The direct route from Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso is getting popular among domestic tourists year after year. As of 2020, this route is the hot favorite among tourists, especially those who are short on days for an ideal Ladakh trip.
Today in this article, I will talk about some important tips and things you should consider when traveling from Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso.
So, when you ask me:
Can I travel from Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso directly?
The answer is “Yes”, you can travel to Pangong Tso from Nubra Valley either from Agham – Shyok village route or from Agham – Wari La route. So, in fact, there are a couple of direct routes between Nubra Valley and Pangong Tso, the two most popular tourist destinations in Ladakh.
Let’s look at the answer in detail now 🙂 …
Let's quickly dive into the details:
Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso Guide
I get a lot of questions about how I can save a day in my plan of Ladakh trip, where people look to travel directly from Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso instead of coming back to Leh.
If you need to understand more about the routes in Ladakh along with distances, you can also refer our DoW – Maps of Ladakh | Nubra Valley & Changthang.
Before going into the details, I always suggest everyone to keep in mind that all the remote routes in Leh Ladakh are a bit desolate and most of them are like dirt roads. The first and the foremost tip I suggest is that “better stick to conventional routes in case it is your first trip to Ladakh to avoid the uncertainties of different kinds on these unconventional routes 😉” …
Download your FREE high-resolution version pdf copy of this infographic guide for tips about traveling directly from Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso. If, you liked it and found it helpful, please feel free to share it with your family and friends to help them too.
As you can see in the DoW maps of Ladakh that there are two routes to travel to Pangong Tso from Nubra Valley directly. I will talk about both of them in detail one by one.
Road Conditions of Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso
Let’s check both the routes in detail one by one.
1. Nubra Valley – Agham – Shyok Village – Durbuk – Tangste – Pangong Tso (Lukung)
This route has become very popular among tourists starting in 2018. The road conditions have been stabilized a lot on this route and lots of people now travel on this route, especially when it is shorter than Wari La route and saves you a day in overall Ladakh plan.
Some of the road sections between Agham & Shyok villages are kind of tricky and landslide-prone. Even though a lot has been improved on this route starting 2016, still, it is not an easy piece of cake especially in July – August time period.
Sometimes the water in the Shyok river swells and closes the road. Hence, it is important to ask at Agham village before you travel on this route. There are some sections, especially before Shyok Village (towards Nubra side), which might be tough to climb without a high Ground clearance vehicle.
Hence, it is better to avoid traveling on this route by a hatchback or sedan, IMO. Rest people have taken it on the route; it depends upon the person driving the car and how much he loves his car. At one of the sections, we were moving, and one person kept clearing stones falling from above 😛 …
YOU MUST keep in mind that this route is getting popular year by year but still not majorly used. It is better to wait at Agham village for some company when you are alone and tag along to have some company for peace of mind of being not along. Having this company will help in case of any breakdown as others can help the person in need.
In case, you venture out on this route alone, you might get stranded for a longer period of time. If you are self-driving to Ladakh, it is better to carry the essential things for a self-drive trip to Ladakh.
Please take a sensible call for yourself as well as your loved ones waiting for your safe return. Cars with high ground clearance are preferable on this route. Always inquire about the road conditions either at Agham Village or Khalsar Village before taking the route from Shyok village to Pangong Tso.
If you are traveling from Pangong Tso, then there is a GREF hut that comes after Shyok village from Durbuk side. You can inquire about the route status from them as well.
- Sedans/Hatchbacks = Best avoid them!!
- High Ground Clearance SUVs (4×2) = Doable, drive with caution
- High Ground Clearance SUVs (4×4) = Will help a lot with the peace of mind.
You can read my travel tale about this route in the article Adventures of Shyok Village Route & the latest travel report of this route from 2018 as Nubra to Pangong – Let the Adventure Begins
2. Nubra Valley – Agham – Wari La – Shakti – Chang La – Durbuk – Tangste – Pangong Tso (Lukung)
The direct route from Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso from Wari La pass is much longer as compared to the Shyok Village route. It gets connected on the conventional route from Leh to Pangong Tso at Shakti/Serthi village.
So, that means you travel Nubra Valley to Sakti over Wari La and then traverse major part of Leh to Pangong Tso route as well, including climbing the Chang La pass. It easily takes about 10+ hrs to reach Pangong Tso from Wari La route.
This route will be closed in June due to snowfall at Wari La pass and is not kept actively open by BRO as there is no urgency to do so. It is just an alternate route present. Hence, in the winter months and early season time, you should not travel on this route at all because it will be most likely be closed.
As the Shyok village route, which is much shorter, is not traveled by many tourists, it is better only to take Wari La route in case that route is closed. Otherwise, you will not find many people on this desolate route, and no help will be available in miles in case of any breakdown.
So, even if for some reason you take this direct route to Pangong Tso from Nubra Valley, it is better to do it in a group of 2-3 vehicles at least.
The road conditions are mostly average with a dirt track in the majority of the route. There are a couple of water crossings, and at the to of Wari La, the vehicle with small GC may struggle a bit.
- Sedans/Hatchbacks = Tough but doable, at least the climb up/down for Wari La and then again to Chang La. Very tough in early summers.
- High Ground Clearance SUVs (4×2) = Manageable, tough in early summers.
- High Ground Clearance SUVs (4×4) = Manageable and certainly helpful
Itinerary of Nubra to Pangong Tso Route
Given below is a three-day itinerary for planning a trip to Pangong Tso directly from Nubra Valley without coming back to Leh. I am assuming that you have already stayed a couple of nights in Leh for acclimatization and then only you are traveling to Nubra Valley and Pangong Tso.
If you have more days at hand, then you can add the Turtuk village to stay in the below plan where you can travel to Turtuk on the first night. Then, the next day comes to Hunder and go over to Pangong Tso.
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 – Shyok Village or Wari La – Pangong Tso
- Take the direct route to Pangong Tso via Shyok Village (shorter) or Wari La (longer) whichever is open
- Overnight at Pangong Tso
Day 3 | Pangong Tso – Leh, covering Hemis, Thicksey, and Shey monasteries
- Cover Hemis, Thicksey and Shey
- Overnight at Leh
Permits of Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso Route
No extra permits are required to travel from the Shyok village route or the Wari La route between Nubra Valley and Pangong Tso. The permits that you got from the DC office in Leh for Nubra Valley and Pangong Tso will be sufficient. You can apply the permits for Nubra Valley and Pangong Tso online now.
Don’t have time to read the full article? Check this less than a 3-minute video on DevilOnWheels YouTube Channel on these essential tips for traveling from Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso directly. If you like my video, please do not forget to SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube channel.
Conclusion
In the end, make a calculated risk when traveling on direct routes from Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso either from Shyok village or Wari La pass. Remember that it is always good to travel in a group on such unconventional routes in Ladakh, so even if you are alone, the vehicle waits at Agham village to travel in a group. Otherwise, you will be best suited to avoid them.
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I am sure with the details described in this article, you will be able to make a judgment call, which is best the best route for you and your family. If you still have any doubts or questions about planning your trip from Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso, feel free to post them in the comments section below.
I will be happy to hear from you on other suggestions about this wonderful route in Ladakh. Have you done this route?? Tell me what was your experience and help others travel better in Ladakh. Do not forget to share this article with your friends and family who are planning the trip to Ladakh.
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347 Comments
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Hi,
I already travel to ladakh from Pune by my car 10 grand in first week of july in list year with my friends.
I have compleated the circle pune -amritsar- Jammu – shrinagar – Kargil – leh – Khardungla- leh- kharu – Pangong -kharu-sarchu- manali- pune without any failure.
I am planning again in next year i.e 2019 with my family. but i want to ask you can i use “Nubra Valley – Agham – Shyok Village – Durbuk – Tangste – Pangong Tso ” rout by same car?
Please suggest
Hi Dheeraj,
Just one correction, We have completed our last leh tour in last yest first week of Jun.
That time we snowfall also we drive on snow also ;P
please suggest if this rout can i use for next year?
