[laluks]

What was your GPS equipment?

[Jaggu]

Tanveer this is an amazing trip log, have completed close to 60% of reading and viewing those amazing shots. Hopefully i will finish in another week

THANKS A TON for sharing this. This thread is just AWESOME, going for the vote now.

[nikhil_9791]

Tanveer: I read the post and there were quiet a few places where you had tough time with the roads. Had the vehicle not been a 4x4, I am sure you would have to give up visiting a lot of places.

A quick question - Would you suggest the "Manali - Leh - Drass - Srinagar" route covered in a 4x2 Bolero. I flew to Leh last time and covered a lot places in and around Leh, next year I would like to drive and cover the space and come down the Srinagar route. So, wanted your inputs on that front.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by laluks

What was your GPS equipment?

I was using an unlocked mio C320(Windows CE 5.0) unit running oziexplorer CE
This unit has 400MHz arm CPU and can run most mapping apps written for windows CE or windows mobile.
The maps I was using were Openstreetmap+some custom maps I made after surveying google earth terrain

Originally Posted by Jaggu

Tanveer this is an amazing trip log, have completed close to 60% of reading and viewing those amazing shots. Hopefully i will finish in another week

THANKS A TON for sharing this. This thread is just AWESOME, going for the vote now.

Thanks jaggu!

Originally Posted by nikhil_9791

Tanveer: I read the post and there were quiet a few places where you had tough time with the roads. Had the vehicle not been a 4x4, I am sure you would have to give up visiting a lot of places.

A quick question - Would you suggest the "Manali - Leh - Drass - Srinagar" route covered in a 4x2 Bolero. I flew to Leh last time and covered a lot places in and around Leh, next year I would like to drive and cover the space and come down the Srinagar route. So, wanted your inputs on that front.

Except for Marismik La, Kyun Tso, and road to Punguk behind observatory, we did not need 4x4 anywhere.
So you can definitely take the bolero. Its a very capable vehicle, and the non crde should be better than the safari on steep inclines

[noviceDriver]

Tanveer,

An extremely well-narrated journey accompanied by the visual treats of your photographs. A heady mix indeed. Bow to your planning / driving / clicking!

I can only wish to make this trip sometime soon, with a 2 year daughter I can't imagine doing this now - I have to wait for a good number of years. Meanwhile I will relish your travelogues.

[rkbharat]

Originally Posted by noviceDriver

Tanveer,
I can only wish to make this trip sometime soon, with a 2 year daughter I can't imagine doing this now - I have to wait for a good number of years.

I think start doing less difficult trip with your daughter, I am planning to do Spiti trip with my 2.5 yrs old daughter in March or April next year.

And then assess the plan for Leh

And just in case you need little inspiration : IS THIS A NEW RECORD - India Travel Forum, BCMTouring.com

[neoonwheels]

I truly feel like I have been there done that. Fantastic travelogue tsk. Thanks for all the pics, truly wallpaper material.

[Majic]

Tanveer, i really missing this thread for the past couple of weeks it was checking the posting and then checking my mails. I am sure going to miss the thread. Rudraji corrections were noted, that is what an expert can do, looking forward to learning more from you Rudraji. Thanks for the spirited narration and wonderful photos, i am looking out for the next team visit from a group from team Bhp!

[tsk1979]

thanks for your comments everyone. This was the longest trip we ever made after Jaisalmer, and in toughness, its unlike anything we have done before.

Now I will summarize the journey legs, along with fueling etc,.

Day 1 Friday 21st
We started the journey on Friday (21300), and first tankful was at a small pump near Banur. Fuel was good, but premium.
21569 kms said the ODOMETER

Destination was Anandpur Sahib, and we stayed a night in the city so that we could see blessings in the morning, before embarking on our journey.

Day 2 Saturday 22nd
On the 22nd of august(Saturday) we did a late start of 10:30am, and due to traffic etc., on the way reached manali around 5:30pm. 21906 was the odo reading as we filled up 32.77 liters of fuel.. Earlier on the way we had filled our jerrycan with 30 liters of fuel for testing leakages etc., Well it was leaking badly

However our destination was not Manali it was Sissu, barely 2 hours from Keylong.
It was near manali that my aching back became very bad, esp when the climb to rohtang started. Our original plan was to do some roaming around on Day 3 since Keylong was just 2 hours or less away from Sissu, but that plan will be abandoned.

For now, it was time to drive and drive. Rohtang, was much tougher than we imagined, esp in pitch dark.
There was this santro we met climbing up, they were climbing up at half the speed, and stopping frequently to get down, and inspect the ditches on foot.
We reached Sissu with odo reading 21993, and at 10:30pm

Day 3 Sunday 23rd
This was our laziest start. After all we just wanted to go to Keylong. Thanks to Volini and hot water bottles, I managed, and the rest day actually did good. This was more like a rest day

Day 4 Monday 24th
The Manali Leh highway, this is where the second longest mountain drive of our trip started. It was second longest in both time and distance.
We started at 5:40am. This has been one of the earliest starts of our lifetime. No kidding. Neither me, nor my wife are morning people. For us 8am is early morning.
22028 was the odo reading.

During this drive my back gave up almost completely at Pang where I rested at a dhaba with hot water bottle for 30 minutes.
since jerry can was leaking, my wife had to lift up the can and put those 30 liters in the tank. Luckily we had smaller can with us. so she could tilt the can, put diesel in the can kept on the road, and then put it all in in 3 installments.

