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Thanks. Will be traveling by car but was wondering if i could rent bikes in Nubra for a day or two to explore Nubra and Turtuk. It seems rentals are all in Leh and have to return there itself.

So I am in the early stages of planning and I looked at maps for the Bangalore route to Sach pass. Which of these two alternate routes should I take and why? How many kms a day should I plan to cover? 800? Or more. I will be driving a Gypsy which can be exhausting due to suspension ride quality - So the fatigue factor is more in my car. And compared to other cars that can touch 140kmph easily anything touching 100 in a Gypsy becomes borderline unsafe.

Also if you check the route on the maps it appears to pass throug Chandigarh - while I would love to break-journey in that beautiful city I heard the traffic cops are very strict and I don’t want to risk being caught for Sunfilm/bullbar and what-not. What are my options to skip the checking hot-spots?

Hi fellow bhpians,

With COVID pandemic appearing to be tackled and local authorities permitting Inner line permits in Ladakh region, come aug/sep’21 and situation overall getting better, am looking for riding partners from NCR/other places for trip to Ladakh in mid aug/sep’21.

Tentative itinerary is as follows -

1. Del - Ambala-Dalhousie via Jot pass
2. Dalhousie - Kishtwar via padri pass
3. Kishtwar - Sinthan pass & return to Killar via new/old Cliffhanger road
4. Killar - sach pass and back
5. Killar - Udaipur - Keylong - Jispa
6. Jispa - Darcha - shinkula-Padum (zanskar)
7. Zanskar local
8. Padum -pensi la-drang drung glacier-Kargil/lamayuru
9. Kargil/lamayuru - Leh
10. Leh local/permits
11. Leh - Khardungla-turtuk
12. Turtuk -hunder-agham/shyok-pangong/Spangmik/man/Merak
13. Merak -chushul-kakasangla/tsaga la-hanle - Subject to permission. else ride back to leh via Changla. overnight at leh or ride straight to Hanle (longish day)...extra day required here
14. Hanle - nyoma - korzok/tso moriri
15. Tso Moriri - tso kar- pokolongla- debring-pang-sarchu
16. Sarchu - baralachala - Gramphoo turn towards kaza-kunzum pass - kaza - Subject to be able to do it. Else ride straight to atal tunnel, Manali and back in 2 days
17. Kaza and near abouts (Hikkim/Komic)
18. Pin valley/tabo/nako
19. Chitkul
20. Narkanda /hatu peak - shimla
21. Shimla - Delhi


2 days spare.

Spiti circuit is subject to being able to physically and mentally do it or else return via rohtang (Atal tunnel)/Manali/bilaspur/mandi

Dread climbing up from Rohtang from Manali side. I have done zozila 4 times over each time driving down from delhi to leh via Srinagar and I have enjoyed the drive past Ganderbal (past Srinagar and about 40 kms to sonamarg) everytime. So, prefer to skip Srinagar/Sonamarg/zozila this time and include sach pass, zanskar, new road to shinkula/Padum in the itinerary. Rest, open to discussion.

I had a not so great riding experience riding in jun’19 and prefer to home in with like minded riders this time. 2-3, max 4 riders in the group with intercom connectivity. Sane riding speeds at all times. Prior Ladakh experience is an added bonus.

My 4th trip to ladakh, twice in a Scorpio and did half solo ride in jun'19 on a Himalayan (13 days of bliss but return leg was solo as my riding friend/partner met with an unfortunate but avoidable accident with a yak at gurudwara pathar sahib on our return trip back from leh. Leh Manali route was yet to open and we had planned to come back via srinagar, but sadly he met with an accident within a few kms of start of our ride back home. What followed was another day of hospital and logistics et al to see him get back to city for surgery of his broken hand and shoulder and my solo ride venture back to gurgaon over 2 days from leh once I had seen him off on the flight to Delhi next morning).

About me, 44 year old, fun loving and cheerful at heart rider with a stock Himalayan sleet (with travel related minor modifications done) picked up specially for Ladakh/spiti rides. Only 6k done and waiting for climb the Ladakh region again. Can do long rides with ease. Did solo leh to Gurgaon in two days on my return leg last year. Leh - Srinagar day one and Srinagar -Gurgaon day two.

Have a business of my own and thus can excuse myself for a longish period.

Rest, let’s connect if this interests you. Of course, i expect COVID pandemic to be no more a threat before taking off for this one before Ladakh season closes this year.

Chime in with your thoughts, interests.

Request to moderators- if this post does not belong here pls, pls move this post to an appropriate group or any other action as necessary.

Cheers, Sid

Nothing wrong in your itenerary, but it looks too exhaustive.
For a two wheeler it may become very tiring and ultimately get boring.
If it's Ladakh, it should be only Ladakh and keep Spiti for sometime else.
Why not ride to the lonely and non tourist areas like Chushul, Chumur, Marsimik La etc. and combine it with the nearby places (subject to ILP permits which is difficult).
Why not leave something for the future ?

