoid route from Leh to Srinagar.
Biplab Roy on
Hi Dheeraj,
I am planning to visit Leh from Oct 25-Oct29, 2016. Please suggest what would be the climate like at that time. and also if a visit to Nubra valley and Pangong Lake are single day tours possible in consecutive days. I will be going with my wife and my 5 year old son. What would be the likely influence of weather on flights at that time. I am going to and from via AirIndia.
Please suggest 4 days’s itinerary. Should I skip the Nubra valley and go only up to Khardungla? Which place among the 2 would be best suited for overnight stay the Nubra Valley and Pangong Lake.
Thanks.
MY mob number is 8768372233. I am from Kolkata.
I will not recommend a 4 day trip to Ladakh that late in the season especially with a kid of 5 yr. Better make a plan with at least 6-7 days in hand and in season time to enjoy the trip.
Biplab Roy on
Thanks Dheeraj for the reply and suggestions. I would also like to know what would be a perfect scenario for a 5-6 day trip to leh with respect to itinerary, the routes and also the time when one should visit.
Also, what could be the difficulties one 5 year old kid could face, and especially at the end of season in contrast to peak season? These all information I need for my future planning only. Thanks.
Biplab Roy on
Thanks Dheeraj for the reply and suggestions. I would also like to know what would be a perfect scenario for a 5-6 day trip to Leh with respect to itinerary, the routes and also the time when one should visit.
Also, what could be the difficulties one 5 year old kid could face, and especially at the end of season in contrast to peak season? These all information I need for my future planning only. Thanks.
Biplab, you will be flying in and flying out of Leh?
Day 1 | Delhi – Leh (By Flight)
— Checkin at Hotel. Many hotels provide free pick and drop from Airport. Ask while you book them.
— Take ample of rest as well as water or anything that keep your body hydrated enough. DO NOT OVER HYDRATE. Take ORS Soluted water or ORS – L tetra packs from home.
— Do not over exert your body at any cost. Avoid too much up-down on stairs or avoid it in entirety, if possible.
— After 5-6 Hrs of rest you can visit Leh Palace, Local Leh market, Shankar Gompa .
— If you feel exerted go back to Hotel, have dinner at Hotel and take rest. Avoid any exertion. Else continue and,
— Follow the sunset by stroll at Changspa road and have a nice dinner on varied cuisines offered in-around Changspa road.
— Go back to hotel for overnight stay at Leh.
Day 2 | Leh Local Sightseeing + Acclimatization
— Hire a taxi from Leh taxi stand or Hotel whichever suits you.
— Bargain hard with taxi driver. Book that single taxi for entire trip after explaining the complete plan.
— Take his inputs if you feel reasonable and if required modify the plan accordingly but should suits you best.
— Ask him to be with you guys starting first day itself, if required and charged reasonable else do it at your own.
— Again DO NOT over exert and take little steps and slow walks only.
— If feeling OK then do Local sightseeing. To know the about the places to visit check the link: Travel Guide for Local Sightseeing of Leh Town in Ladakh
— Do not use stairs at any of these places just to see them as it will exert your body much more.
— Overnight at Leh
Day 3 | Leh – Khardung La – Diskit – Hunder
— Head for Nubra Valley and stay overnight at Hunder / Diskit
— On the way enjoy a cup of soup at Highest Motorable Pass (as claimed) Khardung La
— Diskit has monasteries with tallest lord Buddha statue and Hunder has sand dunes and bacterian camel safari
Day 4 | Hunder / Diskit – Sumur – Panamik – Sumur – Khardung La – Leh
— Sumur has a famous monastery to check out and Panamik has hot water springs
— Overnight at Leh
Day 5 | Leh – Pangong Tso – Leh
— Do not plan to stay overnight at Pangong Tso as you will not be acclimatized and may fall sick. So, make a day trip only.
— Overnight at Leh
Day 6 | Rest day at Leh to enjoy local culture and some shopping OR Monastery tour OR Sham Valley tour OR Fly back home
— Overnight at Leh
— Monastery tour may include Hemis, Thicksey and Shey monasteries. They come on the route of Pangong Tso but as you will be doing day trip, it will be a bit hectic to include them on that day only.
