Not So Fast Ladakh: A Mindful 14-Day Manali to Ladakh Motorcycle Escape

Day 01: Arrival in Manali, bike allocation, test drive, and dinner in Old Manali.

Day 02: Challenging ride to Sarchu via Rohtang La and Lahaul Valley, overnight stay in tents.

Day 03: Ride from Sarchu to Leh over Baralacha La, Nakee La, Lachulung La, and Pang, and explore Leh in the evening.

Day 04: Rest day in Leh for vehicle checkup and sightseeing, visit Leh Palace, Shanti Stupa, and local markets.

Day 05: Ride to Nubra Valley via Khardung La, the highest motorable pass, visit Diskit Monastery and enjoy the sand dunes at Hundar.

Day 06: Drive to Panamik along the scenic Shyok River, and visit Hundar and Baigdandu, known for hot springs and beautiful landscapes.

Day 07: Ride to Pangong Tso via the adventurous Shyok River road, pass through Wari La, and enjoy the breathtaking views of the lake.

Day 08: Ride back to Leh, en route visit Thiksey Monastery, Shey Palace, and Hemis Monastery, evening at leisure.

Day 09: Leh

Day 10: Journey from Leh to Tso Moriri, a lesser-explored lake, admire the pristine beauty, and camp by the lakeside.

Day 11: Tsomoriri – Karzok – Kiangdom hike/ride

Day 12: Drive from Tso Moriri to Jispa, passing through Chumathang hot springs and scenic landscapes, and overnight stay in Jispa.

Day 13: Ride from Jispa to Manali via Keylong and Rohtang Pass, enjoy the thrilling descent and reach Manali by afternoon.

Day 14: End of Not So Fast Ladakh Tour. Departure from Manali by Volvo in the evening.

ITINERARY: 

DAY 01: ARRIVAL IN MANALI – ALLOTMENT OF BIKES AND TEST DRIVE

Arrive in Manali, then our support staff will receive you at the bus stop and drive you to our base. After refreshments and debriefing and the required paperwork, bikes will be allocated to you. Get used to your bikes while we go for a drive to Old Manali for an early dinner. Ride back to the base for a good night’s sleep. Any last minute shopping can be done while in Manali.

DAY 02: MANALI – ROHTANG LA (3978 M) – DEEPAKTAAL – SURAJTAAL – BARALACHA LA (4890 M) – SARCHU – 228 KM – 8 HRS – CHALLENGING RIDE OVER ROHTANG PASS IN TRAFFIC AND MIST AND THEN SOME WICKED ROADS 

We start our journey from Manali (at 09000 hrs) to Leh stopping at Sarchu for the first night. Today we cross Rohtang La (3978 m), (La means Pass). The Rohtang La is the gateway to Lahaul. The valley of Lahaul is situated to the south of Ladakh. For this very reason this place derived its name “Lho-Yul” meaning “Southern Country”. 

Lahaul abounds with monasteries or gomphas, the homes of Lamas (Buddhist monks); therefore Lahaul is often referred to as “The Land of the Lamas”. The mountains rise to a mean elevation of 18000 feet, with the highest peak touching over 21000 feet and the lowest touching 9000 feet where River Chenab enters Chamba. Numerous lateral spurs shoot off from the main mountains filling all the valleys with glaciers. It is this feature which made Andrew Wilson, a European traveler (1873), call Lahaul “a valley of glaciers”.

The whole Lahaul & Spiti district is a cold desert whose bare rocks and steep slopes stare the visitors in the face. The Rivers Chandra & Bhaga, which constitute the River Chandrabhaga/Chenab after their confluence at Tandi, are the major features of the geomorphology of this region.

Tandi: The village is situated above the confluence of the rivers Chandra and Bhaga in the Pattan Valley some 7 kms away from Keylong. Revenue and settlement records reveal that Tandi was founded by Raja Rana Chand Ram under the name of Chandi which over the years got corrupted into Tandi.

There are at least three mythological stories connected with Tandi. First, Tandi is believed to mean Tan Dehi, i.e., giving up the body. This is associated with Draupadi, the wife of Pandavas, who left her body at this place. Second, this is believed that Rishi Vashishtha, who meditated near the hot water springs of Manali, was cremated at this confluence; hence named Tandi, i.e., body consumed. According to the third, Chandra and Bhaga were son and daughter of the Moon and the Sun Gods respectively. They were in love with each other. To perform their celestial marriage they decided to climb the Baralacha-La and from there run in opposite directions encircling a vast tract of Lahaul. Thus flowing south-east and south-west both met at Tandi to enter the wedlock. At Tandi top up our fuel tanks.

