Day 1 and 2 (Delhi-Srinagar via Jammu)

Day 3-4 (Srinagar - Leh )

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. Even though there is heavy army presence and there
are soldiers posted every few hundred meters, it is relatively safe and security forces are there to help
you out. Apart from this 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 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 my 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 traveler 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 travelers 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, drive/ride carefully here.
Day 5 ( Leh – Khardung La – Nubra Valley ) [We can utilize this day to get the Permits and just travel to
Khardung La and back otherwise the whole trip will take 2 days]

Route: Leh – Phyang – Khardung La – Khardung – Khalsar – Diskit – Hunder – Diskit – Sumur –

Panamik  

Distance: 335 – 375 km round trip covering Diskit, Hunder, Sumur and Panamik.

The Journey

There are various ways to do this excursion, people short on time prefer to only drive/ride till
Khardung La, spend some time there and come back to Leh, a trip of this sort should come out to be
80 kms.

However many people do decide to go to Nubra Valley, which is highly recommended. You will need at
least couple of days for such an excursion, with a night stop at Diskit, Hunder or Panamik.

Leh – Phyang – Khardung La (40 kms): An early start should ensure that one reaches Khardung
La without encountering lot of traffic. Despite all the hype surrounding Khardung La, drive/ride to the
summit is relatively easy. Road beyond South Pallu (check post where one needs to submit the
permits) is in a bad condition and gain in altitude is substantial, however it isn’t as strenuous or steep
as Chang La or for that matter Tanglang La.

Once you reach the summit, you can take time out to get your photo taken next to the signboard
which says “Khardung La, 18380ft, Highest Motorable Road in the world”. For those out of breath,
there is a café at the summit, where one can have a much needed cup of tea/coffee along with some
snacks. There is also a suvnior shop selling Khardung La memorabilia.

Khardung La – Khalsar (58 kms): After break get ready for a bumpy ride/drive till North Pallu (one
needs to submit permits here as well) this is also the last place before the village of Khardung where
one can expect to find food.

Roughly 30 kms from the Khardung La pass is Khardung Village, it is quite a small settlement and
there are only a few restaurants here, a quick stop here for photos is recommended due to the lovely
mountainous backdrop.

Roads from Khardung to Khalsar are once again in good condition, Khalsar is the preferred pit stop of
taxi/bus operators for breakfast/lunch.

Khalsar – Diskit (20 kms): Few kms down the road from Khalsar the road bifurcates into two, road
on the left leading to Diskit while the road on the right goes to Panamik. This is also the place where
you first experience the changing vistas Nubra Valley is famous for, few kms into the road leading to
Diskit the scenery changes from arid desert to a small oasis.

Many people choose to stay at Diskit and there are phone facilities available here as well as hotels and
guest houses. While in Diskit don’t forget to visit the ancient Diskit Gompa which was built in 1420AD.
Perched on top of a hill overlooking town of Diskit, the Gompa provides some breathtaking panoramic
views. Access to Gompa is via a half hour trek through a two meter wide steep path; however the
views and the Gompa more than make up for the effort. The main attraction of the Gompa is the main
Deity, which holds in its hand the mummified human forearm and head, which is believed to be of a
Mongol warrior.     

Diskit – Hunder (8 kms): 8 kms down the road from Diskit is the village of Hunder. Hunder is set
amidst fields of rye and barley and surrounded by fruit orchids and sand dunes; for people used to
seeing the moonscape scenery of Ladakh, Hunder is a welcome break.  
Hunder – Sumur (40 kms): After backtracking for 20 odd kms you should be back at the bifurcation
from where you had taken the diversion to Diskit, now you need to take the other route going towards
Sumur and Panamik. The 20km drive from here to Sumur is scenic to say the least, with the views
changing every few kms. Sumur’s main attraction is the 150 year old Samstening Gompa and apart
from that the village itself is an oasis in the middle of a desert.

Sumur – Panamik (20 kms): 20 kms down the road from Sumur is the village of Panamik, famous
for 250 year old Ensa Gompa and hot water springs. This is also the last point tourists are allowed.

Restricted Area: Nubra Valley is a restricted area and to visit it you need permits which are easily
obtainable from the DC’s office in Leh and can be procured by either submitting the application
yourself or through a travel agent. The permits are issued for a maximum period of three weeks, in
case you are visiting other restricted areas like Tso Moriri and Pangong Tso you need to mention them
in the permit as well.

Make at least 4 photocopies of the permit per region, since you would need to submit them at various
check posts.

Accommodations

Diskit: Diskit is the district headquarters of Nubra Valley and has the maximum number of
accommodation options. Add to this quite a few households in Diskit run small guest houses from their
home, which provides cheap and clean accommodation to travelers on a budget.

Hunder: Hunder has few guest houses and camping ground where one can find decent
accommodation.

Sumur: Like Diskit, Sumur also has wide variety of accommodation options and is a favorite pit stop
of many travelers.

Panamik: Unlike Diskit and Sumur, Panamik has fewer accommodation options. However the guest
houses here do provide hot water from the hot water spring which believed to have therapeutic
values.