— Sham Valley include Alchi, Likir, Basgo Palace, Magnetic Hills, Confluence at Nimmu, Gurudwara Pather Sahib
In general, it is fine to take the children of such age group because AMS do not matter with respect to age or sex or any fitness level. It can happen to anyone of any age or sex or fitness I shall say :D.. The issue with children is that they tend to exert the body considering it the same kind of place they belong to and this elevates the chances of getting struck with AMS. Secondly, they are not much expressive about their uneasy feelings, so it is parents who need to watch out and take care that the child is not suffering from uneasy feelings, headache or nausea and is behaving properly. With 5+ year child, I think he/she would be able to convey the uneasiness with little efforts. If you notice any such feeling or he/she tells you about such a feeling then please do not ascend anywhere, either descend to lower altitude or stay at the same place to watch things overnight and if symptom increase then start descending immediately. Same is applicable for any adult as well. And yes, do keep the body adequately hydrated!!
Many many thanks for the very detailed and informative article. I am now prepared to plan Leh next year as per your schedule and as you have said to go there in season time.
I will make my Leh trip at Diwali time this year to now a Rajasthan trip.
Hi Dheeraj,..Sabyasachi here…I am going for Chadar trek in 2016 in first week of February. I am planning to visit Tsomgo lake after the trek. How many days it will take to visit the lake and coming back to Leh???…what are the staying options in Tsomgo lake in winter and what are the taxi fare from Leh…thanks in advance
Roads to Pangong Tso remain open all round the year barring few days of heavy snowfall. You will not be able to stay at Pangong Tso BUT you should be able to stay a Tangtse which is 34 KMs before it. The guest houses up there should have heaters too in case light is available.
Tanvir Alam on
Hi, we are planning to Manali to Ladakh around 1st week of January 2016. Can we go by taxi during that time?
Tanvir, Manali – Leh road is closed, you will not be able to drive/ride upto end of May early June in 2016 on Manali – Leh highway
Abdulla Abdulgafoor on
Iam frm Kerala …we 3 frnds r planning to kullu – manali on april 8or9 days trip…..
Which way is suitable to reach kullu….and what all accessories we needed
You are planning for Manali only for 8-9 days? Are you sure?
Kamal Sarin on
Hi I am retired and Senior Citizen. I have booked for 5 nights in Leh with my wife from 8/3/16 to 13/3/16. Please suggest the best itinerary. thanks and regards
Kamal sir, things will be very harsh and cold in Leh during that time of the year. Most hotels will be closed too. Are you sure you will like to give it a try? Even the lakes will be white and frozen.
kamal sarin on
Thanks Dheeraj for the reply, This year in February we had visited Srinagar, Gulmarg , Pahalgam and Son Marg and had an experience of extreme snowfall. 3 times, we had to miss the flight from Srinagar due to heavy snowfall. Had a memorable experience. However, for Leh, we have booked our flights and the Hotel “The Grand Dragon”. Please suggest as what best we can do. Preference wise as and when the roads are clear, we shall follow your itinerary and miss the last options of preference when the roads are not clear. I have also spoken to Labsang the Cab owner as suggested. Regards
Alright, I hope you have already gone through the list of above tips. The plan in such a case for first three days shall be as mentioned in the itinerary: Leh – Ladakh in Winters – Most Common Itinerary
Rest you can follow based on the days and how things unfold up there in Ladakh.
Anuapurvv on
Hi Dheeraj,
Such an amazing post it is. Brief yet capturing the soul of the leh.
I have been in september in leh 2 years back for a cycling trip and the weather around that time was great and so was the whole experience of cycling in around leh.
Have actually planned this time for a short 5 day trip in feb 16.
Need your guidance as to what places can I explore as will be travelling as a couple this time.
Thanks!!
Anuapurv
Kaushal on
Plz suggest me I m frm ajmer I plan my travel AJMER to Jammu. Than srinagar, gulmarg, patnitop, sonmarg,leh ladakh..
Second one I plan ajmer to Chandigarh than go to manali and rohtanag…my plan date 11 dec to 18 dec..suggest me which one is better..
Third one.is ajmer to Goa
Kaushal, it depends upon the number of days and budget. Kullu Manalu can be done in less days and less budget while Kashmir tour will need more days and more budget
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55 Comments
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Hi Dheeraj,
My sincere thanks for keeping us informed and helping us planning well and keeping ourselves safe. Your effort is highly appreciated.
