Imagine the thrill of gripping the steering or handlebars, steering through winding paths, and ascending to unprecedented heights, the landscape unfolds – a visual masterpiece of snow-capped peaks. Umling La, nestled in the majestic terrain of Leh Ladakh, becomes more than a destination, it’s an odyssey into the heart of excitement, with every twist and turn crafting a personal adventure saga.
Leh Ladakh journey – a dream sparked when I first got my hands on a bike. Back in my wild bachelor days, conquering the then highest motorable road, Khardung La, was the ultimate goal.
Life happened, priorities shifted, and this epic adventure got pushed aside. Every year, my friends would hype up the Ladakh trip, but it kept getting delayed. Until one day, they declared, “Whether you’re in or out, we’re hitting the road – this time with a car!”
The grand plan unfolded – a road trip from Pune to Srinagar via Kargil, destined to reach the highest motorable road at Umling La back to Manali. My plan, fly in to Srinagar and join my friends. But nature had other plans, threw a curveball with unexpected landslides in Srinagar Jammu highway, disrupting my journey before it even began.
Determined not to bail, I embraced the chaos, and our rendezvous shifted to Dharamshala,a quaint town nestled atop the mountain ranges so I can fly in join. The route was shifted now counter clockwise reaching first major pit stop Leh via Manali. And so, our dream journey commenced with lost bookings and improvised plans or no plans, just destination in mind.
Here is the itinerary we followed
Reached Dharamshala – There is small airport here with flights from Delhi
Day 1 – Dharamshala to Kullu via Palampur, Manikaran Gurudwara Read More on Day 1
Point of Interests : Gurudwara (Sikh’s temple), Manikaran
Day 2 – Kullu to Gemur via Manali Read More on Day 2
We had no plans for sight seeing i Manali however it is worth spending a day in Manali but crowded through, white water rafting is really good, Hadimba Temple, and Rohtang Pass. since I had done that in my previous trip, we skipped. With Atal tunnel commissioned, you can skip Rohtang mostly ladden with traffic, on the way to Leh.
Point of Interests : Atal Tunnel or Rohtang Pass, Sissu Waterfalls, Lahaul Valley
Day 3 – Gemur(Jispa) to Leh Read More on Day 3
Point of Interests : Deepak Tal, Suraj Tal,Baralacha La, Sarchu, Gata Loops, Morey Plains
Day 4 & 5 – Leh (Rest & Acclimatization) Read More on Day 4,5
Point of Interests : Leh Market, Confluence of the Zanskar and Indus river, Magnetic Hills, Shanti Stupa, Tibetan Market
Day 6 – Leh to Thang Read More on Day 6
Point of Interests : Khardungla Pass, Distik Monastery,Maitreya Buddha, Hunder & Sumur Sand Dunes, Baltic Camels
Day 7 – Thang to Nubra Valley Read More on Day 7
Point of Interests : Thang Village (Pakistan Border), Shyok Valley, Nubra Valley
Day 8 – Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso Read More on Day 8
Point of Interests : Pangong Lake
Day 9 – Pangong Tso to Hanley Read More on Day 9
Point of Interests : Pangong Lale, Rezang La War Memorial, Hanley Astronomical Observatory
Day 10 – Hanley to Umling La to Leh Read More on Day 10
Point of Interests : Umling La
This day was a bit of stretch as we decided to stay one more day in Leh instead of Hanley. This was to visit more places in Leh especially monasteries
Day 11, 12 – Leh Read More on Day 11,12
Point of Interests : Hanley Monastery, Thiksey Monastery, Hall of Fame, Leh Market & Shopping
Day 13 – Exit from Leh to Delhi by Air.
Day 1 – Dharamshala to Manali via Palampur, Kullu (~ 250km, 15 hrs)
As I yanked my bag off the carousel, a surge of excitement bubbled up inside me. Stepping out into the open, the first whiff of mountain air hit me like a welcome embrace, and a gentle breeze on my face whispered promises of the adventures that awaited on the winding roads ahead.
Warmly welcomed by my friends Kapil, Kishore, and his wife Poonam, there it was – the red MG Hector, our trusty companion affectionately known as “Beastie” whom we are relying on everything with this trip to be successful. With everything we needed packed in, we secured a booking in Dharamshala for a peaceful night’s sleep before our epic journey. The next morning, fueled up with a hearty breakfast, we hit the road.
When we started off, military vehicles caught our eye, and it dawned on us that we’d likely encounter these convoys throughout our entire trip. The adventure was just beginning.
As we climbed higher, the first signs of altitude sickness kicked in – a slight headache and a churn in the stomach. It was pit stop time. Out came the Diamox, my trusty altitude sickness prevention pill that I religiously took every day of the Leh Ladakh trip. And let me tell you, that ginger lemon tea we had at the stop? Probably the best ever. Snapping some pictures near the hotel, we continued our ascent.
Pressing on along narrow, winding paths, the scenery transformed into a lush green spectacle. Along the way, we cruised past the new campus of the Indian Institute of Technology (akin to the esteemed MIT in the US) in Mandi. The campus seemingly emerged out of thin air, catching us by surprise. Making a pit stop near Katindhi, we seized the chance to stretch our legs, soothe our backs, and capture more snapshots.
Navigating the onward journey became increasingly challenging with narrow single lanes and daunting precipices, adding an extra layer of difficulty to our drive. Despite the testing terrain, the allure of the Kandi Pass landscape remained undeniable. As the sunlight began to fade, we found ourselves in a rush to reach our next destination, Manikaran.
We finally arrived at Manikaran Gurudwara around 9 PM, and finding parking proved to be a challenge amidst the bustling crowd visiting the temple. Stepping inside, we sought the blessings we needed for the journey ahead. It was my first time having a meal at a Gurudwara, and my friends couldn’t help but laugh as they witnessed my struggle to sit cross-legged on the floor and eat. The food was simple but incredibly delicious. After a leisurely stroll through the narrow alleys of the Gurudwara, we still had a good two hours to rest after checking into Hotel Kullu Valley, which we had arranged with a few phone calls.
We set off from the Gurudwara at 10:30 PM, and by midnight, after the check-in process, all we could manage was to collapse into our beds.
