[joshuakeys]

Hi BHPians,

I am planning to do a Ladhak trip, possibly by the 1st week of Sept, is that the right time to visit? we might fly to delhi & I heard about hiring bikes, I have no clue about it, need information about hiring bikes and stuff.

If we take a road trip how long will it be from Pune & which is the best route??

Please suggest/Advise.

Cheers
Joshua

[Dry Ice]

Originally Posted by joshuakeys

Hi BHPians,

I am planning to do a Ladhak trip, possibly by the 1st week of Sept, is that the right time to visit? we might fly to delhi & I heard about hiring bikes, I have no clue about it, need information about hiring bikes and stuff.

If we take a road trip how long will it be from Pune & which is the best route??

Please suggest/Advise.

Cheers
Joshua

Renting bikes from where? IIRC, the bike rental guys in Leh were making it increasingly difficult for people to use rented bike (from outside leh) in and around Leh. They want people to hire from them only - not from Manali, Delhi, Jammu or other places. There was some sort of online petition asking for rollback of this order - not sure about the present ground reality. Do check on it before finalizing.

[UrbanNomad]

i read somewhere on the thread that operating laptops at high altitudes may be tough. Is that true? i was planning to use my laptop there to backup photos to an external HDD.

Originally Posted by UrbanNomad

i read somewhere on the thread that operating laptops at high altitudes may be tough. Is that true?

No. I was using my laptop at my hotel at Leh almost daily for checking my mails, browsing Internet, watching movies, posting updates in my ownership threads, transferring photographs from my camera to laptop, etc. without any issues.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by UrbanNomad

i read somewhere on the thread that operating laptops at high altitudes may be tough. Is that true? i was planning to use my laptop there to backup photos to an external HDD.

Do not use laptop above 4000mts. Eg Pangong, or the passes. Leh city at 3500 is fine.

[fossilalan]

Hi.
Planning to travel in a Socrpio Automatic, 2WD, one old couple.
Route : Mumbai - Delhi - Amritsar - Srinagar - Kargil - Leh Jispa - Manali - Del - Mumbai.
Starting from 05 Aug 2014.
Any advice/help, for handling the AUTOMATIC vehicle on this trip, or on any other relavant matter, from you or HVK or Tanveer, or the Team-BHP, would be truly appreciated
<alanrcjee@gmail.com>

[rahulk2510]

No matter how much we may appreciate the removal of ILPs for Indian tourists at Ladakh, but look at the flip side! Too many cars (mainly Gas Guzzling SUV's) up there. The day doesn't look far when we loose another exotic landscape.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/i...w/38284454.cms

A humble request to make sure that all BHPians go there as responsible tourists and contribute their 2 cents.

Note: I am yet to go to Ladakh, have cancelled my trips thrice after making a detailed itinerary from tips from this awesome thread.

Sorry for the Off topic post, thought this would be the right place to mention the above point since there are so many who visit this thread for planning their tours to Ladakh.

[roy_libran]

Originally Posted by rahulk2510

No matter how much we may appreciate the removal of ILPs for Indian tourists at Ladakh, but look at the flip side! Too many cars (mainly Gas Guzzling SUV's) up there. The day doesn't look far when we loose another exotic landscape.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/i...w/38284454.cms

A humble request to make sure that all BHPians go there as responsible tourists and contribute their 2 cents.please.

You're absolutely right. On our trip we took special care not to litter, but nothing can be done about the air pollution from the vehicles. The matter is worsened because the vehicles guzzle more fuel and belch out more gas, because of insufficient oxygen for combustion.
Maybe the administration should actually enforce some sort of yearly limits for tourists.

[BeingCynical]

I want to clarify one quick thing. I am driving to Leh this August and the vehicle that I will take (Safari) is in my wife's name. So the smart card registration has all details of her. Since she won't be with me and will only be joining from Leh after flying there, do I need to carry any other document? I mean can the security checks before Srinagar or anywhere else would have problems for me saying the owner is not traveling along. Can someone with some knowledge please clarify?

