I see a lot of queries that keep coming up from people directly flying to Leh – Ladakh and have about 7 – 8 days in hand to explore various places in Ladakh. Looking at the requests of many avid readers of the blog and so many like-minded travelers seeking guidance for their tour to Leh – Ladakh by Air, I would like to sketch below one of the most common itineraries for traveling to Leh Ladakh by air.
Let's quickly dive into the details:
Flying to Leh Ladakh?
Flying directly to a high altitude place like Leh (3500+ Mtr) can cause serious issues sometimes if proper care is not taken to combat Acute Mountain Sickness.
Hence, one must always be aware of the importance of Acclimatization and tips to help acclimatize to some extent before venturing to further high altitudes within Ladakh. When you fly to such high-altitude places as Leh, you must give your body a chance to acclimatize a bit before actually getting started with the trip.
That is the precise reason why a road journey to Ladakh is more fun because it allows your body to gradually increase the altitude and hence, acclimatize to the raising altitude day by day, especially the Srinagar – Leh Highway.
But, let’s look at how one can combat most of the AMS issues with very basic tips and can enjoy his/her Leh – Ladakh journey for about 8 – 9 days.
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8 – 9 Days Itinerary for Leh Ladakh by Air
This itinerary of flying to Leh Ladakh covers all three major tourist destinations of Ladakh including Nubra Valley, Pangong Tso Lake, and Tso Moriri Lake.
If you are making a trip to Ladakh in winter, then better refer most common itinerary for a winter trip to Ladakh
Day 1 | Delhi – Leh (By Flight)
- Checkin at Hotel. Many hotels provide free pick and drop from Airport. Ask while you book them.
- Take ample rest as well as water or anything that keeps your body hydrated enough. DO NOT OVERHYDRATE. Take ORS Soluted water or ORS – L tetra packs from home.
- Do not overexert your body at any cost. Avoid too much up-down on stairs or avoid it in its entirety, if possible.
- After 5-6 Hrs of rest, you can visit Leh Palace, Local Leh market, Shankar Gompa.
- If you feel exerted, go back to the hotel, have dinner at the Hotel and take rest. Avoid any exertion. Else continue and,
- Follow the sunset by a stroll at Changspa road and have a nice dinner on varied cuisines offered in-around Changspa road.
- Go back to the hotel for an overnight stay at Leh.
- Overnight at Leh.
Day 2 | Leh Local Sightseeing
Get the online Ladakh inner line permits stamped or get them in person from DC office in Leh. As of 2022, permits are not required for domestic tourists to travel anywhere in Ladakh including the Umling La pass. You only need to pay the environment/green/ecology fee and carry a receipt of the payment- Hire a taxi from Leh taxi stand or Hotel whichever suits you.
- Check the Leh – Ladakh taxi union rate list 2022 – 23 including the contacts of some reliable taxi drivers within Leh – Ladakh. You can get about a 10% discount by directly getting in touch with drivers. You can call the local drivers directly to connect with them and check the more comprehensive List of Taxi Drivers for Ladakh – Srinagar – Leh – Manali with recommendations/reviews for DoW community members.
- Take his input if you feel reasonable and if required modify the plan accordingly but should suit you best.
- Ask him to be with you guys starting the first day itself, if required and charged reasonably else do it on your own.
- Again DO NOT overexert and take little steps and slow walks only.
- If feeling OK then do Local sightseeing. To know the about the places you can check my Travel Guide for Local Sightseeing of Leh Town in Ladakh
- Do not use stairs at any of these places just to see them as it will exert your body much more.
- Overnight at Leh.
Day 3 | Leh – Khardung La – Deskit – Hunder
- Head for Nubra Valley and stay overnight at Hunder / Deskit.
- On the way enjoy a cup of soup at Highest Motorable Pass (as claimed) Khardung La. DO NOT stay more than 10-12 minutes.
- Deskit has monasteries with the tallest lord Buddha statue and Hunder has sand dunes and a Bactrian camel safari.
- About a 5-6 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between and at Khardung La.
Day 4 | 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.
- About 7-9 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between.
Day 5 | Leh – Hemis Monastery – Pangong Tso Lake
- Cover either of Hemis, Thicksey, and Shey on the go toward Pangong Tso
- Overnight at Pangong Tso (Spangmik or Lukung)
- About 5-6 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between
Day 6 | Pangong Tso Lake – Thicksey Monastery – Shey Palace – Leh
- Cover either of Hemis, Thicksey, and Shey on return to Leh
- Overnight at Leh
- About 5-6 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between
Day 7 | Leh – Hemis – Tso Moriri via Chumathang
- Cover either of Hemis, Thicksey, and Shey on the way toward Tso Moriri.
- Cover Korzok Monastery.
- Overnight at Korzok or near the banks of Tso Moriri.
- About 7-8 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between.
Day 8 | Tso Moriri – Tso Kar – Debring (Manali – Leh Highway starts) – Taglang La – Upshi – Leh
- Come back via Tso Kar and Manali – Leh Highway to Leh.
- Cover either of Hemis, Thicksey, and Shey on the way towards Leh.
- Overnight at Leh.
- About 9-10 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between.
Day 9 | Rest Day OR Sham Valley Tour
- Rest day at Leh to enjoy local culture and some shopping OR
- Sham Valley includes Alchi, Likir, Basgo Palace, Magnetic Hills, Confluence at Nimmu, Gurudwara Pather Sahib OR
- Overnight at Leh.
Interested in saving a day?
You can save a day by making a direct trip to Pangong Tso from Nubra Valley as suggested below.
Day 4 | Hunder / Diskit – Shyok village /Wari La route – Pangong Tso
- Take the direct route from Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso either via Shyok village or Wari La pass whichever is open.
- In the last couple of years (as of 2019), the direct route between Nubra Valley – Shyok Village – Pangong Tso has stabilized a lot. It is not as desolate in the season anymore as it used to be a few years back. A lot of people do this route nowadays, so it should be fine for you to do that route as well. Just enquire at Agham village on the safer side or wait for a couple of cars to tag along on the route.
- Overnight at Pangong Tso.
- About 6-10 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between and the route you take between Shyok and Wari La.
Day 5 | Pangong Tso Lake – Thicksey Monastery – Shey Palace – Leh
- Cover either of Hemis, Thicksey, and Shey on return to Leh
- Overnight at Leh
- About 6-7 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between
Alternatively, you can also make a day trip to Pangong Tso (if Shyok village and Wari La pass routes are closed) as below but that makes it a bit rushy/hectic.
Day 5 | Leh – Chang La – Pangong Tso – Chang La – Leh
- Make a Day trip to Pangong Tso via Chang La Pass.
- Overnight at Leh.
- About 8-9 Hrs drive, depending upon the breaks you take in between.
Additional Points
- You can add one more day or use the saved day to visit Turtuk village in Nubra Valley.
- For accommodation, check the nice, preferred list of accommodation options in entire Leh – Ladakh (Leh, Nubra Valley, Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri) including moderate and cheap budget hotels.
- Any doubts related to the budget of the trip?? Don’t worry, check this complete guide on How to calculate cost or budget for Leh – Ladakh trip
Conclusion
I hope this plan or itinerary for Leh – Ladakh when traveling by Air will be useful to travelers planning their journey, at least for the first time. I will look forward to any queries or doubts or valuable suggestions and inputs you have and would love to discuss your custom plan as well in the comments section.
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551 Comments
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Dheeraj,
This is a sample itinerary that I was advised with and seems like one I would love to follow. Could you please provide your expert feedback as to whether this is feasible and if you have any suggestions to improve it?
13th May – Arrival at Leh at 7 am. Full Day rest.
14th May – Leh to Sham Valley
15th May – Sham Valley to Leh.
16th May – Leh to Turtuk , overnight in homestay.
17th May – Post lunch start from Turtuk towards Dekit/Sumur in Nubra valley’ overnight in homestay/tent
18th May – Early morning start from Deskit/Sumur towards Pangong via Shyok Village route. Overnight in Pangong in homestay/tent.
19th May – Pangong Lake to Leh. Thiksey or Hemis monastery en route.
20th May – Departure to home.
Looking forward to your feedback 🙂
Sami, you plan is very nicely balanced and takes care of acclimatization as well. You should go ahead with it. Also, please make sure that you may have some company on Nubra to Pangong Tso direct route via Agham – Shyok village because it a is desolated route and any help will be hard to find. Get some company in Nubra Valley or while in Leh.
Hi Dheeraj,
We are a couple visiting Ladakh in end of April. Please find below Itinerary and let me know if it is fine or changes need to be done:
April 27 : Early morning flight to Leh. Rest day+ local markets etc.
April 28: Leh local sightseeing
April 29 : Leh- Pangong
April 30: Pangong- Leh
May 1 : Sham valley tour
May 2 : Leh- Nubhra
May 3: Nubhra
May 4 : Leave earling morning for Leh. For rest of the day checking out local culture in Leh
May 5 : Back to delhi.
Please let me know if this would be fine. I want the trip not to hectic with too much travelling.
Also are there any self drive options in Ladakh? any references?
Many thanks for your help.
