DeViL on WheeLs... » Ladakh

Environment Tax to Visit Leh – Ladakh

Dheeraj Sharma — Wed, 16 May 2012 02:22:03 +0000

Well, nothing comes for free as we say and now you need to pay entry fees to visit heaven, called Ladakh … This year onwards, you will need to pay Rs 200 as Indian Citizen and Rs 300 as Foreign Citizen to visit Leh – Ladakh region. This environment fees is being collected from visitors of Ladakh in order to raise funds for preserving the fragile eco system of Ladakh, as decided by The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC).

Fuel Availability In Leh – Ladakh | Ladakh Self Drive Tips

Dheeraj Sharma — Mon, 14 May 2012 18:35:00 +0000

Tourism in Ladakh has risen in the last few years and many people prefer to self drive to Leh – Ladakh for satisfying their hunger for adventure … There are many tourist places in Leh – Ladakh like Nubra Valley, Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri, Sham Valley etc and most of them are connected via Leh town except the adventurous connecting routes which exist between them. However, it always a good idea to plan your Ladakh journey well enough so that you do not come with a nightmare experience from heaven, which I found many people had this time when I was present in Ladakh. And, one of the key areas or things is to know about road conditions that you might expect along with the fuel stations or availability of fuel within Ladakh or in roads to Ladakh like Manali – Leh Highway and Srinagar – Leh Highway, once you reach Ladakh and drive on your own. I know there are many great articles or maps available over the Internet and even in Ladakh section of my blog but I will just try to add two more OK types article in the list …

In the first article of this series “Ladakh Self Drive Tips“, we will talk about the petrol/diesel or fuel availability within Leh – Ladakh and in the second article we will talk about the standard road conditions within Leh – Ladakh.

Petrol/Diesel Pumps or Fuel Availability in Ladakh

Without fuel (petrol or diesel) one cannot drive or ride and we all have limited capacity fuel tank in our vehicles. The mileage of the vehicles also decrease in harsh terrain like Ladakh where hills are not the only thing that results low fuel efficiency but rough or non-existent roads, rarefied oxygen (just guessing on this one) also joins the party. Hence, one thing that you should always keep in mind when self riding or driving within Leh – Ladakh is that petrol or diesel is available only in Leh town (guess 2 petrol pumps are in/around Leh) and one petrol pump is present in Karu town which is about 45 KMs from Leh on Manali – Leh Highway. There is one petrol pump available in Nubra Valley’s Deskit town as well but that rarely is functional and cannot be relied upon. Sometimes, even the fuel is not available at Leh petrol pumps as well for first half of the day. Now, what is the problem that lies behind it?

The biggest problem is that, most of the tourist destinations within Ladakh are not near to Leh rather about ~150+ KMs away from Leh and a return journey will make them about ~300 KMs. You will be able to easily get away with it, if you are coming back to Leh every time you go to one or other destinations because you can get your vehicle refuelled and ~300 KMs trips can be managed in most bikes and car very easily. The problem is when some of us do not want to come back to Leh rather do circuits like, Leh – Nubra Valley – Pangong Tso – Leh or Leh – Pangong Tso – Tso Moriri – Leh or Leh – Nubra Valley – Pangong Tso – Tso Moriri – Leh etc. Such routes are not possible to be done without carrying spare fuel (petrol/diesel) along with tankful of fuel in the vehicle.

Listed below are some of the common long routes in Ladakh along with the approximate distances that you will be covering on them without any fuel (petrol/diesel) pumps:

Leh – Nubra Valley – Pangong Tso – Leh via Wari La = 600 – 650 KMs
Leh – Pangong Tso – Tso Moriri – Leh via Hanle = 650 – 700 KMs
Leh – Nubra Valley – Pangong Tso – Tso Moriri – Leh = 900 – 950 KMs
Leh – Tso Moriri – Tso Kar – Sarchu – Keylong – Manali = 550 KMs
Leh – Karu – Rumtse – Taglang La – Sarchu – Keylong – Tandi – Manali = 350 – 400 KMs
Leh – Pangong Tso – Tso Moriri – Tso Kar – Sarchu – Keylong – Tandi – Manali = 900 – 950 KMs

Hence, you can keep these routes in mind and plan to carry spare fuel with you based on the distance you will be traveling, if required. In case you may run out of fuel on any of these routes, you can also try villages on these routes (especially Tangste, Chumathang, Khalsar, Deskit, Hanle, Pang etc.) where you may find the black diesel/petrol sold by the villagers, (of course, highly likely, with quality compromised) which can be handy in such odd circumstances.

Conclusion:

I hope the above article will be useful in planning your trip to Leh – Ladakh by giving you a better idea when you might need to carry spare fuel (petrol/diesel) and how much based on the mileage your vehicle offers. In the next article, we will talk about the other important factor when self – driving in Leh – Ladakh, that is, the road conditions within Leh – Ladakh. If you have ever self-driven to Leh – Ladakh and have some valuable tips to share, please share it with us too, so that it could be helpful to other self-drive enthusiasts and fellow travellers planning their upcoming trip to Leh – Ladakh …

P.S-> One good place to find some real helpful self-drive tips is respected Indian Highways encyclopaedic – HV Kumar’s Facebook Page linked here.

