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Travel Guide for Manali – Leh Highway

By on June 20, 2011 12:05 am in Ladakh, Travel Guides / 74 comments

 

There have been many articles on Manali – Leh Highway published earlier on the blog. Now to make complete sense of all of them  I would like to put them all at one location to transform it into a Manali – Leh Highway Travel Guide. I hope this helps all my fellow travelers to find information or all they want to know about Manali – Leh Highway at a single place only.

Manali - Leh National Highway

Planning a Journey on Manali – Leh Highway

In order to help you plan a journey on Manali – Leh Highway, you can refer the below link which will explain you complete details about how you can plan your journey on Manali – Leh Highway. The below link includes the information regarding best season to travel on Manali – Leh Highway, modes of travel on Manali – Leh Highway, public amenities like ATMs, Petrol Pumps, Liquor shops etc on Manali – Leh Highway etc. Refer the link below for details – How to plan a journey on Manali – Leh Highway

Complete Details of Places on Manali – Leh Highway

If you are interested to know comprehensive details about the places on Manali – Leh Highway then below is the link for such information. The below link includes the information about distance and altitude chart for the places on Manali – Leh Highway along with their description which helps you plan your brief stoppages, night halts, point of interests etc on Manali – Leh Highway. Refer the link below for details – Places on Manali – Leh Highway | A Detailed Description

Suraj Tal besides Manali - Leh Highway

List of Accommodation or Stay Options on Manali – Leh Highway

Its always better to know or have the list of all accommodation places on Manali – Leh Highway before you travel on it because in such unpredictable terrain you can never predict what can come to your rescue. So, having as much details as possible about the place is always favorable. I have complied the list of accommodation or stay options on Manali – Leh Highway at the below link which includes the information about their contacts, location, price range, experiences etc. Refer the link below for details – List of Accommodation Options on Manali – Leh Highway

Views at Pang on Manali - Leh Highway

Importance of Acclimatization on Manali – Leh Highway

Since, you would be traveling above 14000 feet for about 300+ KMs on Manali – Leh Highway its really IMPORTANT for you to understand about acclimatization, its importance and AMS or mountain sickness. Many instances people have been found in doubt weather to take the babies or kids with them to Leh – Ladakh or on Manali – Leh Highway. To answer yuor queries and doubts in such cases, I have complied a brief text on the link below which includes information about AMS, acclimatization and few important TIPS which will help you keep your body better acclimatized and minimize the chances of AMS or mountain sickness, when its safe to take babies or kids to Leh – Ladakh and what precautions to take etc. Refer the link below for details – Acute Mountain Sickness and Importance of Acclimatization

Tangang La on Manali - Leh Highway

List of things to carry on Manali – Leh Highway

I have tried to compile a practical list of things to carry while you travel or go on trip. I am sure it will be helpful for you even in case of Manali – Leh Highway too. Refer the link below for details – List of things to carry when you go on trip or travel

As for clothing, its always best to dress up in layers with Inner Thermals both lower and upper always ON. It might irritate in bright sunshine in lower hills but as the altitude increase then it will certainly help in the shades or evenings or mornings or if the weather turn up dark. You need to carry heavy woolens while you travel to Manali – Leh Highway.

Its really IMPORTANT that you carry eateries like dry fruits (must have as backup incase you get stuck), chocolates, some non-perishable food and ample of water to keep each one of you hydrated.

Along with things mentioned in above link, if you are self-driving then you must take the Basic toolkit, screw driver set, small hammer, puncture repair kit, iron rod, two or three “2 liter” empty bottles of Pepsi / Coke / Limca etc to carry extra petrol or diesel (jerry cans will leak, cold drink bottles do not leak), funnel, towing rope, spare tube (must for bikes), Elfy or Fevi quick (2-3 sachets), jump start cables/wires, M-seal to prevent leakage etc. These are among the things which I carried along on my trip to Ladakh.

Also, do not forget to get your vehicle (car/bike) serviced about 2-3 weeks before the start of the Ladakh journey. This will ensure that you have proper time in advance to test your serviced vehicle and get fixed any hitches that may have been introduced in that service.

Deepak Tal besides Manali - Leh National Highway

Conclusion

I hope the above information along with dedicated links will help you plan your travel to Manali – Leh Highway in the entirety and hassle free. In case you wish to share your experience or have any suggestions or have any queries then please feel free to leave a comment below and I would be more than happy to respond to it within quick time…

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74 Comments

  1. Most Common Itinerary for Leh – Ladakh says:
    February 21, 2012 at 8:26 pm

    [...] Manali – Leh Guide [...]

