[manson]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Once you have the cab with you, ask him to take you via Wari La. Offer to pay extra, he will take you. Its one of the most beautiful passes in Ladakh.

Cool, sounds like a plan. I won't regret even if it does not happen though, its my first leh trip, bound to be overwhelmed with whatever I see!
Btw, called the hotel in the afternoon, the receptionist said the weather is really nice.

Also, is airtel apart from bsnl the only mobile network in leh?

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by manson

Cool, sounds like a plan. I won't regret even if it does not happen though, its my first leh trip, bound to be overwhelmed with whatever I see!
Btw, called the hotel in the afternoon, the receptionist said the weather is really nice.

Also, is airtel apart from bsnl the only mobile network in leh?

Inside city I think postpaid vodaphone and aircel also works. But in Tangste and Diskit area, its only BSNL mostly.

If you are carrying a MTNL or BSNL postpaid, you are all set.

[Axe77]

Excellent thread. I myself want to go on a leh and nearby area biking tour with one of these groups that rents bikes and organises the journey. Sometime in 2015. Any suggestions on what's the absolutely perfect month for is within the season? Considering weather etc?

Thanks

Yesterday, we tried in vain to barge into Srinagar from Lakhanpur side. The police at toll plaza told me that he did not have latest information on Srinagar and I paid toll upto Srinagar ₹ 130 and proceeded towards Srinagar. Later, I enquired with another cop at Samba, who painted an optimistic picture by telling that all cars and small vehicles were allowed upto Sonamarg. All the landslides were cleared en route. Nothing to worry. Encouraged, we drove further on. Then, I conducted a opinion poll among the cops. The second cop at Jammu bypass painted a gloomy picture on Srinagar. He told me vehicles were stopped at Ramban and I would not be allowed to proceed further. Again, I continued. The third set of cops informed me that road upto 140 km were cleared for vehicular traffic as of yeserday. If it did not rain, more length of road would be opened the next day, i.e., today. I might have a chance, but cannot be guaranteed of entry to Srinagar. Since the opinon poll presented a gloomy picture, I took a U turn at 20 km before Udhampur, returned back to Pathankot and stayed there. My plan is to drive to Dalhousie today for a 3 night stay and drive to Leh via Sach Pass, if it is open. Otherwise, Manali route; if Leh remains elusive even via Manali, we will drive to Amritsar and explore Rajasthan before returning to Bangalore.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

Yesterday, we tried in vain to barge into Srinagar from Lakhanpur side. The police at toll plaza told me that he did not have latest information on Srinagar and I paid toll upto Srinagar ₹ 130 and proceeded towards Srinagar. Later, I enquired with another cop at Samba, who painted an optimistic picture by telling that all cars and small vehicles were allowed upto Sonamarg. All the landslides were cleared en route. Nothing to worry. Encouraged, we drove further on. Then, I conducted a opinion poll among the cops. The second cop at Jammu bypass painted a gloomy picture on Srinagar. He told me vehicles were stopped at Ramban and I would not be allowed to proceed further. Again, I continued. The third set of cops informed me that road upto 140 km were cleared for vehicular traffic as of yeserday. If it did not rain, more length of road would be opened the next day, i.e., today. I might have a chance, but cannot be guaranteed of entry to Srinagar. Since the opinon poll presented a gloomy picture, I took a U turn at 20 km before Udhampur, returned back to Pathankot and stayed there. My plan is to drive to Dalhousie today for a 3 night stay and drive to Leh via Sach Pass, if it is open. Otherwise, Manali route; if Leh remains elusive even via Manali, we will drive to Amritsar and explore Rajasthan before returning to Bangalore.

The Manali route has been open over the past few days. Why did you even try the Srinagar route?

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Why did you even try the Srinagar route?

I had to receive my son at Srinagar airport. Now, he is alighting at Amritsar and joining us at Pathankot.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

I had to receive my son at Srinagar airport. Now, he is alighting at Amritsar and joining us at Pathankot.

