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Inner Line Permits for Leh – Ladakh

By on January 4, 2011 12:05 am in Ladakh, Travel Articles / 53 comments

 

Leh – Ladakh journey (especially by road) is quite an experience in anybody’s life who loves to travel and I feel one must visit Leh – Ladakh at least once in his / her lifetime. The mesmerizing beauty offered by mother nature in this region is simply jaw dropping and takes your soul away within minutes. Although, it has been quite a time since return from my Ladakh journey, I feel only my body has managed to arrive back and soul still explores that breathtaking vistas in my dreams. Surely, there is no other place like Ladakh in the world !!!

Being on the International borders, one need Inner Line permits to visit various inner line areas of the Ladakh region. The DC office is located in Leh town which issues the inner line permits to tourists visiting the different regions of Ladakh district and once you have the permits you can then move on with the further exploration of this cold desert. Given below are some facts or information you may like to know about inner line permits for Leh – Ladakh…

Information for Leh – Ladakh Inner Line Permits

  • Inner line permits are required to visit places like Nubra Valley, Khardung La, Pangang Tso Lake, Tso Moirri Lake, Dah -Hanu Villages, Hanle, Chusul War Memorial i.e. Changthang etc.
  • No permits are required to visit the local places near Leh town or Leh local sightseeing, places on Srinagar Leh Highway, places on Manali – Leh Highway.
  • Inner line permits are issued from DC office in Leh town and you need to fill the application form to get the approval for your permits.
  • Timing of the Leh DC office are 9.00 AM to 5.00 PM (as told to us by clerk there but not confirmed as we didn’t saw it in written) but they generally do not accept applications after 3 PM I guess, so go there before 2 PM. Leh DC office is closed on Sundays and other national Holidays, hence plan the journey accordingly such that your exploration day does not start with Sunday. Having said that, I have heard that DC office is sometimes open on Sunday for half day as well but I will say don’t count on it.
  • If somehow you gets late and plan to reach/visit Leh DC office late afternoon (like after 1 PM), don’t do so because its is highly unlikely that you will get it that day. Rather try to catch some travel agent or talk to your Hotel staff to get you the required permits. They will very likely arrange these permits for you. Always try to reach the Leh DC office by 10 AM to experience a hassle free process for getting permits.
  • The permits costs you Rs 20 per day per person and if lucky enough you can get it on how you bargain with clerk (babu) in the absence of the fee collection officer. There is a fees of Rs 10 which is charged per tourist one time towards Red Cross Fund.
  • You need to have photocopies of valid nationality proof’s Photo-IDs (Passport, Driving License, Voters ID, PAN card etc.) which proves your identity. Although the photocopies were not checked for attestation for us but I feel one should not take any chance with it and get them attested before venturing to Ladakh.
  • You may apply the permits for your entire group but you need to attach an attested photocopy of photo-id cards (nationality proof) for each member in the group and make sure to fill the required details of all group members in the permit application form.
  • Anyone who has yours or your group’s photocopies of valid nationality proof’s Photo-IDs, he / she can get these permits for you as well. Usually, the hotels in the Leh town does provide this facility if you are OK with sharing the photocopies of your nationality proof’s Photo-IDs with them either via email or fax.
  • The permit approval process may take 0.5-3 hours and hence its always nice that you reach early morning at the Leh DC office. Sometimes, when there is a rush of tourists, the permits are issued in two batches viz. morning and evening. Hence, try to be in for early morning batch so that you have some time to partially head towards one of the destinations of your plan or do it at ease and consider Leh local sightseeing as side option for the day.
  • The application forms required to apply for the inner line permits are mostly available at the Photostat shops near by (one is just behind Leh office). You can also download the inner line permit application form for Leh – Ladakh from the following download link as well: Leh - Ladakh Inner Line Permit Application Form

    Usually, the form remains same so filling the attached form at home and completing the documentation including required photo copies can save a lot of trouble running to-fro from Photostat shops.

  • In the application form, for each member you need to mention the name with parent/guardian name, complete permanent address, name of all the places you need to visit and the specific dates or date range for which you want these permits. At the last in copy information section, you may mention the hotel name plus address, you stayed or are staying in Leh.
  • For your reference, you can also download the sample completely filled application form which was approved for us from the following download link: Leh - Ladakh Inner Line Permit Sample Application Form
  • You need to list all major villages / towns en-route your journey in Ladakh district. Writing Nubra Valley will cover the Panamik, Sumur, Diskit, Hunder etc as after North Pullu there is no check post for Nubra Valley but if you need to visit Turtuk then you should explicitly mention Turtuk even if clerk/(or any travel agent) at the office says not to do so. There were many people who were sent back due to the same error following the clerk’s or travel agent’s advice. So, mention Turtuk explicitly if you want to visit that place.
  • Besides permit application form, you need to write a request application letter addressing DC of Leh – Ladakh district for the approval of your permits. In the application, you need to express your interest to visit the places you wish to travel along with the dates you would be visiting these places on your Leh – Ladakh trip. Make sure you write all the places that you have mentioned in application form. Both application form and this request letter should be in SYNC with each other for places and dates. For your reference you can download the sample request application from the following download link: Leh - Ladakh ILP Sample Request Application Letter
  • Once, you are done filling the application form and writing the request application to accompany it, you make two – three photocopies of the entire set consisting Application Form, Approval Request Application Letter, Photo – IDs of all the members requesting for the permits.
  • Once, the photocopies of the required set of documents are ready then you need to submit them at the DC office along with the original copies of the form and request application. The clerk will ask you to deposit the fees for required permits (amount will depend on number of days and number of member in the group) + red cross fund fees (Rs 10 per member).
  • Once the fees is deposited, clerk may either ask you to get the signed approval from ADC room yourself if rush is low or he/she will place your documents in the ongoing batch for further approval. Of course, in latter case you will need to wait for the approved permits to arrive which usually takes sometime about 1-3 Hrs.
  • Once, you get the stamped approved permits you need to again rush back towards Photostat shop to make photocopies of the approved permits. These photocopies of the approved permits are submitted at every check post that comes up on the way to your sightseeing destinations in Ladakh region. Hence, you should make at least 10 copies of them if you are staying longer enough in this heaven.
  • Validity of the inner line permits are 3 weeks for Indians and 1 week for foreigners. However, there is no limit on the number of times you enter a place in the valid period provided you have the permits with you for that place.
  • Although not required but you may carry the passport size photographs as well. In fact I believe, on all your trips you should carry the passport sized photographs with you as none knows when you need one.

