Leh and Ladakh - Trip Planning - All queries go here

[Behemoth]

Hi Everyone,
Need advice from the experienced guys there!
We are planning a Leh trip in this year, and due to Office Holidays on 10th, 15th and 20th Aug, are planning to go to Leh (by Road) in our Skoda Yeti (4x4) and XUV500 (4x2) from Aug 10th-Aug 26th.

My query is that would this August period be advisable and safe (considering monsoons and landslide probability). The last cloudburst tragedy which had happened in Leh was in Aug (IIRC Aug 3rd 2010) and I have read the firsthand accounts shared by TBHP member "Devil onWheels" on his website.

We would be travelling with family (wife and son, who is going to be 5 years old by then).

Regards,
Behemoth

[amitwlele]

Originally Posted by Behemoth

My query is that would this August period be advisable and safe (considering monsoons and landslide probability). The last cloudburst tragedy which had happened in Leh was in Aug (IIRC Aug 3rd 2010) and I have read the firsthand accounts shared by TBHP member "Devil onWheels" on his website.

August should not be a problem. But landslides cannot be predicted. But the BRO does a wonderful job in clearing it up asap.

I might be going there in end of July this year office holidays permitting. I am not driving myself though.

I visited Leh just after the cloudburst in 2010. It was not too bad eventhough we had to take a detour.

[nitin.rai]

Originally Posted by Behemoth

a Leh trip in this year, and due to Office Holidays on 10th, 15th and 20th Aug, are planning to go to Leh (by Road) in our Skoda Yeti (4x4) and XUV500 (4x2) from Aug 10th-Aug 26th.
My query is that would this August period be advisable and safe (considering monsoons and landslide probability).
We would be travelling with family (wife and son, who is going to be 5 years old by then).

Which route are you planning to take; Srinagar, Manali or Kalpa?

With family & a 4x2 I would recommend June end, reasons being:
- the snow isn't melting like it does and the water crossings are easier to cross
- the BRO gets about a month to fix the roads by June end
- probability of landslides due to the onset of monsoon is less
- rohtang la is easier to cross in non-monsoon (and less jampacked in June)
- lesser tourist Influx means the place is cleaner

However, since your dates are defined here is what I had suggest:
- plan to leave early morning and reach your day breaks early in the day - snow melts with the rising sun
- plan to reach rohtang top by 6 am if going via Manali-Leh
- carry warm blankets in the car - if you get stuck in a slide you don't want to keep your engine running all the time
- carry sardines or eatables
- with a child; stay at places around 10-11k feet (Khoksar, jispa, keylong); leave passes in 20 minutes max, post snaps; avoid 'adventurous' places (Sarchu, debring)
- speak to the locals before you head out on crossings, the incoming taxi traffic
- and do carry a tow chain to pull the 4x2 out - just in case

You should be good to go!
Drive safe and have a great trip!

[SS-Traveller]

Posting a query for a friend (not a BHPian) who proposes to travel to Leh in June 2012:

• They are 6 members, all male, mostly mid-40's to late-50's;
• Want to drive to Leh via Srinagar & return via Manali;
• Proposed dates approximately between 8-25 June 2012;
• Want to self-drive, but the only car available between them is a Ford Fusion, which they are worried may not have service backup in Ladakh;
• Want to rent a self-drive SUV, preferably 4x4, money no object;
• The Avis option is apparently not available any more.

Any suggestions about the following would be welcome:

• Availability of rental self-drive SUVs to take to Ladakh;
• Availability of service facilities for a Ford (Fusion);
• Costs related to vehicle rentals;
• anything else that may be relevant.

Thanks in advance!

[Behemoth]

Originally Posted by amitwlele

I might be going there in end of July this year office holidays permitting. I am not driving myself though.

Thanks Amit, hope you are also able to make it this year!

Originally Posted by nitin.rai

Which route are you planning to take; Srinagar, Manali or Kalpa?

Thanks Nitin,
Plan is to go via Manali and return via Srinagar, but we can change it later if conditions warrant.
Thanks for your advice !

Regards,
Behemoth

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Posting a query for a friend (not a BHPian)

• Availability of rental self-drive SUVs to take to Ladakh

Originally Posted by Kairalee

There is another provider called Eco rent-a-car that rents out SUVs in the Delhi/NCR region, but am not sure if they allow them to be taken to the hills.

>> Here is the URL to their website

The friend checked with Eco Rent-a-car and the quote he received on email was as follows:

• Ford Endeavour 4x2 Rs.56,000 per week
• Toyota Fortuner 4x4 Rs.65,000 per week
• 50% additional surcharge for taking to Ladakh

[nitin.rai]

Originally Posted by Behemoth

Plan is to go via Manali and return via Srinagar, but we can change it later if conditions warrant.
Thanks for your advice !

Pleasure Behemoth!
Via Manali, don't forget to fuel at Tandi (after rohtang la). The next petrol bunk you would get is Karu (49 before Leh) - 360 kms without a petrol bunk.
Carry additional fuel in good quality cans. The fumes can make some people sick.

