[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by saket77

Lovely vehicle for the trip. However, wouldn't the monsoons bother the region?

Monsoons are still months away from North region, in July and Early August monsoons will be a problem.

Main reason i am going now is time problem, i have month of June free for me, after this taking out 15-20 days will be a problem. And i really do not want to visit in late August and Early September, the same time as both my earlier trips.

[Behemoth]

Originally Posted by .anshuman

Monsoons are still months away from North region, in July and Early August monsoons will be a problem.

Main reason i am going now is time problem, i have month of June free for me, after this taking out 15-20 days will be a problem. And i really do not want to visit in late August and Early September, the same time as both my earlier trips.

Cool ! Have a safe trip Anshuman and hope you have a great time with the XUV in Leh!
Let's catch up after you return.

[pats]

Excellent Travelogue, Anshuman and it was almost like visiting the place. The pictures are crisp and excellent. I read the entire 13 pages at a stretch and actually started reading this as i wanted to see how the laura fared on the ladakh trip as it is on my shopping list this year.

BTW,Which lens did you use on your D5100?

[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by pats

BTW,Which lens did you use on your D5100?

Kit lens- Nikon 18-55mm for Wide angle shots, Nikon 55-300mm for Telephoto.

Forgetting my Tripod at home was the worst part of the trip, i missed so many nice evening shots.

[.cArMaNiA]

Originally Posted by .anshuman

Even i am leaving for Ladakh this time again in first week of June, this time chariot will be XUV 500 AWD, i plan to cover places i could not cover last year.


Cross posting what i had posted earlier, from Ladakh route thread-
My advice is to pack light and before you tackle any obstacle get down and plan the path keeping your car's underbody in mind. Also, get to know your car's underbody, you should know where are the fragile parts placed, and how to steer to avoid them. At times there might be places where a scrape will be inevitable, knowing your car well will help a lot in avoiding fragile parts.

Try not to use too much accelerator, if your car isnt moving, back up and chart a plan to steer and attempt will little more momentum.

Also, before the journey, get a complete check up of your car, for Laura DSG get the brake pads checked properly.

BTW, How many passengers will be travelling in the car? And how much Luggage?

Thanks for your valuable tips. I was really busy with some work so couldn't reply. We are on the way back to delhi from ladakh😜(passing ambala). We were 4 passengers me,my wife,my friend and his wife. Awsome trip it was, i never thought it was so easy to do the ladakh trip in laura.

[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by .cArMaNiA

Thanks for your valuable tips. I was really busy with some work so couldn't reply. We are on the way back to delhi from ladakh😜(passing ambala). We were 4 passengers me,my wife,my friend and his wife. Awsome trip it was, i never thought it was so easy to do the ladakh trip in laura.

Great! I am glad i could be of help. Please share the details when you get back.

[.cArMaNiA]

Originally Posted by .anshuman

Great! I am glad i could be of help. Please share the details when you get back.

It was a 10 day trip (27may to 5june). We didnot go via manali as the rohtang pass route had just opened when we reached leh, and we met a guy who came in safari from rohtang pass, where his safari got stuck many times and also once it was towed out of slush. We covered 3150kms. Transiting zozila pass was a tough nut to crack for laura with boulders,water streams and slush everywhere. Scratched the underbelly uncountable times at zozila pass with full load. After reaching leh, went to a service station, got the car lifted up for inspection after wash. I was not surprised to see that everything underbody of this tank was fine with just few scratches. Shall post some pics over here in few days.

[debuda]

Originally Posted by .cArMaNiA

It was a 10 day trip (27may to 5june). We didnot go via manali as the rohtang pass route had just opened when we reached leh, and we met a guy who came in safari from rohtang pass, where his safari got stuck many times and also once it was towed out of slush. We covered 3150kms. Transiting zozila pass was a tough nut to crack for laura with boulders,water streams and slush everywhere. Scratched the underbelly uncountable times at zozila pass with full load. After reaching leh, went to a service station, got the car lifted up for inspection after wash. I was not surprised to see that everything underbody of this tank was fine with just few scratches. Shall post some pics over here in few days.

Nice to know about another Laura successfully doing a trip to Ladakh. Would wait for your travelogue.

I too recently returned from a trip to Ladakh in my XUV. Though I originally planned to return via Manali, the Leh-Manali road did not open in time and even if it had opened before our return, I would not have liked to take it immediately after the official opening due to the reasons mentioned by you.

