[minzanurag]

Hello ! Curious to know about the following

1. I am planning this trip via Srinagar-Leh-Manali circuit around end of May. There are only 2 people for this trip. Which car would suit our trip more

a. Tiago (2nd driver feels more at home with Tiago and driving duties can be shared)
b. S-Cross (relatively better comfort wise but I will have to do 80% of the driving)

2. Can we complete Leh-Warshi-Nubra in a day assuming we leave early?

3. Is it allowed to camp outdoors in Hanle?

Safe journey and hope you have a great time in Ladakh !

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by minzanurag

Hello ! Curious to know about the following

1. I am planning this trip via Srinagar-Leh-Manali circuit around end of May. There are only 2 people for this trip. Which car would suit our trip more

a. Tiago (2nd driver feels more at home with Tiago and driving duties can be shared)
b. S-Cross (relatively better comfort wise but I will have to do 80% of the driving)

2. Can we complete Leh-Warshi-Nubra in a day assuming we leave early?

3. Is it allowed to camp outdoors in Hanle?

Safe journey and hope you have a great time in Ladakh !

You will have more fun in the Scross. And don't you enjoy driving... whichever the car i will probably be fighting for the wheel 100% of the time

[touring_spirit]

Did Diskit to Hanle over 10th May-12th May,2022.


For part 1 Diskit to Merak , the roads are good. Till Lukung there are patches of 20-30 m of rocky and stony screeches which the cars struggle a bit on , but bikes can get across fine.

From Lukung till we enter Merak village there is a newly laid tar road which follows the periphery of the Pangong Tso and is not shown on google maps.

In part 2 , from Merak to Kakset Village the roads are sandy and rocky tracks with a couple of shallow water crossings. Then till Chusul Village we get beautifully laid new tarmac. From Chusul village through Rezang La till Rhongo through Tsaka La , there are sandy tracks and multiple of them which is easy to get lost.

In my case i had followed a friendly cab driver who was ferrying a group of vloggers from Merak to Hanle (would suggest solo travelers to follow a cab driver if possible ). They had rented out a Himalayan too , so had another bike for company. Following the group helped since both the bikes got stuck in the sand and had help to get my bike out. I also had a fall when my front got stuck in fine gravel stack and had help in hand to be picked up .

From Rhongo onwards to Hanle is again 50 kms of tarmac bliss , but be careful as there dips at numerous culverts and there are sharp turn just after blind crests.

Check posts are present at Chusul Village ,Loma and Hanle village entrance.

Happy Driving and Riding

[touring_spirit]

Hanle- Jispa

Hanle to Jispa is around 370 kms which have some amazing landscape on the way. From high altitude deserts, rocky terrains,grasslands,waterfalls,lakes , you have it all.




The roads though are a mixed bag with some amazing laid tarmac, to broken roads to none at all. The none at all bit is what makes this journey long.

I will concentrate on the strech between Mahe Checkpost to Pang Debring crossing on the Leh-Manali highway which i did on 12th May,2022.


After the turn roughly for around 10 kms new tarmac is being laid and thus the roads are being prepped for it . Then onwards till the last 17 kms near Tso Kar roads are non existent except for a 2 km stretch in between.
As part of the northern electricity grid , poles are being put . Thus a relief from the extremely jerky rocky roads we can find some sandy surface alongside the main road. Got stuck once but was still better than the rocky road(my right wrist and left thumb are still aching) .

Maps says 2 and half hours but it took me roughly 3&1/2 to 4 hours to get across this stretch. It will be easier to do this on a car.

[AnandB]

Originally Posted by touring_spirit

Hanle- Jispa

Thus a relief from the extremely jerky rocky roads we can find some sandy surface alongside the main road. Got stuck once but was still better than the rocky road(my right wrist and left thumb are still aching)

This is exactly what I said in my travelogue to not take the sandy road however enticing it may be. You are lucky you were able to get unstuck on your own. We helped out a Nexon stuck badly which couldn't have come out if not for us and a taxi guy. That route also has very few people traveling so could be stuck there for a while.

