Home / Travel Articles /

How to Hire or Rent a Bike or Motorcycle in Manali

By on Sep 20, 2011 18:11 in Travel Articles / 86 comments

 

It is a damn great feeling to ride a bike to Rohtang Pass and it is further a feeling out of the world to ride a bike all the way to Leh from Manali via Manali – Leh Highway. In the past I have noticed that for almost all the adventure lovers and bikers, it has always been a topmost question – [highlight]How and where to hire or rent a bike in Manali[/highlight]. Well, though I am not a biker but still I have few points worth mentioning here on this topic based on my get together with such bikers/people and past readings on several travel forums over the Internet.

[warning]

It is worth highlighting that if your own bike is in decent condition then it is always best bet to ship your own bike and carry the journey on it. The rented/hired bikes comes no way close in terms of reliability, stability, fuel efficiency and overall mechanical conditions. The cost factor may not be vary too much when compared but the RISK of taking hired/rented bikes is far higher than what it can save you in costing terms. Depending upon your plan or itinerary, you  can ship your own bike to any of these places viz. Mandi/Chandigarh/Delhi/Srinagar.

[/warning]

Where to Hire/Rent a Bike/Motorcycle in Manali

First and the foremost thing, there are several tour/travel operators/mechanical workshops/mechanics in Manali who offer services for renting or hiring a bike or motorcycle in Manali region.

[update]

DoW blog is in touch with some of the reliable bike rental services in Manali for providing online bookings for renting a bike in Manali at special discounted rates for all the readers and followers of DoW blog.

[/update]

Cost to Hire/Rent a Bike/Motorcycle in Manali

Generally, the cost of hiring a bike/motorcycle range about Rs 700 – Rs 1500 per day per bike. Of course the exact rental price depends upon the modal, make (bullet, Enfield, pulsar etc) and condition of the bike you choose. As suggested by one of my friends Tarun Goel –

“The classic ones are nothing less than Rs 1300. The UCE and Twinspark models are also well above 1200. The old models are available for less but then if you do mileage analysis paying more rent is advisable because that serves two purposes, a) headache is not too much as fewer chances of breakdowns b) You don’t have to worry about the oil and mileage because mileage difference with UCE is well above 10kmpl.“

As for security deposit, be ready to shell out anything ranging from Rs 10K – 15K (for non-local hire) or may be more and it totally depends upon the dealer in question and bike you select. The security deposit is much less if you plan to hire the bike locally i.e. may be a ride to Rohtang Pass. You will need to deposit one of the original identity proof of yours like passport, pan card etc along with the money in many cases.

Important Things to know for hiring a Bike/Motorcycle in Manali

[arrowlist]

  • First and foremost, the conditions of the bikes are not that good after being battered in the hostile conditions for several years. So, if you have your own bike, then do prefer shipping it at any day as compared to hiring a bike. Though things are changing but again you need to pay more on the front to have bikes with good condition.
  • You should have a valid driving license in order to hire a bike. Some amount of experience of riding in the hills will be an added advantage as always.
  • Do not ever book bikes over phone or internet and always prefer hunting the right bike once you reach Manali. You must test several rental shops and see what everyone has to offer. You never know, you may get an out of the box solution right away. Booking it over phone or Internet do not leave you with many options or you do not have much control over what is offered to you.
  • Some dealers provide too old bikes and you should know how to avoid selecting such bikes, so as to minimize the chances of being stuck in the middle of nowhere. Beware of such dealers. So, quite important that you have the mechanical understanding of the basic parts of the bike so that you can detect any fault or tentative age of the bike after inspecting the parts.
  • Whenever you hire a bike, then spare a day for testing the bike locally (may be a run to Rohtang Pass) and getting any necessary fixes done right there in Manali itself or replace the bike with some better version. This will minimize the chances of being stranded in the middle of nowhere. The breakdown can result in several risks and dangers. Example: Consider a breakdown at chilly location of Taglang La where even the oxygen content is low, you are suffering from AMS, help hard to find and in all you are left with an option to tow the bike in truck/pickup whenever one arrives and agrees. Ehhh!! Not so good feeling. Hence, it is very important to test the rented bike thoroughly and select the perfect one for you.
  • It always helps having some mechanical knowledge for doing basic fixes/repair of the bike. You never know when you need such skills on these rented/hired bikes.
  • Do not forget to [highlight]carry extra spare parts[/highlight](at least basic ones for sure) even if you are going on your own bike, forget about hired bikes. Always make sure that the renter provide you with basic toolkit, at least single rider helmet, spare tube and other common spares like chain links, spark plugs or whatever they can offer. Try to get as much as you can. Rest you can buy yourself. It will further minimize the chances of getting stuck in the middle of nowhere.
  • If you are OK with the budget then carry a backup mechanic with you, if possible. Of course, you need to carry the basic spare parts as well. Some people also take an entire extra backup vehicle (car) to carry luggage, spare fuel, spare parts and mechanic. It is definitely a safeguarded approach but carrying extra mechanic and vehicle will add to the cost factor to a great extent. Hence, you need to decide judiciously whether it fits in the budget or not.
  • Most of these hired/rented bikes offer a pathetic mileage and hence it is always better to play safe and carry sufficient amount of spare fuel after analyzing the fuel efficiency of the hired bike on the test run. Never count on what a renter says.
  • Make sure that the RC, Insurance and PUC (Pollution Under Control) documents related to rented/hired bike are provided and they are up to date and valid enough. After all you do not want to land in some dismal situation on your life time trip.
  • Make sure that you have in written what needs to be done in case of you crash a bike or damages some or other parts of it. Generally, the bike will be transported to the nearest garage and the cost incurred for the repairs done need to be paid by the one who rented the bike. Also, check out the other intricacies (terms and conditions) as well like who will bear the cost of transportation or what happens in case the bike goes non-repairable state etc.
  • I guess many of the renter do provides Royale Enfield’s that does have luggage support as well as space to carry jerry cans. You may not find these things on other bike modals though.

