There are 100s of other blogs that provide information on the best travel itinerary ideas to Leh Ladakh. Then why am I writing this post all of a sudden? Despite knowing that it will never show up on the first page of Google search results and there are 100 similar posts with the same itinerary written over and over again.
Well, the reason are the people who keep asking me to help them with their travel plans to this exquisite, temperate, cold Himalayan desert. So here is my version of Ladakh’s itinerary, where I’ll try to cover all the details regarding the trip.
I know Ladakh a little better than many others as I spent a month and a half here trying to search for Snow Leopard. I couldn’t find a single Snow Leopard during this trip but I ended up collecting a huge insight about the best ways to travel in Ladakh.
Fun Fact: Till Dec 2015, I was selling packages for Leh Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh to tourists on 10% profit margin 😛
* All the tips are written keeping preferences of Indian travelers in mind. Many of these clauses change for foreign nationals and it happens on a yearly basis. Also, these tips are not for fixed packages or planned bike trips as a number of places are included/excluded and vary from one agent to another.
How to reach Ladakh
Among the many ways to reach Ladakh, the flight journey is the most popular one, especially among those who have less time in hand for holidays. Flight trips often cause headache, nausea and even AMS because you travel all the way from 800 meters to almost 4000 meters in span of a few hours. This is the reason why you are advised to acclimatize for 24 hour after you land in Leh.
Another way is by road. Road service from Manali and Srinagar open by mid-June. You can find buses, private and shared taxis for Leh and back.
You can read all the information about on how to reach Leh by road here
Permits for traveling in Ladakh
Well, this is new. The clause of inner line permit for Pangong Tso, Nubra and a few other places was removed in 2014. The rules have been imposed again in 2017 as the number of tourists and its negative impact increased after the permit system was removed.
To visit a number of destinations in Ladakh, including Nubra Valley, Khardung La, Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri, Dah, Hanu Villages, Man, Merak, Nyoma, Loma Bend, Turtuk, Tyakshi, Chusul, Hanle, Digger La, Tangyar, you’ll have to apply for a permit. This permit for Ladakh travel is easy and all it requires is a copy of your Aadhar Card and some passport size photos.
One needs to pay INR 400 per day as environment fee and INR 20 per day as inner line permit fee. These fees are on a per day per person basis.
You can easily apply for the permits from the official website www.lahdclehpermit.in. These permits are not applicable to J&k residents and children below 12 years.
You can also apply for these permits at TIC office, Opposite J&K Bank, Main Market, Leh. The office is open on all working days (Monday to Friday) 09:00 AM to 07.00 PM.
Post applying for permits, you’ll have to get the printed copy stamped from the TIC office where the payments will be needed to be made.
You can find more information on how to apply for permits here and here.
Common itineraries for Leh Ladakh trip
Now assuming that you are arriving Leh Ladakh by flight, taking a day to acclimatize, after which your journey begins –
An ideal seven day itinerary –
Day 1: Delhi to Leh by Flight (Acclimatization day)
- Check in at hotel, keep the day free to acclimatize. If you have booked your hotel in advance then ask them for a pickup as the airport is in the outskirts of the town.
- In the evening you can visit Leh Palace or Shanti Stupa. Spend some time exploring local restaurants or just watch the sun going down behind Leh Main Market.
Day 2: Leh Local Sightseeing
- No permits are required for local sightseeing of Leh
- Bargaining is important
- Avoid walking and climbing as your body is still acclimatizing
- Start with Khar and visit Leh Palace, one of the most beautiful places in Ladakh. You can also visit Tsemo Castle and Namgyal Gompa in the proximity
- Visit the Indian Army Hall of Fame, a must for every Indian coming here
- Go to main Leh market, visit Sankar Gompa
- You can also visit Zorawar Fort, but it is a 30-40 minute hike and is kind of tiring
- You can either spend your evening at Shanti Stupa or cover it early and go to Sindhu Ghat, located on the bank of River Indus. A very calm and beautiful place.
- If you are planning to spend your evening at Sindhu Ghat then cover Spituk Monastery as well.
- Local transport doesn’t cover all these places. Hire a car for a complete day
Day 3: Leh – Khardung La – Deskit – Hunder – Nubra Valley – Turtuk
- If you are traveling by bus or local transport then better avoid Nubra camps and go with stay homes at Hunder.
- You can avoid Hunder and go to Turtuk village instead
- Make a stop at Khardung-La pass for pictures. Don’t spend more than 20 minutes.
- Deskit has monastery with tallest lord Buddha statue
- Hunder is famous for sand dunes and bacterian double humped camel safari
Day 4: Hunder / Diskit – Sumur – Panamik – Sumur – Khardung La – Leh
Day 5: Leh – Hemis Monastery – Pangong Tso Lake
Day 6: Pangong Tso Lake – Thicksey Monastery – Shey Palace – Leh (Also include rafting in Zanskar river on day 5 or day 6)
Day 7 Leh – Delhi by flight
Additional places to explore on a 10 day and 15 day itineraries of Leh
Day 8: Leh – Hemis – Tso Moriri via Chumathang
Day 9: Tso Moriri – Tso Kar –Taglang La – Upshi – Leh
Day 10: Rest day
Day 11: Sham Valley tour
You can also spend a few days in Sham Valley as there are multiple treks in the region. Click here for more details about trekking in Sham Valley –
Leh Ladakh itinerary via Srinagar to Manali
Day 1: Delhi – Srinagar
- You can also spend the night at Jammu or Patnitop
Day 3: Srinagar – Sonamarg
- Avoid Sonamarg if you are planning to spend your night at Jammu
Day 4: Sonamarg – Drass – Kargil – Lamayuru
- Spend your night at Kargil if you are staying at Srinagar instead of Sonamarg
Day 5: Lamayuru – Leh
Day 6: Local travel + local permits
Follow rest of the itinerary as mentioned on seven day itinerary
Day x: Tso Moriri – Tso Kar –Sarchu
Day x: Sarchu – Keylong – Rohtang Pass – Manali
Day x: End of the trip, take a bus for Delhi or Chandigarh from Manali
Ladakh from Manali
Day 1: Delhi – Manali
Day 2: Manali Sightseeing
Day 3: Manali/Rohtang – Keylong/Jispa
- I don’t advice to stay in Sarchu as the geography of the place doesn’t offer any acclimatization.
