Finally Leh(ed) June 2011 : Delhi - Srinagar - Leh - Manali - Delhi

[v&v]

We had been planning this trip since 2009. Got posposded due to various reasons. But this year we were more like we have to do it for sure. So the summer vacation was planned for a 15 day Leh trip.

When ever I do a road trip ,Good hotel stay and confirmed booking is a must, so started emailing costing to many tour operators, including a couple of Tour agents from Leh whom i had met at an exhibition in 2009. Costing were on a higher side, thought of serious negotiations, but we were not firm on the number of days of our visit and dates yet. Days passed and vacations started for the kids. We had to make a quick trip to Blr & Kerala. Even when met Bhpian Laluk at blr he too enquired about our Leh visit, were not sure about the trip as Blr trip has consumed lot of our finances.

Still were in double mind. Then came to know that SS-Traveller & Rideon has started their Leh trip. Again a glimmer of hope, we too should do it this year. Were back in delhi by 7th. I had some critical meetings was occupied till 11th. On 11th night i cassually called club mahindra Manali to enquire room avaliablity at manali and to my surprise, they told me it is avaliable for 28,29, 30th. Immediatly locked for 28th and 29th. Then immediately i contacted Active Adventure, Leh - the guy whom i had been communicating for almost 4 months about our trip, give him the firm dates as below

16th Kud
17th Srinagar
18th Srinagar
19th Sonamarg
20th Kargil
21st Leh
22nd Leh
23rd Pangong
24th Leh
25th Nubra
26th Leh
27th Sarchu
28th Manali
29th Manali
30th Delhi

13th,14th were negiotaion days and finally all bookings were done and the deal was closed by 14th night.

Bookings were done at
Srinagar - Centur Lake view for 2nights (MAP)
Rest all were with All meals option.

Soanmarg - Hill view
Kargil - Hotel siachen
Leh - Gwaling International
Pangong - Nature Nest (Tents)
Nubra - Hotel Olthang
Sarchu - Goldrop (Tents)
Manali - Club mahindra snow peaks.


Car prepration :
Our black beast is ever ready for such quick trips. But since this was on of the longest road trip, got it checked at Autolink on 15th morning. Every thing was fine. Then a quick shopping Big bazaar for reserve food and snacks.

Checklist of tools & accessories carried :

1.Brought extra fuse, 80 amps, 45 amps, 30 amps, 20 amps, 15 amps
2. Engine oil - 1 liter
3. Brake fluid - 1 liter
4. Manual foot pump
5. Tyre Pressure checker
6. Car inverter
7. Torch
8. Tow cable - lended Bhpian Harsh.vardan.
9. Cleaning cloth
10. Screwdriver Set
11. Spanner set
12. M-seal, Wet sealant



Medicine
--------

1. Disprin
2. Diamox
3. Paraceta-mol
4. Carmicide
5. Digene
6. Pudin hara
7. vicks

Snacks & Food
---------------
1. Maggie
2. Ready to eat food - Rajma rice, Tomato rice
3. Biscuits
4. Cashue, Resins
4. 20 ltrs Aquafina

Others
Warm cloths (Waterproof)
Boots


Thanks to bhpians HVK for exact coordinate of Dayal chak (Jammu bypass) and leh trip log helped immensely. Harsh.vardan lended the tow cabel and SST & Rideon for live update of leh roads.

So finally by 15th evening every thing was in place for our trip. It all happend in a span of 1 week. I think our leh trip was destined to happen, hotel bookings and car checkups, my office works all was aligned on time.

Leh here we come.

[mayankjha1806]

Wow, amazing start. I am hoping more pics will follow. Did you travel with Kids? and Did you or kids face any altitude related problems? I am starting tomorrow and would be in Leh on Sunday.

[hvkumar]

How were the hotels?

Look forward to hearing about the condition of the roads and your drive times.

[amitwlele]

Lovely start V&V. Waiting for more. And by the way loved the Alloys on your beast. That snap is at Nubra Sand dunes if i am not mistaken.

[kaushik_s]

Great going V&V, waiting for more and eagerly waiting to know about the road conditions. How was the Leh-Rohtang-Manali section?

[laluks]

Ah! You are back from the trip. It was amazing to hear from you about your plans on one weekend in Bangalore in person, and to know that you are already in Srinagar the next weekend!

Man you rock. Waiting for the story.

[jaysmokesleaves]

Lovely start and nice pics. Can you elaborate on the Diamox usage, and drive times between Srinagar & Leh.

[v&v]

Originally Posted by mayankjha1806

Wow, amazing start. I am hoping more pics will follow. Did you travel with Kids? and Did you or kids face any altitude related problems? I am starting tomorrow and would be in Leh on Sunday.

Yup, my 13 yr son and 7 yr daughter. They were the fittest. if you are going via Srinagar, then no issues of acclimatisation. All the best for your trip.

Originally Posted by hvkumar

How were the hotels?

Look forward to hearing about the condition of the roads and your drive times.

All hotels i choose were A class as per their claim. IMO they all were good as per the locations. I am compiling the timing, will upload soon.

Originally Posted by amitwlele

Lovely start V&V. Waiting for more. And by the way loved the Alloys on your beast. That snap is at Nubra Sand dunes if i am not mistaken.

Thanks amit. Spot on its Nubra.

Originally Posted by kaushik_s

Great going V&V, waiting for more and eagerly waiting to know about the road conditions. How was the Leh-Rohtang-Manali section?

Thanks kaushik, road condition from Srinagar to Leh is average. Just dirveable. Almost the entire route double laneing is in progress. Expect a lot of metal chips and GREF working during the mid day timing. Can expect holdups for 40 to 1.5 hrs.