[/arrowlist]

Conclusion

In the end, again if you have your own bike then do prefer it over the hired or rented bike. But, if you still plan to hire/rent one from Manali then do carry a test run for a day and get the required fixes done right in Manali itself or replace the bike if it is too troublesome. If budget is not a concern then opt to carry a backup vehicle or a mechanic along with required spare parts with you. Do understand all the terms and conditions thoroughly from the renter before handing over the security deposit and documents. Do go through all other points mentioned above, so as to better understand and prepare yourself on bike rentals.

I will be looking forward towards your responses and queries as comments below. Have you rented a bike from Manali? If yes, then kindly share your own experiences with other fellow travelers here. The tips for you will help ensure them a safe and hassle free journey.

If you found above article useful, then PLEASE stay connected with us on Facebook or Twitter or Email Subscription for any travel queries or travel updates / tips / news / guides on Traveling to Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Kashmir and other parts of Himalayas. Travel, off the road with us...

 

Related Posts

 
 

86 Comments

  1. Saurabh says:
    May 21, 2013 at 13:35

    awesome article…..i was looking all over the internet to know the answers about ladakh tour. At last found DOW. a very good work you are doing buddy…

    Regards.

    Reply
  2. ketan mahajan says:
    May 16, 2013 at 00:33

    Hii Dheeraj Sharma

    i am planning with my 3 frens a roadtrip to leh via manali

    we will be hiring bikes from manali itself

    is it possible to cover manali to leh & come back to manali within 6 days.??

    i am planning to go on 3rg june this year is it right time to travel??

    how much it can cost us aprox??
    please suggest me in this regard.
    ur suggestions r valuable

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      May 16, 2013 at 17:55

      Hi Ketan,

      It takes 2 days from Manali to Leh and 2 days to come back. So, you are left with 2 days out of which you need one day for acclimatization and 1 day you can either visit Khardung La or visit Pangong Tso. For doubts related to budget for Leh – Ladakh trip, I am sure the link below will help you alot for getting an idea of overall budget:
      How to calculate cost or budget for Leh – Ladakh trip
      Still, in case you have any doubt, kindly let me know.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      Reply
    • Pankaj bob Thakur says:
      May 16, 2013 at 20:24

      Hello Ketan Mahajan
      yes it is possible to cover manali leh but because of your short duration of trip you wont be able to explore properly….it gonna 2 days from manali to leh and 1 and a half day to come back to manali….you only got 2 and a half day left to look out….a local sight seeing with khardungla pass can be done first day when you reach leh,on 2nd day you can maximum go to pangong and come back….left half day rest….
      Roads are officially closed nowadays but bro says it`ll open by may last for bikers…..it gonna cost you arround 35 to 40k…whole trip
      What kind Of Bikes are you renting and from where???
      Regards,
      Pankaj bob Thakur

      Reply
      • Dheeraj Sharma says:
        May 17, 2013 at 15:29

        Hi Pankaj,

        Generally, people should acclimatize atleast for a day before venturing out to other places from Leh. They may get away but sometimes things are such that they get stuck at some high altitude region and then chances of hitting with bad health are more as compared to a fairly better acclimatized body. So, I always assume first day in Leh is mostly Permits + Acclimatization.

