Ladakh

Bike Trip
Itinerary
The A-Z guide for self - planning of
Leh-Ladakh bike trip !

by @wanderer.pai
@wanderer.pai

Table of
contents
1. Transport of bike

2. Trip route

3. Day-wise detailed itinerary

4. Total cost break-up

5. Day-wise Reel links

6. Important links
@wanderer.pai

Bike transport
Mumbai to Delhi
We loaded our bikes on Rajdhani, in the same
train we travelled to Delhi, packing was
arranged by us itself, material used was “EPE
Foam - 10 mm thickness”. Ensure proper
packing as there are chances of damage.

Cost: Rs. 5500/bike

Packing: Rs. 750/bike
Prajapati : 9324087424 (contact for train
booking)

Delhi to Mumbai
On return, we sent our bikes via movers &
packers “Bluestar relocation”. Dropped our
bikes at their Gurgaon office, did paperwork.
They did all packaging & bike was delivered to
our home in Mumbai. Door to door service.

Cost: Rs. 5500 (incl. packaging)

Bluestar: 8929132820 (contact for tempo
booking)
 New Delhi
Udhampur
Sonamarg
ROUTE
Kargil
Leh
Nubra
Pangong
Hanle
Uming La
Tso Moriri
Jispa
Manali
New Delhi
@wanderer.pai
Day 1
New Delhi - Udhampur
Distance : 611 kms
Time (Maps) : 11.15 Hrs
Actual time : 13 Hrs
Route : Delhi > Ludhiana>
Jalandhar > Udhampur
Road conditions?
80% good highways, 20% bad roads &
ghats

Most Important
Take less breaks, ride consistently,
the route is very long and last 100
kms is bad roads & very tiring

What to do?
Only ride
@wanderer.pai
Day 2
Udhampur to Sonamarg
Distance : 230 kms
Time (Maps) : 7 Hrs
Actual time : 12-14 Hrs
(with breaks/ sight seeing)

Start time: 6 AM
Route 1: Udhampur > Chenani >
Srinagar > Sonamarg
Route 2: Udhampur > Patnitop >
Srinagar > Sonamarg

Road conditions?
50% good roads, 30% amazing scenic
roads, 20% bad roads

Most Important
Take less breaks & ride consistently,
last 100 kms bad roads
What to do?
Cross worlds 2nd longest tunnel "Chenani
Where to stay?
Tunnel" (9KM), scenic roads of J&K start,
witness the on road emergency landing
1.Mitra hostel, Sonamarg
Airstrip (Bijbehara), take de-tour to Dal lake (backpackers)
(srinagar), stop for meal & sight seeing, (8128128383)
shikara ride (optional), ride to Sonamarg and
check-in at hotel. 2. Hotel Snowland (4 star)
@wanderer.pai
Day 3
Stay at Sonamarg

What to do?
Enjoy the scenic beauty of Sonamarg, take
loads of pics/vids, do a small self trek from
behind JKDC hotel to get the best views, do
some off-roading near river at main market
bridge, visit Thajiwas Park. Next day after you
cross sonamarg, all green landscape is over,
you will witness only brown landscapes, so
enjoy the greenary

Most Important
Don’t eat in the local market, they
have pathetic food, have all your
meals in hotel snow land, they have a
restaurant (incase you're not staying
there)

Where to stay?
1. Mitra hostel, Sonamarg
(backpackers)
(8128128383)

2. Hotel Snowland (4 star)

@wanderer.pai
Day 4
Sonamarg to Kargil
Distance : 123 kms
Time (Maps) : 3 Hrs
Actual time : 5 Hrs
(with breaks/ sight seeing)

Start time: 9 AM
Route: Sonamarg > Zoji La > Dras
> Kargil
Road conditions?
20% Bad, 80% amazing

Most Important
Bike starts loosing power due to
increase in altitude & low oxygen,
bike pick up reduces drastically, need
not worry this is normal. Have dimox
tablet

Where to stay?
What to do? The Royal Kargil
On the way, cross Zojila Pass (11575 FT), see (Mehraj : 9596505097)
the worlds 2nd coldest village “Dras”, visit
Kargil War Memorial & then Check-in at
hotel in Kargil. Rest through the day
@wanderer.pai
Day 5
Kargil to Leh
Distance : 216 kms
Time (Maps) : 4.2 Hrs
Actual time : 10 Hrs
(with breaks/ sight seeing)

Start time: 7-8 AM

Route: Kargil > Fotu La Top >
Lamayuru > Leh
Road conditions?
90% amazing, 10% bad