Just take it easy, don't push. Keep eating and refueling.
Keep dimox (anti AMS pills), however they are sulphur based so check with a doc on the non-sulphur version (can't recall the name) if anyone is sulphur allergic. Can check if you can't find.

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

The friend checked with Eco Rent-a-car and the quote he received on email was as follows:[*]Ford Endeavour 4x2 Rs.56,000 per week[*]Toyota Fortuner 4x4 Rs.65,000 per week[*]50% additional surcharge for taking to Ladakh

The quotes look quite reasonable!
Appreciate the info, though I have been doing it on my bike and in the future too intend to

[faustus77]

SS-Traveller/Behemoth
Your posts
I did Bombay-Leh-Bombay in a beat(SS-Traveller you may remember about it as we exchanged posts) so if the ground clearance is more in Fusion it should be Ok but be prepared for hits under the belly.Is Fusion's GC better than Beat's?They can check
Better to go via Srinagar and return via Manali to avoid AMS issues.
Your query regarding the month of august,I started from Bombay on the 15th of Aug and after meandering through the heart of India reached Leh on 28th.
Warnings as the weather is unpredictable
I had to spend 1 day at Mammar as the road before Sonamarg was washed(urdu word is sailaab) out.
As I am 67+ and retired and was driving alone spending extra days en route was never a problem.
On 21st I met 8 bikers from Bangalore who were not able to cross Rohtang and had to retrace all the way to patnitop/Srinagar.
At Drass on 26th I met some people in Ford Ikon.They also could not cross Rohtang and had to go via Srinagar.Their car got stuck and they had to pay 2500 to a crane to pull it out.
It is post holiday season so hotels are aplenty and you can get good discounts.
Hope this helps
Regards

[Harshavarthan]

Originally Posted by Rajesh1968

Please do let me know if anyone is planning May/ June 2012 , I also plan to do that with Family in my Scorpio.

Starting Place is Bangalore, I am planning to go via Gujarat. Amritsar and then over to Srinagar ( following Roamingrao's route completed in 2011)

Thanks

Rajesh

I'm planning the same time too. May end and June 2012. Will be starting from Madurai via Bangalore to Srinagar - Kargil - Detour to Padum and back - Leh - Visit to Nubra valley, Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri - Manali and back via Bangalore. No of people accompanying and cars are yet to be confirmed though I'll be doing it in my i20 crdi.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by faustus77

(SS-Traveller you may remember about it as we exchanged posts)

I do! Thanks for remembering.

Originally Posted by faustus77

...so if the ground clearance is more in Fusion it should be Ok but be prepared for hits under the belly.Is Fusion's GC better than Beat's?They can check

The Fusion has a class leading 198 mm of GC, and beats a lot of SUVs in that department, forget the Beat!

[@Chaand]

I am from Mumbai and am interested in making the driving trip to Leh this year. As of now, I am alone and wonder if anyone would like to team up with me.
The more the merrier

[aalokg]

Originally Posted by @Chaand

I am from Mumbai and am interested in making the driving trip to Leh this year. As of now, I am alone and wonder if anyone would like to team up with me.
The more the merrier

Hey, thanks for your post. I am planning to travel to Leh this summer from Bombay. What would you be driving ? I did have some friends/family wanting to do the journey along with me, but they are dropping out one by one. Now it seems like its going to be just me and maybe one more friend. Let me know!

Aalok

[@Chaand]

AAlok - Good to get a response for this. Just today morning I was wondering how come no one has responded to this post of mine and here you are!

I plan to take my Indica Vista along. Which vehicle do you plan to get?

[SuperBee]

Originally Posted by @Chaand

I am from Mumbai and am interested in making the driving trip to Leh this year. As of now, I am alone and wonder if anyone would like to team up with me.
The more the merrier

Originally Posted by aalokg

Hey, thanks for your post. I am planning to travel to Leh this summer from Bombay. What would you be driving ? I did have some friends/family wanting to do the journey along with me, but they are dropping out one by one. Now it seems like its going to be just me and maybe one more friend. Let me know!

Aalok

I'm also planning the Leh-trip this June with 2 more friends, as of now. We're planning to leave around 8th - 9th June from Mumbai. What dates are you guys looking at?

[aalokg]

Originally Posted by @Chaand

AAlok - Good to get a response for this. Just today morning I was wondering how come no one has responded to this post of mine and here you are!

I plan to take my Indica Vista along. Which vehicle do you plan to get?

Originally Posted by SuperBee

I'm also planning the Leh-trip this June with 2 more friends, as of now. We're planning to leave around 8th - 9th June from Mumbai. What dates are you guys looking at?

Chaand, I am planning to take my (fathers) Indigo GLS. SuperBee, my dates are not fixed yet. They depend on a lot of things, but I am looking at July or maybe end June for the trip. Which car are you planning to take ?

Regards,
Aalok