My travelogue may be seen here.

[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by .cArMaNiA

It was a 10 day trip (27may to 5june). We didnot go via manali as the rohtang pass route had just opened when we reached leh, and we met a guy who came in safari from rohtang pass, where his safari got stuck many times and also once it was towed out of slush. We covered 3150kms. Transiting zozila pass was a tough nut to crack for laura with boulders,water streams and slush everywhere. Scratched the underbelly uncountable times at zozila pass with full load. After reaching leh, went to a service station, got the car lifted up for inspection after wash. I was not surprised to see that everything underbody of this tank was fine with just few scratches. Shall post some pics over here in few days.

I just got back from yet another Ladakh trip. I did both sides journey through Manali-Leh highway, this highway is lot more easier this time as most of the water crossings have bridges now and Rohtang is no longer a tough pass as slush is no longer a problem(only traffic is).

I also did Leh-Kargil-Leh section(for Zanskar valley), and i feel as of now it can be done in any sedan, some of the sections are so rewarding to drive on for us enthusiasts. I have not done Zoji la this time so i have no idea in regards to road conditions there.

[narsi_6989]

Originally Posted by .anshuman

I just got back from yet another Ladakh trip. I did both sides journey through Manali-Leh highway, this highway is lot more easier this time as most of the water crossings have bridges now and Rohtang is no longer a tough pass as slush is no longer a problem(only traffic is).

Hi Anshuman. Congrats on completing the trip safe and sound. Hope you had a very good experience with the XUV. Expecting a T-Log soon .

Can you please update us the status of the Killing Sarai bridge? Last I heard that the bridge was still not completely ok and the plates on the bridge were shifting to such an extent that the tire of the car fell into the gaps. Below is the quote from the BHPian who did this route in June this year. He did this drive in his Wagon-R.

4. The bridge after Sarchu towards Manali is in a bad condition with lots of gaps with the shifting plates. My tire fell into one of the gaps. Luckily the car is light and 2 people could lift a little and I accelerated out.

[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by narsi_6989

Hi Anshuman. Congrats on completing the trip safe and sound. Hope you had a very good experience with the XUV. Expecting a T-Log soon .

Can you please update us the status of the Killing Sarai bridge? Last I heard that the bridge was still not completely ok and the plates on the bridge were shifting to such an extent that the tire of the car fell into the gaps. Below is the quote from the BHPian who did this route in June this year. He did this drive in his Wagon-R.

Killing Sarai bridge is repaired now, there is just a steep incline(coming from Leh) which can be done with some planning on low gc 2wd cars.

There are no bad water crossing right now on Manali-Leh highway. It can be done in hatchbacks and sedans comfortably.

[Rajain]

Originally Posted by .anshuman

Killing Sarai bridge is repaired now, there is just a steep incline(coming from Leh) which can be done with some planning on low gc 2wd cars.

There are no bad water crossing right now on Manali-Leh highway. It can be done in hatchbacks and sedans comfortably.

Hi Anshuman

We are waiting to hear how the XUV performed. I have followed your Laura TL.

Great news that the dreaded water crossings on the Manali-Leh section are now tame.

Cheers

[swsumit]

Hello,
One of the best written TL that i have come across coupled with some amazing pics.It was a pleasure going through each and every page waiting for the next to come.I presume that you did your trip in 2012.I am planning the same trip with a few modifications like Tso Mornini,Hanle and Chushul. I propose to do the same in my Mahindra Logan, what are your views on this ?Do u recommend the Logan out there primarily it being a sedan?

[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by swsumit

Hello,
One of the best written TL that i have come across coupled with some amazing pics.It was a pleasure going through each and every page waiting for the next to come.

Thanks, i am glad you liked the pics and write-up.

I presume that you did your trip in 2012.

I did this trip in 2012. I have done another trip after this in June 2013, the travelogue will be posted soon.

I am planning the same trip with a few modifications like Tso Mornini,Hanle and Chushul. I propose to do the same in my Mahindra Logan, what are your views on this ?Do u recommend the Logan out there primarily it being a sedan?

Logan will easily do the trip, including the sections like Hanle and Tso Morriri. I have never been to Chushul, so i do not know, but with some careful driving it should be easily doable.

Even the Manali Leh highway has become a lot more easier this year. This June i saw all kind of cars doing the trip.

[swsumit]

Thank you for the positive reply . It really is a booster