Team-BHP - Leh, Ladakh and Zanskar

How’s the weather here in September? Is it too cold? I am terribly bored with life and need a getaway. Google maps shows 2d6h via Indore and Jaipur via Delhi. Is that estimate for driving 24h per day? I don’t think I can cover more than 700km per day in a soft top Gypsy without climate control and comforts, before fatigue sets in. Besides my small dog may not be able to handle so much driving without falling sick.

Looking for advice from people who have already done it.

Hello all, The Leh trip is a dream since the year 2K when I first heard of this on the internet. As the saying goes, one thing led to another and finally am planning the trip in 2023. The plan is as follows, and the itinerary below -

Motorcycle - Honda Highness CB 350
Rider - Self | Pillion - Wife
Both are experienced in riding together - Did the entire South and also Darjeeling and N. Sikkim from Kolkata.
Start - Around Mid-May m2023
Equipment/ Gear/ Luggage - All Set from Past rides and purchases

The Route Plan and Days on Road are as follows
OPTION 1 and 2 are below

The difference would lie in the Leh-Hunder-Spangmik (Pangong) - Tso Moriri circuit only.

I would love to explore both the routes between Tso Moriri and Pangong/Spangmik as they both offer unique experience.

Also planning the reaching time to Hunder and Spangmik in a way that staying an extra day may not be necessary.

That said, we will be carrying a Tent and Sleeping bags for any emergency or if we choose to stay back in a place due to delay on the roads (no-roads).

Both options have a 700-745 KM no-re-fuel road and I am carrying approx 16 Liters apart from my 15 Liter Tank (12 usable). Hence the Kaksangla is on return from Tso Moriri (lighter load)

With all this planning, I still need your experienced review and thoughts since this will be a Ride of a Lifetime for us.

NOTE: Total Miles in the second route is 6480 - 105 KM difference from the other route [Miscalculation in Day 17]

Cheers !
Saurab Chatterjee

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exhaust_Note (Post 5371231)

With all this planning, I still need your experienced review and thoughts since this will be a Ride of a Lifetime for us.

I think all that slogging through the plains (Bihar, Lucknow, Panipat, Amritsar) both ways is a waste of time. You will be riding in the heat and dust for no real gains. Do consider shipping your bike to Chandigarh and doing the ride ex-Chandigarh. VRL Logistics uses proper cages to ship bikes. That way, your trip opens up as you get an extra week. You can then add Hanle to the list. You can explore Zanskar and Batalik. You can also do nothing and just soak in the beauty of the place.

On your existing ride plan, I would do the Hunder/Turtuk sector (which is lower in altitude) first before heading off to Pangong and Tso Moriri (which is significantly higher) as that would help in better acclimatisation. I would also go directly from Hunder to Spangmik via the Agham-Shyok route instead of coming back to Leh.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ranjitnair77 (Post 5371348)

I think all that slogging through the plains (Bihar, Lucknow, Panipat, Amritsar) both ways is a waste of time. ......... I would also go directly from Hunder to Spangmik via the Agham-Shyok route instead of coming back to Leh.

Many thanks - Both your suggestions make very good sense (Why did I not think about it?) LOL

Option 1 makes more sense. I was just being overcautious for the fuel thingy and no other reason for the second plan. Seems no need to worry for 50 extra Kilometers.

I was just skeptical about having to run around getting the Bike Repaired in Chandigarh (or any destination) and hence did not plan on transporting her. Shall deep dive into this surely. And yes, VRL has a good Record too.

Thanks Again - Research and planning -> phase 2 commences !!
Saurab Chatterjee

Hi All,
We on a 33 day road trip Goa-Leh-Goa starting Aug 15 & back on Sept 16. What was planned in 2018, is now a reality in 2022! Any members doing this trip around that time, do give us a holler. We are in an GA07 Gray Ertiga & would try and report whilst on the trip, time & connectivity permitting. As of now, the only hiccup is the Jammu-Srinagar highway. Hope this too gets sorted before our ascend.
Appreciate any inputs on the itinerary below.
Regards,
C'Pao

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ragul (Post 5373623)

but I see some hotel/resorts setup there. What's the catch here? Why is everyone ignoring that option?

Well there are two reasons.
Majority of the people do not recommend staying at this high altitude lake as night time the oxygen level drops considerably, so they suggest to stay at Tagste or some other location away and at lower altitude from lake.