Sunny
Hi Sunny,
Please make a Trip to Nubra Valley first on Day 3 and Day 4, then make a trip to Pangong Tso on Day 5,6, Day 7 do sham valley tour and Day 8 leave. This will help you acclimatize better.
Hey Dheeraj,
Thanks, I will have an extra day if i stay 1 night in each Pangong Tso and Nubhra.
So should I stay extra night in Pangong Tso OR Nubhra? which is better?
OR you have some other option to spend 1 day apart from the places i am visiting as per the Itinerary.
thanks again.
Sunny
Sunny, I will suggest to spend one more day at Nubra Valley and include Turtuk in the plan. Lake can be monotonous for two days.
Hi Dheeraj,
May i have a trip plan ? i will arrive leh airport 17 june morning and 24 go back to delhi moring
so i have 8 day to travel
Hi Gurung,
For 8 days Leh Ladakh plan by air, you can follow the plan outlined in the article above.
Regards
dheeraj
Hi Dheeraj,
We going to Ladakh by air this june end. Below is our itenarary. Kindly suggest is it is Ok or suggest some alternative.
Day 1. Leh_Full day rest – night stay
2. Local sightseeing- Magnetic hill shanti stupa etc. – night stay Leh (pl suggest if we should go till Lamayuru)
3. Leh to Nubra/Diskit/hunder – night stay
4. Nubra to Pnagong via shyok river – night stay
5. Pangong to Tso moriri – night stay
6. Tso moriri To leh – hemis/shey/thiksey – night stay at leh
7. Departure to mumbai
I know it seems hectic but we dont want to miss these places. We are 6 Boys and will be hiring 2 separate Innova with driver.
Thanks
Hi Pradeep,
Pradeep, as you know it is hectic and you are ready to take it so I will say OK for it. On either Day 1 or Day 2 you have to procure the Inner Line Permits to travel from Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri direct route via Chusul. The article: Ladakh Inner Line Permit Updates on Process & Download Form will help you prepare the permit form and aprise you with the process.
Thanks Dheeraj,
I really appreciate your prompt response. Our tour operator will arrange everything for us i.e. Stay/Travel/Permits/River Rafting etc. My only concern was about travel plan. Google Map gives the route bt i dont want to rely on that only and need expert advise from you. I m more concerned abot Nubra to pangong to tso moriri journey. It should not feel like a lifelong journey as it may be boring for my friends. and shall not end up a road trip only.
Pl suggest what places we should skip to save on time.
Thanks.
Pradeep, it will be more or less a road trip only as these places are a bit apart and you are not giving enough time to rest on these places but you said it is hectic and you are OK with it. Specially the Tso Moriri part, you will land in evening and next morning you will have to leave. So, all you are doing is road trip by being in journey rather than destination. Nubra and Pangong Tso part is still manageable in case Agham – Shyok route is open, if not then that also becomes too tiring.
Hi Dheeraj,
Thanks a lot for your comments. I am planning to arrive in Leh on Aug 9th and planning to take the return flight only on 19th. I will have 9 to 10 days. I want to rent a motor bike and cover all the important places. Can you suggest an itinerary that can I cover in motorbike. Also please suggest how is the bike rental scene in LEh. Thank you so much 🙂
Regards,
Ranga
Ranga, you can surely follow the itinerary mentioned in the article above and spend the extra days either in Leh or in Nubra valley. Regarding bike rental in Leh, please check: Leh – Ladakh Bike Rental Rates 2017-18
Hi Dheeraj ,
Thank you very much for this wonderful blog. I am visiting leh ladakh for second time but this time in August i am travelling with my wife. She is travelling for the first time to high altitude and i want to be very cautious in terms of Itinerary and places.
Can you refer this and tell me whether any change we should do in itinerary or not ?
Day 1:- 11/08/2017
Mumbai to Leh
Leh local
Day 2:-12/08/2017
Leh :- Hamis monastery
Day 3:- 13/08/2017
Leh to Pangong Tso via Khardung La
Day 4:-14/08/2017
Pangong Tso to Nubra
Day 5:- 15/08/2017
Nubra to TukTuk
Day 6:-16/08/2017
Nubra to Leh
Day 7:- 17/08/2017
Leh to Kargil via Lamayura Monastery
Day 8:-18/08/2017
Kargil to Srinagar
Day 9:-19/08/2017
Srinagar
Day 10:-20/08/2017
Srinagar
Regards
Dhruval Mehta
Hi Dhruval,
Please use first two days of the plan to rest in Leh and acclimatize. Avoid monasteries but take sham Valley tour which is hectic. IN monasteries you may need to walk more and climb stairs too which will be taxing on body. Then, go over to Nubra Valley – Deskit, Hunder, Turtuk and travel to Pangong Tso from there. Finally, travel to Srinagar via Lamyuru – Kargil
Hi Dheeraj,
Thanks for all the information you have shared with us. It really helps plan better!
I have a question regarding Ladakh trip by AIR : Pangong, Nubhra are a must visit when visiting Ladakh but is Tso Moriri necessary? as it can become hectic travelling 5-6 hrs everyday on hills ?
We are a couple visiting for 8N, 9 D . Please let me know your thoughts.
Thanks again!
Sunny
Sunny, I will highly recommend that you take it easy in case you do not have inclination to visit all the places. You can focus either on Pangong tso or Tso Moriri and you will not be wrong with any of them. So, choose one of them and have a relaxing vacation. Sometthing like below:
2 days of rest and acclimatization in Leh after landing,
3-4 days in Nubra Valley covering Deskit, Hunder and Turtuk
2 day trip to Pangong Tso or Tso Moriri
1 day rest in Leh and shopping around
Hi Dheeraj!
I’m Janis from the Philippines and your website has really imparted a lot of knowledge on our planned trip, but it’s still great to get your opinion firsthand. We are 4 girls, planning to get to Leh via air on April 5, 2017, coming from a 4 day trip from Srinagar. Would like to ask if this planned itinerary is feasible:
April 5: Arrival in Leh lunchtime, acclimatize, maybe a little bit of sightseeing
April 6-8: Travel to Nubra Valley, and maybe Turtuk, stay for 2 nights
April 8-9: Travel to Pangong Lake from Nubra Valley via Wari La (as some blogs suggest)
and camp by the lake overnight?
April 9: Travel back to Leh, maybe stop at Thikse Monastery
April 10: Early AM flight to Delhi
…we wanted to finalize our itinerary but some would not recommend staying overnight in Pangong Lake, if that’s the case, will we still be able to maximize the lake on just a day trip even though we traveled far from Nubra valley? Thank you so much 🙂
Hello Janis,
Thank you, glad DoW helped in you planning your Ladakh trip. I will highly recommmend that you rest for first two days completely. April 5 and April 6 should be rest + local sightseeing/Sham Valley tour on Day 2, nothing more than that. Then on April 7-8, make a two day trip to Nubra Valley and on April 9, make one day trip to Pangong Tso in case weather is clear. You should make the plan as per above.
Wari La route is closed and opens in June. So, direct route is not possible. Turtuk will had 6 Hrs more of just drive in your two days in Nubra Valley, so not suggested.
Hi Dheeraj,
I am planning a solo trip to Ladakh in November (around 17 to 24 Nov). I will be flying from Delhi to leh directly. Will it be possible to do a solo trip around Nubra valley, Tso moriri and Lumayuru via rented motorcycle during that time.
Looking forward for your suggestions.
Bike ride will be too cold and risky to undertake during that time of the year !! You will not be allowed to take the bike to Khardung La pass or Chang La pass.
Hi Dheeraj
I am planning to travel to Leh on the 9th of Sept. 2016 with my friend. We are both around 57 years and diabetic with High BP but controlled through medications. Luckily no heart ailments or other health issues. We are quite healthy and enjoy workouts every day. Will there be any adverse effects on health considering our age? We intend to spend 7 to 8 days in Ladakh.
Alfred, I will recommend visiting a doctor who is aware about High altitude as well. You should also read: High Blood Pressure traveller in Sangla and Spiti valleys
Hi Dheeraj,
First of all I would like to thank you for the details that you have put up so meticulously. It is of immense help for travellers to Leh-Ladakh. Incredible stuff!!
I am planning to travel to Leh with wife and 4 yr old kid from 8th – 16th Sept I will be flying in to Leh from Delhi. Below is my itinerary. Please let me know if it sounds reasonable.
Day 1 – Leh arrival. Rest day. Evening visit to Shanti stupa / leh Palace if possible
Day 2- Day trip to Sham Valley
Day 3- visit to Nubra valley. Stay at Hunder
Day 4 – back to Leh
Day 5 – Leh to Pangong lake – Stay at pangong
Day 6- Pangong to Hanle – Stay at Hanle . Which of the following two routes is advisable?
a> Pangong – Chusul- Tsaga La- Loma- Hanle
b> Pangong- Chusul – Kakasang La- Hor La- Mahe- Loma – Hanle
Day 7- Hanle – Tso Moriri – Stay at Tso Moriri
Day 8 – Tso Moriri- Tso Kiagar- Tso Kar – leh via Manali – leh route OR Tso Moriri – Tso Kiagar-
-TsoKar- Sumdo – Mahe _ Chumathang – leh. Which route is advisable?
