[tsk1979]

With 100kgs extra the 4x4 FE is slightly on the lower side. Moreover road to Manali is very good, but beyond that its crawl mode, and that too uphill.
Jay, can you let me know the driving time from Kaza-Manali?

[jaysmokesleaves]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Jay, can you let me know the driving time from Kaza-Manali?

I stopped at Lossar for the night. Kaza to Manali drive was 2 days. My trip involved frequent stops, for pictures, to look , to wonder, to piss, to eat, etc apart from time spent at touristy spots. I had no plan as such as to where to stop for the night and was therefore flexible.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by jaysmokesleaves

I stopped at Lossar for the night. Kaza to Manali drive was 2 days. My trip involved frequent stops, for pictures, to look , to wonder, to piss, to eat, etc apart from time spent at touristy spots. I had no plan as such as to where to stop for the night and was therefore flexible.

Lossar. Good midway point from Keylong. Where did you stay in Lossar, and decent acco around there?

[jaysmokesleaves]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Lossar. Good midway point from Keylong. Where did you stay in Lossar, and decent acco around there?

Stayed at the govt guest house. Cost me 200 for the night. Nice big room with heater etc. Not a soul in there. Like a veeran bunglow, but very well maintained.

[genesis]

In Losar if the Govt Bungalow is full...(some official is visiting etc), there is a hotel right next to the checkpost which is decent (decent enough to spend the night ).
Next to it is another hotel which is used by local travellers which is more like a dorm (would not recommend it).
Losar itself is quite beautiful if you choose to potter around the river bank and the farmlands.

[adc]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

driving time from Kaza-Manali?

We took around 10 hours, Kaza to Vashist hotel - with around 4-5 breaks in between for photography, a noodle-tea lunch stop at Chatru, and a stopover at Rhotang and Kunzum pass. With SUV, one saves on the journey time as the average speed is higher when travelling - and as such the breaks can be taken frequently maintaing the journey time.

IF would have another extra day, would have definitely stayed at Losar.

Another place, for someone doing the Spiti loop, do try and visit Giabong - and stay there instead of Nako - the usual stop between Tabo and Kalpa

[Sha]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

can you let me know the driving time from Kaza-Manali?

Last year i left kaza at 8a.m and reached gramphoo around 3-4 pm with lunch stop and photography. From gramphoo to manali it all depends on Rotang pass traffic i was stucked for 7 hrs.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Jay, can you let me know the driving time from Kaza-Manali?

Very uncertain, depends on road conditions at that point of time. Places where you can be delayed because of bad roads are in the climb up/down Kunzum La and the road between Bada Dhara and Gramphoo.

To give an indication, when I drove from Manali to Kaza (early morning start of 4 am from Manali, no traffic jams!), I reached Kaza at 200 pm, with one 45-minute break for lunch at Losar. IT took me approximately 7 hours driving time from Gramphoo, which is the junction after you descend Rohtang Pass.

On return, it took me 6 hours to Gramphoo (excluding the time on the detour to Chandra tal).

[tsk1979]

I will spend one night in Keylong after returning form Leh. Around 9am we have a choice of either coming to Manali(If I am short on days) or going towards Kaza.
From Keylong, Losar seems appropriate.
The plan is
Day 1 Keylong - Losar
Day 2 Losar - Chandertal-Kaza
.
.
And so on.
If somehow we cannot stay at Losar, then we drive all the way to Kaza from Keylong(8 hours I think?)
The timeframe is second week of september

[jaysmokesleaves]

Good to know that you too are going to Leh in Sept. I too am hoping to drive to Chandertal, at the start of my Leh trip from Manali.

Manali-Gramphoo- Chandertal-Gramphoo-Keylong - Leh. How long(days) do you guys think it will take me to do this section??

[hvkumar]

I have taken approx 8 hours from Kaza to Keylong. Starting from Kaza early in the morning at 4 am, after going to Chandra tal, I have reached Keylong at 330 pm. Depends of course on how much time you spend in Chandra tal. Losar is not an exciting place to stay at. Try to make it to Keylong. Hotel Ibex at Jispa 1 hour beyond Keylong is an even better place.


Check out my log book here, has the route profile for Kaza-Chander Tal-Keylpong-Leh.

H V Kumar - Driving Log Books - KUMAR'S DRIVING LOG BOOKS Ladakh,Oct 2004

jay, you should take 3-4 days for your Manali-Kaza-Leh trip for driving alone, not counting your staying back.

I am going to Ladakh too, Sep 12-27, but on the North-South route: Srinagar-Leh-Kaza.

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

The plan is
Day 1 Keylong - Losar
Day 2 Losar - Chandertal-Kaza

Maybe you should consider an early start from Keylong, drive to Chandratal and then proceed to Losar.

[jaysmokesleaves]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

jay, you should take 3-4 days for your Manali-Kaza-Leh trip for driving alone, not counting your staying back.

I am going to Ladakh too, Sep 12-27, but on the North-South route: Srinagar-Leh-Kaza.

My departure date from Bombay is 22nd Sept. I do have a tenative plan but that is flexible as I hit the hills. Again, lot depends on the weather.

Do you think it is a better idea to srinagar, Leh, Kaza. Will it save time, compared to going from Manali ??

[jaysmokesleaves]

Originally Posted by anupmathur

Maybe you should consider an early start from Keylong, drive to Chandratal and then proceed to Losar.

Actually, I was thinking of avoiding Lossar totally. I was thinking of roughin it out, camping at Chandertal. Is that a bad idea ??

[hvkumar]

My departure date from Bombay is 22nd Sept. I do have a tenative plan but that is flexible as I hit the hills. Again, lot depends on the weather.

Do you think it is a better idea to srinagar, Leh, Kaza. Will it save time, compared to going from Manali ??

I would prefer the Manali-Leh route since you are quite late in the season and you can expect the first snowfall anytime between Sep 25-Oct 10 (last year, it snowed on Sep 12). And since snow hits Rohtang, Baralachal la and Kunzum la first, it may be dicey coming south that late in the season. You will save no time or distance since the route is the same, but we have planned Srinagar-Leh-Manali with the thinking that if we are running late, we will cut out Spiti and Kinnaur Valley and return to Delhi/Bombay via Manali or Sach Pass..

Actually, I was thinking of avoiding Lossar totally. I was thinking of roughin it out, camping at Chandertal. Is that a bad idea ??

Chandertal appeared to be a lovely place to camp out at. But my experience is that by end-Sep, the water in Chandertal will either be gone or icing up. I have seen many campers on its banks.