Manali to Leh Ladakh Highway Guide

On the Manali to Leh road trip, get spectacular and panoramic views from the Rohtang Pass. Located 51km from Manali, at an altitude of 3900m, it is a route that leads to places such as Pangi, Lahaul Spiti and Leh. You get views of beautiful snow-capped peaks and glaciers from here. It is in this vicinity that the Chandra River flows too.

Just before getting to Rohtang Pass there is a Snow Point. You can enjoy yourself playing in the snow at this place. Open between June and October you can enjoy sledge rides and skiing during this time. 

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Whether you want to enjoy scenic walks through laid-back villages or enjoy grand mountain views, Keylong is the place to be. Alongside this place is the resplendent Bhaga Valley with its riches of greenery. Being the capital city of Lahaul, Keylong is a popular stop while going to Manali to Ladakh among the tourists and trekkers for an overnight stay.

More than this, it is adored as an oasis of greenery that has all the reasons to amaze the visitors. On a visit to Keylong, you can also visit monasteries such as Shasur and Gemur.

A scenic and picturesque stretch of land, Jispa is located beside the Chandra River. Journey to this hamlet is one of the fascinating trails of the Manali – Leh tour. Decorated naturally by streams, scenic peaks, picturesque valleys and lush greeneries, it gets the visitors close to the Mother Nature.

Due to its location; around 10,000ft above the sea level, it offers panoramic views of the surrounding like no other regions. A perfect setting for an overnight stay, there are numerous camping destinations in this village. While in this settlement, the different marvels of the nature will surely keep you spellbound. 

Visit a picturesque Himalayan village called Darcha located beside the Bhaga River. From Keylong this place is around 23km. There is a huge camping ground available at Darcha which is commonly used as a camping ground by the tourists while going from Manali to Ladakh.

Among all the enthralling treks in Leh Ladakh region, the Darcha-Padum trek is the most popular. If you have enough time during your Manali-Leh tour, you can plan this 9-10 days trek and experience a world never seen or imagined before.

A peace-over joint located on the way to Ladakh; between Jispa and Sarchu, Zingzing Bar is one of the highest roadside bars in the world. Well, don’t go by its name! More than bar, it is a resting ground of the army cadets and the exhausted travellers. None of the Manali to Leh road trips can get complete without a visit to this bar.

This place has an ambience that is almost on the verge of meditative bliss. You can simply sit and sip your tea and be at peace with yourself. The charisma of this place is such that, within a very few moments, you can feel all the peace descending on you.

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Located on the Manali – Leh highway and surrounded by the Himalayan range is a beautiful region called Sarchu. Locally known as ‘Sir Bhum Chum’, it is a perfect destination for camping and overnight stay, you can enjoy a night’s sleep amidst a treasure trove of scenery. There are various camps in Sarchu where you can stay and enjoy. 

At an altitude of 14300 feet, expect the winds to be cooler than usual, but refreshing nevertheless! You are encompassed by picture-perfect scenic quotients. The sight of the majestic mountains overlooking you from a distance is equally thrilling; the experience is inexplicable and surreal.

Not many people know of this place except for those who have been on the road from Manali –Leh. Anyone who has been to Gata Loops would describe it as a stunning region nestled in the Western Himalayas. Getting to this place and getting out of it is as thrilling as well and it is one of the amazing places to go while traveling from Manali to Ladakh.

There are about twenty one winding curves along the road from Gata Loops. Adding to the adventurous sojourn, is its high altitude. Once you get here, you do feel like being at 17,000 feet above sea level, given the crispness of the winds and diffused sunlight. As you travel along the hairpin bends and curves, feel the adrenaline rush of being challenged by the terrain.

Located on the Leh-Manali route, this is a mountain pass at about 16,000 feet above sea level. From here you get undulating views of the scenery beyond. You can see the entire Ladakh plateau in some sweeping glance of your eyes. Located 54 km from Sarchu, this mountain pass is considered a relatively easy route to traverse.

There is a Nala that passes through this place and simply moving alongside can accomplish your task of crossing this pass. After crossing Lachulung La, the landscape changes where the road meanders through a canyon.

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This is the place where the highest army transit camp exists. Traditionally a stop for the armed forces, Pang is now a stop for tourists as well. The scenery of this place is breathtakingly different.

The high altitude of this place combined by beautiful surrounding scenery makes Pang a perfect place to take a break whilst on the tour. Being a remote region, one is assured to enjoy the vistas of naturalistic delights.

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One of the highest mountain passes in the Leh Ladakh region, the Tanglang La pass is like a jewel in the crown on the Manali – Leh stretch. Claimed to be the second highest motorable mountain pass on the planet, your ascent from here is unceasingly upwards. It is like driving towards the clouds given that they are so close as well.