Day 9 – Leh Departure
I have tried to devise this plan keeping the acclimatization principles in mind. Not sure if I have achieved the same. Initially I thought of taking a packaged tour but after going through this site, I decided to plan it on my own as it will turn out to be cheaper. This means Hotel bookings on the go and Taxi booking when I reach Leh. I am in touch with few drivers based on the contacts mentioned on DOW.
It will be great if you could help me with my queries below:
1. Is the above itinerary ok?
2. Since Sept is not the peak season, I expect to find decent accommodation at places like Pangong, Hanle and Tso Moriri. Is my assumption correct?
3. Please advise on the route to be take on Day 6 & Day 8.
4. Regarding taxi fare, any pointers on what should be the charges for such a trip.
Thanks in advance
Dear Dheeraj,
Awaiting your reply.
Will surely reply by tonight.
Hello Prasan,
1. The plan looks OK but DO NOT go over Kaksang La route. Also, be prepared with basic stay in Hanle though Sonam / Padma Guest House has attached bath rooms now and is very good option of stay. Confirm from the driver if he has ever done Pangong Tso – Chusul – Hanle route or not. Rest looks OK.
2. Yes, you will find decent places of stay at all these places.
3. No Kaksangla on Day 6. On Day 8, follow Tso Kar route.
4. Taxi will cost you around 40K
Thanks for the reply Dheeraj.
I am i touch with one of the top drivers recommended on your blog. I will cross check with him about his Pangong Tso – Chusul – Hanle driving experience.
ool, best wishes for the trip.
Dear Dheeraj,
First of all I would thanks to you for such a great work. hats off for your knowledge, experience and passion. It is of immense help for travellers to Leh-Ladakh. Incredible stuff!!
I am planning to travel to Leh with 3 friends from 9th – 19th may I will be flying in to Leh from Mumbai. Below is my itinerary. Please let me know if it sounds reasonable.
Day 1 – Leh arrival. Rest day. Evening visit to Shanti stupa / leh Palace if possible
Day 2- visit to Nubra valley. Stay at Diskit/Hunder
Day 3- Diskit – Hunder – Turtuk
Day 4 – back to Leh
Day 5 – Leh – Hemis Monastery – Pangong Tso Lake
Day 6- Pangong Tso Lake – Thicksey Monastery – Shey Palace – Leh
Day 7- Leh – Tso Moriri
Day 8 – Tso Moriri – Leh
Day 9 – Leh – Kargil
Day 10- Kargil – Leh
Day 11 – Fly back home
Some Questions –
is it OK or hectic schedule. we are included kargil at last moment , are we correct? give some plans for 10 days.
Hello Sandeep,
I will suggest that you rest completely for the first two days in Leh only. This will make sure you are not doing too much without acclimatization. Remove one day from Kargil visit and make a day trip to Lamayuru on Day 10. Also, stay options at Pangong Tso will be a bit difficult and it will be very cold in May, best to stay at Tangtse after spending time in Pangong Tso, which is 34 KMs from Pangong Tso. Same is true for Tso Moriri where you can stay at Chumathang as Tso Moriri too will be cold and options of home stays will only be available.
Happy New Year Dheeraj, thanks for your valuable response. after long thought we are decided drop the kargil. As per above mentioned we are changed some itinerary.
Day 1 | Mumbai – Leh (By Flight)
Day 2 | Leh – Sham Valley -Lamayuru
Day 3 | Lamayuru – Leh
Day 4 | Leh – Khardung La – Deskit – Hunder
Day 5 | Deskit – Turtuk – deskit (overnight at Turtuk or Deskit? littlebit confussion)
Day 6 | Diskit/Turtuk – Leh
Day 7 | Leh – Hemis Monastery – Pangong Tso Lake
Day 8 | Pangong Tso Lake – Thicksey Monastery – Shey Palace – Leh
(As per your advice we are trying to stay at Tangtse )
Day 9 | Leh – Hemis – Tso Moriri via Chumathang
Day 10 | Tso Moriri – Leh
Day 11 | Back to Mumbai
is it OK? give me some suggestion on weather. once again thanks a lot.
Happy New Year Sandeep !! 🙂 🙂
Make it overnight at Turtuk and spend more time in that beautiful village. Next day make Turtuk to Leh. Yes, you will have to stay at Tangtse. Also, take utmost care during first 1-3 days. If you do not feel alright in night on Day 1, then better stay at Uley instead of Lamayuru as it is a lower altitude. Rest looks OK.
Dear Dheeraj,
Just wanted a quick advice please. Better to spend 2 days in Nubra or 2 days in Pangong !?
I have 3 days to split in between these 2 places, wanted to make the best use.
Of course i would be traveling in and out from leh.
Let me know please. Thanks. Renu
Renu, well both well deserve a night to be spend there. You can do one night stay at Hunder/Deskit and then move to Pangong Tso from direct routes of either agham – shyok or Wari La. You can do Agham – Shyok in case you see there are 4-5 vehicle going on that route but you have to start early in the day by 7 AM else in afternoon the water gets too much on road to cross it. Go over and wait for few vehicles to come at Agham and then tag along with them to reach Pangong Tso in 5 Hrs. Enjoy the day there and next day come back to Leh.
Dear Dheeraj,
Hi! Thank you so much for all your valuable guidance. I successfully did a 9 day solo trip to leh-ladakh from 18-27 sep.
I booked cab through ‘Mr. Chamba’ whom you have recommended in another of your pages, and he turn assigned ‘Mr. Rinchen’ who was an excellent driver and I had an absolute safe and comfortable travel with him for all 9 days.
Once again, thanks a lot. Regards, Renu
Hi Renu, welcome back and that’s really great to know that you had such a wonderful trip 🙂
We are glad if information present on Devil On Wheels was helpful in making your Ladakh trip safe and comfortable !! 🙂
HI Dheeraj,
We are group of 6 people, below is the itinerary we have made,
please let us know your thoughts on it.
27th AUG- Day 1 Reaching directly to leh stay @ HOTEL LEH
28th AUG- pangong lake – stay
29th AUG- Tsomoririr lake – stay
30th AUG- Tsomoriri lake- tsokar lake- leh STAY
31 AUG- leh -magnetic hill – LEH STAY
1 SEP- khardungla – nubra valley stay
2 SEP- nubra – leh stay
3 SEP- leh -zanskar river – leh stay
4 SEP- leh
5 SEP- return from leh
Minal, this will land you guys up in hospital and ugly situation for sure. Please DO NOT follow this plan, Refer the article above and follow the first 4 days as mentioned in the article only.
Hi Dheeraj,
Wonderful and helpful article. Thanks a lot.
We are group of 7 (6 adults + 1 child) planned Ladakh trip from 9th Sept to 18th Sept 2016. Below was our initial itinerary.
Day 01: Arrival in Srinagar from mumbai by flight – ( 09-09-16)
Day 02: Srinagar to Kargil – ( 10-09-16)
Day 03: Kargil to Leh – ( 11-09-16)
Day 04: Leh to Nubra Valley – ( 12-09-16)
Day 05: Nubra Valley to Leh – ( 13-09-16)
Day 06: Leh – Local Sight seeing – ( 14-09-16)
Day 07: Leh to Pangong Lake – ( 15-09-16)
Day 07: Pangong Lake to Leh – ( 16-09-16)
Day 09: Leh – Local Sight seeing & Shopping – ( 17-09-16)
Day 10: Departure ( 18-09-16)
But due to recent curfew in Srinagar, our travel planner advised us to reach Leh directly by flight as he is not sure whether situation will be under control till then. So we are going by your itinerary which is mentioned in this article.
We will appreciate if you can provide your any additional feedback or can provide itinerary.
Thanks in advance.
Kalpesh
Kalpesh, since you will be going by above itinerary and you have like 10 days overall. Try to split the Pangong Tso trip in two days and rest you can very much follow the above plan to enjoy your Ladakh trip.
You can check the nice, preferred list of accommodation options in entire Leh – Ladakh (Leh, Nubra Valley, Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri) including moderate (cheap budget hotels as well) in the series of articles starting on the link here
For the leh – ladakh taxi union rate list 2016 – 17 including the contacts of some reliable taxi drivers within Leh – Ladakh, check the link here. You can get about 12-15% of discount by directly getting in touch with drivers and of course, talking in person rather on phone always help in bargaining more.
Hi Dheeraj
i’m planning for leh from 01.10.2016 to 10.10.16 from delhi via flight.
i saw your detailed itinerary which gives me a complete idea to travel. Many thx for your hard work & dedication, and of course your information are highly helpful to us.
i want to know is it ok for kids of 5 yrs & 2 yrs of age respectively. is it safe to take them along with us, i mean shall they acclimatize the condition?
also should i take the package or deal directly there, so i request you to kindly help me in this direction
thx
rohit.
Thank you Rohit. It depends on person to person to take the children of such age group because AMS do not matter with respect to age or sex or any fitness level. It can happen to anyone of any age or sex or fitness I shall say :D… The issue with children is that they tend to exert the body considering it the same kind of place they belong to and this elevates the chances of getting struck with AMS. Secondly, they are not much expressive about their uneasy feelings, so it is parents who need to watch out and take care that the child is not suffering from uneasy feelings, headache or nausea and is behaving properly. With less than 4 year child, I think he/she will also be NOT able to convey the uneasiness she may feel. You have to be vigilant and if you notice any such feeling or he/she tells you about such a feeling then please do not ascend anywhere, either descend to lower altitude or stay at the same place to watch things overnight and if symptom increase then start descending immediately. Same is applicable for any adult as well. And yes, do keep the body adequately hydrated!!
