How to calculate cost or budget for Leh – Ladakh trip
Every now and then I keep getting queries on the budget for Ladakh trip, so I guess a post around it will be helpful for many looking forward to prepare or analyse the budget of their upcoming Leh – Ladakh trip in 2012 and years to come 
. To be very frank, the budget of any trip including Leh – Ladakh depends a lot upon person to person and the taste + comfort he/she prefers. Leh – Ladakh is such a place where you can get varied stay options depending on your choice of comfort, preference, conditions and circumstances 
. The variety may range from Rs 100 stay at some Dhabha tent to Rs 250-500 stay at low cost hotel/homestay to Rs 700 – 1500 at medium cost hotels to Rs 3000 and above for hotels that offer much more comfort etc.. The same thing applies for food as well and depends what you want to eat (Pizza or Dal Bhat or Roti+Dal Fry or Maggie / Veg. Non-Veg. etc.) and more importantly where you want to eat and drink 
… But, in any case I would try to sketch a basic average budget analysis on Leh – Ladakh trip based on the choice of accommodation and food which majority of people opt.
Given below is a basic itinerary for Leh – Ladakh tour ex. Delhi (without any buffer days) covering all major tourist destinations of Leh – Ladakh and followed widely by many travelers including me . We will be analyzing or finding the budget or costing for this Leh – Ladakh tour as a part of our exercise… You can roughly guess for yourself that for a similar trip or based on your point of interest, what will be the approximate cost or budget for your custom Leh – Ladakh trip. An example itinerary for Leh – Ladakh covering almost all basic tourist places –
Day 1 | Delhi – Jammu/Patnitop
Day 2 | Jammu/Patnitop – Srinagar
Day 3 | Srinagar – Kargil
Day 4 | Kargil – Lamayuru – Leh
Day 5 | Leh Local Sightseeing + Inner Line Permits
Day 6 | Leh – Khardung La – Diskit (Nubra Valley) – Hunder – Diskit
Day 7 | Hunder/Diskit – Sumur – Panamik – Sumur – Khardung La – Leh
Day 8 | Leh – Hemis – Pangong Tso
Day 9 | Pangong Tso – Thicksey – Shey Palace – Leh
Day 10 | Leh Rest Day or Sham Valley Tour around Leh including Magnetic Hills, Gurudwara Pather Sahib, Alchi, Likir, Basgo, Confluence at Nimmu
Day 11 | Leh – Tso Moriri via Chumathang
Day 12 | Tso Moriri – Tso Kar – Moore Plains (Manali – Leh Highway) – Pang – Sarchu
Day 13 | Sarchu – Manali
Day 14 | Manali – Delhi
So, you can see for our sample Leh – Ladakh itinerary we have taken 14 days (without any buffer days). You can add/remove modify it according to your needs and of course the budget outcome will depend a bit on that but I guess that is very much trivial to say . Also, consider that while traveling alone the cost of accommodation and transportation is bound to increase and while traveling in large evenly balanced groups it will surely decrease. As of now, I will also assume that you guys are two in number so that budget can be calculated on twin sharing basis. Now, to analyze the budget on the above or any other itinerary, we can categorize the budget in two major parts described below –
Food + Accommodation + Miscellaneous
If you are living in an average budget hotel with decent comfort and are traveling in a group (at least 2 in number) then the average cost per day for food, accommodation and other misc. things like toll, permit fees, entry fees to monasteries etc. comes about Rs 500-700 per day. This trip will need about 14 days at the very least, so roughly you will be spending some Rs 7000 – 10000 per person for food, accommodation and other misc. expenditures. Again, 500-700 figure could be low budget for someone and little high for the others depending upon choice of stay and food or other activities you plan to do. Example, if you dine at a dhabha tent then the cost of meal would come out to be around Rs 50-70 only per person and the same meal if you take at a restaurant at Changspa road in Leh then you might pay Rs 150 – Rs 170 per person or may be more or furthermore in some high end restaurant the cost will go up much more… Vegetarian or Non-Vegetarian also matters with respect to food pricing, so take that too into account. Same thing applies for the miscellaneous activities and here I have considered only which are unavoidable such as toll, permit charges, entry fees, snacks etc. If you are going for paragliding, rafting, shopping etc. then that will surely be something additional for you.
Hence, if you are going with the budget hotel having decent comfort, taking decent quality food and including only mandatory miscellaneous charges then you may need to shell out Rs 7000 – 10000 per person for the above Leh – Ladakh itinerary of 14 days.
Mode of Transportation
On a trip to Leh – Ladakh, the major cost comes out to be for taxis or transportation or fuel depending upon your mode of transport. Using public transport inside Leh – Ladakh is a challenge as frequency of such vehicles are very poor and based on their schedules you may require 18-20 days to complete the above trip … So, in Leh – Ladakh, travellers mostly commute either by private hired taxis or shared taxis run by tour operators or by finding travels partners and sharing the cost with them or riding rented bikes or ultimately self-drive on their personal bikes or cars. All these options will present you different costing of the trip. Let’s look each one of them below to get an idea of the total cost for a Leh – Ladakh trip.
Self-Drive Private Vehicle
You will be traveling about 3300-3600 KMs for above Ladakh trip. So, if your bike gives mileage of about 30 KMPL on an average in hills + plains then you are looking for about Rs 8000 – 9000 for fuel roughly. Similarly, you can calculate if you are driving the car. Just keep in mind that in hills your car will give much lesser mileage than in plains. So, calculate accordingly and divide them among the people traveling in car to calculate per person cost. It is difficult to travel to Ladakh with a pillion on a bike, so cost is calculated singularly above.
Finally, taking food + accommodation into account, traveling to Ladakh by self-drive mode of transport, you are looking at about ((Rs 8000 – 9000) + (Rs 7000 – 10000) = (Rs 15000 – 19000)) as the total cost for the entire trip.