        Regards
        Dheeraj

        Reply
  3. Anubhav says:
    May 7, 2013 at 21:10

    Any idea if a bike can be rented from Manali and taken upto Srinagar but not coming back on it? I mean do dealers provide such options to leave the bike at Srinagar, instead of bringing bacl to Manali? If yes, how to get back the deposit money + ID proof

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      May 13, 2013 at 19:21

      You will be able to find some dealer who will allow you to drop the bike in Leh BUT very unlikely in Srinagar.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      PS: Sorry for the delayed response, I was traveling to Spiti Valley for past 10 days.

      Reply
  4. Maan singh says:
    Apr 8, 2013 at 01:53

    Hey Dheeraj,
    We are 6 in number planing a trip from manali to leh over rented bikes. We have fixed first week of june. Is it the right time or should we delayour trip fo few more days.

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      Apr 8, 2013 at 14:57

      If possible, delay the trip by a week or two so that even if the Manali – Leh Highway is open, you give them a chance to stabilize to some extent to avoid any irrelevant delays!!

      Reply
  5. omkar says:
    Apr 3, 2013 at 17:05

    Thanks Dhiraj…
    Road updates are usefull for bikers.Great job…I am hitting Manali-Leh road this july…Hope so dat it wil get cleared till den….In anyway…”Agar Raaston ki parwaah karunga to manzil bura maan jaaegi”….i will suffer you some more time for the route information and planning…hope u dont mind!!!

    Reply
  6. Omkar says:
    Apr 2, 2013 at 15:56

    Dhiraj,
    sounds gud…but someone told me that i will not be able to ride through glaciers….perhaps i will be only able to see it on mountain tops…in JULY season…!! and what about rain in july??

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      Apr 3, 2013 at 12:08

      Omkar, yes you will not be able to drive through glaciers, may be perhaps just Baralacha La pass which might still have some with them. You will see them very near at passes. Rains in July are a bit delayed for the past few years though I am not a weather expert. Something upto July 20 should be fine enough, IMO. Also, once you reach Ladakh it is rain shadow region and you should be fine at anyday there.

      Reply
  7. RAHUL NAYAK says:
    Apr 2, 2013 at 14:41

    Dear Dheeraj Ji please suggest that can we go leh through manali on 12.04.13 by hiring cab from manali

    Reply
  8. Omkar says:
    Apr 2, 2013 at 11:26

    hey dheeraj….i am planning my roadtrip to ladakh in july…. is july is best season?? i am transporting my bike from mumbai-delhi and we are riding from delhi-manali-leh-kargil-srinagar-delhi. m having Yamaha SZ-R 153CC…we are riding sigle…please guide me for
    1.Season
    2.Riding Machine
    3.Route

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      Apr 2, 2013 at 12:57

      Omkar, well why not ship the bike all the way to Jammu and then ride on from there. This will spare you from the boring ride to Jammu from Delhi. Bie should be fine to do the job while riding solo and the route you are taking is also good to start with as you can come back via Manali on the way back to Delhi or Ambala and get your bikes shipped back from there. July is a good time to Travel ladakh as most of the roads are stabilized as well. You can check a very balanced and most common itinerary for Leh – Ladakh followed by many travelers including me at the link here for 14-15 days: Most Common Itinerary for Leh – Ladakh.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      Reply
    • ravi kumar says:
      May 7, 2013 at 10:28

      i have also plan for leh ladakh from 22 june to 6 july. we are 4 friend. can you join us.

      Reply
  9. sunil shahlot says:
    Mar 3, 2013 at 18:40

    Hi Dheeraj ,

    we are a group of two families planning a 8 day self drive trip from delhi in tented INNOVA to LEH LADAKH.
    1. do you need special driving skills for driving in these areas.
    how much can we cover in 8 days .

    Should we start from delhi or some other location because I think gettting self drive cars would be easier in delhi .

    any suggestions for the trip thanks in Advance.

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      Mar 4, 2013 at 17:21

      Sunil, yes some good experience in bad terrain and long driving hours experience is required. If you want to explore Ladakh then you will need at least 9-10 days and drive for long hours to complete the journey by road. Otherwise, you can check a very balanced and most common itinerary for Leh – Ladakh followed by many travelers including me at the link here for 14-15 days: Most Common Itinerary for Leh – Ladakh.

