[anirbanz]

My dear Arun,

What you have achieved cannot be applauded with mere words.It takes tremendous courage and patience to conquer leh in a front wheel drive hatch and that too with solo hand on the wheels.Things get even better when such an adventurous feat is complimented by such a detailed and exciting travelogue.I read through each and every line and stared at every picture with my mouth wide open and eventually I experienced a fraction of the thrill which you have experienced. Keep it up dude!!

[praveen_v]

Wonderful travelogue. Meticulous planning and execution! Well done. Hopefully someday I can make a similar trip.

[Blow Horn Ok]

Must appreciate your driving stamina. I felt the excitement and tiredness of continuous driving as I was reading.

Your thread proves the fact that even a low GC car can conquer rough terrains if driven cautiously. How was the response from the engine at higher altitudes?

[arindam_xeta]

Great write up Arun! The pictures and the details you shared are priceless. Wish you many more happy miles with your beloved Figo. I liked the under belly hits info and the capture of details of every leg of drive. Did you get some help from your co-passenger?
Once again superb effort and stamina! A deserving 5 ��

[manas_270]

Wonderful travelogue to accompany with great pictures with so much attention to detail especially underbelly hits info. Gives a good hindsight to folks planning to take their FWD vehicles to conquer Leh.

Appreciate the well documented travelogue & rated the well deserved thread 5*

[Sheel]

I have driven a Figo for close to 4 years and I wouldn't take it to Sikkim again. Leh/Laddakh region...never. You must having some good skills coupled with patience, you need that.

And a very detailed trip-log. One can have all the information one needs. Thanks for sharing

[Samfromindia]

Wonderful travelogue lovecars21 with superb attention to detail You have covered each and everything about your wonderful adventure right from pre trip planning, day by day itinerary details, breakdown of expenses to scanned copy of the declaration form needed for driving in inner line area of Leh. This TL has everything needed by first timers who are looking forward for this adventure. The amazing pictures bring that place to life and makes me wonder how beautiful our country is. Kudos to you for venturing there in a low GC car like Figo without any group or any car to rescue you in case things doesn't go as planned. I thought you had a MM 4x4, any reasons for taking the Figo? This thread will inspire lots of people who doesn't own a high GC car/SUV to get Leh'd. Rated 5 Stars !

[jfxavier]

Excellent posts.
Does the ground clearance of the car make a lot of difference?
Just that I noticed cars like Honda City etc. in some of the pics.
You might have avoided the pictures of the real bad roads in your posts.
Can you post some of the pictures of the "craters" and the bad roads if you have?
Just to see how bad it can get.

[gmhossain]

Originally Posted by lovecars21

Day 14: 5th June, 2015 Agra to Kolkata

Woke up at 3:00 am and got ready for my record drive. Till today the maximum kilometres driven by me in a single day was 1,106 kms and today my target was 1,328 kms. At 4:30am I cranked the engine drove off. By 4:50 am we were on NH2.
...
Finally reached Jadavpur, Kolkata at 2:30 am ...

First 1,000 kms done in 13 hrs 36 mins with 1 hr 15 mins break rest Asansol to Kolkata tested my patience and stamina with unbearable truck traffic and jams at Panagarh and Santragachi

Thanks for putting up such a nice and detailed travelogue! As expected, the drive in Ladakh region is challenging. However, the way you have driven, even Agra - Kolkata looks quite adventurous to me! Kudos! I am wondering how tiring was your drive on this stretch?

Best,
Golam

[sayakc]

I guess this is the first Ladakh travelogue that we got to read this season.Very precise and clinical narration. Photos too are grand! Should say that you have been able to munch up the miles. Rated it a thoroughly deserving 5*.

--
Sayak

[mattyf1]

All the Ladakh T-logs are just so inspiring. Hats off for driving the figo there. My aspiration just shooted more with this thread! Lovely pictures too!

[veedub89]

For half an hour I lost track of the fact that I was at work on a Monday morning!

Excellent travelogue!
Did you get people on those roads questioning your choice of car? I am sure most of them would have thought you were crazy doing this run in a hatchback when some SUV's have problems going up.

[ringoism]

A truly laudable effort that will inspire many. With good driving skills, a can-do attitude, a bit of patience / flexibility, and just a little daring, a lot can be accomplished.

The account also lends credence to my prediction (in another thread a couple days ago) that with the generally improving road conditions, more and more people (for better or worse) will choose to drive their own cars, whatever they may be, to such destinations for the pleasure / flexibility / freedom / adventure that choice offers, rather than to be hassled / inconvenienced by militant regional taxi mafias.

Originally Posted by Sheel

I have driven a Figo for close to 4 years and I wouldn't take it to Sikkim again. Leh/Laddakh region...never.

Some friends did much of the same route in a rather battered old Alto (which for a hatchback does have reasonable GC at least) a couple years back and had no trouble (besides being lightly nipped on a blind bend by an errant truck driver!).

Vs. Sikkim, I've not visited the more remote, permit-only parts, but what I have seen of it and the Darjeeling region is that gradients can be much steeper than in most of Ladakh (Chang-La being one possible exception). Ladakh from ancient times was at the intersection of a number of major trade routes, and presumably roads being cut there had heavy trade vehicles in mind, which at these altitudes wouldn't have a chance if the grades had been cut steeper; Especially when we're talking pre-electronic, non-altitude-compensating powertrains (this is where some modern cars could potentially have an edge over what plied these roads previously).

As for those sections with perennially loose surfaces, washouts, river crossings, ice, and various other impediments to forward progress, well, in my book that's where the "laudable effort" truly comes in .

Regards,
Eric

[globemaster]

Super trip!
Congratulations on such a beautiful trip and for breaking your own record. As Ampere already mentioned, Every account of ladakh-Leh is a fresh account. I completely agree to that. Awesome pictures too. You made my Monday Bro!

[Dieselritzer]

This is such an informative travelogue. I must say, please convey my regards to your partner, without her support and enthusiasm such trips are not possible. The toll amounts are huge, and i guess will only keep increasing.

Thank you for the lovely write up and the amazing pictures. Ive been dreaming of driving to Tabo Monestry in my Ritz, I dont think its impossible.