Also, PLEASE read the article: Traveling to Ladakh with Kids or Babies. This article covers this topic in complete detail.
It is offseason time, most of the hotels will be closed so you will get something or the other. The conditions will be quite cold to spend night at high altitude lakes such as Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri. With kid traveling with you, better to avoid overnight stays at these places as it can get very cold in night and there may not be much facilities there.
Hi Dheeraj,
I will be in Leh from Aug 11th to Aug 19th.
What places can I visit as day trips and return to Leh to my hotel? What places can I stay for night?
Thank you! You are doing a wonderful job with your blog:)
PS: I have never been near mountains before in my life and am quite creeped out by the idea of AMS
Akks, you have about 9 days in hand. You can easily follow the itinerary mentioned int he article above as is. Just do two day trip to Pangong Tso lake.
HI Dheeraj,
we are doing this air itinerary landing on sep21 in Leh.
I can see you have mentioned so many monasteries in each day’s travel. We would love to visit all of them but with a kid and continuous travels, we feel we can skip some of these.
Because having travelled many religious places these years, we feel that after a certain point you feel you are seeing the same thing again and again.(unless you are an avid art lover which we are not 😉 we can hardly appreciate that part. the fun part for us is the travel and the time off we get from our work.)
So which of these monasteries do you think should not be missed ?
I will say, best will be to visit Hemis and Thicksey in that case and leave out rest.
BTW, having been to almost all of the Ladakh monasteries, I still travel to them in general but I mostly travel to these monasteries for a high vantage point and to get the views of the valley across. It looks different from the top you know :). So, its not just religious but nature too. However, I will advice that with small kid avoid too much stair usage.
Hi Dheeraj,
All set and we ll be there in two days. Following the same itinerary as above.
How is the weather now there ?
Weather will be a bit cool in morning and night rest mostly pleasant. Have a great trip 🙂
Hi Dheeraj,
Thank you for your guidance, had a great time. We stayed at Ladakh Himalayan Retreat and our driver was Mr.Motub. Will 100% recommend to anyone.The best hospitality i have ever received in India, Ladakh people are the honest and selfless hosts i have ever met. Thank you Ladakh for making our vacation memorable and last in our memories forever.
Glad to know that Aparna, it will be great if you can share the contact details as well as pictures of the place in DoW Community. It wil be very helpful to many others.
Hi DHEERAJ,
I am planning a trip to leg with my friends on 22 July to 27 july.
We have a return flight on 27 July of 10:00am.
We wish to explore lamayuru, nubra valley via khardungla pass on bike and pangong lake.
Can you suggest me what should we do..
Hi Rohit, you can plan something like below:
Day 1 | Delhi – Leh (By Flight)
— Checkin at Hotel. Many hotels provide free pick and drop from Airport. Ask while you book them.
— Take ample of rest as well as water or anything that keep your body hydrated enough. DO NOT OVER HYDRATE. Take ORS Soluted water or ORS – L tetra packs from home.
— Do not over exert your body at any cost. Avoid too much up-down on stairs or avoid it in entirety, if possible.
— After 5-6 Hrs of rest you can visit Leh Palace, Local Leh market, Shankar Gompa .
— If you feel exerted go back to Hotel, have dinner at Hotel and take rest. Avoid any exertion. Else continue and,
— Follow the sunset by stroll at Changspa road and have a nice dinner on varied cuisines offered in-around Changspa road.
— Go back to hotel for overnight stay at Leh.
Day 2 | Leh Local Sighseeing + Acclimatization
— Hire a taxi from Leh taxi stand or Hotel whichever suits you.
— Bargain hard with taxi driver. Book that single taxi for entire trip after explaining the complete plan.
— Take his inputs if you feel reasonable and if required modify the plan accordingly but should suits you best.
— Ask him to be with you guys starting first day itself, if required and charged reasonable else do it at your own.
— Again DO NOT over exert and take little steps and slow walks only.
— If feeling OK then do Local sightseeing. To know the about the places to visit check the link: Travel Guide for Local Sightseeing of Leh Town in Ladakh
— Do not use stairs at any of these places just to see them as it will exert your body much more.
— Overnight at Leh
Day 3 | Leh – Sham Valley Tour – Uley Topko
— Sham Valley include Alchi, Likir, Basgo Palace, Magnetic Hills, Confluence at Nimmu, Gurudwara Pather Sahib
— Overnight stay in tented camps at Uley Topko
Day 4 | Uley Topko – Lamayaru – Ridzong Gompa – Leh
— Leave for Lamayaru from Uley Topko in the morning after your breakfast at the camps.
— Visit Ridzong Gompa as well if you like on the return and reach back Leh in the evening.
— Check-in at hotel and stay overnight at Leh.
Day 5 | Leh – Pangong Tso – Leh
— Do not plan to stay overnight at Pangong Tso as you will not be acclimatized and may fall sick. So, make a day trip only.
— Overnight at Leh
Day 6 | Rest day at Leh to enjoy local culture and some shopping OR make a day trip to Lamayuru
— Overnight at Leh
hi @ROHIT, we aRe also planning staRt fRom leh fRom 23Rd july. and we have 8 days.
if you have same schedule, please contact me bRo.
09978084284-Rumit Patel
Hello Dheeraj,
I’m planning for Leh-Srinagar trip with my four friends as follow :
We’ll reach Leh by flight on 14th Aug Morning :
Day 1 (14/08) : Rest day. Local sightseeing /market visit in the evening.
Day 2 (15/08): Head towards Nabra Valley via Khardung La. Overnight stay at Hunder.
Day 3 (16/08): Back to Leh
Day 4 (17/08) : Leh to Pangong Tso
Day 5 (18/08) : Back to Leh
Day 6 (19/08) : Head towards Srinagar with overnight stay at Kargil
Day 7(20/08) : Back to Srinagar along with a visit to Gulmarg
Day 8(21/08) : Local sight seeing at Srinagar and flight to Delhi in the evening.
Kindly tell me if the itinerary is right?
Whether we can cover Tso Moriri within this Time frame?
Which places should we cover while travelling to and fro Nabra Valley, Pangong Tso?
Which places to cover on the way to Kargil?
Should we hire a taxi or Bikes during our Leh, Nabra Valley & Pangong Tso visit?
Should we book for a Taxi from Leh to Srinagar in advance?
Any food items to carry during Pangong / Nabra visit?
Please recommend your views on this. Looking forward to hear from you soon.
Hi Puneet,
1. You must plan a two day rest in Leh before making trip to Nubra Valley else you might fall ill due to AMS. That means adding another day in your plan or flying out from Leh itself.
2. Not really.
3. Refer beow the 4 day plan
4. Well, if you are a good rider and know about riding in such terrain, do it.
5. No need, it will be available from taxi stand in Leh
6. Nothing much, it will be available up there.
Day 1 | 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 2 | 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 3 | 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 4 | Pangong Tso Lake – Thicksey Monastery – Shey Palace – Leh
— Cover either of Hemis, Thicksey and Shey on return to Leh
— Overnight at Leh
Ok, Thanks a lot.
Can you tell me which places to cover on the way to Kargil???
And is it worth to arrange visit passes for siachen??
Well, Siachen, you need to know someone high up in army to request the permit for that place.
Leh – Lamayuru – Kargil
— Cover Mulbekh Maitrey, Lamayuru Moanstery, Lunar Landscapes while going to Kargil
— On the way back to Leh you can also see Gurudwara Pather Sahib, Magnetic Hills, Confluence at Nimmu, Alchi, Likir, Basgo, Phey
hii dheeraj
Hope you doing fine……
I am little bit confused. I am arriving leh on 24th july by flight. I will reach there around 9 am. My departure will be on 31 july. we are 3 friends. I am confused how to manage my travel plan. We are planning to take bike on rent for 7 days. We want to go upto kargil, Tso Moriri, Pangong, Nubra Valley. Is it possible to explore all these places in 7 days. Is it good to go upto kargil or we should come back from lamayuru. we plan to drop Tso Moriri if we found time short.
could you please help me to make itenery for these 7 days so that we can visit as much as places possible.
Thanks in advance
Mukesh, I think you can refer the plan for first 7 days mentioned in the article above. You can make two day trip to Pangong Tso.
Thanks for the early response….
I want to confirm that is it possible to cover upto kargil & stay there for one night and come back to leh. Can i made this acc to my seven day itenery.
Mukesh, that will need 2 days from the plan. First day you can rest in Leh, second day move to Kargil, third day come back from Kargil. Then make two day trip to Nubra Valley and two day trip to Pangong Tso.
Hi Dheeraj,
I will leave for Leh on Friday 15th of July and have targeted to reach leh on Monday via Srinagar.
My wife and my sister are coming by flight and will land on tuesday morning and they have to go back on monday morning by flight. So it gives them 6 days to roam around. Can you please suggest a good itinerary:
I have the following itinerary in my mind:
Day 0 (Friday – 15th July) – Start from Delhi to reach Jammu in the morning.