I am from Dehradun and although I have visited Leh once (June 2014), knowing the dynamic Himalayan conditions I still need some help planning my trip this time. If you could please guide me with this.
I am thinking to make this trip by driving my car from 18-30 October. Last time I did it through the loop Dehradun-srinagar-kargil-Leh-Kartso-keylong-manali-Dehradun. This time I have a desire to have the pleasure of seeing the endless beauty of the Manali-Leh route during this early winter days. I want to visit Nubra and Pangong this time too. Please, suggest
Thank you !!
I will not recommend driving to Leh post mid of October. I know over the Internet there are many people, who might, but personally, I prefer a safety over adventure. So, if you will ask me I will not suggest making a trip to Manali Leh Highway beyond mid of October.
I knew its too risky and now your words have just killed the leftover courage. 🙂
Anyways, what if I start on 10th through Manali and comback from Kargil-Srinagar around 25th. How risky this would be? Should I do it or I must not? If you think I can please also suggest Dos and Don’ts for driving to Nubra valley and Pangong.
That will still be much much better. Up to 15th October, now a days it is in usualy OK but beyond that things get uncertain
hello guy i came to know about this Red Sauce Restaurant which is open throughout the year in leh during this chilling cold with all variety of food ………. Italian, Continental, Mexican, Thai, Chinese, Local food and etc. Red Sauce Dining place is one of the best as its very warm and enclosed restaurant which cater all the chadar trek people and locals. The Best ever thing about Red Sauce is Home Delivery services which helps people to sit back in hotel and get their food on bed.
Thank you so much, will be helpful to many people.
Hi Dheeraj,
I have already completed Leh bike trip in June 2016. And I would like to go again in Winter season. So plan is to Fly to Leh and 6-7 days bike trip around the areas and return back from Leh. So is it advisable for a bike trip in winter ?? Please suggest.
Revisankar.G
Well, it will be too cold in Ladakh to do a bike trip. Unless you have proper gear and experience of riding in ice/snow, I will not recommend bike trip in Ladakh in winters. Even experienced guys struggle and mostly BRO does not allow bikes towards Chang La pass and Khardung La pass.
Hi Dheeraj,
Thanks for the advice. Then when will be the best time to go and enjoy the beauty of ladakh in snow.
If you want to in winters, you can go following the tips mentioned in the article above but bike ride is not a good idea. For bike ride you should plan something in late May or early June or mid June when Manali – Leh Highway opens.
Can you tell me sir ?is it ok to study in kargil ?and how may higher secondary schools (class 12 ) schools are there in kargil cuz my son need to study there … plz send me the list of schools in kargil
Sorry Keshav, I wil not be able to comment on that as don’t have such a information.
Hello,
My name is Deepshikha, am from Delhi, Your article is really very informative 🙂 I am planning to visit Leh this winter in Dec last week with my husband. If any one visiting in same time, same dates and would like to join us. Please let me know.
In case you are looking out for travel partners, you can submit a travel calendar entry from the menu to increase the visibility of your request. Else in comments it will not be that visible.
Hello Dheeraj,
Thanks for the info, I missed that calendar option. Just checked now but I am unable to select dates. Could you please help me with this?
Oops, can you please try some other browser. I am able to do so on my chrome.
Hi Dheeraj. We have been to Ladakh thrice by road all time by road in June and August. We are planning to visit this time in end November Is it fine. Pl suggest itenry for4-5days. Me and my wife aged49and46
Harish ji, you can plan the trip lke below:
Day 1 | Delhi – Leh (By Flight)
— Checkin at Hotel. Many hotels provide free pick and drop from Airport. Ask while you book them.
— Take ample of rest as well as water or anything that keep your body hydrated enough. DO NOT OVER HYDRATE. Take ORS Soluted water or ORS – L tetra packs from home.
— Do not over exert your body at any cost. Avoid too much up-down on stairs or avoid it in entirety, if possible.
— After 5-6 Hrs of rest you can visit Leh Palace, Local Leh market, Shankar Gompa .