[stormerider]

Originally Posted by BeingCynical

I want to clarify one quick thing. I am driving to Leh this August and the vehicle that I will take (Safari) is in my wife's name. So the smart card registration has all details of her. Since she won't be with me and will only be joining from Leh after flying there, do I need to carry any other document? I mean can the security checks before Srinagar or anywhere else would have problems for me saying the owner is not traveling along. Can someone with some knowledge please clarify?

Doesn't matter. All you need is a valid registration certificate and valid driving license (in your name). Vehicle's registration is specific to a vehicle which can be driven by a person holding valid license.
For example many taxis are registered in owners name and are driven by drivers.

[A.G.The Rambler]

Hi Tanveer,

We are planning to drive to Ladakh in my Manza starting 29th August. We will be 5 including a 5 yr old kid. I have the following questions in mind mentioned within braces from Day 5.

Day 0 – 29th August 2014 - Leave KOLKATA for Delhi in the afternoon (Overnight drive)
Day 1 – Reach Delhi (Overnight Stay)
Day 2 – Delhi to Patnitop
Day 3 – Patnitop to Srinagar/Sonmarg
Day 4 - Break
Day 5 – Srinagar/Sonmarg to Kargil (Zozilla would be manageable I guess. What are the timings for the uphill and downhill traffic?)
Day 6 – Kargil – Batalik – Leh (Permits needed? Possible in Sedan? Longer or Shorter than Lamayuru? How far is Khaltse to Lamayuru if we want to go there just to see and then get back to leh? )
Day 7 – Stay at Leh
Day 8 – Leh –Khardung la – Hunder- Turtok (Is Khardung la possible in Manza? If so, then is Turtok possible in Manza? If so how long would it take from Leh to Turtok?)
Day 9 – Back to Leh (Taking into consideration than Turtok/Hunder to Pangong through Wari La will not be feasible in my Manza. Am I correct? )
Day 10 – Leh – Sakthi – Changla - Pangong Tso

Day 11 – Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri (Hanle not possible in Manza. Tso Moriri is also not possible directly. Is it possible to take the Pangong – Shakti – Upashi – Chumathang – Mahe – Namshang la route to Karzok in my Manza? How much time it might take? If it is taxing then probably I would drop Tso Moriri. If we drop Tso Moriri which would be the best stopover next towards Manali?)
Day 12 – Tso Moriri - Jispa (Hope it’s possible in a day in my Manza? How much time it might take? Fuel availability might be an issue? Pang/Sarchu stopover would be difficult with a child below 5 yrs. Am I correct?)
Day 13 – Jispa to Manali

OR

Day 11 – Pangong Tso to Leh
Day 12 – Leh to Sarchu
Day 13 – Sarchu to Manali( Rothang would be manageable I guess. What are the timings for the uphill and downhill traffic?)

Day 14 – Manali
Day 15 – Manali – Agra (Approx. how much time this might take?)
Day 16 – Agra
Day 17 – Agra to Varanasi
Day 18 – Varanasi to Kolkata

Any other precaution you would like us to take, taking into consideration my vehicle.

Regards,
Anish

[Jaguar]

We are planning a drive to Leh from Delhi during last week of Aug.

With a 6 pm start from Delhi, what is a safe estimate to reach Srinagar? We have 5 drivers amongst 2 vehicles and plan to do a non-stop drive to Srinagar.
Also, would it be feasible to do a non-stop Delhi-Kargil drive?

[roy_libran]

Originally Posted by Jaguar

We are planning a drive to Leh from Delhi during last week of Aug.

With a 6 pm start from Delhi, what is a safe estimate to reach Srinagar? We have 5 drivers amongst 2 vehicles and plan to do a non-stop drive to Srinagar.
Also, would it be feasible to do a non-stop Delhi-Kargil drive?

