Srinagar-Leh Highway

The overland approach to Ladakh from Kashmir Valley via Kargil is approx. 434 Km, which remains open for traffic from early June
to November. The most dramatic part of this road journey is the ascent up the 11,500 feet / 3,505 m high Zoji-La, the pass in the
Great Himalayan Wall that serves as the gateway to Ladakh. Usually the Srinagar - Leh circuit is covered in the span of two days with
a night stop at Kargil; however you can make it a three day journey with another night stop at either Alchi or Lamayuru.

Srinagar - Sonamarg (85 kms): The journey from Srinagar to Sonamarg takes you through some of the magnificent vistas
Kashmir is renowned for. The journey is pretty straight forward and you will be in Sonamarg in couple of hours, take a breather here
and marvel at the beauty of Sonamarg i.e. meadows of gold.

Sonamarg - Drass (62 kms): From Sonamarg the landscape starts changing dramatically all the way till the famous Zoji La pass
(11,640ft), roads on the both side of the pass are in bad condition with lots of gravel, during rain the gravel turns to slush, so if you
are planning to attempt this pass during rain, be prepared for some wheel spin fun! The traffic to the final summit of the pass is
controlled and visitors have to get themselves registered to proceed further. This is also the toughest of few kms of the entire
Srinagar - Leh highway, beyond which tarmac is fantastic.

With in an hour of crossing Zoji La, you would be at Drass. If you have reached here late in the afternoon then the recommendation
would be to have your meal here especially if you are a vegetarian, in Kargil the food isnt that good and for vegetarians finding food
can be a bit of chore.

Drass - Kargil (58 kms): A few kms beyond Drass is the Drass war memorial, built in the memory of fallen soldiers in the 1999
Kargil war and a must visit for every traveller passing through this route. From here it is a straight run to Kargil and you will be
there in less than an hours time. Kargil is the intended pit stop for the majority of travellers and thus has quite a few accommodation
options.

Kargil - Lamayuru (110 kms): 40 odd kms down the road is the town of Mulbek, a sleepy town which many would pass through
without knowing the fact that next to the road is a statue of Maitreya, the future Buddha. It is believed that the 9 meter high statue
carved out of solid rock was built in 7th or 8th century. Although one is not allowed to take photographs of the statue, the statue
itself is a must see for any one passing through Mulbek. A short ride from Mulbek will take you to 12198ft high Namika La, a windy
yet scenic pass. Roughly 40kms Namika La is Fotu La, the highest point on the Srinagar - Leh highway, (13,479ft). After short yet
scenic ride/drive you will reach the village of Lamayuru, Ladakhs most famous and one of the oldest Gompas. Take some timeout
here for a quick photo shoot and a visit to Gompa, else plan a dedicated day for it and move on.

Lamayuru - Leh (125 kms): Few kms down the road from Lamayuru are the Hangro Loops, the 18 loops are fast yet sharp loops
with steep gorges. Next major attraction comes in the form of Gurudwara Patthar Sahib located in the town of Nimmu (55kms from
Leh), beyond which its fast and straight forward drive to Leh.