Along the way, the snow-clad mountains will mesmerize you for sure. During the journey through this high-altitude place, you can witness the Tso Kar Lake behind the gigantic mountains.

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Located along the Indus River and 45 km southeast of Leh, is a quaint and picturesque village called Upshi. Towards the east of this region is an ancient trading route that is connected to Tibet. There is also a helipad on this route that is used by helicopter-borne tourists and the armed forces.

As the main economic activity around this region is goat farming, you can witness the goat farmers and their livestock in abundance all through the way. Tiny villages cocooned within the region adds to the pristine and surreal beauty of Upshi. Nothing short of bliss, living and staying in this paradisiacal village is indeed a privilege!

Despite being the fact that it is completely frozen during winter, Pangong Lake or Pangong Tso, 135 KM in length steals any beholder’s heart undoubtedly. Stretching across an area of 604 sq.km, majority of the lake lies in China but Indians who visit the Himalayan ranges never miss out the opportunity to visit Pangong Lake. It is a separate land locked river basin with saline water in it and geography says that it contains no fish and microorganisms. 

But the visitors of the lake spotted different types of ducks and some other birds and it proves that the lake has been acting as the laying bed for breeding for many avifauna. Hushed by the mighty Himalayan ranges so well, the lake appears as an unforgettable image forever.

While in Manali, you can find abundance of petrol pumps. This hill station town has a total of 6 petrol pumps.

Moving 110 km from Manali, you can find a petrol pump in Tandi.

Distance from Manali to Tandi: 110 Kms

345 km from Tandi and 30km before Leh, you can also refuel your vehicles in Karu.

Distance from Tandi to Karu: 345kms

Arriving in Leh, one can also find quite a few petrol pumps. In addition to the few petrol pumps in Leh, you can refuel your vehicles at the petrol pump near the Leh Airport (25 km from Leh).

Distance from Karu to Leh: 30kms

Note: Petrol is also available in the road side grocery stores between Manali Leh highway. However, the quality of the fuel cannot be guaranteed.

It is strictly recommended that while going on Leh Manali highway you should carry sufficient amount of cash, as you can find the scarcity of ATMs after leaving Leh/Manali. Though there are too many ATMs in Manali, giving you sufficient opportunities to withdraw cash, after Manali, there is only one ATM you will find in Keylong, which is on the way to Leh. 

However, it is not mandatory that the ATM in Keylong will be in working condition. Aftermath, you will directly find ATMs in Leh, which will be limited in number. 

Only the SBI, Jammu and Kashmir Bank, HDFC, Axis Bank and ICICI Bank have their ATMs in Leh. 

Hence, make sure you have sufficient cash for the trip from the beginning only. Also, except a few antique shops, the majority of restaurants and hotels do not accept the credit or debit cards, please carry enough cash with you on your trip.

The only service providers in the valley of Leh are the BSNL and Airtel. Hence, the people who have the post-paid connections from these operators can enjoy a hassle-free connectivity during their visit to Leh. On the other hand, if you do not have the post-paid connection from the aforementioned service providers, there are only two options for you: First, either buy a prepaid connection from the mentioned service providers or just use the overcrowded phone booths located in the Leh city.

As the city of Ladakh has a considerable amount of Army, the phone booths in the city are almost always crowded and you can find a lot of soldiers waiting in line to talk to their loved ones, especially in the booths located near the main market or the main road of Leh.

However, if you want to buy the prepaid sim from BSNL or Airtel, it is one of the toughest tasks for the Indian nationals. As the Indian Govt. considers the regions of Leh-Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir as sensitive areas, getting a SIM card is a daunting process for Indians.

Hence, it is recommended that you do not apply for the SIM cards until you are planning to stay for long in the city. On the other hand, the foreign nationals can easily get the prepaid connections and the process is pretty straightforward. They only have to submit photocopies of passport and two passports sized photographs while submitting the application for the SIM cards. 

1) Keylong

Located 117 km away from Manali, Keylong is the first place to take a break for the night while on the Manali to Leh bike trip. Listed below are some of the best hotels that go easy on the visitor’s pockets:

• Hotel Dekyid,
• Hotel New Gyespa,
• Hotel Tashi Delek,
• HPTDC Hotel Chandrabhaga,
• Valley View Hotel
  
  

Distance between Manali to Keylong: 117 Kms

2) Sarchu

• Himalayan Saga Camps
• Goldrop Camps
• Planet Himalaya Camps
• Antrek Camps
• Blue Poppy Camps
  
  

Distance between Manali to Sarchu: 223 Km

3) Leh

Located 357km from Keylong and 250km from Sarchu, upon your arrival in Leh, you can relax around a number of hotels that are solely meant for the tourists. Most of these hotels are located within the easy reach from the main town. Some of the places to stay in Leh:

• Ladakh Sarai
• Hotel Nalanda Ladakh
• The Grand Dragon Ladakh
• Ladakh Residency
  
  

Distance Between Keylong to Leh: 357 Kms

Distance between Sarchu to Leh: 250 Kms

Leh-Ladakh is not yet another normal tourist destination to go for. As the majority of the tourist destinations in Ladakh are located above 10,000 feet, it is important that you get acclimatized to the location before you continue your journey and follow some of the important safety tips and guidelines for Ladakh trip. So, here are some of the tips and guidelines for your safety for the trip.

