[madhukar_n]

Well not literaly !!!!
The inspiration of going to Leh obviously came from the many many travelogues that i have read here. So myself and 2 other friends while casually discussion one evening thought of the idea of going to Leh by car from Bangalore. It was almost an instant yes from all of us. Recently we started planning for the trip and we have decided that Aug 5th or Aug 7th it is to start on this trip/journey/saga/madness/ordeal or whatever it can be called !!! The important thing, we did not get any objection from our respective Home Ministers for this trip!!!
What car we should take was a topic of discussion, but it had to be my Baleno to take us on this trip. I have asked in other threads about the feedback of taking baleno to Leh, the responses have been mixed, but I have no choice either. So we will be starting on Aug 5 and coming back on 21. We gave planned for a 19 day trip but I guess we may make it 18 day by cutting on the rest days.
So here is the itinerary. I have mainly gathered information from 2 forums(tbhp and bcmt). I guess it is pretty much a standard route, with a few changes here and there, but please feel free to give your valuable suggestions. Also, if you anyone of you are going around the same dates, let me know, we can sync up in Bangalore and maybe along the way too !!!

Day-1: Blore - Pune - 800+
Day-2: pune-ahmedabad - 660
Day-3: ahmedabad – Delhi– 900
Day-4: Delhi - Manali - 570
Day-5: Manali-Sarchu – 200+
Day-6: Sarchu-Leh - 260
Day-7: leh - get permits.
Day-8: Rest Day
Day-9: Leh - Khardung La - Diskit
Day-10: Diskit - Hunder - Diskit - Sumur - Panamik - Sumur - Khardung La - Leh - 335 kms roundtrip(Day 8 and Day 9)
Day-11: Leh - Chang La - Pangong Tso -Leh - 340 kms roundtrip
Day-12: Leh - Upshi - Chumathang - Tso Moriri(Korzok) - 210 kms
Day-13: Tso Moriri - Tso Kar - More Plains - Pang/Sarchu - 180+
Day-14: Pang/Sarchu - Manali - 226
Day-15: Manali - Delhi - 550+
Day 16: Rest Day
Day-17: delhi- ahmedabad- 900
Day-18: ahmedabad-pune - 660
Day-19: pune-bangalore – 800+

I will be keep updating and asking questions in this thread till we start on the trip. Once the trip starts, will create a thread in the travelogue section !!

[sachinj12]

Get in touch with Souvik, his group is planning to go (in September).

I am posting his thread for your reference.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ns-please.html

[BolBolero]

Hi Madhukar,

Four of us are going to Ladakh in July. Here is the link.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post1854121

Regards
Gautam

[madhukar_n]

There are some changes in our itinerary. First of all, it has got changed from 3 Idiots to 4 idiots !! Second, We have decided by the return journey by flight from Delhi and transport the car from Delhi to Bangalore. Mainly to spend more time around Leh area and have a relaxed trip. We are starting on August 12th. Got a couple of quotes from packers. It approximately comes to around 15K.
The revised itinerary is: (Any suggestions are welcome)
Day-1: Blore - Pune - 800+
Day-2: pune-ahmedabad - 660
Day-3: ahmedabad – Delhi– 900
Day-4: Delhi - Manali - 570
Day-5: Rest Day
Day 6: Manali-Sarchu – 200+
Day-7: Sarchu-Leh - 260
Day-8: leh - get permits.
Day 9: Rest day
Day-10: Leh - Khardung La - Diskit
Day-11: Diskit - Hunder - Diskit - Sumur - Panamik - Sumur - Khardung La - Leh - 335 kms roundtrip(Day 8 and Day 9)
Day-12 Leh - Chang La - Pangong Tso (stay in either Tanksey or Lukung)
Day-13: Pangong Tso - Leh (Day 12 and Day 13 - round trip 340 Kms)
Day-14 Leh - Upshi - Chumathang - Tso Moriri(Korzok) - 210 kms
Day-15 Tso Moriri - Tso Kar - More Plains - Pang/Sarchu - 180+
Day-16 Pang/Sarchu - Manali - 226
Day-17 Manali - Delhi - 550+
Day-18 Rest Day - Transport the vehicle and catch a flight

[tsk1979]

some pointers
1. Permit work takes 2-3 hours an generally involves sitting. So no need to waste 2 days in Leh. One day in enough for permits. Remember that permit office is monday-friday. Also look at list of holidays for JK Govt.
2. Sarchu has tented accommodation. Make sure you are okay with that. Its not everyone's cup of tea. So do your research
3. From Nubra to Pangong its just a 8 hour drive via Wari La, which will be very much motorable and open in August. No need to come back to leh

[madhukar_n]

Hey thanks for the reply !!
(1) Kept an additional day just for relaxation purpose only !! Maybe we will visit more monasteries. August month, apart from 15th not much holidays i guess, maybe raksha bandhan !!
(2) Yes that is Ok !! In fact i have a 4 people tent, planning to take, just in case
(3) I did not know this piece of information. I will definitely consider this option. Is this motorable by a BALENO ??