Heavy rain in Punjab/Srinagar area forecasted for the weekend. So you make your way through Manali Leh highway before this weekend.

[Nagesh]

Folks, our original plan was to do a Delhi to Delhi via Srinagar, Leh, Manali route starting Sep 16th. Now because of the unfortunate and obvious reasons we have replanned to go via Manali and back the same route. Am hearing from some people that even the Manali - Leh route is completely gone bad. Any information regarding this would really help us decide whether to go ahead or cancel the trip.

Please do let me know!! Thanks a lot.

[Jaguar]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

4. Nubra-pangong via Wari La
Cab drivers will use Wari La, no issues. No permits needed too!.

Originally Posted by manson

The hotel declined a Nubra - Pangong drive to our travel agent

We got an update that the routes from Pangong to Nubra via Durbuk as well as the one via Sakti-Wari La are in bad state and it is better to retrace back to Leh. That might be the reason why the hotel declined the route. This was in end of August.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by Nagesh

Folks, our original plan was to do a Delhi to Delhi via Srinagar, Leh, Manali route starting Sep 16th. Now because of the unfortunate and obvious reasons we have replanned to go via Manali and back the same route. Am hearing from some people that even the Manali - Leh route is completely gone bad. Any information regarding this would really help us decide whether to go ahead or cancel the trip.

Please do let me know!! Thanks a lot.

Area around Khoksar(when you get down from Rohtang) is in a bad shape. But nothing serious

Originally Posted by Jaguar

We got an update that the routes from Pangong to Nubra via Durbuk as well as the one via Sakti-Wari La are in bad state and it is better to retrace back to Leh. That might be the reason why the hotel declined the route. This was in end of August.

This is the standard answer every year. Agham Shyok is a mess and pretty tricky with water crossings and such, however, Wari La is just very steep. Moreover, due to kms saved, its not profitable to the hotel guys. Coming back to Leh means

1. Extra night in the hotel
2. Extra KMS for Taxi

[Jaguar]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

This is the standard answer every year. Agham Shyok is a mess and pretty tricky with water crossings and such, however, Wari La is just very steep. Moreover, due to kms saved, its not profitable to the hotel guys. Coming back to Leh means

1. Extra night in the hotel
2. Extra KMS for Taxi

We were in a self drive car and were asking around locals and army men. Probably we should have just taken the plunge and driven ahead.

[bikefreak]

I'm flying into Leh on the 18th of this month and back to Mumbai on the 23rd.
Going alone with photography in mind.
Hope to get some good snaps during the Laddakh festival that is supposed to begin on the 20th.
Would be great if I had some company ... any of you around during that period ?

Cheers

[manson]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Inside city I think postpaid vodaphone and aircel also works. But in Tangste and Diskit area, its only BSNL mostly.

If you are carrying a MTNL or BSNL postpaid, you are all set.

We are on Vodaphone postpaid connections, and another Loop (soon to be taken over by Airtel) connection. Are Voda connections allowed on MTNL / BSNL whilst roaming?

Originally Posted by bikefreak

any of you around during that period ?

Cheers

We should be around back from Nubra into Leh on the 18th and spending the 19th in Leh too, fly back on 20th morning.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by manson

We are on Vodaphone postpaid connections, and another Loop (soon to be taken over by Airtel) connection. Are Voda connections allowed on MTNL / BSNL whilst roaming?

Nope. But do not worry. Pangong has a DSPT(satellite phone). Nubra you can use your hotel guys phone to connect

[manson]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Nope. But do not worry. Pangong has a DSPT(satellite phone). Nubra you can use your hotel guys phone to connect

Pangong is just a day trip, so I will probably divert calls to the cab driver is he is fine with it

Originally Posted by tsk1979

[*]Extra KMS for Taxi[/list]

Tan in my case, the taxi is included in the package. At tops I'm assuming the advantage the hotel gets is securing the night tariff instead of passing it on to the camp accommodation in Pangong.