Are you headed to Ladakh this summer? And have about ten days with you? Here is a suggested itinerary for you assuming you are on the road from Manali onwards.
Posts on Ladakh
- Click here to read all my posts on Ladakh so far
- For driving tips from Delhi to Leh in Ladakh, click here
Day 0
Reach Manali by air or by road
Day 1
Manali to Jispa, reach in about 6-8 hours. Stop at Rohtang Pass and Keylong if you like. You can also read the following posts on Jispa
Day 2
Drive from Jispa to Leh: There is no need to spend a night at Sarchu on the way as many travel operators will advise you unless you are on the way to Tso Moriri from Jispa. Read my post on the experience at Sarchu: Sarchu in Ladakh: Spending the longest night of my life
Day 3
Take it easy in Leh, just roam around town and get familiar with it. Avoid going to monasteries as it will entail steep walks up and down. You can visit Shanti Stupa in the evening for some stunning sunsets. Check out the Donkey Sanctuary too – its unique. If you are missing a good coffee, drop by at Desert Rain located right in the main market.
Day 4 / 5
Visit Hemis Monastery, Thiksey Monastery, Stok Palace, Shey Palace and Leh Palace for sure. Each of these can take half or one third of a day – they are all villages around Leh. If you have the time check out the monasteries at Matho, Phiyang and a few others too. Take a dawn or dusk walk along the Indus river: a good place is from across the Shey Palace.
While at these monasteries, besides looking around, do chat up the lamas. They are usually willing, are very friendly, some even have a sense of humour and they always have stories to share. Even without asking you, some of them prepare butter tea for you as their way of being hospitable. Go early morning to monasteries like Thiksey where they have a highly serene and worth attending prayer session with over a hundred lamas praying together.
Day 6
Head out to Pangong Tso for an overnight trip
Day 7
Go to Nubra Valley via Khardungla Pass. You can keep moving on the way back from Pangong Tso – it may mean a full day drive but you may want to save time.
Day 8
Nubra Valley
Day 9
Head out straight to Alchi from Nubra Valley. You will reach in the afternoon and you can look around the village and the monastery.
Day 10
Go to Likir and Lamayuru monasteries, spend a few hours there and back to Leh.
Day 11
Take a flight or start the drive back.
Variation 1: Tso Moriri
From Jispa head out to Tso Moriri. If you start very early you can make it the same day. Or take a break in Sarchu. You can also go to Tso Moriri from Leh – I have not been there but believe it is a full day drive. Spend two nights there and then come back to Leh. Another way is to go to Tso Moriri on the way back from Leh, and head out towards Jispa and Manali from there.
Variation 2: Zanskar
If you want to go to Zanskar, you need to set aside two days to get there. On day one from Leh, go to Kargil. Spend a night in Kargil, and then do a full day drive to Zanskar. On the way back you will have to stop at Kargil again, and then return either via Srinagar or Leh. You can spend only one full day in Zanskar but at least two are recommended.
{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Ajay,
I am planning a trip to Leh-Ladakh around end of May…
I have enlisted the tentative itenary for the trip but i am still kinda of confused with the places to visit. Your inputs will be of great value.
Also can you suggest an approx expenditure for such a trip for 2 ppl…
25.05.09 Mumbai to Delhi (Air)
Delhi to Manali (Bus)
26.05.09 Manali
27.05.09 Manali
28.05.09 Manali to Leh (Jeep)
29.05.09 Ladakh (Need help with Iternary)
30.05.09 Ladakh (Need help with Iternary)
31.05.09 Ladakh (Need help with Iternary)
1.06.09 Ladakh (Need help with Iternary)
2.06.09 Ladakh (Need help with Iternary)
3.06.09 Ladakh (Need help with Iternary)
4.06.09 Leh to Kargil (Is this a good detour)
5.06.09 Kargil to Srinagar
6.06.09 Srinagar-Delhi-Mumbai (Air)
Cheers
Amar
Hi Ajay,
let me congratulate you for the beautiful site…we met in Delhi for a short while during photofair @ Olympus stall…
We are a bunch of friends planning to drive down to ladakh from Mumbai…this is around 3rd July…unfortunately we have only 9days..some say it is possible comfortably, some say this is impossible and we should not try…I would reallly appreciate if you could advice if this the the right time for the trip..if yes is it possible to completle the 6000Kms in 9days..which is back to mum…also if u could suggest the route etc..we have never done this route…
thanks
manish
This time around just the walk by the Indus in the sunset, Shey palace, Shanti stupa, coffee at desert rain, overnight at Pangong Tso and day trip to Alchi. But in future if I have ten days will do Nubra and Zanskar…Can’t be too greedy you see
Cheers!
Hi Pragya, That’s still a fair bit you will be covering. Since Ladakh will keep calling you back again and again, you will have ample opportunity to cover the rest.
Hi Amar, this sounds like a good itinerary. Coming via Kargil and Srinagar is certainly a good idea. I have been up to Kargil but want to go beyond the next time. This post of mine already covers all the possible things you can do in Ladakh.
I am afraid I cannot help you with the budgeting – there are too many variable and unknown factors. All the best with your trip. Cheers… Ajay
Hi Manish,
In theory you could possibly pull it off. If you rotate drivers and be on the road as much as possible. But in the best of scenarios, you will have to start back the moment you reach Ladakh.