    Reply
  2. Bikash says:
    February 16, 2012 at 3:23 pm

    It seems to be a very informative blog. We three (self, wife and son) all adults, are planning to make the trip around July – August. It was great reading this blog, which I feel will help me temendously in planning the trip. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      February 18, 2012 at 12:16 pm

      Hello Bikash,

      Thanks alot for such appreciating words. It really helps. Sounds great, that you are going for this adventurous journey. In any case, you have any doubts regarding your plans or need any inputs, please fell free to drop a comment here. I will try to provide my little insights too.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      Reply
  3. Devansh says:
    February 4, 2012 at 11:41 pm

    Hello, i’d like to bike from manali to leh, but need to rent a bike in manali. the problem is tht all the rentals i’ve looked at require me to pay a deposit as high as the value of the bike..! Rs. 40,000 to Rs. 60,000/-. i certainly cant afford tht much. So could you tel me about options where i could find bikes to rent with less deposit amounts. My itinerary is to travel May end or early June. As of now i have a group of 4 people so tht would mean 2 bikes but chances of the group increasing are quite high. Would appreciate your help in the matter.
    Many thanks
    Devansh

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      February 5, 2012 at 12:31 am

      Hi Devansh,

      Did you check all the options mentioned in the article here on How to Hire or Rent a Bike or Motorcycle in Manali. There are quite a few options mentioned there, try to contact them and I hope you will get a good deal.

      Also, May end or early June is a risky date and you plan should be kept flexible because it might be possible that by end May Manali – Leh Highway will not be open.

      I hope that helps. Please let me know incase you need more details or have some queries or doubts.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      Reply
  4. Vinay says:
    January 31, 2012 at 12:01 am

    Hi Dheeraj, Must appreciate the good work you are doing.. M planning a road trip from Delhi to Ladakh this year (via Manali) & found your article “VERY USEFULL”.. Thanks a Ton Buddy!!!

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      January 31, 2012 at 11:32 am

      Thanks a lot Vinay. I am glad that you found the information present on the blog useful. Feel free to let me know for any planning required for your Leh – Ladakh trip.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      Reply
  5. Aditi says:
    January 25, 2012 at 1:30 pm

    Hi,
    Dheeraj Can you tell me the date of last snowfall in Manali and Kufri and Narkanda.
    Thanks With Love for your help for tourist’s

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      January 25, 2012 at 9:47 pm

      Hi Aditi,

      It did snowed last week up there and there is plenty of snow stock around. Predictions of fresh snowfall in coming days is also ON. I hope this helps.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      Reply
  6. Sanjog Lunkad says:
    January 12, 2012 at 6:48 pm

    Dear Dheeraj

    We are a group of 3 couples from Mumbai , wanting to do leh/ladakh and leh-manali in June 1st week . Have read your blog / must admit it is fantastic work and inspiring .

    We would want to do the entire trip by road could you help us on the following :
    1. What is the itiniery that you suggest either starting from leh or starting from manali , whatever you suggest is better this time of the year .

    2. Would the leh manali road be open this time of the year

    3. Any particular company you would suggest from whom we can rent car / four wheel drive . Our primary concern is that the vehicle should be in good condition . We are open to renting self drive or also with a driver / guide

    4. 10-12 days is the time that we are looking for.

    5. What kind of weather do we expect in June in Leh/ladakh and Manali -leh road . Would there be snow still during this time of the year on the roads
    Thanks and Best Wishes
    SANJOG LUNKAD

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      January 13, 2012 at 3:54 pm

      Hello Sanjog,

      Thanks alot, I am glad that you liked the information present on the blog. Please find below my suggestions/answers to your queries in respective order -

      1. You will need at least 12 days to cover two out of three ajor tourist destination in Leh – Ladakh. I will suggest you to go via Srinagar and come back via Manali, since by then I feel the Manali – Leh Highway will be open as well as you will better acclimatize yourself from Srinagar side. You can find the itinerary at the last after answers to your query.

      2. It generally, opens in June but be ready with backup plan and it will be much better if you can postpone the plan further by a week or two as by then the roads may have been stabilized if opened early.

      3. Keep yourself away from Tour/Travel agents as they charge handsome commissions. I will provide the contacts of the drivers whom you can directly contact and fix your trip. Before that you should finalize the plan.

      4. If you can increase it by a day or two at least you will have the necessary buffer days. You will need atleast 12 days otherwise it will be just hopping and running for the night halts.

      5. There will be plenty of snow around in June. Weather is pretty much unpredictable now a days, so cannot comment much on it. Yes, generally, in Leh – Ladakh and Manali – Leh Highway it will be a little cold if dark clouds are around else pleasant.