Leh Ladakh Taxi Rates 2012 – 13

Dheeraj Sharma — Tue, 01 May 2012 09:18:52 +0000

Being in Ladakh for sometime and got the opportunity to get the latest taxi rates for the year 2012-13 from leh taxi union. It is a surprise to see a hike of about 22% in the rates when compared to last year. Also, from this year onward, taxi union has separated the rates on the basis of model and make of the taxi. The have grouped the taxis as -

Innova and Xylo (highest price tag)
Scorpio, Tavera, Sumo Grande, Qualis, Safari and Winger (middle price tag)
Eeco, Omni Van, Sumo old (lowest price tag)

Below you can find the entire rate list of leh taxi union for sightseeing purposes within Ladakh and to Manali and Srinagar as well.

Click on images to download large pictures

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Some Good Taxi Drivers in Leh – Ladakh

Rigzin – 09622954779, 9469472772 (he know me personally and being more of a friend, he might help arrange some alternative in case he is busy or booked already in the season)
Naseer – 09906229203 and 09469293183
Dorjey – 09419372742
Tashi – 09906994647, 09419342238
Tsewang – 09622993372

Conclusion

I hope the above Leh – Ladakh taxi rate list for 2012 – 13 will be useful for your upcoming Leh – Ldakh trip. Feel free to get in touch for any queries or doubts you may have in terms of planning your trip to Leh – Ladakh …

Srinagar – Leh Highway to be Opened by 25 April 2012

Dheeraj Sharma — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 17:37:33 +0000

A much delighted news to all the travel and adventure freaks, as BRO expects to open Srinagar – Leh Highway by 25th April 2012. This is indeed an achievement and I am wondering on my plans to come by road on my upcoming trip to Ladakh next week … I hope the weather remains clear for the next few weeks and all the people of Kargil and Ladakh re-connect to the world early this year … Kudos for the effort put in by BRO, thanks to them.

5 Reasons to choose Srinagar – Leh Road over Manali – Leh Road

Dheeraj Sharma — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 14:27:00 +0000

Soon the roads to heaven on earth, named Leh – Ladakh will open its door and lots n lots of travel, adventure freaks hit the highways from various parts of India to live their moments of the year and ride/drive this adventure filled journey to Leh – Ladakh. The biggest question I keep getting is, “While doing the complete circuit of Delhi – Srinagar – Leh – Manali – Delhi, which direction is best to start the journey?”. Most of the time I reply, go via Srinagar – Leh Highway and come back via Manali – Leh Highway. I will try to enlist 5 reasons below why I suggest Srinagar – Leh direction while going to Leh – Ladakh over Manali – Leh direction

1. Better Acclimatization, Less Health Trouble

When you travel to Ladakh via Srinagar – Leh Highway, you ascent in altitude in a gradual manner. This means body gets more time to get acclimatized for the high altitude of Leh and you feel much better plus relaxed. The more acclimatized your body is, the less health (acute mountain sickness) issues you will face while you travel to Ladakh from Srinagar – Leh Highway.

If you start via Manali – Leh Highway then most of the terrain runs over 4000 Mtrs of altitude (you hit above 5000 Mtrs on second day itself) and by the time you reach such high altitude your body is not properly acclimatized, so high chances of falling sick and ruining the trip. When you are traveling with family including children or old age people, going via Srinagar – Leh Highway makes even much more sense.

Read more about Acute Mountains Sickness and Importance of Acclimatization including some tips at the article linked here.

2. Better Enjoyment of Views on Manali – Leh Highway

When you travel to Ladakh via Srinagar – Leh Highway and then do whole Ladakh sightseeing, your body gets very much acclimatized to the high altitude of Manali – Leh Highway. Hence, rather than worrying about your health, you definitely enjoy the beauty and explore Manali – Leh Highway in a much better way as compared to when you travel the other way round.

If you are traveling via Manali – Leh Highway in tweaked manner and get stuck at some high altitude pass (5 passes are on the way) due to some mechanical failure or landslide or road blockage, it will mean some serious trouble for you. Without proper acclimatization there are high chances of worsening the symptoms if you prolong your stay at high altitude. This may cause some serious health issues at one of the remotest places where even help would be hard to find for a long time.

3. Evenly Balanced Travel Distance and Time on Manali – Leh Highway

In order to combat acute mountain sickness issues, many traveler going via Manali – Leh Highway tweak the itinerary and tend to sleep at Keylong or Jispa (about 120 KMs from Manali) at first night. Then they start very early in the next morning from Keylong or Jispa to reach Leh (about 350 KMs from Keylong) by nightfall. Sarchu about 222 KMs from Manali, almost a mid point, is almost at a height of 4200 Mtrs and causes some serious acute mountain sickness issues many a times to many travelers. Hence, the travelers prefer/suggest breaking the journey into 25:75 ratio when you travel to Ladakh via Manali – Leh Highway and still you feel heavy head/nausea in many cases.

All this tweaking means, you will have less time of second day to thoroughly enjoy the views. Now, if you are traveling via Srinagar – Leh Highway and coming back via Manali – Leh Highway, you are acclimatized in much better way to sleep at high altitude Sarchu where you find good accommodation. Halting your journey at Sarchu means, you divide the over all 474 KM long journey very much evenly between two days and hence, more time for explorations the beauty at either day.