Shirish, it will be much difficult to travel by a hatchback from Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri. I will recommend planning the trip carefully and carry the essentials. This will be desolate route a bit now. Confirm at Agham village about the road conditions or stay tuned to DoW Community for road updates.
Hi Dheeraj,
Thanks for the reply,
Actully i am asking for Nubra Valley to Pangong not Pangong to TSO Moriri.
I am sorry for the confusion, when I said wait for Agham I actually meant Nubra to Pangong Tso route only
Hi Dheeraj,
Can you tell me what is the distance between Diskit (Petrol filled) to Pangong Tso via Shyok Village?
Also, we are on planning to go ahead from Pangong Tso to Hanle and Tso Moriri and return via Manali route (Jispa last petrol filling station) so how much petrol we need to carry with us to avoid shortage. We have classic 350.
Thanks in advance.
Hey Ranbir,
Check this updated post from 2018 which has a distance and time map at the start itself: adventures of Nubra to Shyok
Also, refer the updated fuel availability article with distances of all these routes: Fuel Availability In Leh – Ladakh | Ladakh Self Drive Tips
My friend and I planned for leh. We both are 68 in good shape. Our Trip plan is
Day 1 and 2( Sept 4 and 5th) Srinagar
Day 3 Kargil Day 4 Alchi and halt at Alchi
Day 4 Leh Rest
Day 5 Leh Local tour
Day 6 Nubra velley and halt
Day 7 Nubra to Pangong and halt
Day 8 Back to Leh from PangonThg
Day 9 leh to Delhi by Flight
We have hired Inova, Is it OK, Do we need some extra precautions as we both are senior citizens. I s this a proper plan?
Also wanted to know about the local veg food in this journey
Da
Vinod sir, your plan is good and easy. You will enjoy the trip a lot. You are traveling slow, drink plenty of fluids and keep yourself hydrated. It shall be a good trip. You will find veg food all of the Ladakh, no problems with it.
Hi Team,
I have been following ur blog for months now reading everything about Ladhak. Finally I booked flight (up & down) to Leh (13-19Sep). I’m going with a very close friend & both of us will be renting Bullet at Leh.
My only concern is:
Will there be direct & safe route from Nubra Valley to Pangong Lake ? (I’m a fair rider with long highway rides but no experience on hilly areas).
Thanks
Well, you can see from the article that there does exist a route that takes you Pangong Tso from Nubra Valley. I have updated the conditions as well for this year and in fact, in September it will be in the best conditions of the season. So, just wait for few vehicles to come at Agham village and then tag along to have some company.
Hello Dheeraj Bhai…I am biking solo and require ur suggestion if Nubra to Pangong can be done directly in the last week of september and how safe it is for a solo traveller…Kindly advise
You can travel from Nubra to Pangong Tso directly and it can be done but do wait for a few vehicles at Agham villageto tag along so that you have company to travel on that route. There will not be much water in water crossings and road will be much stable.
Hi dheeraj
We are starting our trip from Srinagar to Leh by car with the local driver. We have 13 days in hand.
We want to do Srinagar to Leh then Leh to Nubra to Pangong to Spiti to Manali To Chandigarh fly back to Mumbai . We are renting bikes in Leh. What is the best would you recommend to cover the stretch.
We start our trip tomorrow night from Mumbai. Land in Srinagar then by car to Leh.
Also how feasible is it to get a bike from Leh & drop in Manali ?
You can get the bike from Leh to drop I believe up to Keylong but the pickup charges will be around 10K per bike.
Hi DHEERAJ,
I have gone through the blog written by you very carefully. very nice description. Is it possible to travel directly from Nubra to Pangong tso via Agam-Shyak road on 27th July this year by two 14 seater Tempo travellers ?
How much is the risk ? May we be able to overcome it ? Please reply.
Yes, Subhas most people are recommending going through this route as it is in working condition. Check the condition at Agham village and take a call. Always better to wait for couple of vehicles to join in and move
Hi there Dheeraj!
Thanks for sharing your experiences with all of us here.
Well, after many years of waiting, we are getting the chance to finally go to Ladakh this year 🙂
Here is what I’ve planned based on all the reading / research i have done so far.
Please have a look and comment, if this all is feasible, sensible to do during beginning of July ’18.
We will start our journey either on 27th June or 4th July through either Scorpio / Xylo / high clearance car:
Day 1: Delhi to Manali
Day 2: Manali to Jispa (covering rohtang pass , lahaul valley)
Day 3: Jispa to Sarchu (covering baralachha pass)
Day 4: Sarchu to Leh (covering tanglang la pass, Thiksey & Shey Monasteries)
Day 5: Leh to Sham Valley to Leh (going to lamayuru monastery and backwards, likir, alchi, basgo, magnetic hill, nimmu, gurudwara)
Day 6: Leh to Nubra Valley (covering khardung la pass)
Day 7: Nubra valley to Pangong (covering Samstanling monastery)
Day 8: Pangong to Tso Moriri (covering upshi, korzok village)
Day 9: Tso Moriri to Tso Kar
Day 10: Tso Kar to Manali (covering keylong)
Day 11: Manali to Delhi
Looking forward to your comments, suggestions.
Thank you
Navneet, the plan looks fine to me except one thing of night stay at Sarchu. I will recommend that you do Jispa to Leh directly and don’t do a night halt at Sarchu because your body will not be acclimatized to sleep at that high altitude. Use that day to break the long journey of Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri at Hanle.
Thanks Dheeraj for replying.
Noted, for Jispa to Leh directly, we shall cover it within the same day.
On the other hand, wouldn’t Hanle be out of the way (from Pangong to Tso Moriri)? We plan to take the route of (Pangong Tso) tangste – durbuk – sakti – hemis – upshi – kiari – chumathang – karzok (Tso Moriri).
Lastly, for Nubra valley to Pangong Lake, we plan to take the route of Hunder – Khalsar – Shyok – Durbuk – Tangste.
Would you suggest for this route or instead suggest to take Nubra – Leh – Pangong?
Thanks
Hanle is about 54 KMs off the route from the route of Pangong tso to tso Moriri. However, it is worth the stay and worth the detour 🙂 …
You can take the Shyok route as many people have started taking this route in recent years. Just check the status at Agham village and take the final call.
Hi Dheeraj, We have been trying to plan a trip to Leh since ages and finally got some time and immediately booked the flights to Delhi and back from Delhi. We are sure we cannot do it anytime again. After reading so many articles now we are worried about the trip. Please suggest us an itinerary.
10th August 11 pm we are reaching Delhi and 19th August we would be leaving for home from Delhi at 5 pm
So effectively we have 11th to 19th 2pm available with us. We are planning for a biking trip. Please help.
We wouldn’t mind considering Spiti valley as well if that fits in well.
I will suggest you skip Ladakh unless you are ready to fly into Leh directly. Go for Spiti valley trip and the 9 days you have I will advice going from Manali side and only go from Kinnaur side if heavy rains are not predicted.
Sending you both plans from Manali side only and kinnaur – spiti – manali
Day 01 : Reach Manali and stay overnight at Solang Valley as preferred for acclimatization
Day 02 : Manali / Solang – Kaza
Day 03 : Kaza – Pin Valley – Tabo
Day 04 : Tabo – Dhangkar – Dhangkar Lake trek – Kaza
Day 05 : Kaza – Ki – Kibber/Kaza
Day 06 : Kibber/Kaza – Langza – Komic – Hikkim – Kaza
Day 07 : Kaza – Chandratal
Day 08 : Chandratal – Manali
Day 09 : Manali – Delhi
Day 1 | Delhi – Narkanda
Day 2 | Narkanda – Kalpa
Day 3 | Kalpa – Nako – Nako Lake – Geyu Mummy – Tabo
Day 4 | Tabo – Dhankar – Dhankar Lake – Pin Valley (Mudh Village) – Kaza
Day 5 | Kaza Local Sightseeing
— Ki, Kibber, Gette, Tashigang in the second half of the day
Day 6 | Kaza Local Sightseeing (Hikkim, Komik)
— Hikkim, Komik, Langza circuit
Day 7 | Kaza – Kunzum Pass – Chandratal
Day 8 | Chandratal – Manali
Day 9 | Manali – Delhi
Hi there Dheeraj,
Is it likely that the road between Khalsar & Durbuk along the Shyok river will be over in the 1st week of July 2018?
