[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

Notwithstanding the grim bad weather prevailing at Kashmir and Ladakh, we are leaving Chennai in another hour. If we cannot reach Ladakh, then we will resort to Plan B, which includes HP and Rajasthan, the places that are not affected by bad weather.

You will reach Delhi by Sunday. This means, the worst would have passed. Decide on the route when you are in Delhi. Manali route has had less trouble than the JK route due to heavy rains.

[manasmadaan]

One question to all. Now that the srinigar leh highway is closed, what s the situation of manali leh highway and the road to manali?
Are those areas also affected by these heavy rainfalls or not? We can change our plns and go by that route if the situation is fine there?
Input is desperately needed

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Manali route has had less trouble than the JK route due to heavy rains.

Perhaps, the Plan B might include Leh via Manali subject to weather conditions! Keeping our fingers crossed until we reach Delhi.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by manasmadaan

One question to all. Now that the srinigar leh highway is closed, what s the situation of manali leh highway and the road to manali?
Are those areas also affected by these heavy rainfalls or not? We can change our plns and go by that route if the situation is fine there?
Input is desperately needed

Once the rains stop, landslides on major highways are cleared within a day.
The rain has been concentrated over JK and PB, with HP getting somewhat heavy rain.
The forecast over the next couple of days has red alert in JK, but HP will get normal rains. So anybody planning this weekend should take the Rohtang route. Landslides if any, will be cleared within a few hours, and atmost you will lose a day.

However, JK is going to get very heavy rainfall due to moisture incursion via RJ/GJ as well as an active western disturbance.

Usually when two weather systems collide you get torrential downpour and cloudbursts. The Leh tragedy was precipitated by the fact that a western disturbance and monsoon system interacted with local moisture.

After Saturday the rains will abate in JK, but still landslides cannot be ruled out.

So go via HP.

[Traveller Nayak]

We are happily parked in Leh. As per original plan we were to leave for Nubra valley today. We are exploring Leh. From what we are hearing weather should clear up on 7th to go towards Nubra valley.

[manasmadaan]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

After Saturday the rains will abate in JK, but still landslides cannot be ruled out.

So go via HP.

Thanks a lot tanveer for this useful information. Now planning to go via manali route.

Originally Posted by Traveller Nayak

We are happily parked in Leh. As per original plan we were to leave for Nubra valley today. We are exploring Leh. From what we are hearing weather should clear up on 7th to go towards Nubra valley.

Thats great news for us. Kindly update about the weather and road conditions on this thread. it will help us a lot

[manasmadaan]

Finally, after all the hurdles, our trip to leh is on. We are leaving on tuesday and now going via manali route as J&K route is all washed away in floods. We will assess the situation on our return leg and if the situation has normalized by then, we ll return via srinagar or else take the manali route again. Excited to say the least

[manson]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

After Saturday the rains will abate in JK, but still landslides cannot be ruled out.

We are finally booked for travel coming weekend, can the heavy rainfall in Srinagar and surrounding areas upset our plans? Spoke to the hotel on Saturday evening and I was informed that the flights were cancelled for two consecutive days but weather had started clear up.

We are flying in and out of Leh, so flexibility of waiting it our for weather to clear is not much of an option.

Also, Hanle has been dropped from our travel plan due to lack of hotels in the surrounding areas, as mentioned by you in the initial post on this route.

Originally Posted by Traveller Nayak

We are happily parked in Leh. As per original plan we were to leave for Nubra valley today. We are exploring Leh. From what we are hearing weather should clear up on 7th to go towards Nubra valley.

Any update?

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by manson

We are finally booked for travel coming weekend, can the heavy rainfall in Srinagar and surrounding areas upset our plans? Spoke to the hotel on Saturday evening and I was informed that the flights were cancelled for two consecutive days but weather had started clear up.

We are flying in and out of Leh, so flexibility of waiting it our for weather to clear is not much of an option.

Also, Hanle has been dropped from our travel plan due to lack of hotels in the surrounding areas, as mentioned by you in the initial post on this route.



Any update?

Rains have stopped now, and by this weekend there is over 90% chance that the airport will be open. Are you flying to Leh via Srinagar or Direct?