4. Better Placement of Tso Moriri Lake in the Itinerary

As you can see in the most common itinerary for Leh – Ladakh followed by many travelers including me at the link here, if you travel towards Manali from Leh then you can better place Tso Moriri lake in your itinerary and save a day for you. You cannot visit Tso Moriri while coming from Manali – Leh Highway because first, you will not have any permits and secondly, even if you get the permits somehow your body will not be acclimatized to sleep at very high altitude of Tso Moriri lake. So, you have to go to Leh first, do all your sightseeing and then visit Tso Moriri and then again go back to Leh to exit via Srinagar – Leh Highway. All this means, you should have one more day in your itinerary.

Since, you can always exit from Tso Moriri lake towards Manali via Tso Kar or Taglang La over Manali – Leh Highway, it gives more flexibility to place it in the itinerary when you travel from Leh towards Manali. For more details on Tso Moriri Lake, check the comprehensive Travel Guide for it at the link here

5. No worries of Manali – Rohtang Pass Permits for Non-HP Vehicles

In 2011, Himachal GOVT. floated a strange rule which disallowed any non-HP vehicle excluding two wheelers (bike/scooters) to ply on Manali – Rohtang Pass road. The GOVT. stated that this rule was brought into affect to regulate un-necessary traffic plying on Manali – Rohtang Pass road and make the traffic situation a bit better (in reality nothing changed rather got worse, I feel as per the reports last year).

For people going past Rohtang Pass towards Lahaul or Spiti Valley or further to Leh – Ladakh required to get a permit from Manali SDM Office. This meant wasting a day for sure in Manali. The FUNNY thing about this regulation is that only vehicles going from Manali towards Rohtang Pass need that permit but any vehicle coming from Rohtang Pass (i.e Leh – Ladakh or Lahaul Spiti) to Manali do not require any permit. Hence, if you are coming from Leh – Ladakh towards Manali, you do not need any permit

For more details on this rule that do not allow non-HP vehicles to ply on Manali – Rohtang Pass road including how to get permit, what documents are required etc, you can read more here.

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed the article and now understand why we shall choose Srinagar – Leh Highway while traveling to Leh – Ladakh and choose Manali – Leh Highway while you return from Leh – Ladakh towards home … If you have been there before, I would love to know your thoughts to on choosing Srinagar – Leh over Manali – Leh. Please share your valuable thoughts and inputs for the same. And, if you happen to be the first timer I hope the above article will help you decide the right way to Travel to Leh Ladakh by road and plan your itinerary in much better way.

Itinerary for My Ladakh Trip in April – 2012

Dheeraj Sharma — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 12:24:04 +0000

Countdown has started and so as my preparation for my Ladakh trip. Come April third week and I will be flying to the wonderland again with all the fingers crossed. Ladakh has always fascinated me, a dream destination which I love most and this time I would be exploring the remote Changthang region of Ladakh including the ever beautiful Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri lakes. There are lots of to-dos in terms of collecting various kind of information and the list is pretty big BUT nothing will hamper the spirit to enjoy the enchanting remote region of Ladakh and take loads and loads of pictures.

I have precisely chosen month of April just to avoid too much cold conditions and more importantly avoid the mad tourist rush of summers. I feel getting into a bit off – season will allow me to have different perception of beautiful Ladakh + its culture and who knows, may be in future I will attempt even in more off – season like winters. The only thing different is that this time I will be flying in sky rather on trans Himalayan region roads … Lots of articles written before and mentioned in the article below have proved their worth yet again and allowed me to plan + arrange things to carry within no time. Wish me luck and pray that I have a successful trip to Ladakh finally this time …

My Ladakh Trip Itinerary

Day 1 | Delhi to Leh + Inner Line Permits + Leh Local Sightseeing

Reach DC office by 11.30 AM with all required documents and get the permits done.
Rest till late afternoon. If feeling OK then continue below.
Starting late noon explore Namgyal Gompa, Sankar Gompa, Leh Palace, Main Market and Shanti Stupa till evening
After Shanti Stupa have a stroll at Changspa, dine-in and go back to hotel to stay overnight stay overnight at Leh

Day 2 | Leh Local Sightseeing including Monastery tour

Cover Maney Ringmo, Chortens near Choglamsar, Shey, Thiksey, Hemis in the first half of the day
Stakna, Matho, Stok Palace + Gompa, Spituk in the second half of the day
In the late evening visit Hall of Fame and stroll on main market and Changspa
Have dinner either somewhere on the way or at Changspa or at Hotel and stay overnight at Leh

Day 3 | Leh – Sham Valley Tour – Leh

Alchi, Likir, Basgo Palace or Fort in the first half of the day
Confluence at Zanskar, Magnetic Hills on the way back towards Leh after lunch
Gurudwara Pather Sahib, Phyang Monastery on the way back towards Leh in early evening
Have dinner either somewhere on the way or at Changspa or at Hotel and stay overnight at Leh

Day 4 | Leh – Chang La – Tangste – Harong Wetlands (Erath route) – Tangste

Enjoy snow filled Chang La and experience how chained taxis ply on it
After reaching Tangste, check in at hotel and if time is available explore the other route to Chusul via Erath upto allowed limit
Stay overnight at Tangste