If that road is closed, are we likely to be able to go via Agham & Wari La at that time of the year, or will the only option be to go via Khardung La?
We will be riding hired motorcycles from Leh.
Thx heaps
Both Shyok route and Wari La route are the options. In last couple of years, the Shyok route has remained open mostly and this year due to lack of much snow, I feel it should be OK to travel in July. However, nothing can be 100% certain when it comes to the Himalayas 🙂
is there any petrol pump between Nubra Valley and Pangong Tso direct road via Shyok?
Hi Dheeraj,
Thanks a lot for maintaining such informative blog, I got inspired from your blog and traveeld to Leh in August’2015, but due to some bad luck coming in form of landslides was not able to cover Nubra & Pangong, So have planned again for the same, I have some doubts will be very thanfull if u clear them:
1.Will 15-24 June be a good time to visit Leh (mostly concerned about rains and landslides given my past experience 🙂
2.Our rought iteneray is like :
15th June : Morning 7am landing directly in leh
16th June : Start to Nubra valley and stay at hunder through bike
17th June : Start from nubra valley to pangong lake via Shyok Road through bike
18th June : back to Leh through bike
19th June : Rest in Leh
20th June : Leh to Sarchu via cab
21st June : Sarchu to Manali via cab
23rd June : Manali
24th June : Manali to Delhi and back to Hyd
Please suggest any changes if required.
3.I am mostly concerned about, will it be a good idea to travel from Nubra Valley to Pangong directly from Shyok Road in mid June, through bikes as we are a group of 3 couples.
4. As per the new rules do we need any permits for our route.
Please give your valuable advice
Regards,
Prabhash
Hey Prabhash,
Good to see you planning the trip again.
1. June is a good time to travel to Ladakh
2. I will recommend that you rest for two days in Leh before going to Nubra Valley. Rest plan looks OK.
3. Many people take this route now and have become more and more dominant every year. So, once you reach Nubra, inquire about the road conditions at Agham village or taxi folks or this forum where we post the status updates and then take a call.
4. Yes, you will need permit for Nubra Valley and Pangong Tso both
Hi, I am planning to travel to Leh alone on 30th Sept. and my itinerary is like…
Day 1 – Arrive in Leh & acclimatize.
Day 2 – Drive to Alchi. Enroute visit Magnetic Hill, Gurudwara Patthar Sahib, Confluence of Zanskar and Indus river. Visit Alchi Monastery and drive back to Leh. Just before reaching Leh, visit Ladakh Hall of fame.
Day 3 – Leh to Nubra Via Khardungla Pass
Day 4 – Nubra to Pangong to Leh
Day 5 – Leave Leh
Travel will be on either Scorpio, Xylo or Qualis.
My biggest concern is the route to take on Day 4.
Looking forward to your kind advise.
Thanks.
Bopanna, Day 4 does not seem realistic to me. Also, it is highly recommended to not travel on the direct route alone and have some company of vehicles as the route is quite desolated. Drop Pangong Tso or add a day to cover it.
Hi Dheeraj,
We are reaching Leh around 20th Sep. We have both Nubra and Pangong in itinerary. Travel agent has recommended to reach Pangong via Shyok from Nubra. Is the road good and safe now? Two ladies will be travelling.
Thanks,
Sri
Sri, Nubra to Pangong Tso is open now, so taxi driver will be able to take you on that route even though road conditions are not that good. It is always recommended to wait for few more vehicles at Agham village and travel in a group on the desolate route.
Hey dhiraj,
i am a regular reader of your blog and getting inspiration from your blog from the last two years finally i am going to leh on 17th september. we are two girls traveling there and have five days itinerary. we have our return flights on 21 of september. nubra valley and pangong lake are the two attractions that i surely need to include in my short trip. i need your help in making the perfect itinerary for the same. my plan goes like this 17-leh, 18-19 leh to nubra valley, stay at nubra valley, 19-20 nubra valley to pangong stay at pangong, 20- return to leh and 21 flight for delhi. Kindly give me the right direction for framing the perfect itinerary and also suggest the budget so that we make make our financial plans accordingly. please reply asap as i need to book stays there accordingly. thanks in advance
Hello Deepika,
I will strongly suggest to follow the plan mentioned in How to make trip to Ladakh in 5 Days?
Hi Dheeraj,
I have a bike trip to Leh this August. After having acclimatisation there, while return I have a plan to take a rout via Nubra Valley, Pangong Tso, Tsomoriri, Tso Kar and then to Manali. I also intend to visit Khardungla but that’s not possible through this rout I guess..
How should I make an itinerary for this return trip.? Please advise.
Hey Tenzin,
Khardung La connects Leh to Nubra Valley, so when you travel to Nubra Valley you will pass Khardung La first. How many days do you have in hand?
I have around 10-12 days Dheeraj… That’s excluding stay in Leh…
You can easily do 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 with taxi driver and you can refer the thread for a comprehensive list of drivers: List of Taxi Drivers for Ladakh – Srinagar – Leh – Manali
— 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 – Khardung La – Diskit – Hunder – Turtuk
— Head for Nubra Valley and stay overnight at Turtuk
— On the way enjoy a cup of soup at Highest Motorable Pass (as claimed) Khardung La
— enjoy the culture in the Turtuk Village
— do mention Turtuk on the permits
Day 4 | Turtuk – Hunder
— Spend whole day at Turtuk and reach Hunder by evening
— Overnight at Hunder
Day 5 | Hunder – Deskit – Sumur – Panamik – Sumur – Khardung La – Leh
— Diskit has monasteries with tallest lord Buddha statue and Hunder has sand dunes and bacterian camel safari
— Enjoy drive upto Panamik, visit Yarab Tso Lake and back Leh
— Sumur has a famous monastery to check out and Panamik has hot water springs
— Overnight at Leh
Day 6 | 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 7 | Pangong Tso Lake – Thicksey Monastery – Shey Palace – Leh
— Cover either of Hemis, Thicksey and Shey on return to Leh
— Overnight at Leh
Day 8 | Rest day at Leh to enjoy local culture and some shopping OR You can do tour to Sham Valley
— Sham Valley include Alchi, Likir, Basgo Palace, Magnetic Hills, Confluence at Nimmu, Gurudwara Pather Sahib
— Overnight at Leh
Day 9 | Leh – Tso Moriri via Chumathang
— Cover Karzok Monastery
— Overnight at Karzok or Tso Moriri
Day 10 | Tso Moriri – Tso Kar – Debring (Manali – Leh Highway starts) – Moore Plains – Pang / Sarchu
— Try to start early in the day so that you reach Sarchu where the accommodation options are better than Pang
— Overnight at Sarchu or Pang
Day 11 | Pang / Sarchu – Baralacha La – Jispa
— On the way cover Suraj Tal, Deepak Tal which are on the road sides only
— Overnight at Jispa
Day 12 | Jispa – Keylong – Rohtang Pass – Manali
— On the way cover Suraj Tal, Deepak Tal which are on the road sides only
— Overnight at Manali
Day 13 | Manali – Delhi
— Return home
Hi Dheeraj,
I think you got little confused with my travel. I am traveling by bike ride and for my whole trip I have around 15 days from the day I leave from Manali on the bike. And while return I want to cover Tsomoriri, Tsokar and then to Manali.
I wanna know the 12 days schedule that you’ve made for me (below) looks perfect but can I consider that same schedule for my bike trip as well, because I believe you thought i was gonna hire a cab.?
