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Old 31st May 2011, 12:11   #166
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Re: Finally Rohtang Pass is opened now, Good NEWS for Team BHP'ians

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Hi Guys, I am planning to go to Leh/Ladakh in end of Sep / start of October, how the weather condition will be in that time(will I find snow), and how the road condition from Manali to Leh via Rotang? If I hire a taxi from Manali to Leh how much they may ask for?
Asdon,

Late Sep/ Early Oct is a good time to go to Ladakh. The tourist season would have ended and the mad rush would be gone. Hotel/Guest house availability would not be an issue and you end up paying much less than the peak season rates.

I had been there in Sep, 2009 and we too hired a taxi (Sumo) from Manali to Leh. We bargained and the driver agreed for 4.5k for a 2 day trip with a night halt at Keylong.

My advice would be to walk in to the Manali Taxi union office in the bus stand ask for the rates and walk out. The drivers would then follow you and offer their rates. Don't be in a hurry, insist on seeing the respective vehicles and then bargain for a good deal. I guess you will be able to get one for around 5-5.5k.

Tip - A Sumo would be better suited for that roads than a Qualis/Innova.

Last edited by lloydofcochin : 31st May 2011 at 12:16.
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Old 31st May 2011, 12:21   #167
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Re: Finally Rohtang Pass is opened now, Good NEWS for Team BHP'ians

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Originally Posted by lloydofcochin View Post
I had been there in Sep, 2009 and we too hired a taxi (Sumo) from Manali to Leh. We bargained and the driver agreed for 4.5k for a 2 day trip with a night halt at Keylong.

My advice would be to walk in to the Manali Taxi union office in the bus stand ask for the rates and walk out. The drivers would then follow you and offer their rates. Don't be in a hurry, insist on seeing the respective vehicles and then bargain for a good deal. I guess you will be able to get one for around 5-5.5k.

Tip - A Sumo would be better suited for that roads than a Qualis/Innova.
The rates you have quoted if true(+/-), made my day, Indian Holidays was giving me a figure of 15 to 16k for Manali to Leh!!!! They also quoted me a figure 18500/- per head for a 6Night/7day(accomodation+All meal+ Leh and sorround visit in private taxi for 6days) , is the number too high?
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Old 31st May 2011, 12:39   #168
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Re: Finally Rohtang Pass is opened now, Good NEWS for Team BHP'ians

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Originally Posted by asdon View Post
The rates you have quoted if true(+/-), made my day, Indian Holidays was giving me a figure of 15 to 16k for Manali to Leh!!!! They also quoted me a figure 18500/- per head for a 6Night/7day(accomodation+All meal+ Leh and sorround visit in private taxi for 6days) , is the number too high?
The tour operators might be quoting you the peak seasons rates.

When we had enquired there in 2009 they said that the peak season rates would be as high as 14k for the Manali-Leh trip

I will tell you what we paid for taxis in Ladakh.

Manali - Leh (2 days) - 4.5k

Leh Local Sight Seeing - 1300

Leh - Nubra Valley - Leh (1 day) - 4800

Pangong Tso (1 day) - 5500

Leh - Kargil - Srinagar (2 days) - 7700

Except Manali Leh all the other trips were in a Qualis

Last edited by lloydofcochin : 31st May 2011 at 12:43.
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Old 31st May 2011, 16:04   #169
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Re: Finally Rohtang Pass is opened now, Good NEWS for Team BHP'ians

Wow, some big rates floating around.
In september, here is what you do.
You simply go to taxi stand, at night before your trip, and wait for JK numbered vehicles from leh to come in.
They are usually desperate to get back (every day in manali costs them money as they cannot take local tourist).
Bargain on spot, and you will get 5K rate in september with ease.

From leh to manali, again, go to old bus stand. There at night you will see HP numbered sumo/qualis/innova.

Bargain with them.

A HP taxi will charge more for manali to leh as the guy is not sure about return fare in off season. So they usually charge more. This means they are more eager to bargain if they get fare for return, as any passenger is a bonus.
Otherwise, they have to take 8 passengers for 500 each and drive a fully loaded vehicle on that road back.
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Old 31st May 2011, 16:37   #170
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Re: Finally Rohtang Pass is opened now, Good NEWS for Team BHP'ians

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Wow, some big rates floating around.
In september, here is what you do.
You simply go to taxi stand, at night before your trip, and wait for JK numbered vehicles from leh to come in.
They are usually desperate to get back (every day in manali costs them money as they cannot take local tourist).
Bargain on spot, and you will get 5K rate in september with ease.

From leh to manali, again, go to old bus stand. There at night you will see HP numbered sumo/qualis/innova.

Bargain with them.

A HP taxi will charge more for manali to leh as the guy is not sure about return fare in off season. So they usually charge more. This means they are more eager to bargain if they get fare for return, as any passenger is a bonus.
Otherwise, they have to take 8 passengers for 500 each and drive a fully loaded vehicle on that road back.
Thats great information, I will take one way only to Leh, return will be flight from Leh-Delhi-Bangalore. So if September is off season then October will be more fun. Just the road should remain open. If we start early morning, is there a need to break at Keylong?
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Old 31st May 2011, 16:43   #171
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Re: Finally Rohtang Pass is opened now, Good NEWS for Team BHP'ians

Hello,

We intend to go to Leh through Manali in the first half of September this year. We plan to drive all the way from Bangalore. It would be atleast 3 Palio Stiles and a Punto. Are these car's ground clearance decent enough to make it through fine?

