Tips for Carrying Clothes for Ladakh Trip

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Every day on my blog or social media accounts, I get a lot of questions like “What should I wear in Ladakh?” or “What clothes I should carry for Leh Ladakh trip?” or “What should I pack for my Ladakh trip?”. These are very genuine questions, and one should always think about carrying clothes for a Ladakh trip.

Video – Tips for Carrying Clothes on Ladakh Trip

In today’s article, I will try to enlist some important tips which will help you pack your Clothes for Ladakh, especially in the start of the season (April to June) and end of the season (September to October).

Shoulder Season for Ladakh

I specifically want to target the shoulder season months because people living in the plains tend to forget that you may have to face winter-like cold conditions up there in Leh Ladakh even in May – June or September – October.

What clothes to carry on Ladakh trip?
What clothes to carry on Ladakh trip?

Hence, you should be prepared with proper clothing when visiting Ladakh in these shoulder months of the season when the cold conditions are about to settle in the region, or they are about to fade away.

It is also important that you should also be aware of the best time to visit Leh Ladakh.

July – August is considered to be pleasant, and light woolens mostly do the job for you in these months. In the winter months, when both Manali Leh Highway and Srinagar Leh Highway are closed due to heavy snow, then the conditions are icy. In such winter months, you need very heavy woolens to survive.

We can talk separately in some other article for preparing yourself for the winter Ladakh tour. Hence, the tricky windows are from April to June and September to October. So, in this article, I will mainly focus on clothes to wear in Ladakh in these months.

Packing clothes for Ladakh trip
Packing clothes for Ladakh trip

Things to Know for Carrying Clothes on Ladakh Trip

The basic thing for making your Ladakh trip a successful one and learning how to prepare for Leh Ladakh trip is that, at any cost, you MUST KEEP yourself warm enough always with proper woolen clothing and always wear shoes all the time with socks.

This helps you keep yourself warm and reduces the chances of getting hit by Acute Mountain Sickness or cold. You must always protect your chest from the cold winds all the time. When the cold is severe, it is also important to protect the neck portion as well using full Balaclava, maybe.

You should always carry your own water bottle and refill it as many times as you need water. It will not only keep you hydrated always, but you will also help in saving the Himalayas from plastic garbage. Remember, every tiny step counts and you can help save the Himalayas too !! 🙂 🙂

The second thing on clothes to wear in Ladakh is that you must carry clothes that can be worn in layers because it helps you adjust to the fluctuating temperatures in sun and shades, up there in Ladakh.

Yes, in these start and end season months of Ladakh travel, when the sun is shining then everything appears good and suddenly you enter a shaded portion with the wind blowing, which is cold enough to have a jacket 🙂 …

Hence, take due care about it and avoid letting the cold flow inside the body in such cases as well.

Keeping such factors in mind, I will recommend below a general list of clothes to carry on a Leh Ladakh trip.

What should I wear in Ladakh?

  • Inner thermals 2-3 pairs (must have)
  • A fleece jacket or windcheater jacket or windproof jacket to prevent the winds (must have)
  • Good insulated boots or trekking shoes in winters. In summers, any sports shoes should be fine.
  • Woolen socks 2-3 pairs
  • Heavy woolens 2-3 sets – Sweatshirts, pullovers, warm hoodies
  • Comfortable trekking / traveling pants or trousers. Better to be warm in winters or carry a couple of jeans (my favorite)
  • A heavy woolen wind-proof jacket or parka is always handy throughout the year as a contingency too if weather changes even in summer months
  • Carry at least 1-2 caps to protect yourself from direct sunlight as it is too harsh in this region to protect yourself from UV rays. Kids especially should wear caps or hats all the time when out there in the sun.
  • Carry at least 1 Balaclava or monkey cap, especially in winter months
  • Sunglasses to protect your eyes from the reflections from snow
  • An extra pair of shoes/gumboots in case people are on bikes and are expecting a lot of water crossings,
  • Hand gloves must-have in the months of October to June.
  • The remaining list of things to pack for Ladakh trip.

Important Tip: Especially, in the month of September and October, the UV rays are harshest and you must protect your skin using Hats / Caps and good high SPF sunscreen lotions.

This list of clothes and equipment will answer your question in general. However, the list mainly focuses on shoulder months and suits for all other months too. However, for an appropriate month by month reference of what to carry, you can refer to the FAQ section below.

In the end, it is always nice to take some candies, chocolates, books, pens, pencils, crayons etc. anything that you can distribute among the local children. Nothing but the smile on their face would be too much worth it.

Things don't remain pleasant if you don't pack right things for Ladakh trip
Things don’t remain pleasant if you don’t pack the right things for Ladakh trip

FAQs – Leh Ladakh Packing

Let us look at some of the most common questions asked about packing things for a Leh Ladakh trip.

What should I pack for Ladakh trip?

Packing for Ladakh trip depends mainly on the month you are traveling to Ladakh. I have already detailed out the list of clothing you can carry on a Ladakh trip in the above sections of the article which also contains the link to the remaining list of important things to pack for Ladakh trip.

How to prepare for Leh Ladakh trip?

Preparing for the Ladakh trip requires planning, patience and reading some good articles on Devil On Wheels blog. This article helps you with what clothes should you pack for a Leh Ladakh trip. You can also refer to Ladakh’s main menu on this website for all the answers you need to prepare for a successful Ladakh trip.

What clothes to wear in Leh Ladakh in January?

January is a winter month, hence, you must carry heavy woolens for a Ladakh trip in January. Among the list mentioned in this article, the must-have clothing items to carry to Ladakh in January are listed as

— a heavy woolen jacket or parka (windproof),
— balaclava or monkey cap,
— inner thermals,
— fleece jacket,
— heavy woolen clothing,
— woolen socks,
— warm insulated shoes or trekking boots,
— warm hand gloves and
— sunglasses

What clothes to wear in Leh Ladakh in February?

