Team-BHP - Mumbai - Leh Sojourn!

I have drawn up a plan for Leh. Actually, the idea of doing this trip came from this very forum last summer, when i saw bhpians embarking on what i thought was mission impossible. But then did my research and figured things out, i realised that it is defintiely a doable thing. So since September 2009 (roughly when HVKs caravan had embarked to the Himalayas) have been planning on this trip to leh. The planning itself has been so incredible that i'm just more than looking forward to hit the road ASAP!

I plan to do the Mumbai - Leh - Mumbai trip with my wifey sometime in August 2010. Got a brand new Xylo to give us company all the way. Does the Xylo require any special protection (under body cover etc.). (Its a really tall vehicle with a GC higher than Scorpio/innova/Grande etc.)

Based on intense Team BHP's research (that includes lots many noble BHPians!) and ofcourse timely and generous inputs from HVK, I have drawn up an itenerary. Would love to hear from you guys on the route, time lines, the biggest issue being the accomodation facility (dont want to end up in a shack!) and anything else which comes to your mind!

So this is the "Leh Sojourn":

DAY - 1 Mumbai - Udaipur

DAY - 2 Udaipur - Delhi

DAY - 3 Delhi - Amritsar

DAY - 4 Rest day - Stay at Amritsar (Golden Temple + Wagah)

DAY - 5 Amritsar - Srinagar

DAY - 6 Srinagar - Kargil

DAY - 7 Kargil - Lumayaru - Alchi - Gurudwars Pathar Sahib - Magnetic Hill - Leh

DAY - 8 Rest Day - Vehicle service - Get permits for Khardung La, Pangong Tso, Chang La, Tso Moriri, Tso Kar, Marsimek La

DAY - 9 Leh and surrounding tour - Hemis, Thikse, Shey - and Stok (Palace and Monasteries), Shanti Stupa etc.

DAY - 10 Leh-Khardung la – (Nubra Valley) - Khalsar - Diskit

DAY - 11 Diskit - Hunder - Sumur - Panamik - Sumur - Hunder - Diskit - Leh

DAY - 12 Leh – Shey – Karu – Shakti – Chang La – Durbuk – Tanksey – Lukung – Spangmik (Pangong Tso)

DAY - 13 Tanksey – Pangong Tso - Marsimek La (M-Top) - Tanksey or Pangong Tso

DAY - 14 Pangong Tso or Tanksey - Upshi – Chumathang (stay here if delayed else proceed via Mahe Bridge – Tso Moriri – Korzok

Day - 15 Chumathang or Korzok – Mahe Bridge – Tso Moriri - Tso Kar

DAY - 16 Buffer day

DAY - 17 Tso Kar - Debring - More Plains - Pang - Lachulung La - Naki La - Gata Loops - Whicsky Nallah - Brandy Nallah - Sarchu

DAY - 18 Buffer day

DAY - 19 Sarchu - Baralacha La - Darcha - Zing Zing Bar - Jispa - Keylong - Tandi - Koskar - Rohtang - Manali

DAY - 20 Rest Day - Manali - vehicle check

DAY - 21 Manali - Delhi

DAY - 22 Delhi - Agra - Jaipur (Alternatively, Delhi - Agra – Gwalior depends on time lines/road conditions)

DAY - 23 Jaipur - Ahmedabad (Alternatively, Gwalior - Indore – depends on time lines/road conditions)

DAY - 24 Ahmedabad - Mumbai (Alternatively, Indore – Mumbai – depends on time lines/road conditions)

Hope to hear from you guys. Thanks for reading it all the way!

I can't restrain myself from giving my comments:

You can also take an alternative route to Amritsar avoiding Delhi region:
Option 1: Ahmedabad-Jaisalmer-Bikaner-Sriganganagar-Bhatinda-Faridkot-Amritsar
Option 2: Ahmedabad-Jodhpur-Bikaner-Sriganganagar-Bhatinda-Faridkot-Amritsar

Day 7 is ambitious. Reaching Leh after covering Mulbek, Lamayuru & Alchi is tough. Maybe you should stop for the night's stay at Alchi and reach Leh early next day.

Make sure the day for permits is a working day (Mon-Fri), not a holiday. Do NOT forget to take photocopies of the permits.