Day 5 | Tangste – Spangmik – Merak – Chusul – Hanle

Route: Tangste – Lukung – Spangmik – Man – Merak – Khaltse – Chusul – Tsaga La – Tsaga – Loma – Hanle
Spend some time around Pangong Tso early morning
Take lots of pictures around the whole route to Hanle
Spot some wildlife like Kiangs, Marmots
Check largest Telescope of world at Man – Merak, if installed
Explore Chusul War Memorial and Hanle Observatory
Stay at Hanle either at Observatory guest house or at home stay in Hanle
Try some long exposure shots at night at Hanle

Day 6 | Hanle – Loma – Nyoma – Mahe – Sumdo – Tso Moriri (Korzok) OR Hanle – Kyun Tso – Salsal la – Chumur – Charchaghan La – Tso Moriri (Korzok)

In the morning explore, Hanle Monastery and move ahead to enjoy the beautiful scenery enroute
If possible, Chumur Gompa for mummified statue
Visit Korzok Monastery in the evening for nice views
Try some long exposure shots at night at Tangste

Day 7 | Karzok – Tso Moriri – Tso Kar – Moore Plains – Taglang La/Chumathang – Leh

Spend some time around Tso Moriri early in the morning and move ahead after breakfast by 9 AM types
If possible, cover Tso Kar and check out Moore Plains covered in snow
If possible, come back via Taglang La OR come back via Chumathang to Leh only without taking any risk
Stay overnight at Leh

Day 8 | Spare Day

Any left overs around Leh + Rest day at Leh OR
Hanle – Photi la – Photile – Koyoul – Demchok – Koyoul – Dhungti – Loma – Hanle OR
Hanle – Loma – Dhungti – Koyoul – Demchok – Koyoul – Dhungti – Loma – Hanle

Day 9 | Leh – Delhi

Reach back home for complete day rest on Sunday …

References

Travel Guide for Tso Moriri Lake in Ladakh

Dheeraj Sharma — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 06:35:00 +0000

Tso Moriri Lake – Ladakh

Tso Moriri lake in Changthang region of Ladakh is one of the most beautiful, calm and sacred (for ladakhis) high altitude lakes in India. In fact, it is the largest high altitude lake in India that is entirely in Indian Territory. This beautiful blue pallet lake is about 7 KM wide at its broadest point and about 19 KM long. Being part of the wetland reserve under Ramsar site, it is actual known as Tsomoriri Wetland Conservation Reserve and one cannot pitch any tents or construct anything near the banks of the lake. It is the highest Ramsar site in the world. A large number of flora and fauna is found in the region. Since, it is very near to the Line of Actual Control, one need to get Inner Line Permit to visit Tso Moriri. You can get more details on Inner Line Permits here: Inner Line Permits for Leh – Ladakh

The beautiful multi shades of blue color offered by this lake along with a picturesque landscape around gives this place an extremely romantic feel and breathtaking feel. However, in actual reality the place is extremely harsh and difficult to survive especially in winters. There is only one cemented accommodation available around the lake and the facilities like electricity, medical aid, hot running water, western toilets etc. are rare to find. The lack of oxygen makes survival difficult if your body is not properly acclimatized to its high altitude and hence, one need to plan his/her journey extremely carefully to make it acute mountain sickness free vacation.

Photo credit: Kaushik Dada at IndiaMike

Location

Tso Moriri lake is located about 240 KMs from Leh town of Ladakh district.

Altitude

Tso Moriri lake is one of the high altitudes lakes of India at a staggering altitude of 4595 Meters or 15075 Feet, yes higher than Pangong Tso.

Season for Traveling to Tso Moriri Lake – Ladakh

In January to March, Tso Moriri remains mostly frozen, extremely cold conditions with no options to stay around the lake. In April types, it starts to melt and starts transforming into the beautiful multi shades of blue colors off the shores. Then May, June, July and August is the peak tourist season but as compared to Pangong Tso it gets less number of tourist.

Come September and early October, the tourists starts to reside as cold starts to set in and accommodation tents starts to pack up nearing to lake. According to me, this is by far the best time to visit Tso Moriri to see full glory of beautiful shades of blue color. The colors are purely magical at this time of the year and with less number of tourist comparatively, you get better deals and enjoy more. After second week of October up to December, all the accommodation packs up and the only nearest place you can stay is either in some home stay type guest house at Korzok village or at Chumathang with basic facilities to fight the harsh cold. Chumathang is at much lower in altitude and one can stay there if visiting at the onset or in winters.

How to Reach Tso Moriri Lake – Ladakh

Route from Leh to Tso Moriri Lake

This is the general route to Tso Moriri that most people take to visit this ever beautiful lake in Ladakh. You can reach in about 6 – 7 Hrs depending upon the number of break you take in between. The route along with distance between the subsequent places is as follows:

Leh – Karu (36 KMs) – Upshi (13 KMs) – Kumdok (19 KMs) – Kere (53 KMs) – Chumathang (34 KMs) – Mahe (22 KMs) – Sumdo (10 KMs) – Korzok or Tso Moriri(53 KMs) = 240 KMs

You can cover Thicksey, Hemis and Shey monasteries while going through this route, if you haven’t covered them earlier while going to Pangong Tso. This route provides the best road conditions among all other routes. So, if you are one of those who prefer relaxing vacation and do not want to rush through places then, I will suggest make a two day trip to Tso Moriri lake via this route from Leh. Of course, I assume your body has been acclimatized properly by staying for couple of nights in Leh and spending a night or two in Nubra Valley as well before attempting to sleep near Tso Moriri or Korzok. If you are short on time then you can also exit towards Manali via Manali – Leh Highway from Tso Moriri via this route only but you need to esnure you have enough fuel to cover about 550 KMs without any fuel pump.

