Other articles in this series on Preferred Hotels or Accommodation options in Leh – Ladakh –

In this fifth and final article of the series – Good Hotels or Accommodation options near Tso Moriri Lake, I am enlisting down some of the preferred places to stay around Tso Moriri lake – Ladakh which range from Rs 700-800 per person and goes beyond Rs 5000 for a camp or room for two depending upon comfort, meal plan and facilities they offer. Tso Moriri lake is a remote place and though accommodation options are good in number but fairly limited to tented accommodation or home stays. You can refer the list of below guest houses or hotels or camping resorts compiled after reading various resources/reviews of many people over Internet mainly IndiaMike and BCMT forums (as said earlier, of course, I cannot stay in all of them 😉 ).

Heavenly Colors of Tso Moriri Lake
Colors of Tso Moriri Lake

You cannot find accommodation at Tso Moriri lake on the banks because it is restricted to pitch the camps there being a wetland reserve and sanctuary for migratory birds. You can pitch the tents near the other tented colonies pitched just before Korzok village or find an accommodation in Korzok village. Both ways you will definitely have a clear and broad view of the 24 KM in length, 6 KM in width this magnificent blue colored high altitude lake – Tso Moriri (Tsomoriri Wetland Conservation Reserve).

Most of these places are ideal to stay and offer decent comfort and facilities which a family may require but as I said earlier for Pangong Tso, you need to compromise on certain things if budget is a constraint in your travel. You need to keep in mind that Tso Moriri lake is a remote place and one cannot expect all the luxury in the world even after paying Rs 3000 per night. At Tso Moriri, getting a place to stay with attached toilet is a luxury in itself ;)…

LAST UPDATED: 9th Feb 2015
The article has been updated to match the current prices of most of these hotels or campsites or homestays for the year 2015.

Hotels or Accommodation options in/around Tso Moriri Lake
    • Tsomoriri Camp and Resort Tso Moriri, Korzok
      Very near to Tso Moriri lake and just before the Korzok Village. Very much Recommended Nice place to stay with family being very clean, comfortable and having attached toilets with running cold water. Hot water in buckets. Along with luxury/Swiss tents, some rooms (5 in number) are also available. It is the only tented colony very near to Tso Moriri lake having some rooms too apart from tents though charges of rooms are more than camps. Pricing depends upon bargaining and how you book. Landing there directly with sometime in the day left will definitely help you get a better deal. Pre-booking is always going to be expensive but have peace of mind that you have a place to stay at least.

      • Price Range: Rs 2500 – 3000 for a double bedroom (without meals)
      • Contact: info@offbeatescapes.com
      • Location: Korzok – Tso Moriri, Ladakh
      • Category: Moderate / High

       

Tsomoriri Camp and Resort provide SPECIAL DISCOUNTED RATES to all the readers/followers of the DoW Website through our Destination Specialist / Sponsor – Offbeat Escapes. In order to avail the discounts, you can use the online booking form at the link: Book Here

[UPDATE, 01-02-1015]: Tsomoriri Camp and Resort is run by its owner only. Along with other OTAs (online travel agents), they have also tied up with Offbeat Escapes, who offer special discounted rates to all the readers of DoW Website and have had exceptional feedback from many of our readers in the past 2 years. Also, please beaware that other OTAs including some very famous camping companies might give you some other camp in the name of this recommended Tsomoriri Camp and Resort saying that it is full as per many reports over net. Hence, we believe in the services of the Offbeat Escapes more than other agents as they first book and then take money from you as suggested by other readers. So, even if you choose other OTAs, do make sure that you have confirmed booking on this camp only before you paying anything to them.

  • Nomadic Life Camp – Tso Moriri, Korzok
    Very near to Tso Moriri lake. Nice place to stay but expensive if you pre-book. You can bargain if you land directly and get a good deal. Shared as well as attached toilets, depending upon the price you pay. Nice, tasty food.Warning Comments by HV Kumar

    Nomadic Life Camps – definitely good, but bargain hard, they will come down. I have got good rates for tents that are priced at Rs 3000 – at Rs 800 and Rs 1000. However, on one occasion, we got terrible treatment, they were salivating over some white tourists, treated us with total disdain (just because we bargained and got a good deal), denied us bath towels, we had to beg for hot water and the food that they served us was not the ones they offered the “full”-rate white tourists. I will never stay there again

    • Price Range: Rs 3000 – 3500 for twin sharing basis (without meals)
    • Contact: 09419178984, 01982-267321
    • Location: Korzok – Tso Moriri, Ladakh
    • Category: Moderate / High

     

  • Goose Homestay Tso Moriri Lake
    As per the Arti who posted here review here at DoW, it right opposite the monastery/ supermarket there. Extremely homely and clean place with a view of the lake from all 3 rooms. Cost: Rs. 300 per person per day including food. Found it better than Mentok and Crane located right next to it. Read more about Goose Homestay at the link here

    • Price Range: Rs 700 – 1000 for a double bedroom
    • Contact: ??????
    • Location: Korzok – Tso Moriri, Ladakh
    • Category: Cheap / Moderate / Homestay

     

  • Mentok Guesthouse – Tso Moriri, Korzok
    Basic home stay kind of stay, check the updated review in comments by Gautham and then take a cal. Great view of Tso Moriri lake from the rooms. Very clean, warm and carpeted rooms. People refer it better than many luxury tents. Shared but western style toilets. Tasty food prepared by the family.

    • Price Range: Rs 700 – 1000 for a double bedroom
    • Contact: ??????
    • Location: Korzok – Tso Moriri, Ladakh
    • Category: Cheap / Moderate / Homestay

     

  • Lake View Guest House – Tso Moriri, Korzok
    Good to stay. Nice, clean rooms and average food. Good view of the lake.

    • Price Range: Rs 700 – 1000 for a double bedroom
    • Contact: 01982 – 264867
    • Location: Korzok – Tso Moriri, Ladakh
    • Category: Cheap / Moderate / Homestay

     

  • Crane Guesthouse – Tso Moriri, Korzok
    Clean rooms, simple stay like other guest houses in Korzok Village. Shared toilets only and water available in buckets only.

    • Price Range: Rs 700 – 1000 for a double bedroom
    • Contact: ??????
    • Location: Korzok – Tso Moriri, Ladakh
    • Category: Cheap / Moderate / Homestay

     

Other Tips for Hotels or Accommodation near Tso Moriri – Ladakh
  • In off/late season (late September types or early October), it will be difficult to get accommodation at Tso Moriri as most of the tents pack up and cold starts to bite in as well. In such a case, opting for some guest house or home stay at Korzok Village is a good idea. Always advisable to carry your own Sleeping bags at least in case you prefer more hygiene over being happy go lucky types.
  • At remote regions such as Tso Moriri, Korzok, Pangong Tso, Sarchu where accommodation options are barely limited to tented colonies and other accommodation options are far away, there is always an advantage in bargaining the early you reach in the day at such places. So, if you need good deal at such remote regions like Tso Moriri try to reach the place well before the sunset and then bargain hard. This will give you an opportunity to explore more options while bargaining and camp/tent owners will be more responsive to bargaining.
  • If you have time, then you can always visit the camps of Changpa Nomads of Changthang region located on meadow above Korzok Village. It is a nice experience talking to this unique human culture and getting to know the hardships of their lifestyle is seriously an experience of a lifetime for modern aged people like us.
Conclusion

I hope you find the above list of hotels or accommodation options near Tso Moriri Lake – Ladakh useful for your upcoming Leh – Ladakh trip. If you happen to know any updated contact numbers or missing contact numbers of these hotels or any other nice and good option of stay near Tso Moriri Lake – Ladakh, kindly leave a comment as it will be helpful to others fellow travelers as well. If you have ever stayed at any of these hotels, please share your experience with us too.

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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.

203 Comments

  1. Hi Dhiraj,

    We are planning to travel Leh on 30Sep. Below is the itinerary. Could you please have a look and suggest if changes are required.

    Day1- 30Sep
    Welcome to Leh – the second largest district in India. Complete day for rest and leisure to acclimatize. Evening Visit to Thiksey Monastery, Hemis Monastery, Shey Palace & Market. Overnight at Hotel.
     
    Day2-01Oct
    Leh to Hunder (160 kms) A picturesque journey to the heaven where snow caps meet the desert ! Early morning check out and cross the highest motor-able road of the world-Khardung La(18,380 ft from MSL). After a group photo proceed to Khalsar for lunch. Early evening arrival at Hunder. Check in to camp. Evening free to enjoy Double Hump Camel Ride at Nubra Valley. Overnight stay in Nubra Ethnic at Hunder.
     
    Day3 – 02Oct
    Nubra Valley to Leh (160 kms) -Pack your bagpack and travel back to Leh. Enroute visit Hall of Fame Army museum and late evening visit Shanti Stupa to witness the scenic view of Leh City.
     
    Day 04 – 03 Oct 
    Leh to Pangong Lake (160 kms) – The day starts travelling to the second highest motor-able pass in the world- Chang La (17,590 fts from MSL). Reach Spangmik village and check in to luxurious tents. Evening free to visit the Pangong Lake (14,270 fts from MSL). Overnight stay at Pangong Delight Camp or Similar. 
     
    Day 05 – 04 Oct
    Pangong Lake to Tso Mo riri Lake (220 kms)- Early morning check out and travel to the longest but the most scenic journey of the tour via Chushul & Karzok. Late evening arrival at Tso moriri lake. Overnight at Norling Camp or Similar 
     
    Day 06 – 05 Oct
    Tso Moriri to Leh (220 Kms) – Early morning visit Tso Moriri lake. Check out and return back to Leh. Arrival at Leh by late evening. 
     
    Day 07 – 06 Oct
    Leh to Kargil (250 kms) – Today we proceed to Alchi. En route we visit Magnetic Hill, Patthar Sahib Gurudwara and Sangam of river Indus and Zanskar followed by visit to Moon land and Lamayuru Monastery. Later we visit Alchi Gompa – mainly known for its magnificent and well preserved 11th and 12th century wall paintings, all in an Indo-Himalayan style. Overnight stay at Kargil.
     
     
    Day 08 – 07 Oct
    Kargil to Srinagar (250 kms) – Post breakfast proceed towards Srinagar. Enroute visit Zojila La Pass, Kargil War Memorial at Drass (Coldest inhabited village). Visit Sonmarg- Gateway to Golden Ladakh). Evening arrival at Srinagar
     
     
    Day 09 – 08 Oct
    Srinagar – Pahalgam – Srinagar – Today we proceed to Pahalgam, enjoy the magnificent view of Lidder valley and Betab Valley. Pahalgam – known as Queen of Kashmir, Situated on the banks of Lidder River and a favourite place for shooting of Bollywood films. En route we visit Cricket bat factory, we pass-by the Pampore Saffron fields.
     