Yes Tenzin, you can follow the same plan and can refer for initial days as below
Day 1 | Delhi – Manali/Solang Valley
— Better stay at Solang Valley and avoid Manali as sleeping at Solang Valley does help in acclimatization
— If going by own car, get the permit made in advance to drive on Manali – Rohtang Pass road through hotel/travel agent in Manali
— Overnight at Manali/Solang Valley
Day 2 | Manali/Solang Valley – Keylong/Jispa
— It is always better to stay either at Keylong/Jispa so that you do not feel sick or hit by AMS.
— Avoid sleeping at Sarchu at any cost while going to Leh from Manali because your body will not be acclimatized by the time you reach there.
— I prefer staying at Jispa more because Keylong gives the feeling of a town while Jispa is more closer to nature having Bhaga river running just aside the Manali – Leh Highway at Jispa.
— Overnight at Keylong/Jispa
Day 3 | Keylong/Jispa – Leh
— Leave Keylong/Jispa early next morning, say by 4/5 AM types, so that you reach Leh in the evening.
— Overnight at Leh
Day 4 | Leh Local Sightseeing + Inner Line Permits
— To know the about the places to visit check the link: Travel Guide for Local Sightseeing of Leh Town in Ladakh
— For more details on inner line permits process and to download application form read the link here
— Overnight at Leh
Once, you reach Leh and acclimatize then you can very much follow the plan I suggested previously by going to Nubra and rest followed.
Thank you so much Dheeraj for the very quick response.. Your tips and the schedule made are highly helpful. Thank you so much.
Best wishes for the trip !!
Hi Dheeraj,
Hope you are doing good.
I would like to understand the best possible route to reach tsomoriri and tsokqr from leh.
And also please advise me whether can I head back to manali from tsokar?
Your assistance herein is grwtly appreciated.
Day 1 | Leh – Tso Moriri via Chumathang
— Cover Karzok Monastery
— Overnight at Karzok or Tso Moriri
Day 2 | Tso Moriri – Tso Kar – Debring (Manali – Leh Highway starts) – Taglang La – Upshi – Leh
— Come back via Tso Kar and Manali – Leh Highway to Leh
— Overnight at Leh
OR
Day 2 | Tso Moriri – Tso Kar – Debring (Manali – Leh Highway starts) – Moore Plains – Pang / Sarchu
— Try to start early in the day so that you reach Sarchu where the accommodation options are better than Pang
— Overnight at Sarchu or Pang
Day 3 | Pang / Sarchu – Baralacha La – Keylong – Rohtang Pass – Manali
— On the way cover Suraj Tal, Deepak Tal which are on the road sides only
— Overnight at Manali
Hi dheeraj,
Greeting,
My plan as follows
Day 1– land leh in morning and acclimatize
Day 2 — leh – pangong
Day 3 — pangong — diskit via shok route
Day 4 — diskit — tyakshi — diskit
Day 5 — diskit – summor – leh
Day 6 — leh – magnat hill – leh
Pls also tell about pangong diskit route via shyok
No Faisal, you must plan for two days if rest and acclimatize in Leh after landing in Leh. Then you have 4 days at hand, make two day trip to Nubra Valley first and then a two day trip to Panogng Tso.
Thanks for reply,
Please tell me about pangong diskit route via shyok, how much time taken
Pangong Tso – Nubra via Deskit takes about 6-6.5 hrs depending upon breaks taken in between.
thanks Dheeraj fr providing continuously support.
i just would like to know what is inner line permission, whether we need this for travelling pangong and nubra valley
Yes Failsal, Inner Line Permits are again required from this year for Indians and they can be applied online. Use the link: Ladakh Inner Line Permits Available Online. Once applied, take the print out and pay the fee at Tourist Info Center in Leh or DC Office in Leh.
Hi Dheeraj,
Thanks for being so helpful to people to plan their trips for Ladakh
My Journey is as below
July 27th – Land in Srinagar and Local
July 28th – Gulmarg and back to Srinagar
July 29th – Srinagar to Kargil
July 30th – Kargil to Leh
July 31st – Local sighseeing at Leh
Aug 1st – Leh to Nubra
Aug 2nd – Nubra to Pangong
Aug 3rd – Pangong to Leh
Aug 4th – Fly back from Leh
I planned to book a private Innova/Xylo for the entire trip and we are 6 adults. Couple of tour operators said that I cannot plan for Nubra to Pangong directly. They just said a blank “NO”because roads will be in bad shape in August. Few others are fine. Whats your suggestions? Personally I don’t mind taking that bit of stretch!
Thanks in advance
Bhavik, best will be to tell once you reach the Agham village and then take a call if the route is too dangerous or even open. Shyok river swells during monsoon and some section becomes closed or too difficult to cross. I will recommend that you drop Gulmarg trip and do two day trip to Nubra and two day trip to Pangong tso.
Hello Dheeraj sir please provide me some tips on below route:-
we are going to leh second time. this time our progrmme is via manali its own vehcles, sir it is possible we are going to pang to tso moriri lake, tso moriri to pangong and pangong to nubra valley. please tell me how many days to be spent on this route.
No Ravinder, you should avoid taking a direct route to Tso Moriri from Manali. Best is to reach Leh from Manali and then make rest of the trip as rest in Leh, then two day trip to Nubra Valley and then Pangong Tso, Pangong tso to hanle, Hanle to tso Moriri and tso moriri to manali
we are agree with your advice,
we are very thankful to sir,
Best wishes for the trip.
Hello Dheeraj,
My friends and I are planning a tour from Manali to Srinagar as per below itinerary in 01JULY (6 people 3 bikes)
Day 1 – Manali to Keylong/Jispa to Sarchu
Day 2 – Sarchu to Pangong Lake
Day 3 – Pangong Lake to Leh
Day 4 – Leh to Kargil
Day 5 – Kargil to Srinagar
We have very limited number of leaves but we figured its now or never. Would really appreciate your expert feedback on the below .
Can we ride the above itinerary with bikes rented in Manali or is there any restrictions in Leh . Would really like to know your detailed thoughts and advise on the route from ” Sarchu to Pangong Lake ”
Thanks
Marzu, the above plan will most likely land you up in hospital or will put you or your friends very close to near death experience. When we travel from Manali to Leh, we have to take care about acclimatization which is not at all present in above plan. At minimum to make a bit safer trip by road to Ladakh, you will need to have at least 9 days from Delhi for Manali route and 10 days if you choose to do the circuit of Manali – Ladakh – Srinagar.
Thank you Dheeraj bhai for the clear advise much appreciated !
I guess since we are flying in from Dubai to Manali we were trying to do as much as we can in the short leave.We are comparatively fit and used to riding but dont have any experience on high altitudes hence the plan 🙂 . Would you please help us to replan the below itinerary for seven days.
You can remove Srinager and Kargil if its not advised
Day 1 – Manali
Day 2 – Manali to Keylong/Jispa to Sarchu
Day 3 – Sarchu to Pangong Lake
Day 4 – Pangong Lake to Leh
Day 5 – Leh to Kargil
Day 6 – Kargil to Srinagar
Day 7 – Srinagar
We are planning only ONE way trip so we can drop of the bikes in Leh or Srinagar. Or would you recommend travelling from Srinager to Manali.
Looking forward to your advise .
If you have 7 days in hand, can you fly to Leh? If yes, you can do following:
Day 1 | Leh and acclimatize
Day 2 | Leh rest day, local tour light rides
Day 3 | Leh – Khardung La – Nubra Valley
Day 4 | Nubra Valley – Pangong Tso
Day 5 | Pangong Tso – Pang/Sarchu
Day 6 | Pang/Sarchu – Manali
Day 7 | Fly back
Dear Dheeraj ,
Thanks a lot for your inputs will try to plan our itinerary as advised by you..
Just one clarification how do we do the Pangong Tso – Pang/Sarchu route .Couldn’t find any clarity in any forum about this route.
How much is the distance and how long does it take. Could you please give us more details so that we can plan accordingly
Thanks in advance.
Pangong Tso – Chang La – Karu and then take the left to Manali – Leh Highway instead of going back to Leh. You will have to leave around 6 AM from Pangong Tso to reach Sarchu in time before sunset.