Secondly, Pangong like is declared ecologically protected zone and the stay options are mainly tent option with fancy name which you are seeing in map. Except for few good ones, all are very basic. There are few option which are wooden and looks to be better but can be bad due to amenities.

If you still want to get best of lake and stay nearby, you can try Man and Merak. These two villages lies further up the road (towards Hanle) have good stay option, lake is visible and you can walk down in morning. Overall little better than staying onshore. Don’t go by temperature figures, The lake is extremely cold due to wind effect and can get further worse in night.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chorispao (Post 5373667)

As of now, the only hiccup is the Jammu-Srinagar highway. Hope this too gets sorted before our ascend.
Appreciate any inputs on the itinerary below.
Regards,
C'Pao

What is the issue withj Jammu Srinagar Highway? Is it the traffic jams? OR road construction?

PS What is column T in your chart?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ragul (Post 5373623)

Everyone's recommended visiting Pangong lake and heading back to accommodation but I see some hotel/resorts setup there. What's the catch here? Why is everyone ignoring that option?

Most of them are ill maintained. The one which we stayed in was basically a canvas tent with 8x8 feet size and a attached bathroom. The matress was dirty and the tent had poor insulation inspite of having zippers to seal the entrance.

The bathroom(If I may call it) was smelly and had no running water. They stopped water supply in the night. I had to do my business at midnight and realized this horror! I had to go out in biting cold to the caretaker hut 100 meters away to ask for water which he gave in small bucket. The water was freezing cold, as expected.

There is a lot of infighting and politics among the tent owners. Since Pangong is salt water later, they cannot use the lake water for human uses. And the water supply is rationed and controlled by few vested people.

I suggest you stay at a place nearby to pangong, leave early morning, spend half a day at the lake and return back to your base by evening/night.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chorispao (Post 5373667)

Appreciate any inputs on the itinerary below.
Regards,
C'Pao

Amritsar- Srinagar can be done in a day if you can start at 6 AM (suggest to start at 6-7 instead of 8) in morning. Roads as well as traffic jams are no longer as bad as some years back. We did Jammu- Srinagar in 7 hours with 2 short break and 2 traffic jams. The new Bannihal tunnel is great and cut down time along with Shyama Prasad Mukherjee tunnel near patnitop. Also you will need to deviate from route to go to patanitop nowdays due to new tunnel.
Also this section is wide so the army convoy and public move together, no waiting for them. You only wait for some jam due to road construction before Bannihal tunnel. Also there is rationing of traffic. Trucks are allowed only in afternoon from Jammu side. After 12 pm, passenger vehicles are are not allowed after Jammu check-post.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ragul (Post 5373791)

PS What is column T in your chart?

T = travel time as shown by google

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ragul (Post 5373870)

Is this really the best way from BLR to Jammu? Can somebody highlight their exact location and how I can circumvent those routes?

Yes this is the best route for people who do not have Indore, Mumbai or Gujarat connection :)

Jam for 4 hours at Delhi Toll nakas?
Well my friend you may be misinformed. The Yamuna Expressway tolls or Karnal toll could take sometime but not more than 10-15 minutes.

Also with eastern peripheral expressway you will bypass Delhi, so no jam in Delhi as well.

I'm planning a trip to Leh next week. I will be leaving Vizag in the early hours of August 13. The plan is to reach Udhampur by 15 August. There will be two of us sharing driving duties till Udhampur, we'll be picking up a third friend from Udhampur before heading to Leh.

The idea is to drive on good highways/expressways to have a stress free drive till Udhampur. The car is Mahindra Thar Petrol Manual.

Initial plan is to go through Raipur>Mandla>Sagar>Jhansi>Gwalior. Is this the best/fastest route.

How should we move ahead from Gwalior, to reach Udhampur at the earliest?

Quote:

Originally Posted by g_shyam (Post 5374430)

I don't see any good highways or 4-laning from Vizag to Raipur. May be you could consider rerouting through Hyderabad?

From Sagar onwards till Udhampur/Srinagar it's a pretty straightforward shot on NH44. Stick to it and you cannot go wrong.

You'll pass through YEW and EPE, but you might want to consider going through Mathura as YEW is considered boring and expensive. Not to mention the crazy Fortuners zig-zaging through traffic. Also, taking the WPE over EPE if you take Mathura route.

:thumbs up