     
    Day 10 – 09 Oct
    Fly back to Mumbai. 

      • Thank you for your feedback pal. I got to know from somebody that TsoMorri is closed for tourists in Oct first week. Is it true.?!!
        Also how easy/difficult it is to find travel companion to Nubra, TsoMorri, Pangog within Leh for cab pool.?!!

        • Tso Moriri remains open all round the year. The camps wind up by September end some by mid October. Homestays always remain open though. The probability of finding the travel partner becomes a bit less as the season draws to end but not impossible now a days.

        • As per your suggestion we are thinking of dropping Srinagar

          Day1- 30Sep
          Welcome to Leh – the second largest district in India. Complete day for rest and leisure to acclimatize. Evening Visit to Leh Palace, & Leh Market. Overnight at Hotel.

          Day2-01Oct
          Today we visit Magnetic Hill, Patthar Sahib Gurudwara, we also visit Hall of Fame War Museum. Later we drive to Skorpoche to enjoy River Rafting. Start rafting from Skorpoche to Sangam Point (Confluence of Indus and Zanskar Rivers) – two major rivers in Ladakh famous for River Rafting. We also visit Hemis Gompa – believed to be the wealthiest and biggest monastery in Leh, Shanti Stupa – built to promote world peace and prosperity and to commemorate 2500 years of Buddhism.
          Enroute visit Lamayuru Monastery, Moon Land and Alchi.

          Day3 – 02Oct
          Leh to Hunder (160 kms) A picturesque journey to the heaven where snow caps meet the desert! Early morning check out and cross the highest motor-able road of the world-Khardung La(18,380 ft from MSL). After a group photo proceed to Khalsar for lunch. Early evening arrival at Hunder. Check in to camp. Evening free to enjoy Double Hump Camel Ride at Nubra Valley. Overnight stay in Nubra Ethnic at Hunder.

          Day 04 – 03 Oct
          Nubra Valley to Leh (160 kms) -Pack your bagpack and travel back to Leh. Enroute visit Hall of Fame Army museum and late evening visit Shanti Stupa to witness the scenic view of Leh City.

          Day 05 – 04 Oct
          Leh to Pangong Lake (160 kms) – The day starts travelling to the second highest motor-able pass in the world- Chang La (17,590 fts from MSL). Reach Spangmik village and check in to luxurious tents. Evening free to visit the Pangong Lake (14,270 fts from MSL).

          Day 06 – 05 Oct
          Pangong Lake to Tso Mo riri Lake (220 kms)- Early morning check out and travel to the longest but the most scenic journey of the tour via Chushul & Karzok. Late evening arrival at Tso moriri lake.

          Day 07 – 06 Oct
          Tso Moriri to Leh (220 Kms) – Early morning visit Tso Moriri lake. Check out and return back to Leh. Arrival at Leh by late evening

          Day 08 – 07 Oct
          Yet to decide

          Day 09 – 08 Oct
          Fly back to Mumbai.

          Queries:
          1. Is Rafting operational in the first week of Oct? Can you suggest somebody who can assist us with Rafting arrangements.?

          2. Any major attractions if we are missing in this please suggest. As we have a day to explore on 7Oct.

        • This looks fine. Yet to decide, you can do Pangong Tso to Hanle and then Hanle to Tso Moriri to split the journey and use the unused day.

          Rafting should be there in the first week of October.

  2. SOHINI GHOSH on

    Hello,
    We are planning for next year 30th may 2018 till 9 th jun 2018,
    In our plan,
    which will be better
    leh to pangoag
    pangoag to tso morir
    or
    leh to pangoag
    pangoag to leh
    leh to tsomorir

    also at tso morir how is yak camp and in pangoag kora camp

  3. Hi,

    I am planning trip to Ladakh in last week of Sep. Is it good time to travel there?

    Planning to follow below itinerary . Let me know if it looks good.
    Day 1 : Arrival in Leh (via air from Delhi)
    Day 2 : Excursion to Sham Valley and back to Leh
    Day 3: Leh – Nubra via Khardungla Pass
    Day 4: Nubra – Leh
    Day 5: Pangong Tso and stay overnight
    Day 6: Pangong to Hanle
    Day 7: Hanle to Tsomoriri
    Day 8: Tsomoriri to Leh

    We 2 ladies will be travelling there. It will safe to travel there in private vehicle?

    • Last week of September is a good time to travel. Your plan seems fine to me. Please keep in mind that the nights and mornings will be cold especially at Pangong Tso, Hanle and Tso Moriri, so please be prepared with proper clothing.

      • Thanks Dheeraj. If we plan to reach Tsomoriri from Pangong same day, can we reach by 5pm if start around 9am same day from Pangong? Or is it recommended to stay one night at Hanle to have comfortable travel?

        • It takes 12-14 hrs to reach Tso Moriri from Pangong Tso. Best will be to split the journey at Hanle as it is one of the most beautiful places in Ladakh anyways.

  4. Hi Dheeraj aka Mr Patience,

    We are planning to Go from TSO Morriri to pangsong lake next week. Could you Suggest/Advice any Good hotels at TSO Morriri as well as Pangsong. Also if you could advice on journey from TSO Morriri to pangsong like How much distance , what are the routes available, which route is better suitable for Bike Trip, is there any permit required?

    Thanks In advance
    Pranay

  5. priyasingh on

    Just a suggestion – If it makes sense, can these accommodation articles be moved under ‘planning the trip’ section where there are articles about itinerary etc.?

    Once again, thank you so much for the wealth of info on this website and keeping it up to date!!!

    • Hi Priya,

      Thank you for the suggestions !! These are also accessible from Main Menu – Ladakh. Are you talking about Planning the trip section of DwD Community forums?

      I am glad the site is useful for you.

  6. Hi Dheeraj,

    We are planning Leh – Ladakh trip in the month of September end. Can you please tell whether the homestays would be available by that time ? We are 2 people travelling and also we need to know any pre -booking to be done by that time ?

  7. Mentok guesthouse has a severe mice infestation. At night, the mice can be heard crawling and biting their way through the walls. My friend had a mice fall onto him while he was sleeping. Considered yourself and your readers warned. If you wish to have a good night’s sleep, don’t even think of staying in Mentok guest house.

  8. Mannu Amrit on

    Hello Dheeraj,

    Since Tso Moriri does not have a cell phone connection, it is difficult to get in touch / pre book any of the suggested homestays. Would you advise us travelling there without pre-booking accomodation? We’re a group of 9, travelling with the following itinerary:

    Day 1 Fly to Srinagar. Stay at Srinagar.
    Day 2 Stay at Srinagar
    Day 3 Srinagar to Kargil
    Day 4 Kargil to Leh
    Day 5 Leh
    Day 6 Leh to Pangong
    Day 7 Pangong to Leh
    Day 8 Leh to Nubra.
    Day 9 Nubra
    Day 10 Nubra to Leh
    Day 11 Leh to Tso moriri
    Day 12 Tso Moriri to Sarchu
    Day 13 Sarchu to Manali

    • Mannu, first of all you should change the plan and do Nubra Valley first before doing Pangong Tso lake. Secondly, you may be able to get home stay upon reaching there but yes, the risk of not getting it with 9 people may be there always. Pre-booking on the other hand will help but cost more as home stays cannot be pre-booked.

      • Mannu Amrit on

        Thank you for your suggestion, Dheeraj. Terribly sorry if you’ve covered about this somewhere else, but any specific reasons to suggest Nubra valley before Pangong Tso?

        • Nubra Valley helps people in acclimatization to high altitude. Pangong Tso is at very high altitude and you need more acclimatization to sleep up there at such altitude. Going directly from Leh and sleeping over at Pangong Tso will mean a certain hit of AMS and may be a night with less/no sleep or constant vomits. Hence, before you travel to high altitude lakes, it is recommended that you spend good time to other places first and then move to sleep at such high places. Nubra Valley is a perfect place and just fits in the order aptly.

        • Mannu Amrit on

          Thank you for your comment, Dheeraj! Very helpful 🙂 Will be interchanging Nubra and Pangong Tso in our plan, as per your recommendation.

  9. Hi,

    I am planning to reach Leh on 4th July and back by 10th which effectively gives me only 5 days. What will be your recommendation in terms of must go places since i wont be able to do all. Also If i stay in Leh on 5th and leave for Pangong Tso on 6th stay the night there and leave for Tsomoriri on 7th will i be able to be back to Leh on 8th? Also is its possible to go from Pangong to Tsomiriri or do i have to come back to Leh and what are the transportation options available for the same. Do we have local transport available other than the taxis that really cost a bomb?

    Many Thanks

  10. Hi Dheeraj,

    Thanks for your really useful info on Ladakh. Is it possible to go from Pangong to Tso Moriri on a shared taxi without returning to Leh? We are 2 female travelers going there in the last week of May.

    Thanks!

    • Tupur, it will be very very difficult to get a shared taxi for direct route from Pangong tso to tso Moriri. It is not a common route and hence shared taxis do not ply on it. You should fine travel partners doing the same route on same dates.

      • Thanks that’s helpful to know. But are shared taxis easily available to from Leh to both Pangong and Tso Moriri? Second, we are looking to return via Srinagar. What are our options for traveling from Leh to Srinagar (via Lamayuru)? We would ideally like to avoid a private taxi for the two of us as the costs are prohibitive.

        • There are lots of flyers which people put at cafes, dine-ins, restaurants, travel agent desks/shops/whiteboards wanting to share the taxis for different trips within Ladakh. Even travel agent organize such shared taxis trip as well but charge a little higher about Rs 200-300 more than it would ideally cost. So, in worst case you can always go back to them and book a seat for yourself. Gelling up with people in Ladakh is more or less easy because many people travel solo and look forward to meet new people and share cultural thoughts and values over the trip. No where else in the world you will find more smiling and helpful people as Ladakhis are 🙂

  11. Sandip Barad on

    hi dheeraj..
    I m planning my trip to ladakh in mid june. we have 6 adult + 2 child (under 4 years). is this advicable to take child on ladakh trip????
    I am planning my trip by road, by hiring vehicle from jammu. My probable route is from Jammu – shrinagar – Kargil – leh (sight scene including pangong tso, magnetic hill, nubra valley and most of key placec) 6 day stay at leh – sarchu – manali – chandigadh. 12 days are ok for this trip?? dates and days are variable. so is this OK ??

