[zipperone]

I recently took the Samba-Udhampur road as advised by HV and it is a good road. It is free of traffic to the extent that you will only cross another vehicle every 10 mins on average. There is very little truck traffic and definitely not heavy laden ones that are a nightmare to overtake. There are almost no food joints/dhabas along the route. Its a nice scenic drive with good tarmac. The road is pretty bad for a 10 km stretch leading into Udhampur.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by rkbharat

But I think you don't get that toll if you take Dyala Chak bypass

No, rkbharat, the Lakhanpur toll gate is at the point where you enter JK, and Dyala Chak is beyond that, so you haveto pay the toll.

zipperone, is there a signboard at Dyala Chak indicating the turn off for Udhampur? Earlier, there was none.

Turbonator, have a great drive.

[zipperone]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

.

zipperone, is there a signboard at Dyala Chak indicating the turn off for Udhampur? Earlier, there was none.

.

No there is still not. You have to keep asking. I had the spot marked on Google maps which I used throughout the trip on my android phone. I still made sure I ask before making the turn even though I saw it on the google maps application. The road from Lakhanpur to Jammu is pretty good four lane and one could easily miss the turn as you are speeding towards Jammu.

Thanks again HV for the help...cheers

[Sutripta]

UPDATE.

Spoke with SS yesterday. He doesn't have internet access there.

After spending some time in Srinagar, went to Kargil (night stop) and now in Leh.

Says that pictures do not prepare you for the real thing.

Regards
Sutripta

[tsk1979]

Today they will get the permits, and then tomorrow they will head to nubra.
After coming back to Leh from Nubra, he is planning on

Leh-Pangong
Pangong Tso Morir via Chushul and Tsaga
And then from Tso Moriri they will head to Sarchu from Tso Kar.

[SS-Traveller]

Returned yesterday to this side of the world where GPRS works, i.e. Manali. Will drive back to Delhi later this morning.

In all, a wonderful trip. I know, all of you would be telling me to...

...and post all pics and reports ASAP , but I would request you to bear with me in peace (Shanti) some more time...

Shanti Stupa at Leh

[v&v]

It nice to know you had a safe trip and in manali. I had been trying your cell couple of times. Any way we too have started our leh trip. Now in Srinagar.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by adalvi

Your inputs n experience would be really helpful.

I hope so. Loads of road pics to upload!

Originally Posted by laluks

Have a great journey.

Thanks, laluks. We certainly did.

Originally Posted by deky

Have fun and be safe!!

Thank you!

Originally Posted by Night_Hawk

Your's and HVK's journeys are a source of great inspiration. Ladakh is my dream destination and hopefully, oneday i will be there with my Scorp.
I sometimes get a worry whether mHawk 2WD Scoprio will be OK for the Ladakh circuit. Your advise on this will be of great help

Thanks, Night_Hawk. 2WD Scorpios (or any other SUV with decent ground clearance) are good enough to handle most terrains of Ladakh. hvkumar's Scorpio, Rideon's Safari in which he travelled with me, or adc's Safari, are all 2WD, and have covered the roads without issues. OTOH, serious damage has been reported on a Fortuner this year while negotiating Rohtang Pass. So it all boils down to how you drive.

Originally Posted by adc

Stop the hate!

English is a funny language, isn't it? Sometimes the figurative and the literal meanings get mixed up and one can unintentionally offend when offence is not intended.

Originally Posted by adc

And of course best of luck on your travel.

Thank you!

Originally Posted by v&v

SST & RIDEON all the best for trip.

And all the best for your own trip in progress right now.

Originally Posted by Sutripta

He doesn't have internet access there.

Internet cafes are not my idea of a place to be on holiday. I usually post updates etc. from the mobile or from laptop via datacard. Airtel Leh does not allow GPRS access, neither did my BSNL. In fact, Airtel only works in Leh. Apart from Leh, BSNL worked in Kargil, Drass, Niyoma, Hundar, Khardung La and Jispa, but not in Pangong, Chushul, Moriri and the whole route from Sumdo>Tso Kar>Morey plains>Sarchu, until 5 km before Jispa.

Originally Posted by Sutripta

Says that pictures do not prepare you for the real thing.

The 3-dimensional view is far, far more awe-inspiringly magnificent than any 2-D photo. Any picture I have taken (or seen on this forum or elsewhere), is like the story of the blind men trying to describe the elephant. The real thing is jaw-dropping!