Day 1 (Saturday – 16th July) – Jammu to reach Srinagar in the evening. Overnight at Srinagar.
Day 2(Sunday – 17th July) – Srinagar-Sonamarg-Zozi la pass-Drass-Kargil. Overnight at Kargil
Day 3(Monday – 18th July)- Kargil-Leh(en route Mulbekh-Lamayuru-Alchi-Likir-Nimmu-Magnetic Hills-Gurudwara Pathar Sahib-Hall of fame-Shanti Stupa). Overnight at Leh
Day 4(Tuesday – 19th July) – One rest day in Leh
Day 5(Wednesday – 20th July) – Leh-Khardung la-Diskit-Hunder. Overnight at Hunder/Diskit
Day 6(Thursday – 21st July) – Hunder-Diskit-Sumur-Panamik-Sumur-Khardung la-Leh. Overnight at Leh
Day 7(Friday – 22nd July) – Leh-Hemis-3 idiots school-Thicksey-Shey-Pangong Tso. Overnight at Pangong.
Day 8(Saturday – 23rd July) – Pangong Tso- Tso Moriri. Overnight at Tso Moriri
Day 9(Sunday – 24th July) – Tso Moriri. – Leh Overnight at Leh
Is it advisable to visit all the places on my own car i.e. Duster. Do local taxi union creates problems.
Or should I book taxi for places to visit around Leh
Please suggest if it is feasible.
Regards,
Piyush
Piyush, in your own car there will not be any issue from taxi guys. I see an issue if your wife and your sister will have just one day rest in Leh it can lead them with AMS while going to Nubra Valley just on the second day. I will suggest to drop Tso Moriri and do two day trip to both Nubra and Pangong Tso at ease
Ok, Many thanks for the info.
Also, can you please suggest a good place for one day tour bcz we would be having one day extra amif we drop Tsi Moriri.
Do I need a permit to travel to leh from srinagar??
Regards,
Piyush
No permit is required to travel from Srinagar to Leh. Iin one day extra, you can use that in Nubra Valley to visit Turtuk which is one of the amazing places in entire Ladakh
Hi Dheeraj,
I have planed a trip by air from sept 4 to sept13, with the following itinerary:
Day 1 04/09/2016 Arrival to Leh by air and Local Sight Seeing at Leh
Day 2 05/09/2016 Travel to Nubra Valley – Night Stay at Hunder
Day 3 06/09/2016 Back to Leh / Rest day
Day 4 07/09/2016 Travel to Pangong / Night Stay at Pangong
Day 5 08/09/2016 Travel to Tso Moriri / Night Stay at Tso moriri
Day 6 09/09/2016 Back to Leh / Rest day
Day 7 10/09/2016 hire cab and trevel to srinagar night stay at kargil
Day 8 11/09/2016 reach srinagar and local sughtseeing through sonmarg.
Day 9 12/09/2016 visit gulmarg or pehalgam whichever you advice
Day 10 13/09/2016 local sightseeing and flight to chandigarh
Kindly let me know
1. If the this itinerary is alright as my tickets are already booked.
2. What kind of weather should I expect during this period.
3. My biggest concern is if it is ok to travel to Tso Moriri from Pangong or i can skip tso moriri and visit pehalgam or gulmarg in that one day.
4. Will all roads be safe and open to travel during my travel period.
5. Being a vegetarian, should I carry food supplies to Nubra, Pangong and Tso moriri.
6. Is drinks available in leh and srinagar.
7. Is local sightseeing in leh best or just average so that we can skip that.
8. trevel from leh to srinagar can be done in one day through cab possible.
Thank you.
Hi Praveen,
1. Your plan does not seem right, you are trying to do too much in less time. You have to take first two days of complete rest or light sightseeing around Leh only. Then next two days for Nubra, then next two days for Pangong Tso. This makes 6 days. Then you can start your trip to Srinagar with overnight halt at Kargil. This makes it 8 days. In the remaining one day you can make day visit to Gulmarg, on Day 10 you can do local sightseeing
2. Weather will be cool during September
3. Answered above
4. Yes
5. You will get veg food everywhere in Ladakh
6. Yes, they are available but avoid for at least initial 4-5 days
7. You are traveling by Air, you will have to stay for two days in Leh
8. Yes, it can be done but will be hectic like 16-17 Hrs
Hi Dheeraj,
You are doing an excellent job. I am planning a trip from 3rd-10th July with my wife and am flying from delhi. My plan is as mentioned below :
3rd July : Arrival and rest.
4th July : Leh to Shey/Thiksey/Stok – Leh
5th July : Hall of Fame, Gurdwara Pathar Sahib, Magnetic Hill
6th July : Pangong
7th July : Return to leh
8th July: Nubra
9th July : return to leh
10th July : Fly back to Delhi
Please suggest if it’s fine or do i need to make some modifications in the same.
Many thanks for the Ladakh itinerary. Ladakh is beautiful and I always wanted to visit it but couldn’t for one reason or other.
And now at my age – 89+ it may not be advisable particularly because I had a bye pass surgery in 2003.
So can you suggest an alternate itinerary?
Thanking you once again,
K. S. Walia
Hello Sir, it is plan for you or your grand daughter. It is not advisable to go by road in monsoon time
Hi Dheeraj, First of all let me thank you for managing this wonderful site having excellent upto date information. I am planning to be in Leh with my two other friends arriving leh airport on 2nd and leaving 9th. The flight booking is done but yet to book the rest. My over plan is as below. Need your advice on Day 6. Is it possible to go directly from Pangong to Tsomorir? Wanted to cover Tsomorir but don’t have the extra day. Thank you in advance.
day 1 : Rest, Overnight stay in Leh.
day 2 : Full day local sightseeing around Leh (with Moonland). Overnight stay in Leh.
Pleaces to be covered :
Hall of Fame, Gurudwara Pathar Sahib, Magnetic Hill, Sangam View where Indus & Zanskar River meet,
Alchi & Lamayuru(Moonland).
day 3 : Leh to Nubra via Khardungla Top. Overnight stay in Nubra.
Places to be covered :
Diskit Monastery, Maitreya Buddha, white sand dunes at Hunder(Double Humped Bactrian camel ride)
day 4 : Nubra to Leh. Overnight stay in Leh.
Pleaces to be covered :
Shanti Stupa and Leh Palace.
day 5 : Leh to Pangong. Overnight stay in Pangong camp.
day 6 : Pangong to Tsomoriri. Overnight stay in Tsomoriri.
day 7 : Tsomoriri to Leh. Overnight stay in Leh.
day 8 : Leh to Airport drop in the morning.
Your plan i sOK. It is better to do Pangong Tso day trip and then two day trip to tso moriri
Thank you Dheeraj for your prompt response. Actually our travel agent planned Pangong as a day trip only but I insisted them to stay there to see the sun set and sun rise. May be I have to replan since I don’t want to take any risk. Thank you once again.
Cool, have a great trip 🙂
Hello, got many important glimpses through your articles .. thanks a lot
we group of 4 friends are going to visit leh from 13th to 20th august.
we will hire bikes from Leh for rest of tour.
13th – morning reaching leh, rest day, night stay at leh
14th – Leh to Pangong Lake, night at pangong (
15th – Pangong to Leh, night stay at Leh
16th – Leh to Nubra valley, night at Nubra valley
17th – Nubra valley to Leh, night stay at Leh
than after we think about two options, either rent a bike for srinagar (drop only) or hire a taxi for srinagar
18th – Leh to Srinagar, via Zansar – night at Kargil/Drass
19th – towards Srinagar, night stay at Srinagar
20th – flight from Srinagar
so my questions – 1. is this itinerary ok? or any modification needed?
2. places where night stay is decided is ok or not?
3. what is good option for Leh to Srinagar route – rent a bike (we will than drop it at srinagar, no return), or hire a taxi?
thanks in advance
Hi Dheeraj
Me and my husband are going to Leh via flight from Delhi on 12 Jun 2016. We plan to visit local market, Leh Palace and one or two local monasteries on Day 1. Is it advisable or will it be too much exertion given that we are landing same day morning. We are keeping Shanti Stupa for the last day as we want to use stairs instead of driving to the top. Thanks in advance for your suggestions 🙂
Do not plan any monasteries. Do them on second day. First 36 hrs must be complete rest
Hi Dheeraj,
Your website is everything a first timer needs travelling to Leh. You are doing an awesome job.
I am travelling to Leh next week, Just wanted you suggestion on my itinerary. Kindly let me know if anything needs to be changed.
Day 1 04/05/2016 Reach Leh (Early Morning) by air – Rest Day at leh
Day 2 05/05/2016 Sham Valley (on Bike) – Local Sight Seeing at Leh
Day 3 06/05/2016 Nubra Valley / Night Stay at Nubra
Day 4 07/05/2016 Back to Leh
Day 5 08/05/2016 Pangong Lake / Night Stay at Pangong
Day 6 09/05/2016 Back to Leh
Day 7 10/05/2016 Tso Moriri Lake / Night Stay at Tso moriri
Day 8 11/05/2016 Back to Leh
Day 9 12/05/2016 Return to Delhi by air
P.S. My tickets are booked, so any changes I have to incorporate within the specified dates.
