[J_Man]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Some changes I would recommend


Do Patnitop to Gulmarg and see Dal on the way. No need to stay in Srinagar. Next day morning finish Gondola stuff by noon, and then start towards drass. If the route is open towards kargil, drive straight to kargil. The reason is that the Sonmarg-Kargil side may be one way and open only after 2 pm.

Thanks a ton Tanveer, this would probably save a day for me.

Would like to know few more things once i am done with final planning. Till then make the necessary amends viewing your valuable inputs.

[rajamuneeb]

Originally Posted by J_Man

Thanks a ton Tanveer, this would probably save a day for me.

Would like to know few more things once i am done with final planning. Till then make the necessary amends viewing your valuable inputs.

Dear Friends. You can't see Dal on way from Patnitop to Gulmarg. For that you will have to enter Srinagar city. My humble advice will be to go from patnitop to gulmarg and on way back from gulmarg to drass take the dal road route to sonmarg.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by rajamuneeb

Dear Friends. You can't see Dal on way from Patnitop to Gulmarg. For that you will have to enter Srinagar city. My humble advice will be to go from patnitop to gulmarg and on way back from gulmarg to drass take the dal road route to sonmarg.

Yup, but Patnitop to Srinagar is probably just 5-6 hours, so you can do some sightseeing inside Srinagar, and then go to Gulmarg.

[rajamuneeb]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Yup, but Patnitop to Srinagar is probably just 5-6 hours, so you can do some sightseeing inside Srinagar, and then go to Gulmarg.

Yes but traffic on highway is very unpredictable and also traffic in srinagar is a mess post April. Also by the time they reach Srinagar it will be late afternoon or early evening. Better would be going directly to gulmarg via panthachowk bypass and avoiding srinagar. They can leave early from Gulmarg and take the boulevard road along the dal enroute to Sonmarg. As a local I would suggest this rather than the original one planned.

[J_Man]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Nobody stops small cars like duster. Does your wife have an id card with same surname as your BIL?
That should be enough

My drive will be Fiat Grande Punto 90HP, company fitted with enhanced ground clearance kit.

Also my BIL means my Sister's Husband and he is the one who owns a Duster. So if I need to drive the Duster then what documents shall I make/get from him for getting the permits and to solve the ID purpose with respect to Taxi Union?

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by J_Man

My drive will be Fiat Grande Punto 90HP, company fitted with enhanced ground clearance kit.

Also my BIL means my Sister's Husband and he is the one who owns a Duster. So if I need to drive the Duster then what documents shall I make/get from him for getting the permits and to solve the ID purpose with respect to Taxi Union?

There is no document he can make. Taxi union should not stop cars with white number plates(only yellow on black which are rented self drive cars). I guess you can call your BIL and he can talk to them if they do stop you. Its hard to predict the sentiment at an illegal naka.

[PapaBravo]

Hello tsk 1979 & fellow bhpians,

My plan for Ladakh is given below.

Time : Approximately 10th June onwards
Car : Duster AWD




Would be great if you could give some insights into the same. Is the plan okay ? Any passes that might not open mid June. Any day journeys that I have made too long.

Any help would be appreciated.

One night halt each at Lucknow, Delhi & Sonamarg cannot be avoided due to personal commitments.

Regards,

Pawan

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by PapaBravo

Hello tsk 1979 & fellow bhpians,

My plan for Ladakh is given below.

Time : Approximately 10th June onwards
Car : Duster AWD

Snow has been very less, so every pass should be open, including Wari LA. But then late April heavy snowfall may cause issues.

When you go Hunder-Pangong you can go via Wari-La/Changla or direct via Agham shyok if road is accessible. The latter is just a 4-5 hour journey if the bridge is not broken.

For Pangong to Hanle, see if you can get chushul permits etc.,

Hanle to Sarchu can be done via Kyun Tso if you start early. Its a lovely lake and Duster AWD will do just fine.

Last but not the least, if Zoji La gate is opened at 2pm, you cannot go to Leh from sonmarg, you have to take kargil halt.

[PapaBravo]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Snow has been very less, so every pass should be open, including Wari LA. But then late April heavy snowfall may cause issues.

When you go Hunder-Pangong you can go via Wari-La/Changla or direct via Agham shyok if road is accessible. The latter is just a 4-5 hour journey if the bridge is not broken.

For Pangong to Hanle, see if you can get chushul permits etc.,

Hanle to Sarchu can be done via Kyun Tso if you start early. Its a lovely lake and Duster AWD will do just fine.

Last but not the least, if Zoji La gate is opened at 2pm, you cannot go to Leh from sonmarg, you have to take kargil halt.

Thanks for the prompt reply. Lets hope April Snowfall doesn't block any passes. Will include Kyu Tso in the itinerary. Is it confirmed that Zoji La is one way from Sonamarg to Leh only after 2 pm. The first post says that the timing changes every year. Also, what would be the apporximate drive time from Sonamarg to Leh & Sonamarg to Kargil.

