[Dry Ice]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Cola is pressurized. Right? These bottle caps are designed to be airtight.
...
Bikers use 2 liter bottles, because they work best.

Aah! True that, stupid me! Common sense isn't so common afterall.

[TheIndian]

What are the latest news on opening of Manali-Leh route/ Rohtang Pass this year? Is it likely to open earlier by 3rd week of May'14 or at usual time of 2nd week of Jun'14?

[1100D]

Wondering what would be the earliest opportunity to visit Leh, daughter's school vacation is from Mid May to Mid June and looks like on the Manali Leh route, Rohtang doesn't open until the second week of June.

I will be driving from Kolkata, so will probably be a 2/3 day drive to Delhi/Manali.

If not all the circuits, would like to atleast touch a few notable ones. My vehicle is a 4WD.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by 1100D

Wondering what would be the earliest opportunity to visit Leh, daughter's school vacation is from Mid May to Mid June and looks like on the Manali Leh route, Rohtang doesn't open until the second week of June.

I will be driving from Kolkata, so will probably be a 2/3 day drive to Delhi/Manali.

If not all the circuits, would like to atleast touch a few notable ones. My vehicle is a 4WD.

Well I suggest you start your trip as late as possible. Lets say around 25th may.
Then you have good chance of having manali leh route open when you come back.
Sample itenaries are in the posts of people, you can use the map with driving times to tailor your own, and post here.

I suggest you keep your plan open ended
1. Go via Srinagar side
2. If Zanskar is open - do it, otherwise spend more time doing leh and around

If by chance manali leh opens by 20th may or something, simple drive to manali from Delhi instead of towards Srinagar.

Originally Posted by TheIndian

What are the latest news on opening of Manali-Leh route/ Rohtang Pass this year? Is it likely to open earlier by 3rd week of May'14 or at usual time of 2nd week of Jun'14?

Target = 20th April
Realistic = Last week of May
Best case scenario - mid may
Worst case scenario - Mid june

[1100D]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Well I suggest you start your trip as late as possible. Lets say around 25th may.
Then you have good chance of having manali leh route open when you come back.
Sample itenaries are in the posts of people, you can use the map with driving times to tailor your own, and post here.

I suggest you keep your plan open ended
1. Go via Srinagar side
2. If Zanskar is open - do it, otherwise spend more time doing leh and around

If by chance manali leh opens by 20th may or something, simple drive to manali from Delhi instead of towards Srinagar.


Target = 20th April
Realistic = Last week of May
Best case scenario - mid may
Worst case scenario - Mid june

Thanks for the prompt reply! As much as I would love to keep plans open ended, am constrained by a 15th June return to Kolkata. Which means I will have to start the return leg by 13th from Manali (assuming that I take Srinagar-Leh-Manali route). This also means I will have to cross Rohtang by 12th June.

Now to utilise the complete vacation, from 17th May, what will probably be the earliest best day to go through Zojila? 25th May (Its a Sunday though)?

Is there any place/website where the pass open status is published that we can track realtime?

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by 1100D

Thanks for the prompt reply! As much as I would love to keep plans open ended, am constrained by a 15th June return to Kolkata. Which means I will have to start the return leg by 13th from Manali (assuming that I take Srinagar-Leh-Manali route). This also means I will have to cross Rohtang by 12th June.

Now to utilise the complete vacation, from 17th May, what will probably be the earliest best day to go through Zojila? 25th May (Its a Sunday though)?

Is there any place/website where the pass open status is published that we can track realtime?

17th May is definitely okay for Zoji La., It usually opens by last week of April
Leh ladakh website is not updated, however, when the pass opens, I will update this thread.

[1100D]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

17th May is definitely okay for Zoji La., It usually opens by last week of April
Leh ladakh website is not updated, however, when the pass opens, I will update this thread.

Great! I guess then, although I would have loved going the Manali-Keylong-Leh route, in interest of practicality and to utilise the vacation time to the full, I'll take the Srinagar route on the way up and the Manali route on the way down.

The benefit I see is that the climb is gradual, which is good for the 8.5 yr old (although she's done Sandakphu without a hiccup last year).

Will any permit be required (like the one required to cross Rohtang) till one reaches Leh by the Srinagar route? If yes, where are they issued from?

Will the permit office at Leh also issue me the permit to take the return journey via Rohtang apart from the permits to the places around Leh.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by 1100D

Great! I guess then, although I would have loved going the Manali-Keylong-Leh route, in interest of practicality and to utilise the vacation time to the full, I'll take the Srinagar route on the way up and the Manali route on the way down.

The benefit I see is that the climb is gradual, which is good for the 8.5 yr old (although she's done Sandakphu without a hiccup last year).

Will any permit be required (like the one required to cross Rohtang) till one reaches Leh by the Srinagar route? If yes, where are they issued from?

Will the permit office at Leh also issue me the permit to take the return journey via Rohtang apart from the permits to the places around Leh.

No permit required for Srinagar Leh route
No permite required for manali leh route if you are coming from Leh side. Only vehicles climbing rohtang from Manali side need permit

[1100D]

Quick question Tanveer. Want to do Zanskar. But since we will do the Ladakh trip the other way round (Srinagar-Leh-Manali), opportunity for going to Zanskar would open up early stages into the trip, at Kargil, without much of an acclimatisation opportunity before it (since I am going to travel with a kid this might be of importance).