February is also a winter month. Hence, you must carry heavy woolens for a Ladakh trip in February. Among the list mentioned in this article, the must-have clothing items to carry to Ladakh in February are listed as

— heavy woolen jacket or parka (windproof),
— balaclava or monkey cap,
— inner thermals,
— fleece jacket,
— heavy woolen clothing,
— woolen socks,
— warm insulated shoes or trekking boots,
— warm hand gloves and,
— sunglasses

What clothes to wear in Leh Ladakh in March?

March is also considered to be a winter month, but snow clearance begins on Manali Leh road and Srinagar Leh road. Hence, you must carry heavy woolens for a Ladakh trip in March. Among the list mentioned in this article, the must-have clothing items to take to Ladakh in March are listed as

— heavy woolen jacket or parka (windproof),
— balaclava or monkey cap,
— inner thermals,
— fleece jacket,
— heavy woolen clothing,
— woolen socks,
— warm insulated shoes or trekking boots,
— warm hand gloves and,
— sunglasses

What clothes to wear in Leh Ladakh in April?

I also consider April to be a winter month in Ladakh even though the snow clearance operations are in full swing on Manali Leh Highway and Srinagar Leh Highway. Hence, you must carry heavy woolens for a Ladakh trip in April. Among the list mentioned in this article, the must-have clothing items to bring to Ladakh in April are listed as

— heavy woolen jacket or parka (windproof),
— woolen cap,
— inner thermals,
— fleece jacket,
— heavy woolen clothing,
— woolen socks,
— warm insulated shoes or trekking boots and,
— sunglasses

What clothes to wear in Leh Ladakh in May?

May is when the weather starts to change in Ladakh, and the temperature begins to rise. However, most high altitude places away from Leh town like Khardung La, Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri still have icy conditions. So, you must carry heavy woolens for a Ladakh trip in May as well. Among the list mentioned in this article, the must-have clothing items to carry to Ladakh in May are listed as

— fleece jacket or light woolen jacket (windproof),
— heavy woolen jacket or parka,
— woolen cap,
— inner thermals,
— light woolen clothing,
— woolen socks,
— regular sports shoes or hiking boots and,
— sunglasses

What clothes to wear in Leh Ladakh in June?

June is when summer finally arrives in Ladakh. Both Manali Leh Highway and Srinagar Leh Highway opens up, and tourists begin to flow into Ladakh. Now, you need to make a balance of woolen clothes. Hence, you must carry a mix of light and heavy woolens for a Ladakh trip in June. Among the list mentioned in this article, the must-have clothing items to carry to Ladakh in June are listed as

— fleece jacket or light woolen jacket (windproof),
— woolen cap and regular cap or hat,
— inner thermals,
— light woolen clothing,
— woolen socks,
— regular sports shoes or hiking boots
— gumboots for bike riders,
— sunglasses and,
— heavy woolen jacket or parka only for contingency

What clothes to wear in Leh Ladakh in July?

July is when it starts to further warm a bit in Ladakh. It becomes pretty pleasant mostly, but overcast conditions can make you cold too. Hence, light woolens are still necessary. Among the list mentioned in this article, the must-have clothing items to carry to Ladakh in July are listed as

— fleece jacket or light woolen jacket (windproof),
— regular cap or hat,
— light woolen clothing,
— regular socks,
— regular sports shoes or hiking boots,
— gumboots for bike riders and,
— sunglasses

What clothes to wear in Leh Ladakh in August?

August mostly gets rains in Northern India, but Ladakh is a rain shadow region. In general, it remains pretty pleasant mostly, but overcast conditions can make you cold in August. Hence, light woolens are still necessary. Among the list mentioned in this article, the must-have clothing items to carry to Ladakh in July are listed as

— fleece jacket or light woolen jacket (windproof),
— regular cap or hat,
— light woolen clothing,
— regular socks,
— regular sports shoes or hiking boots,
— gumboots for bike riders and,
— sunglasses

What clothes to wear in Leh Ladakh in September?

September is the month when the cold starts to set in Ladakh, and winter-like conditions begin to prevail. Snow is mostly gone, but high altitude places like Khardungla, Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri are pretty cold in the morning and evenings. Not to forget September 2018 when a snowstorm caused lots of casualties. Hence, you must be very prepared with clothing starting from September up to June. Among the list mentioned in this article, the must-have clothing items to carry to Ladakh in September are listed as

— fleece jacket or light woolen jacket (windproof),
— woolen cap and regular cap or hat,
— light woolen clothing,
— regular socks,
— regular sports shoes or hiking boots,
— gumboots for bike riders,
— sunglasses and,
— heavy woolen jacket or parka only for contingency

What clothes to wear in Leh Ladakh in October?

Come October, winter-like conditions further grasp the entire Ladakh, and snowfall starts getting common. Now, you need to make a balance of woolen clothes. Hence, you must carry a mix of light and heavy woolens for a Ladakh trip in October. Among the list mentioned in this article, the must-have clothing items to take to Ladakh in October are listed as

— fleece jacket or light woolen jacket (windproof),
— woolen cap and regular cap or hat,
— inner thermals,
— light woolen clothing,
— woolen socks,
— regular sports shoes or hiking boots,
— sunglasses and,
— heavy woolen jacket or parka only for contingency

What clothes to wear in Leh Ladakh in November?

November is a winter month. Hence, you must carry heavy woolens for a Ladakh trip in November. Among the list mentioned in this article, the must-have clothing items to carry to Ladakh in November are listed as

— heavy woolen jacket or parka (windproof),
— woolen cap or balaclava or monkey cap,
— inner thermals,
— fleece jacket,
— heavy woolen clothing,
— woolen socks,
— warm insulated shoes or trekking boots and,
— sunglasses

What clothes to wear in Leh Ladakh in December?

December is a winter month. Hence, you must carry heavy woolens for a Ladakh trip in December. Among the list mentioned in this article, the must-have clothing items to carry to Ladakh in December are listed as

— heavy woolen jacket or parka (windproof),
— balaclava or monkey cap,
— inner thermals,
— fleece jacket,
— heavy woolen clothing,
— woolen socks,
— warm insulated shoes or trekking boots,
— warm hand gloves and,
— sunglasses

What things you should carry on a Leh Ladakh trip?
What things you should carry on a Leh Ladakh trip?