    • Sandip, It depends on person to person 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 less than 3 year child, I think he/she will also be NOT able to convey the uneasiness she may feel. You have to be vigilant and 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!!

      Sarchu is defintely not a place to sleep wth children

  12. HI dheera,

    Hope you are doing well!

    I have 8 days in hand and i am planning for tsomoriri lake in June. Already did Leh And tsopangong so leaving them this time. as time wont permit
    As usual i have a few concerns. I will be starting from chandigarh
    Day 1: Chandigarh to Manali
    Day 2: Manali to Sarchu
    Day 3: Sarchu to TSomoriri
    Day 4: tso moriri
    and same route back

    concerns: 1: Is the plan right or am i missing anything?
    2: Should i prebook stay at tsomoriri or i will get there easily on arrival?
    3: Any permits required?
    4: any other places which i should and can visit?

    Thanks

    • Hi Piyush,

      It will take 3 days to reach Leh from Delhi via Manali side and 4 days to come back to Delhi from Leh via Srinagar side. This makes it 7 days. 1 Day is required in Leh for acclimatization. You have about 8 days to do it. It is not that straight forward that you land up in Sarchu and then in Tso Moriri. It is a nightmarish place in case you are not acclimatized. You before planning to spend the nights at Sarchu often termed as vomit hilton due to its harsh conditions and then Tso Moriri is a big big no no.

  13. Hi, I am going to Leh for 3 days with my husband on 4th September. Can someone please suggest a good plan for 3 days?

    P.S. We have already seen Pangong Tso and Nubra Valley during our last trip so wanted to do something different this time.

  14. Hi Dheeraj,

    Love your blog!

    Me and my husband are visiting Leh in the first week of October, landing on the 5th. We plan to rest in leh for a day and visit Tso Moriri the next day itself and stay overnight. Would we be able to get homestays in october? And how much does a shared taxi charge per person? Is there any other mode of transportation available?

    Also, is biking long distances an option in October? According to many of your blogs, the winter starts setting in with a vengeance, at the beginning of the month.. Would you recommend biking to nearby destinations from Leh?

    • Sayali, please MUST read about: Acute Mountain Sickness and Importance of Acclimatization

      You have to rest in Leh for at least 36-48 Hrs in any case before plying anywhere else from Leh. And ideally the flow of Ladakh trip is Nubra Valley, Pangong Tso Lake and lastly Tso Moriri lake due to its highest altitude and harshest conditions. Body must be in good shape to handle it else many people suffer AMS issues at Tso Moriri. So, going on the second or third day is not feasible.

      Also, in october only basic guest houses will be functional.

  15. Hii Dheere. .
    thanks to your suggestion, we have now planned out itinerary said the other way round. Going to leh via Srngr and coming bck via manali.
    I wanted to know if we can easily find on the spot accommodation in tso moriri and sarchu/jispa or is it like taking a risk. Will be reaching there on 4 July. As you hv mentioned there are chances of better deal if we land there directly

    All other booking are done except at these two places.
    plz help

    • Ritika, Tso moriri if you are open for home stays which are basic then yes, else better book as you see there are only couple of camp options only up there. If you want to take a chance then you must be ok with staying in basic home stays in case camps are full

  16. vivek Slaria on

    Hey Dhiraj,
    so final itenarary done. Delhit to Srinagar to Leh and then to Tso Murari. I an my wife are carrying our own tent. I know we cant camp on the lake but a little away from it. Any good suggestions on where can we camp.

    Also from Tso Murari we intend biking down to debring and exit via manali. Is there any permission needed for this ?

    • Camp it near some home stay which will give you an added sense of security too. No permission needed to travel to Manali – Leh Highway from Tso Moriri – Tso Kar route.

  17. Sandipan Bose on

    Dear Dheeraj,

    I have finalized the itinerary for my July trip to Leh. After a lot of information gathered from various reviews, I have decided to visit Tsomoriri. It seems like a must visit. Below is the itinerary and some queries follow regarding Tsomoriri. Kindly advice.

    8th July – Delhi to Leh early morning flight. Full day rest. Overnight at Leh.
    9th July – Leh local sightseeing. Overnight at Leh.
    10th July – Pangong lake day trip. Overnight at Leh.
    11th July – Leh to Nubra valley. Overnight at Nubra valley.
    12th July – Nubra valley to Leh. Overnight at Leh.
    13th July – Leh to Tsomoriri. Overnight at Tsomoriri.
    14th July – Tsomoriri to Leh. Leh to Srinagar direct.
    15th July – Arrive in Srinagar. Overnight at Srinagar.
    16th July – Depart from Srinagar in the evening.

    1. Around what time will I arrive in Tsomoriri from Leh and how long will the journey take ?
    2. Around what time will I arrive in Leh from Tsomoriri.
    3. I plan to take a shared taxi. Will shared taxis be available for this route during July and what will be the cost per person ?
    4. Will homestays/budget accommodation be available on arrival at Tsomoriri or do I need to book in advance ? What would be the approximate cost per person inclusive of all the meals ?

    Thanks in advance.
    Sandipan

    • Sandipan, best will be that you do Pangong Tso day trip after Nubra Valley. Rest doing Srinagar to Leh is about 16-18 Hr journey. Leh to Tso Moriri is around 8-9 Hrs, Tso Moriri to Leh via Tso Kar is about 10-11 Hrs. Shared taxi will be a bit difficult to find for tso Moriri as less people travel up there, so please utilize first two days to find out the people or places where shared taxis are available.

  18. A lot of first hand information in one website. We travellers are thankful to you.
    I have a question regarding road condition between karzok and Hanle. I have been to Karzok before by Taxi. But wish to go on a bike this time and extend the trip to Hanle. Leaving Leh on 12-May-2015.

    • Thank you Gagan. Since you have already been to Tso MOriri so you are aware of the route ahead of Kiagar Tso to Tso Moriri. Now, if you take the route from Salsal La Pass to Hanle from Korzok then it will be more or less the dirt track as you might have seen between Kiagar Tso to Tso Moriri. However, if you go to Hanle from Korzok via Mahe – Nyoma – Loma – Hanle route, then in that case the roads are well tarred smooth mostly 🙂

  19. Hi Dheeraj

    Thanks a ton DOW, for all the information on the trip to Tsomoriri. We are starting for the road trip from 2nd May till 9th May 2015. We are planning to head for Tso moriri around the 5th/6th of May. Unfortunately, our tour operator informed that this year the Goose Homestay Tso Moriri Lake, Mentok Guesthouse – Tso Moriri, Korzok, and other tents, are not available before June, so we are informed that there is no accomodation near Tso moriri. In case anyone in this thread has travelled recently to Tso moriri can share some information on the stay status there. Any information will help, as based on that we will decide to go or not go for the destination. Cheers!
    -Shantanu

    • Shantanu, the homestays might be available with basic stay but yes tents and regular guest houses which open for tourist only will not be running, you can stay at Chumathang Hot Spring Resort and then make a trip from there next day. It will be warmer too in comparison to stay at Tso Moriri.

    • And I hope by road trip you only mean road trip within Ladakh as Manali – Leh Highway will not be open for sure and Srinagar – Leh Highway may open but it is quite possible that tourists may not be allowed for a week or two 🙂

      • Thanks Dheeraj for the clarification. 🙂

        Yes! We are planning to stay at Chumathang based on your referral. We are flying to Leh and carrying out all road trips from Leh. To contribute to the thread I have info to share as per my findings.

        Tsomoriri lake View hotel is going to open after around 15 May this year. Hotel staff is going to reach there by 5-6 May and they would need 10 days to make it operational for tourists.

        Offbeat escapes camp at Tso moriri will be available from last week of May approax.

        Not sure about viability but people can choose to stay at Tso kar as well which is 80 kms away from Tso moriri. Hotel available now is Hotel Tsokar (search for reviews on tripadvisor).

        Thanks DoW!

        Cheers!

        • Shantanu, thank you for the updates. It will be quite useful to other planning at the same time.
          Best wishes for the trip and if in case you happen to be happy to spread smiles, please execute our initiatives of DoW Causes on your own when you travel there, in order to help the local community up there in remote Himalayas. You can check more details about them at: DoW – Causes | A Step Towards Responsible Travel and can execute them on your own.

  20. Hi Dheeraj,

    Need a suggestion. I wanted to book Tsomoriri Camps, Tso Moriri but OffbeatEscapes has got back to me informing that it’s unavailable for the date I need it. They have instead suggested Golden Mark Camps. Any idea how they are. Couldn’t find anything online.

    Thanks again for all your help.

    Best wishes,
    Souvik

    • Souvik, Golden Mark Camps may be some new, I am sorry but I am not aware of them 🙁 … You can ask them for pictures of the camps itself and about location and all as you say not much is available over net and then may be take a call. Seems like it will be a crowded season as surprisingly so early bookings are full 😉

      • Thanks Dheeraj.

        Seems a very busy season indeed.

        The Golden Mark Camp has been there at least since Jan 2013 as this is what I could dig up from a bcmtouring post from the same month
        “We found Golden Mark Camp and took two tents at Rs.900 each for the night. The tents were fine but there were some issue with the toilet camps.”

        Nothing else though. I have written to Offbeat Escapes asking them to share more details. Let’s hope for the best.

        Thanks again!
        Souvik

  21. Dheerajj, is it advisablee to stay at Kumdok/Kere while going from Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri, instead of going back to Leh ? Do we have staying options available there, or can we pitch a tent of our own ? We will be visiting in last week of August 2015. Plz guide us.

    • Dheerajji
      below is my itinerary for six friends ( age group between 38-52 yrs ) traveling by zylo from Pune, Maharashtra to Ladakh from 22 August to 10 September 2015. Please guide us.
      1) Pune (Maharashtra) – Udaipur (850 kms/14 hr )
      2) Udaipur – Ambala ( 850 kms/14 hr)
      3) Ambala – Patni top (450 kms )
      4) Patni Top – Srinagar (180 kms)
      5) Srinagar Local SS
      6) Srinagar – Kargil (204 kms/8 hrs)
      7) Kargil – Leh (230 kms/10 hrs)
      8) Leh Local SS
      9) Leh – Turtuk (220 kms/8 hrs)
      10 Turtuk – Diskit/Hunder (90 kms/3 hrs)
      11) Diskit/Hunder – Leh (130 kms/6 hrs)
      12) Leh Sham Valley / Shopping
      13) Leh – Pangong (150 kms/6hrs)
      14) Pangong – Kumdok/Kere/Chumathang
      15) Kumdok/Kere/Chumathang – Tso Moriri
      16) Tso Moriri – Sarchu (240 kms/ 12 hrs)
      17) Sarchu – Manali (225 kms/12 hrs)
      18) Manali Local SS
      19) Manali – Delhi (535 kms/14 hrs)
      20) Delhi – Himmatnagar (Gujrat)
      21) Himmatnagar – Pune (Maharashtra)

      • Hi Sanjeev ji,

        I feel you have crafted the itinerary quite well. Add a day or two for rest in case you guys need it but even else this is quite fine and balanced. You can consider Day 12 as rest day. You will cover most of the sham valley while coming from Kargil itself.