      Here is the itinerary –

      Day 1 | Delhi – Jammu / Patnitop
      – Overnight at Jammu or Patnitop
      Day 2 | Jammu / Patnitop – Srinagar
      – Enjoy walk around Dal lake and may be Shikara ride as well
      – Overnight at Srinagar
      Day 3 | Srinagar – Sonamarg – Zozi La – Drass – Kargil
      – Enjoy the vistas enroute
      – Have late drunch meal at Drass is you are a vegetarian as sometimes it gets difficult to find veg. food at Kargil
      – Overnight at Kargil
      Day 4 | Kargil – Lamayuru – Leh
      – Cover Mulbekh Maitrey, Lamayuru Moanstery, Lunar Landscapes
      – On the way you can also see Gurudwara Pather Sahib, Magnetic Hills, Confluence at Zanskar
      – Overnight at Leh
      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 – Hemis Monastery – Pangong Tso Lake
      – Cover either of Hemis, Thicksey and Shey on the go towards Pangong Tso
      – Overnight at Pangong Tso (Spangmik or Lukung)
      Day 9 | Pangong Tso Lake – Thicksey Monastery – Shey Palace – Leh
      – Cover either of Hemis, Thicksey and Shey on return to Leh
      – Overnight at Leh
      Day 10 | Leh – Taglang La – Debring – Moore Plains – Pang / Sarchu (Manali – Leh Highway)
      – Try to start early in the day so that you reach Sarchu where the accommodation options are better than Pang
      – Overnight at Sarchu or Pang
      Day 11 | Pang / Sarchu – Baralacha La – Keylong – Rohtang Pass – Manali
      – On the way cover Suraj Tal, Deepak Tal which are on the road sides only
      – Overnight at Manali
      Day 12 | Manali – Delhi
      – Return
      Day 13 | Buffer day to be kept incase of road closure due to landslides or snowfall or perhaps you want to enjoy more.

      OR

      Day 8 | Leh – Tso Moriri via Chumathang
      – Cover Karzok Monastery
      – Overnight at Karzok or Tso Moriri
      Day 9 | 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 10 | Pang / Sarchu – Baralacha La – Keylong – Rohtang Pass – Manali
      – On the way cover Suraj Tal, Deepak Tal which are on the road sides only
      – Overnight at Manali
      Day 11 | Manali – Delhi
      – Return
      Day 12 | Buffer day to be kept incase of road closure due to landslides or snowfall or perhaps you want to enjoy more.

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

      Regards
      Dheeraj sharma

      Reply
      • SANJOG LUNKAD says:
        January 15, 2012 at 11:57 am

        Hi Dheeraj

        Thanks for your suggestions and as per your suggestions we would start from Mumbai around 6th June .

        Due to shortage of time , we would like to skip the srinagar part of it as have already been there before . Would really like to spend more time in leh ladakh and manali highway and do it at ease rather than rushing thru it .

        We would like to start from Mumbai on 6th June and return back latest by 16th or 17th June .

        Also would not mind doing in manali – leh highway in 3 days instead of 2 days .

        Would appreciate if you could suggest a itiniery as per the above , were interested in going white water rafting in leh or wherever you recommend for beginners .

        As far as the renting of cars is concerned , we would be intersted in renting a little comfortable car or a four wheel drive as 2 of the people travelling with us have back problem so as comfortable a car would be preferred .

        Also please suggest some hotel options with good vegeterian food as all of us are veggies .

        Best wishes and good luck

        Sanjog

        Reply
        • Dheeraj Sharma says:
          January 16, 2012 at 12:47 pm

          Hello Sanjog,

          It is not about shortage of time. It is about making you feel alright on the trip. Going via Srinagar side you will be more acclimatized once you come on 5000+ Mtrs altitude of Manali – Leh Highway. Generally people fall sick when they do it from Manali side, so it is advisable to avoid it. But, still if you want to do it, then firwst night stay at Solang Valley not in Manali, then do Solang Valley – Keylong/Jispa and finally Keylong/Jispa – Leh in two days while going to Leh. On return you can do Leh – Sarchu and Sarchu – Manali. This will help you avoid sleeping at high altitude of Sarchu which will make you more sick on the way to Leh. On return, your body will be acclimatized for altitude of Sarchu.

          Are you flying from Mumbai or coming by train? I guess by train it will be like two day for Delhi either way which makes it just 7 days for the trip? I hope you are flying-in. Let me know and I will suggest the itinerary for you.

          Most of the taxis that do Manali – Leh in Manali are either Xylos or Sumos or Qualis. You will not find 4×4 drive on rent AFAIK in Manali, by the way you won’t need it with the skills of local Manali driver :) … Then in Ladakh you will find Scorpios mostly which are very much comfortable. If you want to do Rafting then do it in Leh at Indus river near Nimmu, where it starts. It will save you a day for Leh.

          I am in process of writing a series of articles on Preferred places to stay in Leh – Ladakh. First article is already up which present a listy of very economic and cheap options of stay in Leh. If interested read the details at the link here. Next part will enlist the preferred hotels in Leh but with Moderate and high budgets in range Rs 600 to Rs 2500. If that suits you then wait for about 4-5 days and you will have the entire list. By the time you are going all the articles wil be published and you can decide on whatever hotell you need and I will suggest my preffered nes in the itinerary once you tell me how many days you have in hand for Delhi-Leh-Delhi :)

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

          Regards
          Dheeraj Sharma

  7. garry says:
    December 16, 2011 at 1:15 pm

    Hi Dheeraj, i am good enough..
    How are you..??
    First of all sorry for not replying soon..Actually i was busy in my study for a few days…
    Yes i got your replies… But i have some issues regarding your suggestion… Which i am writing in a mail to you… Please go through that and reply me the best for me..
    THANKS A LOT FOR DOING SO GREAT FOR ME BROTHER….

    Reply
  8. garry says:
    December 8, 2011 at 8:05 pm

    Hi dheeraj..
    How are you ..??
    Dheeraj, Do you get the mail if i reply you in the gmail..????