Conclusion

I hope these travel tips for the Ladakh trip help you prepare yourself with the right list of clothing items to carry on a Ladakh trip. Now, you know the secrets of how to pack your clothes especially when you are traveling to Ladakh, especially in the shoulder season months.

Have a travel question?? You can follow me on Instagram and subscribe to my YouTube channel to ask your travel questions in a direct message on Instagram or comment on my YouTube videos.

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Also, feel free to share your thoughts or tips or any other suggestions you might have to help other fellow travelers in the comments section of this article.

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Helping travelers, backpackers & tourists in planning memorable trips to the Himalayas - Smartly, Safely, Responsibly and Economically. I am in love with Spreading Smiles in the Himalayas through DoW Causes. You can read more about me in detail by checking out About Me section from the main menu.

267 Comments

  1. Comments section gets closed in 90 days. You can follow my YouTube Channel or follow me on Instagram to ask your travel questions. I also conduct a weekly Q&A session every Saturday evening on Instagram, so see you there !!

  2. Afzal Sayeed on

    Hi Dheeraj,

    I along with my 7 friends planned tovisit Leh from Delhi. We will be starting our journey on 20th May, 2016 at 4:30 PM. we will board in two personal cars i.e. i10 & honda amaze (delhi and Haryana number respectively). Taking rest at road side dhabas, will be reaching Patnitop next day till 2 PM. We will stay there and on 22nd we will move to Srinagar and will stay in houseboats (Nageen Lake). On 23rd we will be moving to Kargil through Sonmarg. After Night stay in Kargil, next day early morning we will move to Leh. After two days stay at Leh, on 25th May we will move to Tsomorori Lake (Night stay also). Next day morning we will stay at Sarchu and on 27th evening we will be reaching Manali. on 27th morning, we will start our journey to Delhi again.
    Kindly suggest the changes required in this plan.
    Thanks

  3. Hi,

    I plan to visit Leh via Manali between 24th June to 3rd July.

    Are there any chances of rainfall / snowfall which might affect the trip?
    Also, what would you suggest to carry?

  4. Hi Dheeraj,

    I am planning to visit Leh via Srinagar and come back via Manali on June 2016.
    as you mentioned in a post the temperature will be around 20 C in the day time.

    what kind of dress I need to carry/wear while this time, as I cannot carry so many luggage as I have pillion traveller (in bullet electra) with me.

    and also can you please suggest the hotel or lodge expences in that area.

    sandeep

    • Hi Sandeep, do ensure that you carry at least one heavy jacket as at certain pl;aces like Sarchu it still remains in minus only 🙂

      Please see the Menu in the website of Ladakh and there are all the links of various region

  5. hi

    we guys are planning to go Ladakh in mid January. so can you please suggest what precautions we should take for our trip and what clothes n boots or shoes we should buy n what necessary items should we carry with self

  6. Pingback: 6 Special Tips for a Winter Trip to Ladakh

  7. Hi Dheeraj, Your post explains a lot . I am travelling from 26 sept to 4 oct via srinagar. Could u please suggest woolens , especially jackets i should keep ? do i really need that long huge heavy jacket as i see the temperature is not so low ??

    • Lovely, I will suggest that you wear layers of clothes. You should have one inner, one fleece and at least one wind cheater / light jacket to be worn in day and one heavy woolen jacket cutting the winds in early morning and night time. I am back from Ladakh this Monday and on Sunday when we slept at Tso Kar, the morning temperature was minus 6 🙂

    • Lovely, we are travelling same route 25th Sep – 3rd October from Mumbai and were wondering about the clothing too.. Guess will follow what Dheeraj suggested?

  8. Hi Dheeraj

    Its amazing to see the time and patience you put in to answering all the queries put to you.

    I too, like the others need your guidance. We are a group of 8 family members (5 men & 3 ladies) taking the trip of our lifetime to Leh. from 12th Sep to 19th Sep 2015.

    We are from Mumbai. Our Itinerary is as follows.

    11.09.15-Mumbai-chandigarh – flight – evening
    11.09.15-Chandigarh – Manali – Bus travel – Night
    12.09.15-Manali – Jispa – Tempo traveller – morning ( Is tempo traveller a good option?)
    Earlier we planned to take bikes & a car from Manali to Jispa….. but some how the plan got cancelled because of the unfamiliar roads.

    So we plan to take 3 bikes & a tavera for the below:

    13.09.15 – Jispa-Sarchu-Leh
    14.09.15- Indus valley Monastery and Khardungla – Bike
    15.09.15- Leh – Pangong Lake – Bike
    16.09.15 – Pangong -Leh – Bike
    17.09.15- Leh-Kaydung (Sissu Camp)
    18.09.15 -Keylong (Sissu to Manali)
    19.09.15 – Manali Chandigarh.

    Are the dates a good time to visit
    Do you think the above is a good schedule?
    What about the clothes ? more of warm or rainy wear? or both? for the above dates mentioned.
    Any tips for the trip?
    Anything that the ladies need to take extra care ? 🙁

    Thanks & eagerly waiting for your reply

    Ms. Deborah

    • Vivek Gorakh on

      Hi,

      I am going to Leh from 27th Aug – 1st Sep. I am alone in case some groups are travelling on these days, let me know. It would be a great help. I have not yet booked anything apart from my flights because packages for one person seem to be costlier. Expected  Itinerary is as follows. –
      27th Aug – Reaching Leh airport at 7.30 am and then looking for a hotel near by Leh market and entire day rest
      28th Aug – LEH – PANGONG TSO – Stay overnight in safari tents by the lake shore
      29th Aug – Pangong – Leh – Reach Leh by noon. Post Lunch and some leisure, join the other couple for local sight-seeing in and around Leh. Head to the Magnetic Hill, Gurudwara Patthar Sahib, Hall of fame and Confluence point of
      Zanskar and Indus River – magnificent view of two rivers in wed-lock having different colors and flow and Wildness. Return to hotel in the evening for overnight stay.