Route from Pangong Tso Lake to Tso Moriri Lake

There exist a direct and an indirect route between Tso Moriri and Pangong Tso as well and in most general cases, you will always be doing it from direct route of Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri because you can exit Ladakh from Tso Moriri towards Manali – Leh Highway after visiting Tso Moriri without coming back towards Leh and secondly, Tso Moriri is higher than Pangong Tso so as per acclimatization schedule you should stay near Pangong Tso before spending night at Tso Moriri.

Pangong Tso Lake to Tso Moriri Lake via Changthang (Merak – Chusul – Nyoma)

You can go to Tso Moriri from Pangong Tso directly via the remote and ever beautiful Changthang region. The drive between Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri is one of the most beautiful drives in whole Ladakh region. Foreigners are not allowed to go beyond Man – Merak Villages as permits are not issued to them for this route. Hence, they need to follow the indirect, slighly longer route to Tso Moriri from Pangong Tso. You need to mention all the places mentioned in the route below on your permit form in order to under take this route. The route along with distance between the subsequent places is as follows:

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

You need to make sure you carry fuel for about 550 – 600 KMs because you will be covering Leh – Pangong Tso – Nyoma – Loma – Tso Moriri – Leh without any other petrol pump. And if you want to exit Ladakh through Manali – Leh Highway from Tso Moriri then also carry petrol/diesel for about 650 – 700 KMs as the next petrol pump will be available at Tandi. Otherwise, you need to come back to Karu or Upshi, refill and move back again towards Manali – Leh Highway.

Pangong Tso Lake to Tso Moriri Lake via Chumathang

The indirect route that goes via Chumathang is the longer one, where you need to go all the way back from Pangong Tso to Leh upto Karu and from there you can take right towards Upshi – Chumathang – Korzok to reach Tso Moriri. This route can be followed by foreign tourists who are not allowed the permit for Changthang (Man – Merak – Chusul etc) region, if they do not want to go back to Leh. But, IMO one must go back to Leh from Pangong Tso, refresh themselves and start towards Tso Moriri next morning instead of very long day via Chumathang. You need to mention both Tso Moriri and Pangong Tso on your permit form in order to under take this route. The route along with distance between the subsequent places is as follows:

Spangmik – Lukung (16 KMs) – Tangtse (34 KMs) – Durbuk (9 KMs) – Chang La (32 KMs) – Sakti (34 KMs) – Karu (10 KMs) – Upshi (13 KMs) – Kumdok (19 KMs) – Kere (53 KMs) – Chumathang (34 KMs) – Mahe (22 KMs) – Sumdo (10 KMs) – Korzok or Tso Moriri(53 KMs) = 339 KMs

Do not forget to refill petrol/diesel at Karu or Upshi petrol pump and if you want to exit Ladakh through Manali – Leh Highway then also carry petrol/diesel for about 500 – 550 KMs as the next petrol pump will be available at Tandi. Otherwise, you need to come back to Karu or Upshi, refill and move back again towards Manali – Leh Highway.

Preferred Vehicles

The higher ground clearance vehicles are preferable and 4×4 ones would definitely be helpful especially between Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri via Man – Merak – Chusul – Nyoma (Changthang) route. However, for general route via Chumathang, quite a few people do it in hatchbacks and sedans as well which depends upon your skills to drive and road conditions at the time of travel.

Suggested Itinerary for Tso Moriri Lake – Ladakh

Generally, at least one night stay is preferable to truly witness the mesmerizing beauty of this blue colored salt water lake. Of course, one night stay will help you watch sunrise and sunset over the picturesque landscape and increase the charm of your vacation to great extent. Most people, generally do:

Day 1 | Leh – Tso Moriri via Chumathang

Cover Korzok Monastery
Overnight at Tso Moriri (Spangmik or Lukung)

Day 2 | Tso Moriri – Tso Kar – Debring – Taglang La – Rumste – Upshi – Karu – Leh

Cover Tso Kar Lake and Taglang La (some part of Manali – Leh Highway)
Overnight at Leh

You can also check the most common and very well balanced itinerary for whole Leh – Ladakh region covering all major tourist destination including Srinagar – Leh Highway and Manali – Leh Highway, at the below link: Most Common Itinerary for Leh – Ladakh

Accommodation Options at Tso Moriri Lake – Ladakh

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)

For a comprehensive list of accommodation options or hotels or camps around Tso Moriri lake, check the link here: Good Hotels or Accommodation options near Tso Moriri – Ladakh

Medical Facilities near Tso Moriri Lake – Ladakh

The nearest basic medical health center may be available at Korzok Village though I am not that sure about it. You can get basic first aid including Oxygen doses at some of the tents/camps, I guess.