    Reply
  9. garry says:
    November 25, 2011 at 9:59 pm

    hi dheeraj, how r u, the day before yesterday i sent ask something to u in a comment, today i was trying to see reply but i couldn’t found my comments, that where i gave my comments.. ur blog is so big that i m confused that where i gave my comments..
    will u plz help me in finding my comments….
    Thank you….

    Reply
  10. How to calculate cost or budget for Leh – Ladakh trip says:
    November 12, 2011 at 12:10 am

    [...] Manali – Leh Guide [...]

    Reply
  11. Manali-Leh Highway Closed for 2011 says:
    November 1, 2011 at 9:27 am

    [...] Email Address to Subscribe');});   AboutPhoto GalleryLadakhManali – Leh GuideSrinagar – Leh GuideHotel ReviewsGoaHimachal PradeshLadakhRajasthanUttarakhandTravel [...]

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  12. Spiti Valley Sprint | Overnight Drive through Shimla says:
    October 26, 2011 at 9:53 am

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  13. How to plan a journey on Srinagar – Leh Highway says:
    September 17, 2011 at 6:36 pm

    [...] Manali – Leh Guide [...]

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  14. piyush bansal says:
    September 16, 2011 at 10:46 pm

    hey dheeraj.. jst cmng bck fron ladakh.. 7sep night stay in mandi(manali) 8th keylong 9th pang la 10th leh-ladakh 11th pangong lake n bck to leh 12th nubra valley (hunder, panamik)13th night stay drass(kargil) 14th srinagar night stay in houseboat.. 15th night stay in jalandhar(heavy rainfall) 16th evening bck to firozabad.. awesm trip lyftym

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      September 19, 2011 at 10:48 pm

      Hey Piyush,

      Glad to know that you had an awesome trip of your life. Trip to Ladakh is any day a lifetime trip. The beauty is such that you get an addiction to the place. Would love to see your pictures, may be share your album’s public link here or on Facebook page of DeViLonWheeLs. Agains, thanks for updating back here as well.

      Cheers!!
      Dheeraj Sharma

      Reply
  15. Mehmood says:
    September 8, 2011 at 3:07 pm

    Hi Dheeraj,
    We are traveling as a couple from Manali to Leh on 26th Sept, 2011. Please advice us on the weather and road conditions for the journey. We are also planning for a 5 days stay in Leh which includes visits to Nubra valley and Pangong Lake. Please let us know the expected weather conditions in these locations. We will be in Leh from 28th of Sept to 3rd of Oct, 2011.
    Thanks in advance.

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      September 8, 2011 at 9:20 pm

      Hello Mehmood,

      The weather by that time should open up but be ready for some cold nights and if snowfall happens then be ready to spare a buffer day or two or more. Usually it is the start of winter season and many tents/accommodation starts to pack up at places like Sarchu, Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri etc. Again I cannot predict the weather but general trend is by last week of September snowfall starts getting frequent. You can check the latest weather updates on the link here and I hope you have gone through the article on 5 reasons to avoid Manali – Leh highway in late September or October which highlights the little/major risks.

      I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have further question or doubts.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      Reply
      • Mehmood says:
        September 8, 2011 at 9:50 pm

        Hi Dheeraj,
        Thanks for the quick response. Will definitely take your suggestions into consideration for the travel.
        Regards,
        Mehmood

        Reply
  16. salman says:
    September 7, 2011 at 3:33 pm

    hey ,me and 2 of my friends are planing to do a road trip next week from manali to leh by renting bikes from manali, firstly is the road condition now apt for us to take up this trip? Also we wish to go to nubra valley and the tso pangong ,do you suggest we make our trip to leh on the bikes and again then take the bikes to nubra and pangong ,or first visit nubra and pangong from manali and then head towards leh? Also ,what do most travellers do ,make a one way trip to manali to leh on bikes or a two way trip back ? in case we wish to only make a one way trip is there a possibility tht we can leave the bikes we hired from manali at leh? Please let us know your feedback and also comment on the current road status and the forcasted status arnd the 16th of sept

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      September 7, 2011 at 11:29 pm

      Hey Salman,

      Well, road conditions are not that great since rains are still pouring the region. So, be ready for little tough ride upto Rohtang and then things will ease out a little for the rest of the journey till Leh. Yes, you need to go to Leh first then get your permits to visit Nubra Valley and Pangong Tso, without permits you will not be able to go to these places and permits are issued from Leh only. You can get more information on Inner Line Permits for Leh and download is application form here.

      Since, you need to hire bikes from Manali so you cannot go via Srinagar side which is the best option. So, I will advise you do Manali – Leh once and utilize the remaining days in Ladakh itself and fly back to Delhi or your native place. Yes, there are bike rentals in Manali which allows you to hire bike in Manali and drop it in Leh itself.

      Let me know if you have more queries or doubts.