      30th Aug – LEH – Enroute Khardungla – Nubra Valley – Night stay in Nubra Valley
      31st Aug – Nubra – Leh (Visit the Shanti Stupa) – Night stay in Leh
      1st Sep – Taking morning flight back to delhi

      Rgds,
      Vivek Gorakh

  9. Hi Dheeraj,
    I am planning to visit Leh from the 1st – 15th of Sept 2015.
    I am from Ahmedabad and plan to do Ahmedabad-Chandigarh-Srinagar-Kargil-Leh-Manali and back.
    I have been visiting your blog for the past 2 weeks, and has helped me in planning for preparations, stay and terrain of the area.
    You guys are making a good use of technology and doing a fantastic job.
    I will share my itinerary with you soon. Have mainly borrowed it from the one you have posted.

  10. Sandeep Khatwani on

    Hi Dheeraj,

    We are group of 20 odd friends going leh from 29 Jul to 9 Aug..
    Below is the tour plan..Let us know if its fine…

    Delhi, Manali & Ladakh 11 Nights /12 Days

    DAY 01: 29 July: ARRIVE DELHI – MANALI (Approx 550 Kms)

    DAY 02: 30 July: ARRIVE MANALI

    DAY 03: 31 July: MANALI (MANIKARAN SAHIB EXCURSION 80 Kms One Way)

    DAY 04: 01 Aug: MANALI TO SARCHU (Approx 225 Kms)

    DAY 05: 02 Aug: SARCHU TO LEH (Approx 250 Kms)

    DAY 06: 03 Aug: LEH

    DAY 07: 04 Aug: LEH–NUBRA VALLEY VIA KHARDUNG LA 18,390 FT (BIKING) (Approx 120 Kms)

    DAY 08: 05 Aug: NUBRA VALLEY – LEH (BIKING) (Approx 120 Kms)

    DAY 09: 06 Aug: LEH TO PANGONG LAKE (Approx 140 Kms)

    DAY 10: 07 Aug: PANGONG LAKE TO LEH (Approx 140 Kms)

    DAY 11: 08 Aug: LEH – EXCURSION TO SHAM VALLEY

    DAY 12: 09 Aug: DEPART LEH (FLY OUT)

    Thanks,
    Sandeep Khatwani

    • Sandeep, plan looks OK just that please sleep at Jispa instead of Sarchu as your body will not be acclimatized for it and you guys might get hit by AMS. Also, you can directly go to Kasol – Manaikaran instead of reaching Manali first and then coming back to Kasol – Manikara.

  11. Deep Mehra on

    Hi Dheeraj!

    Thanks a lot for such informative posts that you have been doing. You are doing a great job in responding to the queries of everyone. Really enjoyed reading all your articles on Ladakh Trip.

    We, a group of 8 people, are travelling to ladakh on 31st july 2015 from Delhi by our own cars, i20 and Scorpio. We have exact 10 days to complete the trip and come back to Delhi, didn’t get more leaves from office 🙁

    Anyway, we are planning to go via the srinagar route and come back from the manali route. Can you please design an itinerary for us? Also, would like to know your if taking a hashback like i20 would be advisable or not?

    Thanks a lot in advance!

    • Thank you so much Deep, glad you appreciate the hard work put in here 🙂 …

      It will take 4 days to reach Leh from Srinagar side and 3 days to come back from Leh from Manali side. This makes it 7 days. 1 Day is required in Leh for acclimatization. You have about 10 days. 1 Day can be used as Day trip to Pangong Tso and other day can be used as day trip to Nubra Valley or just Khardung La pass.

    • For hatchback/sedan taking on Manali – Leh Highway Or Spiti Valley via Manali Or Ladakh, please refer the link: FAQ | Can I do Leh – Ladakh / Spiti / Manali – Leh trip in Hatchback or Sedan? for more details.

      • Deep Mehra on

        Thank you so much for the response Dheeraj! really appreciate it.

  12. gaurav yadav on

    hi, tommorow i m going to leh on my bullet , if anybody likes to join plz call me on 9466024422

  13. hi

    just read your article. I am leaving for leh on 15 July,15…. you have mentioned in yoour article to carry goodies for little children out there and i would love to do so…. can you please tel me where can i distribute them… like in schools or ? do schools accept such goodies ??.. or any refrence if you could give me… but my only concern is it should go to the needy and not taken for granted…
    pls reply…

    • Amrita, thanks for coming forward and help in this initiative of spreading smiles in Himalayas by DoW. You should yourself walk into the schools and distribute the material there only by your own hands so that you connect with the feeling too. Every school will welcome it and allow you to do the noble cause. You can go through many such stories under the link: https://devilonwheels.com/india/responsible-travel-f38/

  14. Hi ,

    We are planing to go Leh Ladhakh in the month of Sep (21st Sep to 30th Sep). Is that a good time to go because Someone told me that everything will be closed by that time. Pls suggest.

    • Namita, usually by end of September things starts to pack up but I prefer that period as Ladakh is full of colors during that time and less people/crowd plus better bargains on hotels and stays.

    • Gurpreet singh on

      Sir we are planning to go leh via manali in mahindra bolero….is there any need for permit to go leh for personal vehicle..and what type of cloths is required in last week of august….and sir can we di camping anywhere in leh. In personal camping tent…and give more tips on behalf of your experience …what should we remember during nd before start journey…..give mre information sir

      • Yes Gurpreet, if you are going from Manali to Leh, you need to get permit to cross Rohtang Pass. Details are under: Rohtang Pass Rules & Restriction of Vehicles – Demystified You can pitch your own tents anywhere but I will suggest you pitch them at a place where there are some dhabha tents put up by locals or where other camping guy pitch theirs or somewhere near some house in village or in their garden/lawn. All you will need is to gently ask them (villagers/dhabha guys/camping guys) for permissions. Most likely they will allow, other wise negotiate for small little tip or move on to some other such place nearby. This will give you sense of security too.
        But, keep in mind that camping at the lakes both Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri is not allowed as they are under Ramsar site. Hence, you need to pitch these camps away from the lakes where either other camps are there or at near by village.