Your plan looks good to me. On Day 2, DO NOT over exert your self.
Hi Dheeraj,
Firstly I’d like to say you’re doing an awesome job 🙂
Below is the itenerary I’m planning
Day 1 05/05/2016 Arrive in Leh by air / Rest Day
Day 2 06/05/2016 Travel to Nubra Valley – Night Stay at Hunder
Day 3 07/05/2016 Back to Leh / Rest day
Day 4 08/05/2016 Travel to Pangong / Night Stay at Pangong
Day 5 09/05/2016 Back to Leh / Rest day
Day 6 10/05/2016 Travel to Tso Moriri / Night Stay at Tso moriri
Day 7 11/05/2016 Back to Leh / Rest day
Day 8 12/05/2016 Local Sightseeing
Day 9 12/05/2016 Depart
3 Questions:
1) Is travelling to Nubra on the 2nd day ok?
2) I’ve been recommended to do cycling on the way back from Khardungla to Leh on day 3 as it’s a great experience. Will the weather permit this?
3) I’m keeping Day 8 as spare, incase the weather is bad and we get stuck somewhere for a day. Is it possible to do Sham Valley on Day 8?
Thanks in advance,
Chirag
1. Not really, mode your day 8 to day 2
2, Not really, it will be snow up there at Khardung La. Have you experienced cycling before?
3. You do not have sufficient days, you MUST push that day to Day 2
Hi Dheeraj,
I’m flying out on day 8 actually, and not day 9. Sorry for the confusion.
So I’m considering going directly from Nubra to Pangong to save a day.
Is it advisable? If not, is there a way I can fit in Nubra, Pangong and Tso Moriri?
Thanks!
Regarding Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso route, in order to take Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso via Shyok village, you need not need any permits. However, with such a small distance it appears tempting to be done BUT just to analyze the difficulty I will strongly suggest that you read:Trip Report | Nubra – Shyok Village – Pangong Tso Route. The report is from couple of year back in June & in July/August, most likely the route is washed away. Similar, reports are there from last year as well. So better confirm first, analyze the high risk involved and then only attempt it or better avoid it unless very much sure.
Next possible way is to attempt Wari La route, which is also a bit desolated but doable enough. If your driver agrees to travel on this route then take the Wari La route to Pangong Tso. Remember that any help required on both these routes will be HARD to find in miles of distance. If you have couple of vehicles then only take this route otherwise best is to avoid it.
Hi Dheeraj,
Thank You… Once again…
You are a rockstar !!!
I Have altered my plan slightly as per your advice, now I will be coming back to Leh and travelling to Tso Moriri the following day.
This leaves me a day short, Can you suggest me as to, On which day in my itinerary can I fit in Sham Valley . I cannot increase the no. of days as my flight tickets are already booked.
Day 1 04/05/2016 Depart to Leh by air / Rest Day at leh
Day 2 05/05/2016 Local Sight Seeing at Leh
Day 3 06/05/2016 Travel to Nubra Valley – Night Stay at Hunder
Day 4 07/05/2016 Back to Leh / Rest day
Day 5 08/05/2016 Travel to Pangong / Night Stay at Pangong
Day 6 09/05/2016 Back to Leh / Rest day
Day 7 10/05/2016 Travel to Tso Moriri / Night Stay at Tso moriri
Day 8 11/05/2016 Back to Leh / Rest day
Day 9 12/05/2016 Depart by air to Delhi
Thank you,
Dishant, I will only advice that you go over to Sham Valley partial tour ONLY in case you slept well on Day 1. If you had headaches or trouble in sleep, it is better to skip the Sham Valley for some other day and may be just make a trip up to Magnetic Hills and Gurudwara Pathar Sahibji
Hi Dheeraj,
We, 6 from Pune, are planning for Leh trip in late August or September. Could you please suggest me itinerary for the trip. The tentative dates are either 19-28 August or 16-25 September. How weather will be in the month of September? Can we visit some places by car and some by bike. I think I have asked so many questions.
Hi Dheeraj,
I have planed a trip by air from May 4 to May 12, with the following itinerary:
Day 1 04/05/2016 Depart to Leh by air / Rest Day at leh
Day 2 05/05/2016 Local Sight Seeing at Leh
Day 3 06/05/2016 Travel to Nubra Valley – Night Stay at Hunder
Day 4 07/05/2016 Back to Leh / Rest day
Day 5 08/05/2016 Travel to Pangong / Night Stay at Pangong
Day 6 09/05/2016 Travel to Tso Moriri / Night Stay at Tso moriri
Day 7 10/05/2016 Back to Leh / Rest day
Day 8 11/05/2016 Sham Valley / Night Stay at Leh
Day 9 12/05/2016 Depart by air
Kindly let me know
1. If the this itinerary is alright and Leisurely, as I do not like a hurried holiday
2. What kind of weather should I expect during this period.
3. My biggest concern is if it is ok to travel to Tso Moriri from Pangong.
4. Will all roads be safe and open to travel during my travel period.
5. Being a vegetarian, should I carry food supplies to Nubra, Pangong and Tso moriri.
Thank you.
Hello Dishant,
1. If you do not like hurried holiday then make two day trip to Pangong Tso and two day trip to Tso Moriri after coming back to Leh. DO NOT plan the direct route to Tso Moriri from Pangong Tso in that case.
2. Weather will be cold at high passes and both Pangong tso, Tso Moriri
3. Answered above
4. Yes, roads will be open unless there is fresh snowfall or landslide at the passes
5. Not, really veg. food is available all around Ladakh
Thank you Dheeraj,
Much appreciated….
You are doing a fabulous job, especially for first timers like me.
Just one more thing, as I am not travelling to leh by road, I read in your blog that the route from Pangong Tso Lake to Tso Moriri Lake via Changthang (Merak – Chusul – Nyoma) is beautiful, that is why I have planned to travel to tso moriri from pangong.
I dont mind being rushed for a couple of days if the trip from pangong to tso moriri is indeed beautiful. What do you suggest?
Thank you.
Dishant, Regarding Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri route or Pangong Tso to Hanle, the permits to Man – Merak – Chusul – Tsaga or remote Changthang routes are being given by DC office in Leh at ON and OFF basis, so keep your fingers crossed and hope for the best if they start issuing the permits by the time you visit or issue you on your lucky day. Also, even if the permits are given then as well there is no guarantee that you will be allowed to cross Chusul Post or not because since last year several such incidents happened and people with permits also had to return via same route. The story is same this year too and only handful of people have passed through Chusul this year too on their lucky days. Then this is completely a dirt track all the way with quite a bumpy ride upto Tsaga. That churns most things in your stomach 😀 … Finally, totally isolated with no one around you in miles. All this will mean that you will have to risk it for at least a day getting wasted if you are not allowed because there will be no guarantee until you cross Chusul and Tsaga post. Otherwise, you have to take the traditional routes only via Upshi – Chumathang.
Hi Dheeraj,
Thank You… Once again…
You are a rockstar !!!
I Have altered my plan slightly as per your advice, now I will be coming back to Leh and travelling to Tso Moriri the following day.
This leaves me a day short, Can you suggest me as to, On which day in my itinerary can I fit in Sham Valley . I cannot increase the no. of days as my flight tickets are already booked.
Day 1 04/05/2016 Depart to Leh by air / Rest Day at leh
Day 2 05/05/2016 Local Sight Seeing at Leh
Day 3 06/05/2016 Travel to Nubra Valley – Night Stay at Hunder
Day 4 07/05/2016 Back to Leh / Rest day
Day 5 08/05/2016 Travel to Pangong / Night Stay at Pangong
Day 6 09/05/2016 Back to Leh / Rest day
Day 7 10/05/2016 Travel to Tso Moriri / Night Stay at Tso moriri
Day 8 11/05/2016 Back to Leh / Rest day
Day 9 12/05/2016 Depart by air to Delhi
Thank you,
I think I replied it Dishant, right?
Hi Dheeraj,
We are 6 friends and planning to reach Lea via Manali. We will start on 3rd July from Manali and reach jispa, stay over night at Jispa and will start on 4th July from Jispa to Leh.
Can you please let me know if this is possible and if yes What timelines and precautions we should follow.
Thanks,
Harsh Mehta
[email protected]
Yes Harsh, this is very much possible. DO NOT forget to leave Jispa by 5-5.30 for Leh
Hey Dheeraj Thanks for your advice.
I have 3 more friends who are directly reaching Leh via flight on 2nd july morning. They will only take rest entire day in Leh and will travel on 3rd july morning to Tso Moriri and will stay over night there and travel back to Leh on 4th July morning.
Is it advisable to travel directly to Leh and on the next day to Tso Moriri as they are at high altitudes. Out of 3 people 2 are girls.
Thanks,
Harsh Mehta
[email protected]
Harsh, DO NOT let them commit suicide. They may fall seriously ill and it can even be fatal too. DO NOT stay or go to Tso Moriri on the second day itself. You need few days of acclimatization in Ladakh before sleeping at such high altitude.