Originally Posted by tsk1979

...nubra.
After coming back to Leh from Nubra, he is planning on
Leh-Pangong
Pangong Tso Morir via Chushul and Tsaga
And then from Tso Moriri they will head to Sarchu from Tso Kar.

The final travel schedule was as follows:
3 June, 8 PM: Departure New Delhi.
4 June, 6 PM: Arrival Srinagar.
5 & 6 June: Srinagar.
7 June: Srinagar (8 AM) to Kargil (6 PM).
8 June: Kargil (8:30 AM) to Leh (7 PM).
9 & 10 June: Leh.
11 June: Leh to Hundar.
12 June: Hundar to Leh.
13 June: Leh to Lukung (Tso Pangong) (Rideon returned to Leh from Lukung, to rejoin us on 15 June at Jispa) to Spangmik.
14 June: Spangmik (6:30 AM) > Man > Merak > Chushul > Tsaga (aka Tsaka) > Niyoma > Mahe > Korzok (Tso Moriri) (5 PM).
15 June: Korzok (6 AM) > Sumdo > Tso Kar > Morey Plains > Jispa (7 PM).
16 June: Jispa.
17 June: Jispa (4 AM) > Rohtang (8:30 AM - 1 PM) > Manali (6 PM).
18 June: Manali (9:30 AM) to New Delhi (12:15 AM on 19 June).

H-4® at Tso Moriri, 6:30 AM on 15 June 2011

Originally Posted by v&v

I had been trying your cell couple of times.

The Airtel was useless, but I got your missed call alert when I finally reached Manali. Wishing you bon voyage once again.

[rkbharat]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Spangmik (6:30 AM) > Man > Merak > Chushul > Tsaga (aka Tsaka) > Niyoma > Mahe > Korzok (Tso Moriri) (5 PM).

How was road condition on this part?

[Night_Hawk]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Thanks, Night_Hawk. 2WD Scorpios (or any other SUV with decent ground clearance) are good enough to handle most terrains of Ladakh. hvkumar's Scorpio, Rideon's Safari in which he travelled with me, or adc's Safari, are all 2WD, and have covered the roads without issues. OTOH, serious damage has been reported on a Fortuner this year while negotiating Rohtang Pass. So it all boils down to how you drive.

Thanks a Ton for the advise.
Your update on the network availability of various mobile services is also very valuable.

[hvkumar]

Thanks for the updates on the trip and the useful info on mobile connectivity.

Looking at your time schedules, one can imagine how difficult the terrain was. Can you also tell us about distances in the Pangong-Chushul-Mahe sector? How do you rate facilities at Chushul (and the villages Man & Merak) & Nyoma?

[SS-Traveller]

^^ It wasn't really difficult terrain with respect to the time I took. Stopped for photographs, sat and enjoyed the views, had snacks stashed in the car, chatted with army and ITBP folks, and generally had fun.

We left Spangmik at 6 AM, and were in Chushul by 8:45 AM, Tsaga by 11:00 AM, Niyoma around 11:45 AM, and Mahe by 1 PM or so. Reached Korzok by 3:30 PM. I don't have the record of exact distances, but do have a GPS track that I will share subsequently.

Chushul is a small town, groceries are available, even a bus service to Leh is there. Niyoma is an army outpost, one will have to get one's needs fulfilled from them. Tsaga has an ITBP checkpost (with a very friendly Head Constable from Gurgaon whom I met and chatted up there), and is also a big village with a fair number of people visible on the roads. Man and Merak were deserted villages shortly after Spangmik, which we crossed at really early hours, and comprised of about a dozen houses like Spangmik itself. IIRC, homestays are available at Merak - saw signboards to that effect.

[hvkumar]

Can you share with us details of where you stayed at Hunder, Spangimik, Karzok & Jispa?

[rkbharat]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

We left Spangmik at 6 AM, and were in Chushul by 8:45 AM, Tsaga by 11:00 AM, Niyoma around 11:45 AM, and Mahe by 1 PM or so. Reached Korzok by 3:30 PM. I don't have the record of exact distances, but do have a GPS track that I will share subsequently.

Those timing looks perfect, so if we start from Spangmik at 5:00 Am we can reach Hanle by 1 PM with enough breaks

[tsk1979]

Actually Nyoma is almost as big as diskit, and also has a BSNL tower(which works timetimes)
It has a 2-3 guest houses(PWD/FRH etc.,) and if they are empty the caretaker will easily give you acco there.