  15. Hi Dheeraj,

    We are from Maharashtra and have planned a trip to Leh Ladakh from 1st August to 10th August. Here is our schedule. Kindly let me know if it’s feasible and also if we can reach Srinagar Airport to catch a flight at 7.25am from Dal View Resort if we leave by 5.30am.

    Day # Date Journey Details Stay Time Vehicle
    1 Aug-1-2015 Chandigarh > Manali Manali 8 HRS Innova
    2 Aug-2-2015 Manali > Jispa> Sarchu Sarchu 8 HRS Innova
    3 Aug-3-2015 Sarchu > Leh Leh 7 HRS Innova
    4 Aug-4-2015 Leh > Nubra Valley Nubra Valley4.5 HRS Bike
    5 Aug-5-2015 Numbra > Leh Leh 4.5 HRS Bike
    6 Aug-6-2015 Leh > Pangong Pangong 6 HRS Bike
    7 Aug-7-2015 Pangong > Leh Leh 6 HRS Bike
    8 Aug-8-2015 Leh > Nimmoo > Kargil Kargil 7 HRS Innova
    9 Aug-9-2015 Kargil > Srinagar Srinagar 6 HRS Innova
    10 Aug-10-2015 Srinagar > Pune/Mumbai –

    Also suggest how we can make the trip better. Thank you 🙂

    Regards,
    Shaziya

    • Hi Dheeraj,

      With above, please advise about bikes as well. We are planning to take bikes in Leh.

      Is it okay if we go on bike from Manali? (Two are planning on bike and rest four on car from Manali).

      Also with the limites time we have, will it be possible/feasible if we travel all 10 days on bike?

      Please suggest.

      Thanks.

    • Shaziya, it is hectic and prone to AMS. I will not suggest night halt at Sarchu as your body will not be acclimatized to sleep at such high alitutde. Then you are planning to skip rest day in Leh as well which will also may get you in trouble of AMS

  16. Surya Pratap on

    Hello Dheeraj,

    I have become a great fan of your blogs!!! Kudos to you man!!! Your blogs has all the details which a travellar is looking for with extreme information as do’s and don’t.

    May I request you for a favor, I am travelling to Leh for 7 days from July 12th to 18th with my family. We will reach Leh by air on 12th from Delhi. The major concern for my wife is about the altitude and the effects of weather on my health as I wasn’t keeping well from last 1 year wherein I was diagnosed with TB (Tuberculosis). Please suggest !!!

    Also in my family, I am travelling with my daughter who is 4 and half year old. Please suggest any further precautions considering her age!!!

    Thanks in advance for your support and I will keep going through your blogs to plan any further trips in advance!!!

    Regards,
    Surya Pratap

    • Hello Surya,

      In general, it is fine 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 5+ year child, I think he/she would be able to convey the uneasiness with little efforts. 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.

      You can check a very balanced and most common itinerary for Leh – Ladakh by Air followed by many travelers including me at the link here for 9 days: Leh – Ladakh | Most Common Itinerary by Air.

      Please use this plan above and cut short the last few days to suit your needs. Day 1 to Day 4 should be followed strictly.

      Regards
      Dheeraj

  17. Hi Dheeraj,

    I am planning for Leh-Ladakh trip from Aug30th to Sept 6th. Will you please let me know what kind of shoes I need to carry.

    Thanks
    Lakshmi

  18. Mitul Dave on

    Hi,

    WE are planning Leh trip in August. Below is out plan as of now – we have hired a self drive SUV from Chandigarh.

    Date From To
    6th August Chandigarh Pathankot
    7th August Pathankot Srinagar
    8th August Srinagar Kargil
    9th August Kargil Leh
    10th August Leh
    11th August Leh to Nubra and back to Leh
    12th August Leh Pangong Tso
    13th August Pangong Tso Leh
    14th August Leh Sarchu
    15th August Sarchu Mandi
    16th August Mandi Amabala

    Do you think the above plan is feasible. And also we want to reach on the last to Amabala by 1 as we have our train – that is the reason we are planning on the penultimate day to travel from Sarchu – Mandi. Will this be possible – considering the rain in rohtang pass?

    Need your valuable input.

    • With the amount of time in hand, I feel it is fine, though you can also try to have a lower risk of AMS as:

      11th August Leh to Nubra
      12th August Nubra to Pangong Tso via Wari La pass. Keep in mind that route is a bit desolated
      13th August Pangong Tso Leh
      14th August Leh Sarchu
      15th August Sarchu Mandi
      16th August Mandi Amabala

      OR

      11th August Leh to Nubra
      12th August Nubra to Leh
      13th August Leh to Pangong Tso
      14th August Pangong Tso to Sarchu
      15th August Sarchu Manali
      16th August Manali Amabala

      • Mitul Dave on

        Thanks a lot Dheeraj..we will make the changes according to your first suggestion.
        One last question – do you think we need to keep a buffer day considering the rain in August while we are returning via Rohtang pass?

  19. Hi Dheeraj… Have raised few other questions in other threads and received excellent responses from you. Thanks a lot… To continue with my questions… We are a team of 6 travelling from Srinagar-Leh-Manali between July 3rd and 12th and are gonna follow your itinerary. Would like to know the type of clothes we should carry(though you had discussed in detail in this thread would like to get into specifics).. Do we NEED to have woolen clothes? We are from Chennai and haven’t had a chance to buy or wear woolen clothes.. Is this a must and if so can we buy them in Srinagar? We thought of carrying a rough Jacket and just a pair of shoes thinking of less weight to carry.. Do you agree or would u like to suggest us something else? is thermal wear a must? and what type of cap are you referring to!! Thanks in advance once again

    • Yes, Shankar, always carry one heavy woolen jacket and one light woolen jacket for a ladakh trip along with one pair of heavy woolens as you never know when it snows up there. Though anyhow the weather mostly will be pleasant but you should be ready with such exigency.