What to do?
Enjoy sudden change in landscapes, roads are
amazing, you will go from 8780 FT in Kargil to
reach Fotu La pass (13500 FT), take pics/videos
at Fotu La, Ride for another 45 Mins and reach
Lamayuru Village, have a meal at some home
café, visit the Lamayuru Monestry, ride to Leh &
check-in at hotel
Most Important
Have Dimox tablet before you leave
Kargil, as there is sudden change in
altitude, your body may react with
headache and breathing difficulty.
Leave in time so you can visit
Lamayuru Monestry.
Where to stay?
Yanhphel Hostel (perfect for large
groups and very budget friendly)
(Abhishek: 9997906885)
@wanderer.pai
Day 6
Stay at Leh
What to do?
Explore Leh, visit Shanti Stupa (before 11am for
better pics), Leh Palace, Thiksey Monastery,
Gurudwara Pathar Saheb (20Kms before Leh).
At Evening, visit Leh main market for some
shopping, eat at local cafes, Buy petrol cans
from the market (2 of 5L) as after this you won
get anywhere. If there are any issues in your
bike, get it fixed in Leh itself as there are no
mechanics after that.

Most Important
Walk as much as possible in Leh, as this
is where your body needs to
acclamatize, after Leh, the altitude
increases very fast, you may face health
problems/breathing issue if you don't
acclamatize well. If your body is not yet
Where to stay?
ready, stay 2 days in Leh. Buy petrol cans
Yanhphel Hostel (perfect for large
in Leh without fail, fuel up the cans in
groups and very budget friendly)
the morning before leaving for Nubra.
(Abhishek: 9997906885)
@wanderer.pai
Day 7
Leh to Turtuk (Nubra)

Distance : 192 Kms

Time (Maps) : 5:30 Hrs
Actual time : 9 Hrs
(with breaks/ sight seeing)

Start time: 8 AM
Route: Leh > Khardung La >
Diskit > Turtuk Village

Most Important
Havee Dimox tablet 2 times everyday,
you will lose signal on the way,
ensure you have all your documents
(including permit) downloaded on
your phone. Only Airtel & Jio Postpaid
sims have better network

What to do? Where to stay?

You will cross one of the very risky passes of Tyakshi Eco Village
your trip Khardung La (17582 FT), after 4-5 hrs of (Faizal abbas- 8082099661)
riding & breaks, reach Diskit Monestry, visit the
monestry and head towards Turtuk Village (the
last village of India, on India occupied LOC)
@wanderer.pai
Day 8
Stay at Turtuk Village
What to do?
Turtuk is last village of India before
Pakistan occupied Kashmir, Explore the
scenic village, you can see Pakistani
village & people with binoculars, go for a
camel ride in Hunder Sand dunes or do
Quad biking. Spot peak of K2 mountain in
Pakistan. Visit Diskit monestry if you
didn't the previous day.