We reached Leh around 8pm, thoroughly exhausted, and there was bit of hotel struggle also, as I mentioned erlier
Odo 22390

Day 5 Tuesday 25th
Permit day, and rest day. Good rest and promise of good hotel had made my back better. We shifted into the wonderful Thongsal.
Permits were bit of a circus, because of nearly photocopiers being closed. The permit guy was pretty amazed with my list.

Panamik, Hunder, diskit. Khardungla, Nubra, Wari La, Pangong Tso, Man, Merak, chushul, Tsaga La, Dungti, Loma, Nyoma, Rhongo, Hanle, Chumur, Tso Moriri, Dha

There were some other weird villages and places too. We got permits for 14 days, but if I had known the fee collection guy was on leave, I would have taken 21 days

Tanked up the safari at 22462 with 30 liters, and got 15 each for 2 jerrycans. Fe 8.83. Did Baloon Jugaad also for the cans

Day 6 Wednesday 26th
We went to Panamik and Hunder, and Saw rainbows did dune bashing. A real fun day. And best part, my back held up nicely
Odo at end of day 22690

Day 7 Thursday 27th
Saw Gompa, crossed Wari La and reached tangste, filled up 30 liters from can to tank.
Odo : 22881, time 5:30pm

Day 8 Friday 28th
the toughest tide. Went to Marismik La, and crossed pagal nallah at night back to tangste. Deepest water crossing I have ever done, with water dipping the fogs
Odo : 23055

Day 9 Saturday 29th
Went to Pangong again, started back afternoon, lot of water in Nallah. Our 4th crossing in 2 days
Fuelled at Karu with tank at reserve 23222 55.9 liters 8.84 FE

Day 10 Sunday 30th
Leh sight seeing and climb of 500 stairs to Nishan Sahib at the Gurudwara.

Day 11 Monday 31st
Filled up at Karu again 16.86 FE 9.79 reached hanle at 4:30 with odo reading 23635. Filled 20 liters from tank. We still had 20 liters of spare fuel.
Saw the chandra telescope, and liquid Nitrogen poured into the tank.
Most amazing day it was

Day 12 Tuesday Sept 1st
Failed attempt to Kyun Tso, and went back to Leh via Tso Moriri
Odo 24024 around 9pm Total drive for today : Almost 400kms Our longest mountain ride

Dat 13 Wednesday 2nd
Day trip to K Top

Day 14 Thursday 3rd
Leh Dha Kargil 230kms, odo at end of day 24380

Day 15 Friday 4th
24391 : Fuel at Kargil 24.8, 9.68 FE
Went till Randum. Padum aborted due to back and road. 240kms done

Day 16 Saturday 5th
Started Kashmir leg, reached Sonmarg 24770 is odo reading

Day 17 Sunday 6th
Sonmarg Srinagar Gulmarg
24793 20 liters fuel from can to tank
Odo at end : 24950

Day 18 Monday 7th
Gulmarg Srinagar Pahalgam
Fuel at Sringar 25045 43.92 10.2 FE
25137 at End of Day

Day 19 Tuesday 8th
Pahalgam Sight seeing
Aru and road to Chintanwadi
Odo 25213

Day 20 Wednesday 9th
Drive back to Punjab
Tankfull at Pathankot
25627 50.28 11.56FE


Some trip stats :

Total distance was 4900kms Noida - Noida
But since first tank full was at Banur, and Last logged at Pathankot
Difference : 4058kms
If we start measuring FE right from Banur
Fuel 413.07
FE 9.82
Majority of this trip in mountains, so she gave pretty good FE

Total cost including Fuel, food and Stay = 40K for the entire trip, with 14000rs being for the fuel and rest for lodging, and Food. Food was more expensive than we anticipated, and ditto for the stay on our Kashmir leg.

Mountain Passes:

Rohtang
Baralacha la
Nakeela
Lachung La
TangLang La
Khardungla
Wari La
Changla
Marismik La
Namshang La
Hamboting La
Zozi La

[adc]

Great details Tsk and good mileage.

All these Leh-Ladakh threads have some fantastic info for anyone going in the future. Gotta do Ladakh next year before extended warranty goes out. As of tomorrow, entering the twilight zone now - primary warranty ends, on to extended warranty.

[amip]

Tanveer - thoroughly enjoyed every bit of this - especially the humour!

[tsk1979]

Thanks everyone!
@adc, you have the most reliable safari on the forum you need not worry. Just get better tires and off you go
@amip Thanks. Even I enjoyed reliving the journey!

[Majic]

Tanveer,nice summary of events, i feel that the white elephant pulled you through quite safely,it needs to be commended for a splendid performance. Just one last question, when is the next travelogue starting?

[adc]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Just get better tires and off you go

Around 35-45 k is where the maintenance costs first hits like - just new tyres on existing steel rims minimum will be around 25k and brake pads another 3.5 k. And as you have said correctly, same bad trail a 4wd is much more protected than a 2wd as it is gunning up across. Front wheel bearings changed for me, will update on this soon - a must look out for all Safari owners.

[tsk1979]

Add around 3800 for Slime. A fully worthwhile investment, I must say.
I think your stock tires will last 10-15K more, and then you upgrade.
As for wheel bearings, mine got changed at 17K, and I had to pay 300 from my pocket.