— If you feel exerted go back to Hotel, have dinner at Hotel and take rest. Avoid any exertion. Else continue and,
— Follow the sunset by stroll at Changspa road and have a nice dinner on varied cuisines offered in-around Changspa road.
— Go back to hotel for overnight stay at Leh.
Day 2 | Leh Local Sighseeing + Acclimatization
— Hire a taxi from Leh taxi stand or Hotel whichever suits you.
— Bargain hard with taxi driver. Book that single taxi for entire trip after explaining the complete plan.
— Take his inputs if you feel reasonable and if required modify the plan accordingly but should suits you best.
— Ask him to be with you guys starting first day itself, if required and charged reasonable else do it at your own.
— Again DO NOT over exert and take little steps and slow walks only.
— If feeling OK then do Local sightseeing. To know the about the places to visit check the link: Travel Guide for Local Sightseeing of Leh Town in Ladakh
— Do not use stairs at any of these places just to see them as it will exert your body much more.
— Overnight at Leh
Day 3 | Leh – Khardung La – Diskit – Hunder
— Head for Nubra Valley and stay overnight at Hunder / Diskit
— On the way enjoy a cup of soup at Highest Motorable Pass (as claimed) Khardung La
— Diskit has monasteries with tallest lord Buddha statue and Hunder has sand dunes and bacterian camel safari
Day 4 | Hunder / Diskit – Sumur – Panamik – Sumur – Khardung La – Leh
— Sumur has a famous monastery to check out and Panamik has hot water springs
— Overnight at Leh
Day 5 | Leh – Pangong Tso – Leh
— Do not plan to stay overnight at Pangong Tso as you will not be acclimatized and may fall sick. So, make a day trip only.
— Overnight at Leh
Hi Dheeraj,
Me along with 3 other friends planning for Winter in Leh, we all are aged b/w 25-27, we are planning for a 6-7 days stay in Leh-Ladakh and to explore possible itinerary. Could you please tell us what would be the approx expenditure considering the above itinerary you have mentioned for 6 days. Please do reply it would be very much helpful.
Thanks
Hi Sumit, consider about 25K for the taxi and then about 1000-1200 per day for food + stay.
Hi Dheeraj,
I really appreciate your concerned reply and my sincere THANKS to you for this.
Is it possible to rent a taxi and take the same to all the itinerary we’d cover ? it’s must to pay differently for different locations.
Best is you get one taxi and keep it with you. PRices in Ladakh are based on Point to Point. Example 11K for return trip to Pangong Tso and 11 K for Nubra Valley. For the leh – ladakh taxi union rate list 2016 – 17 including the contacts of some reliable taxi drivers within Leh – Ladakh, check the link here. You can get about 12-15% of discount by directly getting in touch with drivers and of course, talking in person rather on phone always help in bargaining more.
How do I book a taxi for all of the travel in Leh ? is it possible only after going there in Leh or is there any other way ?
YEs, Sumit, you can get in touch with the drivers mentioned in the link I shared earlier either before or after reaching Leh
could you please recommend us any guest house which is open in winter with the above mentioned price range (1000-1200 including food.) ?
Hello Sumit, try Shanti guest house at Shanti Stupa road for winters.
Hi Dheeraj,
Your blog is amazing, really. Thank you for all the information.
I am going to Leh with 2 friends on 12 September 2016 (next week!).
We have to fly in to Leh from Delhi.
We have actually bought flight tickets to Srinagar as we planned to use road from Srinagar to Leh.
But we were advised against it (by a friend who just got back 4 days ago and also by a tour agent – a Kashmiri) due to the current unrest in Srinagar.
We’ll be doing the common itinerary (Nubra Valley, Pangong).
What’s the weather like now? Any advice?
Thanks!
Weather is good and pleasant, couple of spells of snowfall so light woollens and one heavy woollen jacket is recommended. Yes, please avoid route from Leh to Srinagar.
Hi Dheeraj,
I am planning to visit Leh from Oct 25-Oct29, 2016. Please suggest what would be the climate like at that time. and also if a visit to Nubra valley and Pangong Lake are single day tours possible in consecutive days. I will be going with my wife and my 5 year old son. What would be the likely influence of weather on flights at that time. I am going to and from via AirIndia.
