Frequently Asked Questions about Leh Travel
1. What is a good itinerary for a Leh-Ladakh trip?
A: 5 Nights in Leh, 1 Night in Nubra Valley and 1 Night in Pangong is the ideal itinerary for Leh-Ladakh
- Day 1 – Arrival in Leh and Acclimatization
- Day 2 – Sham Valley Tour in Leh
- Day 3 – Leh to Nubra Valley via Khardung La Pass
- Day 4 – Sightseeing in Nubra Valley
- Day 5 – Nubra Valley to Pangong Lake via Shyok Route
- Day 6 – Pangong Lake to Leh via Chang La Pass
- Day 7 – Monastery Tour in Leh
- Day 8 – Departure from Leh
2. What should I know before going to Leh Ladakh?
A: Some things to keep in mind before travelling to Leh Ladakh are:
- i. Spend the first night in Leh for acclimatization to high altitude conditions
- ii. Keep acetazolamide or similar medication to cope with AMS (better if you consult your doctor for medicine to keep). It is always helpful if you take the medicine 24 hours before you arrive in Leh, more so if you are flying by air to Ladakh.
- iii. Don’t rush at high mountain passes like Khardung La or Chang La. At that altitude oxygen level is really low and you could even faint or have serious health issues if you are running around in excitement. The key to the best experience is to keep calm and enjoy the breathtaking scenery without losing the breath.
- iv. Descend immediately if you detect signs of AMS and visit a doctor or an army base for treatment and medications.
- v. Control your appetite and avoid heavy meals. Have light meals at frequent breaks.
3. What is the best time and way to visit Leh?
A: The best time to visit Leh is from May to August.
The best way to reach Leh is by Air from Delhi or Mumbai.
4. How much should I budget for a trip to Leh?
A: Ladakh Travel Cost
Your mode of travel will be one of the foremost deciding factors in how much your minimum budget for Ladakh would come out to be. Ladakh is a cold desert, very sparsely populated and hence the frequency of public transport is not that high due to which a major portion of the tourists would opt to travel using their own vehicle. Some of the other available modes of transport in Ladakh are bus, private cab, shared cabs etc. and cost will vary will each mode of travel.
Private Car / Motorcycle
Though convenient in numerous ways, if you are travelling by your own car, fuel would be your biggest expenditure. Total fuel expense will depend on the mileage of your vehicle and the distance covered. Delhi to Leh via Manali is approximately 1100 kms, Leh to Delhi via Srinagar is approximately 1200 kms. A round trip to Nubra valley is roughly 250 kms, Pangong Lake is roughly 300 kms. A journey to Tso Moriri via Chumathang and back to Leh would be roughly another 500 kilometers. If you have included other places like Sham Valley or Chushul route as well than the total kilometer count may change.
Keeping the above places in mind, total kilometers covered from Delhi and return will be between 3500 – 4000 kilometers. Taking in consideration a minimum average of 10 kilometers per liter, your vehicle would consume about 350 – 400 liters of fuel. Depending on the price of petrol or diesel at your time of travel and in your city, this should give you an estimated cost of how much the fuel expense would come out to be.
Hotel Cost in Ladakh
All across Ladakh, you can easily find budget accommodation for as less as Rs. 500 to Rs. 700 (at an average). At places like Pangong where there are no hotels, you can easily find a Chadar tent offering you a bed for as less as Rs. 200 – Rs.300 per night, or a homestay at Spangmik for about Rs. 500 per day. For a budget trip thus your average cost of accommodation would come out to be about Rs. 500 – Rs. 700 per day if you are travelling solo and about Rs. 300 to Rs. 400 per person if you are travelling with a friend. This is a minimum cost using very basic accommodation, the rest will depend on your choice of accommodation.
Food Cost in Ladakh
There are several reasonably priced restaurant/dhabas in Ladakh. At an average, you will be spending minimum Rs. 300 – Rs.400 per person for meals daily.
A 7N/8D all-inclusive package with 3* hotels and flights from Delhi usually costs approx Rs 40,000 per person
5. Are rented bikes allowed in Leh?
A: You can rent a Bike in Leh with a valid License. Bikes which are rented outside Leh are not permitted inside. Private bikes are allowed in Leh.