Hi Dheeraj
We are planning for a road trip in Mid May. Is it doable ? We will be flying in to Leh and then start our road trip from there. Need your help!!
Satya, from where are you planning to return? Flying back from Leh?
After 10days..mostly from may 12-23
Hi Dheeraj,
I will be flying to Leh on 3-Sep-16 early morning, is it possible to do the Sham tour the next morning i.e. 4-Sep-16 after taking complete rest and local sightseeing on 3rd? I will then continue with the above itinerary till Day 8. Day 9 will be my travel back home.
Yes, you can do Sham Valley tour on Day 2 in case you feel good sleep in day 1 night and feeling OK in the morning. DO NOT evert yourself.
Hi Dheeraj,
I’m planning on a solo 7 day trip to Ladakh around 29th March (next week) which looks like this:
Day 1 to 4: As per itinerary given in the article above
Day 5: Day trip to Pangong Tso
Day 6: Rest Day at Leh
Day 7: Leh to delhi by flight
Please share your thoughts on whether this sounds ok. Also couple of queries:
1) How will he weather be there during this time?
2) Will I be able to get shared cabs/transport to Nubra and Pangong Tso during this time since its not yet peak tourist season. (Also checking on the DoW calendar for travel partners)
3) Except for the first 2 days at Leh, I havent booked accommodation for the remaining days. Taking the list of places to stay mentioned on DoW. This should be ok right?
4) Im a little apprehensive of spending the night at Hunder / Deskit as Ive heard that AMS can make it very uncomfortable. Is it better to stay there overnight or a day trip can also be done?
Thanks for all the posts- they’re really helpful in planning our trips well.
Hi Priya,
1. Weather will ne quite cold during this time of the year. Please go prepared with heavy woolens
2. Very difficult to get shared cabs as there will be less tourists, so shared cabs will not be common. Need to rely on local shared cabs may be
3. Yes, that shall be fine. Local guest houses / home stays will be open
4. If you follow the tips of AMS article of keeping the hydrated body with enough ORS, and rest accordingly it shall be fine. Hunder and Deskit will be very comfortable for you dont worry.
Hello,
I have planned a trip for 7 nights to leh starting from 20th of may. I am traveling with my wife ,2 friends & my 10 years old daughter . My plan is as follows :-
1st day full rest
2nd day local sight seeing
3rd day nubra valley
4th day back to leh
5th day pangong lake &stay at tangste
6th day return to leh covering on the way sight seeing
7th day local market.
I am confused with staying at tangste is a good decision or I should return to leh same day as I am not willing to stay at pangong lake .plz guide me & if it is a good decision to stay at tangste plz provide me some good option for stay at tangste.
Harmit, I will say it is good decision to stay at Tangste because it will give you time to relax at Pangong Tso and enjoy its beauty at ease and in o rush. Rest looks good to me.
Hi I am traveling to leh From 16and will leave on 22nd March 2016 . What would be best travel plan . Kindly suggest.
16th– Delhi to Leh, Leh local sight seeing
17th- Khardung la (17582 ft) nubra valley Hunder (10,000ft) monestry Diskit camel safari
18th- Nubra Valley to Leh, night stay at Leh
19th – Leh to Pangong lake, night stay at pangong lake
20th – Pangong to tsoMoriri, night stay at tsoMoriri
21st-tsoMoriri to Back to Leh, night stay at Leh
How would be the climate during this period?
LehMarch, how are you planning to comute? You do not have enough days to cover all these places and Pangong tso and Tso Moriri do not have stay options during that time of the year. It will be very very cold at these places during these days. Yuo can follow a plan suggested in the article above and first 4 days have to be like that only.
Hi Dheeraj,
We have a plan starting from June 5th. But we need to take out 1 day from this trip. Can you please suggest which one can we miss?
1. Udhampur > Srinagar
2. Srinagar > Kargil
Visit. Sonamarg view. Vai Zogela pass. Drass 99war memoriel musuem. Tiger hill. Tololing hill.
3. Kargil > Leh
Visit. Mulbek stone carving chamba statue. lamayuru moon land view. lamayuru monastery. magnetic hill. sangam indus zangskar river confluence view. gurdwara pather sahib.Hall of fame.
4. Leh local sightseen visit . shay palace. thiksay monastery. himis monastery. Shanti stupa.
5. Leh > Nubra hunder visit. Khardongla pass. disket monastery. hunder camel safari.
6. Nubra Hunder > pangong lake visit. warila pass. Changla pass.
7. Pangong > hanle visit. Major Shatan singh war memoriel. Tsagala pass. Loma bridge.
8. Hanle > Tsomoriri visit. Nyoma. Mahe bridge.
9. Tsomoriri > jispa Visit. Tsokar lake. pang. moore plans.serchu. lachungla pass. baralacha pass.
10. Jispa > Manali visit. Kelong. rotang pass.
11. Manali > Chandigarh
Tana, Wari La pass route might not be open that early in June. Then you are already running a hectic run all throughout the trip without any much rest at all. all the details about the direct routes of Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri and Nubra to Pangong Tso along with tips and risks which they pose are detailed under the articles:
Tips for Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso Direct Route AND Tips for Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri Direct Route
Please read these articles and based on the details/risks highlighted, take a go-no-go decision.
Thank you so much Dheeraj for your suggestion!! Just wanted to know if we can miss Hanle. We can come back to Leh from Pangong. On next day we can go to Tso moriri from Leh. Please suggest.
Yes, you can do so. Pangong Tso to Leh and then Leh to Tso Moriri
We are a group of 6 including one Child of 4yrs and one elderly person around 65 yrs.
Kindly advice on the itenary .
13th June2016 – flight from Delhi, stay in Leh (11562ft)( our preference… Night stay at Leh
14th June2016 – Leh local sightseeing (Stok palace, , thicksey, shey, Hemis Gompa etc)…Night stay at Leh
15th June 2016- Sham valley tour, Hall of fame, Spituk, Sangam, magnetic hill, Alchi, dah -hanu village (night house stay in Dah Hanu)….
16th June 2016- lamayuru, likir (11,112 ft) and old stone paintings back to leh
17th June 2016 – Khardung la (17582 ft) nubra valley Hunder (10,000ft) monestry Diskit camel safari
18th June 2016- Back to Leh
19th June 2016- Rest day at Leh..local
20th June2016 – Pangong tso (14270 ft) Night stay at Pangong Lake
21st June2016 – Pangong Lake to Rupsu Valley tso moriri (14,836 ft) night stay at Tsomoriri
22nd June2016- Tso moriri to Leh
23rd June 2016- Transfer to airport to onward journey to Delhi
Sujoy, I will say you add one more day towards end or skip the rest day before going to Pangong Tso. From Pangong Tso come back to Leh and then from there go to Tso Moriri. Avoid Pangong tso to tso moriri direct route Rest looks fine
Hi Dheeraj
We are 4 from Mumbai planning trip to Leh Ladakh in May 2016, we have plan to hire zoom car from Delhi
We request you please validate itinerary
Note: Nubra valley, Penang lake and Moriri lake NOT included due to Taxi Union issue
Day Wise Plan
7AM Mumbai – Delhi flight
Day 1 : 10AM Delhi – Pathankot 500km 9hr
Day 2 : Pathankot- Srinagar 360km 10hr
Day 3 : at Shringar visit Dal Lake, Shalimar bag, Mughal Garden, Sinthan Top (relaxing day)
Day 4 : Srinagar- Kargil 202km 5hr
Day 5 : Kargil – Leh 210km 4hr
Day 6 : Leh – Sarchu 251km 7hrs
Day 7 : Sarchu – Manali 222km 7hrs
Day 8 : Manali visit Solang Valley and Beas kund, (relaxing day)
Day 9 : Manali – Chandigarh 300km 8hr
Day 10 : Chandigarh – Delhi 260km 5hr
Day 11 : 2PM Delhi – Mumbai flight
Regards
Hello Pritam,
Are you doing this in self drive rented car that you are afraid of taking that to Pangong Tso? Also, you are running every day with no rest at all and by the time you will reach Sarchu, you will fall ill up there. So, add some days to your plan to relax a bit too in between
Hi Dheeraj,
We are a group of five friends planning to take Leh by air on 20th May 2016 and to cover as per the common itinerary you have shared above. Is it doable in May and anything we should be prepared apart from what you detailed above.
Million thanks for this great site and the efforts you put in to answer the queries.
Best Regards
Sameer
Sameer, I just replied to it here: https://devilonwheels.com/most-common-itinerary-for-leh-ladakh/comment-page-11/#comment-357791
Hi Dheeraj, Please help us what places we should visit to make it awesome trip. we will be reaching leh on 16 October morning by air and then going back on 19 october. Please share a balanced itinerary for 3 days.
Shivansh bhai, first two days you need to do complete rest in Leh so as to avoid any kind of AMS or health sickness. Then you can do a day trip to Khardung La or Sham Valley or local sightseeing finally return back.
First of all hats off to you dheeraj bhai for taking out time from your busy schedule and giving a quick response.
If we assume the required fitness and all is right on reaching leh. Can we have a itinerary as follows:
Day 1- shaam valley
Day2- leh to pangong lake
Day3- return to leh from pangong lake
Please give your suggestions for the same, will this be the best what we can do in 3 days.