Sir,
Is it possible to go from Pangong Lake to Nubra Valley via Wari La by a High GC vehicle like Quanto on 2nd weak of June this year? Please suggest.
Saurav, it is better to take Shyok – Agham route instead of longer Wari La route. Qaunto is capable enough to do both the routes. Just make sure you are joined by some vehicles on these desolated direct routes.
Sir,
It is my honour to here you. I have a little confusion about the route you said. In DoW map you marked this route in red line that means this route is for 4×4 vehicle with high GC. Will my vehicle Quanto will be able to cover this route though it have a high GC? Please suggest.
Regards,
Saurav, the map is a bit outdated, 3 years old, things have settled now and most of the taxis do it which are 4×2 only. Of course, it wont be easy but higher GC will help you pass through tricky sections.
Sir,
I want to discuss with you about out tour itinerary. We are 6 adults travelling together from Durgapur, West Bengal in my Quanto vehicle. Day wise itinerary will be as follows:
2nd June, Day 1: we will start from our home at 2 AM and expected to reach at Etawah, UP by 8 PM (982 km as per google map). Night stay.
Day 2: Etawah to Pathankot (803 km) starting at around 7 AM. Night stay at Pathankot.
Day 3: Pathankot to Sonamarg 407 km. (your suggestion needed whether we can do it)
Day 4: Sonamarg to Kargil.
Day 5: Kargil to Leh.
Day 6: Leh for procuring the permission. If possible we will go for local sight seen.
Day 7: Leh to Pangong Tso. Night Stay.
Day 8: Pangong Tso to Diskit / Hunder via Shyok – Agham route (as per your suggestion).
Day 9: After visiting the local sight seen and Turtuk we have a plan to go to Sumur. Night stay at Sumur (your Suggestion needed).
Day 10: Sumur to Upshi via Khardung La after visiting hot spring at Panamik.
Day 11: Upshi -Kiari – Chumathang – Korozk (Tso Moriri).
Day 12: Korozk – Sumdo – taking left turn Polokung La – Pang – Sarchu (night Stay).
Day 13: Sarchu – Keylong – Rothang – Manali. We want to proceed further and stay at Bhuntar. Is it possible?
Day 14: Bhuntar – Pinjore / Ambala (here we need your help, we don’t want to stay at chandigarh). Please suggest.
Day 15: Your suggested place to Kanpur.
Day 16: Kanpur – Home.
Can I travel with 6 adults in my vehicle at those roads? We have a plan to remove both side footrest and back door footrest to get better GC.
If you think that we need to change some portion of the tour plan for safety and betterment of us please suggest.
With best regards,
Inputs below:
— You can do Sonamarg to Lamayuru or Alchi instead of staying at Kargil.
— You must do Nubra Valley before sleeping at Pangong Tso.
— Make sure you have company on direct desolated route to Pangong Tso from Nubra Valley via Agham – Shyok. Avoid goind alone
— Skip Sumur and Panamik, keep it limited to Hunder, deskit, Turtuk
— From Pangong Tso, return to Leh and next day do Leh to Tso Moriri and exit from Sarchu to Manali route
— Sarchu to Bhunter should be manageable
— You can directly reach around Delhi from Bhunter or nearby instead of staying in between and cut short route to Kanpur
Sir,
Thank you for your valuable tips. Can we do the day 12 trip through Polokung La? Is there any stay option at Lamayuru or Alchi? Can you provide me the Hotel numbers over there? And the most important thing – is it possible to get your cell no? You can sms me at my no also 09851020200. So that, in case of any problem we can contact with you for your suggestion because you know the enter region like your palm.
With best regards,
Yes, you can do that route. Yes, there are stay options at both Lamayuru and Alchi. Just land there and find to your budget and liking. Not many people stopover, so you will find on that spot.
Sir,
Sorry to disturb you again. We have a confusion, We are 6 adults and my vehicle is 1500 cc with a output of 100 bhp. Can we complete the whole trip including Leh to Manali on that vehicle ? Your suggestion is strongly needed.
Regards,
Saurav
Saurav, I believe you should be able to do it and the only issue I see if fitting so many people with luggage and all for such a long days of road trip journey. It will surely cause discomfort.
Hi
Our plan is
13th July – reach Leh by 10, acclimatisation and rest till afternoon and if feeling good visit Leh palace shanti stupa and local bazar over night stay at Leh
14 th Leh to nubra valley via kardulgla pass
Over night stay at nubra valley
15 th nubra to pangong
Overnight stay at pangong
16 th pangong to Leh on the way visit hemis shey and ṭhiksey monastery
Overnight stay in Leh
17 th Leh to Kargil visit magnetic hill river gurudwara on the way
Overnight stay at Kargil
18 th Kargil to sonmarg
Any corrections needed pls advise
And also we are vegetarians so pls give tips for that also
We all are in age group of 22-25
And one person age 44
Hi Akshay,
I will strongly recommend that you skip the part of driving down to Srinagar and do Leh at ease. You should be doing 2 days of rest and acclimatization after flying to Leh. Then you should do two day trips each to Nubra Valley and Pangong Tso else it is going to be hectic but in case you want to go with it at least have one more rest day in Leh because 36 hrs of acclimatization is at least required to travel to high altitude places.
We will be visiting amarnath holy cave before reaching Leh by air so need your advice that still we need time to acclimatisation holy cave ll be at 14500 feet
HI Dheeraj,
Shall we first visit Nubhra valley or Pangong lake taking acclimatization in mind.
You must visit Nubra Valley first
hi dheeraj can u tell me if this itinerary is doable in the month of may
5th may =mumbai to leh
6th may = leh local sight seeing, magnetic hill, zanskar n indus river confluence
7th may = leh to nubra valley, stay in nubra valley
8th may = nubra valley to pangong lake ( only if u suggest because we are only 2 guys and will b travelling on bike ) i dont know much abt the road conditions and safety on this route. Your detailed inputs needed on this
9th may = pangong to tso kar. stay in tso kar because going to tso moriri will take 12-15 hrs (330 km ) from pangong, and only one of us will b riding the bike fr whole trip
10th may = tso kar to tso moriri. stay in tso moriri.
11th may = tso moriri to leh
12th may = leh to mumbai
Now i wanna know wheter all roads and s destination will b open as i am travelling in the start of may . also pls suggest if u think i shud make any necessary changes in the itinerary.. regard , piyush
Hi Piyush,
8th may = nubra valley to pangong lake
— It is a desolated route and one must have company with him/her on these routes. If you have couple of more bikers to tag along that way at Agham village or couple of cars that can come handy in need of the hour, then only go for it.
9th may = pangong to hanle should be done on this day, Tso Kar is in a different direction. Refer: DoW – Maps of Ladakh | Nubra Valley & Changthang
10th may = Hanle to tso moriri.
You will need inner line permits to travel to these places and also make sure that you are carrying enough fuel to cover this circuit.
What all Inner line permits are required to visit Leh. (Khardungla, Nubra and Pangong).
How to get them and how much it costs us?
Hi Aditya,
You should refer: Ladakh Inner Line Permit Updates on Process & Download Form
Hi dheeraj
Can you suggest if the below itinerary is good to travel on taxi in julu:
Day 1 : leh
Day 2: leh
Day 3:leh to nubra
Day 4: nubra to pangong
Day 5: pangong to tsomoriri
Day 6: tsomoriri to leh
Day 7: leh
It is quite hectic and you will need permits for this trip to travel from Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri. Better skip Tso Moriri this time.
Is it better to skip pangong or tsomoriri considering the crowd & scenic beauty. And how long would it take tsomoriri from Leh.
Tso MOriri to Leh is about 8-9 hrs. Well, skipping for crowd? Then skipping Pangong tso makes sense as Tso MOriri, not many go 🙂
But do both pangong & tsomoriri are equally beautiful? Which one do you suggest to visit?
Yes more or less. I prefer Tso Moriri, it still has charm and not lost in crowd.