Self-Drive But Rented Vehicle
Here, cost of fuel would be same as for a self-drive private vehicle calculated above but you will be adding the cost of bike/car rent as well. Usually, you get a decent bike in good condition at around Rs 1000 – 1300 per day depending on the make and model of the bike you rent. So, the cost of rent only comes out to be around Rs 13000 – 17000 considering if you get some discount. Adding the fuel cost as calculated above, the cost here becomes approximately about Rs 21000 – 26000.
Finally, taking food + accommodation into account, traveling to Ladakh by self-drive rented bike mode of transport, you are looking at about ((Rs 21000 – 26000) + (Rs 7000 – 10000) = (Rs 28000 – 36000)) as the total cost for the entire trip. If you are interested to know more details or tips on how to hire the bikes in Manali / Leh, kindly check the link here.
Privately Hired Taxi in Leh
The taxis outside the Leh are not allowed to roam in Leh – Ladakh and you are always required to hire taxi that belongs to Leh only. So, I am considering the case when you will be hiring the private taxi in Leh only and to reach Leh you will be using public transport. It may be the case that you are coming in privately hired taxi from outside Leh or may be flying directly to Leh etc. but here I will assume that you have used public transport such as train to reach Jammu, JKSRTC buses to reach Srinagar and then to Leh, HPTDC buses to reach Manali from Leh and further to Delhi. Also, I will assume that on Day 12 you will be going to Leh from Tso Moriri since in public transport you cannot travel directly from Tso Moriri to Manali. This means one extra day being spent in Leh – Ladakh making it 15 day trip. I am again assuming you are 2 in number… I will break down the private taxi cost and other transport cost for the entire trip as below –
Day 1 – Day 4 (Leh – Jammu – Srinagar – Kargil – Leh) = Rs 2000 – 2500 per person
Day 5 (Leh Local) = Rs 1500 / 2 = Rs 750 per person
Day 6 – Day 7 (Leh – Khardung La – Nubra Valley – Leh) = Rs 6931 / 2 = Rs 3465 per person
Day 8 – Day 9 (Leh – Pangong Tso – Leh) = Rs 6757 / 2 = Rs 3378 per peson
Day 10 (Sham Valley) = (Rs 2000 – 2500) / 2 = Rs 1000 – 1250 per person
Day 11 – Day 12 (Leh – Tso Moriri – Tso Kar – Leh) = Rs 9369 / 2 = Rs 4685 per person
Day 13 – Day 15 (Leh – Keylong – Manali – Delhi) = Rs 3200 per person
Considering about 10-12% discount on the rates of Leh Taxi Union after bargaining, total cost comes out approximately to be Rs 16500 – 17500 per person when traveling two in number. This cost per person will come down if there are more people traveling with you to a maximum of 6. Why 6? Because one Scorpio taxi can accommodate 6 persons with ease , anything more than that you need to hire two taxis.
Finally, taking food + accommodation into account, traveling by privately hired taxi in Leh and reaching Leh in public/shared transport, you are looking at about ((Rs 16500 – 17500) + (Rs 7000 – 10000) = (Rs 23500 – 27500)) as the total cost for the entire trip including 1 day added to travel between Tso Moriri – Leh.
If by any chance you plan to hire a private taxi to Travel on Srinagar – Leh Highway and Manali – Leh Highway then the cost will go much more higher because charges for Srinagar – Leh and Manali – Leh in a private taxi are about Rs 10500 and Rs 17000 – 18000 respectively. If you are less in number, like 2 in this example, it is always suggested to travel in public transport such as shared taxi, JKSRTC buses, HPTDC buses on Srinagar – Leh and Manali – Leh Highways
Wondering if there is any cheap mode of hiring private taxi to Leh – Ladakh from Manali or Srinagar???? I will say Yes as well as No. For more details, read the article here: Cheap private taxi to Leh – Ladakh | A Myth or A Reality?
Shared Taxis or Public Transport or Travel Partners (in group)
Assuming that if, instead of hiring private taxi in Leh – Ladakh you plan to travel by shared taxis run by tour operators or join with other travel partners to share the cost or you yourself are about 6 in number then you are looking at about Rs 10000 – 11000 approximately. If you further plan to travel only by public buses then this figure as well will go down further considerably. However, at the same time you may be required to stay for longer period adjusting to the schedule of these public buses which means increase in lodging + food cost.
Finally, taking food + accommodation into account, traveling shared taxis (or public transport or along with travel partners) in Leh and reaching Leh in public/shared transport, you are looking at about ((Rs 10000 – 11000) + (Rs 7000 – 10000) = (Rs 17000 – 21000)) as the total cost for the entire trip.
Conclusion
If I look at above scenarios or example the of course, it may not be the case every time that you will be hiring the bike from Delhi only. There can be cases where you will travel to Leh – Ladakh by bus or public transport and then hire the bike in Leh to ride other places. Similarly, you may travel to Manali in public transport and then hire bike from Manali etc. There could be similar other cases as well like flying directly to Leh etc. I have tried to cover many general cases here and we can surely discuss custom cases in the comments section below, if you like. Otherwise, if you are looking them at individually and day by day then you will be able to calculate the cost estimate for any such custom combination with fair ease …
I will look forward for your queries or doubts in the comments section below and to know your perspective/tips of cost analysis for Ladakh trip as well. Kindly share your valuable thoughts/feedback/inputs etc here with many other fellow travelers.
