Ladakh

Ah, Leh-Ladakh! Who doesn’t want to want to witness those snow-capped, barren mountains, the mesmerising, cast stretch of land as far as the eyes can see, the clear, blue waters of the stunning lakes and the peace that the monasteries have to offer? Oh yes, we all do.  But planning a trip to Leh-Ladakh can be quite a hassle. Whether you are an adventurer or a tourist, you must be spending a lot of time researching of ‘best time to visit Ladakh’ or the ‘best tour packages in Ladakh’ to choose from.  Since 2019, Ladakh has been made into a Union Territory. Having been part of the Tibetan kingdom, it is predominantly a Buddhist area, with the culture, food, ethnicity, etc. being very different from mainstream India. In this blog, I will help you plan the best itinerary for Ladakh, based on my experience.  The best time to visit Leh Ladakh largely depends on what kind of experience you’re looking for, whether it’s adventure, snow-covered landscapes, vibrant local life, or peaceful solitude. The peak tourist season runs from June to September, and this is widely considered the best time to travel. During these months, the weather is pleasant, with daytime temperatures ranging between 15°C and 25°C, and most importantly, the roads from both Manali and Srinagar to Leh remain open. This is the ideal time for sightseeing, camping by Pangong and Tso Moriri lakes, exploring Nubra Valley, and enjoying bike rides and photography. However, as this is the most popular time, it’s recommended to book accommodation and transport in advance to avoid the tourist rush. If you’re someone who loves snow and fewer crowds, then the winter season from October to February offers a completely different perspective of Ladakh. However, temperatures can drop drastically, even reaching -25°C, and most roads and tourist accommodations in remote areas like Pangong and Nubra remain closed. Despite the harsh conditions, this is a great time for photographers and those looking for winter treks such as the Chadar Trek on the frozen Zanskar River. I wouldn’t recommend mid-November to March because the Manali–Leh and Srinagar–Leh highways are closed, making flights the only option to reach Leh. The cold is extreme, and infrastructure in remote areas becomes minimal. There are two common routes that travellers follow to reach Leh, which should be your base while exploring Ladakh: one from Manali and another from Srinagar. I am providing a comprehensive Ladakh Itinerary that you can follow, along with a Leh Ladakh map. I will also let you know about local transport, in case you want to explore this hill station at a minimum cost. Manali is chosen for many reasons as the starting point. Travellers find this route very beautiful, along with providing access to bikers to easily rent or hire bikes from Manali. Below is a step-by-step ‘Leh Ladakh Map’ (from Manali to Leh) to help you plan your Ladakh tour a little better – There are daily buses that leave from the ISBT Kashmiri Gate of Delhi to Manali. You need to reach Manali to acclimate your body and get used to the high altitude. You can also take the private buses from Majnu ka Tilla. There are both government-run and private bus options.  Bus Duration from Delhi to Manali – 14 hours Distance between Delhi and Manali – approx. 600 KMs Note – Rohtang Pass is closed every Tuesday for maintenance. The major reason for staying in Manali for a day, instead of heading to Leh directly, is to get acclimatised. Moreover, since people from cities are not used to high altitudes and low oxygen, staying in Manali for a day helps. After reaching Manali somewhere around 8 AM, freshen up and start exploring. There are many things you can do, either go to the hidden gems, explore Old Manali, or trek to Jogini Falls. You can also rent bikes from here. The Rohtang Pass, lying on the Manali-Leh route, is so vulnerable that the government keeps changing rules to pass through the Rohtang Pass. NGT enforced the restriction in 2011, and currently, you need to obtain a permit to visit the Pass. Hence, please respect the environment and keep it clean – let us preserve Rohtang Pass with all our small efforts.  Vehicle Restrictions: Only 60 petrol and 40 diesel vehicles are allowed daily for tourism purposes.  Vehicles older than 10 years are not allowed. Permit Fees: INR 500 Ways to Get the Rohtang Pass Permits Required Documents:  Budget Hotel: Apple Field House Homestays: Bon Voyage, Manali Parvat View Luxury Hotel: Span Resort and Spa Boutique Hotel: The Himalayan For backpackers: Zostel Manali, The Hosteller Manali Once you have sorted out your permit, leave for Keylong from Manali. Staying in Keylong, Jispa is essential to get you acclimatised. You attain height from Manali to Leh very quickly, so the slower you go, the better it is. Road Condition – The road up to Rohtang Pass is really smooth, but after Rohtang Pass, the real challenge begins. The road becomes really rugged from here Duration from Manali to Jispa – 5-6 hours The distance between Manali and Jispa – approx. 140 KMs There are two types of bus services running from Manali to Leh – budget and luxury, run by HRTC and HPTDC, respectively. These buses take two days to reach Leh, which means that you have to stop in Keylong for an overnight stay. HPTDC Bus Service This is the luxury bus whose fare is obviously higher than the HRTC bus. However, the best thing about this bus is that your stay in Keylong is included in the fare. Fare of HPTDC Bus – INR 2,900 (including accommodation and 3 times meals); a one-time payment till Leh Timings of HPTDC Bus – The bus leaves at 10 AM from Manali and reaches Keylong by 5 PM. HRTC Bus Service There are several HRTC buses from Manali to Keylong which are budget-friendly. Fare of HRTC Bus – INR 175, approximately Timings of HRTC Bus – The first bus leaves at 4 AM. Following this, there are regular buses to Keylong until 1 PM. Read our