To just get a jist, do cars like Maruti 800, Alto, Santro travel fine in these routes?
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Old 31st May 2011, 17:09   #172
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Re: Finally Rohtang Pass is opened now, Good NEWS for Team BHP'ians

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Originally Posted by funkykar View Post
Hello,

We intend to go to Leh through Manali in the first half of September this year. We plan to drive all the way from Bangalore. It would be atleast 3 Palio Stiles and a Punto. Are these car's ground clearance decent enough to make it through fine?

To just get a jist, do cars like Maruti 800, Alto, Santro travel fine in these routes?
First half of september is fine.
when I did the route in late august, most water crossings had little water, and road was also in relatively good shape as compared to the mess in June-July.

Do remember, that Pangong Tso and other high altitude places can be at sub zero temperatures.
This means small engined diesels(even Direct injection common rain engines) will not start unless they have glow plugs.
You can catch snowfall at the lakes in september. Its a common occurrence
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Old 31st May 2011, 17:42   #173
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Re: Finally Rohtang Pass is opened now, Good NEWS for Team BHP'ians

Quote:
Originally Posted by funkykar View Post
Hello,

We intend to go to Leh through Manali in the first half of September this year. We plan to drive all the way from Bangalore. It would be atleast 3 Palio Stiles and a Punto. Are these car's ground clearance decent enough to make it through fine?

To just get a jist, do cars like Maruti 800, Alto, Santro travel fine in these routes?
Thats is the main issue stops me from taking my Punto to Ladakh. If you get enough information on that please let me know I will join your group.
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Old 31st May 2011, 17:45   #174
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Re: Finally Rohtang Pass is opened now, Good NEWS for Team BHP'ians

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Originally Posted by asdon View Post
Thats is the main issue stops me from taking my Punto to Ladakh. If you get enough information on that please let me know I will join your group.
What issue?
I have seen Palios and wagon Rs do ladakh, and ditto for santro. Are you referring to cold start issue?
Well in august you will not have any issues, as temperature seldom falls below 5 degree C even at Pangong Tso.
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Old 31st May 2011, 17:48   #175
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Re: Finally Rohtang Pass is opened now, Good NEWS for Team BHP'ians

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What issue?
I have seen Palios and wagon Rs do ladakh, and ditto for santro. Are you referring to cold start issue?
Well in august you will not have any issues, as temperature seldom falls below 5 degree C even at Pangong Tso.
Well I have GC issues but now add Cold start too, and I am talking late September/early October.
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Old 31st May 2011, 17:49   #176
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Re: Finally Rohtang Pass is opened now, Good NEWS for Team BHP'ians

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Well I have GC issues but now add Cold start too, and I am talking late September/early October.
If your diesel vehicle has glow plugs, then no issue. Otherwise, you can always pour boiling water on the injectors
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Old 31st May 2011, 18:55   #177
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Re: Finally Rohtang Pass is opened now, Good NEWS for Team BHP'ians

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Well I have GC issues but now add Cold start too, and I am talking late September/early October.
I guess the GC of Punto good enough. Whatever scrapes generally in city is the engine guard which is really really tough. If Santros and WaganR's can do it, so can Punto's and Palios. PM me your email address, I will send across our plan. We can check out if we can sync and go.

Quote:
Originally Posted by tsk1979 View Post
If your diesel vehicle has glow plugs, then no issue. Otherwise, you can always pour boiling water on the injectors
This is good information. If I am not wrong, dont the Palio MJD and Punto diesel's come with glow plugs?
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Old 31st May 2011, 19:05   #178
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Re: Finally Rohtang Pass is opened now, Good NEWS for Team BHP'ians

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Originally Posted by funkykar View Post
I guess the GC of Punto good enough. Whatever scrapes generally in city is the engine guard which is really really tough. If Santros and WaganR's can do it, so can Punto's and Palios. PM me your email address, I will send across our plan. We can check out if we can sync and go.

This is good information. If I am not wrong, dont the Palio MJD and Punto diesel's come with glow plugs?
Punto's GC is good enough. It should do fine if it is not loaded to the brim with Pax & Luggage. I guess 3 people in the Car would be fine.

AFAIK the Palio & Punto comes with Glow plugs so it shouldn't be an issue.
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Old 31st May 2011, 19:22   #179
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Quote:
Originally Posted by funkykar
If I am not wrong, dont the Palio MJD and Punto diesel's come with glow plugs?
Yeah, glow plug is very much present in Fiat Punto and Fiat Palio MJD.

Even the Fiat Uno 1.7 D had glow plugs.
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Old 31st May 2011, 20:15   #180
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Re: Leh 2011 - Trip Planning - All queries go here

My Endy 3.0 AT started at half-crank at -3 Deg. at Tso Moriri...
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