Please suggest 4 days’s itinerary. Should I skip the Nubra valley and go only up to Khardungla? Which place among the 2 would be best suited for overnight stay the Nubra Valley and Pangong Lake.
Thanks.
MY mob number is 8768372233. I am from Kolkata.
I will not recommend a 4 day trip to Ladakh that late in the season especially with a kid of 5 yr. Better make a plan with at least 6-7 days in hand and in season time to enjoy the trip.
Thanks Dheeraj for the reply and suggestions. I would also like to know what would be a perfect scenario for a 5-6 day trip to leh with respect to itinerary, the routes and also the time when one should visit.
Also, what could be the difficulties one 5 year old kid could face, and especially at the end of season in contrast to peak season? These all information I need for my future planning only. Thanks.
Thanks Dheeraj for the reply and suggestions. I would also like to know what would be a perfect scenario for a 5-6 day trip to Leh with respect to itinerary, the routes and also the time when one should visit.
Also, what could be the difficulties one 5 year old kid could face, and especially at the end of season in contrast to peak season? These all information I need for my future planning only. Thanks.
Biplab, you will be flying in and flying out of Leh?
Day 1 | Delhi – Leh (By Flight)
— Checkin at Hotel. Many hotels provide free pick and drop from Airport. Ask while you book them.
— Take ample of rest as well as water or anything that keep your body hydrated enough. DO NOT OVER HYDRATE. Take ORS Soluted water or ORS – L tetra packs from home.
— Do not over exert your body at any cost. Avoid too much up-down on stairs or avoid it in entirety, if possible.
— After 5-6 Hrs of rest you can visit Leh Palace, Local Leh market, Shankar Gompa .
— If you feel exerted go back to Hotel, have dinner at Hotel and take rest. Avoid any exertion. Else continue and,
— Follow the sunset by stroll at Changspa road and have a nice dinner on varied cuisines offered in-around Changspa road.
— Go back to hotel for overnight stay at Leh.
Day 2 | Leh Local Sightseeing + Acclimatization
— Hire a taxi from Leh taxi stand or Hotel whichever suits you.
— Bargain hard with taxi driver. Book that single taxi for entire trip after explaining the complete plan.
— Take his inputs if you feel reasonable and if required modify the plan accordingly but should suits you best.
— Ask him to be with you guys starting first day itself, if required and charged reasonable else do it at your own.
— Again DO NOT over exert and take little steps and slow walks only.
— If feeling OK then do Local sightseeing. To know the about the places to visit check the link: Travel Guide for Local Sightseeing of Leh Town in Ladakh
— Do not use stairs at any of these places just to see them as it will exert your body much more.
— Overnight at Leh
Day 3 | Leh – Khardung La – Diskit – Hunder
— Head for Nubra Valley and stay overnight at Hunder / Diskit
— On the way enjoy a cup of soup at Highest Motorable Pass (as claimed) Khardung La
— Diskit has monasteries with tallest lord Buddha statue and Hunder has sand dunes and bacterian camel safari
Day 4 | Hunder / Diskit – Sumur – Panamik – Sumur – Khardung La – Leh
— Sumur has a famous monastery to check out and Panamik has hot water springs
— Overnight at Leh
Day 5 | Leh – Pangong Tso – Leh
— Do not plan to stay overnight at Pangong Tso as you will not be acclimatized and may fall sick. So, make a day trip only.
— Overnight at Leh
Day 6 | Rest day at Leh to enjoy local culture and some shopping OR Monastery tour OR Sham Valley tour OR Fly back home
— Overnight at Leh
— Monastery tour may include Hemis, Thicksey and Shey monasteries. They come on the route of Pangong Tso but as you will be doing day trip, it will be a bit hectic to include them on that day only.
— Sham Valley include Alchi, Likir, Basgo Palace, Magnetic Hills, Confluence at Nimmu, Gurudwara Pather Sahib
In general, it is fine to take the children of such age group because AMS do not matter with respect to age or sex or any fitness level. It can happen to anyone of any age or sex or fitness I shall say :D.. The issue with children is that they tend to exert the body considering it the same kind of place they belong to and this elevates the chances of getting struck with AMS. Secondly, they are not much expressive about their uneasy feelings, so it is parents who need to watch out and take care that the child is not suffering from uneasy feelings, headache or nausea and is behaving properly. With 5+ year child, I think he/she would be able to convey the uneasiness with little efforts. If you notice any such feeling or he/she tells you about such a feeling then please do not ascend anywhere, either descend to lower altitude or stay at the same place to watch things overnight and if symptom increase then start descending immediately. Same is applicable for any adult as well. And yes, do keep the body adequately hydrated!!