  20. Sangram Pawar on

    Hi Dheeraj..

    We are 5 of us and are travelling from Srinagar to leh from 13th June to 21 st June by car.. would like to know if i am interested in riding a bike.. which will be the best place to hire it from.. as in is it a good idea to ride from srinagar to leh and can we drop of the bike at leh.. also we are in leh for 4 days.. what are the things we can cover during our stay.. any activities that we can do.. like paragliding / small treks etc..

    Thank you for sharing such useful info..

    Regards
    Sangram Pawar

  21. HI dheeraj,

    Commendable job by you guys…not an easy task.
    Just to add to the list, must carry an extra pair of shoes/gum boots in case people are on bikes and are expecting a lot of water crossings.

    Thanks

  22. Titiksha Singh on

    Thanks for the precautions. We’re visiting Leh-Ladakh from June 11th to June 18th. Should we carry light woolens or the heavy ones? And should we carry inner thermals? We’re leaving by a morning flight (Delhi to Leh). My family insists on carrying woolens only. But I feel like I can wear half sleeves too. Please help 🙂

    • Do carry heavy woolens, its quite freezing up there at most passes as of now. Half sleeves, you might be able to wear in some low land areas 🙂

  23. Hi There,

    We (6 friends) planning to visit Leh . September 9 to 16, we are taking Delhi – Leh morning flight, we wanted to know about the weather at that time , recommendations for cloths (specially for night) and medicines during our visit , we also want to hire a local motorbike (bullet) and want to drive it to magnetic hill , is this feasible , how much distance we have to travel ? . can you please help ….

    Thanks in advance,
    Rahul

  24. Keshav Kapoor on

    Hi Dheeraj,

    thanks for your suggessions for the clothing, but please can you please let me know if any medicn is also required?? and what shoes we need to wear, sports shoes are ok or do we need high boots.

    we are 5 people planning to go in mid june by road while driving our own safari, so is there any precautions required.

  25. Thanks mate very informative, We are planning to travel in 3rd week of june.

    Just my opinion disabling copy just made me type up everything if it servers no real purpose could you please reconsider so that its useful for people.

    Cheers
    Binoy

    • Binoy, we are in process of providing print option in the article. There are many people who have started copying the articles from the blog straight away and started putting them into their websites without permission / consent and without link/back or credits even. It is frustrating to see such articles in which a lot of hard work has been put.

  26. Hi Dheeraj,

    I must say im in awe of your blog! It is the main reason my husband and I are travelling to Ladakh in August this year. We are from Singapore (where its hot and humid throughout!) so I am a little worried about the weather in Ladakh. We reach Leh on the 1st of August and depart on the 9th by flight both ways due to time constraints. We will be covering the following:
    1. Rafting from Phey to Nimoo
    2. Nubra Valley
    3. Panamic Hot Spring
    4. Pangong Lake
    5. Tsomoriri Lake
    6. Tsokar Lake

    Basically we would like to know what are the essentials we need and whether are any of the springs/ lakes ok for a dip. Also, is it safe for a couple to travel to Ladakh?

    Any help will be much appreciated!

    Neeta

  27. Neel Kamal on

    Hi Dheeraj,
    I will be driving to Leh from Chandigarh through Kullu-Manali with my friend in June’15 3rd Week. We will biking on Pulsar 150’s individually. can you suggest things to do or not to do during travel.
    Pls advice.

      • Neel Kamal on

        Hi Dheeraj,
        Basically I, myself and my friend belong to Himachal Pradesh (Bilaspur and Kangra Distt. respectively. I Live in Parwanoo while my friend lives in Nalagarh of Distt. Solan H. P. So going to Srinagar is not feasible. We will be starting from Nalagarh in evening, will reach Manali at Night and will spend a night there. then next morning we are planning to move. we have 5 days. Also we would be carrying our own Pulsar’s.
        Pls advice.
        reg,
        Neel

        • Neel, with just 5 days you planning this trip? It will take two days to reach Leh and two days to come back to Manali from Leh. So, 4 days are then and there gone. 1 day is required for rest in Leh. You need 2 more days to travel from Manali to Nalagarh too. Roads will be tough as they would have just opened.

        • hi Dheeraj,
          I am replying to my comment as there is not option available to reply to your suggestions.
          We have plannned 5 day trip, based on
          Day-1:: Nalagarh (evening) to Manali (Night) stay at Manali 6 Hrs.
          Day-2:: Manali (Early Morning 4 AM) to Leh (night) non-stop.
          Day-3:: Stay at Leh (roam around)
          Day-4:: Leh to Manali/Keylong.
          Day-5:: Manali/Keylong to Home
          it can be streached to 1-2 more days if required. it’s a tentative plan. once started, noway to come back. :)…

        • Thanks Dheeraj, will Keep in mind. Rest depends on the condition of Manali to Jispa. Thanks for the advice. will come back if some help required.

  28. Hi Dheeraj. Thanks for the article. I will be travelling from Manali to Leh in June 2nd week this year. I have a pair of sports shoes and I was told in the beginning the road might be muddy . So as far as I can understand they might not be enough but in deep mud while pulling the bike even trekking shoes might not be enough. Somebody suggested to carry an extra pair of shoes and change them if they are too wet. Or I could look for some rubber boots which might be difficult to find in Mumbai as I have size 12. My question is what do you suggest would be the best way to go about this ?

    Thanks in advance .
    Cheeers 🙂

  29. puneet chhabra on

    hi i am travelling from new delhi ( janak puri) to leh on 15thMay Evening with one friend on bullet. Please suggest me whether if we go with 2 bullets or a single bullet. And the essential things to take with while travelling.

    And would love if someone is travelling on same dates, can join us for the journey.

    My contact no is 8010098885 or email me at [email protected]

    Thanks.