        Regards
        Dheeraj

        • Dheerajji
          Thanks a lot for your guidance. It is because of your information I could craft the itinerary without knowing a single thing about Ladakh. Again I would like to thank you on behalf of all the people who are in need of such a valuable information for planning their Ladakh trip.

        • Sanjeev ji, it is my pleasure. Glad the information present on the DoW site was helpful for you all in planning your ladakh trip without much issues.

    • Sanjeev, you can pitch your tents up there for sure and can ask some villager to lend you the open land in front of their houses. You can pay them the tip. The main issue will be food as I do not think there will be any commercial places to eat up there and you might need to rely only on homestays. Best will be to either stay at Upshi or make it all the way to Chumathang or Sumdo ahead of Mahe bridge.

      • Dheerajji
        Thanks a lot. Probably we will stay at Chumathang. We are also carrying some ready to cook food stuff and small LPG Gas stove, but this will be in case of emergency. Will LPG stove work there or we need butane ?
        Thanks
        Sanjeev

    • Shalu you need to search a bit. There are lots of flyers which people put at cafes, dine-ins, restaurants, travel agent desks/shops/whiteboards wanting to share the taxis for different trips within Ladakh. Even travel agent organize such shared taxis trip as well but charge a little higher about Rs 200-300 more than it would ideally cost. So, in worst case you can always go back to them and book a seat for yourself. Gelling up with people in Ladakh is more or less easy because many people travel solo and look forward to meet new people and share cultural thoughts and values over the trip. No where else in the world you will find more smiling and helpful people as Ladakhis are 🙂

    • I have booked a innovative car for going to Tso moriri on 4th September 2014 from leh and return on 5th September. Looking for somebody, who can share the taxi

      • DoW started an initiative last year under DoW – Himalayan Travel Community for finding Travel Partners or Companions, leave your message in Travel Partners section at the link: Ladakh & Zanskar – Travel Partners Section. There is also a DoW Travel Calendar linked here which can be used to easily and quickly spot a travel partner with similar dates of all the people looking for Travel Partners for their trips. May be you meet someone online going over the same dates.

  22. Recently visited Tso Moriri and stayed at Goose Homestay right opposite the monastery/ supermarket there. Extremely homely and clean place with a view of the lake from all 3 rooms. Cost: Rs. 300 per person per day including food. Found it better than Mentok and Crane located right next to it. Wish could have spent a few more days there.

      • Don’t have any contact number…we looked for it on arrival. Its a small 3 bedroom accommodation (4 beds laid on floor in each room)run by a lady with her family members. The washroom is tiled and clean. However, there was no running water in taps and the same is provided in buckets. Hot water was also provided on request. Washroom was way better than that of Mentok but was smaller than that of crane. The kitchen, dining room and the bedrooms are carpeted. We liked it the first instance we saw it. I can share the pictures..but don’t know how/where.

  23. Does Yak camp mean Tso Moriri – Tsomoriri Camp and Resort, the first option mentioned here?

  24. Paresh Mehta on

    Hey bro..nice to see ur website…shitloads of information on north India…i am traveling to ladakh and tso moriri this july..so according to you, should I book the stay / accomodation in advance at tso moriri and then just take the shared car rental as I am traveling alone?? or do I take packages which include transport and hotel directly while in Leh? Will I get that kind of packages in Leh? transport, stay and fooding all inclusive to tso moriri? and since you have recommended the mentok guest house but no contact, then how to book?? Thanks.

    • It will be better to reach there, book shared tours that travel agent offers within Ladakh or tie up with people up there in the market. You will see lot of flyers on dine-ins and restaurants by people looking to travel and share taxi costs, in Leh.

  25. Hey bro,
    We will be reaching tso moriri on morning 28th of June. And we will leave from there on 29th June, 1500 hours. Please let us know a decent stay for one day which is cheap & affordable. Waiting for your reply. Thanks

  26. Hi Dheeraj,
    Please share the contact numbers of Tso Moriri Camp and Resort people, Stanzin Chhopsel’s or anyone elses number for booking.

  27. Naturebuff on

    Hi Dheeraj,

    I have not been able to find any accommodation options in or around Tso Kar… any ideas?? We are a husband – wife couple and going around the 20th of May.We plan to stay about 2 days if I can find any options there. No problems roughing out!! Regards

  28. hi dheeraj i want to go leh for bike tour can u suggest for what i do????

  29. actually we want to visit leh ladhakh,but we dont know what to see where to stay,when to visit
    can u give me day to day itenarary and make a plan for our tour from april 14 to 20 th

  30. We are visiting leh ladakh in aug’14. Reaching Srinagar on 2nd Aug for around 12N/13D and planning to take back flight from chandigarh. Travel operators are quoting us around 51000 per person for 4 Pax. Is this reasonable. Is at advisable to book a complete tour or just land there and check out the options.

    • Rashmi, I am not really sure about your whole plan so cannot comment on prices but right from outset it looks a bit on higher side. In case you looking for tour operator, I will suggest try out info@offbeatescapes.com as most of the readers have recommended their services pretty good in reasonable priced while booking over phone. Otherwise, if you are OK to search here and there and do not plan to stay at some specific property then you can also land up there and book properties on the spot.

  31. Hi,

    Our planning is like below.Please suggest that is it possible or not:

    14th sept: 16:00 will be in Srinagar.will go to pahalgram & night stay at pahalgram.

    15th Sept: pahalgram , sonmarg and night stay at kargil.

    16th Sept: Drass & again coming back to Kargil and will be reaching Leh at night.

    17th sept: Leh sight seeing and arranging the permits and arround 4 pm will start for Nubra. Night stay at Nubra.

    18th sept:starting for Pangong & night stay.

    19th sept: Pangong to Tso Moriri via changthang.Night Stay.

    20th sept: Back to Leh.

    Please let us know your valuable suggestions

    • Atanu, I will suggest take it easy, drop Pahalgam, Tso Moriri out and then make this trip. You cannot go to Khardung La at night as you will be stopped and most cases, after 3 PM it is not allowed to move towards Khardung La. Do 2 day trip to Leh from Srinagar, rest in Leh, then 2 day trip to Nubra Valley, finally 1 day trip to Pangong Tso.

      • Thanks Dheeraj. Can you tell me how much will it cost for the below journey:

        Srinagar to (Via sonmarg , Drass & Cargil as suggested by you) Leh by road (Inova):??

        And Leh to Nubra Valley:??

        Again Leh to Pangong Lake:??

        • Hi Dheeraj,

          Can you tell me how much will it cost for the below journey:

          Srinagar to (Via sonmarg , Drass & Cargil as suggested by you) Leh by road (Inova):??

          And Leh to Nubra Valley:??

          Again Leh to Pangong Lake:??

    • Nitesh Sharma on

      It will be very helpful if you suggest me hotel and travels in ladakh “Atanu” as you have visited place before.
      Please provide me good hotel name number and details you have also if you can suggest me some places. Thanks in Advance 🙂

  32. dr pratima shah on

    mr dheeraj we are from 18aug to 30aug in leh via srinagar rout kargil leh numbra pangonglake tsumorriri jispa manali chandigarh mumbai i am scared for oxygen problem specially in tsumorririlake please guide me

    • Hi Dr Pratima,

      Firstly, I will suggest you that please plan it in other direction as going via Srinagar – Leh Highway will be much much easier on your body and help you acclimatize to the high altitude of Manali – Leh Highway. Also, it allows you to enjoy the beauty of Manali – Leh by splitting the journey almost evenly in two days which is very difficult in the other direction. Thirdly, it will allow you to fit Tso Moriri lake into the itinerary in better way. You can read more reasons on the link here

      You can check a very balanced and most common itinerary for Leh – Ladakh followed by many travelers including me at the link here for 14-15 days: Most Common Itinerary for Leh – Ladakh.

      For acclimatization, please go through some tips mentioned in the article: Acute Mountain Sickness and Importance of Acclimatization

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      • dr pratima on

        thanks a lot we are travelling via srinagr kargil night halt then leh next day rest at leh then pangong lake overnight stay then to leh and next day numbra valley night stay then leh next whole day day rest at leh next day proceed to tsomorrilake

  33. Hi Dheeraj,
    My name is Lee Ling and I am from Malaysia.
    I am planning a trip to Ladakh from 8-June to 29-June. However, the actual time we have in Ladakh is only 15 days (3 days travel from Malaysia to Ladakh & 3 days travel from Ladakh back to Malaysia by flight). There’s only 2 of us – me & my husband.
    Other than acclimatize for 1 or 2 days at Leh, during our stay, we plan to visit Nubra Valley for about 5-6 days & Panggong Tso for another 4-5 days. We are both keen photographers and that’s why we plan to spend longer time than the normal trip at Nubra Valley and Panggong Tso (and surrounding). We would like to stop along the way as we move to captured the scenery, villages, people..etc and also to acclimatize (to avoid going to high altitude in short time).
    Need your help on some questions :
    1. Will there be a problem for us (only 2 persons) to travel to Nubra Valley & Panggong Tso in rented jeep or taxi ? I read some article which says that even with inline permit, but with only 2 persons travelling, there’s possibility that we will be reject entry. The safe number is 4 persons. Is it correct ?
    2. To go to Nubra Valley from Leh, what is the option of transport that I have other than renting a jeep or taxi from Leh ? What is the cost per day for jeep or taxi ? Any other cheaper option which allow us to stop along the way to take pictures and stopping at small villages along the way ?
    3. For Nubra Valley, can I take a bus to Diskit and rent a jeep or taxi at Diskit to move around Nubra Valley? Is it cheaper this way ?
    4. We have no plan on where to stay for the night. Could you recommend to us scenic villages where we can stay overnight ? Small & basic villages is fine for us. Basic accommodation (mattress on the floor or camp bed) is fine too.
    5. To avoid going to high pass – on the 1st day, what accommodation options we have on the way to Nubra Valley before the high pass (this is for acclimatize purpose) ?
    6. Did the accomodation on the way to Nubra Valley, Panggong Tso & surrounding area provide blanket or we have to bring our own sleeping bag ?
    7. We plan to go to Panggong Tso for 4-5 days. Could you please recommend any scenic villages or scenic point along the way where we can stop for overnight (other than at Panggong Tso).
    8. Power supply – Is there any specific time of the day when the power supply is available in Leh ? How about Nubra Valley, Panggong Tso and surrounding area ? Reason asking is : we need to charge our camera battery.
    9. Accomodation in Leh – can we NOT book any accommodation in advance but walk-in when we arrived Leh ? This way, what are the changes that we can’t get accommodation in Leh ?