Thanks for your reply dheeraj. Can the below itinerary be worked out:
Day 1 – reach leh
Day 2 – local sight seeing on bike
Day 3 – leh to nubra on taxi
Day 4 – nubra to Pangong on taxi
Day 5 – Pangong to leh
Day 6 – leh to tsomoriri
Day 7 – tsomoriri to leh
Day 8 – depart from leh
And also will therebe any public transport available in july to travel to nubra or pangong
Looks fine to me. Public transport will be available but frequency to these places is not good. You may check shared taxis though in Leh in case the dates matches for you.
Hi dheeraj
Apart from leh local sight seeing, nubra and pangong, can u pls suggest some offbeat destinations near to leh which can be visited in 1 or 2 days? TIA
You can include Hanle in your plan which can be covered with Tso Moriri trip. Also, there is Dah Hanu Villages which is also couple of days trip from Leh.
I’m coming in june month with my group, kindly suggest me where and how i have to take and apply for inner line permisissions.
Hitesh, what is the route you are planning? You do not need permits as Indians anymore for conventional routes to Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri, Nubra.
Hi dheeraj,
We are planning ladakh trip in July 2nd week for 7days which includes nubra and pangong. How much would the taxi cost for the entire 7 days trip. Is it possible to book in advance? Any contacts available,?
Thanks in advance
Hi Sandeepya,
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. You can call the local drivers directly to connect with them and check the comprehensive List of Taxi Drivers for Ladakh – Srinagar – Leh – Manali with recommendations/reviews for DoW community members.
Hi Dheeraj,
Thank for the valuable information to all travelers. Do you have any idea about following information:
1) when Srinagar to Leh road will be opened in 2017?
2) when Manali-rohatang pass to Leh road will be opened in 2017?
Thanks,
Swapnil
Please subscribe to Manali Leh Highway Status 2017 and Srinagar Leh Highway Status 2017
Hello Dhiraj, We are 15riders riding on RE350 & 500CC. Our iterniery is
22june Chandigarh
23june Jammu
24june Shrinagar
25june Kargil
26june Leh
27 june Leh
28 June Nubra valley
29 June Pangong Lake
30 june Leh
31 june Sarchu
1 july Manali
2 july Chandigarh
My question is this route is fine na? And which route will be fine Wari La or Shyok while Traveling from Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso? We don’t have any backupvan.
Please guide & Thanks in Advance.
Abhijit, the route you are planning to take looks fine to me and your plan too. Go with Shyok route as you will have multiple bikes which can come for rescue in case there is any need of it.
Thanks a lot Dhiraj Bhai for ur very much valuable information. Will take Shyok route.
Best wishes for your trip to Ladakh, feel free to post any further questions you may have for your trip.
Thank you so much Bhai.
Best wishes for your trip, feel free to post any further questions you may have for the trip 🙂
Hello dheeraj sir, we r a group of 6 boys wish to leh in October 17. Following is the itinerary I have made . Plz correct me if I m wrong.
Day 1 : Rest n local sights
Day 2 : magnetic hill n pather sahib n acclimatization.
Day 3 : leh to nubra
Day 4 : nubra to pangong via Agham
Day 5 : pangong to leh
Day 6 : Return
We don’t have much experience of riding bikes in mountains . Is this good to go nubra n pangong on bikes for us.
Plz reply soon.
Thanks
Hey Rajat,
Do a day trip on Day 2 on bike ride and then decide. You will surely feel challenges on these roads especially near the passes, so depending upon how comfortable you are with cold conditions and riding bike, please decide. A small injury can lead to fatal results in such remote places, so keep that in mind always. Also, in case you are riding first time, avoid Agham-Shyok route.
I have done khardoongla in 2014 n didn’t face any problem what so ever. Yes my friends r visiting leh for the first time.
Is my itinerary fine ?
Your plan looks OK, make sure you have company in case you are taking Agham – Shyok route. It is a desolated route as mentioned in the article above.
Thanks a lot. Plz tell me the distance :
Leh to nubra valley
Nubra valley to pangong via Agham
n pangong to leh.
Rajat, please refer: DoW – Maps of Ladakh | Nubra Valley & Changthang
Hello Dheeraj,
Amazed by the extensive research you have and the time and effort you have put in to collate all the information and help others! A hearty thanks! While, I will reach out to you for your comments once the itinerary is shaping up, I wanted a quick response from you
1) For the feasibility to Travel to Pangong Lake from Turtuk without touching Leh. Is there an alternative place that we can take a night around Khardung Village and not double up back and forth. Or will you suggest to get back to Leh and Plan Pangong seperately
2) Suggestion for visiting Tso Moriri. Since this is our first ime in the Ladakh region, is it worth visiting both the lakes or any one of them? and if there is a way to do so without back and forth from Leh.
Thanks in advance.
Thank you Srey !! You made my day 🙂
1. As you read in the article about, there are two direct routes to reach Pangong Tso. Now a day Agham – Shyok route is doable and if you have company of vehicles better take that route to reach Pangong Tso by evening from Turtuk
2. Well, in case you have luxury of days, better visit Tso Moriri lake as well because journey to the lake is also beautiful 🙂
Hi Dheeraj
Would like your advise on Nubra Valley – Pangong Tso route options.
Around 15 Jun 2017….Self driven Scorpio (04 Passengers ; 02 M + 02 F)
Is it advisable to do it without getting back to Leh.
Regards
Sharad
Sharad, as suggested int he article, the routes are desolated. Please confirm from locals before going into these routes about the present conditions and also, make sure you have company along the route just in case something goes wrong, there is some help.
we are also planning the trip aroun 15 june and we are also thinkng about the same route ……
Hi Dheeraj,
We are planning to visit Leh-Ladakh-Nubra with a team of 11 members(6 M,5 F) in August as per following plan:
Date Day Plan
Saturday, August 12, 2017 Day1 Meet at Srinagar
Sunday, August 13, 2017 Day2 Srinagar to Sonmarg via Pahelgaon
Monday, August 14, 2017 Day3 Sonmarg to Kargil via Drass
Tuesday, August 15, 2017 Day4 Kargil to Leh via Lamayuru
Wednesday, August 16, 2017 Day5 Local Leh sightseeing
Thursday, August 17, 2017 Day6 Leh to Hundar via Khardungla
Friday, August 18, 2017 Day7 Hundar to Turtuk,back to Sumur
Saturday, August 19, 2017 Day8 Sumur to Warshi,back to Khalsar/Agam
Sunday, August 20, 2017 Day9 Khalsar/Agam to Pangong via Wari La/Agham Shayok Road
Monday, August 21, 2017 Day10 Pangong to Hanley via Chusul
Tuesday, August 22, 2017 Day11 Hanley to Tso Moriri
Wednesday, August 23, 2017 Day12 Tso Moriri to Sarchu,Tso Kar
Thursday, August 24, 2017 Day13 Sarchu to Manali
Friday, August 25, 2017 Day14 Backup day at Manali
Saturday, August 26, 2017 Day15 Manali/Shimla to Chandigarh
Sunday, August 27, 2017 Day16 Checkout
How does it like?please share your views
Thanks
Your plan looks fine except Pahalgam which might be too much. So, please drop it. Rest you will be having taxi so fuel he will be managing and then for direct route to Hanle from Pangong tso, you will need inner line permits from DC office in Leh.
Hi Dheeraj,
We are a group of 5 (4M, 1F). We are planning for12 nights Leh Ladakh trip . In this trip, we also want to cover Hemis festival (03rd and 4th july, 2017). We are starting from Kolkata. Below is our itinerary,
30th June Kolkata – Srinagar(Flight)
1st July Srinagar – Kargil via Sonmarg
2nd July Kargil – Leh
3rd July Hemis Festival
4th July Leh – Nubra Valley
5th July Nubra Valley – Pangong Lake
6th July Pangong lake – Leh
7th July Local sightseeing
8th July Leh – Tsomoriri Lake
9th July Tsomiri lake -Tso Kar – Sarchu
10th July Sarchu – Manali
11th July Manali – Delhi
12th July Delhi – Kolkata(FLight)
Is it look good?