      Reply
  10. Bharath says:
    Feb 8, 2013 at 13:13

    Hi Dheeraj,

    I am back to ask you more questions. :D Last year we did a bike trip to Leh Ladakh from Manali but had shipped our bikes. This time we are again planning for the same and our plan is to hire the bikes from Manali. We are 12 guys in number and we want to hire 9 bikes and a car where the other 3 would follow us along with the driver.

    Please let me know which is the best bike to for the trip that we have to hire and also i heard that if we hire more than 4 bikes then we will have to take a backup vehicle n mechanic. is this true? Also let me know the best place to hire the bikes in Manali. We dont to get cheated or get charged more. We would prefer a honest showroom.

    Awaiting your response.

    Thanks,
    Bharath

    Reply
  11. Aditya says:
    Jan 30, 2013 at 10:49

    Dear Dheeraj

    I am planing to do this trip with my wife.Is it possible on Bajaj Avenger 220

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      Jan 31, 2013 at 09:05

      Hi Aditya,

      I do not think there shall be any problem, though I do not ride so cannot be 100% sure. I have read accounts of quite a few people who have done it on this bike itself.

      Regards
      Dheeraj

      Reply
    • Pankaj bob Thakur says:
      May 3, 2013 at 13:40

      Bajaj avenger is comfortable bike for such route…..be sure about the proper bike checkups

      Reply
  12. Sanjay says:
    Dec 15, 2012 at 19:06

    Dear Dheeraj,

    Would you know anyone in Manali who provdes 4X4 on rent for Leh trip?

    Thanks

    Sanjay

    Reply
  13. aditya says:
    Nov 15, 2012 at 13:15

    Dear Dheeraj,
    We are a group of 10 planning to make the trip in late mid may-june. We are heading out from hyderabad. The following in the thought of itinenary:
    hyd->jammu-train
    day 1:jammu->srinagar
    day 2:srinagar rest/buffer
    day 3:srinagar->kargil/drass
    day 4:kargil/drass->leh
    day 5,6,7,8:Leh in and around
    day 9,10,11:leh-Manali
    day 12:manali->chandigarh
    chandigarh->hyd train
    I have the following questions:
    1) Can we do it on bikes?
    2) If yes, is it better to transport own bikes from hyd or rent out bikes..actually thinkin of bringin own bikes, therfore the srinagar-leh-manali
    3)We hav 4or5 days in Leh. Can u please suggest an itinenary for these days
    4)Return manali-leh, please suggest the breakup of the 3day journey, places to stay overnight etc.
    5)I would like to know the places where we can camp out n stay in tents and places where we hav cant(hav to stay in hotels/guesthouse)
    6)If we can stay in tents, do we get our own tents or are tents available for rent?
    Sorry for the long essay questionaire..Jus really excited plannin it..wonder how much better will it actually be..
    Thanq.
    Regards
    -Aditya

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      Nov 16, 2012 at 15:45

      Hello Aditya,

      1. Yes, you can do that on bikes as itinerary looks good.
      2. Always best to transport your own bike and rely on them. Nothing beats that :)
      3 + 4. Answered below:
      5. If you carry tents then you can stay at all these places in tents. If you are not carrying tents, then do you really want to stay in tents? Because apart from Sarchu, you will be able to get some good to go guest house or accommodation in place.
      6. Tents are available on rents at many places. It depends if you want to stay in them or not. Sarchu, Jispa, Nubra Valley, Tso Moriri, Pangong Tso. all have tented accommodations as well.

      Day 5 | 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 6 | 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 7 | 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 8 | Leh – Pangong Tso – Leh– Make a Day trip to Pangong Tso
      – Overnight at Leh

      Day 9 | Leh – Tso Moriri via Chumathang
      – Cover Karzok Monastery
      – Overnight at Karzok or Tso Moriri

      Day 10 | Tso Moriri – Tso Kar – Debring (Manali – Leh Highway starts) – Moore Plains – Pang / Sarchu
      – Try to start early in the day so that you reach Sarchu where the accommodation options are better than Pang
      – Overnight at Sarchu or Pang
       
      Day 11 | Pang / Sarchu – Baralacha La – Keylong – Rohtang Pass – Manali
      – On the way cover Suraj Tal, Deepak Tal which are on the road sides only
      – Overnight at Manali

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

      Regards
      Dheeraj sharma

      Reply
      • Aditya says:
        Nov 16, 2012 at 16:33

        Thank You Dheeraj for the quick and informative reply. one doubt I have left is we have an assortment of 150cc(CBZ extreme, Pulsar etc)and higher than 150cc(Apache 160,KarizmaR etc) bikes. Are they good enough for the trip? Will they be suitable even if we have pillion rider+luggage??

