[TheIndian]

Attached is pic of a hotel at Pangong that we stayed in in Jun'2014. It was just launched then and used to be called JK Tourism though the affiliation with JKTDC was not yet given. It's located somewhere between Lukung & Spangimik on a hill and there was no hotel or tent nearby. It was exactly in front of the "Om" type "beach" at Pangong (3 idiots fame) though about a km away on the hill.

Anybody knows what's the name of the hotel now and contact details? Am not able to find any details on the net. Would like to stay there again this year

Thanking you in advance.

[Honda Monk]

Dear Mates
I am planning for Del to Leh trip starting from Delhi on 9th July.
My itinerary is as follows
9th- Del - Manali
10th - Manali - Pang
11th - Pang - Leh (If possible via Tso Moriri)
12th - Leh - Khardung La
13th - Leh - Pangong Tso
14th - Panhong Tso - Tso Moriri (if not done on 11th) / Leh city and around
15th - Tso Moriri/Leh - Srinagar
16th - Srinagar - Delhi

My question is can we do Tso Moriri on the way from Pang to Leh?
Also is srinagar to delhi doable in one day?

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by Honda Monk

Dear Mates
I am planning for Del to Leh trip starting from Delhi on 9th July.
My itinerary is as follows
9th- Del - Manali
10th - Manali - Pang
11th - Pang - Leh (If possible via Tso Moriri)
12th - Leh - Khardung La
13th - Leh - Pangong Tso
14th - Panhong Tso - Tso Moriri (if not done on 11th) / Leh city and around
15th - Tso Moriri/Leh - Srinagar
16th - Srinagar - Delhi

My question is can we do Tso Moriri on the way from Pang to Leh?
Also is srinagar to delhi doable in one day?

Hi Honda Monk. Your question has already been answered. Just open the map and calculate your driving time. For example, a certain segment may have 20 hour driving time. Can X do it? No. Can Y do it? Yes. So it all depends upon you!

[Honda Monk]

Okay thanks.
So while going to leh from pangong will it be advisable to go via tso moriri.
Also what is the current procedure to get permits for manali to leh and leh to khardung la. I have heard that online permit is not for upto leh but only till rohtang pass. Is it so!?!

[navtiwari]

Not sure if this information has already been shared as my search did not yeild any results. Mods: Please move/remove as appropriate.

HRTC (Himachal Road Transport Corporation) has recently announced Delhi-Manali-Leh bus service with a night halt in keylong. AFAIK they already had a Delhi-Leh service, is this different or are they just announcing start of this season?

http://www.happytrips.com/things-to-...paign=TOInewHP

Key points from the article :

1. Start date - July 01, 2016

2. Time taken - 35 hours approx. (one way)

3. The Leh bound buses from Delhi will run every alternate day in the afternoon, reaching Keylong the next evening.

4. After a night halt at Keylong, where a special camp site has been developed for the purpose, passengers will be moved to another bus for their journey to Leh, reaching there the next evening.

5. More than 1200 km would be clocked during this journey from Delhi to Leh.

6. Major mountain passes crossed during the trip would be Rohtang (13,050 ft), Baralacha Pass (16,040 ft), Lachungla Pass (16,600 ft) and Tanglangla Pass (17,480 ft).

7. Ticket price - INR 1300 approx (one way)

8. ​One way ticket price is around INR 2600 if you wish to include stay costs at Keylong as well as a dinner and breakfast.

Cheers
Naveen

The construction of Rohtang tunnel bypassing Rohtang Pass is in progress, which is expected to be completed by 2019, according to some news reports. While going through the maps of Ladakh/HP yesterday, I was surprised to note that the Navi Maps app in my phone and MapMyIndia desk-top version guided me from Keylong to Manali through the not-yet-completed Rohtang tunnel bypassing Rohtang Pass! I have seen outdated maps, but this is the first time I see a futuristic map.

[Krishroy]

Hi Experts,

Need your suggestions on my plan for Spiti Road trip next month (4 people)

Schedule
16/7: Reaching Delhi late afternoon; pick up Scorpio 4WD and start from Delhi. Reach Kalka at Mid-night and night halt
17/7: Two of our co-travellers will join from Kalka early morning and will start for Kalpa
18/7: Start from Kalpa, visit Nako Lake, reach Tabo, visit Tabo Monastery and night halt
19/7: Start from Tabo, visit Dhankar Monastery and Kungri Gumpha, reach Kaza and night halt
20/7: Visit Ki Monastery and Kaza local
21/7: Start from Kaza, cross Kunzum pass and take right to Chandra Taal. Enjoy Chandra Taal on full moon night
22/7: Start from Chandra Taal and reach manali crossing Rohtang
23/7: Drive to Delhi

Please let me know if the above schedule is doable?
Is there any suggested modification in the route?
Any suggestions on the items to be carried with us (including car accessories)?
Any precautions that we should take?