Also, we have planned to not pre book hotel or cab. So I just want to know will those be available at that time? What can be the expected expenditure?
Thanks in advance,
Dipmala
Dipmala, you plan looks good and balanced to me. It would be much better if you come back to Leh from Nubra Valley or spend that local sightseeing day in Turtuk in Nubra Valley. Yeah, if you are OK to search few hotels here and there, it should be fine to get the hotel on the spot.
Thank You Dheeraj for such a quick response. Let me check how I can reshuffle those days to manage the sightseeing at Turtuk.
Going for a 12 days trip without a pre-booked cab is a wise decision? Or I need to rethink on it?
I think if you have a pre-booked cab and do not have too much preferences to stay at specific places and aren’t tooo choosy on places to stay, it should be perfectly fine and cabbie will help you always in finding a decent, clean place to stay.
hello Deeraj,
i’m susy from indonesia with a group of 5person, planning to visit leh direct from kathmandu.
we’re planning to rent a car with the driver. so
i need your suggestion from our itinerary as we only have limited time.
we’ll be arrive in leh at may 8th and leaving to delhi from srinagar at may 14th
we’d love to visit nubra valley then pangong n moriri
after that we’ll leaving to srinagar with overnight in kargil/mulbekh
could you give us some suggestion with our plan below :
may 8th : Leh in the morning
may 9th : Leh – Nubra Valley Take direct route from Nubra Valley to pangong, overnight in pangong
may 10th : Pangong – moriri – leh
may 11th : Leh – Kargil/mulbekh
may 12th : Kargil/mulbekh – sonnmarg overnight in sonmarg
may 13 : sonmarg – srinagar overnight srinagar
may 14 : srinagar – delhi
pls review and if there’s any better route you could suggest, we’ll love to change our plan
thanks in advance
susy
Hello Susy,
You do not have enough days in hand to make such a trip. I will suggest you under take following travel plan for better acclimatization
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 with taxi driver and you can refer the thread for a comprehensive list of drivers: List of Taxi Drivers for Ladakh – Srinagar – Leh – Manali
— 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 – 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 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
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 | 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 7 | Kargil – Drass – Zozi La – Sonamarg – Srinagar
— Enjoy the vistas enroute
— Have late drunch meal at Sonamarg
— Overnight at Srinagar
Thank you very much for your reply….
I have another question nubra valley and moriri
1. Is it worthy to skip nubra n adding moriri as new destination ?
2. Is it possible to do?
I don’t mind to skip 1 of between nubra or pangong. Got interesting too much to moriri
Which one that you think it’s better to skip?
I saw all the pictures and all beautifull, then i started confused to decided which one i should choose in my first trip to leh.
Will be back again after this trip to visit the places that i skip
Need more advice from you…
Thx before ^^
Hello Susy,
I will suggest to keep Nubra and skip Tso Moriri as you may be visiting Pangong Tso lake any how. If first trip, go with Pangong Tso and Nubra
Hi Deeraj 🙂
forgive for my late respon…. been a while with another trip…
already decided some place to visit as your suggestion, but also combine with the driver(guide) advice.
i will write again after got the perfect plan with the guide.
thank you very much for your advice, will be back soon with my report 🙂
Sure, feel free to post any further questions you may have for the trip. Always here to help 🙂 .. You can use our newly introduced “Ask a Question” section to keep a track of your questions/replies to it and also receive email notifications when the reply is made on your question 🙂
Hi Dheeraj
Need you advise for below Itinerary.
Day1. -Arrival in Srinagar. stay overnight at Srinagar
Day2. -Srinagar – Sonmarg – Kargil.
Day3. -Kargil – Lamayuru – Leh. Visit Alchi, Sangam,Gurudwara Patthar Sahib and Magnetic Hill. Visit Lamayuru monastery enroute.stay overnight
Day4.Leh – Nubra Via Khardungla Pass.stay overnight at the camp at Nubra.
Day5.Nubra-Pangong Lake.
Day6.Pangong – Tsomoriri,Chumathang hot springs, Mahe and Puga Sumdo.
Day7.Tsomoriri – Jhispa,Stay overnight in Jispa
Day8.Jispa – Manali
Day9.Manali-Delhi.
Please suggest if i need to shorten the trip which i need to drop, Pangong/Tsomoriri?
The date is from 29thApril to 9th May.
Thanks
Anindya
Your plan is too hectic without any buffer days or rest days. You do not even have a mandatory acclimatization day in Leh. I will not suggest going through this plan. Better add couple of more days to ease out journey.
Dear Dhiraj,
I am planning to visit Leh-Ladakh in June 2017. We are a group of 10 persons, basically 3 families with ladies and children (all above 10). The tentative itinerary is as follows :
Jun 4 : Srinagar to Sonamarg. Night halt
Jun 5 : Sonamarg to Kargil. Night halt
Jun 6 : Kargil to Uleytopko. Night halt
Jun 7 : Uley to Leh. Night halt
Jun 8 : Leh local sightseeing
Jun 9 : Leh to hunder. Night halt at Hunder
Jun 10 : Hunder to Leh (Here we were thinking of the alternative direct route from Agham-Shyok, not Wari-La to save an additional day. According to this report, yogeshsarkar.com/blog/2017/01/27/how-to-travel-from-nubra-to-pangong-tso/, this route is now doable. Please comment whether we should risk it. )
Jun 11 : Pangong to Tso-Moriri. Night halt at Tso-Moriri (Here my question is whether visiting Tso-Moriri is worth visiting after staying a night at Pangong-Tso. Wont the 2 vistas be similar. Also would we be acclimatised enough for spending the night at Tso-Moriri and Pangong).
Jun 12 : Tso-Moriri to Leh
Jun 13 : Leh to Jispa ( Would the Manali-Leh highway open at that time)
Jun 14 : Jispa stay for rest and natural beauty. (Is a days stay here worth it?)
Jun 15: Jispa to Manali
Jun 16 : Manali to Chandigarh
Hello Mayoor,
You started with a easy pace but then you picked up too much for families. The road is pretty much doable now from Nubra to Pangong Tso via Agham. However, the problem will be desolation and with families, it scare even more. If you can find some vehicles to accompany you can attempt that route to reach Pangong Tso. Once Pangong Tso, come back to Leh on June 11. Now on June 12, start for Tso Moriri after filling up the tanks. June 13, make Tso Moriri to Jispa by starting early in the day else in worst circumstances you can stay at Sarchu. Spending a day in Jispa shall be fine.
Dear Dhiraj,
Thanks a lot for the reply. I think we would drop Tso-Moriri as one of the families has a senior person with high BP (though he is well-controlled with medicines). He was concerned about spending a night at such high altitude. Would spending a night at Pangong with the easy schedule of acclimatisation that we have selected cause any problems. If so, can we return to Leh on the same day. I was very keen to spend a night at Pangong.
Mayoor, there is little difference between Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri. So, if you are able to spend night at Pangong Tso, you should be good with Tso Moriri too but if you want to avoid that is fine. In case you feel something at Pangong Tso, you guys can get down to stay at Tangtse which is 34 KMs from Pangong Tso towards Leh. That shall help as well.
Dear Dhiraj,
We will be skipping Tso-Moriri, but since the route from Pangong to Tso-Moriri passing via Man, Merak, Chusul is very scenic, instead of going towards Lulung can we go via Man, Merak, Chusul & then take a turn to reach Tangste and then on to Leh. How many hours should it take us to do the journey. Can we do this journey in a day. Do we need to take Permits for the same
It is a very tiring and bumpy journey as well. Yes, you can take the route from Pangong tso to Chusul and back to Tangtse for night stay but you cannot reach Leh the same day.
And yes the inner line permits will be required for it.