      Regards,
      Dheeraj Sharma

      Reply
  17. piyush bansal says:
    September 4, 2011 at 10:20 pm

    hey dheeraj,
    wts the weather condition in manali..? nd update the status of manali-leh road.. plz rply

    Reply
  18. ravi says:
    September 4, 2011 at 6:13 pm

    Thanks for your reply
    Is it advisable to stay in Solang valley or Gulaba instead of Manali?
    What are the advantages and disadvatages of NOT staying in manali?
    Are there good hotels in Solang valley and Gulaba? Their distances respectively from Manali?
    Regards
    Ravi

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      September 4, 2011 at 6:28 pm

      Hi Ravi,

      First of all Gulaba is just a snow point and does not offer any stay option. Snow point is a point upto where the road is kept open towards Rohtang Pass. It could be well before Gulaba as well like Kothi, if it snows that early in this season. Rohtang Pass will be closed due to heavy snowfall by the time you are planning to visit the region, so don’t worry about the mess of Rohtang Pass but yes traffic will also be present towards snow point as well though not too heavy.

      Well, you can check Solang Valley (about 16 KMs away from Manali) for Hotels but they will be expensive as compared to hotels in Manali. Also, hotels in Solang are limited as compared to wide varieties and cuisines available in Manali. Advantage being Solang Valley stay will be away from the hustle bustle of Manali but again disadvantage being you won;t be able to feel the atmosphere of Manali since it is just one day stay over there and also the cuisines will be limited to hotel restaurant only in Solang Valley. Prefer Manali only, I would say.

      I hope this helps. Let me know for further queries or doubts.

      Regards,
      Dheeraj Sharma

      Reply
  19. ravi says:
    September 4, 2011 at 3:36 pm

    Going to manali in December with a child of 3 yrs. Will land at Bhuntar on 2nd December and leave on 5th early in the morning…What would you advise me??my child want to see snow.

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      September 4, 2011 at 3:53 pm

      Hey Ravi,

      Once you land at Bhunter take a taxi to Naggar Castle and rest there for the entire day while enjoying the beautiful landscapes offered by this lovely place. Taxi will cost you about 500-700 Rs. Since for the first day you need to take rest only in order to acclimatize to the altitude change so I am suggesting to go to Naggar for that very day to utilize your limited days more efficiently.

      On 3rd December, leave for Manali from Naggar after early morning breakfast it will hardly take about 1-1.5 Hrs to reach Manali from Naggar as it is 30 KMs away only. The taxi will cost you about
      Rs 300-500. Once you reach Manali explore the local Hadimba devi temple (soon to be on the world heritage list), Manu Temple in the first half and then local monastery on mall road and mall road itself in the evening. Rest overnight.

      On 4th December go to visit snow points either at Solang Valley or any snow point enroute Rohtang Pass either Gulaba or Marhi whichever is accessible. If there is snow at Solang Valley then prefer Solang Valley snow point. Come back by noon/ early evening types and enjoy rest of the time in Manali.

      Now, apart from itinerary do take heavy woolens with you especially for your kid, on the first take take ample of rest (Naggar Castle is best location to laze out), keep drinking fluids like soup milk tea/coffee, water on your trip. For more details on Naggar Castle check the link here and for more details on Manali including the food joints, stay etc check the link here.

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

      Regards,
      Dheeraj Sharma

      Reply
      • ravi says:
        September 4, 2011 at 5:59 pm

        Thanks for your reply.
        I read that reaching Rotang pass takes time due to heavy traffic. Is this an everyday routine?
        Is it advisable to stay in solang valley or gulaba instead of manali?
        What will be the advantages and disadvatages of NOT staying in manali?
        REGARDS
        RAVI

        Reply
    • rajesh says:
      December 17, 2011 at 6:04 am

      Hi Ravi,
      Did you go to Manali this December? I am also in same situation – daughter (7yrs) wants to see snow. Any advice? I was planning to go in last week of Dec (25-29) from Mumbai via Chandigarh. Thanks.

      Reply
      • Dheeraj Sharma says:
        December 17, 2011 at 8:27 am

        Hello Rajesh,

        There is great amount of snow stock present up there at the snow points of Marhi/Gulaba or Solang Valley. Please keep in mind that first you will be traveling in the costliest week of the year, second there will be hefty tourist rush around Manali and third that you will need pre-booking at either of the places to avoid sleeping in taxi/bus itself (I am not joking but around X-mas and new year, have known people who slept in car :) )…

        For Manali and around you can follow below mentioned plan -

        25 Dec – Reach Manali, take rest for half of the day and enjoy the x-mas in the evening including Mall road. (I assume that you will be reaching in the morning by Volvo)
        26 Dec – Manali Local sightseeing which includes Hadimba Temple, Manu Temple, Mall Road, Local Monastery, Vashisth Hot Water Springs (never found it interesting) etc.
        27 Dec – Manali – Snow Point either at Solang Valley or Marhi/Gulaba on the way to Rohtang Pass. Enjoy in snow and come back to Manali
        28 Dec – Manali – Naggar Castle (stay at Naggar and enjoy the place)
        29 Dec – Naggar Castle – Manali – Delhi (Checkout from Naggar Castle by noon. Since, the volvo will be around 5.30 PM types, so either you can spend a sometime hanging around Naggar only and after lunch leave for Manali or come back to Manali and hang around on Mall road and finally take the return bus)
        – I have assumed you will leave Manali on 29th Dec.

