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Manali to Leh Jeep Safari

Trip Highlights

LADAKH: Known as “the moonland ”, ”Little Tibet” or even more romantically as “the last Shangri La”, Ladakh is the most remote region of India, a barren, virtually rainless area. Ladakh beckons for more than one reason. The defiance of its barren landscape, its unique flora and fauna, its culture, its clear blue skies and clean air, the land where snow never melts and only corn ripens, has more to offer a good holiday.

Route Chart

Manali - Jispa - Sarchu - Tso Kar - Thiksey - Hemis - Leh - Delhi

Day by Day Itinerary

Day 01: DELHI-MANALI(2050M/570Kms)

  • Assistance on arrival and transfer to hotel. Day for local sightseeing and acclimatization.  

    DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN HOTEL

Day 02: MANALI-JISPA (9842 ft/ 145 Km/ 5.5 hrs)

  • Start your overland journey and drive to Jispa. This high altitude road beyond the great Himalayan range connects the densely fertile and green Kullu valley to the stark barren region of Ladakh. The drive starts at Manali slowly winding up mountain roads till Rohtang Pass at 3,950 Mts. This connects the Kullu to the Lahaul valley.

    On entering the Lahaul valley, we see a distinct change with the Hindu influence being replaced with the Buddhist religion. Along the way, we will stop in Keylong, the district headquaters of Lahaul. From Keylong we will take a 1-hour trek to the Kardang monastery on the other side of the river and return the same way. Kardang Gompa is famous for it's Thanka paintings and the trek also helps in acclimatisation. We drive for another 17 Kms from Keylong to reach Jispa by early evening. In Jispa, we will stay at the Ibex hotel.

    DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN HOTEL

Day 03: JISPA - TSO KAR (13779 ft)

  • After breakfast we first drive from Jispa to Sarchu (84 kms) we will cross the Bara Lacha La Pass (16,500 ft above sea level). The word Baralacha means “a pass with cross roads". Here the road from Zanskar, Ladakh, Spiti and Lahaul meet. Sarchu is a vast valley that offers spectacular sights of the Tsarap River carving an extraordinary gorge through the Sarchu Plains. From here we carry on another 160 Kms to the famous Tso Kar (Kar is Lake). Tso Kar is also called the White Lake because of salt deposits around it. It is approx. 45 km northwest of the Tso Moriri Lake. Tso Kar is so salty that salt extracted from its margins are still sold all over Ladakh. We climb a series of 21 hairpin bends carved into the mountainside known as the Gata Loops and then after descending we once again wind our way up the Lachlung La pass (16,600 ft above sea level). From here, the road twists its way to Pang through an amazing canyon with sheer cliffs and rocky outcrops looming up on both sides of the road. 

    After our permits are checked at Pang outpost, we will ascend to the Pang Plateau also known as the More Plains. This high altitude desert plateau at 4000 Mts is encircled by snow-capped peaks and is 52 Kms long and more than 12 Kms wide at places. We drive on the dirt tracks on the plateau till the deserted village of Debring from where we will leave the main axis to Leh and drive off road for 5 Kms till our camp site on the banks of the Tso Kar Lake. 

    DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN CAMP.

DAY 04: TSO KAR- LEH (9842 ft/ 125 Km/ 4 hrs)

  • After an early breakfast, we will drive 5 Kms back to the main Manali - Leh road at Debring. From Debring we will climb to the Taglang La pass which crosses the Zanskar range to drop into the Ladakh valley at Rumtse. Starting with the first village at Rumtse, we will now see enough civilisation that is a welcome break from the uninhabited regions we crossed to get here. Vibrant green farms, quaint villages, remote monasteries and clear blues skies all combine to make this a memorable day. We will hit the Indus River at Upshi where we will take a short break till our passports and permits are checked. From Upshi you will drive along the true right bank of the Indus River all the way till Leh, the capital of Ladakh.

    DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN HOTEL SPIC N SPAN

DAY 05: SHEY-THIKSEY-HEMIS

  • After breakfast drive up along the scenic Indus valley. Enroute stop over to visit the famous Shey, Thiksey and Hemis monasteries. Packed lunch enroute
  • Shey Palace & Monastery
    This summer palace of the erstwhile King of Leh set upon a hill. The monastery itself has a 7.5 meter high, copper statue of a sitting Buddha, wrought in gold. This is the largest of it’s kind in the world.
  • Thiksey Monastery
    19 Kms from Leh, Thiksey is one of the largest and most impressive Gompas of Ladakh. The Thiksey monastery provides a panoramic view of the green Indus Valley from its vantage point atop a hill. It has chambers full of statues, Stupas and colorful Tankhas.
  • Hemis Monastery
    Situated just off the Manali-Leh Highway, Ladakh’s biggest and wealthiest monastery is situated on the Leh - Manali road. It’s popularity stems from the annual festival held here in summer. The festival coincides with Guru Padma Sambhava’s (Buddha) birthday. It contains quite a few statues in gold and Stupas decorated with precious stones. It has a superb collection of Tankhas, including one which is supposed to be the largest in existence and is exhibited only once every 12 years.
  • Overnight at the hotel

Day 06: LEH- FLY DELHI

  • Transfer to the airport on time for your flight to Delhi.

Itinerary Extension 1

  • Day 08: Rafting on Indus (Phey / Nimmu / Alchi)
  • Day 09: Leh - Delhi

Itinerary Extension 2

  • Day 08: Leh - Khardungla - Nubra
  • Day 09: Nubra - Leh
  • Day 10: Leh - Delhi

Itinerary Extension 3

  • Day 08: Leh - Kargil
  • Day 09: Kargil - Srinagar
  • Day 10: Srinagar
  • Day 11: Srinagar - Delhi
Prices for extensions on request


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