Overview
Ladakh is in the northern part of India and shares a border with Pakistan, Jammu, Himachal and China. For Ladakh, tourism opened in the 1970s. It is a barren land but still beautiful because of the surrounding peaks, rivers flowing. The temperature is dry most of the time and extremely cold at night. This location is not an easy vacation spot to visit. Ladakh is best for river rafting and trekking at a higher altitude. Leh is the biggest district of Ladakh and the main point of tourist attraction. It has beautiful places to visit like old monasteries, small markets and many more.
How to reach
There are two ways to reach Ladakh, through road and flight. By road, we can pass through Jammu, Delhi, Manali by booking a cab or a bike. It is a total distance of 681km by road from Jammu to Ladakh. Through the air, you can book a flight from Delhi. It will be a total distance of 613km.
Leh Ladakh road trip is the most adventurous and loved journey everyone wants to try once. The trip starts from Delhi but you can decide to go through Jammu or Manali. There will be slight changes in the total distance. If you are planning, travel agencies can be booked that will plan the whole trip systematically. From a bike, food, camp, everything will be sorted out well.
Travel requirements
Travelers need to know about the utilities required for the trip. As the Ladakh temperature varies from dry to cold, you need to carry clothes accordingly. All necessary documents like Id card, driving license and cash. Basic things like toiletries, medic kit, dry food for roadway etc. A new rider needs to have proper knowledge about the type of bike to choose which can face the rough and uneven road to Ladakh. There are rental facilities in Manali.
From Delhi to Ladakh via Manali
The route from Delhi to Ladakh is long and will take two weeks to cover. It is 1026 km by road. The day will start from Delhi then arrive in Manali by train or bus. It will take 12hrs. On the way, you will come across the natural beauty of the Himalayan range. The ten days journey will cover Manali then Jipsa, Sarchu, Leh, Nubra , Khardung la pass, Pangong lake. There are daytime traveling and night stay campsite arrangements for your comfort. It is fascinating to ride through the road with a changing scene. From trees, lakes to open empty land has its attractiveness to explore.
Adventure enthusiasts love to explore places with unexpected standouts. The vast bare deserts have nothing but sand. The sight of the clean icy lake contrasting the brown sand around. It is very photographic to capture.
From Manali, we will start the journey to Jipsa. It is 150km and can cover within 5hrs. On the way, we will pass Rohtang pass. This place is gorgeous and the best to capture for photographers. The perfect panoramic beauty is featured in Bollywood movies. The clear blue sky, snow-covered peaks, and deodar forests are too stunning to forget.
From Jipsu, the next location is Sarchu. It is 120km. Crossing BaraLacha la is very challenging, as it is 16,000ft. It is a bit of a rough track to cover.
From Sarchu, Leh is 250km. It will take 8hrs to reach. The road is bumpy; the sight is gorgeous. Nakeela River and Lachung La are mostly visited.
Nubra is 160km from Leh. It has the highest motorable ride in the World as it is 18,000ft. People visit the Diskit Monastery and enjoy the beauty of the village. In Nubra valley, you can ride the famous double-humped camel. The white dunes are a pleasing sight.
The distance from Nubra valley to Pangong Lake is 275km. Pangong lake is the largest saline lake in Asia. It changes colors from bluish-green to red. The night sky stargazing is very tempting.
Conclusion
The trip to Ladakh is one of the largest motorbike rides. The whole trip captured uncountable memories. From new experiences to sightseeing are wonderful. The contrasting natural beauty you can watch with every passing road is bewitching. The best time to visit is from April to July, the temperature is between 15-30 degrees which is most suitable to visit. The summer is tough during the day due to heat and dryness. The winter is hard but most suitable for a winter trek. There are many areas to add to your wishlist to explore in Ladakh.