Edit - i forgot you were on a bike. This stretch is def not easier in a car. Probably worse because you will feel every single thing the bigger your tyres are.

[touring_spirit]

Originally Posted by AnandB

This is exactly what I said in my travelogue to not take the sandy road however enticing it may be. You are lucky you were able to get unstuck on your own. We helped out a Nexon stuck badly which couldn't have come out if not for us and a taxi guy. That route also has very few people traveling so could be stuck there for a while.

Edit - i forgot you were on a bike. This stretch is def not easier in a car. Probably worse because you will feel every single thing the bigger your tyres are.

Well, I had got stuck once and had a fall in sandy conditions before in the Chusul-Hanle stretch. So was driving carefully in the Mahe bridge- Pang Debring stretch. As soon as I realized that I was about to get stuck, cut of the throttle and got down the bike and pushed/powered it back to the rocky road.

[supertinu]

Hey Folks, got done with Leh trip and reached back to Jalandhar on 19th May. Return to Bangalore will happen by end of May after some break and physical recovery. Heres a short summary of the route conditions. Detailed Tlog will probably follow few weeks or month down the line.

• Jammu - Srinagar -> 70% of the roads are great and rest under construction. Traffic is horrendous with massive jams which can take hours to clear out. Trucks are the only ones who follow traffic rules, cars and cabs think they can drive in all lanes . Almost a 10hr drive

• Srinagar - Kargil -> Narrow road for a bit towards Sonamarg which opens up later. Overall great roads and outstanding views all the way. 15-20km of tough broken stretches around Zoji-La crossing.

• Kargil - Leh -> Probably the best road both in condition and views. Smooth sailing

• Leh - Nubra - Turtuk - Thang -> Climb to Khardung La is a breeze with smooth roads. Going down is tough 20km of bad or no roads. Rest of it is again smooth sailing with lovely views literally till end of India

• Nubra - Pangong -> Road along the Shyok river is fun to drive. Few water crosses, stretches of no roads over stones but overall very much doable without an issue

• Pangong - Leh -> Chang La is probably one of the worst and toughest to cross. About 40km of no or broken roads and lots of traf fic. Rest is all smooth

• Leh - Keylong -> Roads are generally good from Leh to Pang. TangLang La has some broken stretches but spectacular views, More plains are a delight. Pang to Sarchu stretch is 70km of nightmare. Literally no roads, tons of truck traffic and 2 hi passes to cross (LachungLa and Nakee La) over broken roads. Sarchu to Keylong is awesome drive with beautiful BaralachaLa to cross. Except for some broken stretches roads are all smooth

• Keylong - Jalandhar -> As expected lot of tourist rush around Manali. Lot of road work between Kullu and Mandi resulting in long jams. From Mandi we came via Una which is a better road.

Through out my XUV500 performed well. Most cars with decent ground clearance can do this circuit without an issue. Strongly recommend to drive with windows closed and AC on given the amount of dust in the region.

Finally managed to do my trip of a life time after waiting for a decade and huge shout out to my wife and daughter who were such a great company all the way.

[touring_spirit]

Originally Posted by supertinu

Hey Folks, got done with Leh trip and reached back to Jalandhar on 19th May. Return to Bangalore will happen by end of May after some break and physical recovery. Heres a short summary of the route conditions. Detailed Tlog will probably follow few weeks or month down the line.

Just adding from my recent travel. Khargung La to North Pullu is a road under construction and is ok for cars but horrendous for bikers. After khardong town the roads are decent.

[Wanderers]

we will be starting for Leh from Delhi on 3-June. Do we need any RT-PCR report for J&K or Ladakh?
We have 2 kids (~11 years) who do not have vaccination for COVID, so do we need RT-PCR for them. Adults have 2 dose certificates.

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by Wanderers

we will be starting for Leh from Delhi on 3-June. Do we need any RT-PCR report for J&K or Ladakh?
We have 2 kids (~11 years) who do not have vaccination for COVID, so do we need RT-PCR for them. Adults have 2 dose certificates.

