North
Ladakh Travel Guide: Acclimatise, Routes, Season
Passes · Monasteries · Road trips
The big one for Indian riders and road-trippers: 5,000 m passes, turquoise lakes, Buddhist monasteries, and serious altitude.
Plan your trip
When to go
- Jan: Hard: monsoon, heat, snow or closures
- Feb: Hard: monsoon, heat, snow or closures
- Mar: Hard: monsoon, heat, snow or closures
- Apr: Hard: monsoon, heat, snow or closures
- May: Fine, with trade-offs
- Jun: Best
- Jul: Best
- Aug: Best
- Sep: Best
- Oct: Fine, with trade-offs
- Nov: Hard: monsoon, heat, snow or closures
- Dec: Hard: monsoon, heat, snow or closures
Dark green: best. Light: fine, with trade-offs. Sand: hard: monsoon, heat, snow or closures. Editorial judgement, not measured data.
- Best time
- Mid-June to September, when the Srinagar and Manali highways are both open and lake roads are clear.
- How to reach
- Fly into Leh for an easy arrival (but acclimatise hard), or ride/drive the Srinagar–Leh or Manali–Leh highways over several days.
- Getting around
- Hired SUV with a local driver, self-driven car, or motorcycle. Permits are needed for Nubra, Pangong, and border areas.
- Rough budget
- A 7–9 day trip runs roughly ₹30,000–60,000 per person depending on whether you fly in or ride, plus bike rental if applicable.
A short itinerary
- Days 1–2: Leh: rest and acclimatise fully. Short walks only, lots of water, no rushing to altitude.
- Days 3–4: Nubra Valley over Khardung La, with a night at Hunder.
- Days 5–6: Pangong Tso via Shyok or Chang La, then back toward Leh.
Stories from Ladakh
Road trips · 9 min