        I hope that helps. Please let me know incase you need more details or have some queries or doubts.

        If interested in more details on Manali including sightseeing places, accommodation options, food joints, etc you can go through the Manali travel guide available at the link here.

        Regards
        Dheeraj Sharma

        Reply
        • rajesh says:
          December 26, 2011 at 1:41 pm

          Dheeraj,
          Thanks for your comments. My travel plan got changed – will probably do this sometime next year.
          Thanks anyways, and wish you a very happy 2012.
          regards,
          rajesh

        • Dheeraj Sharma says:
          December 27, 2011 at 11:39 am

          Hey Rajesh… wishing you and your family a very very Happy New Year 2012 as well… All the best wishes for your Travel next year.

          Regards
          Dheeraj

  20. piyush bansal says:
    September 3, 2011 at 12:38 am

    plz suggest sm places in ladakh whr we plan to stay in our private camp.. nd we find sm othr camp too.. coz it might be risky if my group are single at there..

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      September 3, 2011 at 9:48 am

      Piyush, In Leh you will be staying in Hotel only. In Nubra Valley go to Hunder where you will find camps pitched, you can ask them to pitch your own tents. They will ask for very nominal charges and allow you to set up the tents near by them. Same is true for Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri lakes.

      With tents in hand, you can also bargain with them to greater extent if you are not in a mood to pitch the tents.

      Reply
  21. Dhiraj Debbarma says:
    September 2, 2011 at 1:02 am

    Hello Dheeraj.. That was such an informative blog..Loved it!

    Anyways me and one of my friend are planning a Manali-Leh trip, Ex Delhi from September 25th- October 3 despite reading the 5 reasons not to travel by Man-leh road that time (Not interested in the srinagar-leh route) :-)
    We plan to stay in Leh city for 4 days atleast.

    But I do have several queries..
    I would be glad if any of my friends out here in devilonwheels helps me out:-

    1.I Read somewhere that HPTDC buses would stop operating by that time.
    Since we are on a low budget. Is there any option of a shared taxi, which is not going to do the cannon ball run of 19hrs, but will cover it in 2-3 days with an overnight stay at keylong thereby reducing the risk of AMS on the way?
    If so how much will it cost and where should i look for such taxis in manali town?

    2. Once we reach Leh, It wont be possible for us to hire the whole taxi nor does it make any sense. So how do we again look for a shared taxi so as to visit pangong/tsomoriri/nubra vof and khardungla passes during our period of stay in leh?
    Any contacts of travel agencies who arrange such facilities on a shared basis?

    3. Planning to stay at some cheap budget hotels in changspa or fort road while in leh? Will it be the correct decision?

    Please suggest!!

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      September 2, 2011 at 10:06 am

      Hello Dhiraj,

      Please find the answers below in the respective order of your queries -

      1. Yes, HPTDC buses stop operating by 7th September. Now, the best option is to find travel partners either on some online forum such as India Mike or BCMTouring and share the taxi cost for the whole trip with them. Second option may be to try to contact some travel agent in Manali who runs tourist taxis or tempo travelers which halt for a night at Keylong or Sarchu before reaching Leh on second day. Opt for taxi that stops at Keylong not Sarchu. Manali Mall road are full of such travel agents. Third option will be to spend some time at Manali taxi stand and ask the like minded tourists who are also looking for a taxi to Leh from Manali with one night stop at Keylong and then share cost with them. I guess, one of the above option will surely work :)

      2. Again here, the best option is to find travel partners either on some online forum such as India Mike or BCMTouring and share the taxi cost for the whole trip with them. Second option may be to try to contact some travel agent in Leh or check for the flyers that are stick on cyber cafes and dine in points intending to share the taxi cost for local sigh seeing in Ladakh. Third option will be to spend some time at Leh taxi stand and ask the like minded tourists who are also looking for a taxi inline with your itinerary. Again I guess, one of the above option will surely work :)

      3. Yes, it will be the perfect decision. You can check Shanti Guest House, Asia Guest House, Oriental Gues House near Changspa Road and Atisha Guesthouse, Irfan Guest House and Malpak Guest House near fort road. My favorite is Shanti Guest House. On the Changspa road you will find plenty of flyers/notes posted by travel agencies or traveler groups who intend to share the cost of taxis for Nubra Valley and Pangong Tso majorly.