As for Hanle. Sonam runs a guest house there and he does have attached bathrooms now. So you can give it a shot.
Spartan accommodation, but not bad.

[manson]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Rains have stopped now, and by this weekend there is over 90% chance that the airport will be open. Are you flying to Leh via Srinagar or Direct?

Direct flights, with a 45 minutes stop in Delhi. The finalized travel plan is very touristy and relatively basic compared to the magical stuff here.

Day 1: Arrive in Leh at 10 am
Day 2: Thiskey Monastery, Shey Palace & Singhu Ghat
Day 3: Day trip to Pangong & back
Day 4: Leh to Nubra
Day 5: Nubra to Leh
Day 6: Shanti Stupa, Gurdwara Patthar Saheb Gurudwara, Magnetic hill, Sangam, Spituk Monaster, Ladakh Hall of Fame
Day 7: Fly back to Bombay

If comfortable we would probably visit a couple of places of Day 6 on Day 1 since Day 6 is too much to do and see in one single day. Is it alright to head to Pangong prior to Nubra with requested to AMS factoring in 2 days of just being in Leh?

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Spartan accommodation, but not bad.

Unless Nubra is not favourable, I have saved Hanle for the next trip we make to Leh, that will be in an SUV and we could just tuck ourselves in the gaddi for the night, camp or something.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by manson

Direct flights, with a 45 minutes stop in Delhi. The finalized travel plan is very touristy and relatively basic compared to the magical stuff here.

Day 1: Arrive in Leh at 10 am
Day 2: Thiskey Monastery, Shey Palace & Singhu Ghat
Day 3: Day trip to Pangong & back
Day 4: Leh to Nubra
Day 5: Nubra to Leh
Day 6: Shanti Stupa, Gurdwara Patthar Saheb Gurudwara, Magnetic hill, Sangam, Spituk Monaster, Ladakh Hall of Fame
Day 7: Fly back to Bombay.

Leh airport won't have much trouble. The flooding was more or less restricted to Srinagar.
However, I would recommend a night stay at Pangong.
You are taking a cab, so you can easily do
3 Leh Nubra
4. Nubra-pangong via Wari La
5. Pangong - Leh
6. Local attractions

In Nubra you will see the Hunder dunes and be done by evening. So next day morning an early start will have you at Pangong in 10 hours.

Have you booked cab yet?
Cab drivers will use Wari La, no issues. No permits needed too!.

[manson]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Leh airport won't have much trouble. The flooding was more or less restricted to Srinagar.
However, I would recommend a night stay at Pangong.
You are taking a cab, so you can easily do
3 Leh Nubra
4. Nubra-pangong via Wari La
5. Pangong - Leh
6. Local attractions

In Nubra you will see the Hunder dunes and be done by evening. So next day morning an early start will have you at Pangong in 10 hours.

Have you booked cab yet?
Cab drivers will use Wari La, no issues. No permits needed too!.

Booked the cab within the flights + hotel package. The hotel declined a Nubra - Pangong drive to our travel agent, guess they could do with the extra revenue from that.
Initially I had requested for a night stay in Hanle, Nubra and Pangong initially but the agent said that stay at Pangong is not advisable considering the temperature drop in the night for this month, this was 2 days ago.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by manson

Booked the cab within the flights + hotel package. The hotel declined a Nubra - Pangong drive to our travel agent, guess they could do with the extra revenue from that.
Initially I had requested for a night stay in Hanle, Nubra and Pangong initially but the agent said that stay at Pangong is not advisable considering the temperature drop in the night for this month, this was 2 days ago.

That usually is a bad deal. Its always better to book a cab separately. Anyways, go ahead with the original plan.

[manson]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

That usually is a bad deal. Its always better to book a cab separately. Anyways, go ahead with the original plan.

Yes, I know. I have paid 15K over and above the total package cost if I had to book hotel, flight and taxi separately.
But I had a cancellation voucher with Makemytrip for double that value due to expire at end of the year, which they clearly said what not redeemable only against flight / hotel bookings.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by manson

Yes, I know. I have paid 15K over and above the total package cost if I had to book hotel, flight and taxi separately.
But I had a cancellation voucher with Makemytrip for double that value due to expire at end of the year, which they clearly said what not redeemable only against flight / hotel bookings.

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.