Permits for Hanle and Changthang or Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri

If you are interested in Changthang including Hanle area or going to Tso Moriri from Pangong Tso then consider that it is always better that you get the permits for Changthang yourself not through any travel agent or hotel member. The hotel or travel agents fool the tourist about these places and if they do not write any one of the checkpost you will be sent back.

Permits for Changthang are issued only to Indian Nationals not for foreign tourists

ILP for Hanle is issued subject to the present political or border situation but they are in any case issued by Leh DC only and in most cases the Hanle permit is issued if you go yourself in person.

In order to get the permits for Hanle and Changthang or to go to Tso Moriri via Chusul – Nyoma route from Pangong Tso you need to mention all places enroute so that you are not sent back from any post. These places are: Man – Merak – Khaltse – Chusul – Tsaga La – Loma – Nyoma – Mahe – Sumdo (for Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri) and Hanle (if plan to visit Hanle too)

I will suggest that do not believe on what travel agents say because many of them don’t even know about the places of Changthang Valley and they fool tourists rather travelers interested in that part of Ladakh by giving some baseless statements. It is always better to get the inner line permits for Changthang including Hanle yourself.

Best or Quick Approach to get Leh – Ladakh Inner Line Permits

Best way to approach processing of Leh – Ladakh Inner Line Permits is to first download the application form from the link in the article. Completely fill the form and attach the photo copies of the photo ID nationality proofs with it for all members in the group. Write a request application letter addressing Leh – Ladakh DC showing your intent to visit the desired places and request the issuing of inner line permits to you for the desired duration. If you are in group you can write the names of all the members on the group and attach copies of their photo id nationality proofs. Staple the bundle including completely filled inner line permit application form, request application letter you will write for approval and the photo copies of photo id nationality proofs from home only.

Then, once you reach Leh go to Leh DC office and submit the bundle along with the required fees. Get the permit signed from the ADC office if asked or wait for your turn to get them processed in batch and you are done. On the way back to hotel or sightseeing ahead, get 8-10 photocopies of the permits issued to you. You need to submit these photo copies of the permits at the check posts while going to Nubra, Pangong and Tso Moriri etc. This will save a lot of time for you up in Leh as there you will need to keep running up and down to photo copy shop for one thing or the other. Even to get the inner line permit form, you will need to go to nearest Photocopy shop and all this will surely kill time over there.

I am sure this would save a lot of time and fatigue for you. Although highly unlikely, the worst case scenario would be that DC office changes the attached format of the inner line permit application form and refuse to take up the old version of it. :cry: Even in that case, you will just need to fill the new form and attach the documents with it before submission.

Conclusion

In the end, I hope the above article provides you some helpful information and I look forward for your thoughts or inputs or suggestions the inner line permits of Leh – Ladakh. Please leave your comments below if you have further questions / queries, I will try to be back with an answer as soon as possible.

Again at the end, to download the application form for Leh – Ladakh inner line permit you can click the following download link : Leh - Ladakh Inner Line Permit Application Form

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53 Comments

  1. Most Common Itinerary for Leh – Ladakh says:
    January 29, 2012 at 3:02 pm

    [...] Inner Line Permits [...]

    Reply
    • Abhishek says:
      February 10, 2012 at 6:19 pm

      Dear Dheeraj,

      Thanks for all the excellent posts. I very much appreciate all the effort and time you have put behind all this :)

      Can you please tell me if there is any way to get these inner line permits from other cities like Kolkata/Delhi (J&K Tourism offices or somewhere)?

      My plan is to do a Manali to Leh trip and was wondering if we could visit Pangong Tso & Tso Moriri before reaching Leh. I don’t want to go to Leh, get the permit and again go back the same road.

      Thanks,
      Good luck & take care,

      Abhishek.

      Reply
      • Dheeraj Sharma says:
        February 11, 2012 at 11:40 am

        Hello Abhishek,

        Thanks buddy for the appreciation. It helps alot :) … I am glad that you liked the information present on the blog. You cannot get the permits outside Leh – Ladakh. Also, first doing Manali – Leh Highway from Manali side should be avoided as most of the highway runs above 14000 feet which results in Acute Mountain Sickness and could result in spoiling the trip. You can minimize it by staying at Keylong and then doing long run to Leh from Keylong and then again you feel sickness while you travel.

        Now, you are taking many steps higher by having an idea to stay atthese high altitude lakes without acclimatization. AMS could be fatal too buddy and should be taken seriously. Staying overnight at these lakes are very much avoided and not suggested even on third night after you reach Leh and doing it from Manali side will be insane act. If you are planning to cover Srinagar – Leh as well then, do it from Srinagar side and that ways you will be acclimatized for Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri while you come back towards Manali.If that is not the case, thengo to Leh and then go to Nubra Valley for two days and finally try to spend a night at Pangong Tso or Tso Moriri after that.