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

      Regards,
      Dheeraj :)

      Reply
      • Dhiraj Debbarma says:
        September 2, 2011 at 11:55 am

        Thank you so much Dheeraj Sharma for your prompt reply ..
        I do know one ex army driver whom i had met in my last years trip to manali. May be even he can help me out in arranging the Man-Leh shared taxi since he works under a reputed travel agency which is on the mall road, near the nescafe outlet!
        If any more help needed from you i will surely not hesitate to ask you sir :-)

        Reply
  22. parag says:
    August 28, 2011 at 5:35 am

    Hey…m planning to leave for rohtang in some time now…will i find traces of snow in rohtang and is the road open???plz reply quick

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      August 28, 2011 at 6:25 am

      Hi parag,

      Though the road is open to rohtang pass, but the road condtion is too worse with knee high slush stretches. If you are planning the trip to rohtang pass shortly and need an hassle free vacation the try to avoid it or ask the locals first before you leave. You may or may not find traces of snow depending upon the fact the unseasonal snowfall in last to lst week still has its remains or not. Generaly, it is difficult to find snow in August which you can cheer about. Ihope this helps.

      Regards,
      Dheeraj

      Reply
      • parag says:
        August 28, 2011 at 7:27 am

        thanks dheeraj…but a trip to manali is kind of a rarity due to my busy schedule :( …is there not any place here nearby where i can find snow? also in absence of snow what all places would you recommend that will be scenic enough to make my day :) …awaiting your reply

        Reply
        • Dheeraj Sharma says:
          August 28, 2011 at 8:02 am

          Hey Parag,

          I can understand that buddy but this time the road is in its worse form. Also, by this time snow almost becomes like dirty slush. There was a decent snowfall last to last week but I doubt if that will be present or not. In the absence of snow you can visit naggar castle for an overnight stay and can include a day stop at kasol while coming back. Both are great places with charm of their own and not too far, approx 30/50 odd kms, from manali. I hope this helps.

          Regards,
          Dheeram sharma

      • sahil says:
        August 30, 2011 at 8:36 am

        i am planning to visit manali by 10th october.what the weather condition there at october.is rohtang pass open.and what about the bus connectivity from amritsar to manali.is there any must see places in between.please help me.

        Reply
        • Dheeraj Sharma says:
          August 30, 2011 at 8:46 am

          Hello Sahil,

          In October, the weather in Manali is good and pleasant and I am sure you will enjoy it. Although night will start getting colder though, so go with woolens. Also, Rohtang Pass is usually open upto last week of October and I imagine by then the roads will be completely dry to spare you from any major hassles. You will be able to find buses between Amritsar to Manali but if you want to travel in Volvo then best option will be to come to Chandigarh from numerous buses available from Amritsar and then get into the Chandigarh – Manali Volvo.

          For more information on Manali and what to see there go through the Travel Guide of Manali available here

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

          Regards,
          Dheeraj Sharma

        • sahil says:
          August 30, 2011 at 9:08 am

          Hello Dheeraj
          thanks for your reply.
          i read the link.it says october is too crouded.is it so?am coming with my friends and whats the cheapest way to stay there.

        • Dheeraj Sharma says:
          August 30, 2011 at 9:21 am

          Sahil, October is crowded only at the time of Dusherra Festival when the Durga Puja holidays are ON. I guess it will be over by the time you are planning to visit the Manali region. The cheapest way to stay in Manali is to find some guest house in either Old Manali or on the Manali – Naggar road or near Vashishth. All these three places have plenty of economic options of stay. I hope this helps.

          Regards,
          Dheeraj Sharma

        • sahil says:
          August 30, 2011 at 9:30 am

          Thank you Dheeraj
          I will be back to you for your help after finalising the date.

  23. m.s says:
    August 26, 2011 at 12:33 pm

    planing a trip to chandartal in sept. 2011. is this the right time to go and how is the road condition to take an suv

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      August 26, 2011 at 12:57 pm

      Hello M.S

      Well, in September you can visit Chandratal but make sure you do it in the early half. As the time passes by the risk of snowfall at Kunzam Pass and Rohtang Pass gets higher which ultimately may lead to the closure of roads for few days. Now, if you planning in the second half of the September then I will only advice a day trip to Chandratal without any overnight halt and that too after checking the weather conditions through IMD or other weather forecasting sites just a day before.

      From Manali – Rohtang Pass the road condition is extreme bad almost nightmarish with almost knee high slush between 17 KMs of stretch. They may improve as the rains reside the region and sun dries the slush present on the roads. After Rohtang Pass from Gramphu to Chandratal you need to negotiate some water crossings but if you drive carefully that won;t be much concern as you taking an SUV. Do not expect good roads after Rohtang Pass (Gramphu to Battal/Chandratal) as they are like dirt tracks with pebbles and stones all over. If you come via Kunzam – Kaza side then roads will be better but again you need to negotiate two or three water crossings between Kunzam Pass and Chandratal. The road or dirt track from Kunzam Pass – Battal link road to Chandratal is also quite narrow, so you have to drive with extreme care.

      You can also check the Chandratal Travel Guide here to get more details on Chandratal.
      I hope this helps. Let me know incase you have more queries or doubts.

      Regards,
      Dheeraj Sharma

      Reply
  24. Sushil says:
    August 26, 2011 at 8:27 am

    Wonderful article, truly sums up the requirement.
    Which type/quality jerry-can should I use to store fuel, instead of the 2Ltrs cold drink bottle? I need to store at least 10Ltrs of fuel.
    Thanks is advance,
    Cheers!