My toes were so numb that at one point I cried with pain. A porter helped me in changing my wet socks! Chadar trek, one of the best treks in India, is not easy. I landed in Leh on the 12th of January, acclimatized my body, got all my checkups done, and thought that I was well prepared for it. But questions still lingered in my mind. Have I packed appropriately? Will I need any extra layers? To be honest, there is no piece of clothing that will help keep you warm in such extreme weather conditions, but there are certainly a few things that you can do to feel less cold. Below, is a detailed as well as a checklist for what to pack for Chadar trek. I will also link the brands and products that I have been using for years. This list is a complete list and gives the minutest details of all the things that I carried.  Disclaimer: This article may contain links to our affiliate partners such as Amazon, Booking.com, etc. If you find our website useful, please consider booking through our links. When you do we earn a small percentage at no extra cost to you. What to Pack for Chadar Trek – Essentials Bags Rucksack Let’s first start with an appropriate backpack for Chadar. It is essential to have a good backpack that gives comfort and is durable at the same time. I personally carried a 90L backpack, however, I would suggest you have to buy a 60L rucksack. The best one is Quechua’s Forclaz with compression straps.  Day Pack Once you reach the campsite, you would need a day pack to carry your essential things. The daypack should not take much space in your rucksack and thus the one I will suggest to you is the ultra-compact day pack by Quechua again. Raincover Usually, Quechua backpacks come with a raincover, however, if your bag does not have one then do buy a raincover as well because in Chadar the weather is very unpredictable. I would recommend Add Gear’s raincover, suitable for rucksacks between 40L to 80L. Neck and Above Headcover – Woollen Cap In cold, especially during extreme weather conditions, covering your body ends is extremely important as that is the place from where the heat leaves first. That is why we easily catch cold in our hands, feet, ears, etc. Buy a woollen cap along with a fleece underneath it. Why? During snowfall, the snow gets accumulated on woollen clothes easily, a fleece will help in refraining the cold and wetness from the snow to reach our skin/head. My recommendation –  Thermal Fleece Full Face Mask Balaclava Woollen Slouchy Beanie UV Protection Sun Glasses In high altitudes, the rays of the sun get harsh. Having a good pair of sunglasses is a must. In fact, we were asked to get two in case we fall while walking on Chadar (highly possibly) and break our glasses.  My recommendation – Quechua Adult Hiking Sunglasses Muffler To keep your neck warm have wool mufflers. You can buy good ones from Leh itself. Also if you want to travel safe, make sure to check this link here – travel first aid kit. Base Layer I was in five layers, which is essential and also a necessity in a trek like Chadar. There are several items of clothing that you need to wear, step-by-step to keep yourself warm. During treks, climate conditions vary. Layering gives you the freedom to shed or add layers as and when you need! Thermals Thermals trap your body heat and keep you warm. My personal favourite is merino wool; they are so thin that – 1. they do not take much space in your bag, 2. they don’t make you look like a potato, and 3. their ability to keep you warm is exceptional. You can also buy the product from Decathlon as they have a perfect range of merino wool products for both men and women.  My recommendation – Add Gear Ski + Mountaineering base Layer Looking for cheap flights. Check out Kiwi.com – For Best Price Middle Layer Fleece Fleece is a great way to protect you from cold. It is a comfortable layer of insulation by trapping air in the pockets between its fibres.  My recommendation – For women, For men Down Jacket Have a good warm down jacket that is water proof as well as withstands negative temperatures. This helps in further trapping of the heat. My recommendation – Forclaz Trek 100 Hooded Down Jacket Hiking Pants For your legs, wear your second layer over your thermals. I personally prefer quick dry and light cloth for this purpose. My recommendation – Quechua Forclaz 500 Outter Layer Wind Cheater Jacket In Chadar, the temperature goes to its minimum when winds are blowing. To avoid winds to pierce your skin, it is essential to wind cheat it with the help of a good jacket. I will highly recommend my ski jacket which I also used in Gulmarg while learning skiing. My recommendation – For Men For Women Simond Makalu II Down Jacket  Water Proof/Wind Cheater Pants In Chadar, it is essential that you wear waterproof pants. Your lowers are vulnerable as you might have to cross water streams, and if you fall (which you definitely will), your legs will get wet if your pants are not of proper material.  My recommendation – Simond Mountaineering Pants Hands & Feet Gloves It is essential to layer on your hands as well. You can wear woollen gloves underneath the snow proof gloves. If you will only wear woollen gloves then the snow might get accumulated on them and they won’t dry easily too. My recommendation – Quechua Adult Trekking Mountain Gloves Trek 500 Woolen gloves Socks Have at least 6 pairs of socks. Socks tend to get wet not only because of the streams but also because of the accumulated moisture while trekking. It is important to change your socks everyday. Layer your feet as well. Wear a fleece first over your