        Reply
        • Dheeraj Sharma says:
          Nov 17, 2012 at 08:46

          Hi Aditya,

          Lot of people do it on these bikes so more or less must be suitable enough. In some ascents/descents you might want your pillion to get off the bike and walk. Rest you shall be good to go with these bikes.

          Regards
          Dheeraj Sharma

      • Rana says:
        Jan 30, 2013 at 18:51

        Hi Dheeraj,

        I am planning to ride from Manali to Leh in my 150cc Honda Dazzler. Do you think will it be good enough for the trip.Please let me know

        Reply
        • Dheeraj Sharma says:
          Jan 31, 2013 at 09:16

          Rana, I have seen many 150cc bikes or even less, which have been taken to these places in Ladakh. I feel you should not be much concerned if there isn’t any special case with your bike.

  14. Vishal says:
    Jul 18, 2012 at 03:31

    I would like to thank you for providing all the information about Leh ladakh trip. i was searching for a website where I could get all the information about the trip, fortunately I found devilonwheels.com. We are planning to visit leh in the month of August. I will definitely share my experience after coming back…….Thanks again Dheeraj :)

    Reply
  15. Vishal says:
    Jul 3, 2012 at 04:32

    Hi Dheeraj,

    I am planning to take my own bike for Manali -> Dharamsala -> Jammu -> Sringar -> Kargil -> Leh -> Sarchu -> Manali route. Me and my wife combined are ~150 kgs and we will have ~20 kgs of luggage.

    Do you think the bike can carry the ~170 kgs?

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      Jul 4, 2012 at 13:10

      Hi Vishal,

      I think it will face few difficulties somewhere or the other riding with pillion, if you are riding less powerful engine and you will surely have to let the pillion get down to cross certain sections. Do get your bike serviced properly.

      Regards
      Dheeraj

      Reply
  16. Kunal Lakhani says:
    Jun 27, 2012 at 08:12

    Hi Dheeraj,

    Many thanks for the information, me and 3 of my friends are planning to Travel to Ladakh on 17th July 2012.

    * Is this the best time to Travel? as someone told that it rains alot during this time.

    * We are going to follow below iternary (does anything needs to be changed)

    Mumbai – Srinagar

    Srinagar – Kargil

    Kargil – Ladakh

    Ladak – Nubra Valley

    Nubra – Ladakh

    Ladakh – Pangong – Ladakh

    Ladakh – Manali

    Manali – Chandigarh

    Chandigarh – Mumbai

    Also we are planing to rent a car from Srinagar to Ladakh and then Travel via Bike.

    Does anyone rent bike for one way trip ie from Ladakh to Manali, As we would be going directly from Manali to Chandigarh.

    Would appreciate your feedback on this.

    Best Regards,

    Kunal Lakhani

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      Jun 27, 2012 at 12:24

      Hello Kunal,

      You need to increase the number of days you have in hand or try to take chance with AMS and go via Manali and come back via Manali. Making Leh – Manali in monsoon time would be really difficult in one day and if planning on bike then very very difficult if you are not used to such rides. It is not a simple terrain, very harsh and unforgiving. Try increase the number of days and split Leh – Manali in two days with overnight halt at Sarchu or Keylong in between. Travel by HPTDC bus service if possible over Manali – Leh Highway, nice and cheap option if you traveling in small group or individually.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      Reply
      • Kunal Lakhani says:
        Jun 28, 2012 at 01:12

        Thanks Dheeraj, will make note of it. But what about "Does anyone rent bike for one way trip ie from Ladakh to Manali, As we would be going directly from Manali to Chandigarh."

        Any thoughts?

        Regards,

        Kunal Lakhani

        Reply
        • Dheeraj Sharma says:
          Jun 28, 2012 at 12:36

          Hi Kunal,

          Yes, there may be few operators in Leh that might provide you the bike on rent which you can drop at Manali. Just search a bit on Fort road. Go in day time when most of the shops are open, early morning they might not have opened all the shops there and you will have less options in that case.

          Regards
          Dheeraj Sharma

  17. Anuj Gupta says:
    Jun 24, 2012 at 06:15

    me and my threee friends are planning to go to manali next weekend and from there go to only rohtang pass on bikes. but we are not sure about the bikes rent and from where to get the bikes?

    Reply
  18. Tina says:
    Jun 21, 2012 at 21:30

    Do only bullet or some bikes can reach upto Ladakh,what about mopeds like activa or deo,is it possible to make them reach??This is a serious question..

