Must read this 👇Before going to single handed self drive Family tour to Leh Ladakh
On 12th May I posted on Facebook about Surat to Leh single handed self driving road trip with family, after that so many inquired about road trip to Leh, Ladakh. So I am sharing my experience in this article.
# Surat,Gujarat to Leh Ladakh was not just a vacation tour but short expeditiont also.
# Scenic and adventures 5300 kms Drive in 11 days with temperature varied from 47°C to 0°C.
# The road stretched from 6 lane big and smooth highway to single lane Hilly extremly Curved with badly Rough surfaced road on plain (sea level) to high peak mountain (18000 ft height)
# Voyage was from Sunny hot days with good sunlight to Foggy, Rainy and Snowfall atmosphere. Night driving was terrific.
# Solo self Driving in varied terrain, unpredictable weather and unfamiliar places are a little bit more worrisome in family tour because we have to take care of our family too. So many are saying that it is a work of darness and Iron will, but I say it is a combination of passion, stamina, will, darness and confiedence in one's own driving skills.
# its cost effective also ( 30-35 thousand per person only.)
Important things to carry
• SUV car segment with good ground clearance and good safety features
• Electric pressure pump(To fill air in tyre)
• Strong rope to pull a vehicle
• Puncture repairing kit
• Oxygen cylinder
• Pulse Oxymeter
• Dry fruits and snacks
• First-aid kit
• Warm clothes,Thermal wear and if possible blankets
• Medicines as per your doctor's advice
Important instructions
• Start your journey everyday early in the morning (between 5 to 6 AM).
• Take both local Airtel and BSNL sim card for full and better network coverage.
• Never drive on hilly areas after 7PM.
• Drink water at regular intervals.
• Daily check air pressure of tyre, coolen water and headlights of vehicle.
• Always top up your fuel tank in Leh before going anywhere else.As many destinations do not have filling stations.
• Jispa is last filling station on manali Leh route after that u wl get fuel pump in Leh only so topup fuel tank at jispa
• Rohtang tunnel remain closed on Tuesday
• Inner line permit is required to travel in Ladakh areas and it can be made on arrival to Leh also
• Hotel, homestay or tent costing 1500-3000 per couple room having good facility are available for accommodation at destinations. Booking on arrival can be done for better option.
• one should try local ladakhi food in good balti kitchen
*Travel Guide (after reaching Manali)
Day-1)
Local manali tour n get acclamatize
Day-2)
Manali to Jispa (3 to 4 hrs drive) via rohtang tunnel, stay at Jispa, topup fuel tank
Day-3)
Depart from Jispa at 5 am and reach to Leh at 5pm via Sarachu & Baralacha la(One of the highest motorable mountain peak) stay at Leh, and get acclamatize.
Day-4)
•Local Leh tour
Day-5)
• Depart for nubra valley at 6am and arrive Khardung la (One of the highest motorable mountain peak ) at 7:30 a.m.,take breakfast and do scenic photography.
• Depart for Disket at 9:00 a.m. and arrive Disket at 11:30 a.m., Enjoy ATV safari & take lunch.
• Depart from Disket at 2:00 p.m. and arrive at Hunder at 2:30 p.m. and enjoy camel ride in desert.
•Depart from Hunder at 4:30 p.m.and arrive at Turtuk at 6:30 p.m. Stay, dinner and breakfast at Turtuk.
Day-6)
• Drive towards Indo-Pak border at 8:30 a.m. and visit three villages (Turtuk, Tyakshi, Thang), One can view Pakistan villages and people at LOC.
• Depart from Thang at 11:00 am and reach Maitreya Buddha statue (108 ft height) near Disket at 1pm, spend spiritual time at peaceful temple and take lunch.
•Depart at 2:00 p.m. and reach Leh at 6:00 p.m. and stay at Leh.
Day-7
•Depart at 6:30 a.m. and reach Changa La at 8:30 a.m. (One of the highest motorable mountain peak) take breakfast photos at Changa La and depart at 10:00a.m. and reach Pangong Lake at 2:00 p.m.
•Stay at Pangong Lake.
Day-8)
•Depart at 8:30a.m. and reach Leh at 3:00 p.m. stay at Leh.(One can visit Marek village in between).
There are other places to visit like Tso moriri lake, Uming la etc.
In summary, Leh Ladakh excursions by road especially via manali route is one of the most dangerous route in the world but whole road trip definitely remains a mesmerized and thrilling experience.
Disclaimer: Above article is basis on my personal experience. One should travel or expedit on their own risk. One must inquire details of weather, road conditions, accommodation, local laws before starting trip
You can follow me on facebook(vinesh shah)// Instagram (vinesh_pixie)
Dr. Vinesh Shah
Surat, Gujarat India