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-   -   Leh, Ladakh and Zanskar - The Ultimate Guide (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-travel-queries/135729-leh-ladakh-zanskar-ultimate-guide-6.html)

Hi Jude,

Even I am planning a bike trip to Leh around same time, and also I am from Bangalore. Hope we can touch base and exchange few pointers and see how it goes.....

September is a great time to visit leh if you are in a small car. Most roads will be good. Just make sure service is done, and everything is working normally. Maruti has great coverage in the area. If you plan to do Manali leh, try doing it from Leh-Manali. Hopefully, in september the killing Sarai bridge will be up and you won't face any issues.

I could not have bumped on this thread at a better time. Planning to do a trip in June end.

Kudos Tanveer ! that has to be the best detailed insight about the region I have ever come across! excellent detailing .

Very enriching information Tanveer. One question from my end:

We have planned to drive via Srinagar-kargil-batalik-leh and return via Manali. Now if i am driving from Srinagar is there any place from where we can get permits in advance for this route.

Kargil dc office issues batalik permits. With that permit you should be able to do this route. Since only permit checkpoint is by army at dha bridge you will have no issues

Thanks for the information. Any idea when the Kargil DC office opens and how much time it would normally take to get the batalik permits as we plan to leave Kargil early and not waste much time at Kargil.

9:30-3:30 is a good time to go for any governmental work.
Also take a list of JK holidays. Offices do not work on Holidays

Dear all,

We are planning for a Leh trip from Bangalore in the first week of September in our A Star AT. We intend to go and return by Leh route. Could you please guide us

1. The suggested itinerary for Leh and around (starting from Jammu). Getting stuck is not exactly our idea :) but A Star has decent ground clearance (170mm) with three of us travelling. We have 8 days Jammu-Jammu. Is that enough or do we need more days?

2. Availability of petrol. The tank capacity is 35 litres. Mileage is around 12.5-13 kmpl with full AC in city. What all places could we fill in after Srinagar?

3. I guess there is no sump guard. Is it possible to fit a sump guard without voiding warranty?

4. Cheap but decent family stay options.

5. Do you anticipate any other issue with an AT petrol hatch?

Let us know if anybody is traveling around that time, we could travel together. Also, if you could suggest a route and stop overs from Bangalore to Jammu it would be great. It would be difficult for us to drive more than 800 kms per day.

Thank you very much.

Dear Tanveer,

Firstly thank you for this guide, it really is the ultimate guide to the Leh circuit. The details that you have shared are mind boggling and its hard to believe that you have visited Leh only thrice, i personally assumed you lived around Leh for some time atleast! Also the pictures are stunning.

I have a couple of questions, firstly, I am hopeful of buying the ecosport diesel soon and plan to take that to Leh. According to the ecosport review on Team-Bhp the diesel version has a plastic underbody cover, would this work effectively in protecting the engine? Or a metal sump guard is necessary?
Secondly, and this might be a question with an obvious answer, if i go to Leh via Srinagar and come back via Manali, then from where can one procure the neccessary permits needed for non Himachal vehicles?

Thanx

Tanveer. I don't know how much thanks I should give. I have read almost all Ladakh travelogues here, but everytime I used to get confused over routes and circuits, where to go from where and all that. This one report has cleared each and every little doubts of mine about the route planning. Hats off to your effort! Again thanks for this report! :thumbs up

The plastic guard should be enough looking at the high GC of the EcoSport. Drive carefully and you shouldn't face any issues.

If doing Srinagar-Ladakh-Manali, no permits required for Non-HP vehicles crossing Rohtang to reach Manali. And for Ladakh ILP, Leh's the place to get 'em. If planning Dha/Hanu, permits available from Kargil.

Just fit a sump guard. Srinagar Leh route is fine. You can even come back by manali route as I have received reports that the bridge over killing Sarai is done.
But check when you reach Leh. Lots of vehicles come to old bus stand from HP, and any driver can give you latest information about road status. These HP vehicles reach at night, and next morning they head back to manali.

This is good enough, as another poster mentioned there are no permits required if you are coming from Leh side. However, make sure you cross rohtang after noon due to one way restrictions

Thanks you
I think Kargil office gives you a Batalik permit which is good enough for Dha Hanu route. Batalik is far closer to LoC and sensitive as compared to Dha Hanu!

This is THE Guide! Rated 5 star.

Few queries-
1. Where do we get the permits in Manali?
2. Can a car like Skoda Superb which has ample sump protection plates and rough road package, ever make it through the Manali sector? I know a Fortuner should be able to make it with ease. Though .anshuman has made it with his Laura.
3. What about bikes like HD Superlow and Ninja 650 (with under belly exhaust)?
4. I think my 9 year old Karizma will make it through. Any special precautions for bikes?

1. SDM office. I added it in FAQ
2. Yes, but only if bridges are not broken. Broken bridges often mean deep water crossings. As I mentioned earlier, ask in Leh from bus stand
3. Depends how resistant are they to rock hits. That said, its far easier to avoid rocks on bikes
4. Can't tell much about bikers. Except for the fact that they have it much harder.