[lordofgondor]

I'd like to raise one concern, which other folks can validate:

I guess you're still considering Baleno as the car for your journey, right? Considering that there would be four people and their luggage in the car, what would be the impact of this much weight on the ground clearance of the car? Chances of bottoming out on those bumps, and associated damage to underbody/engine sump/gearbox, on the Leh-Manali Highway/Ladakh would be there.

Just a thought from my experience on doing the trip in an Esteem.

[Irish]

Hi Madhukar,

Just a suggestion - Since you are four guys and I hope all of you would be able to drive. Even if 2-3 of you can drive then why to waste time between Bangalore and Manali?

You are reaching Manali on 4th Day. You can try to achieve Manali on 2nd / 3rd day?

[tsk1979]

The road condition at Wari La is actually better than Khardung La. Qualis etc., routinely do this stretch.
However, the concern raised by abhinav is true. You will lose on GC, and the entire stretch on both manali leh and sringar leh highway has sections where you have to be very careful.
Also August is monsoon in the plains.
Manali etc., regions get heavy rain which cause minor landslides, leading to road blockage for a day or so.
If you can start your trip around 15th August, it will be better.
As for holidays, do check the JK govt holiday list for 2010
J&K Holidays 2010

[madhukar_n]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

The road condition at Wari La is actually better than Khardung La. Qualis etc., routinely do this stretch.
However, the concern raised by abhinav is true. You will lose on GC, and the entire stretch on both manali leh and sringar leh highway has sections where you have to be very careful.
Also August is monsoon in the plains.
Manali etc., regions get heavy rain which cause minor landslides, leading to road blockage for a day or so.
If you can start your trip around 15th August, it will be better.
As for holidays, do check the JK govt holiday list for 2010
J&K Holidays 2010

Wari La has any accommodation ?? I guess Wari La or Shakti ?? Bcos if i start after going to Panamik which will be afternoon, i dont think we can reach all the way to Tangste ?

Regarding the car - I really dont have an answer. Yes it is risk and I guess all of us will have to drive very carefully. I am trying to get a quote for sump guard/skid plates but not getting info from TBHP(written in a few threads). I will ask the MASS guy and then see how it goes.

For the luggage, I am also planning to put a roof rack so that I can distribute the load between the bonnet and the top(overall weight will not change of course)

@Irish - we dont want to drive through the night, though all of us drive !!

[lordofgondor]

Originally Posted by madhukar_n

I am trying to get a quote for sump guard/skid plates but not getting info from TBHP(written in a few threads). I will ask the MASS guy and then see how it goes.

I'd suggest you get in touch with someone who's into preparing cars for rallies or is a rallying enthusiast. They should definitely be able to help you out.

[ranjith.rajaram]

Nice plan madhukar_n, this is one of my dream trip

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by madhukar_n

Wari La has any accommodation ?? I guess Wari La or Shakti ?? Bcos if i start after going to Panamik which will be afternoon, i dont think we can reach all the way to Tangste ?

Wari la is just a summit, there is nothing there, not even a sign board.
But Sakti has a JKTDC.
It is a full day's journey from Panamik to Tangtse via Wari la. Please stop computing distances based on kms. In Ladakh, kms don't matter. Start counting in hours.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by lordofgondor

I'd like to raise one concern, which other folks can validate:

I guess you're still considering Baleno as the car for your journey, right? Considering that there would be four people and their luggage in the car, what would be the impact of this much weight on the ground clearance of the car? Chances of bottoming out on those bumps, and associated damage to underbody/engine sump/gearbox, on the Leh-Manali Highway/Ladakh would be there.

Just a thought from my experience on doing the trip in an Esteem.

Agree with lordofgondor. I think 4 people in a Baleno is too much, I would not have not have more than 3 people. Please remember that you have to carry lots of baggage, including spare fuel. I have driven small cars, and I have had to offload people in steep ascents/ bad roads and take it with the car empty of passengers.

[sudev]

Seriously consider avoiding Delhi if there is no need to be there.

Ahmedabad - Behor : Reduce distance to travel and entering Delhi with madcap traffic chaos.
Next day do Behror - Manali bye-passing Delhi entirely using Behor-Rohtak- Sonepat or Behror-Rohtak-Panipat or even Behror-Rohtak-Nirwana-Ambala

Check out threads here for some people who have done this "Delhi" bye-pass.

And if you are considering doing Leh circuitously (going in or coming back) from Srinagar then I'd suggest - Ahmedabad-Palanpur-Abu Road-Sirohi-Jodhpur-Bikaner-Ganganagar-Amritsar-Pathnkot-Jammu-Srinager route.

HVK??