Replied to your other comment.
Hi Dheeraj,
Many many thanks for the very detailed and informative article. I am now prepared to plan Leh next year as per your schedule and as you have said to go there in season time.
I will make my Leh trip at Diwali time this year to now a Rajasthan trip.
Thanks again.
Good to know that, have a great trip ahead 🙂
Hi Dheeraj,..Sabyasachi here…I am going for Chadar trek in 2016 in first week of February. I am planning to visit Tsomgo lake after the trek. How many days it will take to visit the lake and coming back to Leh???…what are the staying options in Tsomgo lake in winter and what are the taxi fare from Leh…thanks in advance
Lake Tsomgo is in Sikkim not Ladakh. Are you sure you refering to it? Or Pangong Tso / Tso Moriri lakes?
sorry…I was refering to Pangong Tso…I am going in 2017…by mistake I wrote it 2016…thanks
Roads to Pangong Tso remain open all round the year barring few days of heavy snowfall. You will not be able to stay at Pangong Tso BUT you should be able to stay a Tangtse which is 34 KMs before it. The guest houses up there should have heaters too in case light is available.
Hi, we are planning to Manali to Ladakh around 1st week of January 2016. Can we go by taxi during that time?
Brgds,
Tanvir
Tanvir, Manali – Leh road is closed, you will not be able to drive/ride upto end of May early June in 2016 on Manali – Leh highway
Iam frm Kerala …we 3 frnds r planning to kullu – manali on april 8or9 days trip…..
Which way is suitable to reach kullu….and what all accessories we needed
You are planning for Manali only for 8-9 days? Are you sure?
Hi I am retired and Senior Citizen. I have booked for 5 nights in Leh with my wife from 8/3/16 to 13/3/16. Please suggest the best itinerary. thanks and regards
Kamal sir, things will be very harsh and cold in Leh during that time of the year. Most hotels will be closed too. Are you sure you will like to give it a try? Even the lakes will be white and frozen.
Thanks Dheeraj for the reply, This year in February we had visited Srinagar, Gulmarg , Pahalgam and Son Marg and had an experience of extreme snowfall. 3 times, we had to miss the flight from Srinagar due to heavy snowfall. Had a memorable experience. However, for Leh, we have booked our flights and the Hotel “The Grand Dragon”. Please suggest as what best we can do. Preference wise as and when the roads are clear, we shall follow your itinerary and miss the last options of preference when the roads are not clear. I have also spoken to Labsang the Cab owner as suggested. Regards
Alright, I hope you have already gone through the list of above tips. The plan in such a case for first three days shall be as mentioned in the itinerary: Leh – Ladakh in Winters – Most Common Itinerary
Rest you can follow based on the days and how things unfold up there in Ladakh.
Hi Dheeraj,
Such an amazing post it is. Brief yet capturing the soul of the leh.
I have been in september in leh 2 years back for a cycling trip and the weather around that time was great and so was the whole experience of cycling in around leh.
Have actually planned this time for a short 5 day trip in feb 16.
Need your guidance as to what places can I explore as will be travelling as a couple this time.
Thanks!!
Anuapurv
Plz suggest me I m frm ajmer I plan my travel AJMER to Jammu. Than srinagar, gulmarg, patnitop, sonmarg,leh ladakh..
Second one I plan ajmer to Chandigarh than go to manali and rohtanag…my plan date 11 dec to 18 dec..suggest me which one is better..
Third one.is ajmer to Goa
Kaushal, please make a plan for some lower hills. The roads to Ladakh are closed and will open next year now.
Sir I go vaishnudevi, sonmarg,gulmarg,patnitop..
Second one is kullu manali…sugeest me which one better…
Kaushal, it depends upon the number of days and budget. Kullu Manalu can be done in less days and less budget while Kashmir tour will need more days and more budget
Another great article, thanks.
Jim
Thank you Jim, glad you liked the article.