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Recent Comments
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Dheeraj Sharma:-Hi Zazen, For Vento taking on Manali - Leh Highway, I will suggest you rea
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Dheeraj Sharma:-Hi Namit, My 2 cents on the itinerary: You need to carry spare fuel so th
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Dheeraj Sharma:-Hi Anubhav, Yes, you can use that from Ladakh to Manali but inside Ladakh
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Dheeraj Sharma:-Hi Prasad, You will need to carry spare fuel in Jerry Cans which do not le
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Dheeraj Sharma:-Hi Tahzeeb, Though 10 days are very much less for Ladakh trip but still I
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Dheeraj Sharma:-Hi Hardik, Thanks alot buddy. Sorry I do not have contacts of anyone runni
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Dheeraj Sharma:-Hi Rajesh, Though I am not very much into technical details of automotive
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Dheeraj Sharma:-Hi Ranjit, Innova will suffer at few sections of the road, better get Scor
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Dheeraj Sharma:-Hi Zain, Firstly, I will suggest you that please plan it in other directio
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Dheeraj Sharma:-Hi ajay, When do you want to start, 23rd May is right after 3 days?? Guess
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78 Comments
ON 23 MAY I am planning to go ladakh with friends i.e. around 4 people ! please guide me the train and taxi route so that i can come bak to delhi in 5 days maximum !
Hi Ankush,
Ladakh trip is not possible in 5 days. It takes 3 days at the very minimum with AMS risks to reach there otherwise 4 days and then 3 days at least to come back. Go to some other destination if possible.
Regards
Dheeraj
Hi Dheeraj,
We are 6 in number, planning to visit starting from mid of August to last of August.
Our tour Plan is:
1. Delhi to Manali by volvo bus, overnight journey and reaching Manali by next day in the morning.
2. Hlaf/Full day (depending on how much time we get) Sight seeing at Manali + Night stay at Manali.
3. Next morning bus to Leh. I have heard that the bus fare is around 2000-2500 per head including in-between night stay and food. Can you please advise if this is correct. If possible please provide detail.
4. Reaching Ladakh and sight-seeing for 3-4 days (we will plan this part and finalize the number of days accordingly).
5. We will include Hanley Observatory in our trip (we have special permission to go and stay there, we need the approximate car fare). If possible please provide some information on how to reach there from Leh.
6. I have heard that in Leh sight seeing maximum of 4 persons are allowed per car. Is that true? I mean if we all 6 can travel in the same car, say if we hire a scorpio/traverra?
7. We are planning to cover patnitop/Srinagar during our return journey. Is that feasible. If yes, can you please suggest a return tour plan. We can spend maximum 15-16 days Delhi to Delhi.
Thank you in advance.
Regards,
Latif.
Hi Latif,
3. Yes, there runs an HPTDC Bus Service and they charge about Rs. 2000 for the travel as per last year which includes a stay at Keylong for the night and dinner + breakfast (guess) next morning before leaving for the day. It leaves around 11 AM in the morning from Manali and then about 5 AM from keylong next morning, reaches Leh by evening 6-7 PM. You can book tickets from HPTDC Delhi Office at Chandralok Building – CP or you can book it onlines using HPTDC Official website.
4. We can decide once you are done choosing what all places you need to cover in Ladakh.
5. 4 days are not enough if you want to see all sightseeing places in Ladakh and visit Hanle as well. Maximum you can see with shortest time possible and little relaxed is:
Day 1 | Leh Local + Inner Line Permits
Day 2 | Leh – Nubra Valley
Day 3 | Nubra Valley – Leh
Day 4 | Leh – Pangong Tso
Day 5 | Pangong Tso – Hanle
Day 6 | Hanle – Tso Moriri
Day 7 | Tso Moriri – Leh via Tso Kar Lake
6. No that is not true, you can take as much as you can based on your comfort. I have seen even 10 people in one taxi
. 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
7. Yes, you can do that. I always prefer and suggest going via Srinagar side to avoid any AMS issues. You can check and get an idea on how to do it as you are traveling reverse, a very balanced and most common itinerary for Leh – Ladakh followed by many travelers including me at the link here: Most Common Itinerary for Leh – Ladakh.
Day 8 | Leh Relaxed Day | Shopping
Day 9 | Leh – Kargil
Day 10 | Kargil – Srinagar
Day 11 | Srinagar – Patnitop
Day 12 | Patnitop – Jammu
I hope this helps. Please let me know incase you have any queries or doubts.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
hi dheeraj.
M planning to visit ladakh vaya bike from delhi.can u pls tell me the roads sitution.me n my whole team will leave delhi at 9th of july 2012.pls confirm abt alltitude sickness.
Hi Gaurav,
How many days you have in hand and would you like to do complete circuit, going via Srinagar and coming back via Manali? I will suggest you can check a very balanced and most common itinerary for Leh – Ladakh followed by many travelers including me at the link here: Most Common Itinerary for Leh – Ladakh.
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
I hope this helps. Please let me know incase you have any queries or doubts.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
good to hear u deeraj.actually my plan is we go manali and the last destination is khardung la.we have around 17 to 18 days to complete the journey.but the only problem is that m a heart patient infact like char dham yatra i covered by bike from last 4 years this time i want to do something diffrent.thats y m asking abt ams.can u pls tell that heart patient can go khardungla or not.
Wbr.
Gaurav saini
Hi Gaurav,
I am sorry but will not be able to make any comment on this because I lack any medical knowledge on this front
… I will strongly suggest that you go and see some good doctor and physician and follow his advice on the same.
I hope this helps. Please let me know incase you have any queries or doubts.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
I wish to travel to leh after 12th june 2012.Myself ,my wife, son and daughter and driver. my route shall be surat-jaisalmer-bikaner-amritsar-vaishnodevi-shrinagar-kargil-leh local and around-sarchu-keylong- simla-chandigarh-panipat-jaipur-surat. i will be travelling by my tata manza diesel. i intend to complete the route in about 18-20 days.please help me in planning the trip. is it safe totake my tata manza.what shall be my apprx budget. Is any other family interested to join us on our route in his own car? pl help.