        Read more about Acute Mountain Sickness here

        For most common itinerary for Leh – Ladakh you can check the article here as well. It is very balanced itinerary followed by many of the travellers including me :)

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

        Regards
        Dheeraj Sharma

        Reply
        • Abhishek says:
          February 11, 2012 at 11:30 pm

          Hi Dheeraj,

          Thanks so much for the reply :)
          I have read most of your posts. All are very well written and thorough.
          I do like your idea of doing it from Leh side, but the problem is that it would be a little hectic to return to Kolkata from Manali.

          Anyways I have pitched both the plans to our group. Let’s see how it works out :)

          Regarding AMS, well it’s pretty common. Almost 75% people will have some mild degree of AMS. I myself had it when I went to Sandakphu by a trekker. This time we’ll be taking all the meds with us including acetazolamide, dexamethasone, ibuprofen etc. The queasy feeling does tend to bother you and often ruins the trip, but this time we might consider taking prophylactic acetazolamide.
          But you are going to feel some degree of nausea and uneasiness no matter from which direction you travel due to the high passes, but yes I agree that it might be a little more comfortable travelling from Leh side.

          Just curious, have you done it both ways? I mean both from Manali and Leh?

          I liked the itinerary that you posted, but can you please add maybe a shorter version for people who have a time crunch. Given that you have been there so many times I think you’d have a good idea about which places are a must see :)

          Thanks once again for all the help. Much appreciate it.

          Good luck & take care,

          Abhishek.

        • Dheeraj Sharma says:
          February 18, 2012 at 12:37 pm

          Hi Abhishek,

          Not sure how did I missed your comment. Sorry, for not replying so far. Thanks alot for appreciation buddy, I am really glad that you found the info. available here useful enough. Not sure, are you planning to take the flight back from Srinagar?? Manali is connected well too and in terms of number of days it won’t affect much. But, believe me it will help you tremendously with AMS. It is great that you already know about the affects of it and have experienced with it. Nopes, buddy I have never done it from both sides (only via Manali) but I always regret this fact :) … Luckily both times only my friends suffered through it badly and I had only mild affects. But, here you are talking of sleeping at Pangong Tso or Tso Moriri after Sarchu. My advice is that if you feel alright at Sarchu then only try to attempt it else drop this idea because the region is so remote that little help if required at all will be hard to find.

          Let me know how many days you have in hand and what all places you need to visit or plan to visit? I will present the shorter version of it. Also let me know how much comfortable are you with riding/driving for long hours, say about 12-13 Hrs a day.

          BTW, I am again going to Leh – Ladakh this April and would come back with latest updates about the most awaited route that connects Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso via Shyok village :) … Meanwhile we can discuss your plans.

          Regards
          Dheeraj Sharma

        • Abhishek says:
          February 19, 2012 at 12:15 am

          Thanks Dheeraj :)

          I am also very curious about that Shyok village route.
          I will definitely keep you suggestions in mind.
          I will ask you for more once we have our basic itinerary finalized. :)
          Good luck with your trip in April.

          Take care,

          Abhishek.

        • Dheeraj Sharma says:
          February 19, 2012 at 8:59 am

          Sure, most welcome anytime. One more thing I forgot to tell you is that you can get the permits either faxed or emailed by asking the hotel/travel agents in Leh. So, no need to get them in any other cities.

          Regards
          Dheeraj Sharma

  2. Amigo says:
    January 22, 2012 at 5:59 am

    We are planning a trip to Manali – Leh – Nubra in July-Aug. Some of us are non-Indian passport holders. Could you plea advise if process for Inner Line Permits is same for both or is there a diffrent process?

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      January 22, 2012 at 10:37 am

      Hi Amigo,

      For NRIs, I am not so sure about whether you guys need to apply for Protect Area Permit or for Inner Line Permit. But, the process is more or like similar for all and it is just the application forms that may differ. Foreigners need to apply for PAP (Protected Area Permit) which is issued for one week and Indians apply for Inner Line Permit whose application form has been linked in the article. I stronly feel that you may also be required to apply for Inner Line Permit but again not so sure :(

      I am heading there in April again and will definitely get this clarification done then, perhaps even get the application form for Protected Area Permit as well.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      Reply
  3. Aatmik says:
    December 26, 2011 at 7:10 pm

    I am still below 18 and do not hold a PASSPORT.
    WHAT should be the alternative for PASSPORt as PHOTO ID.
    I have school ID card.
    COLLEGE ID CARD.
    10th 12th MARKSHEET.

    Reply
  4. A.K.Paul says:
    December 16, 2011 at 10:24 pm

    Road open 12 may 12 Srinagar to Kargil. Appely for Inerline Permit for Leh & Kargil from Kolkata address D.C.Office Ley & Kargil.

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      December 17, 2011 at 12:24 am

      Hi Mr. Paul,

      I guess it will be difficult to predict so early if on May 12, 2012 the Srinagar – Leh Highway will be open or not. Generally, June is the safe time to travel because the highway opens either by end of May or starting June. So, I will suggest that you keep the plans for June.

      I do not have the exact addresses of DC offices in Leh and Kargil but once you reach there they are not at hard to find and every other person knows the way to it.

      Regards
      Dheeraj

      Reply
  5. Deepak Rao says:
    December 13, 2011 at 1:49 pm

    hello dheeraj
    Can i go to ladakh alone .is there any difficulty to get inner line permit for single person.

