When is the Manali to Leh road open?

Late May to mid-October only. July to September is the practical window for most travellers - the high meadows are at their greenest and the road is reliably open. Earlier the high passes are snowbound; later they close for the winter.

How serious is altitude sickness in Ladakh?

Very serious - it ruins more Ladakh trips than any other factor. Fly in and rest 36 hours minimum at Leh (3,500 m). Take Diamox prophylactically. Avoid alcohol and smoking for the first 48 hours. If symptoms worsen, descend immediately. The drive-in route from Manali provides natural acclimatisation if you overnight at Jispa.

Is Ladakh safe for first-time India travellers?

Yes, but it is not a first India trip - the altitude, remoteness and limited infrastructure make it a destination for second or third visits. Most first-timers do the Golden Triangle plus Kerala before Ladakh. Once there, Ladakh is one of the safest and most rewarding regions in India.

Ladakh Road Trip 2026 - The Manali to Leh Drive, Monasteries and the High Lakes

The Manali-Leh route crosses four high passes via the Atal Tunnel, bypassing Rohtang. Choose your road before counting the passes.

Ladakh is India for travellers who have done India. The high-altitude Trans-Himalayan desert tucked between the main Himalayan range and the Karakoram is the closest thing in India to Tibet - the same Tibetan-Buddhist culture, the same lunar landscape of ochre mountains and turquoise rivers, the same network of cliffside monasteries. Until 1974 Ladakh was closed to outsiders. Even today the region remains an Inner Line Permit area with restricted zones near the Pakistan and China borders. The standard tourist circuit, however - Leh, the Indus valley monasteries, the high lakes at Pangong and Tso Moriri, and the otherworldly Nubra valley - is open and astonishingly well organised. The single most cinematic way to enter is to drive the Manali to Leh road, one of the world's great high-altitude drives.

When to Visit

The road to Leh is only open late May to mid-October. Earlier the snow on the Baralacha La and Tanglang La passes is impassable; later the same snow closes the road for the winter. July to September is the practical window for the road trip - the high meadows are at their greenest and the rivers at their wildest from monsoon snow-melt. Mid-June and late September are the quieter shoulder. Leh itself is also accessible by daily flights from Delhi year-round (1.5 hours), but driving in transforms the experience.

The Manali to Leh Drive - The Practicalities

The distance varies with the Atal Tunnel or older Rohtang route; allow at least two days with an overnight at Sarchu (4,290 m) or Jispa (3,200 m, much better for acclimatisation). Via the Atal Tunnel, the route bypasses Rohtang and crosses four major passes: Baralacha La (about 4,890 m), Nakee La (about 4,739 m), Lachulung La (about 5,065 m) and Tanglang La (about 5,328 m). The older Rohtang Pass route adds another pass at about 3,978 m. Total driving time is 18 to 22 hours over the two days depending on traffic and breakdowns. Hire a 4x4 with experienced driver through a Leh or Manali operator - around USD 350 to 500 for the two-day drive. Pre-book a Manali-Leh Tata Sumo or Innova with driver rather than arranging on arrival in Manali.

Alternative routes: the new Srinagar-Leh road (434 km, opens slightly earlier in May) crosses the Zoji La and Fotu La. The road via Atal Tunnel from Manali (2020) has cut driving time by 4 hours and made the route more reliable in early-season conditions.

Day-by-Day - The Classic 10-Day Ladakh Itinerary

Day 1: Fly Delhi to Manali (or drive 12 hours). Acclimatise at 2,000 m. Stay at Span Resort or Manuallaya.

Day 2: Manali to Jispa (140 km, 5 hours through Atal Tunnel and Baralacha La approach). Acclimatise overnight at Hotel Ibex.

Day 3: Jispa to Leh (330 km, 12 hours over Baralacha, Lachung and Tanglang passes). Arrive Leh exhausted at 3,500 m. Rest immediately.

Day 4: Full rest day in Leh for acclimatisation. Walk only - no climbing. Visit the Leh Palace and Shanti Stupa in the late afternoon.

Day 5: Indus valley monasteries - Thiksey (the smaller Potala), Hemis (the largest monastery in Ladakh), Shey (the old summer palace) and the meditation centre at Stakna. Lunch at Chamba Camp Thiksey.

Day 6: Drive to Nubra Valley via the Khardung La pass (5,359 m, third-highest motorable pass). Overnight at Hunder among the double-humped Bactrian camels and the cold-desert dunes.

Day 7: Diskit Monastery, the 32-metre Maitreya Buddha, hot springs at Panamik. Return to Leh.

Day 8: Drive to Pangong Tso (the 134 km turquoise lake straddling the China border, 4,350 m). Overnight at a lakeshore tent camp. The morning light on the lake is the trip's photographic highlight.

Day 9: Return to Leh via Chang La (5,360 m). Final dinner at Bon Appetit or Tibetan Kitchen.

Day 10: Fly Leh to Delhi.

The Lakes - Pangong vs Tso Moriri

Pangong Tso is the famous one - 134 km long, two-thirds in China, the setting for the final scene of the Bollywood film 3 Idiots. The colour shifts from green to deep blue to violet during the day. The drive from Leh takes 5 hours via Chang La pass.

Tso Moriri, 240 km south of Leh near the Tibet border, is the quieter alternative - longer, harder drive (8 hours) and requires the same Inner Line Permit. Only 50 people see it for every 1,000 who see Pangong. Migratory birds in summer; the lakeside village of Korzok is one of the highest permanent settlements on earth at 4,560 m.

Altitude Sickness - The Single Most Important Thing

Ladakh's average altitude is 3,500 m, and the high passes exceed 5,000 m. Altitude sickness is the trip's biggest risk and ruins more Ladakh holidays than any other factor. Fly in to Leh and immediately rest for 36 hours - no exertion, no alcohol, no smoking, plenty of water, light food. The drive-in route gives natural acclimatisation but requires the Jispa overnight at 3,200 m. Diamox (acetazolamide) 125 mg twice daily for 48 hours before ascent and 48 hours after arrival is the standard prophylaxis - get a prescription before travel. Symptoms (headache, nausea, breathlessness, insomnia) usually pass within 24 hours; if they worsen, descend immediately. Most Leh hotels have oxygen on standby. The hospital in Leh has a dedicated AMS ward.

Practical Tips

Permits: the Inner Line Permit is required for Nubra, Pangong and Tso Moriri. Apply at the Leh DC office (1 hour, INR 600) or via your driver.
Cash: ATMs in Leh only. Carry INR 30,000 to 50,000 for the trip - Nubra and Pangong have no ATMs.
Mobile: only postpaid Indian SIMs work in Ladakh (security regulation). Buy an Airtel or BSNL postpaid in Delhi before travel.
Accommodation: Chamba Camp Thiksey (the Aman of Ladakh), Stok Palace Heritage Hotel, The Grand Dragon Ladakh and Nimmu House are the best Leh stays.
What to pack: down jacket, sunglasses (snow blindness is real), high-SPF sunscreen, water bottle, head torch.
The Ladakh Festival (first week of September) and Hemis Tsechu monastery festival (June or July) are spectacular if you can time the trip.