In the past few years, tourism across Ladakh has peaked and several visitors prefer to take their own vehicle or go on a packaged road trip. The road conditions are one of the most crucial things to understand before planning a trip. The road conditions in this valley keep on changing and it is a highly rocky terrain out there. If you are taking a four wheeler, it is important that your vehicle offers a very high ground clearance. A SUV or Hatchback with a min 4x4 would be recommended. Here’s segregating the road according to the driving conditions:

Leh – Sham Valley: Most roads around the town of Leh are well maintained, barring a few sections that frequently get damaged from landslides and water. It would be easy to drive with a normal SUV or a RE Bullet. The places that you would be able to cover include Magnetic Hills, Basgo Palace, Alchi, Nimmu Confluence, Leh Palace, Namgyal Gompa, Shankar Gompa, Spituk Gompa, Hall of Fame and Main Market.

Leh – Khardung La – Nubra Valley: Be ready for a bit of stiffness, especially in the Pullu Section of the route. Once, you reach Nubra Valley, the road widens and clears out.

Leh – Karu – Chang La – Durbuk – Tangste – Pangong Tso: The road will be a mix of bad, very bad and impossible! The section between Shakti to Changla La is especially challenging, even for pro riders. The same can be said about the decent from Durbuk to Changla La.

Leh – Upshi – Chumathang – Mahe – Sumdo – Kiagar Tso – Tso Moriri: This is mostly a mix of average road and dirt tracks. While the road cannot be said to be risky, it does involve a lot of challenge, especially after you have driven for so long.

Pangong Tso – Man – Chusul – Loma – Mahe – Kiagar Tso – Tso Moriri: This road goes from remote and beautiful Himalayan villages but you will come across certain very bad sections that will require high ground clearance vehicles.

Nubra Valley – Agham – Wari La – Chang La – Tangste – Pangong Tso: One of the most popular routes, this is a very tough road. The more challenging part is you will rarely spot any other tourist vehicle or villages that would be able to help in case of a breakdown.

Ladakh on a bike is a completely different kind of challenge. However, the road trip also demands that you are a responsible rider, don’t get excited too easily and are looking for fun instead of speed. It is always recommended that you ride in a group since the road is quite long can be very tasking and you never know when you would need help. However, there are many who also bike to Ladakh alone. A bike trip to Ladakh offers the flexibility of your own itinerary and you will always be free to head on to the unbeaten paths while taking the roads that have been less traveled. It’s a life altering experience altogether. You would be making new friends on the way – friends that share the same passion and approach towards live and travel it!

However, if it is your first time or you aren’t in full confidence of making a trip alone, it is best to go for a package or group tour that offers you the same kind of flexibility but with added safety.