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      August 26, 2011 at 8:45 am

      Hello Sushil,

      Although nothing beats 2 Ltrs of cold drink bottle as they are leak proof always and being tested with aerated content as well. So, no chances of leakage in that case. But, still if you want to go for Jerry cans then try to look for a steel Jerry cans with petrol resistant paint. I am not sure about any other characteristics which might be present or required for Jerry Cans. If you are based in Delhi/NCR then you can surely get them from Mayapuri market. But, do keep in mind that very good quality Jerry cans cost about 1K+ range but in Mayapuri you may find varied amount of alternatives but leakage you will need to test them.

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

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      Reply
      • Sushil says:
        September 5, 2011 at 9:55 pm

        Hello Dheeraj,

        Thank you very much for the much needed insight.
        I searched nearly the whole of Mayapuri scrap market, but could not find any steel/tin/aluminium jerry can, except for the 20Ltrs Army discarded steel cans.
        The traders said that earlier 5Ltrs steel cans used to come, but now they have gone extinct from the market. Anyway, I would carry 2*2Ltrs cold drinks’ bottle and would try to procure another 2 cans of 5-7Ltrs capacity, my only hope now is the engine oil/lubricant cans by servo/castrol.
        Do you think the Kaza to Manali route this year during the 1st week of November’11 would remain open, taking into consideration this year’s rainfall & other conditions besides weather history? I wish to attend the Tribal Fest of Kinnaur & then do a Nako-Kaza-Manali ride, would it be possible? Earlier I had to ride back from Kaza during the 1st week of Dec’09.

        Thanks again,

        Sushil,
        New Delhi.

        Reply
        • Dheeraj Sharma says:
          September 6, 2011 at 11:58 am

          Hello Sushil,

          If you really want to get a jerry can then try reaching Shoaib Khan at http://www.technotools.co.in

          He may be able to help you I guess. Well, regarding the Kaza Manali road I will strongly advise not to venture on it even if it is open. You will be running a risk very high of getting stuck in between for as many months as the snow remains. Perhaps it is playing with nature, so please don’t attempt it. You can go to Kaza and come back the same route, even Lahaul Valley is not recommended as the official closure date of Rohtang Pass is generally 31st October and BRO do not maintain and very least support any rescue operations after that.

          I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any queries or doubts.

          Regards
          Dheeraj Sharma

  25. Milada says:
    August 24, 2011 at 3:28 pm

    Dear Dheeraj,
    I have two more questions:
    1. Is it possible to receive some information about the status of Major District Road 29 from the airport Bhuntar trough Kullu to Manali after last major landslides? We would like to use it from the airport coming Sunday.
    2. Is it true that Rothang La is close every Tuesday for road repairs? Or nevertheless, can we go with our bicycles?

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      August 24, 2011 at 3:57 pm

      Hello Milada,

      Please find my answer to your queries below in respective order -
      1. As per the last updates, the Kullu – Manali connecting road has been cleared of any debris and is not operational. So, I think you will be able to go through it provided there is no further landslides and weather holds up :)
      2. Yes, Rohtang Pass is closed for repair work on Tuesday but if you can leave about 4 AM types from Manali then you might sneak through the checkposts are generally unmanned in the wee hours of the day. Although I am not sure but I guess they should not have any problems for letting you go with your bicycles, but I am not 100% sure about this.

      I hope this helps.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      Reply
      • Milada says:
        August 24, 2011 at 4:19 pm

        Dheeraj, thank you very much for the answer. But I mean the secondary road Kullu – Manali, not national highway. National Highway 21 (NH21) is on the left side of river Beas and I am sure it is fully operational now. But we would like to use Major District Road 29 (MDR29) on the right side of the river Beas and I am not sure about its status.

        Reply
        • Dheeraj Sharma says:
          August 24, 2011 at 7:36 pm

          Oops, I am sorry Milada not sure about the condition of that road. I guess you need to check them once you reach there and only someone present in Kullu can truly update the latest conditions in that part.

  26. tan says:
    August 23, 2011 at 5:24 pm

    Thanks! Found this very useful for our recent trip and will recommend this to anyone I come across visiting this region. A short post on our experiences here: http://elusive42.windforwings.com/2011/08/manali-to-leh-bitten-by-bullet.html

    Reply
  27. Rahul says:
    August 14, 2011 at 11:35 pm

    Thanks Sir for all the info .Still at Keylong Too much chilly :-p :-) Thanks and already liked you Fb and Twitter Page :-) \m/

    Reply
    • Dheeraj Sharma says:
      August 15, 2011 at 9:28 am

      Hey Rahul, Thanks alot for the likes mate. I am glad you like the info on my blog and updates. Yups, Keylong does becomes chilly when it rains and recent unseasonal snowfall also counted for the dip in temperatures. But, never mind I guess the roads are now open as per the latest updates however its still raining in the lower hills and Rohtang Pass as well. Road conditions will be worse but if you guys have the local driver he will get you through.

      Reply
  28. Rahul says:
    August 14, 2011 at 4:16 pm

    Is the keylong Manali way open as right now i am near keylong and driver is not willing to g further .Please help

    Reply
 
 

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