    Apology for the long questions as this is our first trip to Ladakh.

    Thanks and Regards,
    Lee Ling

    • Hello Lee,

      Please find below answers to your queries:

      1. Will there be a problem for us (only 2 persons) to travel to Nubra Valley & Panggong Tso in rented jeep or taxi ? I read some article which says that even with inline permit, but with only 2 persons travelling, there’s possibility that we will be reject entry. The safe number is 4 persons. Is it correct ?
      — Well, Inner Line Permits can be arranged in group. Once, you get the permits you both are free to roam with the copies of it irrespective of the fact that how many names are there. So, get the permit done with some other group or through travel agent and then take that copy along with you when you travel.

      2. To go to Nubra Valley from Leh, what is the option of transport that I have other than renting a jeep or taxi from Leh ? What is the cost per day for jeep or taxi ? Any other cheaper option which allow us to stop along the way to take pictures and stopping at small villages along the way ?
      — Since, you have to stop along the route then you will surely need a rented taxi. For the leh – ladakh taxi union rate list 2013-14 including the contacts of some reliable taxi drivers within Leh – Ladakh, check the link here. You can get about 10-12% of discount by directly getting in touch with drivers and of course, talking in person rather on phone always help in bargaining more.

      3. For Nubra Valley, can I take a bus to Diskit and rent a jeep or taxi at Diskit to move around Nubra Valley? Is it cheaper this way ?
      — It will be very difficult to get any jeep or taxi in Nubra Valley. There will be hardly one or two which might not be available. Best option is to get them from Leh for comfort and flexibility. Otherwise, you will have to be dependent on the local transport which is not that frequent and will not sop in between.

      4. We have no plan on where to stay for the night. Could you recommend to us scenic villages where we can stay overnight ? Small & basic villages is fine for us. Basic accommodation (mattress on the floor or camp bed) is fine too.
      — The only places you will get guest houses be Sumur, Panamik, Hunder, Deskit, Turtuk (do not forget to go to Turtuk and mention it on your permit). All other villages will have one ore two homestay options which you may or may not like.

      5. To avoid going to high pass – on the 1st day, what accommodation options we have on the way to Nubra Valley before the high pass (this is for acclimatize purpose) ?
      — There is no worries if you go from Leh to Nubra Valley over Khardung La with no more than 10 minutes stay at Khardung La. Once you will descend all is fine. Nubra Valley is much lower in altitude than Leh.

      6. Did the accomodation on the way to Nubra Valley, Panggong Tso & surrounding area provide blanket or we have to bring our own sleeping bag ?
      — Better carry your own Sleeping bags for better confort. They will provide basic things if they are running a homestay.

      7. We plan to go to Panggong Tso for 4-5 days. Could you please recommend any scenic villages or scenic point along the way where we can stop for overnight (other than at Panggong Tso).
      — There is nothing much apart from Tangste, Spangmik and Man Merak villages. Better not miss the Tso Moriri if you love photography.

      8. Power supply – Is there any specific time of the day when the power supply is available in Leh ? How about Nubra Valley, Panggong Tso and surrounding area ? Reason asking is : we need to charge our camera battery.
      — It depends. In Nubra Valley, there is not much of any issue but at Pangong Tso, mostly things are on Generator.

      9. Accomodation in Leh – can we NOT book any accommodation in advance but walk-in when we arrived Leh ? This way, what are the changes that we can’t get accommodation in Leh ?
      — Yes, very much. Get the list of preferred hotels with you and try them on the spot. You can check the nice, preferred list of accommodation options in entire Leh – Ladakh (Leh, Nubra Valley, Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri) including moderate and cheap budget hotels as well in the series of articles starting on the link here

      I hope this helps. Please let me know in case you have any queries or doubts.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      • Thank you for the information. It’s very useful. In fact all the information in your blog is very useful and helpful.
        I have a few more questions. Hope you could help :
        1. Is there any specific requirement for the photo use to apply for inline permit ? Example : color of the background, size of the photo, color of our shirt, shirt with collar.…etc
        2. For application of inline permit to Nubra Valley & Panggong Tso, how many photos is required ?
        3. About your recommendation of Tso Moriri, we did thought about going to Tso Moriri earlier. Going to Tso Moriri need to pass 5 high passes (please correct me if I am wrong) and because of this, we opted for Panggong Tso. However, after some thought, we would like to reconsider Tso Moriri again. Could you suggest interesting villages on the way to Tso Moriri which we could spend a night. Any acclimatize option on the way to Moriri ? The power supply in Tso Moriri is on generator ?
        4. Money matters – Are there many money changers in Leh, Nubra Valley, Panggong Tso & Tso Moriri ? Can we change USD to Indian Rupees easily in Leh and surrounding?
        5. Any idea what is the normal practice for the taxi fare, do we pay upfront or pay after the trip?
        6. Any dress code to go into a temple? Is slipper/sandle and shorts allowed? Is photography allowed inside the temple?
        7. After acclimatized in Leh, for altitude reason, should we go to Nubra Valley first OR to Tso Moriri/Panggong Tso (either one of this lake) first?

        Regards,
        Lee Ling

        • Hi Lee,

          1. No such requirements.
          2. Nubra Valley & Panggong Tso
          3. There is only one pass Namashang La that you will pass through on the joruney to Tso Moriri and that too you will nto even notice. After you Nubra Valleyt and Pangong Tso tour, you can easily spend night directly at Tso Moriri else opt with Chumathang first.
          4. Only in Leh you will get them.
          5. Depends with whom you have booked. Travel Agents will require most or all money upfront, driver might require some upfront and then as along the way.
          6. Photography is allowed at most places BUT without flash in monasteries. Do take prior permissions while taking the pcitures in such cases. Do not take picture of any bridge as it is prohibited most places, so try to look for the signage.
          7. First go to Nubra Valley and then you shall be just OK to sleep at either of the place

          Regards
          dheeraj

      • Alakesh Majumdar on

        Can we get permits for Tso-Kar & Tso-Moriri without going to Leh beforehand, say from Manali or any intermediate check-post?

        • You should not do Tso Moriri while going from Manali to Leh because one need permits to visit Tso Moriri and these permits are issued at DC office in Leh. Even if you arrange these permits in advance somehow from Travel Agent in Leh then taxi from Manali will not be allowed to visit Tso Moriri. Even if you manage Leh taxi or going on your own, then you will not be acclimatized to sleep at such high altitude so early in the trip and may cause some ugly AMS issues for you. Highly not recommended.

  34. offbeat escapes do not have a website? I tried offbeatescapes.com – did not work.
    Does Stanzin have a website or email or Phone? Of course we will book thru you but it is good to have direct contact for questions.

    • Prakash, yes, they do not have websites, both of them Offbeat escapes as well as Stanzin. If you want to have direct contact then ask offbeat guys, they will be able to connect you. BTW, they will be able to answer the queries as well ;)… I do not know about Stanzin website but yeah, Offbeat Escapes one is down as they are revamping the whole website. for more details check with them.

  35. gagan mishra on

    Hi Dheeraj,

    we are group of 7 people and making a trip to leh during Hemis festival in june. I made a simple basic plans for the trip.i have some quries:-
    1) any permit required for these places.
    2) accomodation need to be booked in prior.

    Day 0 (Fri): Bus from delhi to manali(night)
    Day 1 (Sat): stay in manali till eve and then left to leh.
    Day 2 (sun): Ride to Pangong Tso and back (~175kms one-way)
    Day 3 (Mon): Ride to Tso Moriri (~220kms). Overnight at Korzok village.
    Day 4 (Tue): back to leh.
    Day 5 (Wed): hemis festival in leh(18-19 june)
    Day 6 (thrus): Rest / White water rafting on Zanskar river
    Day 7 (Friday): Early morning bus from Leh to Manali (~500kms)
    Day 8 (Sat) : Evening bus from Manali to Delhi (~550kms)

    kindly help here. Thanks in advance.

    • Gagan, 8 days is unfeasible for Ladakh road trip brother. It takes 3 days from Delhi to reach Leh and 3 days again to be back. You need 1 day for inner line permits and a bit of acclimatization. Rest add more days to explore Nubra Valley (at least 2), Pangong Tso (at least 1), Tso Moriri (atleast 2)

  36. piyush jain on

    Hello Dheeraj

    Thanks to all your help and info via the blog. Am on verge of finalizing the trip and have also spoken with one of your recommended drivers in leh. Need your email id to discuss some doubts.
    Thanks

    • Piyush, you must be getting emails from my ID as I reply to your comments. Please check your spam folder. Even if you could not find it, reach me at admin at discoverwithdheeraj.com

  37. Thanks for all the information. Am planning to be there in the month of June. Very useful tips. will get back .

  38. Ravi Sidhu on

    1. Which is the best place to stay in Pangyong Lake, cost notwithstanding, keeping in mind view, comfort and convenience.

    2. Is it worth visiting Man and Merar villages while there.

    3. In case No 2 is a yes, should I stay at the lake for two nights or is it too much.

    Regards.