    Reply
  6. Amol says:
    December 2, 2011 at 4:01 pm

    Hi Dheeraj,

    Me and my friends are planning to visit Leh- ladakh. But we cannot ride bike from mumbai to Ladakh. Is there any alternative way which way we can enjoy d beauty of kashmir on bike. I mean do you know any polace where we can get bike on rent for 8-10 days. If Yes, Could you please share that with me & Do you have any iternary in that case?

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      December 2, 2011 at 10:34 pm

      Hi Amol,

      I will suggest that you go through the article on renting bikes from Manali for Leh or may be you can fly to Leh and then rent the bikes there. The tips mentioned in the article remains same for Leh as well. But, if you want to enjoy journey from Manali to Leh then hire/rent bikes in Manali only. Here is the link – How to Hire or Rent a Bike or Motorcycle in Manali

      Let me know the number of days you are planning for the trip, I will suggest the itinerary accordingly :) …

      Regards,
      Dheeraj Sharma

      Reply
  7. Ashish says:
    November 24, 2011 at 4:13 pm

    Hi Dheeraj,

    Thanks for the fascinating and detailed blog.

    I have a query for you, and I hope I can get an answer.
    I am planning for a trip to Laddakh on bike with a friend (No girlfriend .. lol….) just two of us.

    I have heard that Border Police and Army do not allow you go to beyond certain places around Pagong and Tso Moriri, if you are a group of less then 4 people.

    Is it so ? Please clarify if you have any idea about it.

    Regards

    Ashish

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      November 24, 2011 at 6:02 pm

      Hello Ashish,

      As long as you both have permits for the place, you are free to roam there. No one will stop you. to go beyond Pangong Tso towards Changthang Valley you need to write all places enroute which you wish to cover. With Pangong Tso written on your ILP, you will not be allowed to go ahead of Spangmik. So, write all places mentioned above for Changthang Valley and do take this permit in person not through any agent. I have known many couples too who have done this circuit together without any group. So, it is a fallacy or may be rumor spread by some travel agents who are not able to get permits for Changthang Valley :) …

      Don’t worry plan your journey ahead and just make sure you have the permits for places you want to visit. I hope this helps. Let me know incase you have any queries or doubts.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      Reply
  8. Places on Manali – Leh Highway | A Detailed Description says:
    November 16, 2011 at 12:07 am

    [...] Leh, the dream of reaching Ladakh is finally true and if you love this place then the excitement to reach Leh will refresh each of your body part even after a 14-15 hours of strolling journey. It’s better that you give some days to local Leh sightseeing and feel the culture, people, traditions and magical aura of Leh – Ladakh. Main market and Changspa road really rocks, so if you like lively environment then try to get a hotel as close to them as possible. Next day, along with local sightseeing you can also arrange the Inner Line Permits for other destinations you are planning to visit in Leh – Ladakh. If you need more details on Inner Line Permits of Leh – Ladakh then read this article: Inner Line Permits for Leh – Ladakh [...]

    Reply
  9. BHSKAR says:
    October 27, 2011 at 1:59 pm

    Hi Dheeraj….
    This is Bhaskar from W.B.Its great relief from stress to plan ladakh tour after reading your article.We are a group of 12-15 people and starting from 1st of july 2012 from Delhi.We are trying to cover Kashmir valley,Lahul & Spiti and ofcourse entire ladakh.Its a dream tour for us and i have given the massive job to plan the entire tour.
    After reading your all of the post i have planned to start from Srinagar.
    DAY 1. JAMMU RAJHANI
    DAY 2. JAMMU TO SRINAGAR night stay at Srinagar.
    DAY 3,4.Explore Kashmir valley.
    DAY 5. Srinagar to Kargil/Dras(?)[suggest me the better place for night stay]
    DAY 6. Transfer to Leh.
    DAY 7. ILP preparation and Leh sight seeing.
    DAY 8. Tour to Nubra valley,night stay at DISKIT.
    DAY 9. Visit Sumur,Panamik and start for PANGONG Tso through Wari la,night stay at Pangong Tso.[is it possible & how many km we have to travel for the day?]
    DAY 10. Enjoy the Pangong Tso and start for Hanle on the way to Tso moriri.Night stay at Hanle.
    DAY 11. Hanle to Tso Moriri,night stay there.
    DAY 12. Start for Tso Kar and night stay there.
    DAY 13. Finally start for Himachal on the way night stay at Jispa.
    DAY 14,15,16 FOR ENTIRE LAHUL & SPITI….
    1. Is it possible to move directly from Nubra to Pangong in one day bypassing Leh?
    2.If we leave Rotang Pass & take Kunjum Pass to enter Spiti,can we miss the beauty of Leh to Manali journey,if so,how should we add that along with the entire Spiti.We can add 1 or 2 days for that.
    Expecting your valuable comments for the dream tour…

    Thanking you
    BHASKAR

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      October 27, 2011 at 2:31 pm

      Hello Bhaskar,

      You plan looks quite OK but I will add a few days more to really enjoy the beauty of Ladakh. Actually, you will be on road most of the time with least rest days as well as no buffer days. Few inputs that I will suggest -
      Day 5 – You can stay at Kargil. If someone is strict Veg. then take the dinner (or drunch) at Drass only as Veg. food is hard to get in late hours at Kargil, as I know.
      Day 9 – I guess it will be a very long day if you include Sumur and Panamik too. If you are OK with 13-14 Hrs ride then it can be done. I will suggest either add few days here or drop Changthang as of now. Also, You are looking for Nubra Valley + Pangong Tso + Tso Moriri via Changthang + Manali – Leh Highway in one go without any Petrol Pump to refuel the tank. This will mean you need to carry fuel for about 900 KMs as it might be possible that you will not find fuel at Diskit Petrol Pump in Nubra Valley. So, try avoid such a long journey without fuel and either add 3-4 days or skip Changthang.

