With the world’s two mightiest mountain ranges- the Himalayas & the Karakoram, 3 highest motorable raods- Chang La, Khardung La, & Tanglang La, desert mountains, gorgeous night skies, rainbows, Tibetan monasteries, flowers, lakes, rainbow hills, & the most stunning landscapes, Ladakh is bound to be one of the most epic journeys you can take in India.
No, seriously. None of what I just said was exaggerated. As a solo female traveller, I was in Ladakh last year, for a good 45 days. Having travelled in the bus, on a bike, in a car, & even hitchhiked from a village to another, here’s all the advice I can give you. Feel free to take this as your absolute travel guide to Leh and Ladakh. 😉
So, let’s get started.
How to Reach Leh
Leh isn’t the easiest place to travel to, so there’s that. From any part of India, you’ll have to find yourself in either Delhi, Manali, or Srinagar first.
Delhi to Leh
The best way to reach from Delhi to Leh is by taking a flight, which may be heavy on your pocket. On the brighter side, it is hassle-free & saves you a lot of time.
Alternately, take a bus from Delhi to Manali. And another one from Manali to Leh. More details below.
Manali to Leh
The road from Manali to Leh has been called one of the most difficult ones to travel, so cheers, you’re up for a big and exciting game here! You’ll cross Rohtang, Keylong, Suraj Tal, Baralacha pass, Lachulung Pass, Tangalang Pass (5328m!!), and many beautiful villages along the way.
Now, here’s the thing. There’s only one HSRTC bus which goes from Manali to Leh, and it starts at sharp 4am. You’re likely to reach Leh by 6-7 pm, or the next day by 11 am, depending on whether the driver decides to make an overnight halt on the way.
Alternately, you can take a traveller tempo/shared taxi from Manali to Leh. These are expensive but they save time.
The views along the way are utterly stunning- I didn’t even a take a nap throughout the journey!
Srinagar to Leh
Reaching Srinagar to Leh can be done either by a JKSRTC bus or by a shared taxi/traveller tempo.
If you’re taking a bus that leaves at 8AM, you’ll reach Leh by 4pm, while haulting at Kargil on your way. Mind you, there are no night buses from Srinagar to Leh. So plan accordingly.
How to commute
The most popular means of covering all the tourist places in Ladakh is the motorbike. However, the journeys are long and tedious, and most parts uncomfortable. If you are not a hardcore biker, there are other ways to get to all the villages of Ladakh.
By Bus
As a solo traveller on a budget, I preferred taking the local JKSRTC bus. The fares were cheap and the journey, very comfortable. The only drawback of the buses is that they follow a unique schedule. For example, the bus to Tso Moriri runs only on the 10th, 20th, and 30th of each month. It is the best to check the bus schedule in advance to making a plan. You can refer to this schedule, which I clicked in July 2018.
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