I could break Zanskar trip into small phases, like going upto Rangdum only on the first day from Kargil, then upto Padum the next day and then back to Kargil on the next day at one go. Is this doable (that too around 22nd May)?

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by 1100D

Quick question Tanveer. Want to do Zanskar. But since we will do the Ladakh trip the other way round (Srinagar-Leh-Manali), opportunity for going to Zanskar would open up early stages into the trip, at Kargil, without much of an acclimatisation opportunity before it (since I am going to travel with a kid this might be of importance).

I could break Zanskar trip into small phases, like going upto Rangdum only on the first day from Kargil, then upto Padum the next day and then back to Kargil on the next day at one go. Is this doable (that too around 22nd May)?

Zanskar opens late in season, often around end may. So you may be able to go to Rangdum only, as Pensi La will open end May.

Randgum = 4000m
If you stay night at Rangdum you can easily go to Padum as its at similar Altitude.

For acclimitization, you may want to spend one night at Sonmarg, then one night at Panikhar(ahead of Kargil), This will prepare you for Padum

If Pensi ls is not open
You do a Panikhar - Rangdum - Kargil day trip or night at Rangdum depending upon schedule
If Pensi ls is open,
Then Panikhar - Padum is doable in one day

[1100D]

Another super-newbie question for you!

Will it be possible to do a Turtuk/Hanle to Pangong/Spangmik (without taking the Khardungla route) in a day? Would it be too hectic?

If a night stop over is sought while taking this route, where will be a good place to stay back, Sarkti (I will not risk taking the Shyok/Durbuk route)?

Any permits required for taking this route?

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by 1100D

Another super-newbie question for you!

Will it be possible to do a Turtuk/Hanle to Pangong/Spangmik (without taking the Khardungla route) in a day? Would it be too hectic?

If a night stop over is sought while taking this route, where will be a good place to stay back, Sarkti (I will not risk taking the Shyok/Durbuk route)?

Any permits required for taking this route?

Hanle?? Hanle is South East of Pangong and Turtuk is Northwest of Pangong.
BTW, in May Wari LA is closed. So you have to go via Khardung La, unless the Agham shyok route opens. That route is hell though.

[1100D]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Hanle?? Hanle is South East of Pangong and Turtuk is Northwest of Pangong.
BTW, in May Wari LA is closed. So you have to go via Khardung La, unless the Agham shyok route opens. That route is hell though.

Sorry for the typo, I meant Hunder when I typed Hanle.


Anyways thanks for the info about Wari La being closed, will not attempt the Shyok route. Edit: Just checked that in our scheme of things, if we attempted, Turtuk-Wari-la-Sakti-Pangong it would be on 31st May 2014. So I guess there are chances that Wari La will be open by that time. So getting back to my question for Turtuk-WariLa-Pangong nighthalt somewhere enroute (Sarkti?).

How about Spangmik-Chusul-tsaga-la-Loma-Hanle route, will this be open (I guess this route will require a permit for the Chusul-Tsagala section)

Now if one takes Spangmik-Chusul-Mahe-Nyoma-Loma-Hanle route, will that require a permit? Doable in a day (without stressing out)?

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by 1100D

Sorry for the typo, I meant Hunder when I typed Hanle.


Anyways thanks for the info about Wari La being closed, will not attempt the Shyok route. Edit: Just checked that in our scheme of things, if we attempted, Turtuk-Wari-la-Sakti-Pangong it would be on 31st May 2014. So I guess there are chances that Wari La will be open by that time. So getting back to my question for Turtuk-WariLa-Pangong nighthalt somewhere enroute (Sarkti?).

How about Spangmik-Chusul-tsaga-la-Loma-Hanle route, will this be open (I guess this route will require a permit for the Chusul-Tsagala section)

Now if one takes Spangmik-Chusul-Mahe-Nyoma-Loma-Hanle route, will that require a permit? Doable in a day (without stressing out)?

I went around 10th June, and Wari La was still not open. This pass is not on the border, and not important, so clearing it is never top priority.
I suggest you attempt agham shyok. Check with any traffic or villages on the way(eg tangyar). Since its early in season, snow melt is less, so there is a good chance that the route may be open for 4WD.

If you do Hunder-Leh-Pangong through Khardungla, it will take about 13 hours or so. So start early from Hunder, go towards Agham, if open, then its 4 hours to Pangong, if not, then go up Khardungla and then do Changla. The road till 10kms of Chang LA top is very good now. Roads have improved dramatically and you can keep good speeds now.

Alternatively, you can do the circuit in reverse.
1. From Loma- when you go towards Chushul, its good, because from Chushul they will not send you back, right
2. From Pangong, you can go towards Agham, and if route is blocked you will need to backtrack 1 hour only. If you do it from Hunder, you need to backtrack 2.5 hours.

[swsumit]

Tanveer sir ,
wanted to know the trip dates of your trip to LEH in 2012 ( 18 passes) .
I am planning to visit zanskar around 02 oct during my trip to Leh .What are your views on this slot .Am i supposed to expect snowfall . I will be in a sedan ( Logan )
regards
sumit

@ columbus _ 500
Hiii ..
have planned my iteneary on similar lines and similar date slots...
Lets share inputs if thats feasible
regards
sumit

Tanveer sir ,
One more quick question ,
Douthling GH in Tang tse , any idea how to do pre bookings .
else what is the other alternative out there .
secondly does sumur have any accomodation , any details on that for prebookings

regards
sumit