    • Hi Ravi,

      If you going with decent pricing then you will not go wrong with Camp Watermark, I shall say. Man – Merak are good to visit as the drive is alongside the lake only. Yes, better stay there for two nights to make it more relaxing. If you can get the permits for Chusul then try to make a run to Chusul and be back to Pangong Tso for night stay. Getting permits ahead of Chusul is a major problem but you might get permits upto Chusul

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

  39. Hi Dheeraj,

    Extremely great info on your blog. I have been reading it for the past few days and I almost felt I have already gone to Ladakh :). We are travelling to ladakh (me, my husband and daughter(7)) from April 29th to May 8th. Following is our itenery with hotel stays (after considering all your suggestions\advices). Pleae let me know if its fine. We haven’t booked anything yet (hotel or flight), so please tell us if its too late to do the bookings. Awaiting your reply. Dates Itenary
    29-Apr Banglore – Delhi(fly). Overnight Delhi –
    30-Apr Delhi – Leh. Stay in Leh – grand dragon
    1-May Sightseeing in Leh and Inner Line Permits. Leh – grand dragon
    2-May Leh – Nubra valley. Overnight Nubra Valley – Snow Leopard Guest House
    3-May Nubra Valley – Leh. Overnight Leh – Hotel Lasermo
    4-May Leh – Tso Moriri. Overnight Tso Moriri – Tsomoriri Camp and Resort Tso Moriri, Korzok
    5-May Tso Moriri – Leh. Overnight Leh – Hotel Lasermo
    6-May Leh – Pangong. Overnight Pangong – Camp Watermark
    7-May Pangong – Leh. Overnight Leh – Hotel Lasermo
    8-May Leh – Delhi – Bangalore
    Thanks in Advance,
    Veena

    • Hi Veena,

      Thanks alot, pleasure to have such comment that reading the blog makes you feel being there!! 🙂 … Regarding the plan, it looks OK with just alteration that I will suggest that you do Pangong Tso first and then Tso Moriri for two reasons

      1. Pangong Tso is at a lower altitude than Tso Moriri and spending the night first will help more.
      2. You go through Pangong Tso via Chang La pass and in case of heavy snowfall the pass either might close for a day or may cause some delay which present a risk of missing the flight. This will not be the case with Tso Moriri as there is no pass on the route.

      Now, considering the hotel choices you will not like Snow Leopard, hence go with Hotel StenDel at Deskit. One of the best in Nubra Valley. Then, I feel a bit apprehensive that camps at Pangong Tso/Tso Moriri would be up and running that early in the season or not? You may need to check that?

      Also, I see very different Hotel Choices, first Grand Dragon and then Lasermo? Quite different they are? If you want more options, you can check with these guys at info@offbeatescapes.com, may be suggesting them your budget and requirements you have. They handle some part of bookings for Tsomoriri Camp and Resort, Tso Moriri, Korzok and Camp Watermark, Pangong Tso with special offers for DoW Blog;s readers 🙂 … So at least do not miss on those offers 😀

      Regards
      Dheeraj

      • Dheeraj, Thank you so much for providing your feedback and reviewing the plan.

        We have mailed offbeatescapes.com and they are assisting us with hotel bookings. Providing the contact detail was definitely useful(since there are so many out there and we aren’t sure whom exactly to contact).

        Regarding choice of hotel, if its just overnight stay then we are ok with average hotel.Since 1-2 days we are just planning to stay in Leh, getting acclaimatized, we looked at one of the best options available. However now we have dropped that and looking for Ladakh Sarai.

        Thanks for all the help. You are definitely helping lots and lots of travellers, will surely recommend your blog to all my friends :).

        Thanks,
        Veena

        • Veena, thank you so much. Glad to know that it was helpful. The option you have choosen is also one of the better hotels in Leh. I am pleased if you can share and spread the information so that more people are aware of the blog and might prove useful to them as well 🙂

        • Hi Dheeraj,

          We completed our Ladakh trip. It was a wonderful trip. Ladakh is a beautiful and a very scenic place. Ladakhis are very caring and kind.
          Thank you for suggesting offbeatescapes to us. Gaurav Kumar from offbeatescapes was very professional and caring person. He would call us twice a day to find out if we are doing ok and all arrangements are good. Highly recommended to all. Hotels suggested by you were good. Standel was very good given the remote village Diksit is.Ladakh Sarai is truly number one with great service and delicious food.

          Btw thanks for sharing my picture of Sangam on your facebook page 🙂

        • Thanks alot for providing the valuable feedback, good to know guys from Offbeat Escapes delivered what you expected from them!! And regarding pictures, it was so beautiful so how could I resist to get away with the share 🙂

  40. Hey Dheeraj!

    its nice to see people helping out like this! i am planning a trip from the 15th to the 30th of June. we are a group of 7 people. basically i am looking for a cab. I believe we cannot travel in the same car that we come in from srinagar, to travel within ladakh. could you please give me some numbers for cab agencies? and also, we would like to go directly to tso moriri from pangong, and proceed to sarchu later. so could you suggest a good route and also help with the permissions required for the route?

    thanks a ton!

    • Isha, you will not get the permits for direct route of Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri as things have gone strict in that par of the region and permits are not being issued. You need to follow the traditional route only.

      For the leh – ladakh taxi union rate list 2012-13 including the contacts of some reliable taxi drivers within Leh – Ladakh, check the link here. You can get about 10-15% of discount by directly getting in touch with drivers and of course, talking in person rather on phone always help in bargaining more.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

  41. A hotel or guest house room at Rs. 300 is really hard to find at a tourist destination. Thanks for enlisting the stuffs , hope your list will save money of all your blog readers who wish to go Ladakh.

    • Thanks alot and yes, that is the very purpose of this blog, to share useful and helpful info. with my readers and help them travel with a difference 🙂

      Regards
      Dheeraj

  42. swapnil k on

    Dear Sir,
    Out of following places, where I will going to get electricity for recharging my camera battery?
    I am taking one spare battery & memory card along with me. Just want to ensure my battery fully charged at night.
    1. Leh
    2. Zanskar valley
    3. Nubra Valley
    4. Pangong Tso
    5. Tsomoriri
    Will you recommend any specific hotel for that…?

    Regards
    Swapnil K

    • Just Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri might devoid you from electricity but there as well some tents/camps does use generators for about 3-4 Hrs at night upto dinner time. Generally, it is same for all the hotels. Wherever possible, do charge the batteries and yes, best wishes buddy and I know you are or will be on the way today 🙂

      Regards
      Dheeraj

  43. Hi Dheeraj,

    Forgot to ask you another thing. As I will be hiring a car from Jammu to travel all the way to Leh, so can I go to Nubra and Tsomoriri in the same? Or i have to hire a local car from Leh?

  44. Hi Dheeraj,

    Me with few of my friends are planning to go to Leh-Ladhak in last week of october.
    I know that it is the fag end of the season, but office holidays dint permit us to go earlier.
    Anyway, we are reaching Leh on 23rd of Oct, and carry on to Nubra Valley on 24th and Tsomoriri on 26th. Basically what I wanted to know is, whether is it possible to get the inner line permit without us going there. If I will send my group’s ID proofs to people I know there, can they get it on behalf of us. Secondly what about the overall days in the final week of Oct. I hope roads are not closed by the.
    ***Going to take Srinagar-Leh Highway.

    • Hi Bharath,

      1. Yes, October is pretty late and cold, so go prepared with heavy woolens. Yes, you can get the permits done in advance if you send those permits to the ones you know there or any local travel agent or hotel guy.

      2. Roads will be open, just stay away I will say from Manali – Leh Highway.

      3. You cannot take the Jammu taxi for sightseeing in Ladakh. It can be used for drop-in only. You have to hire a local taxi car over there.

      I hope this helps. Let me know incase you need more info. or have any queries or doubts.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      • Thanks raj for the reply.

        But I can take a private car from a tour operator and go, right?
        Which will nt bore a yellow number plate.

        • Yes, Bharath. If you have a car with white number plate/private car then you can travel to any part of Ladakh without any issues.

          Regards
          Dheeraj Sharma

  45. Varun Bhatia on

    Just an update for Mentok Guesthouse – Tso Moriri, Korzok. It provides water only in buckets. And electricity is available only between 7pm-11pm with just one charging point per room. Hence multiplug is a must carry.

    • Thanks again Varun for the details will surely be of help to other as well. Do you happen to have his contact number?

      Regards
      Dheeraj

  46. hi Dheeraj…wazz up!!!!!
    Just wanted 2 ask u, is it possible to go from Nubra valley to Drass and then Tso Moriri

    • Hi Lohith,

      Drass (towards Srinagar) and Tso Moriri (towards Manali) are in opposite direction from Leh and from Nubra Valley you have to go back to Leh to reach either of these places. So, you cannot do but of course, you can if you are ready to back track so much.

      Sorry for the delayed reply.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

  47. Vishram Rajhans on

    Hi Dheeraj,

    We just returned from 12 day tour of Ladakh. When we reached Karzok, we couldn’t get any guest house as because of lans slide at Chnag La, all tourists turned to Tso Moriri. Funally we got some home stay type guest house with two rooms @500 each. They provided plenty of blankets, a warm bed on the floor and a fairly decent wash room with running water. It was good enough only to sleep. We did exactly that.

    • Hi Vishram,

      Yes, it happens sometimes when luck is not on side but I guess it was as you got at least a place to sleep. Once, my friend have to sleep in car 😉 … Looking forward to read about the experience and pictures.

      Regards
      Dheeraj

  48. Hi Dheeraj,

    Just wanted to thank you for the work you are doing on this blog.I came back yesterday and it was an amazing Trip to be remembered for a very long long time. Cheers!

    Regards,
    Parvinder

  49. Hi Dheeraj,

    We are group of 3 girls heading towards adventurous trip to Leh in last week of August. We want the trip to be adventurous/recreational/exploring as much as possible in limited time and not over straining ourselves. We are planning to hire a taxi (Innova) from Delhi and will be traveling for whole trip through it. We have gone through a lot on net to finalize our plan for it and detailed a itinerary for the same. Though it was really confusing since for the same place there many routes and it was really difficult to get the best scenic/adventurous route thinking we were are ever getting next time to visit the same.

    Can you go through our itinerary and suggest how if this is all feasible and have we covered all in it.

    Day 1: Start at 8PM from Delhi to Manali

    Day 2: Reach Manali at around 10 AM

    Buy permit for Rohtang pass/ or already taken

    Leave at 1:00pm from Manali to Sarchu

    Day 3: Sarchu to Leh

    Sarchu – Nakeela – Lachangla Pass – Skyangchu Thang – Tanlang La Pass – Leh

    Day 4: Leh: Local visit

    Inline permit

    Explore Namgyal Gompa, Leh Palace, Shanti Stupa, Shankar Gompa, Main Market, Hall of Fame, Spituk Gompa, Changspa Road Stroll in evening

    Day5: Leh to Nubra Valley

    Leh – Khardungla – Deskit – Hunder Village(Sand Dunes/Camel Safari) – Nubra Valley

    Day 6: Nubra to Leh

    Nubra –Kahardungla – Leh

    Evening visit to Sham Valley include Alchi, Likir, Basgo Palace, Magnetic Hills, Confluence at Zanskar, Gurudwara Pather Sahib

    Day 7: Leh tp Pangong Tso Lake

    Leh – Changla Pass – Pangong Tso

    On way visit Hemis Gumpa – Thiksey Monsatery – Shey palace

    Day 8: Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri

    Spangmik (Pangong Tso) – Man (9 KMs) – Merak (12 KMs)– Khaltse (4 KMs) – Chusul (24 KMs) – Tsaga La (33 KMs) – Tsaga Village (20 KMs) – Loma (23 KMs) – Nyoma (22 KMs) – Mahe (25 KMs) – Sumdo (10 KMs) – Tso Moriri / Korzok (53 KMs) = 235 KMs

    Keep extra diesel for it.