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      Jun 22, 2012 at 06:58

      Hi Tina,

      It is not about vehicle but the spirit behind it. People have taken scootys, scooters, 100cc bikes, auto-rickshaws etc. to Ladakh and I know or have read so many account on them. Definitely the path is not all that easy but as I said, it is the Spirit and Passion for Traveling is what makes the difference.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      Reply
  19. shantam says:
    Jun 18, 2012 at 04:42

    really it is very helpful information…….. really thanks alot.

    Reply
  20. nikhil kumar says:
    Jun 17, 2012 at 00:18

    what about the heavy woolen cloths and jackets …??

    will it be available for rent.

    knee and elbow guard.

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      Jun 18, 2012 at 12:25

      Hi Nikhil,

      Not sure buddy, if all this is provided but AFA jackets, you might get snow dress on rent, may be which you can use. I will advice that you carry your own.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      Reply
  21. ANIL says:
    Jun 2, 2012 at 03:31

    Dear

    I am planing to visit manali from 8th June to 12th june 2012. We are 7 boys. Can i know the price of budget hotels & is it possible that all of us can stay in one big room. Wt is rate of hiring bike for manali to Rohtang pass.What is the temp of manali in the month of june.

    Thamks & Regards

    ANIL KIRAR

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      Jun 2, 2012 at 15:11

      Hi anil,

      Budget hotels in peak season will be available around Rs 500 – 1000. You can find lots of budget hotels around Manali in Vashishth, Old Manali and hotels on the Manali – Naggar road near Beas Bridge. The one at Manali – Naggar road named The River View and one just before that hotel are real good and economic options of stay in Manali. Read the complete review of The River View hotel at the below link: The River View, Manali | Hotel Review

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

      Reply
  22. sandeep ghatage says:
    Jun 1, 2012 at 04:10

    Hi Dheeraj,

    The information provided by you is very helpful for the travelers who want to plan the tour for Leh Ladhad. I have also done lot of research for last few months as we are planning to go start our journy on 4th july(4th to 19th). We are group of 4/5.

    I have received quotes for the tour of 15days from country side , Make my trip and many more but most of them are costing upto 33-40 thousand. and Package starting from Delhi and ends at Jammu.

    I am confused should we go with the travel company or we should manage the tour on our own.

    Please suggest what should we do as we need to do the bookings of the entire journey .

    One more very important decision we have take is regarding the rout to choose ..

    1) Jammum- Shrinagar-Leh-Manali -Delhi.

    Or

    2) Mumbai-Delhi- Manali-Leh- Kargil-Shrinagar-Jammu- Delhi-Mumbai.

    Please give your valuable suggestions.

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      Jun 1, 2012 at 13:34

      Hi Sandeep,

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

      If these operators have not told you about acclimatization and its importance then better throw them aside because it is the basis of success for any Leh – Ladakh trip and shall be the duty of any tour operator to first convey these points to tourists. It is then tourist decision to take on the challenge or not.

      For 14-15 days, 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

      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

      Check the list of things to carry for Leh – Ladakh or other trip at the link here.

      I guess going after through above articles, you will not need any kind of tour operator at all :D

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

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      Reply
  23. Manish says:
    May 24, 2012 at 09:20

    Is it possible to hire a car in Manali and self drive to Leh and back. If yes does anybody have contact information?

    Reply
  24. akshay says:
    May 5, 2012 at 23:31

    can nybody tell me…wats the requirement to hire a bike frm manali to ladakh? nd wats the price for one day??

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      May 6, 2012 at 19:42

      Hi Akshay,

      You can read the article above which has the most details, if you have any specific query then please ask here. When we hired it in Leh, we were supposed to submit our original driving license or passport or PAN card and then pay the rent in advance to take the bike with us. There are there formalities as well like signing of a bond etc.

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

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      Reply
      • C.K.BEDRE says:
        Jun 22, 2012 at 05:43

        HI,

        CAN U CLEAR SOME DOUBTS REGARDING RENTED BIKE

        * CAN WE HIRE BIKE FROM LEH?

        *IF YES THEN WHAT WILL BE THE PER DAY RENT & DEPOSITE?

        PLEASE SUGGEST ME.

        Reply
        • Dheeraj Sharma says:
          Jun 22, 2012 at 07:19

          Hello CK,

          Yes, you can rent bikes in Leh and Fort Road in Leh is full of such shops that rent bikes. Depending upon the condition, model, make and tourist rush you can get bikes starting from Rs 600 to Rs 1200.

