[tsk1979]

Wow, you sure have an ambitious plan.
1. Keylong to Leh takes minimum 12 hours if you drive very fast. Usually it can take 14-15 hours, even with brisk driving. There is not exactly an express highway there. On a small car, depending on conditions, it can take 20 hours esp if you get lots of bad sections
2. Keylong Manali can take anywhere from 7(minimum) to 17 hours(traffic jams) - In season there are lot of jams. Sometimes rohtang has such bad surface that your car can get damaged there. Its called a "Pile of dead bodies" for a reason
3. After reaching leh, you would need to get permits for Khardungla. Alternatively you can ask your travel agent
4. Surat to Delhi will take 15 hours if you do not get any traffic jams. Chd is 5-6 hours more
5. Manali Delhi is minimum 14 hours. Agra is 4 more(or less of the expressway is constructed by then)

So your plan is not doable, unless you are planning to drive non-stop and sleep in the car with drivers rotating.
Regarding road, conditions keep changing.Often the manali leh highway gets impassable for small GC vehicles without damage. august/sept is a good time as most small streams run dry.
Do not even attempt in a car in June

Also note that if you do not rest for a day in Leh and Keylong you can die due to AMS. K.top is very high altitude, and AMS(Acute Mountain sickness) is a real danger.

Moreover you are driving so far just to visit a noisy pass. you won't even see 1% of whats there to see, and end up spending money on fuel.
I would suggest fly to leh, take a taxi, and see Pangong/Tso Moriri/Nubra valley and come back happy.
It will be cheaper than driving a petrol car to Leh.
You will get around 10kmpl there, and there is a good chance you will come back with a damaged vehicle if you are not careful.

So if you were taking a high GC MUV and had a week more, it would make sense, but with your schedule, I suggest you fly to leh, rest for couple of days, get your permits, hire a taxi, and see everything and then fly back to BLR. IT will be cheaper than fuel.

you will be spending 50,000 in fuel and flight to leh(if you book well in advance will cost you 20,000 for the return ticket.

[hemanth.anand]

Some of the responses to my query in the deleted thread.



With my first query, you must have got the impression that.
That's the exact reason why I posted this on this wonderful site-I didn't want to become one.

Now after all your suggestions, my question is, If we have 15days, is this possible?
2 full weeks of leave to my office will give me 16 days free.
Personally, I can take leave. Convincing others for this won't be a big problem.
Will the picture be any better after this change?

Friends, Can anybody help us where and how I can split my plan.

@LLoydofcochin,
The best suited time for me is August last week to September 1st week.

[tsk1979]

August last week is usually a good time(unless you have freak weather events)
EX Delhi the fastest you can do in punto is this
1. Delhi - Manali (14 hours)
2. Manali - keylong (8 hours if you leave manali by 5:30am)
3. Keylong - Leh (14-15 hours)
4. Permits in Leh
5. Leh - Nubra (4-5 hours) via Khardungla
6 Nubra - Leh
7. Leh - Pangong
8.. Pangong - Leh
9. Leh - Tso moriri
10 Tso morir - Keylong (direct route is there)
11. Keylong - Chandigarh

So you have 5 days to get from Bangalore to Delhi and back from chd.

you can skip tso moriri or nubra

[verditer]

Hemant - as tsk said, very ambitious plan and close to impossible within the timelines you've stated, I think.

Blr - Ladakh - Blr needs atleast 15 days for a sensible, enjoyable trip. No point in hurrying it up. So plan for 15-20 days minimum.

I'm still in the planning stage, and looking for June/July, provided some other things fall in place. My plan is to take 2 full weeks off. We are 2 idiots planning for this with my Safari.

Lets see how things work our plans turn out...

[hemanth.anand]

Thanks BHPians. thankyou very much tsk for your alternate route info.

We are now planning for two full weeks. my friends are trying to get their leaves approved. That is the biggest hurdle for us now

One more developement:
I spoke to one of my friends who had done this route earlier on his bike.
After the discussion he showed interest in doing this route again on a SUV. If everything fall in place, we may end up doing this trip on two vehicles with 3 people in each.

My personal wish is to go there on my darling punto. But if too many things are against that, I am open to other options.

I have to realise my dream this year. If my family size grows next year, It will be that much more difficult

[recker_us]

Originally Posted by verditer

Hemant - as tsk said, very ambitious plan and close to impossible within the timelines you've stated, I think.

Blr - Ladakh - Blr needs atleast 15 days for a sensible, enjoyable trip. No point in hurrying it up. So plan for 15-20 days minimum.

I'm still in the planning stage, and looking for June/July, provided some other things fall in place. My plan is to take 2 full weeks off. We are 2 idiots planning for this with my Safari.

Lets see how things work our plans turn out...

Great to see many bangalore based bhpians nurturing Ladakh ambitions . I plan do the same sometime. I have been to Leh for an Mountaineering expedition in 2008 and did the Manali - Leh- Kargil - Srinagar Circuit that time.
Now planning to do it again with my wife and kids in my Safari.

2 weeks should be just doable if weekends are included which makes it 16 days in that case.

This is how I plan the different legs of the trip:

Day (1 -4) :- Bangalore - Manali
Day 5: Sightseeing around Manali
Day (6 -8) : Manali - Leh (Night stay at Keylong and Sarchu)
Day 9: Leh - Nubra (4-5 hours) via Khardungla
Day 10: Nubra - Pangong Tso
Day 11: Pangong Tso to Lamayuru
Day 12: Lamayuru to Drass Via Kargil. Cross Zozila Pass around 3 am when it opens for civilian traffic and reach Srinagar early morning.
Day 13 -14: Sight seeing in Kashmir valley.
Day 14: Drive Down to Delhi.
Day15 -16: Two long days to Bangalore.

[nix1976in]

Hey Buddy,
Pls find my thread in the TBHP meet section titled LEH 2011 Meet. Am also planning a end August run from Mumbai but would be spending a few more days around Ladakh. Would be happy to sync plans.

Regards