Thanks
Krish

[Krishroy]

Also, few more queries ...
1. Is it worth staying in Kaza for two nights? Or shall we start from Kaza on 20/7 only - visit Key Monastery and off for Chandra taal that day only? By this we will be able to gain one day buffer for the dreaded Batal-Gramphu stretch, which always loaded with surprises. We need to board train from Delhi on 24/7 early morning.
2. Is it mandatory to take a 4WD vehicle for this route? Can this be done with a Duster or Innova?
3. Do we require to carry Tent, Sleeping bag, food, stove etc. for Chadra taal or we can get them there?
4. Diesel vehicle usually refuse to start at Chandra taal next day morning. Any suggestions for that?

[sdp1975]

Planning to visit Ladakh in the last 2 weeks of August this year. Planning to stay a night at Hanle ( ~ 4500m ). Will be travelling with wife and 2 kids - about 6 years each - should I be concerned about AMS ? By the time I reach Hanle I'd have stayed for over a week in Ladakh, albeit at lesser heights.

Comments please, especially from those having stayed overnight at Hanle.

[//M]

Originally Posted by Krishroy

Also, few more queries ...
1. Is it worth staying in Kaza for two nights? Or shall we start from Kaza on 20/7 only - visit Key Monastery and off for Chandra taal that day only? By this we will be able to gain one day buffer for the dreaded Batal-Gramphu stretch, which always loaded with surprises. We need to board train from Delhi on 24/7 early morning.
2. Is it mandatory to take a 4WD vehicle for this route? Can this be done with a Duster or Innova?
3. Do we require to carry Tent, Sleeping bag, food, stove etc. for Chadra taal or we can get them there?
4. Diesel vehicle usually refuse to start at Chandra taal next day morning. Any suggestions for that?

My replies as follows:

1. You may stay one night at Kaza, then next day explore Langza, Hikkim, Komic in the first half of the day and then head to Ki Monastery, Kibber and Chicham in the second half of the day. Stay in Kibber. If time permits, visit Tashigang and Gete as well from Kibber. There are some lovely homestays in Kibber and the tranquility and serene vistas will be a perfect stress-buster for you and your team.

2. No 4wd required if you plan to follow the normal route, it is very much manageable in 2wd. I have seen Ford Figo's and Swift Dzire's do it. A fellow bhpian has even driven an i10 Auto across Spiti. However, please maintain caution as there are many dirt-tracks in Spiti. Also, the road to Chandratal is very narrow and requires extreme amount of concentration. While a 4wd is an added advantage in Spiti, it is not an absolute mandatory requirement.

3. There are many camps at Chandratal, so you need not carry any camping equipment. There are atleast 4-5 organizers who have set up tents at the campsite near Chandratal, so finding a tent won't be that difficult.

4. Chandratal experiences sub-zero temperatures at night so yes many diesel vehicles refuse to start in the morning. You may cover the hood with a nice warm cloth at night but if you do so, please ensure the cloth piece fits in well to engulf the bonnet. Many people use engine heaters or glow plugs to start a cold diesel engine abroad.


You may chose to ride my Spiti travelogue thread to get an idea about roads around Spiti : Spiti Valley on Motorcycles

[SajiNSalin]

I and wife had driven from Ahmedabad to Chadratal lake last year towards the end of September in a Swift Dzire. It was a lovely drive, but quite challenging as the roads beyond Rampur are narrow and require lots of care in driving. It was -5 degrees in Chandratal tent camp at night. Be prepared for landslides all along this route and delays of several hours while BRO clears the road. Keep an eye on the mountain for loose and falling stones and rocks. This happens frequently.

Batal to Gramphoo is very challenging with several water crossings full of pebbles which ensure multiple underbody hits. In late September, the water level was not a problem, but July could be a different matter. High ground clearance vehicles are more suited for this practically no road location.
All the four engine mounting bolts of the Dzire sheared off after the last water crossing just before Gramphoo and the car limped on upto Rohtang pass before failing and we were stranded on the lower side of the pass on the Gramphoo side. Thanks to fellow Team Bhpians who helped us reach Manali.

It is a challenging drive, so be prepared for delays. The scenery is spectacular and worth the discomfort.

[kewlferrari]

Hi, I am planning to drive down to Manali in my Santa Fe. Considering the rain that Manali has been getting over the last few weeks, should I attempt Manali to Keylong in my Santa Fe or take a taxi from Manali. It's the automatic AWD but the GC is not very confidence inspiring.