Permits should mention Desikit. NO need to mention Chang la and Tso Kar.

You can cover Panamik and Hunder on Day 10 itself.

Day 11 - Make sure you leave Nubra Valley early enough since the North Pullu Check Post (before ascent to K La starts) does not permit motorists after 2 or 4 pm.

Thank You Kumar for your inputs!

By doing the Jaisalmer/Jodhpur route will I be consuming extra days and how is the road conditions on the route suggested. Dont think its part of the GQ route.

Also, how should the break up of the distance be considering i need to do Mumbai - Amritsar in 3 days

Had read somewhere that we might require permits for chagla.

There is also a route from Pangong to Tso Kar via Spangmik. I think this road hits Mahe Bridge directly. Might save time by avaoiding going back to upshi and heading for Tso kar.

How is the route and is it doable? Thanks again!

Shall take care of leaving Nubra valley early. Do you have anything on the accomodation in Leh and around?

Yes, going via Jodhpur and Bhatinda to Amritsar will be longer, but road is good.

Bombay-Udapur 800 kms-Delhi 700 kms-Amritsar 460 kms-Pathankot 110 kms-Sringar 400.

Since Pangong is beyond Chang la, you do not need separate for Chang la since it is on the way to Pangong.

The route you are talking of has been closed to civilians with permissions being given rarely. The route is Lukung (Pangong)-Spagimik-Man-Merak-Chushul-Nyoma-Mahe. You will need permits mentioning all these places (without missing out any). However, I would advise you against taking this route for the following reasons:
- The road will be very bad
- You may not be able to reach Tso Moriri the same day, and I do not think there are any stay facilities en route
- Most importantly, do you realise that you are going to run a very very long way before you get to your next petrol pump (at Tandi, after Keylong), and it will mean carrying lots of spare fuel. If you return via Chang la, you can refuel at karu and carry some spare fuel too so that you make the 550 kms to the next pump.

I think you are mixing up Tso Kar and Tso Moriri. When you are going from Mahe, you first go to Tso Moriri/Karzok (turn off at Sumdo) and return to Sumdo to go to Tso Kar which is on the road to Debring (Upshi-Pang road).

In Leh, I would recommend the Santhi Guest House or Sangaylay Guest House.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MileCruncher (Post 1933592)

I think you should check this http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...dakh-back.html

I'm sure this is done. We did the same and lost time lot of other places but were in Leh still before 5PM. Just make sure you are out before 8 am.

Thanks MC,definitely helpful!

Quote:

Originally Posted by hvkumar (Post 1933638)

We are game for the Jaisalmer route, but then what could be the broad break up between destinations from Mumbai to Amritsar?

I think shall follow the upshi route for Korzok. Dont want to take a chance by going through uncertain routes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hvkumar (Post 1932721)

You can also take an alternative route to Amritsar avoiding Delhi region:
Option 1: Ahmedabad-Jaisalmer-Bikaner-Sriganganagar-Bhatinda-Faridkot-Amritsar
Option 2: Ahmedabad-Jodhpur-Bikaner-Sriganganagar-Bhatinda-Faridkot-Amritsar

Ahmedabad-Mehsana 90 kms-Palanpur 65-Deesa 30- Sanchore 70-Barmer 140- Jaisalmer 160-Pokhran 110-Gajner 200-Bikaner 30-Lakaransar 70-Suratgarh 100-Sriganganagar 75-Abohar 50-Bhatinda 75-Faridkot 80-Taran Taran 100-Amritsar 30

Ahmedabad-Mehsana 90 kms-Palanpur 65-Abu Road 55-Pindwara 50-Sirohi 25-Pali 110-Jodhpur 80-Bikaner 30-Lakaransar 70-Suratgarh 100-Sriganganagar 75-Abohar 50-Bhatinda 75-Faridkot 80-Taran Taran 100-Amritsar 30

Quote:

Originally Posted by hvkumar (Post 1935248)

As per option 1: (Would be spending one day extra)

Mumbai - Palanpur - 655 kms
Palanpur - Jaisalmer - 400 kms
Jaisalmer - Sriganganagar - 585 kms
SGN - Amritsar - 410 kms

As per option 2:
Mumbai - Palanpur - 655 kms
Palanpur - SGN - 595 kms
SGN - Amritsar - 410 kms