Not sure of the route from Mumbai though. Check out my post for driving from Delhi to Leh though: http://kunzum.com/2008/08/02/driving-from-delhi-to-leh-ladakh/.
hey, i ve a real packed schedule i.e. 12 jul – 23 jul. we leave on 12 jul fm delhi and we have 2 reach back 2 delhi on 23 jul.
i want to cover tso mori, pangong tso,nubra, dras, kargil and srinnagar
can u help me pls
9312528009 – my no. if u msg me i wud cal u back, pls mail me asap
Hi Ajay
We (my friends and I) ran into you at the Ibex in Jispa- June 22 I think- at dinner. We were the 6 guys (Dipsites) doing the Manali-Leh drive in a Scorpio and a Safari. I had visited kunzum.com when planning the trip, but didn’t correlate it with you until after we got back.
We had good luck and good weather during the drive- no car trouble. The Jispa-Leh drive took us 15 hours with plenty of stops- I recommend this instead of making a night halt at Sarchu/Pang- as long as the weather holds and one can make an early start (we moved at first light). Several of us experienced discomfort on the extended stretch above 14,000 ft, but nothing serious. On the way back we drove to Delhi via Kargil-Drass-Srinagar. No trouble there either, but the amount of loose dirt at Zoji La indicated the problems one would encounter if the weather turned bad.
Woud be happy to share some pictures if you are interested.
Hope you had a safe trip. Would like to hear how it went for you.
Regards,
-Ranjan
Hi Ranjan, its a small world. Thanks for adding your experience here – should be very useful for others.
Hi Ajay,
Great pics… and the notes that you have put up are really informative about the trip. Is mid Sept to end Sept a good time to do a road trip from Manali to Leh – Ladakh? My wife and I are thinking of doing this, but not sure of how bitter the cold will be. Also wanted to check, do you know if we can get a car on hire from Manali, which we can then leave at the last destination and take a flight back to home.
Hi Samit, Mid to end September should be fine unless you get some freakish weather. Provision for losing time on the high passes, rest should be fine. You can hire cabs from Manali with drivers – not self drive. The rule in Ladakh says that outside cabs can drop you but you have to hire local cabs after that to move around. So the cab will anyway have to drop you and go back. But you can get the exact info from the cab guys.
Hi Frnds!!!
I am interested in visiting Leh by road from Delhi in May/June. I am looking for the
group/families who are interested in it so that we can make a group and can enjoy the Leh trip in a group.
Dear Ajay,
I’m getting married in the end of May 2010, and given the adventure lovers my fiance and I are, we want to visit Ladakh for our honeymoon in July first week. We are planning to reach Leh from Delhi by road and return by flight. We would have about two weeks in hand. What would be the best itinerary for honeymooners in the scenic locales of the region? What are the places of natural beauty, where we can begin our new life on a beautiful note?
Would look forward to your reply…
Thanks,
Divya
Hi Divya, a big congrats – and what a wonderful choice for a honeymoon. Will beat Paris and Rome anyday.
Wish more couples would think this way. While all spots are romantic and beautiful, you may certainly want to visit Pangong Tso, some monasteries (Hemis, Chemrey, Thiksey, Bagso) and Nubra. Or just follow the itinerary I have suggested. Hope you a have great trip and a wonderful life together.
Thanks a ton Ajay, for the wishes and the suggestions. Am looking forward to a real good trip, thanks to your itinerary
And will certainly keep you posted!! Waiting to read some more of your travel details. Keep rocking and keep travelling!
Hi Ajay. We are 2 couples planning to go to Ladakh from Mumbai for 9 – 10 days. Please advise the app Budget by Air or rail etc.
Is May last week or June 1st week the right time to go
Ravi
Hi Ravi, cannot help you with budgeting. You will need to check with the airlines / railways. And sure, end-May / early-June is a good time to go if you are flying.
Thanks for your comments, here is how my plan looks like……let me know your thoughts.
14th Aug Sat – Hyd//Del by Flight and same day to Manali by car (Innova/Scorpio)
15th Sun – Manali//Sarchu//Jispa
16th Mon – Sarchu or Jispa//Leh
17th Tue and 18th Wed – Leh acclimatization
19th Thurs – 21st Sat – Leh and other sight seeing (3 days)
22nd Sun – Leh//Sarchu or Jispa by car
23 Mon – Sarchu//Manali by car
24 Tue – Manali//Delhi by car
25 Wed – Flight to Hyderabad…..
Jispa or Sarchu for night halt and acclimatization?
Our New Itinerary :
14th Sat – Hyd//Del by Flight (first mrng flt) and drive to Manali (Innova/Scorpio) overnight at Manali, Hotel Yak
15th Sun – Manali//Jispa, will need to start early.
16th Mon – Jispa…overnight here to acclimatize. Hotel Ibex
17th Tue – Jispa//Leh, will need to start very early in the morning as its a 12 hour drive to Leh
18th Wed – Leh acclimatization, will need min 12/24 hours without exertion to acclimatize at this height. Hotel Snow Lion
19th Thurs – 21st Sat – Leh and other sight seeing (3 days). Hotel Snow Lion
22nd Sun – Leh//Jispa by car. Hotel Ibex Jispa
23 Mon – Jispa//Manali by car. Hotel Yak Manali
24 Tue – Manali//Delhi by car, start after breakfast by 09.00am and reach airport by late evening and stay there.
25 Wed – Flight to Hyderabad…..first morning flight
I want you to suggest places for us for the 3 days we intend to stay in Leh please.
19th Thurs – 21st Sat – Leh and other sight seeing (3 days).
Is this your final itinerary Sid? Looks good. But no need to spend time acclimatizing in Leh – the drive up will do it for you. Hit the ground running.
rnrnAnd a very good place to stay in Leh is actually in Shey. Check out the review at: http://kunzum.com/2008/08/02/review-whispering-willows-hotel-at-shey-leh-ladakh/