          Regards
          Dheeraj Sharma

        • C.K.BEDRE says:
          Jun 25, 2012 at 07:14

          hi dheeraj,

          thanks for ur guidelines. actually we planned 5-6 days tour to leh in these days 3 places we decided to cover first one is splitty valley,nubra valley and pennong lake. apart from these any other important places do u suggest me and how many days required to cover these places.

          second thing how much taxi rent from leh to manali. Whether they will charge one side or both side and how many days require for travelling from leh to manali by taxi.

          kindly provide these information.

        • Dheeraj Sharma says:
          Jun 26, 2012 at 07:30

          hello CK,

          Please forget about Spiti Valley as it is in Himachal Pradesh. You can cover Nubra Valley and Pangong Tso lake in 5-6 days you have in hand. Are you flying to Leh and then want to travel back by road over Manali – Leh highway?

          Manali – Leh Highway will need two days atleast from Leh as Leh – Sarchu, Sarchu – Manali and taxi will cost you about 18K for a drop to Manali from Leh.

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

          Regards
          Dheeraj Sharma

  25. Shashank says:
    Apr 24, 2012 at 06:14

    Hi All,

    I am just trying to make a short trip ranging from 5-6 days, is it possible to go to and fro Manali to Leh by bike with such tight schedule.

    All what i am interested is in bike riding rather than staying.

    please suggest.

    Reply
  26. Saurav says:
    Apr 9, 2012 at 02:02

    Hi Dheeraj, can you please provide some important pointers on hiring a bike in Leh, thanks Saurav

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      Apr 9, 2012 at 13:43

      Hello Saurav,

      Most of the pointers mentioned above are equally applicable to hiring bikes in Leh as well. Just ensure that you at least a day of local sightseeing test run before heading to other remote regions of Ladakh. This is perhaps the most important thing to remember. Plus in Leh, the roads are in better shape than Manali Leh Highway at least on major tourist circuits and you get less slush covered stretches and nallas on the way. Also, unless you plan to do some remote route, you will be seeing taxis going past every now and then, so help could be easier to find but only in comparison to Manali – Leh Highway.

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

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      Reply
  27. Mohan Sharma says:
    Mar 10, 2012 at 06:17

    Hello Everyone

    I am looking for Hiring a bike for the raod trip to Leh. So if someone tell me how I can hire a good condition bike from Manali. Plz anyone can E-mail me the details.

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      Mar 10, 2012 at 15:46

      Hi Mohan,

      Nothing is certain with the bikes and best bet is to reach there, check it yourself, do a test drive to and then finalize the bike for Leh trip. All other tips are mentioned above along with the contacts of bike rentals services in Manali. You can contact them and get more details.

      I hope this helps.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      Reply
  28. APJ says:
    Feb 2, 2012 at 02:03

    Very helpful thanks, will be visiting again, closer to my date of actual travel!

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      Feb 2, 2012 at 05:05

      Thanks and I am glad that you like the information available here on my blog. Feel free to get in tocuh for any planning required for your Leh – Ladakh trip, I would be more than happy to share my thoughts/inputs for the same.

      Cheers!!
      Dheeraj Sharma

      Reply
  29. How to calculate cost or budget for Leh – Ladakh trip says:
    Nov 12, 2011 at 00:03

    [...] 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. [...]

    Reply
  30. anku says:
    Sep 24, 2011 at 06:16

    You so much negativity towards the rented bikes ? we hired bikes form manali and had 0 breakdown and we had 3 bikes for 11 days ( manali- Leh ), no mechanics. Great info, but please dont scare people, its not bad after all… :-)

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      Sep 24, 2011 at 16:10

      Well Anku, it is great that you guys did not have any problems with the rented bikes. I will say lucky enough if you didn't test them or wise enough if you tested them a day before. It is all what I have read, seen (not experienced though) and heard from so many, so many travelers who hire them. I know things are changing, may be now they give rent bikes with certain age limit but they are just handful of them. There is no too much negativity and nothing there to scare people. I have just sketched out some points that should always be taken into account while hiring a bike so as to minimize the RISKs involved. Having said that this year only, several of my friends + readers reported such issues,so I felt the need of this article else I too believed that only unlucky ones are the ones who suffer. Even if that is true today, so again there is no harm to have all these points in mind and prepare for the worse.Those roads as you know are few of the most isolated roads in India with least civilization, so why not take every aspect of hiring a bike into account and calculate the risk factor. It should not be like go-take way thingy. You never know when luck run out your way in those trans Himalayan range