      Better will be to do -
      Day 9 – Sumur, Panamilk – Tangste/Pangong Tso (if possible with daylight left)
      Day 10 – Pangong Tso, whole day and overnight
      Day 11 – Pangong Tso – Leh
      Day 12 – Leh – Tso Moriri via Chumathang (This way you will need to carry the fuel at Leh/Upshi/Karu for just 550+ KMs circuit including Manali – Leh Highway)
      Day 13 – Tso Moriri – Tso Kar – Moore Plains – Pang – Sarchu (No need to stay at Tso Kar visit it by leaving early from Tso Moriri on Day 12)
      Day 14 – Sarchu – Jispa
      Day 15 – Jispa – Udaipur – Triloknath Temple – Jispa (You are covering Lahaul here)
      Day 16 – Jispa – Chandratal (you can spend time at Chandratal. Skip Spiti Valley as there is too much to see/explore in it and you do have much time.
      Day 17 – Chandratal – Rohtang Pass – Manali
      Day 18 – Manali – Delhi
      Day 19 + Day 20 – Keep atleast two buffer days or more.

      Now, there is trade-off between Kashmir Valley (covered in above plan but if excluded will save you two days), Changthang (dropped in above plan), Lahaul Valley (covered mostly in above plan), Spiti Valley (only Chandratal included). Make your choice and we can re-iterate the itinerary based on the choice. You have to choose little if you have less number of days and keep leftovers for your next visit.

      I hope this helps. Please let me know for any doubts/queries.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      Reply
      • BHSKAR says:
        October 28, 2011 at 2:35 pm

        Hi Dheeraj…
        Firstly beg a pardon….since i forgot to say you HAPPY DIWALI…..so its BELATED HAPPY DIWALI.
        NOW again thanks to you for your valuable advice.
        Keeping the scarcity of fuel pump i am rescheduling the trip.Actually i am trying to avoiding Leh for second time and also there is a wish to visit the remote corner of Ladakh viz. HANLE.
        would you plz suggest me the best place to stay at PANGONG Tso & Tso MORIRI…for Leh & Diskit i have got your HOTEL REVIEW and its also within our budget.
        Lastly plz guide me about road condition either it will open or not on the 1st week of July and also about the rent of SUV type of car for the whole trip…..
        Waiting for your reply….
        Regards
        BHASKAR

        Reply
        • Dheeraj Sharma says:
          October 29, 2011 at 11:28 am

          Hey Bhaskar,

          Wishing you a very very Happy Diwali as well… Thanks for your wishes too.
          Well, if you want to visit Changthang then I will advice you to drop Kashmir Valley that will save you two days for Changthang. It will be far better experience than Kashmir Valley in July. If you like to go with Changthang then we can re-iterate the itinerary. As I said, you can avoid Leh but I will advice you to got to Leh as it cut shorts the journey and give you time to relax as well as enjoy culture around Leh. It is a good experience too. Rather I will ssay plan the whole trip for Leh – Ladakh only to actually get the feel of the place and relax too with apt time to do justice for the place. I am sure it will be far far better than running to see many places, just concentrate on Ladakh because even one month is less to actually explore Leh – Ladakh. You will not be disappointed. The approximate cost for the taxi (hire Scorpio only as prices are all same) will be around 50-55K for the entire tour. Keep in mind that Kashmir taxi is not allowed to roam in Leh – Ladakh for sightseeing and vice – versa. Similarly, Leh – Ladakh taxi is not allowed for sightseeing in Himachal region and vice-versa.

          Let me know what you finalize and I will edit the required itinerary. I hope this helps. Please let me know for any doubts/queries.

          Regards
          Dheeraj Sharma

        • BHSKAR says:
          October 29, 2011 at 9:46 pm

          Again its good to see your valuable and prompt reply.I will be very grateful to you if you kindly provide your mail id or mobile no[if there is no problem],so that i can reach to you very promptly……
          Regards
          BHASKAR

        • Dheeraj Sharma says:
          October 29, 2011 at 9:59 pm

          Bhaskar, I will mail you my contact number. Cheers!! :)

  10. PraKaant says:
    September 12, 2011 at 10:29 am

    Thanks a lot, Dheeraj, for such a wonderful article and Application Form!
    And also link to Srinagar – Leh Guide!
    Looking forward to expert guidance on other issues also whenever needed!!
    Thanks once again
    Regards

    PraKaant

    Reply
  11. Sheetal says:
    August 28, 2011 at 5:36 pm

    I have prepared an itinerary that I wish to see in Leh but Can you suggest a good contact info who arrange jeep safari. I shall be leaving in Sep 2011

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      August 29, 2011 at 7:44 am

      Hello Sheetal,

      Well I am not sure what do you mean by jeep Safari. I guess you can arrange a taxi (Scorpio / Xylo types) comfortably yourself once you are in Leh from Leh taxi stand because booking anything from here would mean higher price and less discount. While once you reach Leh, you can go to Leh taxi stand directly talk to drivers and check the condition of vehicle and then bargain about 15-20% to what they quote as taxi union rates. Sepetmber being lean season for domestic tourist you may be able to get close to that 20% discount figure. I hope this helps.