Amenities

Petrol Pumps: It is advisable to tank up at Leh itself and carry enough petrol/diesel to see you
through this trip, since only Diskit has a petrol pump and availability of petrol/diesel can be an issue
there.
 Day 6-7 ( Leh – Pangong Tso )

Route: Leh – Shey – Karu – Shakti – Chang La – Durbuk – Tanksey – Lukung – Spangmik (Pangong
Tso)

Distance: 170kms

Many travelers do the Leh – Pangong Tso excursion as a day trip and come back to Leh by night fall.
However this is not at all recommended, since the 340 km long round trip leaves little time for
Pangong Tso, which is a magnificent lake and doing this excursion in the span of 2 - 3 days is highly
recommended.

Leh – Karu (45 kms): Start off from Leh early in the morning after breakfast and start driving/riding
on the Leh – Manali highway till you reach the town of Karu. Road is in good condition and journey is
fast paced, due to this you will be in Karu in less than an hour.

Karu – Chang La (35 kms): From Karu you need to take the left turn that would take you to the
village Shakti, roads are mostly straight till you cross Shakti and a few kilometer thereafter the real
ascent for Chang La starts. For most part ascent is steep and initially roads are in good condition. As
you approach the final few kms of the ascent to Chang La, road conditions start to deteriorate and
steepness increase, making the affair of reaching the summit of Chang La more challenging and
memorable.

Of all the passes one encounters in Ladakh (barring Marsimik La), Chang La is the steepest and due to
bad roads at the final ascent it is also the toughest, no wonder it is called "The Mighty Chang La".

At 17,800ft it is also the second highest pass in ladakh that you will come across. Once you reach the
summit, you will be greeted by the Indian Army troops who are stationed here to acclimatize to high
altitude, before they are posted in world’s highest battlefield, Siachen. There is a temple on top of
Chang La pass, called Chang La Baba ka Mandir, as well as a cabin built by the army where you can
warm up yourself while chatting with the soldiers.

Chang La – Tanksey (58 kms): After a few minutes rest, its time to begin the descent from Chang
La, road is in bad condition for few kilometers, beyond which superbly laid tarmac coupled with
beautiful scenery awaits you.

Your next big break will be at Tanksey a.k.a. Tangste; Tanksey is a big town with few shops, hotels
and an internet café. It is a good idea to have your lunch here or in case you have arrived late in the
evening, then spend the night here instead of continuing to Lukung or Spangmik where finding
accommodation in peak season can be an issue.

Tanksey – Spangmik (Pangong Tso) (32 kms): Journey beyond Tanksey for most part is through
fantastically laid tarmac and views, however don’t indulge in over speeding, since there are quite a
few water passages built in the middle of the road, which essentially mean 8-10 feet long depression
in the middle of the road without any warnings!

As you approach the lake, the sheer size of it starts becoming more apparent as you finally reach its
shores. On the banks of the lake is a military camp and also Lukung which is a collection of tents and
newly built Eco Huts.
From here you can carry on, on the road that turns in to sand and rock filled dirt track. The small
settlement visible from here is the village of Spangmik, the last village up to which you are allowed to
go on normal inner line permits.   

Spangmik – Marsimek La (42 kms): 10 kms before Spangmik on the Spangmik – Tanksey road is
a diversion that goes towards the village of Phobrang and finally to the highest Motorable pass in the
world, Marsimek La a.k.a. Marsimik-La a.k.a. Marsmik-La. For more information on this route, please
read 60kph’s Marsimek-La route guide.

Restricted Area: Pangong Tso, Marsimek La and Chang La are restricted areas and to visit them, you
need permits which are easily obtainable from the DC’s office in Leh and can be procured by either
submitting the application yourself or through a travel agent. The permits are issued for a maximum
period of three weeks, in case you are visiting other restricted areas like Tso Moriri and Nubra Valley
you need to mention them in the permit as well.

If you want to attempt Marsimek La then you need to specifically mention that while applying for
permits. Make at least 4 photocopies of the permit per region, since you would need to submit them at
various check posts.

Accommodations

Tanksey: Even though Tanksey is 32 kms before Pangong Tso, it is a good place to spend the night,
due to sheer number of accommodation options and their quality which is better than both Lukung and
Spangmik.
Lukung: Eco Huts at Lukung are just right of the shore of Pangong Tso. Be warned there is no
electricity or proper toilet, just camping grade toilet and warm water courtesy solar water heater.
Beside this one can also pitch ones own tents here.

Spangmik: Spangmik only has one hotel which offers rooms as well as luxury tents; however get
ready to shell out any where between Rs.700 - 1200 for these. One can also find accommodation in
guest houses that some inhabitants of Spangmik run from their home.