Hi Ketan,
I will suggest you read about 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 to give you an idea what to expect in self drive in hatch back. For a quick read:
The roads may be stabilized by that time but you will need to face few challenges on the route. The hatchback/sedan will increase the level of every challenge even further. My suggestion will be to go via Srinagar route which is opened for light vehicles earlier (most likely) and will be stabilized by then. It will help you feel comfortable with the driving, provide more acclimatization and then once you have done the local Leh Ladakh come back via Manali side. Secondly, since you are in hatch/sedan back then you need to drive with extra care as well. There will be some sections on the Manali – Leh highway in which yo 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, funnely, jerry cans and towing rope with you all the time.
Let me know for any queries regarding planning the trip. You can check the a very balanced and most common itinerary for Leh – Ladakh followed by many travelers including me at the link here: Most Common Itinerary for Leh – Ladakh. The itinerary is ex. Delhi for 14-15 days, so perhaps remaining day can be spent in coming to Delhi and going back from Delhi.
I hope this helps. Please let me know incase you have any queries or doubts.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
Hi Dheeraj,
Pls let me know if the last 2 weeks of July are a good time to go to Ladakh. I have arrived at this time as till May it is winter and then the snow will melt. To avoid landslides and flooded roads I have picked the last 2 weeks of July. Pls let me know if it is the right time. Thanks in advance.
Hi dheeraj,
pls let me know if last week of june is ok to visit leh via manali by maruti desire in self drive. thanks in advance
Hi Hiren,
I will suggest you read about 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 to give you an idea what to expect in self drive in hatch back. For a quick read:
The roads may be stabilized by that time but you will need to face few challenges on the route. The hatchback/sedan will increase the level of every challenge even further. My suggestion will be to go via Srinagar route which is opened for light vehicles earlier (most likely) and will be stabilized by then. It will help you feel comfortable with the driving, provide more acclimatization and then once you have done the local Leh Ladakh come back via Manali side. Secondly, since you are in hatch/sedan back then you need to drive with extra care as well. There will be some sections on the Manali – Leh highway in which yo 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, funnely, jerry cans and towing rope with you all the time.
Let me know for any queries regarding planning the trip. You can check the a very balanced and most common itinerary for Leh – Ladakh followed by many travelers including me at the link here: Most Common Itinerary for Leh – Ladakh.
I hope this helps. Please let me know incase you have any queries or doubts.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
hello.going to ladhak in 2012 by bicycle any good advice.
We have planned in the month of June – From Bangalore-Delhi-Leh-Srinagar-Delhi
Hi Pavithresh,
June is good month to goto Ladakh but a bit touristy. You will find good amount of snow on passes. If possible, try to go by road via Srinagar and come back in flight from Leh. It will help your body acclimatize alot.
I hope this helps. Please let me know incase you need any details or have any queries.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
PS -> I am traveling to Ladakh on today for 10 days, so might not be able to reply instantly.
Dear Dheeraj,
Read ur blog seems to be very helpful.Actually we 4 people had planned our travel to leh ladakh from 24 june to 1 april 2012 a 8 day tour .our tour iternary is as follows:
23 june-delhi to manali
24th June – Manali to Keylong. Night stay at Keylong.
>> 25th June – Keylong to Leh
>> 26th June – Leh sightseeing
>> 27th June – Excursion to pangong lake
>> 28th June – Leh to Khardongla pass & back
>> 29th June – Leh to Kargil. Night stay at Kargil.
>> 30th June – Kargil to Srinagar.
>> 1st July – Flyback from Srinagar.
Our plan is to travel by volvo to manali and then have taken a package from a local agency there which is as follows.
Assistant upon arrival with traditional welcome at hotel.
> Accommodation on twin sharing basis.
> All meals (bed tea, breakfast, hot/pack lunch, Evening tea and dinner.
> Return air port and round trip transfer along with sightseeing tours by
> non Ac Scorpio, Quilis, tata safari, and Innova, as per the program.
> Inner line permits to the restricted/protected area.
> Wild life fee.
> Monument and museum entrance fee for the sight mentioned in the itinerary.
> All transportations as per the tour itinerary
> (Mulkila adventuer camp at Serchu, hotel Snowland in Leh, Sichan hotel in
> kargil, Taher House boat in Srinagar)
He is charging us 21k per head without return flight for the mentioned itenary.Is it ok or we can bargain more or should planin our own.Please help……………
Hi Abhi,
he plan is fine but I will suggest that you do it in reverse direction that is Srinagar – Leh – Manali. To know why I prefer this way, please read: 5 Reasons to choose Srinagar – Leh Road over Manali – Leh Road
Also, try to add couple of days and on 26th June you also need to arrange permits for Khardung La and Pangong Lake. Also, do Pangong Tso Lake on 28th and Khardung La on 27th. Try to spend least amount of time at Khardung La because due to lack of days you will not be acclimatized so quickly for such height.
Plan on your own and I am sure you will save plenty of money for yourself and also have more flexibility at your end.
I hope this helps. Let me know incase you need more info. or have any queries or doubts.
Regards,
Dheeraj Sharma
PS -> Sorry for the delayed reply. I was traveling Ladakh for past two weeks
…
hi dheeraj,firstly thanks for all the very important informations….i am planning to go mid june,12…from srinagar to manali as per your advice..just inform me is it be possible for u to accomodate me with any group or can local tour operators arrrange group for single traveller
Hi Indranil,
Well, I am really sorry but I do not send any group tours or arrange them. I suggest you explore the Travel Partners sections of India Mike and BCMT websites and I am sure you will find many partners who are traveling in June.
I hope this helps. Let me know incase of any queries or doubts.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
PS -> I am traveling to Ladakh on Saturday for 10 days, so might not be able to reply instant.
thanks dheeraj for ur kind information
i m planning leh trip in june2012 if anybody intrested then replay me shanmane86@gmail.com
if u feel free i can share with u mr.shankar if u want to start from jammu/srinagar….& back via manali by road & having 14 days time..my email address accofintax@yahoo.com and u can find me on fb just sent a friend request i am 35 years old professional chartered accountant
Hi Dheeraj, well, this is truly a useful forum. And I am surprised at your depth of knowledge, information and also the wonderful help you are extending to everyone around. Truly appreciate the same.