Day 4: Jispa – Leh
- There are direct shared cabs from Manali and they take 16 hours to reach Leh. Only take this one if you have heavy endurance as it takes a toll on your body after a while.
Follow the regular itinerary mentioned above
Day x: Leh – Lamayuru – Kargil
Day x: Kargil – Drass – Zozi La – Sonamarg – Srinagar
Day x: Srinagar –Jammu
Day x: Jammu – Delhi/Chandigarh
There are other ways to explore Leh, you can go and return via Srinagar or do the same thing via Manali. Everything depends on your preferences and the number of days you have in your hand.
I hope I was able to provide you an insight on traveling in Leh Ladakh as per my understanding. For any info on your itinerary, comment and let me know.
wow this looks amazing, great pictures, and useful information. Wish I had enough money to travel there, oh someday…!
This is the first I am hearing of this place and really appreciate you sharing this.
It is a beautiful place in India
Every time I read a post like this it makes me want to pack a suitcase. Really enjoyable post.
Excellent! One of my friends was looking for an itinerary for J & K and this one seems perfect. You have covered most of the places required. Thank you.
Very well described tour plan. Fantastic photography.
Thanks a lot
You have covered everything in such a perfect way. Leh Ladakh is always in the bucket list of all the bachelors. I and my friends are also planning. This blog is certainly a good one to refer.
Great experience it must have been for you. Ladakh is beautiful.
Never heard of this place, thank you for sharing.
What a gorgeous place!!! I hope to visit Leh Ladakh someday!
I have never seen or heard of here, but the pictures are gorgeous!!
Looks like a great place to visit! I have been to India, but have not checked out this area. Hopefully, next time!
I really like how you have the itinerary laid out. I also like what you said at the beginning of your post about this might not show up on Google top 100, but you do it anyway.
I thought that I should do it who knows who’ll find help
Leh Ladhak is on my bucket list. Will have to make it happen now!
Do it soon.
I love the flexible itinerary! Really suits my way of traveling.
Bookmarking this. Never been to Leh Ladakh. Want to go!
Hope you visit soon 😊
People like me definitely need articles like this. Thanks for sharing!
I’m not familiar with Leh Ladakh but what a beautiful view! So helpful to see all these details as sounds like there are lots of considerations if you want to go there.
Its a great place to explore 😊
Even though many others have covered it, everyone has a unique experience and take on things. I’m glad you wrote your post.
I totally agree with you 😊
Leh Ladakh is such a wonderful place to visit. I was thinking to visit there and was searching the places to visit there and your post helped me a lot in that. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for coming by 🙂
I’ve been there once, such a beautiful and serene place. My memories of this place refreshed again after reading your post. I love to visit Ladakh again.
Indeed. Exploring Ladakh is a memorable experience.
That is incredibly stunning! Is hiking allowed there? We do hope so because we are avid trekkers and mountaineers. We will use this itinerary for reference.
Yes yes, Ladakh has a lot of treks. Some of the highest peaks of India are located in Ladakh.
These are such great tips for traveling. You’re pictures are amazing as well. Thanks for providing such detailed information
I heard recently that since everyone follows the same itinerary, during the peak seasons roads are choked with tourist cars and buses. Which time of the year do you recommend to beat the crowds?
That is actually a problem. You can catch a flight from Delhi during winter season if you can beat -20 degrees 😀
Great to hear that you stayed at Leh Ladakh area searching for Snow leopards for a month. Even though you could not spot them, you really seems you have enjoyed the nature.
Love the breakdown of the itinerary that definitely gives me insight to how long I should go and travel. Shame you didn’t see a snow leopard tho that would’ve been fantastic.
Thanks a lot. Snow Leopard sighting means spending days in the hills without any connectivity to the mainland. It is kind of a hard work and needs a lot of dedication.
It is some other kind of landscape. I am used to see green hills or snowy mountains. In here, everything is in gray. Would love to get there with my camera.
I think someone else has asked, what time do you think is best. I always try to dodge the coaches of tourists when I travel with my backpack.
Thank you for taking me on this lovely journey. I felt right at home.
How beautiful! I would gladly wear a backpack, trekking shoes and go hiking looking at these amazing mountains.
such lovely pictures, I especially love that rock formation, so cool!! xx Bee
Come on Anshul! In the course of time, I wish you best of luck for this post to turn up in the first page of search results! 🙂
Too bad that you couldn’t spot a snow leopard. But that’s ok! Next time…
That’s indeed an excellent itinerary. I’ll definitely keep in touch with you when I plan the trip.
You have listed very detailed itinerary for Leh and Ladakh. Though your site is not coming up on 1st page of search engine but it is very informative and I am bookmarking this for my future reference.
You were right that you needed to write this post and it’s one of the most detailed itineraries and travel guides for Leh Ladakh I’ve ever read. Plus, your pictures whetted my appetite for this place!
Quite valuable information, thumbs up! keep it up. we just did this track on bike so we know how hard it is and how useful is your information.
Grt pictures. The itinerary will be useful.