Neha: Road Trip To Leh Ladakh

For the people who love to drive, road trip to Leh Ladakh is a dream. The tourist season in Leh starts from April and ends by September. If you wish to go to Leh Ladakh, the most important point is to plan your trip well in advance. Never be under the impression that this road trip can be the successful and unplanned trip. The terrain in which you have to go is located in high altitudes, therefore it is better to be aware about everything before starting.

Leh ladakh can be completed in a time period of 5-7 days, but if you want to make it a memorable one, you should at least spend 10 - 15 days because everything in and around the city is worth visiting and you really do not know when will you get the chance to visit again. For our trip, the route which we followed was -

Srinagar - Sonmarg - Kargil - Leh - Ladakh - Manali - Jammu - Srinagar.

You may even plan a different route as per your wish and convenience. The road trip can be done through various channels like bike ride, drive down in your own vehicle, hire a taxi or a traveler. You can also take a flight to Leh, but try to avoid this way because a sudden change in the altitude might make you feel dizzy, you might also suffer from headache. The people with heart problem, asthma or any such issues should consult a doctor before going to Leh. So, the best option is to either drive down by your own vehicle so that you get acclimatized to the altitude, or take a flight to Srinagar and then hire a taxi from there onwards.

If you go via Srinagar, you may visit Dal lake on the way to Sonmarg, take a shikara ride, have lunch near Dal Lake and then move ahead. You will reach Sonmarg within 2 hours as the distance of Sonmarg from Srinagar is around 80 kms. You may take a night halt at Sonmarg and meanwhile you should take a trip to the local market there.

The next stoppage is at the famous Kargil War Memorial. This memorial is worth visiting. People know about the Kargil Operation, but when you visit the memorial you will actually understand that how difficult it was to defeat the enemy and win!! It gives goosebumps!!! You can take a short break at the memorial before moving ahead because it has good small eateries.

Kargil War Memorial

After this, you can straightaway head towards Leh. On the way to Leh you will witness natural beauties at every step!! Take time to click pictures wherever you feel like, but make sure you keep a track of time because you should reach Leh before the sunset... I am uploading some of my personal clicks here...

On the way to Leh

You will see many such amazing structures on the way!!

And yes, I met this friend...

The sudden change in weather

Moonland... Only thi spatch of land looks like the surface of moon

After crossing all the beauty, finally we reach Leh. We had planned to stay at Leh for three days and visit the nearby places. The next day you can visit the monasteries of Leh, and go around for shopping and exploring the food joints. The leh market is famous for decorative items and stone jewellery. You may also pay a short visit to the Leh palace, Thiksey Monastery, Hemis Monastery etc. The most important place to visit in Leh is the Shanti Stupa which is situated at 11841 ft above the sea level! When you reach at Shanti Stupa, you can see the Leh city from that height!!

Stone Jewellery Market

Decorative Items

Shanti Stupa

View from Shanti Stupa

The day one is utilized in exploring Leh city. On day 2, you may proceed for Khardungla pass. The Khardungla Pass is the highest motor able pass. The way to Khardungla pass is a dangerous route, so drive carefully. The Khardungla pass being on such a height, can cause headaches, and high blood pressure problems in many people, so if you feel any such issue, it is suggested to drive down to the lower height as soon as possible. After visiting Khardungla pass, you can go to Nubra valley. The Nubra valley is at a lower height. If you reach on the right time, Nubra valley is a good place for river rafting. So, try reaching Nubra valley by afternoon so that you get a chance for rafting. You can stay for a night at Nubra valley, may be in a home stay or in a hotel. But make sure you book them in advance. Nubra valley is also known for star gazing.