Thanks in Advance.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by PapaBravo

Thanks for the prompt reply. Lets hope April Snowfall doesn't block any passes. Will include Kyu Tso in the itinerary. Is it confirmed that Zoji La is one way from Sonamarg to Leh only after 2 pm. The first post says that the timing changes every year. Also, what would be the apporximate drive time from Sonamarg to Leh & Sonamarg to Kargil.

Thanks in Advance.

Mostly its 2pm. But yes, it may change. Driving time from Sonmarg to Leh is around 10 hours max.

[pkjains]

Hello All,

I have read this thread from top to bottom and thank everyone for all the details posted on this thread. I am planning to a trip to Kashmir and Ladakh from Udaipur in XUV500 W10 AWD AT. I will be travelling with my wife and 7 year old and 4.5 year old. High level plan is:

April 29th - Drive from Udaipur to Delhi

May 3rd - 18th - Cover Delhi to Haridwar, Rishikesh, Dehradun, Musoorie, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Wagah Border, Dalhousie, Jammu, Srinagar, Gulamrg, Sonmarg

Hopefully the Srinigar to Leh road will be open around 18th May.

I plan to spend 15-18 days in Ladakh covering all the routes tsk1979 highlighted in this thread as conditions allow.

June 5th-7th - Drive back from Leh - Manali - Delhi

Few questions:
1. BSNL - Will prepaid cellphone work or is a postpaid connection required in Ladakh?
2. Tarp cover for engine bay - I read in this and Sathya_sc's forum http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...so-moriri.html that tarp cover is recommended for a smooth crank start in the morning. Is this needed during Late May/Early June timeframe?
3. Is a 2nd spare tire a must/recommended if I am carrying tire puncture kit and tire inflator?
4. What's the probability that Leh-Manali route will be open by 5th June?
5. Any other risks/issues to consider since I am planning to travel as soon as the roads open?

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by pkjains

Few questions:
1. BSNL - Will prepaid cellphone work or is a postpaid connection required in Ladakh?

Postpaid only

2. Tarp cover for engine bay - I read in this and Sathya_sc's forum http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...so-moriri.html that tarp cover is recommended for a smooth crank start in the morning. Is this needed during Late May/Early June timeframe?

If you spend the night at Pangong its a good idea

3. Is a 2nd spare tire a must/recommended if I am carrying tire puncture kit and tire inflator?

Its like insurance

4. What's the probability that Leh-Manali route will be open by 5th June?

Extremely high this year due to lack of snowfall

5. Any other risks/issues to consider since I am planning to travel as soon as the roads open?

Road closures may happen if it snows. That's about it.

[gypsyFreak]

Originally Posted by pkjains

Hopefully the Srinigar to Leh road will be open around 18th May.

Srinagar Leh road might open as early as this month end itself. Due to less snowfall, the snow clearance operations have already begun as of Feb 26. Hence it is expected to be open for vehicular traffic by March end, provided there is no more snow fall in March.

Srinagar:
The strategic 434 km long Srinagar-Leh Highway, the only road linking the Ladakh region with rest of Jammu and Kashmir is likely to open early this year.

The likely early opening of the road is mostly credited to less snowfall this year and the dry weather.

Beacon officials told Rising Kashmir that the snow clearance work on the highway was started on February 24 and is going on. The highway was closed in December last year following heavy snowfall. Border Roads Organization (BRO) officials said that the snow clearance operation from Gagengar to Gumri started on Wednesday, adding that the snow clearance operation will be completed by mid March and the road is expected to be thrown open by ending March.

Pertinently last year the road was officially opened on May 13.

Zojilla Pass on the highway which experiences heavy snowfall and remain closed for several months during winter is considered to be the most difficult and avalanche prone terrain. However this year due to the less snowfall during winters the road clearance operation in high swing it is likely to take less time to clear the as compared to previous years.

Reports said that nearly 8-10 ft of snow has accumulated along Zojila Pass while as 3-4 ft of snow along Sonamarg-Baltal road.

"The snow clearance work has been started and will be completed around mid march and the road is likely to be thrown open by ending March this year subject to good weather," Chief Engineer Beacon, Brig A K Das told Rising Kashmir.

Braving the bone-chilling cold, BRO has pressed dozens of its workers and snow-cutters into service to clear the Zojilla Pass, Das said.

He said that the toughest work to clear snow remains the 30-km-long-stretch up to zero point of Zojilla from Sonamarg.

He said that if weather continues to support, the road is all set to open by March end this year.

Officials added that Project Beacon of Border Road Organization is responsible for clearing the road up to zero point near Zojilla from Sonamarg, while the Vijayak of BRO clears the road from the Kargil side.

Source: http://www.risingkashmir.com/news/sn...in-full-swing/

[abhjain]

Hi Guys, we are 4 couples planning for a short 4 day trip by Air to Leh. Would you guys know any decent and reasonably priced travel agent who can help us in local conveyance?

[shreyasmrao]

Bro, my experience is that this trip will be too heavy on the kid and I'm not sure how much your wife will enjoy such a long road trip. Hill driving also causes loads of motion sickness and altitude related issues cannot be discounted (AMS). One of my kids caught AMS when we slept overnight at Pangong (Spangmik). Statistics has it that Pangong has a hit rate of about 60% if you have not acclimatised well.