Having said the same, I have booked a package tour from makemytrip for a 7n/8d trip from delhi on 3rd may. it is an all inclusive trip except for lunch on five days. stay at some budget hotels. we are 4 members ( me,wife,two daughters of 14 and 12years).
Though I am quite okay with the itenary and possibly the sightseeing to be done, pl advise specifically on the following.
01: AMS accalamitisation, especially for the daughters. they do not suffer from any issue as of now. but couple of years ago, when we went to gulmarg level II, my younger daughter said that she was feeling breathless for few minutes and when we were back into the gondola, she was alright.
02. We have one day free for leh. Alchi not being there in my itenary, do you suggest we plan a trip to alchi on our own or do we spend time at leh itself.
Also do we visit doctor if there is any AMS felt after reaching there and then try to consume medicines or can we meet a local doctor here and try a dose for any side effects ?
Thanks for your time and suggestions.
regards..RK
Hello RK,
Thanks alot for appreciating words, really feel glad to read them
… As per your queries -
1. Try to keep your bodies hydrated with plenty of fluid “DO NOT OVER HYDRATE PLEASE”, do not exert in the initial days and you shall be fine. Not sure what is the itinerary though, so assuming it is well laid with respect to acclimatization.
2. Yes, very much. Sham Valley is nice place to feel close to the culture of Leh. Sham Valley include Alchi, Likir, Basgo Palace, Magnetic Hills, Confluence at Zanskar, Gurudwara Pather Sahib. Go ahead and do it, if you guys are not feeling tired on that day. Otherwise just relax around Leh town only.
Yes, if you can then go and visit a doc. Also, best will be to consult the doctor at home and take his advice on taking the AMS medicines. AMS medicines shall be take 2-3 days before going on the trip and shall be continued for 2-3 more days once you reach the place. BUT, MUST CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR before taking any medication and follow his advice. You can also read the article here for acclimatization that has some tips for minimizing the chances of getting hit by AMS.
I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any doubts or inputs.
Regards,
Dheeraj Sharma
Hi Dheeraj
We a gropu of 4 people are planning to go to Ladakh in the first week of June 2012 by our own car(Wagon R). We are planning to go via Manali. Please suggest how much it would cost around by our personal car and are the roads safe enough. What are the precautions which we need to take.
Hi Parboni,
Please go through the self-drive section in the article above and do calculations based upon the average your car gives you and number of person. You will get the tentative budget.
Also, I will suggest you read about 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 to give you an idea what to expect in self drive in hatch back. For a quick read:
The roads may not be stabilized by that time and you will need to face few challenges on the route. The hatchback will increase the level of every challenge even. My suggestion will be to go via Srinagar route which is opened for light vehicles earlier (most likely) and will be stabilized by then. It will help you feel comfortable with the driving, provide more acclimatization and then once you have done the local Leh Ladakh come back via Manali side. Secondly, since you are in hatch back then you need to drive with extra care as well. There are be some sections on the Manali – - Leh highway in which yo 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, funnely, jerry cans and towing rope with you all the time.
If you plan the itinerary properly, you will not need any tents. Let me know for any queries regarding planning the trip.You can check the a very balanced and most common itinerary for Leh – Ladakh followed by many travelers including me at the link here: Most Common Itinerary for Leh – Ladakh.
I hope this helps. Please let me know incase you have any queries or doubts.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
Hi Parboni…If you are going by your own car this will cost you around 10000 to 12000 per head including petrol…
petrol 200 ltrs=15000
boarding 10days=10000
fooding 10 days=10000
Misc exp. = 5000
total =40000
per head 10000/-
these are the expenses in 2011 july by a group from here…you need to bargain at hotels …they will reduce charges upto 40-50%..stay2-3kms away from main city (eg..Bilaspur or Keylong) will cost you less..do not go for luxury horels at Leh as you need to stay there at nights only…avoid non-veg…to keep stomach fit… acclimatization for 1st day at Leh will keep you in fit conditions..drive very cautiously…may be you will not get it open road via manali in Ist week of june…confirm before departure…do not take alcohol during driving..I REPEAT DO NOT USE ALCOHOL AS THESE ROADS ARE RATED AMONG THE MOST DEADLIEST ROADS OF THE WORLD BY International road conference..best of luck…
Thanks a lot Sanjeev for sharing some valuable tips with Parboni.
hey,
m planning a trip to ladakh but just interested in travelling for the sake of experience..n not being a tourist!
i wanna have li’l better budget blu-print:)
pls help a li’l..thankew!
Hi Garima,
Is there any specific query you have regarding the budget?
Regards
Dheeraj
Hi Dheeraj,
The information you shared is really valuable, infact it allowed me to trace every penny the agent is quoting for….
I still have one more query, would really appreciate if you could reply it. I’m going to Ladakh in coming july. I’m planning bit of trek and bit of leisure. We are planning to do Spituk to Stok, a mini 3/4 day trek. Any idea, how much one should pay for this trek in terms of total or per day costs?
It would be really helpfull.
Thanks alot
Niraj
Hello Niraj,
I am sorry but I might not be the right person to ask about trek rates, since my fitness level rarely allows me to trek
… But, only thing I know is if you get hold of some direct guides and porters then you save about 35-40% and even more at times 
… Different agencies charge differently based upon the accommodation, kitchen and ease of trekking experience they provide. I know your query is still unanswered but as I have least experience with it, so cannot comment buddy 
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
Hi Dheeraj,We want to go Leha Ladakh Trip in oct 12. No of Person is 6. We will Start from Kolkata at 14th oct 2012. Can you give me a very economy Budget of total Tour including lodging, fooding and transport.We want to go by Hired Car or Taxi not in public vehicals. Tour Package for 14 -15 days.