Keylong: Keylong is the last place where your mobile phone will work before you reach Leh and also the last place where you can hope to find a mechanic, in case you are having some problems with your vehicle get it checked ASAP! 

JISPA: This beautiful spot is 22 kms away from Keylong and 4 kms ahead of Ghemur. From Keylong roads are in somewhat better condition and only get smoother as you approach Jispa and eventually Darcha. Once at Darcha, take a break and tank up on supplies and get yourself registered at the check post in Darcha. The village is situated at the junction of two nullahs with the main river Bhaga. Jispa has a very large dry river-bed, a rarity in Lahaul. Good Juniper plantation is around this village. 

Stay: Swiss Tents on twin sharing

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

DAY 03: SARCHU TO LEH OVER BARALACHA LA (4890 M), NAKEE LA (4769 m), LUNGLACHA LA  (5059 M) – TAGLANG LA (5328 M) – LEH – 154 KM – 8 HRS – CHALLENGING 70KM TO PANG THEN SOME MIND-BLOWING RIDING ON THE MOORE PLAINS ON AWESOME ROADS AFTER PANG

Today we cross Baralacha La (4890 m), before Baralacha La we will stop briefly for a photography session at Lake Deeptaal and the magnificent Lake Surajtaal. Roads are mostly in bad shape and as the altitude increases, you might start noticing the first effects of Acute Mountain Sickness. It is advisable to take it easy and don’t over stress yourself, especially at the summit of Baralacha La, 16,500ft. From Baralacha La it is again a downhill but a rough ride till Bharatpur, after which the road condition starts improving gradually as you approach Sarchu. Sarchu, at an altitude of 14,000ft, is a collection of tents and a military base. Even though it is quite a windy place and high in altitude, it is the prefered night stop for most travelers. You will need to register at the check post in Sarchu before proceeding further. Roads from Sarchu till the start of Gata Loops are not too bad. Gata Loops are a collection of 21 hair-pin bends that take you to an altitude of 15,302 feet, roads in the loops are in not so good condition and the slow moving trucks leaving clouds of thick smoke make the ascent feel tougher than it actually is. Next up is the third pass on the Manali Leh route, Nakee La, (4750 m or 15,547 ft. A few km up the road is Lachulung La, (5059 m or 16,616 ft.)
The descent from Lachulung La will take you to Pang which is a temporary tent settlement and has a check post where travelers need to register themselves. 
The road from Pang to Leh is excellent and will take you over a plateau (42 km long), Skyangchu Thang (The biggest and highest plateau on earth), also called the Moore Plains.

Stay: 3 star hotel – Hotel Auspicious or like on twin sharing

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

DAY 04: LEH – REST DAY AND SPECTACULAR SHOOTING OF NOT TO MISS PLACES IN AND AROUND LEH – OPTION OF RAFTING — ROADS MAINTAINED BY BRO IN EXCELLENT CONDITION

Day for some rest and checkup of the vehicles and then some sightseeing 
Come early afternoon, we’ll drive to the 17th-century Leh Fort, the most famous landmark in town. From the Fort there’s a short trail up to Tsemo Palace; the light walking can help you acclimatize, but we’ll gladly whisk you to the top by car if you prefer. At the top is a big reward: sweeping 360° views of Leh, the valley and its surrounding mountains, which includes the well-known 6000m+ Stok Kangri peak, towering in the distance at a height of 6,137m.We head to Leh’s other great panorama point, the Shanti Stupa, late in the afternoon. The view from here is quite different to the one from Leh Palace: you get a sense of the huge mountain spaces, and the illuminated town in the late ‘blue’ evening light makes for compelling images. Especially in the night when the Stupa is lit, the view is spectacular.
Thiksey, 40mins drive from Leh (especially in the right light) is simply spectacular. Tier upon tier of buildings rise on a crag above the River Indus, white fronts bouncing the prevailing light back at you against the deep Ladakh sky. We wander next through the monastery complex, the photo opportunities coming thick and fast. (You know those iconic National Geographic-style Tibetan/Ladakhi/Buddhist shots that got you all fired up about coming here in the first place? —they probably came right out of this same monastery.) 
We tear ourselves away to go a few minutes north to Shey, a palace and a monastery that also tumbles splendidly down a hillock. Once the home of royalty — the Namgyal kings were required to father their sons here — it now houses the largest metal statue of Buddha in Ladakh. It is 7.5m high, built from Zanskar copper hammered out into sheets on a nearby rock and gilded with five kilograms of solid gold. Hemis Gompa: the largest monastic foundation of Drukpa Kagyu Order of Tibetan Buddhism and Stok Palace & Sindhu Ghat. Overnight stay in Leh.