Food Joints near Tso Moriri Lake – Ladakh

Being a remote place, you will either be eating in the home stay at Korzok Village or at the camps/tents near Korzok in which you might be staying overnight.

Phone Signals at Tso Moriri Lake – Ladakh

You will not find any phone or mobile signals at Tso Moriri lake.

Petrol Pumps near Tso Moriri Lake – Ladakh

Nearest Petrol Pump is at Upshi (about 185 KMs) or Karu (about 204 KMs) from Tso Moriri and comes on the way to Tso Moriri from Leh. I will suggest that you top-up the fuel from Leh itself and then drive/ride up to to Tso Moriri.

ATMs near Tso Moriri Lake – Ladakh

You will not find any ATMs near Tso Moriri lake and hence, it is always better to carry cash from Leh (the only place where you find ATM in Ladakh) itself.

Conclusion

It is a great place to visit and I am sure if you visit Ladakh, this one surely is not the place you would like to exclude from your plan. I hope the above information will be useful for your upcoming Leh – Ladakh trip.

Please feel free to post any queries or doubts you might have in planning your trip to Tso Moriri place in the comments section below. If you have been to Tso Moriri lake, kindly share your thoughts and other information you might feel will be worth sharing with other fellow travelers and prove helpful to them.

Travel Guide for Pangong Tso Lake in Ladakh

Dheeraj Sharma — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 18:35:00 +0000

Pangong Tso Lake – Ladakh

Pangong Tso lake in Changthang region of Ladakh has emerged as one of the most wanted places to visit among domestic tourists in recent times especially after the Bollywood blockbuster "3 idiots". Now, in India one can see a lot more movies and advertisements being shot around this mesmerizing lake. This slat water, beautiful ocean like lake is about 5 KM wide at its broadest point and about 134 KM long with about 60% of the length extending into Tibet. During winters the lake freezes completely, which itself is a great experience to witness if you have seen the other colors of the lake. Being very near to the Line of Actual Control, one need to get Inner Line Permit to visit Pangong Tso. You can get more details on Inner Line Permits here: Inner Line Permits for Leh – Ladakh

The beautiful multi shades of blue color offered by this lake along with a picturesque landscape around gives this place an extremely romantic feel as shown in Bollywood film songs. However, sitting behind the TV/LCD it looks so but in actual reality the place is extremely harsh and difficult to survive especially in winters. There is only one cemented accommodation available around the lake and the facilities like electricity, medical aid, hot running water, western toilets etc. are rare to find. The lack of oxygen makes survival difficult if your body is not properly acclimatized to its high altitude and hence, one need to plan his/her journey extremely carefully to make it acute mountain sickness free vacation.

Photo credit: Kaushik Dada at IndiaMike

Location

Pangong Tso lake is located about 170 KMs from Leh town of Ladakh district.

Altitude

Pangong Tso lake is one of the high altitudes lakes of India at a staggering altitude of 4350 Meters or 14270 Feet.

Season for Traveling to Pangong Tso Lake – Ladakh

In January to March, Pangong Tso remains mostly frozen, extremely cold conditions with no options to stay around the lake. In April types, it starts to melt and starts transforming into the beautiful multi shades of blue colors off the shores. Then May, June, July and August is the peak tourist season and they generally flock the shores of the Pangong Tso lake. In this summer period, a large number of birds can also be seen around the lake including the most common Bar-headed goose and Brahmini ducks.

Come September and early October, the tourists starts to reside as cold starts to set in and accommodation tents starts to pack up. According to me, this is by far the best time to visit Pangong Tso to see full glory of beautiful shades of blue color. The colors are purely magical at this time of the year and with less number of tourist comparatively, you get better deals and enjoy more. After second week of October up to December, all the accommodation packs up and the only nearest place you can stay is either in some home stay with basic facilities to fight the harsh cold or in some guest house at Tangste with more better facilities to fight the cold. If sun is shining and you do not mind the hard cold winters, then also you can make a day trip to Pangong Tso from Tangste to see magical shades of blue color at this lake.

How to Reach Pangong Tso Lake – Ladakh

Route from Leh to Pangong Tso Lake

This is the general route to Pangong Tso that most people take to visit this ever beautiful lake in Ladakh. You can reach in about 5 – 6 Hrs depending upon the number of break you take in between. The route along with distance between the subsequent places is as follows:

Leh – Karu (36 KMs) – Sakti (10 KMs) – Chang La (34 KMs) – Durbuk (32 KMs) – Tangste (9 KMs) – Lukung (34 KMs) – Spangmik (16 KMs) = 171 KMs

You can cover Thicksey, Hemis and Shey monasteries while going through this route. This route provides the best road conditions among all other routes. So, if you are one of those who prefer relaxing vacation and do not want to rush through places then, I will suggest make a two day trip to Pangong Tso lake via this route from Leh. Of course, I assume your body has been acclimatized properly by staying for couple of nights in Leh and spending a night or two in Nubra Valley before attempting to sleep near Pangong Tso. If you are short on time then you should make a day trip to Pangong Tso via this route only, being best in road conditions, so fastest among all.