Hi Mintu,
Before taking the road journey to Leh Ladakh in October kindly go through the article here. For about 14-15 days the whole tour may cost you per person about 9-10K for taxi and 6-7K for economic lodging and economic food, considering you are 6 who are traveling.
do check the article on accommodation in Leh: Cheap Budget Hotels or Accommodation in Leh – Ladakh
I hope this helps. Please let me know incase you have any queries or doubts.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
Thanks Dheeraj. It will be help us and others Thanks again for your kind Co-operation. Pl Tell me, Can we stay beside Panjong lake and Nubra Vally in a Tent?
Hi Mintu,
Yes, there are lots of camping options available at Pangong Tso lake and in Nubra Valley you will not need any tents because there are lots of guest houses options available. For accommodation around Pangong Tso and Nubra Valley, check the link here and here.
I hope this helps. Please let me know incase you have any queries or doubts.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
dear Dheeraj…I didn’t know this fact…as I have taken taxi from Delhi to Delhi..as we have traveled leh & sightseeing in our taxi only…thanks for this information…will helpful to other fellows…
Hello Sanjeev,
Actually, only the private number taxis are allowed to roam inside ladakh and that too with caution because a little hint to the taxi guys within Leh that one is running a taxi not private vehicle, I am sure one has to opt out in such a case. So, even if you take private number taxi you must ensure local guys, if asked, that it is your own vehicle not hired one
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
Dear All
Me and my wife planned for Manali-Leh- Ladakh in September,2012.
16th September-Kolkata to Delhi(Flight Booked)
16th September-Delhi to Manali via Road HPDTC BUS( already seat booked)
17th September to 20th September- Manali , (Hotel Booked)
20th September- Start for Leh via Road by Hired Car twin sharing basis)
22nd September- Leh
22nd to 27th September- Will avail Leh Package.
28th September- Leh to Delhi(Flight Booked)
from 20th September to 27th Septemebr no booking done yet.
Wish to book from Manali.
Please suggest me what will be the Budget????
We two person want to travel on twin sharing basis.
So , is there any problem for two (1male +1female) in road to travel via manali to leh???
Suggest—————
Hi Suman,
Regarding safety, it is one of the safe places in India. Regarding budget, do you have any specific queries after going through the article above. Did you try to calculate based on the above calculation? I am sure you will find approximate budget from above depending upon the package you wanna too for sightseeing in Leh – Ladakh
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
Thank you Dheeraj
Actually I want to know whether I need to book a package based on Twin sharing basis from Manali for Leh & Ladakh or not??? Whether I need to book Hotel (if not going for package) in leh in advance??? If I not book Package How I book Hotel in Leh & other places of LEH??
How do I plan for Food and Accomodations??? Tell me about the availability of accomodations in september .
Hello Suman,
I guess not. You will not require any package tour. You can come up with any sought of query or doubts you have regarding planning your trip to Leh – Ladakh. Explore the articles in section of Ladakh for any details you want right from hotels, their contacts, price range, then taxis etc. IN September, now a days you will find accommodation without much hassle apart from costly Pangong Camping Resort at Pangong Tso. If you are tight on budget you should try some homestay at Spangmik or stay at Tangste in some guest houses. For accommodation in Leh and other places of Ladakh, please check my series of articles on accommodation starting from the article linked here.
In the series, you will find recommended hotels/accommodation at Leh, Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri and Nubra Valley by many travelers, their contacts, price range and brief about each of them. You can pick / choose and if required call them to have room booked for you in case you do not want to search once you are inLeh and other places of Ladakh.
I hope this helps. Please let me know for any doubts or queries you have.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
Dear suman…if you are taking taxi from manali it’s good…now I assure you….you need not to go by package (this will be unnecessarily cost much more) …you can have all the facilities available at leh as you have your own conveyance ( I hope taxi will be from manali to manali) you can search everything (hotel…tour spots ..food etc…)Leh is one of the safest places in India & one of the clean cities…you will enjoy..you must enjoy the journey…here journey is itself a destination… best of luck…
Hello Sanjeev,
If taxi is taken for Manali, it is not allowed for any sightseeing within Leh Ladakh and to get the tourist back to Manali from Leh. Taxis from Manali are only meant to drop to tourist to Leh, just that.
Regards
Dheeraj
Hi Dheeraj,
me and my friend are planning for a trip to Ladakh on bike. We will be renting the bike. after and are planning to go in July this year. The only question that i am not clear (after going through many blogs, forums etc) at is, which is the best route to take, Srinagar Leh OR Manali-Leh. Also, i got contacts of bike rental agencies in Manali but could find none in Srinagar.
i would be glad if you can help me out on this.
Hi Arun,
Well, it is always better to go via Srinagar side and ocme back via Manali side. It helps in the acclimatization and lets you enjoy more. Adding to it, you enjoy the magnificent beauty of Manali – Leh Highway on the way back since you do not bother much about health plus you can break your journey almost around mid-way at Sarchu. While going from Manali side, to avoid AMS issues due to lack of acclimatization it is recommended to stay at Keylong/Jispa and then cover about 75% of the journey in single day to Leh from Keylong/Jispa.
But, in your case you have to rent bikes which you cannot rent from Srinagar. AFAIK, no bikes are rented there. So, one option you take your own bike, other option is you fly to Srinagar and then reach Leh by buses/shared taxi and rent the bike in Leh for Ladakh sightseeing. Last option, go to some good doctor and take advice on medicine for AMS and try your luck with AMS on Manali – Leh Highway. If you do not have budget constraints then rent bike within Leh itself and drop the bike at Manali. One way drop rented bikes are costlier in rent as compared you dropping back the bike
I hope this helps. Please let me know for any queries or doubts you might have.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
Thanks a lot for your quick response. However I have a few more questions.