      The too negative part can be considered as comparatively to the bike someone own. It is all what I can say :) … But, I will try to go trhough it once again and see if there is something I have missed or have said too negatively. Thank again for your time for writing in here :)

      Regards
      Dheeraj

      Reply
      • anku says:
        Sep 24, 2011 at 22:22

        hey there.

        understand your point. u know when you rent the bike there are a lott of things that affect wht you take. mostly people prefer to take cheap bike and often end up having endless troubles, just to save some bucks. but on the other hand you pay a bit more money ( 200rs or something ) extra and get a new bike, perfect condition… no problems.. why not ? People see about the money not that they are riding on a seriously dangerous routes, no mechanics, no nothing. and the bike and you is all that is out there.

        u know so at the end of the day , you have the choices, but its up to you what you wanna go for … lol
        :-)

        P.s – its from My experiences. :-)

        Reply
        • Dheeraj Sharma says:
          Sep 25, 2011 at 00:08

          Hey Anku,,

          Thanks a lot buddy. I will surely update it as per your experiences. This information is highly welcome and will definitely help/warn people opting to choose some cheaply rented bike and end up jeopardizing their trips and paying more for a tow back or repairs :D … Thanks again for this piece of info.

          Hope to see you here more often :)

          Regards
          Dheeraj Sharma

    • Jayant says:
      May 19, 2013 at 03:10

      hi anku, i read your comment and got to know that u guys hired bikes at manali, would u be so kind to provide me information about the approximate security deposit i would need to pay at manali for a rental bike of rs 700-900 range for around 6 days. I would really appreciate your reply as it would help me to prepare my budget accordingly. thanks

      Reply
  31. Travel Guide for Manali – Leh Highway says:
    Sep 22, 2011 at 15:10

    [...] Are you planning to hire or rent a bike from Manali. If yes, the you must go through the article here:How to Hire or Rent a Bike or Motorcycle in Manali [...]

    Reply
  32. How to plan a journey on Manali – Leh Highway says:
    Sep 22, 2011 at 15:09

    [...] Are you planning to hire or rent a bike from Manali. If yes, the you must go through the article here:How to Hire or Rent a Bike or Motorcycle in Manali [...]

    Reply
    • Kiran says:
      Feb 24, 2013 at 13:00

      hello dheeraj
      This is proving to be very helpful for me..
      well we are around 8 boys from karnataka, who r looking for a bike trip from manali to leh n back. we wanna cover leh, ladakh, khardungla, pangong lake, and nearby must see places.. This wil be our first trip towards der. so it wud be greatful of u if u can plz provide the following info

      1} best season to visit
      2] form wer we can pick up the bikes, reliable ones with mechanic..
      3} tour operators, who provide tents, sleeping bags etc..

      luking forward to hear from u

      tahnks a lot
      Dr. Kiran

      Reply
      • Dheeraj Sharma says:
        Feb 25, 2013 at 18:20

        Hello Kiran,

        1. June – July, if you want to see snow. September second half – if you want to see beautiful colors of Leh – Ladakh.
        2. There are many options above, choose any you like but it is always better to hire a bike only after seeing the bike, you rent them
        3. You will not need any tour operators and tents as there are many options to sleep on the way. It is better to spend time in proper planning first.

        Regards
        dheeraj Sharma

        Reply
  33. TG says:
    Sep 21, 2011 at 01:44

    Not to forget, do not hesitate to ask for help in case you are stranded.

    Reply
  34. TG says:
    Sep 20, 2011 at 23:48

    VEry nice. Too good

    Reply
 
 

Leave a Comment

 





 
 

 


NOTE: All Comments are subject of Moderation. Your Comment won't be visible until approved by Admin, therefore only post the comment once. Posting irrelevant/obscene content links/material in comments, and hate words usage may ban you from any future comment posting.

 
 
 
 

Would You Like To Stay Connected?

If you found the Travel Information present on our blog useful, then PLEASE Stay Connected with us for any travel related queries / updates / tips / news / guides on traveling to Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Kashmir and other parts of Himalayas. Travel, but with a difference with us...

  • Travel Queries
  • Travel Tips
  • Travel Guides
  • Travel Photos
  • Travel New and Updates
Close this popup

Would You Like To Stay Connected?

If you found the Travel Information present on our blog useful, then PLEASE Stay Connected with us for any travel related queries / updates / tips / news / guides on traveling to Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Kashmir and other parts of Himalayas. Travel, but with a difference with us...

  • Travel Queries
  • Travel Tips
  • Travel Guides
  • Travel Photos
  • Travel New and Updates
Close this popup