Where to stay?
Tyakshi Eco Village
(Faizal abbas- 8082099661)
@wanderer.pai
What to do?
This route is the worst of your trip, because
there are no roads at some parts, you have to
ride on huge rocks/pebbles, some parts are very
steep and your friends will have to push your
bike from behind. Do not waste time on this
route and reach pangong asap. Once you reach
Tangse (signal available & restaurant), the roads
are amazing till pangong lake. Check in at
Pangong, visit the lake to click pics before
sunset. At night, do star gazing & capture
starlapse as the sky is crystal clear.
Day 9
Turtuk (Nubra) to Pangong
Distance : 251 Kms
Time (Maps) : 6:30 Hrs
Actual time : 9-10 Hrs
(with breaks/ sight seeing)
Start time: 7AM
Route: Turtuk > Hunder > Tangse
> Pangong TSO
Most Important
If you waste time on this ride, you will not
be able to reach pangong before sunset
and miss the view. This is going to be a
tough ride so be mentally prepared for any
bike problems/injuries. The time on Google
maps shown is wrong. Pangong is
extremely cold after sunset, almost
unbearable, you need to have multiple
layers of clothes. It is almost impossible to
bathe here, you have to request the hotel
for hot water even for toilet. Electricity is
there only for sometime so better charge
your phones in time. There is zero signal
after Tangse.
Where to stay?
Multiple stay options near Pangong Lake
@wanderer.pai
What to do?
Leave as early as possible cause it’s a long a
tough ride, you are one step closer to reaching
the highest motorable road of the WORLD.
Initial 35 Kms you will ride from next to
pangong lake (route 1) enjoying its blue scenic
beauty, these roads have lot of gravel, so be
safe. On the ride, You can see mountains which
are in China. Visit Rezang La war memorial. This
route has almost no people/shops, carry enough
water/snacks. You may get petrol in black at few
places. Reach the homestay in Hanle & just rest,
enjoy star-gazing from one of the best locations
in the world, you can see sky filled with stars,
milky way is clearly visible, timelapse would be
perfect.
Day 10
Pangong to Hanle via Chushul
Distance : 233 Kms
Time (Maps) : 8 Hrs
Actual time : 10 Hrs
(with breaks/ sight seeing)
Start time: 8AM
Route 1: Spangmik > Man-merak
>Chushul > Tsaga >Loma
(160Kms, 6-7 hrs but bad roads, but you get
views of pangong lake on ride)
Route 2: Spangmik >Tangse >
Harong >Chushul>Tsaga>Loma
(220 Kms, 5-6 hrs, good roads, but you miss
scenic views of pangong)
Most Important
There are multiple dirt trails so you may get
confused which way to go, follow the
electricity wire poles to select the right way
Maps are 90% accurate, keep checking with
people on the way for correct route.
Where to stay?
Lacho's homestay
(8082802383, 9419477481)
@wanderer.pai
What to do?
Today, you need to keep all your luggage in
Hanle homestay itself, visit Umling La (WORLDS
highest motorable road - 19300 Feet) and come
back in the same day. Select the route as per
your experience, It gets tougher because of
such high altitudes, AMS kicks in. Umling La is
at the altitude of Everest Base Camp, its not as
easy as it seems. Visit Hanle fort if time permits.
Please note: Umling La is only to gain a sense of
achievement of conquoring the highest
motorable road of the WORLD. However, you
may not experience very scenic
roads/landscapes. Even at the top, it is just the
point and nothing else.
Day 11
Hanle to Umling La & back
Distance : 75 kms (one side)
Actual time : 4 Hrs (to) + 4 hrs
(fro) + 1 hr (at top) = 9 hrs
Start: 8 AM
Route 1: Hanle > Photi La > Photile >
Umling La
(best route)
Route 2: Hanle > Ukdungle >
Nurbula Top > Umling La
(only for experienced riders with adv
bikes/4x4 cars, steep dirt trails)
Most Important
This route is not available on Google Maps. I
your body is not reacting well to the
altitude, skip Umling La and wait at Hanle.
At the top, wait at the point max for 30-40
mins and return back, as our body is not
used to such low oxygen. Ensure you have
been taking Dimox twice every day since
Sonamarg to Hanle
@wanderer.pai
Day 12
Hanle to Tso Moriri
Distance : 150 Kms
Time (Maps) : 4:10 Hrs
Actual time : 7 Hrs
Start : 9 AM
Route: Hanle > Loma > Nyoma >
Mahe > Sumdo > Tso Moriri
(This is the most common route and the
one that tourists are allowed on.
From Hanle, you will travel 50 kilometers
back to Loma and then take the road to
Sumdo via Nyoma and Mahe)

Most Important
What to do? The road from Tso Kiagar to Korzok is a pain
Enjoy the scenic ride, you will find many places full of small stones and dust, 20Kms takes 1
to take photos, it’s a mix of brown & green hr.
landscape at few places. You will cross Loma
helipad (may witness a helicoptor if lucky), you
may take amazing pics & vids of your group at
Where to stay?
this helipad. Stop for a short break at Tso Kiagar Luxury tent stays/homestay‘s are
(small lake). Stay at Tso Moriri camps and enjoy available with lake view
the mesmerizing lake views & sunset. This town
is more crowded & better equipped than
Pangong Tso.
@wanderer.pai
Most Important
Take least breaks, carry protein bars to skip
waiting for meals, keep a cloth handy to clean
your helmet due to dirt trails, plan to cross
sarchu before 5PM, if not, stay back in Sarchu,
be mentally strong as this ride is one of the
most exhausting rides in the entire trip.
Where to stay?
1. Padma Lodge Jispa
2. Hotel Ibex, Jispa
Day 13
Tso Moriri to Jispa
Distance : 313 Kms
Time (Maps) : 8:20 Hrs
Actual time : 12 Hrs
Start : 6 AM
Route: Tso Moriri > Sumdo > Morey
Plains > Pang > Sarchu > Baralachla
> Jispa
What to do?
You need to leave at the earliest, because this ride is going
to be the most mentally tiring yet scenic ride. You will face
some amazing-never seen before landscapes on the way
(Leh-Manali highway is one of the worlds most scenic
highways). You can check out the popular PUGA valley on
the way, once you connect to Leh-manali highway you will
cross Morey plains which is 45 kms patch of beauty &
experience, the cross winds are very strong, but roads are
amazing (you may also see turnadoes), post that, you will
reach PANG which has the WORST roads, its literally mud
you are riding on (seems like you're on MARS), all your
gear, helmet, bags will be completely brown in dust. This
part really frustrates you. Then comes the risky ghats,
where its a single lane road with 2 side traffic, and when
trucks come from front, you better pray that you don't fall
off the ghat. You will also cross the GHOST Temple of GATA
loops (21 hairpin turns), next you reach Sarchu which gets
crazy cold in the night, ensure you cross Sarchu before
sunset, if not, then wait overnight in sarchu and leave next
morning. Another 2 hrs of ride on very bad ghats and you
cross Baralachla pass and after a very very long ride you
reach Jispa.
@wanderer.pai
Day 14
Jispa to Manali /Stay at Jispa
Distance : 93 Kms
Time (Maps) : 3 Hrs
Actual time : 5 Hrs
Start : Leave as per your
convenience, its a short & scenic
ride