1. As you have mentioned, we can ride back to Manali from Leh, my ques is can we rent a bike in Leh just to travel around and see places like Khardungla, Hemis monastry, Nubra valley etc.(all these places were mentioned as must see in Leh on the internet, I actually don’t know which are must see’s). If yes, then do you know anyone or any shop/agency who’s bikes are better.
2. Which of these is the best month
to visit, May, June or July. Number of days for our trip is 8 (+2 as buffer)
3. Lastly, as I mentioned in my first point, can you please tell us which places are must see in Ladakh.
We are sure shot for Khardungla, rest we actually have no idea.
Your reply will most probably be our itinerary.
Thanks in Advance
Arun
hello brother
we r 4 friends planing a tour to leh from ambala city(hry) plz suggest us best dates in june.
we all are traveler & adventure lover can adjust in any condition but we can have 8 to 10 days.we would like to carry our own tents if possible & pls tell me how to get them.last year we covered amb-manikaran-manali-keylong-udiapur-manali-amb.this time we do not want to waste time in manali.we do not want to go via srinagar either way because we think adventure is on manali leh road.THANKS
Hi Dheeraj,
Thanks in advance for your extra ordinary info & Support.
We are planning to visit Vaishodevi, Srinagar, Gulmarg & leh our Itinerary is as follows,
Day 1 Mumbai to delhi
Day 2 Delhi to Jammu
Day 3 reach katra in the early morning then leave to darshan in the afternoon
Day 4 leave for Srinagar by 2 PM will reach Srinagar by 10 pm halt at srinagar
Day 5 Srinagar to Gulmarg & return
Day 6 Srinagar to leh , plan to visit sonmarg, halt at Kargil
Day 7 Kargil to Leh
Day 8,9,10 & 11 sight seen at leh pls suggest places to visit in four days
Day 12 Leh to Delhi by flight then Delhi to mumbai by Rajdhani
we have plan to visit leh in Aug , also suggest nearest railway station to leh other than Jammu, we are planning to come Mumbai by train if we are not travel leh to delhi by flight then suggest return way from leh to mumbai by road & train also let me know there is possibility to view snow in Gulmarg, sonmarg & leh?
Hi Unmesh,
Thanks alot for liking the info. present on the blog. Please find my suggestions below -
1. Day 4 will be too tiring for you after the Yatra. do not think you should leave for Srinagar on that day. but, if you are short on time and do not mind tired bodies traveling for about 10-11 Hrs then may be go ahead.
2. Better that you take flight back to Delhi from Leh because you are too short on time.
3. For four days in Leh, you can do like:
Day 1 | 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 2 | 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 3 | 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 4 | Leh – Pangong Tso Lake – Leh
– Day trip to Pangong Tso Lake
I hope this helps. Please let me know in case you have any queries or doubts.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
I’m planning a trip to Leh in mid of may.plan to go by road from Srinagar to Leh.In leh is there a possibility to share trips with others for Nubra valley or pangong etc.Do travel agents there can club me in some group ?
Hi Dheeraj, i am from Mumbai and was initially planning to transport my bike to chandigarh and then ride from there. but could you budget out my trip if i came to leh by flight and then hired bikes from there to all the decent places around leh ladakh for the next 14 days and then returned back to mumbai from leh itself.
Hey Dheeraj,
Very good piece of info. I wish you get a chance to visit all such amazing places around the world and also get time to write such blogs
We are planning a trip to the paradise this summer and I am interested in staying at homestays in Leh-Ladakh.(And this is solely my idea in the group)
Also, do rate them based on your personal experience (if any)
How good are they with respect to the comfort ( i definitely dont expect them to be hotel-like, but with elderly traveling along, i have to think about it)
Could you guide me to some info about this so that i can convince others
Cheerio!
Hello Nihaarika,
Thanks alot for words of appreciation and wishes, glad that you liked the info. present on the blog. Well, most of the homestays have separate rooms for tourists but you share common kitchen with the family with Ladakhi style dining. You need to tell the family the choice of food in advance so that they can prepare it for you otherwise at some you need to eat what family will be cooking for them on the day. As you correctly pointed out, most of them will not be too much comfortable but definitely OK to stay. The only problem with them will be either shared toilets and most importantly many of them have Ladakhi style toilets only not western style. So, with elderly people in the group it (non-western style toilets especially) might be an issue. Some of them do have western style at least in Leh but outside Leh (like Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri, Nubra Valley) I cannot be sure on them.
I will suggest you go through the series of accommodation in Leh – Ladakh starting from the link here. I have assigned the category for them, but still to have a mix of both things I will say go with Shanti Guest House or Asia Guest House in Leh. These two are not purely hotel and not purely homestays but you can feel mix of both here.
I hope this helps. Let me know incase you have more queries.
Regards
Dheeraj sharma
hey dheeraj..my family(8ppl) is planning a trip to vaishnodevi-srinagar-leh-ladakh-manali..for 10 days at 10th June,2012..what will b de best itinerary for the trip? also Mumbai-vaishnodevi shud b via train..please help..loved yo blog
Hell Prajakta,
10 days will not be sufficient for the Leh – Ladakh trip and I am not sure if you are including them in your travel from Mumbai as well. Jammu – Srinagar – Leh Highway needs atleast 3 days of travel and same number will applicable to Leh – Manali – Delhi Highway. atleast two days will be required for Vaishno Devi. So, in all you have just 2 days left in Leh – Ladakh and that too when you are only traveling, traveling and traveling. Now, even if you exclude your travel days between Mumbai – Jammu/Katra and Delhi – Mumbai, it is not worth making an effort. You need atleast 3-5 more days I feel to make this trip happen at comfort. Please let me know your thoughts around it and I will surely suggest some itinerary if you are OK with the fact of traveling that much.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
Hey
Nice blog
We want to plan a trip for dis summer to Leh-Ladakh.We will be approx 10-15 people. Are private cars and buses/mini buses allowed inside Leh-Ladakh?