A 6 pm start from Delhi will see you in Udhampur at around 6 a.m., which will essentially translate to you reaching Sonmarg at around 5 p.m., if you do not get crazy traffic between Udhampur and Sonmarg (you are likely to, though!).

If the Zozi La gates, just after Sonmarg, allow you to proceed, you can traverse Sonmarg to Kargil in about 4 hours.

But seriously, what's the big rush?

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by A.G.The Rambler

Hi Tanveer,

We are planning to drive to Ladakh in my Manza starting 29th August. We will be 5 including a 5 yr old kid. I have the following questions in mind mentioned within braces from Day 5.

Day 0 – 29th August 2014 - Leave KOLKATA for Delhi in the afternoon (Overnight drive)
Day 1 – Reach Delhi (Overnight Stay)
Day 2 – Delhi to Patnitop
Day 3 – Patnitop to Srinagar/Sonmarg
Day 4 - Break
Day 5 – Srinagar/Sonmarg to Kargil (Zozilla would be manageable I guess. What are the timings for the uphill and downhill traffic?)

Timings keep changing. Often august end timing restriction is removed due to low traffic

Day 6 – Kargil – Batalik – Leh (Permits needed? Possible in Sedan? Longer or Shorter than Lamayuru? How far is Khaltse to Lamayuru if we want to go there just to see and then get back to leh? )

Dha route is possible without permits. But for Batailik war memorial you have to get permission from kargil Dc office
About 40 minutes backtrack is needed from khalste if you do Dha route

Day 7 – Stay at Leh
Day 8 – Leh –Khardung la – Hunder- Turtok (Is Khardung la possible in Manza? If so, then is Turtok possible in Manza? If so how long would it take from Leh to Turtok?)

Entire stretch possible in sedan. For timings refer to map

Day 9 – Back to Leh (Taking into consideration than Turtok/Hunder to Pangong through Wari La will not be feasible in my Manza. Am I correct? )
Day 10 – Leh – Sakthi – Changla - Pangong Tso

Wari La is possible in sedan august end

Day 11 – Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri (Hanle not possible in Manza. Tso Moriri is also not possible directly. Is it possible to take the Pangong – Shakti – Upashi – Chumathang – Mahe – Namshang la route to Karzok in my Manza? How much time it might take? If it is taxing then probably I would drop Tso Moriri. If we drop Tso Moriri which would be the best stopover next towards Manali?)

Hanle and Tso moriri both possible in Manza. But chushul route is an issue for low GC sedan

Day 12 – Tso Moriri - Jispa (Hope it’s possible in a day in my Manza? How much time it might take? Fuel availability might be an issue? Pang/Sarchu stopover would be difficult with a child below 5 yrs. Am I correct?)
Day 13 – Jispa to Manali

OR

Day 11 – Pangong Tso to Leh
Day 12 – Leh to Sarchu
Day 13 – Sarchu to Manali( Rothang would be manageable I guess. What are the timings for the uphill and downhill traffic?)

No timings for Rohtang. You can do Tso Moriri Jispa in approx 10-12 hours

Day 14 – Manali
Day 15 – Manali – Agra (Approx. how much time this might take?)
Day 16 – Agra
Day 17 – Agra to Varanasi
Day 18 – Varanasi to Kolkata

Manali Agra is about 18 hours

[Jaguar]

Originally Posted by roy_libran

A 6 pm start from Delhi will see you in Udhampur at around 6 a.m., which will essentially translate to you reaching Sonmarg at around 5 p.m., if you do not get crazy traffic between Udhampur and Sonmarg (you are likely to, though!).

But seriously, what's the big rush?

Google maps shows Udhampur to Sonmarg in 6 hours while you have estimated almost double. Is that the realistic timeframe we should be looking at?

I agree with the rush part, but a couple of guys in our group want to finish off the initial part of the Leh trip ASAP so as to do the remaining 2 weeks leisurely.