Also any tips on getting the permit for Rohtang and crossing it, what time is a good time to start from Manali for Keylong. We are planning to stay 2 nights at Keylong.

Thanks in advance for the help.

[pkjains]

Originally Posted by sdp1975

Planning to visit Ladakh in the last 2 weeks of August this year. Planning to stay a night at Hanle ( ~ 4500m ). Will be travelling with wife and 2 kids - about 6 years each - should I be concerned about AMS ? By the time I reach Hanle I'd have stayed for over a week in Ladakh, albeit at lesser heights.

Comments please, especially from those having stayed overnight at Hanle.

I just returned from Ladakh/Spiti region. I went with my 7 year old son and 4.5 year old daughter. We stayed overnight at Spangmik (~4350m). My kids didn't have any issues.

Your kids should not have any problems at Hanle if you have gone through proper acclimatization. We drove from Srinagar with a night halt in Kargil, took two days rest at Leh before proceeding to Nubra Valley for 4 days and then to Pangong Tso.

Few suggestions:
1. Carry Oxygen cans to be on the safe side. If not, oxygen is available at all Army camps and at some hotels/homestays as well.

2. Make sure you keep well hydrated. You don't feel thirsty but getting dehydrated is very easy at those altitudes.

3. I found that my kids ate less than usual while we were in Spiti/Ladakh. We used to feed them something every ~2.5-3 hours. Every kid is different and the patterns change. So adapt accordingly.

4. Ensure your kids are not feeling under the weather for any reason the day/night before you plan to stay at Hanle. A slight fever, upset stomach or anything else will exacerbate at higher altitude. So please adapt your plans as appropriate.

Hope this helps. Hanle is an awesome place. Attaching some pics I took there. Enjoy the journey!

[pkjains]

Originally Posted by kewlferrari

Hi, I am planning to drive down to Manali in my Santa Fe. Considering the rain that Manali has been getting over the last few weeks, should I attempt Manali to Keylong in my Santa Fe or take a taxi from Manali. It's the automatic AWD but the GC is not very confidence inspiring.

Also any tips on getting the permit for Rohtang and crossing it, what time is a good time to start from Manali for Keylong. We are planning to stay 2 nights at Keylong.

Thanks in advance for the help.

I returned from Hanle via Keylong to Manali a week back in XUV500 AWD AT. There are some bad stretches on Manali to Keylong stretch. The one worth mentioning would be the 20 kms stretch between Rohtang La and Khoksar. The other stretches are pretty decent. Additionally, there are a few water crossings that you have be careful on, but I have seen Alto's and DZire's doing this run, so Santa Fe should be able to handle this as well. I just tried to keep both the tires on highest rock possible and kept going

Depends on how comfortable you are with navigating through such terrain. The scenery is gorgeous. So nothing wrong in taking a taxi and enjoying the views without worrying about the bends and traffic.

[Mafioso]

Hi Tanveer, it’s a wonderful thread and thanks for all the details you have listed over a period of time and ensure that novices like us are well informed on the Ladakh trip.

We are planning to travel to Ladakh for the first time and we are planning to ride. Shipping the bikes (two bullets and a duke 200) from Bangalore to Chandigarh via GATI services and from there we ride.

Aug 13 – Land in Chandigarh (get the bikes ready)
Aug 14 - Chandigarh to Jammu
Aug 15 – Jammu to Srinagar
Planning to take the Mogul road as I have heard it is very scenic and less traffic as compared to the NH1A - How is this road and is it safe to ride?
If Srinagar is problematic on Aug 15th try and head to Sonamarg
Aug 16 – Srinagar to Kargil
Aug 17 – Kargil to Leh
Aug 18 – Leh (acclimatization)
Aug 19- Leh to Hunder ( Night stay)
Aug 20 – Hunder to Leh
Aug 21 – Leh to Pangong
Aug 22 – Pangong to Leh
Aug 23 – Leh to Sarchu
Aug 24 – Sarchu to Manali
Aug 25 – Manali to Chandigarh
Aug 26 – Buffer Day (ship bikes back home)
Aug 27 – Chandigarh to Bangalore

Two things which we are pondering over are the Aug 15th and the monsoon season. As you can see in the plan we are going to hit Srinagar on Aug 15th and generally there is a feeling there is going to be a trouble on the Independence Day.

And second thing is the monsoon season where we have heard of some horror stories on the Rohtang pass side, of the roads being bad/closed for hours/days, which may make it tough to reach Manali. And if we aren’t able to complete the return journey via Manali then we need to take the Srinagar route which leaves no buffer as it takes 4 days to reach there and since we have booked flights on the 27th and we also need to make arrangements of sending the bikes back, we can’t afford to slip on time.

Any suggestions would help us in a great way as this is the first time we are riding so far north!