Leh - Manali road are bad. when i say bad means, i have seen car with bumpers gone. Mori plans too road widening is in progress. So a good amount of journey is through katcha tracks. Now the problem is truckers too follow this route, now its too muddy, chances of getting stuck is also high. Has to be real careful while driving here. All the three passes are too are in bad shape.

Originally Posted by laluks

Ah! You are back from the trip. It was amazing to hear from you about your plans on one weekend in Bangalore in person, and to know that you are already in Srinagar the next weekend!

Man you rock. Waiting for the story.

Thanks lalu. it just Leh was all over my head since i came back from Blr. After a week at office, it was ok to be away for another two weeks, So i thought come what may i am doing this trip and it was on.

Originally Posted by jaysmokesleaves

Lovely start and nice pics. Can you elaborate on the Diamox usage, and drive times between Srinagar & Leh.

The entire trip none of us required any tablets. I had a little headache while at Pangong overnight stay. Thanks to God. Seen many guys down in the hotel we stayed, but all of them came flying. Same was all those guys who are doing this trip via Manali. So 15 bikes and 3 families struggling at Sarchu. Couple of bikers to had sever AMS symptoms by next morning. IMO its best to avoid Diamox a much as possible.
My wify was of Opinion that Mint toffee were very refreshing and helped relieve the bad feeling while climbing/descent.

[SS-Traveller]

Great trip you appear to have had, v&v. Subscribed to this thread and looking forward to your story, since you followed just two weeks behind us (Hawk-On-Fours® (H-4®) Roadtrip: Leh(t)'s go to Ladakh & Srinagar with QuickSilver.). It would be interesting to compare the road conditions and the places you visited at a difference of two weeks, since the tourist season in Srinagar & Ladakh really took off during this period.

[v&v]

Day 1 - 16th Thursday

Timing summary
--------------------------

Started at 4.30 Am. Not much traffic at delhi border. We reahed sonepat real fast.
Panipat - 05.30
Ambala - 06.50
Kharar - 07.55
Brakefast break at Ropar - Balachor highway - 08.30 near DCM Factory. Bamboo Shade.
Garhshankar - 10.00
Hoshiarpur - 10.45
Dasuya - 11.40
Pathankot - 12.35
Lunch - Nirulas
Lakhanpur Border - 2 Pm - Take slip for Rs 130. It is valid at Qzigund.
Dayal Chak - (32 kms from Lakhanpur border) Sign - Midway Hotel, Petrol Pumps. (Turn Right)
This small road of 85 kms take via Gadak,Challan, Khoon and Manwal connect exit of Udhampur.
First 30kms is not so good, after that its fun to drive. No/least traffic.
Not advisable after 6.pm. Lonely road.
Kishenpur - 3.30 pm
Udhampur - 4.40 pm
Kud - 5.30 PM. (Tourist Bunglow, JK Tourism)
Our first stop.
Total distance - 680 kms, 2 stopage, 13hrs.


Kud is famious for patisa. it was real mothwatering. Must taste/buy stuff.
We bought around 5 kgs for the trip and our dinner too was the same.

About Tourist Bunglow - Big rooms with basic facility. Liked the place.
Cost : Rs 850/- for the night.
Booking : Called madam sarla, who is the incharge there. She blocked a room for me. Can get her number from Jammu, tourist reception center.









Kud - JK Tourist Bunglow

[v&v]

Day - 2 - 17th June - Friday
--------------------------------
Started Kud by 08.30 am
Batote : 0915
Break fast : Stop (Sharma Vaishno Dhaba)
Chanderkote 10:15
Ramban : 10:40
Banihal : 11:40
Jawahar Tunnel : 12:00
Titnanic View Point
Qzigund : 12:45 - Check post. Slip was valid.
Anantnag : 13:00
Avantipora : 01:45
Srinagar : 02:10

Distance Covered : 220 kms, 5.5 hrs.
High traffic after Qzigund. Didnt find any traffic block for the whole route.
It was overcast and raining intermittently the whole route.
Had lunch at hotel paradise. Drove around the Dal lake.
By the time local rep Manzoor arrived to receive us. Checked in at Centur lake view by 3.30 pm. Rested for an hour and then went for the famious shikara ride and visit floating market.

Strolled around boulevard road in the evening. This is the happening place at night and Max hotels.









Titanic View point, after Jawhar tunnel



At Udhampur




Centur, Lake view

[hvkumar]

That was a very fast drive from Delhi to Kud, possible only because you took the Hoshiarpur route to Pathankot!

How is the Banur road to connect from NH1 to NH21 at Kharar?

Where is Nirula's in Pathankot?

Any harassment by JK cops at Lakhanpur?

[v&v]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

That was a very fast drive from Delhi to Kud, possible only because you took the Hoshiarpur route to Pathankot!

How is the Banur road to connect from NH1 to NH21 at Kharar?

Where is Nirula's in Pathankot?

Any harassment by JK cops at Lakhanpur?

Yup, there were no holdups during the entire trip. Hoshiarpur route is fast. Banur road is in good condition. Only around 5-7 kms between Kharar to Kharuli toll is single lane. Other wise rest all in good shape.

Nirulas is just 2km after the Railway cross.
No didnt face any problem at Lakhanpur. There was a queue of 10 car and only 1 window for private cars.

[v&v]

Shots of Centaur, Lake view. Three sides covered by Dal lake, its a photographer's paradise. One of the best places to stay around Dal lake.

[drustogi]

Mod Note : Please avoid typing with.......excessive.........dots......like....... ..this.......Thanks

Hi,

Can you give the contact numbers of the hotels you stayed in...

Also was this your first trip to leh and ladak...I have heard if you are doing first trip to such high altitudes then one should have daimox.. If it true?