Route from Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso Lake

Many of the domestic tourists are short on leaves and also do not want to miss the opportunity of sunrise/sunset at Pangong Tso by making a day trip. Hence, when they visit Nubra Valley (always recommended for better acclimatization) first most of them seek some route from Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso directly without going back to Leh. For all such people, there exist two routes from Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso:

Nubra Valley – Wari La – Pangong Tso

This route goes via mighty Wari La pass, one of the most remotest passes of the Ladakh region and takes about 11-12 Hrs again depending upon number of interim breaks you take. The route is long and rough and hence require you to leave very early from Nubra Valley, so that you reach Pangong Tso (Lukung or Spangmik) before sun goes down. If you are planning via Wari La route then keep confirming from the BRO posts that come by to check the road conditions ahead. It is extremely remote region and you will hardly find any tourist or vehicle going past by you. Hence, in case required, help would be long to find. You need to mention Wari La on your permit form in order to under take this route. The route along with distance between the subsequent places is as follows:

Diskit – Khalsar (19 KMs) – Agham (31 KMs) – Tangyar (11 KMs) – Wari La (28 KMs) – Tathok (25 KMs) – Sakti (4 KMs) – Chang La (34 KMs) – Durbuk (32 KMs) – Tangste (9 KMs) – Lukung (34 KMs) – Spangmik (16 KMs) = 243 KMs

Do not attempt this route in early season because, first it might not be open being low on priority for BRO and second roads are not stabilized in early season. So, being remote again help might be hard to find. You also need to carry spare fuel from Leh to cover about 425 – 475 KMs because many a times the petrol/diesel is not available at Diskit, Nubra Valley petrol pump and you will be covering Leh – Nubra Valley – Wari La – Pangong Tso – Leh without any other petrol pump.

Nubra Valley – Shyok Village – Pangong Tso

This route from Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso goes via Shyok Village and is on the cards to be opened in the year 2012. It is much shorter than the Wari La route, takes about 6-7 hrs from Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso and hence will save more time and energy. But, again there are some nasty landslide prone stretches on this route which BRO has found hard to tackle and stabilize a road through it. In the year 2010, few of the people did make it through this route but around flashfloods time the whole route was washed-off again. As per BRO, they might throw open this route via Shyok village in this year that is 2012 and it will be a great relief for the tourists, at least having less time on hands. You need to mention Shyok Village on your permit form in order to under take this route. The route along with distance between the subsequent places is as follows:

Diskit – Khalsar (19 KMs) – Agham (31 KMs) – Shyok Village (48 KMs) – Durbuk (18 KMs) – Tangste (9 KMs) – Lukung (34 KMs) – Spangmik (16 KMs) = 175 KMs

You also need to carry spare fuel from Leh to cover 350 – 400 KMs because many a times the petrol/diesel is not available at Diskit, Nubra Valley petrol pump and you will be covering Leh – Nubra Valley – Wari La – Pangong Tso – Leh without any other petrol pump.

Route from Tso Moriri Lake to Pangong Tso Lake

There exist a route between Tso Moriri and Pangong Tso as well and in most general cases, you will always be doing it from other way around that is from Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri because you can exit Ladakh from Tso Moriri towards Manali – Leh Highway after visiting Pangong Tso without coming back to Leh and secondly, Tso Moriri is higher than Pangong Tso so as per acclimatization schedule you must stay near Pangong Tso before spending night at Tso Moriri. However, for the informational purposes you can go to Pangong Tso from Tso Moriri directly via the remote and ever beautiful Changthang region. The drive between Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri is one of the most beautiful drives in whole Ladakh region. You need to mention all the places mentioned in the route below on your permit form in order to under take this route. The route along with distance between the subsequent places is as follows:

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

Though highly unlikely but if at all you are doing in this order then you also need to carry spare fuel from Leh/Upshi/Karu to cover about 600 – 700 KMs because you will be covering Leh -Tso Moriri – Nyoma – Loma – Pangong Tso – Leh without any other petrol pump.

Preferred Vehicles

The higher ground clearance vehicles are preferable and 4×4 ones would definitely be helpful especially between Tso Moriri and Pangong Tso as well as Nubra Valley – Shyok Village – Pangong Tso route. However, quite a few people do it in hatchbacks and sedans as well which depends upon your skills to drive and road conditions.

Suggested Itinerary for Pangong Tso Lake – Ladakh

Day 1 | 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 2 | Pangong Tso Lake – Thicksey Monastery – Shey Palace – Leh

Cover either of Hemis, Thicksey and Shey on return to Leh
Overnight at Leh

Accommodation Options at Pangong Tso Lake – Ladakh

For a comprehensive list of accommodation options or hotels or camps around Pangong Tso lake, check the link here: Good Hotels or Accommodation options near Pangong Tso – Ladakh

Medical Facilities near Pangong Tso Lake – Ladakh

The nearest basic medical health center is at Tangste Village about 50 KMs from Spangmik village and 34 KMs from Lukung village. You can get basic first aid including Oxygen doses at some of the tents/camps, I guess.

Food Joints near Pangong Tso Lake – Ladakh

Being a remote place, you will either be eating in the home stay at Spangmik Village or at the camps/tents you might be staying overnight.

Phone Signals at Pangong Tso Lake – Ladakh

You will not find any phone or mobile signals at Pangong Tso lake.

Petrol Pumps near Pangong Tso Lake – Ladakh

Nearest Petrol Pump is at Karu about 135 KMs from Pangong Tso and comes on the way to Pangong Tso from Leh. I will suggest that you top-up the fuel from Leh itself and then drive/ride up to to Pangong Tso.