Shivansh, no one in the world can adapt to it so fast 🙂 🙂 … Fitness is no criteria, it is human and medical science only, no shortcuts. I have seen fittest of the fit kneel down and die, so please I believe you have a family waiting back home, DO NOT try it out.
Hello Dheerraj,
Firstly, kudos for the wonderful guidance you have been providing here.
I am planning a short honeymoon trip (around 5 days) with the wifey in the first week of October. Would Leh be a suitable destination for the same (especially considering the short duration of stay). We are planning to reach there by flight. Having gone through a couple of your articles, I understand it would be next to impossible to see it all in such a short period; but I would be glad if you could suggest some sort of itinerary which covers at least the basic must-see places and yet isn’t too physically demanding.
Thanks
Ladakh is anot a Honeymoon place brother, better plan something else or some boutique hotel around in lower hills to enjoy the luxury and enjoy.
Hi Dheeraj
I’d first like to thank you for helping travellers with such complete informatioion.
I’d be visiting Leh from 7th-15th Oct and wanted to ask you that are buses operational from Leh- Nubra and Leh-Pangong Tso during 2nd week of October?
Rishabh, most buses are discontinued as last heard from travelers.
Hi Dheeraj,
First of all let me thank you, you are doing great job by helping travelers.
Me and My wife are planning trip from Bangalore-Leh-Srinagar-Bangalore in September-2015. We have gone through your suggestions and planned below itinerary
15th – Bnagalore to Delhi
16th Morning – Delhi to Leh, rest in hotel
17th-Leh local sight seeing, night stay at Leh
18th-Leh to Nubra Valley, night stay at Nubra valley
19th- Nubra Valley to Leh, night stay at Leh
20th – Leh to Pangong lake, night stay at pangong lake
21st – Pangong to tsoMoriri, night stay at tsoMoriri
22nd-tsoMoriri to Back to Leh, night stay at Leh
23rd – Leh to Kargil, night stay at Kargil
24th – Kargil to Srinagar, night stay at srinagar
25th – Srinagar -pahalgam – Srinagar, night stay at srinagar
26th – Srinagar – gulmarg-srinagar, night stay at srinagar
27th – srinagar sight seeing, , night stay at srinagar
28th – srinagar to Bangalore.
please let us know, if we need to change something in this itinerary.
Till now I have booked flight from Bangalore to Leh and hotel for 16th and 17th in Leh. I am still working on booking hotel for other days. I have few doubts
1.One of the thing I find very costly is Taxi for going around the Leh and for Leh to srinagar. I have check DOW calendar but still didn’t find any travel partner for these dates. Can you please give your suggestions on this.
2. Do we need to skip tsoMoriri, to avoid continuous long travelling at height?
Once again thank you very much. We were new to Leh and because of DOW site only we were able get clear picture in short time.
Hello Bhavin,
1. You can check out flyers in local Leh market where people does put up queries for sharing travel rides. Some local travel agents also offer tours on shared basis per seat. However, you will not find a tour shared for a direct route of Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri which you have to skip and do it like conventional two day trip to Pangong Tso or skip Tso Moriri
2. Since you do not have much time on hand you should skip Tso Moriri and do two day trip to Pangong Tso.
Day trip to Pahalgam is not possible and even if you do no use of it being just on road for entire day.
Hi,
Can you help me form a rough itinerary where we are travelling to Leh by flight on the 11th of September and then coming back from Srinagar on the 19th of September.
Thank you so much for your help!
Anushka, you can follow the first 6-7 days same as mentioned int he article above and then reach Srinagar in two days as below:
Day 1 | Leh – Lamayuru – Kargil
— Cover Mulbekh Maitrey, Lamayuru Moanstery, Lunar Landscapes
— On the way you can also see Gurudwara Pather Sahib, Magnetic Hills, Confluence at Nimmu
— Overnight at Kargil
Day 2 | Kargil – Drass – Zozi La – Sonamarg – Srinagar
— Enjoy the vistas enroute
— Have late drunch meal at Sonamarg
— Overnight at Srinagar
Looking for your suggestion.. thank you..
Hai.. i’m Lyn from Malaysia.. i n few friends planning to go to delhi, agra, jaipur, kashmir n ladakh next year.. around july and august.. can you suggest the best route for us?? Which point we should start?? We plan to cover all the place in 16 days.. the train should we book from here?? Tq..
Hello Lyn,
You can check a very balanced and most common itinerary for Leh – Ladakh followed by many travellers including me at the link here for 13-14 days: Most Common Itinerary for Leh – Ladakh.
You can base yourself from Delhi and make a 3 day trip as Delhi – Agra – Jaipur – Delhi with night halts at Jaipur and Agra. Then in the remaining 13 days, you can book a flight to Srinagar from Delhi and then carry on from there as mentioned in the plan above in the link.
Will it be too risky to attempt to try travelling to nubra valley by bike? We dont have too many days..
If you arrive by aroubd 10am in the morning on day 1,Will it be too risky to try travelling to nubra valley on next day itself by bike? We dont have too many days
Nirmal, do you mean, On Day 1 you will land in Leh and then bike ride to Nubra Valley?? If yes, you might get killed with AMS. When flying into Leh, first two days MUST BE as per what is defined in the tour plan above.
Thanks a lot dheeraj!! Will adhere to your schedule religiously then.
Is a day trip to sham valley safe on day 2? You mention it in your local sightseeing page, hence the doubt..
Nirmal, in case you are feeling well on Day 1 and could sleep well then you can give it a shot. Just do not exert too much.
Replied here: https://devilonwheels.com/leh-ladakh-most-common-itinerary-by-air/comment-page-3/#comment-342624
Trip Dates: 16 Aug – 23 Aug (7 days & 7 complete nights)
Day 1| Leh – Lamayuru – Kargil
1. Arrive at Leh airport by 7:00 am
2. Hire a car and head to Kargil. (Visit Gurudwara Pathar Sahib, Magnetic Hill, and Confluence of Indus and Zanskar)
Night stay: Kargil
Duration: 9 to 10 hours drive
Distance: 278 kms
Day 2| Kargil – Lamayuru – Leh
1. Head to Leh
2. Visit Drass War Memorial, Mulbekh Monastery, Lamayuru Monastery (Yuru Gompa), Lunar landscapes
Night stay: Leh
Duration: 9 to 10 hours drive
Distance: 278 kms
Assuming by now we will be acclimatized (one night at Kargil and one night at Leh).
Day 3| Leh – Khardung La – Diskit – Hunder
1. Head to Nubra Valley via Khardung La
2. Visit monasteries in Diksit and also the tallest lord Buddha statue
3. Sunset at Hunder sand dunes and take bacterian camel safari.
Duration: 5 to 6 hours drive
Distance: 123 kms
Night stay: Hunder/Diksit
Day 4| Hunder – Diskit – Sumur – Panamik – Sumur – Khardung La – Leh
1. Monastery at Sumur
2. Hot water springs at Panamik
Duration: 7 to 9 hours
Distance: 202 km
Night stay: Leh
Day 5| Leh – Hemis Monastery – Pangong Tso Lake
1. Cover Hemis and go towards Pangong Tso (looks like we will have time only to cover one of those)
2. Overnight at Pangong Tso (Spangmick or Lukung)
Duration: 6 hours drive
Distance: 177 kms
Night Stay: Pangong Tso
Day 6| Pangong Tso Lake – Thicksey Monastery – Shey Palace – Leh
1. Cover Thicksey Monastery
2. Shey palace
Duration: 6 hours drive
Distance:177
Night Stay: Leh
Day 7: Leh Local touring
Day 8: Depart by 6:00 am to Leh airpot
Questions:
1. Does this itinerary sound realistic and good to you?
2. Will we have any acclimatization problems, because we are not spending two nights in Leh before heading to Nubra?
3. Being Indian citizens, do we need to get any Inner line permits done for Nubra or Pangong? If yes, then will we be able to get them with above schedule?
4. Will there be any potential curfew / threats traveling to Kargil on August 16th (day after Independence day)?
5. Can we take a route directly to Tso Moriri from Pangong on Day 6th? I have read that the road is not great and is very risky. Also, I’m not sure if we will be able to get car rentals for such route easily. Please suggest.
6. Any recommended hotels which have a good view, heaters and attached bathrooms at all the above places?
7. On day 1 we are traveling up to Kargil, instead of Lamayaru in the hope that we will get to see a very different landscape which will be way too different from the rest of the trip. (Meaning there will be green cover, whereas rest of the trip will have brown mountains). Please help to describe, and your thoughts on we going up to Kargil.
1. Looks OK as far as plan is concerned
2. It should be fine as you will be sleeping at lower altitude at Kargil, but you cannot negate the symptoms of AMS. I would go with one day sleep at Alchi and then move to Kargil next day in case I want to visit Kargil
3. No, you do not need any permits
4. No one can assure that, please be upodated with news
5. I will not suggest that and will suggest to keep it simple and relaxed
6. You can check the nice, preferred list of accommodation options in entire Leh – Ladakh (Leh, Nubra Valley, Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri) including moderate (cheap budget hotels as well) in the series of articles starting on the link here
7. No really, it will be of similar nature what you will see in Ladakh.