      If you like to go for some specialized jeep safaris then you can also contact the owner of Shanti Guest House who runs a travel agency as well and are well established too. The contact given below for Shanti Guest House and Tour Travels.

      Phone: 0091-1982-253084/250023
      Mobile: +91-94191 78760, 99069 82118, 94198 88833

      Regards,
      Dheeraj Sharma

      Reply
  12. Saugata Mahindar says:
    August 10, 2011 at 12:20 pm

    Dear Mr. Dheeraj,

    Thanks for your input.
    I am concerned about the comment of the tour operator that DC-Leh does not have power to issue permit for Hanle ! If it is so, who is the next higher authority – can you please arrange to provide me the communication-address of DC-Leh so that I can write to him directly in this regard?

    I already mentioned the places on the way through which we can reach to Hanle, but still the tour operator refused to persue the ILP for Hanle and advised me to arrange by my own. Will there be any issue, if applicable ILP for the entire trip (except Hanle)is arranged by the tour operator and the Hanle part is arranged by myself ? We would be having 2 ILPS for the entire trip , in that case !

    Last but not the least, unless I get any accommodation, it won’t be possible to be at Hanle – apart from the observatory guest house, I heard few local people also provide Homestay – do you have any contacts at Hanle or Leh who can help me in this aspect ?

    Regards,
    saugata

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      August 10, 2011 at 1:19 pm

      Hello Saugata,

      I am wondering why he gave you such statement. It is only Leh DC who can give the permits for Hanle, no other authority as far as I know. Yes, it is true that ILP for Hanle is issued subject to the present political or border situation but they are in any case issued by Leh DC only. I will suggest that do not believe on what travel agents say because many of them don’t even know about the places of Changthang Valley and they fool tourists rather travelers interested in that part of Ladakh by giving such baseless statements. It is always better to get the inner line permits for Changthang yourself. Are you short on time? If no, then just spare 2-3 hours on the first day you visit Leh and get the permits made yourself. If you are short on time then you need to find some strong source who can get the permit for you. The travel agents or hotel staff may not be of much help in case of ILP for Changthang including Hanle, AFAIK.

      Yes, there can be issues if you apply separate permits, I would suggest better not apply the permits twice within the same duration. If he has got the permits for the Changthang then just drop Hanle rather comprising the whole plan. I am quite sure that you will be able to get the permits for Hanle if you go in person to Leh DC office. I have read about and knew so many people who have visited Hanle by getting the permits from Leh DC office only. My friends mostly stayed at couple of home stays available there but you cannot book them any how. As far as accommodation for observatory guest house goes, the last update I got from my friend was they no longer entertain people who just land there and for booking the rest house you need to know someone in Indian Institute of Astrophysics, as told by him. Anyhow, you can check yourself by writing or calling at the below contact -

      Indian Astronomical Observatory
      Indian Institute of Astrophysics
      Post Box No. 100, Leh-Ladakh 194 101 INDIA
      Tel : 91 (01982) 252195, 253104

      There is a PWD rest house as well along with some homestay options. I hope this helps. Let me know in case you have more queries or doubts.

      Regards,
      Dheeraj Sharma

      Reply
    • Ravi Bansal says:
      August 13, 2011 at 11:33 am

      Thanks a lot for the valuable information. I am going soon.

      Reply
  13. Dheeraj Sharma says:
    August 9, 2011 at 8:29 pm

    Also, please make sure that you are not accompanied by any foreigner as ONLY Indians are allowed for permits for Changthang Valley (Man – Merak – Chusul – Hanle etc)

    Regards,
    Dheeraj Sharma

    Reply
  14. Amol Shivarkar says:
    August 9, 2011 at 4:06 pm

    To Mahindar,

    Its a very easy job to get ILM its takes only 1hr for whole procedure. People are very helpfull in Leh.

    Reply
  15. Saugata Mahindar says:
    August 9, 2011 at 3:50 pm

    Dear Mr. Sharma,
    Your information and the permit forms are extremely helpful for whom who would like to visit Ladakh (myself along with my wife & son of 10.5 yrs. in coming Oct’11). I have few specific queries regarding the ILP:
    1. Can I arrange to get ILP in advance ? If yes, for how many days in advance the ILP is issued ?
    2. Can I send all documents/request letter/at per cheque/draft from my place (Haldia, WB) to the DC office at Leh (or any other place in J&K) so as to get an ILP by post ?
    3. We would like to follow the following route to go to Tsomoriri via Hanle from Pangong:
    Tso Pangong-Man-Merak-Chusul-Dungti-Loma-Rhongo-Lekaru-Hanle (overnight stay) and Hanle-Lekaru-Rhongo-Loma-Nyoma-Mahe-Puga-Korzok/Tsomoriri(overnight stay)
    I have contacted one tour operator at Leh for customising my entire trip to Ladakh starting from 04.10.11 upto 13.10.11. They informed me that although they would be arranging the ILP for the entire trip, but they would be unable to do so for going to Hanle since according to them Hanle is not a Tourists Area and it’s a restricted area. They won’t get it and also the DC does not have power to issue the permits for the Hanle.
    Request you to guide me to get the permit for going to Hanle from Pangong and back to Tsomoriri.
    4. Do you suggest any accommodation in Hanle? I came to know there are two G.H of PWD & Observatory – is there any way to book the same on 10.10.11 ?
    Would be grateful on receipt of your reply.
    Regards,
    Saugata Mahindar

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      August 9, 2011 at 8:00 pm

      Hello Saugata,

      As Amol said people are indeed very helpful in Leh and it will not take much time to get the permits. Once you reach Leh submit the entire set of documents which you can prepare before leaving for the trip using the article above and visit DC office in the morning, pay the respective fees and get the required permits within 10-15 minutes. If there will be rush the clerk will ask you to come after 2-3 hours within which you can book taxi, explore main market, Leh Palace etc. Please find my answer to your queries in respective order

      1. Yes, you can get permits in advance by sending the details to some travel agent or hotel staff in Leh who can arrange permits for you for Tso Moriri, Pangong Tso, Nubra Valley, Dah Hanu, Batalik etc. i.e. most tourist places. Read reply 3 specific to you. The ILP is not issued in advance rather for the specific period when you are planning to travel in Ladakh.