    • puneet chhabra on

      Thanks for your response. I want to ask you one more thing regarding permit. Do we need to take permit this year for bikes as well? And you suggested for 2 bikes. Can i ask why? Because would it not be better that if one person is tired then the other rides instead of taking to 2 bikes?

  30. Junjaow89 on

    HI Deer Deeraj.
    I’m LJ. I’ll go to Leh- Ladakh-Kashmir with my friends. I want to know. Could I wash our cloth at hotel in Leh and leave our luggage while I stay night hotel in Nubra valley? Thank you very much. ^_^

    • Should not be an issue for you to do it 🙂 🙂 Else there shall be laundry service too. You can keep the luggage in some store room of the hotel but then you have to come back to same hotel in Leh for stay 🙂

  31. Ninad Ranjit on

    Dear Dheeraj,

    We 4 friends have decided to travel from Mumbai to Leh Ladakh via Srinagar…kargil on 14 the may 2015 by our Toyota Fortuner. Could you please help us in planning the detail itinerary. Time and days are no constraints.
    Regards,
    Ninad Ranjit….Mumbai

  32. hello sir,, i am planning to visit leh ladakh via manali on 2nd june by road on my bullet with my friend on same bike ……
    plz suggest me clothes i must need on bike……

    • and dheeraj sharma we are also planning to stay in tents there..plz suggest things we should carry with us…and plz let us know the climate of leh in june

    • As I replied to your other comment, you can refer the article above for clothes and detailed article for bikes and needed list of things to carry in the other link. Please let me know in case anything else you want to know. Temperature will be quite cold in June. So, heavy woolens must on Manali – Leh Highway.

      • thanks sharma ji,,,,,,
        my suggestion to you is u must make an article related to leh ladakh trip on bike…
        it might be more helpful to those who r planning a trip on bike …….
        and special thanks to u for this ”””DOW””’ site which is awesome for leh warriors!!!!!!!!

        • Nikhil, thank you and regarding article for bike trip it is already there 🙂 .. Check it out at the link: All You Want to Know About Bike Ride to Ladakh & Himalayas

  33. Hi!
    We are planning a Leh Laddakh tour in the last week of March. It will be a Family trip with my kids. Could you please suggest what kind of clothings we should carry. Thanks

    • Anirban, it will be extremely cold in March and only option is to fly to Leh to visit Ladakh. Both lakes will be partially frozen during that time and there will be too much of snow at the high passes. Are you sure you want to take family in such conditions? Only few hotels will be operational during that time.

      • Thanks Dheerj. We are aware about the condition through your blog. We wanted to experience the beauty of Ladakh in the winter. We decided to fly on the last week of March and stay there for a week. I guess Ladakh will not disappoint us. However we want to take utmost care for the winter.

  34. Hi,

    I am leaving For Leh on this 15th August in my innova car with my 3 more friends, my itinerary is

    15-Aug Delhi(In The Evening around 4pm) To Manali

    16-Aug Manali (Manali Sight Seeing In The Evening)

    17-Aug Manali To Jispa

    18-Aug Jispa To Leh

    19-Aug Leh (Hire Bikes For Khardung La, Leh Sight Seeing in the mid afternoon)

    20-Aug Leh (Hire Local Taxi) Pangong Lake-Back To Leh

    21-Aug Leh To Kargil

    22-Aug Kargil To Srinagar (Hault At Sonmarg For 1 Hour)

    23-Aug Srinagar->>Gulmarg–>> Kud-Patnitop

    24-Aug Kud-Patnitop To Chandigarh

    25-Aug Chandigarh To Delhi.

    Please suggest

  35. Manoj S Korde on

    Sir,
    I have gone through your Tips for Carrying Clothes for Ladakh Trip. Now I have transferred and posted to Leh from Nagpur (Maharastra). It may not possible for me to get heavy woolen cloths in Nagpur. Can I get these things in Leh?

  36. Saurabh Singh on

    Sir,
    How can I use mobile there as I have heard that SIM came from outside of Kashmir will not work even of roaming is preactivated.
    And what about 3G network accessibility?

    • Saurabh, it is Postpaid connection of outside states that works in JK. Prepaid does not work. Not sure if I got 3G anywhere in Ladakh though 2g EDGE/GPRS was present last year for BSNL I was carrying with me and Airtel.

  37. Oh and can we swim anywhere there? I heard its pretty sunny during the day! 🙂

    • Anushka, if you can bear the cold water you can. However, refrain yourself from using some soap or other cosmetics as it will pollute the water bodies. Indeed, in season time it is pretty sunny and warm. However, when wind/breeze is blowing, which mostly is and on high mountain passes, the moment you step into shade, you feel the chill. So, in all optimistic case no heavy woolen is required. I have used half sleeves t-shirts too in Ladakh in August but again if you feeling all good, is the case here.

  38. Hi, I will be travelling to Leh from 2nd Aug – 10th Aug. Do I need to carry thick woolen socks or will normal cotton do? and about shoes, can I carry any open footwear like sandals or is covered better?

    • Anushka, best is that you carry proper shoes and avoid Sandals. It helps in many ways. Regarding carrying clothes, again I always suggest to carry at least a light jacket which can be put on always in Ladakh so that you are not hitting by cold and one heavy woolen jacket which in season time of July – August is options but only with a risk of in case of weather turning up bad. I generally avoid combating this risk and carry both, one light jacket and one heavy jacket for emergencies.

  39. Hi Dheeraj,
    I am planning to travel to Ladakh from 20th Aug to 31st Aug. Above article is very good and suggests everythinh about cloting. I wanted to know what kind of shoes will be required? Will sports shoes be fine? Thanks in Advance

    • Sachin, as long as you are not riding on bikes through water crossings, Sports Shoes will do the job in season time in which you are visiting.