    Day 9: Tso Moriri to Manali

    Tso Moriri – Sumdo – Tso Kar – Debring (Manali – Leh Highway starts here) – Pang – Sarchu – Manali

    Day 10: Manali to Delhi

    Also is it possible to get the permits for all these places before we start our journey from Delhi.

    • Hello Monika,

      Taxis outside Ladakh are not allowed to do any sightseeing within Leh – Ladakh. You can use them from drop-in and take-away modes only. So, the taxi you are hiring locally must have private number plate otherwise you will have to again hire a taxi within Ladakh and pay for your local taxi without using it.

      Secondly, The permits to Man – Merak – Chusul or remote Changthang routes including Marsimik La and Wari La are still not being given by DC office in Leh, so keep your fingers crossed and hope for the best if they start issuing the permits by the time you visit. Otherwise, you have to take the traditional routes only.
      So, leave that out.

      Thirdly, avoid sleeping at Sarchu or Pang at any cost while going to Leh from Manali because your body will not be acclimatized by the time you reach there. It is always better to stay either at Keylong/Jispa so that you minimize the chances for falling sick or hit by AMS while going to Leh from Manali. And, then next day carry on the rest of the journey to Leh without sleeping in between anywhere by leaving early in the morning say, by 4-5 AM types. I prefer staying at Jispa more because Keylong gives the feeling of a town while Jispa is more closer to nature having Bhaga river running just aside the Manali – Leh Highway at Jispa. If you are coming back via Manali – Leh, then it should be OK to stay at Sarchu as your body will be acclimatized by that time.

      My suggestions on above itinerary:
      Also, leaving from Manali may not be feasibly as you will get stuck in jam and without any acclimatization or feeling of holly terrain things could get ugly at Rohtang Pass if it gets too much time in traffic jam. So, add a day here and sleep at Solang Valley on Day 2. Day 3 start for Keylong/Jispa, Day 4 make Keylong/Jispa to Leh. Do local sightseeing+permit, Nubra Valley as you intend too do. Then make a day trip to Pangong Tso and then finally two day trip to Tso Moriri before flying back. This might need to add a day more and if you cannot then drop either Pangong Tso or Tso Moriri.

      I hope this helps. Let me know incase you need more info. or have any queries or doubts.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      • Thanks Dheeraj!

        We are hiring a private number taxi. I hope we will not have any difficulty in any getting permits.

        I take your suggestion for staying in Jispa. And we dropped plan of night stay in Pangong Tso lake. We will come back from Pangong Tso lake to Leh and then next morning from Leh to Tso Moriri with traditional route.

        What do you say is it safe there for travelling girls group alone?

        Also if you can guide how and from where to take the permits.

        Thanks!

        • Hello Monika,

          Yes, Ladakh is one of the safest places in India, I think with almost everyone ready to help you with a smile, whenever you need one. Use "Juley" do greet people and you would love the way they reciprocate back to you, the word itself is magical 🙂

          The plan seems fine now, and permits for Ladakh are not dependent on taxis but have to be taken for each person. Permits on Manali – Rohtang Pass route are only dependent upon the vehicle and is required for vehicle. It is better that you are taking a private number taxi to Leh and this will surely save some good money for you all. Regarding permits:

          1. For more details on inner line permits process and to download application form read the link: here

          2. For more details on permits for Manali – Rohtang Pass route for non-HP vehicles, check the link: Non – HP Vehicles Need Permit on Manali – Rohtang Pass Road

          I hope this helps. Let me know incase you need more info. or have any queries or doubts.

          Regards
          Dheeraj Sharma

        • Thanks Dheeraj for sharing the permits info. One thing more which I want to know is since we are hiring a private number taxi from Delhi, so are there any areas for which we will need to take only Leh taxis like visiting to Nubra/Pangong/Tsomoriri. Will our taxi won’t be allowed to move in there to these places?

        • Hello Monika,

          No, since it is private number you do not need to hire any taxi in Leh. Just make sure all people in your group are on same page to whom the vehicle belongs, if inquired anywhere.

          I hope this helps. Let me know incase you need more info. or have any queries or doubts.

          Regards
          Dheeraj Sharma

    • Hey Monika,

      can you pls share the map of Sarchu-TSO Moriri-Pangong Lake- Leh, I am planning a bike ride September second week. So it will be usefull for me.

      Regards
      Anoop
      anoopkp2006@gmail.com

  50. Hello Dheeraj,

    Could you please advise cheap guest house/hotel in Manali and Sarchu.

    Thanks a Lot

    Neeta

    • Hello Neeta,

      You can find lots of budget hotels around Manali in Vashishth, Old Manali and hotels on the Manali – Naggar road near Beas Bridge. The one at Manali – Naggar road named The River View and one just before that hotel are real good and economic options of stay in Manali.

      There is no cheap option at Sarchu which you can pre-book, but once you reach Sarchu and you have plenty of daylight left in the day, you can bargain hard to get the prices upto 800-1000 per tent/camp. More daylight means more bargain 🙂

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

  51. Can you furnish us with the numbers for the Mentok guest house in Tso moriri and the dothguling guest house in pangong tso?

    Regards,

    Abhishek

  52. Hey Dheeraj,

    I am from Hyderabad, My Trip is planned from 2nd July to 13th july12 in Ladakh & We are a couple. Below is the Plan made by me after reading tips from you & fellow members on IM Site. Please make necessary changes to our plan if required.

    2nd July – Hyd-Del

    3rd July – Reach Delhi & stay overnite

    4th July – Take early flight from Del-Leh full day rest

    5th July – Local site seeing in Leh + Inner Line permits

    6th July – Monastery Tour or Sham Valley

    7th July – Pangong Lake (Overnite stay)

    8th July – Pangong to Leh

    9th July – Leave for Nubra Valley (Overnite stay)

    10thJuly – Nubra to Leh

    11thJuly – Leh-Manali

    12thJuly – Manali-Del

    13thJuly – Delhi-Hyd

    Regards,

    Parvinder

    • Hello Parvinder,

      I would like to suggest the following changes buddy:

      7th July – Leave for Nubra Valley (Overnite stay)
      8th July – Nubra to Leh
      — This will help in acclimatization because PAngong Tso is higher than Nubra Valley and shall be done after Nubra always.

      9th July – Leh – Pangong Tso – Leh
      — Make a day trip to Pangong Tso to get the much needed day for Manali – Leh Highway which is a must or Drop Monastery or Sham Valley tour on 6th July and add it here if you really want to have overnight stay at Pangong Tso because Manali – Leh should be done in two days otherwise it becomes very tiring.

      10th July – Leh – Sarchu
      11th July – Sarchu – Manali
      — Do it in two days.

      I hope this helps. Please let me know in case you have any queries or doubts.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      • Hi Dheeraj,

        Thanks for the quick help on this, can you please e mail me your Mobile number? Just wanted to clarify few things before i arrive in Leh.

        Regards,

        Parvinder

        • Hello Parvinder,

          I have emailed you my contact number, please sms me before calling as I generally try to avoid unknown numbers.

          Regards
          Dheeraj Sharma

    • KETAN PAREKH on

      dear sir,
      first of all,i must congratulate you for maintianing such a wonderful and informative website for the tourist visiting ladakh.
      its really big blessing for the visitors.
      coming to the point,i and three of my friends are planning to visit leh from srinagar by car.we have skoda laura diesel as our vehicle.is it a good idea to to drive by laura from srinagar and back to manali?as i am based in ahmedabad,really not sure as to what to do….
      we shall reach by car to srinagar on 13th august and can leave srinagar enroute to leh on 14th august.
      we have to reach delhi by car latest by 26th evening.so practically,we have 12 days to complete our journey from srinagar to delhi.
      can u suggest as to how we can organise the entire trip?
      your kind suggestion is eagerly awaited especially,whether we can take laura with us or not.
      rgds,
      ketan parekh.
      mobile no:098250 30771.
      ahmedabad.

      • Hello Ketan,

        For hatchback/sedan taking on Manali – Leh Highway and Ladakh, I will say:

        You will indeed face few tough challenges on the route. The hatchback/sedan will increase the level of every challenge even further, sedan is the worst candidate. Since you are in hatch/sedan, then you need to drive with extra care as well. There will be some sections on the Manali – Leh highway in which you might need to sacrifice some scratches on the underbelly. Just make sure you do not bump the engine sump (know it before where it is placed in your car). You need to protect it all around the trip. Thirdly, whenever in doubt do not rush into the section rather park aside and feel the section with your foot, see how other vehicles are crossing it and make a planned route in your mind to cross that section. At the very least do carry Mseal, quick fix, funnel, jerry cans and towing rope with you all the time.