      2. No DC office do not offer permits in advance. It is rather some travel agent or hotel staff or any other known person in Leh who can get permits on your behalf after you send required documents mentioned above in the article. These travel agents.hotel staff charge about Rs 150 – 250 per person for arranging permits on your behalf. They will keep it ready for you before you reach Leh so that you are ready to move as soon as you reach.

      3. Please keep in mind that in order to get the permits for Changthang Valley that is Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri via Chusul route you need to get the permits yourself. The hotel or travel agents mostly get those permits incorrectly resulting in deporting of travelers from some or the other army checkpost. So, get the permits yourself once you reach Leh. In order to visit this Man – Merak route you need to mention each and every place that comes on the way Spangmik – Man – Merak – Khaltse – Chusul – Tsaga La – Loma – Nyoma – Mahe – Sumdo – Tso Moriri and Hanle of course. The permit for Hanle is issued depending upon the present situation but generally the permit is issued AFAIK.

      4. I guess these are the only place of accommodation I know is rest house of observatory. Currently, I have no idea how to book them, so sorry for that. Once, you reach Leh you can ask the hotel staff or I will search and catch any of my friend who have stayed there, if I can.

      Also, please make sure that you are not accompanied by any foreigner as ONLY Indians are allowed for permits for Changthang Valley (Man – Merak – Chusul – Hanle etc)

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

      Regards,
      Dheeraj Sharma

      Reply
  16. Dheeraj Sharma says:
    July 29, 2011 at 4:37 pm

    Hello Mahipal,

    If you are traveling on your own car or taxi which has registration outside Himchal Pradesh then you will need permit to on Manali – Rohtang Pass road. If you are traveling on bike or using the public transport or shared taxis or taxis registered in Himchal Pradesh then you do not require any permits.More information is given on the link: Non – HP Vehicles Need Permit on Manali – Rohtang Pass Road

    Of course being officer in Indian army I guess you may stay in your transit camps setup at many places on Manali – Leh Highway. Also, you may get any required assistance from your fellow army jawans as and when you require from them, I guess.

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

    Regards,

    Dheeraj Sharma

    Reply
  17. mahipal says:
    July 29, 2011 at 12:57 pm

    im planning to go to Leh Via Manali- Rohtang pass.Can u just tell me whether I need to take any permit for entering Leh from Manali. Also does being an Indian Army Officer helps?

    Reply
  18. Dheeraj Sharma says:
    June 15, 2011 at 1:46 pm

    Hi Nitu,

    1. You need to only fill Nubra Valley it will include the other palces as well. And for Pangong Tso you need to mention that onl. but for Tso Moriri and Tso Kar you need to mention both names.

    2. Then you need to mention Agham, Shyok Village, Wari La as well else just mention Pangong Tso. No, they won’t object until the format of form is not changed anytime in future. Till date its the same form.

    3. Zingzing Bar to Baralacha La is about 18KMs. No permit required. Present status is bad roads but open. For more details on the distance and altitudes on Manali – Lhe Highway refer the below link -

    Places on Manali – Leh Highway | A Detailed Description

    4. Although I have not been to Zanskar Valley but I guess you may not be able to do it in just two days. It would be hectic I feel as the roads are not so good in Zanskar which makes the progress slow. It takes about 10-12 Hrs for each side.

    Let me know if you have any queries.

    Regards,

    Dheeraj

    Reply
  19. Nitu says:
    June 14, 2011 at 3:55 pm

    hello dheeraj, its nitu again with a bunch of questions regarding filling up permit application form at Leh.

    Q.1 For Nubra valley i am going to fill up “Khardungla-Hunder-Turtuk-sumur-Panamik”, is it ok ?

    Q2 If I want to do Pangong from hunder or panamik via shyok or via wari la subject to open the routes and availability of fuel at Diskit to cover 650/700 KM, what should i mention in app. form ?

    otherwise, what should i mention in app. form to do via normal route of leh- karu-changla-pangong & back ?

    i dont think they will object on downloaded and comp. filled form.

    Q3 Baralacha la to Zingzing Bar- distance ? permit required? present status?

    Q4 kargil-Padum, Padum Kargil 245+245 doable in two days? keeping in view we 4 are doing this on 4 REs.

    thanks
    Nitu…

    Reply
  20. Dheeraj Sharma says:
    May 30, 2011 at 1:37 pm

    Hello Harsh,

    Yes, the updates you have got are reliable buddy and July 2nd is far away. Currently, petrol is being rationed at Tandi petrol pump since the fuel has not started to reach the place, I guess. Once the supply will start I guess the rationing will stop and before you are going we will surely have definitive updates on the same. So, you need not worry much.

    Regards,

    Dheeraj sharma

    Reply
  21. Harshavardhan says:
    May 30, 2011 at 1:13 pm

    Hey dheeraj.vardhan again.do u have any update
    Regarding petrol at tandi.bcm t have some blogs
    Which say petrol is being rationed.2 lit per bike.
    We r going on 2july.please let me no.