Stay: 3 star hotel – Hotel Auspicious or like on twin sharing

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner 

DAY 05: LEH – KHARDUNG LA – NUBRA (DISKIT – HUNDAR) – TURTUK (BALTISTAN) – 205KM – 7 HRS – EASY RIDING OVER MOSTLY GOOD ROADS THANKS TO BRO (BORDER ROADS ORGANISATION)

Turtuk is a village 205 km from Leh on the banks of Shyok River. Turtuk gram panchayat is the northernmost village of India. Turtuk was under Pakistan’s Control till 1971, but later India got control of this strategic area. Predominantly a Muslim village, residents speak Baltistani, Urdu and Ladakhi Language. Turtuk, is the last outpost in India from where the Pakistan- controlled Northern Areas begin. Turtuk is one of the gateways to the Siachen Glacier. Diskit Monastery also known as Deskit Gompa or Diskit Gompa is the oldest and largest Buddhist monastery (gompha) in the Nubra Valley of Ladakh, northern India. It belongs to the Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) sect of Tibetan Buddhism. It was founded by Changzem Tserab Zangpo, a disciple of Tsong Khapa, founder of Gelugpa, in the 14th century. It is a sub-gompa of the Thiksey gompha. Lachung Temple and Hundar Monastery are also located nearby; the latter is below the main road near a bridge. The monastery has a statue of Maitreya Buddha in the prayer hall, a huge drum and several images of fierce guardian deities. An elevated cupola of the monastery depicts a fresco of the Tashilhunpo Monastery of Tibet. The village of Turtuk which was unseen by tourists till 2010 is a virgin destination for people who seek peace and an interaction with a tribal community of Ladakh. The village is stuffed with apricot trees and children. The local tribe, Balti, follow its age old customs in their lifestyle and speak a language which is just spoken and not written. For tourists Turtuk offers serene camping sites with environment friendly infrastructure. Enjoy the scenic drive. Stay in homestay/camp.

Stay: Swiss Tents/Homestay on twin sharing

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

DAY 06: TURTUK – HUNDER – DISKIT – WARSHI – PANAMIK – 145 KM – 5 HRS – A BEAUTIFUL RIDE ALONG RIVER SHYOK ON GOOD ENOUGH ROADS

Today we will drive 105 km to Warshi and then a U-turn to the other bank of River Shyok to Panamik. Nubra is a tri-armed valley located to the north east of Ladakh valley. Diskit the capital of Nubra is about 150 km north from Leh town, the capital of Ladakh district, India. Local scholars say that its original name was Ldumra (the valley of flowers). The Shyok River meets the Nubra or Siachan River to form a large valley that separates the Ladakh and Karakoram Ranges. The Shyok river is a tributary of the Indus river. The average altitude of the valley is about 10,000 ft. i.e. 3048 m above the sea level. The common way to access this valley is to travel over the Khardung La pass from Leh town. On the Shyok (pronounced Shayok) River, the main village, Diskit, is home to the dramatically positioned Diskit Monastery which was built in 1420 AD. Hundar was the capital of the erstwhile Nubra kingdom in the 17th century, and is home to the Chamba Gompa. Between Hundar and Diskit lie several kilometres of sand dunes, and (two-humped) bactrian camels graze in the neighboring “forests” of seabuckthorn. Non-locals are not allowed below Hundar village into the Balti area, as it is a border area. The beautiful village of Baigdandu is also located in this area. There is a marked presence of people with startling blue eyes, auburn hair and rosy cheeks as against the typical mongoloid features of the Ladakhis. Local lore has it that they were a Greek tribe who came in search of Jesus Christ’s tomb and eventually settled here. Baigdandu is also known for the goats that give you the famous Pashmina shawls. Drive along the banks of the Shyok river, where a bit of patience, a touch of luck and a long telephoto might capture you red fox, partridge, hare, weasel and migratory ducks resting in river pools. There is much to pleasurably distract us here: if the light is good you’ll be asking to stop every mile or so to capture an amazing atmospheric river valley landscape, a field of shockingly vivid lavender or yellow barley.