I think we will go directly from Pangong-Tso to Leh. We have one extra day with us–should we take a rest day in Leh before starting for Jispa or spend an extra day in Jispa to explore the natural beauty there. Also, how good would be a day journey to Turtuk from Hunder. If so, do we have to spend an extra day in hunder. Sorry for bothering you too much but really appreciate your prompt replies and indepth explanations
Yes Mayoor, better that you spend an extra day and visit Turtuk Village, it is a nice village offering good views and culture. And it makes sense to return to Pangong Tso and then spend an extra day in Jispa, a quaint & offbeat village.
Thanks Dhiraj. We will spend 2 nights at nubra so as to do a day journey to Turtuk. And also spend an extra day at Jispa. We will probably have a lazy walk along the bank’s of the river. We don’t want to drive long-distance on that day. Any place worth visiting within a few kilometers drive from Jispa
May be try to go towards Shingo La pass from Darcha. You need to go back to Darcha and then travel towards Shingo La which is just now open last year by BRO and when connected fully, it will connect Padum in Zanskar Valley to Darcha on Manali – Leh Highway. Darcha to Shingo La pass is about 40 KMs. Jispa to Darcha is around 7-8 KMs. But keep in mind that road will be bumpy.
Thanks Dhiraj. Will take a call regarding Shingola pass on that day depending on how tired we all will be after the drive from leh to jispa and how the road condition of Shingola pass is in mid June after talking to locals and drivers in jispa. Thanks for your input
Yes, that will be the best option. Talk to the guys at the checkpost at Darcha when you make an entry in the police register there. They should be able to give you some knowhow else check with hotel guys at Ibex or Padma Guest house.
Dear Dheeraj,
We had finalized our Ladakh Itinerary starting from Jun 6th and returning via Leh-Manali road on Jun 18th. The last few days planned were as follows:
Jun 15: Leh to Jispa
Jun 16: Jispa (??Shingo-La pass or Trilokinath, maybe rest day)
Jun 17: Jispa to Manali
Jun 18: Manali to Chandigarh. Catch plane in evening for Mumbai.
A situation has developed wherein our return flight from Chandigarh which was due at 6.00 PM in evening has been preponed to 12.25 PM. All evening flights have been rescheduled on that day due to Airport maintenance work. Now it is not possible to leave from Manali and reach Chandigarh before 12.25 PM.
We have 2 options now.
1. Skip extra day at Jispa ( skip Shingo-La) and return one day earlier to Mumbai
2. Instead of Jispa to Manali on Jun17, leave early from Jispa & reach Mandi for night halt. Next day morning leave early from Mandi at about 5 Am to reach Chandigarh by about 10. 00 to 10.30 AM to catch afternoon flight.
Is option 2 feasible as this would entail no extra charge for change in flight tickets or would it be very hectic & touch-and-go. Since we are not very sure about Manali-Chandigarh road conditions, should we take a chance by going for option 2 or just skip extra day at Jispa.
Pl advice and Thanks in advance.
Mayoor, plan 1 is ofcourse a better less stressful bet but in case you opt for plan 2, it is much better to go over and sleep at Sissu or Khoksar as close to Rohtang Pass as possible. Next morning leave from there and try to reach Chandigarh the same day or at least reach Bilaspur/Swarghat that day to ease out into the flight. Many things can go wrong in the mountains, so always plan for contingencies.
HI , Dheeraj..
Hope ur doing good! Firstly thank you so much for all your suggestions and guidance your giving to fellow travellers .
SO here are is my query
planning to visit leh-ladakh this september 14th 2016 with my husband..we are also planning to travel from leh-Hunder by bike..So please tell me first ..is it safe for a couple to travel by bike from leh-Hunder(so long ..i believe distance is approximately 140KM)..so suggest us on this plzzz.i’m extremely nervous to travel ,as its just two of us ….
leh-Kardungla-HUnder
Thank you Priya.
Yes, it is fine and alot of people do it every year. If you guys are OK and comfortable riding bikes for about 6-7 Hrs then you can make the trip. Also, make your you have good experience of riding bike and then only take a chance to ride up there.
Hi
Did the shyok route on 13th Aug 2016 on RE 500 bullet There wasn’t much water on road (if you choose to call it that) but there were 2 nasty stream crossings. Not to mention lose rocks, round stones, sand, mud on the road. Sand was the most treacherous part for me.
But the route is doable if you have a convoy of around 5-6 bikes at least. Otherwise it’s just insane.
BRO has started asphalting the road again but it’s a matter of time that it gets washed away again.
Cheers
Mandar
Hello Dheeraj,
We are a group of 6 and travelling to Leh in september and have 6 days and below is how we have planned
Day 1: Local Leh
Day 2: Leh – Nubra Valley
Day 3:Take direct route as above from Nubra Valley to pangong
Day 4: Pangong – Leh
Day 5:Leh – Kargil
Day 6: Kargil – Leh
We reach Leh from Manali by bus and we take a flight to Srinagar on Day 7.
We did not have Kargil in mind,but learnt about the direct route from nubra to pangong from a local taxi driver who also helped sketch out this itinerary and agreed to this plan for a decent price.
Would be happy to get some suggestions from you and also about the feasibility of plan.
Suhas, you must rest for first two days in Leh OR make your Day 5 and Day 6 as Day 2 and Day 3. Then do three day trip to Nubra Valley and Pangong Tso
hi ..we are even planning to go in septemebr .please let us know the dates..so even we can join .Thanks .
Check the DoW Travel Calendar and post your entry as well. Also connect with others planning the route.
Hi, I am also planning to go in mid sept.
What are your days for travelling? If our dates collide we can go together from Nubra to Pangong.
Prashant R.
Hi prasanth….we as couple are even planning to visit in mid-septemebr[14th to 22nd] .please let us know the dates.. we can join you guys if our dates are matching ..please let me know .Thanks .
We are reaching Leh on August 20. Will it be possible to visit Turtuk and Pangong by bike? We return on August 27
Yes, the roads to Turtuk and Pangong Tso are open and you can travel it.
Hi Ajish, my dates are also matching yours and planning to visit local places on bike. I can be reached at 9581380777, do drop in if you are interested
Hi Dheeraj,
We are planning to travel from nubra valley to pangong, so which would be suitable route to travel on bike.
please advice.
Thanks,
Mayur.
Mayur, if you have couple of bikes or supporting vehicle/accompany cars/taxis with you then better try to take Agham – Shyok route but confirm from the locals about it current condition. If open, use that else try Wari La pass. Please note that, it is desolated and so as Agham – Shayok route.
Thanks Dheeraj.
We are planning to go in September. Which road is best from nubra to pangong
Best is to go from Nubra to Leh and then Leh to Pangong Tso. Rest pros and cons of other direct routes are mentioned in the article.
HI Reshma,
I have planned my trip in mid sept. and planning to go from Nubra to pangong directly. We can accompany you guys on that route. We will also get the company on that difficult route.
Thanks,
Prashant.
Hi Reshma ..we are even planning to this month (sep 14th to 22 nd september) .please let us know the dates..we can join you guys if the dates are matching .Thanks .
Hello Dheeraj,
My friend and I are planning a Leh/Ladakh Tour from Hyd and below are our options:
Option 1:
Aug 12 — Rest at Leh hotel
Aug 13 — Leh – Nubra Valley
Aug 14 — Nubra Valley – Pangong Lake via Wari La
Aug 15 — Pangong Lake – Leh
Aug 16 — Check out Leh
Option 2:
Aug 12 — Rest at Leh hotel
Aug 13 — Leh – Khardungla Pass-Magnetic Hill-Leh
Aug 14 — Leh- Pangong Lake
Aug 15 — Pangong Lake – Leh
Aug 16 — Check out Leh
Please review and advise which one is better considering this is our first trip.
Thanks,
Kumar
Hi Kumar,
I will say you do below:
Aug 12 — Rest at Leh hotel
Aug 13 — Local Leh, visit Magnetic Hills
Aug 14 — Leh – Khardung La – Leh
Aug 15 — Leh – Pangong Lake – Leh
Aug 16 — Check out Leh