        Also, I will strongly suggest that you go through and read my series on Ladakh Self Drive tips at the links below:

        7 Useful Tips for a Self Drive to Leh – Ladakh, Routes and Road Conditions In Leh – Ladakh | Ladakh Self Drive Tips, Fuel Availability In Leh – Ladakh | Ladakh Self Drive Tips

        For a 12 day plan:

        Day 1 | Srinagar – Sonamarg – Zozi La – Drass – Kargil
        — Enjoy the vistas enroute
        — Have late drunch meal at Drass is you are a vegetarian as sometimes it gets difficult to find veg. food at Kargil
        — Overnight at Kargil

        Day 2 | Kargil – Lamayuru – Leh
        — Cover Mulbekh Maitrey, Lamayuru Moanstery, Lunar Landscapes
        — On the way you can also see Gurudwara Pather Sahib, Magnetic Hills, Confluence at Nimmu
        — Overnight at Leh

        Day 3 | Leh Local Sighseeing + Inner Line Permits
        — Local sightseeing include Namgyal Gompa, Leh Palace, Shanti Stupa, Shankar Gompa, Main Market, Hall of Fame, Spituk Gompa, Changspa Road Stroll in evening
        — For more details on inner line permits process and to download application form read the link here
        — Overnight at Leh

        Day 4 | 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 5 | 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 6 | Leh – Hemis Monastery – Pangong Tso Lake
        — Cover either of Hemis, Thicksey and Shey on the go towards Pangong Tso
        — Overnight at Pangong Tso (Spangmik or Lukung)

        Day 7 | Pangong Tso Lake – Thicksey Monastery – Shey Palace – Leh
        — Cover either of Hemis, Thicksey and Shey on return to Leh
        — Overnight at Leh

        Day 8 | Rest day at Leh to enjoy local culture and some shopping OR Monastery tour OR you can do tour to Sham Valley
        — Monastery tour may include Hemis, Thicksey, Stakna 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
        — Overnight at Leh

        Day 9 | Leh – Tso Moriri via Chumathang
        — Cover Karzok Monastery
        — Overnight at Karzok or Tso Moriri
         
        Day 10 | Tso Moriri – Tso Kar – Debring (Manali – Leh Highway starts) – Moore Plains – Pang / Sarchu
        — Try to start early in the day so that you reach Sarchu where the accommodation options are better than Pang
        — Overnight at Sarchu or Pang
         
        Day 11 | Pang / Sarchu – Baralacha La – Keylong – Rohtang Pass – Manali
        — On the way cover Suraj Tal, Deepak Tal which are on the road sides only
        — Overnight at Manali
         
        Day 12 | Manali – Delhi
        — Return
         
        Day 13 – Buffer day to be kept incase of road closure due to landslides or snowfall or perhaps you want to enjoy more.

        I hope this helps. Please let me know in case you need more info or have any doubts.

        Regards
        Dheeraj Sharma

  53. kunal sanghavi on

    Hello Dheeraj bhai,

    I and my wife are planning to fly to leh in 1st week of august.after doing the usual touristry places of leh and pangong and nubra and alchi,while coming back we plan to come down from leh to srinagar by road and fly from srinagar to mumbai.Is that a good idea to come down from leh to srinagar by road?? or will ir ruin our chances to see some good scenic beauty? I am aware that going up to leh by road is good for acclimization.

    waiting for your reply sir.Thanks

    Kunal.

    • Hi Kunal,

      I do not think so it is bad idea but there are two choices to go by road. Manali – Leh and Srinagar – Leh where though Manali – Leh is more adventurous, it also offers a beauty to remember for a long time. If possible, you can opt for Manali – Leh only or else go with Srinagar – Leh. I hope you are visiting Tso Moriri, if not then give this lake the priority.

      I hope this helps.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

  54. Hi Dheeraj,

    Can you take a look at this and give your views…

    June 3: Arrive at Leh by morning flight and take rest and arrange for inner line permits. Also go to some local places if possible.

    June 4: Leh-Pangong Lake-Leh

    June 5: Leh-Nubra valley with overnight stay at Hunder/Diskit

    June 6: Hunder / Diskit – Sumur – Panamik – Sumur – Khardung La – Leh. stay overnight at Leh

    June 7: Leh-Tso Moriri Lake and stay there overnight

    June 8: Head for manali and we are planning to reach Manali on June 9 evening with one night stay in between.

    June 9: Reach Manali in evening abd stay there

    June 10: Leave Manali

    Had some querries like:

    1. Can we club nubra valley with Tso Moriri and do not return to Leh on June 6?

    2. Goin to manali through Tso Moriri. As we are coming by flight so this will be our only journey by road from leh to manali. Will taking this route result in missin something worth seeing on leh manali highway?

    3. Also please guide about the path to be taken for Leh-Tso Moriri-Manali

    • Hi Azhar,

      My 2 cents:

      1. Take plenty of rest on Day 1. Do not try to do any sightseeing that can exert your body. Take rest only.
      2. Do Nubra Valley first before Pangong Tso, so that your body is acclimatized better. Going second day to Nubra is only suggested if you are feeling alright in the previous night, otherwise spend second night in Leh only and do Sham Valley tour at max. Do not take any risk.
      3. No you cannot club Nubra Valley with Tso Moriri.
      4. Most of the journey is on Manali – Leh Highway for Tso Moriri – Manali, apart from views of Taglang La, you will not miss anything.
      5. Leh – Chumathang – Mahe – Sumdo – Tso Moriri – Sumdo – Tso Kar – Debring – Pang – Sarchu – Keylong – Manali is the path you need to follow.

      I hope this helps. Let me know incase you need more info. or have any queries or doubts.

      Regards,
      Dheeraj Sharma

      • Can you tell me what all names should be written on the permit so that we can easily go through the planned places which are pangong, nubra and tso moriri……
        Would be a lot of help coz i read somewhere that there's a catch about some places and u've to mention names of other places on the way….

  55. Can anyone share the contact number for Mentok Guest House in Tso moriri?

  56. Anil moses on

    Dheeraj bhai, What will be the plan and route if we want to do Leh-Nubra valley-Pangong tso-Tso moriri and then head towards Manali. How many days will be required and is it possible to do in Scorpio with 5 people. Thanks in advance.

    • Hello Anil bhai,

      Ha Ha Ha, game for it 😉 … Well first things first. Check the article on Fuel Availability here if you missed it and find this long route on the list and plan for it taking lots of fuel with you.

      Day 1 – Leh – Nubra Valley
      Day 2 – Nubra Valley (if time do not matter, else skip to Day 3)
      Day 3 – Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso via Wari La or Shyok route if it is open that time.
      Day 4 – Pangong Tso – Hanle
      Day 5 – Hanle – Tso Moriri
      Day 6 – Tso Moriri – Sarchu via Tso Kar OR Tso Moriri – Sarchu via Chumathang (it will help you get fuel by routing back 14 KMs to Karu from Upshi and then returning towards Sarchu)
      Day 7 – Sarchu – Manali

      I hope this helps. Please let me know incase you have any queries or doubts.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      • anil moses on

        Thanks bhai. I have read your article about the fuel availability. We will be carrying a 50 litre plastic can with us in Scorpio. I hope this should be sufficient. Regards.

      • Hello Dheeraj,

        While I was going through this itinerary, one thing I noticed- You suggested here that journey should be- Leh-Nubra-Pangong Lake- Hanle- Tso Moriri.

        In my last post,I had suggested my itinerary as Leh-Nubra-Pangong-Leh-Tso Moriri.

        Which itinerary is better as per your opinion? Please suggest me ASAP.

        • Hi Keshav,

          It depends how much adventurous you want to be. Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri with night halt at Hanle is a not a road at all rather a dirt track but with magnificent beauty. If there is not fight of time, little discomfort traveling on that road for so long and you can carry fuel for about 700-800 Kms if returning back to Leh from Tso Moriri or about 950+ KMs if you want to further move to Manali from Tso Moriri then you can take that route. The beauty on this route is unmatched 🙂

          I hope this helps. Please let me know incase you have any queries or doubts.

          Regards
          Dheeraj Sharma

  57. Suman Chanda on

    thank you.
    you have already replied all those things that i wanted to know.
    waiting for raising new queries in my mind.

  58. NOmadic Life Camps – definitely good, but bargain hard, they will come down. I have got good rates for tents that are priced at Rs 3000 – at Rs 800 and Rs 1000. However, on one occasion, we got terrible treatment, they were salivating over some white tourists, treated us with total disdain (just because we bargained and got a good deal), denied us bath towels, we had to beg for hot water and the food that they served us was not the ones they offered the "full"-rate white tourists. I will never stay there again

    • Hello HVK sir,

      Thanks for sharing your valuable inputs with us here. So, I will update as warning here so that other people are definitely aware of such things before they try to settle or ignore them. I believe such a review will definitely help getting such mean minded guys back to school as I seriously feel that Ibex, Jispa had considerably improved upon their services since going through discussions over their ill services to Indian Tourists, over Internet. May be Nomadic Life Camps do learn a lesson in similar fashion.

      Regards
      Dheeraj sharma

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

  59. The travel agents in Delhi/Leh rip you off on rates for the Tso Moriri Camp. On-site bargaining brings rates down considerably, but we still did not get our price

    • Hello HVK sir,

      Yes, you are correct and that is very important point in negotiating the price at such remote regions. Even more, the more daylight you have in the day left the better price you can negotiate always 🙂 … Also, the rush and number of advance bookings does affect these prices rates considerably, I feel. But, again you have to live with it at such locations otherwise guest houses in Korzok village are the good options too.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

  60. Sharadh Srivastava on

    Brilliant effort! I hope to make use of this info within this year!

    Any other info/tips for a self-driving trip via Manali – please update. Thx.

    • Thanks a lot Sharadh. Seems this series of articles are serving their purpose already 🙂 … Well, for such info. refer the section "Private Vehicles i.e. Cars and Bikes | Self Drive or Ride to Ladakh" in the article linked here: How to plan a journey on Manali – Leh Highway

      I hope this helps. Let me know incase you have any queries or doubts.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

    • my pleasure, Saugata and I am glad the information is useful ffor you and may be for many other planning the Leh – Ladakh trip.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      • jai thakur on

        Dear Dheeraj,

        Trip is planned from 23rd July to 29th july,12:

        Arrival at Leh from delhi airport and back to delhi from leh by air.

        Team of 4members (3 adults, 1 kid aged around 11years).

        We need good quality hotels and want to understand what is must to see in ladakh. only we have in hand 6 nights and 7 days. Want to cover only the must places in ladakh and not all the places. Idea is not to get overstrain. can you please advise the travel plan and where we need to stay more and what all places to see. What all permits should be taken and how it has to be taken. How about the car booking. We want to book everything before we reach.

        Please advise on high priority as we need to close this within a day or two. Flight tickets are getting costly day by day. So we want to book the above and go for airtickets.

        thanks a lot for your efforts and great information shared.

        • Hello Jai,

          For accommodation, check the nice, preferred list of accommodation options in entire Leh – Ladakh including moderate and cheap budget hotels as well in the series of articles starting on the link here

          For the current leh – ladakh taxi union rate list 2012-13 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.

          You can follow a plan similar to 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 + Inner Line Permits
          — For more details on inner line permits process and to download application form read the link here:
          — 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 include Namgyal Gompa, Leh Palace, Shanti Stupa, Shankar Gompa, Main Market, Hall of Fame, Spituk Gompa, Changspa Road Stroll in evening
          — 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

          Day 7 | Fly back

          I hope this helps. Let me know incase you need more info. or have any queries or doubts.

          Regards
          Dheeraj Sharma