Z for Zenith of all travel routes - Manali - Leh - Ladakh drive

This post is written for A to Z Challenge.

Z for Zenith of all travel routes - Manali - Leh - Ladakh drive

Standing at Rohtang for onward journey - Leh 479 km

Memories of life time travel - it has to be the Leh Ladakh road trip. The colourful monasteries, steep curves, snow-topped peaks, double humped camels, burning sun, freezing winds and a destination that comes straight out of the world of fantasies. Ladakh shares its border with Pakistan in north west, China in north and Tibet in east. Khardungla pass in J&K is the highest motor able road of the world. Leh can be reached both ways from Srinagar in J&K and Manali in HP. 

Views enroute

The most adventures route is the Manali - Leh road from where one can descend to Srinagar and thus enjoy the entire panorama at its best. Photographers around the world wait for the Rohtang pass to open up its jaws for the road trip, that takes one through the steep curves of Keylong, followed by riverside camps amidst mountains at Jispa, and the beautiful roads of Baralacha La that leaves one spell bound by its beauty. 

Once in Leh, one should relax and let your body acclimatize to this sudden change of altitude. One should spend time here to visit to Nurbha valley to feel the White sand dunes and double humped camel rides.Another well known place is the color changing Pangong Tso lake located next to China border through Changla pass which leaves one awfully smitten by its beauty. This is the “3 idiot’s” lake.

Pangong Tso Lake 

A small village in the valley enroute to Keylong

Waterfall

Manali -Leh route: is about 534 km long, out of which 350 km is void of civilization. For 365 km on this highway, there is no fuel pump or ATM as well. Thus, travelling on this highway needs proper amount of planning. On this route and one can plan for night halt at Sarchu ( if wants to cover in two days or Keylong and Sarchu if in three days one way.

Manali

The route will cover Manali – Rohtang – Gramphu – Koksar – Keylong – Jispa – Darcha – Zingzingbar – Baralacha La  – Bharatpur – Sarchu – Gata Loops – NakeeLa – Lachulung La – Pang - Tanglang La – Gya - Upshi - Karu – Leh

I have already discussed of the route and places of interest in Manali and up to Rohtang and then to Keylong while writing about these places in detail. From Keylong, Leh is 414 kms. 

Vegetable fields around Keylong

Jispa

Manali to Sarchu is 226 Kms and covers Rohtang Pass (13050 ft), Lahaul Valley, Tandi, Keylong, Jispa, Darcha and Sarchu through Baralacha Pass(16020 ft). 

The river at Sissu

Sarchu

The second day is Sarchu to Leh about 307 Km. which moves through Nakeela and Lachangla Pass (16,617 ft.) Pang, Skyangchu Thang (Biggest and Highest Plateau on Earth on Stretch of 42 Kms), Tanglang La Pass (17,585ft) and Indus Valley and reach Leh by evening. There are Hotels there for night stay. 

Streams on the road

If one has time one can stay there for one or two days and enjoy visiting 1.  Leh to Lamayuru to Ule (160 Kms) to see Liker Monastery and Gurudwara Pathar Sahib, the breathtaking Moon landscapes and the Lamayuru monastery (Oldest Monastery in Ladakh). 2. Leh to Pangong Lake (320 Kms) – (14,500 ft), through Changla Pass 17,350 ft., third highest motorable road in the world.  Pangong is also  highest salt water Lake in the World, shared by two countries India & China. 3. Leh to Nubra Valley(120 Kms) via Khardungla (Highest Motorable road in the World,18,380 ft). to explore Deskit and Hunder Villages and enjoy camel Safari in Sand Dunes between Deskit and Hunder Village. 

Gata Loop

Leh

Leh to Sri Nagar : Srinagar-Leh Highway, also known as National Highway – 1D (NH – 1D), is 434 kms long. It is a lifeline in terms of road connectivity between Leh – Ladakh and other parts of India, en-route Kashmir Valley. This, one of the two ways to reach Ladakh, is a more reliable one than other: Leh- Manali. Along the highway flows the river Indus. On your way to Leh, you come across a number of passes, in which three of the important ones are Zozi La (3528 m), Namki La (3815 m) and Fotu La (4108 m). As we have come through Manali Leh route we can descend through this route to Srinagar. 

The Khardung Pass and World's highest road

On the Leh to Srinagar trip, one will visit beautiful villages, war memorial, Himalayan valleys, a mountain top Gurudwara, monasteries and many more exciting facts of Ladakh.

The route from Leh to Srinagar will cover Leh - Saspol - Lamayaru - Mulbek - Kargil - Drass - Zozi La - Sonmarg and Srinagar in J&K.

That's with Z .  So its complete . ..... No I left X in the way. As X is for 'Xtra which can not come before the end. So next is X.

For other posts on Himachal written as part of A to Z Challenge : List of post on Himachal Pradesh written as part of A to Z challenge.

Aditya Sinha

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