 - Under any circumstances, do not consume any kind of anti-depressant drugs, alcohol, smoking and tobacco, because, being at the higher altitudes, you will face respiratory troubles.

- Do not over-exert and avoid any kind of physical activity, which can give unnecessary exertion to your body.

- Avoid sleeping at the higher altitudes. It is recommended that after spending a day at the higher altitudes, you move back down to the lower ones in the evening and spend overnight.

- Keep yourself hydrated throughout the trip. Consume lots of ORS water or other types of fluid, which can be soup, milk, tea, fruit juices etc. However, do not be over hydrated too, as it can cause you to vomit or can develop cerebral edema like weakness, confusion, hyponatremia or even coma.

- Have a diet rich in carbohydrates, because you need calories on higher altitudes and food rich in carbohydrates have around 70 percent of calories in them.

- Please carry a sufficient amount of AMS preventive medication, though it is recommended that you do consult with your doctor before doing so, as different medications may have different side effects.

For Indian Nationals:

- From 2014 onwards, the Indian nationals would no longer require any kind of inner line permits to visit Ladakh. This is applicable to visit areas like Turtuk, Panamik, Khaltse, Pangong, Changthang, Hunder, Nubra Valley Tso Kar and Tso Moriri and few others.

- Indian nationals must carry their nationality proof (ID proof) such as: Driving Licence, Voter ID, Passport and other similar.

- Whenever enquired, the visitors should produce their ID proofs at the check points.

- For the bikers, while crosiing regions like Hanle, Chusul, Tsaga, beyond Loma bend, Chumur, Marsimik La and Batalik Sector, inner line permits are a must.

For Foreign Nationals:

- To visit areas like Turtuk, Panamik, Khaltse, Pangong, Changthang, Hunder, Tso Kar and Tso Moriri and few others, the foreign nationals must obtain the inner line permits.

- Also, to visit Hanle, Chusul, Tsaga, beyond Loma bend, Chumur, Marsimik La and Batalik Sector, the foreign nationals must have the inner line permits.

- These permits are usually valid for 3 weeks and can be easily obtained with the help of the local tour operators from Leh DC Office.

- Foreign nationals, with exception from Bhutan, Burma, Nepal and Pakistan, also need to obtain PAP or the Protected Area Permit to visit the above mentioned places. This permit is issued at the Leh DC Office and is allowed only to a group of four or more foreign nationals and is valid for 7 days.

- While travelling Suru and Zanskar valleys, inner line permits are not required. However, this permit doesn't allow them to beyond Merek Village in the Mahe or Pangong village.

For the Indian nationals, it is mandatory to carry at least one ID proof, which can be the Aadhar Card, Voter ID, PAN Card, and Indian Passport, as you will be required to present it in some of the restricted places in the Leh region. Also, carry the attested copies of your ID proofs, in case you need to submit the same for inline permits for the restricted areas.

For Foreign nationals, it is mandatory that they carry a copy of their passport and visa, along with the original ones. 

Leh is approximately 500 km from Manali and there are plenty of buses between Manali and Leh, operated by the JKSRTC and HPTDC. 

The one-way ticket of Manali Leh highway bus trip will cost you around Rs. 2500 per person, with an overnight stay in Keylong. Also, these services are only operational from July 1st to September 15th every year. 

Some of the most important things that you must carry on your trip to Leh-Ladakh must be and spacially when you are on adventures motorbike tour on this route:-

 - As the temperature varies and becomes freezing cold after reaching Leh, it is recommended that you carry a good number of woollen clothes including jackets, gloves, sweaters, etc.

- Take a good pair of shoes because the terrain is rough, and hence, you would need a good grip while walking.

- As you will be gaining the altitude during the trip, there are fair chances that you may get the altitude sickness. Hence, carry the recommended medicines and first-aid kit along with insulin, inhalers etc., which can be helpful in emergencies.

- During your Manali to Leh Bike trip, also carry sufficient amount of clean drinking water, energy foods and drinks as there will be very less food stalls and restaurants on the way till Leh and keep yourself hydrated.

- A few other things you must carry during your trip to Leh are torch light with extra set of cells and bulbs, hiking gears, power banks for storing electricity charge for your phones and cameras, sunglasses, caps etc. It is advised that you carry at least four to five power banks because of the shortage of electricity in the hilly areas.