At the moment no, you do not need any RTPCR reports. Just carry your adult vaccination certificates, if asked for.

[Ketan]

Hello Folks,

We are planning 'Zen'skar+Ladakh drive starting Jun 11 from Bangalore. The high-level route we are taking is as follows from the hills.

Kullu - Gemur - Shinku La - Purne - Padum - Rangdum - Padum - Zang La - Lingshed - Singe La - Photoskar - Sirsir La - Khalsi - Leh/Stok - Pangong - Merak - Hanle - Tso Moriri - Jispa

I'm hoping to get this done in about 14-16 days time excluding the return leg. There are good chances that I may stay back another week in lower Himalayas some place before returning.
Could you please help me review the itinerary here and point out the challenges out there? Is it very aggressive in terms of covering distances/places, I'd like to slow down in that case. I may have to adjust and may have to add a couple days to make it more realistic but need your inputs on it.

Objective is to drive through the Zanskar as much possible and also cover Pangong+Hanle as we are almost there. My wife and I did the classic Ladakh ride on Motorcycle a few years back so trying to avoid crowded places and visit some selected/interesting places only in Ladakh.

I'm going to drive M&M Thar (2020) with wife and parents. I'll try not to be highly adventurous with this trip while traveling with parents. I have got pre-travel consulting done for parents, they don't have any medical history as such that may raise concerns, we just need to take enough precautions to avoid AMS; they have driven with me on Char-dham circuit and Spiti circuit from BLR in the past, so that gives me a bit more confidence that they would be just fine.

If there are other folks driving same or similar route around the same time, it'd be good to know and keep in touch for sharing updates, experience etc.
Thanks in advance.

[Red Liner]

Rained this morning in LEH and snow across all the high passes.

Drive or ride safe!

[touring_spirit]

Originally Posted by Ketan

Hello Folks,

We are planning 'Zen'skar+Ladakh drive starting Jun 11 from Bangalore. The high-level route we are taking is as follows from the hills.

Kullu - Gemur - Shinku La - Purne - Padum - Rangdum - Padum - Zang La - Lingshed - Singe La - Photoskar - Sirsir La - Khalsi - Leh/Stok - Pangong - Merak - Hanle - Tso Moriri - Jispa

Most online forums do say to enter Leh via Srinagar to avoid AMS, but then there are always exceptions. The Hanle-Tso Moriri circuit has stretches with non existent roads which might last for hours, might get uncomfortable for your parents.

[AdityaDeane]

Just crossed Lahaul valley, and there is snowfall till just before Tandi between Sissu and Tandi. All high passes will definitely be covered by snow today, still drizzling in the valley since last night

[Ketan]

Originally Posted by touring_spirit

Most online forums do say to enter Leh via Srinagar to avoid AMS, but then there are always exceptions. The Hanle-Tso Moriri circuit has stretches with non existent roads which might last for hours, might get uncomfortable for your parents.

Thank you.
I understand you did Leh - Nubra - Shyok - Merak - Hanle - Jispa. Were you carrying fuel with you during this longer stretch on your motorcycle or you got the fuel (black) from villages en route?
How good/bad this fuel we get in the villages? I have heard that they do mix it with kerosene sometimes and may damage car/bike injectors!

I seem to have around 650-600kms range with full tank on my vehicle is what I have observed in the plains so far. This may reduce by few in the hills and I'd be driving Leh - Pangong - Kaksang La - Hanle - Tso moriri - (Karu or Tandi, depending on fuel condition).
So I'm trying to figure out whether carry fuel from Leh for this stretch or rely on fuel (black) sold at some villages en route.

About entering from the Srinagar, I'm trying to avoid that route since it would be the one with most number of vehicles, crowd and would be time consuming. To ride through Zanskar, I'll have to come south from kargil again. I'm thinking of acclimatize a day at Kullu (1250m) then another day at Gemur (3200m) before climbing Shinku La (5100m) and getting down at Purne (3800m) again. I'm hoping this would be a gradual ascend to attempt and avoid AMS risk.
Thanks.