Agreed. Will be exhaustive if followed to the T. As has been my experience that you can never plan for ladakh. It will let you explore itself at its own leisure. I penned the itinerary keeping the areas that I wanted to see and see how it goes. Plan is all flexible, except that I will want to avoid Srinagar route. Pathetic traffic in 2019 on jammu Srinagar highway, especially near ramban and had similar experience in all the earlier trips. Thus the plan to enter via killar keylong and the itinerary around it. Climb up from Manali rohtang had its own challenges, guess easened now with Atal tunnel. Hope I find some company for this trip, else solo ahoy :)

Spiti will be for another trip I guess.

Cheers,
Sid

Some good news for Ladakh travelers.

NOW YOU DO NOT NEED TO GO TO LEH DC OFFICE FOR GETTING YOUR ONLINE PERMITS STAMPED.

You can directly proceed to the tourists spots. However this does not apply to critical areas like Marsemik La, Chushul, Chumur etc.



Source: https://www.lahdclehpermit.in/

This is my planned trip. Dates could changed upto a week earlier but not later. There are 2-3 of us and if someone is interested to join do tell.



Used Gmaps for distance and time. Have added 10-20km and 30-60mins additional time per destination. Times for Ladakh locations might be way off than what Gmaps says.

Your pace during your initial and final phase is too slow. Agra-Nagpur is very doable in one go. You’ll save two days right here. Jalandhar to Srinagar in a day is next to impossible. Just Jammu to Srinagar can take 10 hours on account of bad roads and mad traffic. You can do Agra to Jammu in one go, and proceed to Srinagar the next day.

Yeah its not a straight route initially because have to pick my cousin in Nagpur and then drop my wife and daughter and pick my BiL in Bhopal. But the Bhopal part is not yet 100% as 25% chance my BiL might not make the trip in which case will skip Bhopal.

You are right about the Jammu Srinagar part. Plan is to travel as far as possible from Agra. Jalandhar is just a placeholder stop i picked according to gmaps.

With the operational Nashni tunnel bypassing Patnitop and the new Qazikund tunnel which is scheduled to open soon, the Jammu-Srinagar route will take about 7 hours, depending on various factors like traffic, rain etc.
An early morning 5am start would be good.

Once the Qazigund tunnel opens, things may change. But as on date, the Jammu Srinagar route remains an absolute mess. The area around and after Nashri in particular is the worst section.

Agreed. But the new Qazikund tunnel is scheduled to open in less than a month and will be a game-changer.
AnandB is planning his trip in September and not now, so things will be better that time with lesser tourists.
Once again, the route can be easily done in 7 hours, after the tunnel opening.

*ATTENTION*
1. *On 30-06-2021 Wednesday,* there shall be no traffic movement on Jammu-Srinagar NHW from either side in view of maintenance/repairing of the NHW.

2. *On 02-07-2021 Friday* , there shall be no traffic movement on Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumari road from either side in view of maintenance/repairing on *Zoji la axis* .

*TRAFFIC PLAN & ADVISORY FOR 28-06-2021*

*NHW-44.*
Tomorrow , subject to fair weather and better road condition, *LMVs (Passenger)* shall be allowed *from both sides on Jammu-Srinagar NHW* viz *Jammu towards Srinagar and vice-versa* . However, *TCU Jammu/Srinagar shall liaise with TCU Ramban* before releasing the traffic.

*CUT OFF TIMING:*
*LMVs from Nagrota (Jammu) 0500 hrs to 1200 hrs,*
*from Jakheni (Udhampur) 0600 hrs to 1300 hrs* &
*from Zig (Qazigund) 0700 hrs to 1200 hrs*
*No Vehicle shall be allowed before and after cut off timing.*

*HMVs/Load Carriers*
*HMVs shall be allowed from Zig (Qazigund) towards Jammu* after assessing the traffic situation on NHW . TCU Srinagar shall liaise with TCU Ramban before releasing the HMVs.

*SFs Convoy Movement*
Security Forces are advised/requested not to ply against advisory/traffic plan in view of traffic congestion on Jammu-Srinagar NHW. *They may ply from Srinagar towards Jammu* after confirming the status of NHW.

*MUGHAL ROAD*
Subject to fair weather and better road condition only load carriers including fresh perishable, fruits, vegetables and empty truck/ tankers shall be allowed from Herpora (Shopian) at 0900 hrs upto 1400 hours towards Poonch. No vehicle shall be allowed after cut of timings. Moreover, no passenger vehicle or pedestrian shall be allowed on Mughal Road.

*SSG ROAD*
Subject to fair weather and good road condition, only one way traffic *from Kargil towards Srinagar* shall be allowed on Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumari road from MInamarg at *0700 hrs. upto 1400 hrs.* No Vehicle shall be allowed before & after cut off timing.

*KISHTWAR-SINTHAN ROAD*
Kishtwar- Sinthan road has been made operational between Kishtwar - Srinagar and vice-e-versa only for vehicles carrying patients for medical emergencies, subject to fair weather and road condition.

*ADVISORY*
People are advised to undertake journey on NHW-44 only after confirming status of the road from Traffic control units as under:-
• Jammu (0191-2459048, 9419147732)
• Srinagar (0194-2450022, 2485396)
• Ramban (9419993745) • Udhampur (8491928625)
• PCR Kishtwar (9906154100) for status of Sinthan Road

TRAFFIC POLICE HEADQUARTERS, J&K.

Does it snow towards the end of September? Enough for road closures or blockage?

Usually the passes start closing due to snow by mid October. But, you can never know in advance...