[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by shipnil

50% is quite a big number. Does it mean that the prices are highly inflated on the internet? What is the average price for a nights stay during this trip? Also, when you move in such a big convoy, did you face a parking problem at the hotel anytime during this expedition?

Internet prices - and travel agent prices - are grossly inflated, at least for Ladakh. Moreover, only select hotels figure in the online booking and online review lists - that does not mean that the others who are not online are bad!

To give you an example, in one hotel in Kaza, we made some telephonic enquiries with the owner before the trip and we were quoted Rs 1,000 per HEAD. We got the same hotel rooms on the spot at Rs 800 per ROOM!

I have compared some rates paid by some of our friends who have gone on Ladakh trips - doing online bookings or through agents - and I found they may have paid exorbitant rates.

In all places - except at Padum - we stayed together. Car parking - no problems whatsoever!

I had estimated Rs 1,000 per head per day for food & lodging. We stayed in very good hotels, we could have got hotels at much cheaper rates had we wanted, but may not have been good enough. All rooms were shared 2 to a room and in some places 3 to a room. My personal trip average cost per day for food & board is Rs 750 - well within my budget.

[JeepCaptain]

Jeep Captains Photologue...

Day 10
21st August 2011

[JeepCaptain]

Jeep Captains Photologue continues..

Day 10
21st August 2011

[JeepCaptain]

Jeep Captains Photologue continues..

Day 10
21st August 2011

[JeepCaptain]

Jeep Captains Photologue continues..

Day 10
21st August 2011






















Jeep Captain

[JeepCaptain]

Jeep Captains Photologue continues..

Day 10
21st August 2011

[Sunney]

Jeep Captain,
Complaint withdrawn, and sorry.

A Keralaite migrant-blooded query: Can me buy some sq. kilometers of these 'No takers' waste lands to try cultivate a Rubber Estate or sort?

Note from the Team-BHP Support Team: Please use the "edit" button if posting within 30 minutes of the first post, instead of creating another back-to-back post.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by Sunney

A Keralaite migrant-blooded query: Can me buy some sq. kilometers of these 'No takers' waste lands to try cultivate a Rubber Estate or sort?

Rubber estate at 4000 mtrs altitude, where it is snow-bound 3 months a year, infertile soils?

Try buying into an apple orchard instead in Kinnaur or Spiti Valleys!

[kesri]

@JeepCaptain: Really amazing shots!! enjoyed, thanks

-KS
.

[JeepCaptain]

Jeep Captains Photologue continues..

Day 10
21st August 2011



Swift Stuck in More Plains


The Recovery begins

[JeepCaptain]

Jeep Captains Photologue continues..

Day 10
21st August 2011

NJ relaxing @Tanglang La after a adventourous drive with lots of towing and recovery with Discovery Bolero



Baby Alto ( no_enthu_da) Exhausted and sunburned but Excited.



The Team



NJ with Mumbai Roadsters














































Jeep Captain | Facebook

[motomaverick]

Wow! that was one long string of photos, awesome click from the Bolero. So JC what about the pics from your drive with BolBolero, i guess you guys were in Sonmarg ..... I know i am egging you guys on and on!!!

[JeepCaptain]

Originally Posted by motomaverick

Wow! that was one long string of photos, awesome click from the Bolero. So JC what about the pics from your drive with BolBolero, i guess you guys were in Sonmarg ..... I know i am egging you guys on and on!!!

motomaverick, Yes all those pics are from my Bolero clicked by my bro NJ and JP. Thanks for them for the amazing clicks. Eventhough I wasnt with them, I could relive the journey through the pics.

Yes that day I was in Sonmarg and BolBolero will be posting pics of our trip from Sonmarg to Kargil. I think BolBolero is out of station now with Family takiing a Diwali break. He will be putting up the pics as soon as he is back.

[hvkumar]

Permits for Ladakh

Everyone is bemused when they hear that you need permits to go to some places in Ladakh. Why, why are Indians restricted, they ask. This is common in many sensitive border areas and access is regulated by various check posts on the roads to the restricted places.

Permits are issued by the DC's Office next to the Polo Ground in Leh. It works to normal office timings and is closed on all public holidays. However, the office is also open between 2-3 pm on Sundays also during the peak season. You can obtain permits yourself or tell your hotel guy or a travel agent to get it for you. You fill up an application form, attach your ID documents and seek permission for specific sectors. The permits are not unique top each car, it is for each person regardless of which care he chooses to travel in. In the case of foreigners, original passport has to be shown. Theoretically, the permits are issued only after your arrival in Ladakh, but in reality travel agents can procure it ahead of your arrival also. Permit is issued quickly. Once done, take photocopies of the permits - some 10-20 of them, depending on how many sectors you wish to visit - and the number of check posts - since each check post will need one copy for their records (bless the Govt babus to think of ways to make bulkier and bulkier files!). Some of these check posts are controlled by the J&K Police, rest by Army. Everytime you cross a check post, you have to get down, show the permit, enter details of yourself and the team in a register and then proceed.

We had so many people in our team, we decided to engage an agent to get it done for us. I had studied the holiday schedule in advance and since we were scheduled to arrive in Leh during some holidays, I had requested the agent to get it done earlier itself (except in the case of TS, whose passport could be handed over only after arrival at Leh)..

We obtained 3 separate sets of permits:

1. Part of the team, for the Batalik sector - for DHA/ HANU

2. The entire team for NUBRA-TURTUK-PANGONG-MAN-MERAK-CHUSHUL-LOMA BEND-HANLE-CHUMUR-NYOMA-TSO MORIRI

3. The lone foreigner TS a separate permit. In case of foreigners, they are permitted to travel only in "groups" of foreigners under the responsibility of a tour operator. Moreover, they are not permitted to visit the border areas of Chushul & Hanle. How TS still managed to be with us through the trip is another story which we will tell you later.....

It is very important that you mention all the key check posts on your route, else you may be turned back. The permit mentions the period you plan to travel. It does not matter if some of those mentioned in the permit do not travel. It may be possible for the team members to travel separately too but each should carry copies of the permit (we were never asked to show the original anywhere).

In case of sensitive border regions like Fukche-Demchok, you may be asked to justify why you want to go there. In our case, we wanted those places mentioned in our permit, but the travel agent failed to convince the DC's Office, so we did not get them. Maybe if we had gone personally - as our friend jaysmokesleaves did a couple of weeks before us - we could have also got it.

[Sunney]

Climate in Uttarkhand:
Somebody very experienced in that area advises me the below:
"If you want green surroundings then after may is the good time. if you need clear sky then Nov- Feb is a good option. because during monsoons ots really hard to see the great Himalayas in this part of the world due to heavy clouds, if you want excellent photograph then you need to take a extra bit of pain on your legs and need to travel more by foot, but still travelling my car is a good option for you"

Is it correct?
Is it advisable to visit Panchchuli area in Nov. Feb time?
But then Leh is no accessible, correct?