Hello Nidhi,
Thanks a lot. Glad you liked the info. present here on my blog. Private cars are allowed but any car/bus/mini bus with registration number outside Leh will not be allowed for sightseeing in Leh – Ladakh. You can use them to reach Leh but after that you need to hire local mini-bus or taxi or tempo traveller (if available) for any sightseeing in Leh – Ladakh. If you planning to cover Manali – Leh Highway as well, then in that case if you are going via Manali you will need to get permits to travel on Manali – Rohtang Pass road in vehicles with registration number outside Himachal. However, you will not need any permit if you are traveling from Leh to Manali direction.
If interested you can check the most common and very balanced itinerary for 15 days at the link here
I hope this helps Please let me know incase you have further queries.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
thanks for the quick reply
If private buses are not allowed in leh, then where are we supposed to leave that in the city, as we will be coming back using that bus only. Also, is may end or june starting the best time to visit? can we expect some snow there at that time?
Yes, Nidhi there will be plenty of snow around Manali – Leh Highway and around Zozila Pass at Srinagar Leh Highway. Around Leh there will be no snow to play with but on the way to Nubra Valley as well as Pangong Tso lake you will be able to find ample of snow at Khardung La and Chang La respectively.
You can leave the outside Ladakh taxis at hotel or any parking area near hotel (completely safe) and buses will need to be parked in Leh bus stand I guess.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
Great post this is. Now I can get a glimpse of approximately how much I can expect to shell out on my trip.
Saugata, thanks alot for the same. I am glad you liked the info present here and of course, little apologies for not being active on IM for past few week due to official workload
… Feel free to let me know any queries you have for which I could be of some little help.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
Thanks for your outline. It is a great help for first timers with a great vigour to taste the first blood.
Thanks Maclean, I am glad that you like the information present on the blog. Please feel free to ask any queries or doubts related to any planning required for your Leh – Ladakh trip.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
Dheerj,this topic is very helpful for me. it clearly show all the budget info which i want.we r planning for a 4 member team, is it a balance number for ladakh trip??
Hi Nisharga,
Thanks alot. Glad you like it the info. Yes, almost the approximate budget for Leh – Ladakh trip with little variance of 5-15% depending upon you taste+comfort level and hiked prices this coming season. If you are looking for list of cheap but decent hotels or options of stay in Leh – Ladakh then check the list here
I hope this helps. Please let me know incase you have any queries or doubts.
Regards
Dheeraj
hi Dheeraj, info u gave is apt.
But when is the best time for the trip? We are 4 of us and would like to join/ accompany a group to reduce/ share budget.
Hi Chandra,
If you want to see snow and be on adventurous side then probably mid June to early July is the best time to visit. Keep in mind you should be ready for bad roads and blockages as roads do not stabilize in the early season. If you are looking forward to super, magical colors of the region then September after Monsoon is the best time to visit Leh Ladakh. Now a days monsoon generally lasts a bit long so, you can plan it in second half of the September month.
I hope this helps. Please feel free to ask any queries related to any planning for your Leh – Ladakh trip.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
Regards
Dheeraj sharma
[...] Budget for Leh – Ladakh [...]
I go by the simple benchmark of using a budgetary estimate Rs 1000 a day for F&B, and if you are using your own car, the equivalent cost of diesel & tolls, plus a little extra thrown in for minor repairs en route. This formula has not gone wrong for me and I have ended up spending under 800 a day.
Thanks alot HV Kumar sir. I guess you can safely keep that budget and me tooo try to go with this 800-900 figure mark per person per day and most of the times we always end up spending less or almost within this range. Of course, taking our own car does help reducing the cost considerably. And on a trip like Ladakh where the taxi rates are much higher, taking own car proves too economic. But, yes that is very handy tip if someone is really looking for budget estimate
This is compiled very well, Thanks for all the above info, Good work.
Thanks You!!!
Thanks alot Hiren. My pleasure…
Very nice and informative ..thanks bro… Will pick your brains during our trip there…
Deepak, you are most welcome anytime bro… I am looking forward to meet Vineet tomorrow.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
We were 7 persons to leh in aug 2009…we have taken the way from delhi- manali to leh…our trip days were as follows
day 1…Bhopal to delhi by train
day 2…delhi to bilaspur (hp)night halt
day 3 Bilaspur to keylong(via manali-kullu) (night halt)
day 4 keylong to pang (night halt b’caz of bad weather)
day 5 Pang to leh
day 6/7/8/9 around leh
day 10 leh to keylong
day 11 keylong to bilaspur (via manali-kullu)
day 12 bilaspur to delhi
night train to bhopal
we hired a Tavera from delhi @7/-per km..it was around 2300km from delhi to delhi.we have shared room which costs us about 200/-per day per person.
In all we have completed our entire trip in just Rs 6300/-per head.
I think ..now it may cost upto 7500/-per person…provided you are in a group of at least 6 persons
Hey Sanjeev,
It is not very much possible in Rs 7500. Last two years Ladakh have seen turn around in number of tourists as well as the prices of Hotels and taxis. Anything less than 10K now, I feel you are really lucky to get good deals at economic hotels. Tavera @ Rs 7 will be very hard to find now, we hired taxi from Manali to Leh at 9.5 K in 2010 and now the prices have gone up to 15-16K and even more during June and July. But, yes coonsidering you take most economic options of stay, most economic food counters and be atleast 6-7 in group who hired complete taxi may be able to complete the trip in around 10-12K for 14 days. I am not saying this is the standard figure but it really gives you an idea on how things are currently
… Consider the fuel prices which have gone rocket high in last two years…. Rates of Taxi uniion in Leh have gone considerably up. But, I am sure this information may help many to plan the budget accordingly.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
Yes dheerajji
you are right…in fact everyone is surprised here too…to know our expenditure figure at that time also…now fuel prices are very high…surely it is not possible now.one can bargain in hotels & taxi fare to minimize cost….