Most Important
Preferably don't stay in main Manali market,
La Aero is on the outskirts with amazing
views and away from the crowd. Check for
weather conditions before leaving Jispa
because Atal tunnel is shut down if it snows
What to do? heavily.

1. Staying at Jispa : Its a very scenic

location with views of mountains & river Where to stay?
flowing right from the hotel/camps. Chill, La Aero, Manali
take photos, visit the river.
(9592737949)
2. Ride to Manali : The route to Manali is
very scenic, we get back to the green
landscapes, you will spot multiple
waterfalls on the way. You will cross Atal
Tunnel. It’s a very chill ride with no stress,
just have fun with your buddies as its
nearing the end of your trip.
@wanderer.pai
Day 15
Stay at Manali
What to do?

Explore Cafes (Lazydog Café), visit Manali

old market, get a massage after this long
trip, shopping in mall road.

Baaki Manali ka me kya batau bhai, tujhe

toh pata he hai ;)

Where to stay?
La Aero, Manali

(9592737949)
@wanderer.pai
Day 16
Manali to New Delhi
Distance : 574 Kms
Time (Maps) : 12:15 Hrs
Actual time : 15 Hrs
Start : 5 AM

Route: Manali > Kullu > Mandi >

Chandigarh > Panipat > New Delhi

Most Important
Less breaks and more consistency is key to
complete this ride in 1 day.

Where to stay?
What to do? Ikhaya Hotel, Greater Kailash

This will be a long and exhausting ride

as you need to cover lot of distance,
but mostly roads are good so you can
pull it off.
@wanderer.pai

cost break-up
per person

Hotels & Food 22995

Petrol 12500
Bike transport 6250
with packaging (Mum-Delhi by train)

Bike transport 5500

with packaging (Delhi- Mum by tempo)

Train tickets 6200

to & fro

Permits 580
Medicines & Misc 1250

Total 55235
*Excluding any personal shopping costs
*We stayed & ate decent hotels, cheaper stay options may reduce the price
*These costs are during Sept-Oct
 day wise reels
Tap on the text below to watch

EP 1: Bike packing & transport

EP 2: Udhampur to Sonamarg
EP 3: Day in Sonamarg
EP 4: Sonamarg to Leh
EP 5: Stay in Leh
EP 6: Leh to Pangong
EP 7: Ghost temple of GATA loops
EP 8: Leh to Jispa
EP 9: Stay in Manali
EP 10: 5 things i wish i knew
 Few important
things
Link for Ladakh Permit - Click Here
Wear complete biking gear (helmet, riding jacket, riding pant/knee protectors, riding boots). You
will fall atleast 1-2 times in the trip
Keep permit & all documents downloaded and a copy printed in your bag
Do not make payments and book hotels in advance, only make non- advance payment bookings,
as there are multiple factors that can change your plan/route
To experience lesser crowd and cheaper hotels, visit in september - October, as this is off season,
you can bargain and get 50-60 % discount on hotel rates/ activities
Purchase petrol cans from Leh market (2 cans x 5L). There is no petrol pump after Leh till Jispa
Do not expose your petrol can to sun, it becomes yellow from orange and is unusable, also, never
fill the can fully, fill only 80% of capacity
If you are sending your bike by train, get your own packing material (EPE foam 10MM) and get the
packing done as the railway packing is not at all good
Get your bike completely checked & serviced before leaving as many people have to return back
due to bike problems
If you are going in or after September, you need to ensure all winter gear (winter riding gloves,
hand warmers from decathelon, thermals, woolen socks, surgical rubber gloves). It gets extremely
cold and your hand can completely freeze at some places
Negotiate in every single hotel/homestay, you can get massive discounts
Atleast 50% of the group should have either Airtel/Jio/MTNL Postpaid sim card. Prepaid cards have
zero signal after udhampur
Take 15 protein bars per person as at many places during travel, it will be a good option, as
restaurants are not available everywhere
Always have minimum 2L of water with each person during the ride
For any more
queries

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WANDERER.PAI