Stay: Swiss Tents on twin sharing

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

DAY 07: PANAMIK – SHYOK – DURBUK – TANGSTE – LUKUNG – SPANGMIK (PANGONG TSO) –187 KM–8 HRS – EASY RIDING MIXED WITH REALLY DEMANDING BITS ON SHYOK RIVER ROAD AND IF THIS ROAD IS CLOSED, THEN THE ALTERNATE ROUTE IS A CHALLENGING RIDE OVER WARI LA

Pangong Tso: Tibetan for “long, narrow, enchanted lake”, also referred to as Pangong Tso, is an endorheic lake in the Himalayas situated at a height of about 4,350 m (14,270 ft). It is 134 km long and extends from India to Tibet. Approximately 60% of the length of the lake lies in Tibet. The lake is 5 km (3.1 mi) wide at its broadest point. All together it covers 604 km. During winter the lake freezes completely, despite being saline water. It is not part of Indus river basin area and geographically a separate landlocked river basin. The brackish water of the lake has very low micro-vegetation. Guides report that there are no fish or other aquatic life in the lake, except for some small crustaceans. On the other hand, visitors see numerous ducks and gulls over and on the lake surface. There are some species of scrub and perennial herbs that grow in the marshes around the lake. The lake acts as an important breeding ground for a variety of birds including a number of migratory birds. During summer, the Bar-headed goose and Brahmini ducks are commonly seen here. The region around the lake supports a number of species of wildlife including the kiang and the Marmot. Formerly, Pangong Tso had an outlet to Shyok River, a tributary of Indus River, but it was closed off due to natural damming. Two streams feed the lake from the Indian side, forming marshes and wetlands at the edges. Strand lines above current lake level reveal a 5 m (16 ft.) thick layer of mud and laminated sand, suggesting the lake has shrunken recently in geological scale.
Camp at an awesome location by the lake.

Stay: Swiss Tents on twin sharing

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 8: Pangong Tso – Leh | 160 Km | 4-5 hours

After a hearty breakfast, as we leave behind  the emerald blue waters of Pangong to ride over the 3rd highest motorable pass, Chang La at 5360 meters. It would be a slightly relaxed ride today. Once over Chang La, most of the ride is downhill. This is going to be one exciting ride that you’ll remember forever.

Stay: Nice Homestay/Guesthouse on triple sharing

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 9: Leh – Explore Leh

Day 10: Leh – Tso Moriri | 210 Km | 7-8 hours

Start from Leh in the morning on bikes – Located at an altitude of 15,075 ft, Tso Moriri is the largest of the high altitude lakes in the Trans-Himalayan biogeographic region – Tso Moriri is a hidden gem in the region and not very touristy yet – Enjoy the view from deluxe tents – Overnight stay at Tso Moriri.

Stay: Nice Homestay or Private Camping on triple sharing

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 11: Tso Moriri – Hike/Ride to Kiangdom – Explore Karzok village – Meet The Locals – some time to reflect and introspect  today

Day 12: Tso Moriri – Tsokar Tso – Sarchu | 220 Km | 8-9 hours

After breakfast, start your ride to Sarchu via another beautiful Lake and village of Tsokar. Reach Sarchu by evening and check-in to your camps. Overnight stay at Sarchu.

Stay: Camping or tented accomodation provided by the locals

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 13: Sarchu to Manali | 225 KMS | 8-9 hours

Morning leave for Manali – On the way visit Suraj Taal and Deepak Taal, two breath-taking lakes in the Lahaul region – Reach Manali by evening. 

Stay: Comfortable rooms at ‘dA Base’ on triple sharing

Meals: Refreshments, Breakfast and Dinner

Day 14: Departure – Option of Paragliding, Zip-lining or Angling

After a leisurely breakfast participants can choose to explore Manali or go for paragliding or try the highest zip-line in the country. Those who just want to relax after the long exciting trip can choose to spend the day by the river and try angling (chose from add-ons)

Meals: Breakfast