Amenities

Petrol pumps: It is essential to fill up your vehicles petrol tank at Leh and carry enough petrol for the
return journey, since there are no petrol pumps beyond the outskirts of Leh.
 Day 8-9 (may be 9.5 as we may have to stay at Keylong) ( Leh – Tso Moriri - Manali)

Route: Leh – Upshi – Chumathang – Mahe Bridge – Tso Moriri – Korzok – Mahe Bridge – Tso Kar

Distance: 295 kms

Route: Leh – Upshi – Chumathang – Mahe Bridge – Tso Moriri – Korzok – Mahe Bridge – Tso Kar

Distance: 295 kms

Route Opens: Mid May to late October (depending on the weather)

Getting there
Apart from taking your own car (Howto prepare your car for ladakh), bike or a motorcycle (Howto
prepare your motorcycle for Ladakh) to Tso Moriri, you can also hire a motorcycle or a taxi from Leh
or take a bus run by J&K SRTC; the details of these are given below:

Bus: There is a regular bus service run by J&K SRTC to the village of Korzok and occasionally there
are buses operated by travel agents for large groups. However there are no buses available for Tso
Kar.

Taxis: You can get a seat in local taxis, which are normally run in the same manner as a local bus or
you can hire one yourself. For more details please contact the Leh Taxi Union at 252723/253039.

Hiring Motorcycles: Motorcycle enthusiasts who are unable to take their motorcycles to Leh can get
one for rent. One can find numerous bike rental shops at the old post office road or you can ask your
hotel to arrange one for you. For reference, please read "Renting Motorcycles in India".

The Journey

There are a few variations to the above listed circuit, one can go to Tso Moriri or do the entire Tso
Moriri – Tso Kar circuit and come back to Leh via the same route or via the Manali – Leh highway or
head to Manali from Tso Kar itself.

Leh – Upshi (55 kms): Although you will be traveling for only 215 kms, it is best to start early from
Leh. From Leh one needs to take the Leh – Manali highway till the town of Upshi.

Upshi – Chumathang (95 kms): From the roundabout at Upshi take the left turn and a few hundred
meters down the road is the check post where you need to submit your permits. For better part of the
journey you will have the Indus River for company and tarmac is in good condition for most part,
barring few landslide prone stretches.

Chumathang itself has little to offer to a visitor apart from a few restaurants, a Gompa and hot water
springs. A quick lunch stop would suffice for most, while a night here would be recommended for
travelers with a lot of time at hand.

Chumathang – Tso Moriri (Korzok) (60kms): From Chumathang it is a relatively easy drive till
Sumdo, few kms after which it is best not to use the road since it is too bumpy, instead either make
your own track by driving/riding off road or use one of the numerous tracks left by passing vehicles.
The last 30kms are a pain, but a boon for those who love off road riding/driving, the track here is a
mix of sandy and dirt trails littered with small stones. However the view one gets at the end of it
makes it all worth it.
Even though Tso Moriri is smaller than Pangong Tso and fewer people come here, it is more beautiful
in some ways due to the fact that area surrounding Tso Moriri is a wild life reserve and one can see
Tibetan wild ass (Kiang), marmots, red foxes and quite a few migratory birds. For accommodation and
eateries take the right turn from the main entrance of Tso Moriri wild life sanctuary and continue for
few kilometers to reach the village of Korzok a.k.a. Karzok.

Tso Moriri (Korzok) – Tso Kar (80 kms): From Korzok back track till the Mahe Bridge and from
there take the diversion to reach Tso Kar. Road from Mahe Bridge is in bad condition, but a boon for
off road junkies.

It is believed that Tso Kar was once connected to Tso Moriri, even though Tso Kar is a salt water lake
while Tso Moriri is fresh water. The area surrounding Tso Kar is protected and forms the Tso Kar wild
life sanctuary.

Return Journey

From Tso Kar you can return to Leh via Tso Kar – Moore Plains – Tanglang La – Upshi route (155 kms)
or by backtracking to Mahe Bridge and then continuing on the Chumathang – Upshi – Leh route (205
kms).

You can also go to Manali by taking the More Plains – Pang – Sarchu – Darcha – Manali route (380
kms).

Restricted Area: Tso Moriri is a restricted area and to visit it you need permits which are easily
obtainable from the DC office in Leh and can be procured by either submitting the application yourself
or through a travel agent. The permits are issued for a maximum period of three weeks, in case you
are visiting other restricted areas like Nubra Valley and Pangong Tso you need to mention them in the
permit as well.

Make at least 4 photocopies of the permit per region, since you would need to submit them at various
check posts.

Accommodations

Chumathang: Chumathang has more accommodation options to offer than Korzok or Tso Kar; it has
a few guest houses and even a resort!
Korzok: There are few accommodation options in Korzok since Tso Moriri isn’t as famous as Pangong
Tso. However there is a hotel here along with guest houses that Chang-pa Nomads run from their
houses. There is also a collection of tents and one can even pitch their own tents at designated spots.

Tso Kar: There are tented accommodations available near Tso Kar; one can also pitch their own tent
in designated spots.

Amenities

Phone Services: There are no internet cafes or phone booths beyond Leh, so be prepared to remain
out of touch for the next couple of days. 

Petrol Pump: Carry enough petrol for the return journey to Leh or till Tandi, since there are no petrol
pumps beyond Leh. Although one can find contraband petrol/diesel at Chumathang, Pang and Sarchu,
it is recommended to carry enough petrol to see you through this trip comfortably.

Day 10 (Manali - Delhi)