    Reply
  22. In Love for Leh – Ladakh | An Introduction | DeViL on WheeLs… says:
    May 30, 2011 at 9:16 am

    [...] Leh is the main town of Ladakh and acts as the base for every tourist or traveler. Generally, the people reach Leh town first, which is the most populated regions of the Ladakh district and then move on further with the exploration of this cold desert. There are plenty of hotels available in Leh town and tourists book the taxis, accommodation, adventurous activities like trekking, rafting from Leh town only. Changspa road along with Leh main bazaar tops the hot spots in Leh town. The DC office is also located in Leh town and is responsible for issuing the inner line permits to people visiting restricted regions of Ladakh along with other administration activities. Being on the International borders, one need Inner Line permits to visit various restricted places defined in the Ladakh region. You can get more details about Inner Line Permits and tips to speed up the processing of your permits on the following link: Inner Line Permits for Leh – Ladakh [...]

    Reply
  23. Leh – Ladakh Sample Itinerary | Nubra Valley – Local Leh – Uley Topko | DeViL on WheeLs… says:
    May 25, 2011 at 2:06 pm

    [...] To know more about Inner Line Permits read information on the link: Inner Line Permits for Leh – Ladakh [...]

    Reply
  24. Dheeraj Sharma says:
    May 24, 2011 at 12:25 pm

    Hi Ravi,

    Thanks a lot for liking the info, I hope it helped you in getting information about the inner line permits for Ladakh. Do download the form and complete the formalities at home itself. Then in Leh it will save you much time from running up and down to photocopy shops. Well, yes you can refer the below link for the Ladakh itinerary covering Nubra Valley and Tso Moriri Lakes and the complete loop from Delhi – Srinagar – Leh – Manali – Delhi:

    http://devilonwheels.com/index.php/leh-ladakh-sample-itinerary-2/

    You may add one or two more days to cover the Pangong Tso lake as well in the above plan. Let me know incase you you want to fine tune it according to your needs. I would be happy to provide my inputs. Just let me know the days in hand with you.

    Regards,

    Dheeraj Sharma

     

    Reply
  25. Ravi kiran says:
    May 24, 2011 at 12:09 pm

    Hey liked ur info on this page . Do you have any travel itinerary to leh-Ladakh . I live in delhi and plan to hire a Royal enfiedl bike and travel by road to ladakh . can you let me know the best itinerary and suggests plans .

    Thanks …

    Reply
  26. Leh – Ladakh | Sample Itinerary 2 | DeViL on WheeLs… says:
    May 6, 2011 at 9:53 am

    [...] Arrange Inner Line Permits. To know more about Leh Ladakh inner line permits visit the link: Details on Inner Line Permits for Leh – Ladakh [...]

    Reply
  27. Kamlesh C says:
    April 29, 2011 at 10:40 pm

    Hi,

    Great article! & truly appreciate the pdf ILP form, that certainly saves a lot of time. Thanks a lot again. Keep up the good work.

    Cheers!
    Kamlesh

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      April 29, 2011 at 10:51 pm

      Thanks alot Kamlesh. I am glad that you liked it and the information + the PDF form was useful to you. It will surely save much needed time over there. Using this PDF one need to just get it signed and pay the fees at DC office rather running up-down at photostat shop :)

      Reply
  28. Dheeraj Sharma says:
    April 19, 2011 at 7:10 pm

    Hello Amol,

    I hope the information about Inner Line Permits for Leh – Ladakh was of use to you. Regarding hotels in Leh, we stayed in Hotel Chubi (09419242514/01982253456) near Changspa Road for one day and at at Shanti Guest House, Shanti Stupa Road (09419178760/01982253084) for 3 days. While former had nice garden and good food taste, the later had good room conditions. The dampness was less in the rooms of Shanti Guest House, plus the Shanti Stupa and Changspa Road were both very near to it. Changspa Road is very lively, especially in night and offer variety of cuisines. Most of the other hotels were booked and we didn’t get any accomodation other than these two. We wanted a decent and economic option of stay and guess Shanti Guest House served its purpose to the best. You can always walk down to Changspa Road if you want much tastier food though.

    We also checked Hotel Asia on Changspa Road (09622958260,01982253403) which had decent rooms though only rooms with shared toilets were available at our time. Hence, we didn’t stay over there. There are other options too but I didn’t checked them so can’t much comment although if I required I can provide contacts of some other Hotels in Leh as well. I am not sure about your budget but there are other luxury hotels in Leh too, which offers far more comfort but they charge handsome too :)

    Let me know in case you need more info.

    Regards,

    Dheeraj Sharma

    Reply
  29. Leh – Ladakh | Sample Itinerary 1 | DeViL on WheeLs… says:
    April 19, 2011 at 4:26 pm

    [...] Arrange Inner Line Permits. To know more about Leh Ladakh inner line permits visit the link: Details on Inner Line Permits for Leh – Ladakh [...]

    Reply
  30. Amol Shivarkar says:
    April 19, 2011 at 2:42 pm

    Thanks a lot. Could you please suggest me the good hotel in Leh, we are around 10 people?

    Reply
  31. Tweets that mention Inner Line Permits for Leh – Ladakh | DeViL on WheeLs… -- Topsy.com says:
    January 4, 2011 at 12:10 pm

    [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Abhijit Singh. Abhijit Singh said: RT @devilonwheeels: All you want to know about Inner Line Permits for Leh – Ladakh http://fb.me/E9khBSmd [...]

    Reply
 
 

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