ATMs near Pangong Tso Lake – Ladakh

You will not find any ATMs near Pangong Tso lake and hence, it is always better to carry cash from Leh (the only place where you find ATM in Ladakh) itself.

Conclusion

Please feel free to post any queries or doubts you might have in planning your trip to Pangong Tso place in the comments section below. If you have been to Pangong Tso lake, kindly share your thoughts and other information you might feel will be worth sharing with other fellow travelers and prove helpful to them.

Manali – Leh Highway Status 2012

Dheeraj Sharma — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 12:30:00 +0000

As per the earlier years, I will be starting this sticky post for status of the 474 KM long Manali – Leh Highway which so many adventure lovers await every year. There has been good news though that BRO plans to open Manali – Leh Highway till April 15th … Though as per last year, it looks again a very optimistic task and mostly it depends upon the snowfall in the coming months and the amount of accumulated snow. But, keeping fingers crossed let’s hope that we get to connect Leh – Ladakh by that time. Below, you can find all the updates that I will keep getting over the coming months realted to the progress of the snow clearance operations. Latest updates will remain at the top followed by other updates. I hope as per the last year, this year as well thie article thread will be useful in planning your journey on Manali Leh Highway.

For more details on Manali – Leh Highway, including accommodation, planning, fuel pumps, phone signals, etc. you can refer the Manali – Leh Highway Travel Guide at the link here.

Current Manali – Leh Highway Status – Open | Update Date: 17th May, 2012

Manali – Rohtang Pass –> Open
Rohtang Pass – Keylong –> Open
Keylong – Sarchu –> Open (Unofficially)
Sarchu – Leh –> Open (Unofficially)

Manali – Leh Highway Status | Update Date: 17th May, 2012

Just had a word with a friend in Manali in the evening and he confirmed that few of the taxis have started to run for Manali – Leh and few come from Leh side as well. So, un-officially Manali – Leh Highway has been opened …

Manali – Leh Highway Status | Update Date: 02 March, 2012

MANALI: With an aim to restore the strategically important Manali-Leh highway till April 15, and for the welfare of its daring jawaans, 38 Border Road Task Force (BRTF) performed a special puja at Gulaba and started its two-month-long snow clearance operation on Thursday.

BRO performs puja before starting snow clearance opearation on Manali Leh highway
Removing snow from 80-km stretch of highway between Gulaba and Sissu, which has been disappeared under 10 to 50 feet of snow, is similar to finding needle in haystack. BRTF personnel would work under the threats of avalanches, frost bites, gangrene and injuries as high velocity winds cause temperature to plunge below many degrees below the freezing point. To give pace to the work progress, Border Roads Organization (BRO) has formed four teams and started its operation from – Gulaba, Marhi, Sissu and Darcha.

Gulaba, near Manali
“Each team constitutes 4 snow cutters and 25 personnel including specialists and operators who are determined to restore the highway before the April 15,” commander Yogesh Nair said. “We are witnessing 8 to 15 feet snow at Gulaba camp, 23 km from Manali, but our difficulties would increase with every kilometre we move towards the Rohtang top. Snow is hard and conditions may even worst at Rahni Nullah, Beas Nullah and other avalanche prone areas.”
BRO officials were afraid of the heavy snow forecast after March 4 as in such conditions they would have to move back to the starting point to restart the operation. Glacier and avalanche points on the highway were another threat to the workers who could claim the lives. Commander said that they have discussed with the snow and avalanche study establishment (SASE) to get the exact location of dangerous points. With the phenomenon of melting and freezing of snow, it had formed the shape of semi ice which is hard to cut through. “If necessary, we may use explosives to blast the ice,” Nair said.

Manali-Leh highway
Literally one of the most dangerous highways of the world, Manali-Leh highway, which connects Lahaul-Spiti and Ladakh regions with Kullu, is important strategically and for tourism. Rohtang is the only gateway to Lahaul valley, which after being blocked with snow cuts off the valley from rest country for over five months. BRO has requested administration not to let the civilian vehicles beyond Palchan towards Rohtang pass for smooth running of the operation.

External Source: BRO starts its snow clearance operation on Manali-Leh Highway

Good Hotels or Accommodation options near Tso Moriri – Ladakh

Dheeraj Sharma — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 10:55:00 +0000

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 300 per person and goes well beyond Rs 2500 per person depending upon comfort 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 ).

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 person per night. At Tso Moriri, getting a place to stay with attached toilet is a luxury in itself …

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 but expensive. 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 cemented rooms. 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 and that too in season time is always going to be expensive.
- Price Range: Rs 800 – 3000 for a double bedroom (with/without meals)
- Contact:+91-1982-254855, +91-11-40580334 / 40580335
- Location: Korzok – Tso Moriri, Ladakh
- Category: Moderate / High
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 800 – 2000 for twin sharing basis (with/without meals)
- Contact: 09419178984, 01982-267321
- Location: Korzok – Tso Moriri, Ladakh
- Category: Moderate / High
Mentok Guesthouse – Tso Moriri, Korzok
Very much Recommended. 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 300 – 600 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 300 – 600 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 300 – 600 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.
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.

Thumbnail credit: Kaushik Dada