  40. Hi,

    I’m planning to visit ladakh in oct can u plz suggest me the clothing and are there any packages from delhi who can take us by road and which r the place v can visit

    • Syed, road travel should be avoided to Leh – Ladakh in October as snow starts to fall over passes and season closes. Chances of getting stranded in no man’s land increases. Read More info at: 5 Reasons to Avoid Manali – Leh Highway in October

      Are you open to travel by Air? At max, you can travel by road from Srinagar side but fly from Leh or Srinagar. Manali – Leh should be avoided in October.

  41. nadeem ashraf on

    Hi dheeraj hw r u? We r planning to leave for leh on our bikes on 6th june from delhi via srinagar leh highway and return by leh manali highway I would like u to plese check my itinary as follows
    6th june delhi to jammu
    7th june jammu to srinagar
    8th june srinagar to gulmarg
    9th june gulmarg to kargil
    10th june kargil to leh
    11th june leh to pangong lake
    12th june leh to khardungla
    13th june leh to keylong
    14th june keylong to manali
    15th june manali to delhi
    Also dheeraj can u plese tell me wat r the places that we can go in leh?? Waiting for ur reply dheeraj 🙂

    • Nadeem, your itinerary is fine except the fact you should replace your days of 11th and 12th with each other. Secondly, you should stay at Sarchu while coming to Manali to distribute your journey on Manali – Leh evennly.

  42. Hi Dheeraj,
    I am planning to travel to Ladakh and Leh from early August to a little after mid august. Please suggest the clothing, medication for altitude sickness, skin and eye care. Also should I consider a large back pack or a suitcase kind of luggage…I am not too sure if a strolley would really help and if we could find help lugging around large strolleys. What I should keep in mind and how to make the most of this trip if I am going to Tso Moriri Lake and plan to stay a day at Leh before starting back to the Mumbai.

  43. Hi,
    we are visitng Leh Ladakh in the last week of May.
    Can you please provide us some tips regarding clothing.
    We plan to go there via Srinagar Leh highway after booking cab.
    Also if you could provide some insights regarding the Bullets that are provided there on rent.

    ~Regards,
    Prahlad Singh

    • Please refer the article above brother for clothing. For renting bikes in Leh – Ladakh, you can check the DoW Community thread: Leh – Ladakh Bike Rental Rates 2014 – 15 & Reliable Shops

  44. hi dheeraj,
    we have planned our ladakh trip from 14th May – 22nd May via srinagar highway( fingers crossed) & returning back through flight from Leh.If the road does not open what is the option we have in hand as we have booked our accomodation & travel.Through your blog i got to know that Inner permits are not required for Indian citizens,so needed your suggestion on the places that can be visited on that day. Also after visiting Nubra valley & Pangong with a one night stay ( followed your itinery)we still have a day at our expense.i have thought of river rafting at Phey(2 children 7 & 13 yrs accompanying us).Can you please suggest if this is a good option or i can visit any other place more interesting.

    • Well, there is a 50:50 chance that Srinagar – Leh Highway will be opened by mid May. You need to take your chance. Also, beware that in the initial days of road opening the highway is not stable and there are snow slides / landslides common in early days. So, keep your buffer days in hand. If Srinagar – Leh Highway is not open then there is no alternative route other than flying to Leh.

      Still you need to acclimatize in Leh for a day and rest to get used to high altitude. So, better keep Hall of Fame and Shanti Stupa for the day sightseeing.

  45. Dheeraj, you are doing great job I must say with the information which you have provided on Leh – Ladakh for us. I have plans to reach sometime around 27th June & would like to know from you that apart from Leh (local sight seeing), Nubra, Pangong is it required to visit any other place which is equally important? Secondly for visiting these places what may be the days I should consider.
    Regards –

    • GM, pleasure is mine. Please let me know how are you traveling there? Flight? Road? If you have more days then you can also visit Tso Moriri lake as well.

  46. Hi Dheeraj. I am planning a visit to Leh for 8 days tarting from 31st March 2014.

    I am following the 8 day itinerary recommended by you for travelers coming from delhi by air.

    I have 2 questions-

    1) Is it a good time to visit/ are there any major tourist spots that would be closed at this time?

    2) Can i get the lane permits within 1 day after applying / is it an instant process?

    I am following the 8 day itinerary recommended by you for travelers coming from delhi by air.

    Thanks!

    • Hello Karan,

      1. All roads inside Ladakh are generally kept open all round the year barring few days of heavy snowfall. So, in case the day it snows when you are there then it might close the passes else not.

      2. It is an instant process and you get the permits right on the spot. In case DC is away sometimes, then it takes couple of hours but sometimes the staff if authorized present there can also stamp the permits. For details on inner line permits process and to download application form read the link here

      Please let me know incase you have any other queries. Best wishes for the trip and we will wait for your pictures and trip report back in the community. If by chance you happen to be happy to help the local community, please try and support the DoW Causes up there. You can check more details about them at: DoW – Causes | A Step Towards Responsible Travel

      Regards
      dheeraj Sharma

  47. Pingback: List of things to carry when you go on trip - DeViL on WheeLs...

  48. Vipin vasudeva on

    N is dat true if i wear coton socks with plastic bag, its also protect my feet to cold wave.

    Regards
    Vipin

  49. Vipin vasudeva on

    Dhiraj bhai julley,
    Any special prepration we needed for sep. 8 to sep.14 2013, sarchu, leh, nubra n for pangong. N is dat woolen socks is realy compulsary for this time of the year in ladakh. Coz i’m alergic to woolen socks. Any alternative pls.

      • vipin vasudeva on

        Thanx Dheeraj,but your provided link is not working. pls chk.

        • vipin vasudeva on

          🙂 i got
          Forbidden 403

          You don’t have permission to access /forum/showthread.php on this server.

          Additionally, a 403 Forbidden error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.

          but no prblm, i read it by cached page. 🙂 thanx a lot Dheeraj.

    • Hi
      I would like to know is there any shopping places to buy Himalaya herbal products and warm clothing in Leh. I am going to Mahabodhi Temple for meditation. I am not sure about the places in Leh

      • Merina, you will get them in the Leh Main Market and there are couple of them at Chanspa road too though I do not remember the exact names.

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