Overview
Ladakh is a fascinating tour that is filled with adventurous and interesting things and places. And the most famous way to explore Ladakh is by bike. Now the question arises as to how to reach Ladakh. You can start in Delhi move on to Jammu – Srinagar road then reach Kargil to catch Leh road. Another route is to move from Delhi to Chandigarh and then to Manali and Keylong to reach Leh. But most of the tourists plan a circuit map route that starts from the Delhi – Srinagar route and ends their journey with the Manali – Delhi route or vice versa.
Bike Trip and essentials
Now if you are planning a bike trip to Leh then you must ensure that your bike condition is perfectly well. Because you might be traveling around 3000 – 3500 kilometers of the whole journey from Delhi. So a perfect bike is a must to make your journey safe and comfortable. You can choose a bike that can range from 100cc to 1000cc. But if you are option a bike with more than 300cc you must carry a Jerry cane of 5 – 10 capacity to fill the petrol as there are no petrol pump stations at Manali- Leh Highway. Safety gears are a must like knee guard and elbow guard, riding jacket, hand gloves, bike tool kit, puncture kit, chain lock, spark plug, chain lubricant etc, which can help during adverse situations. Apart from the bike equipment you can pack some essentials for the tour like, waterproof bag for clothes, winter wear and some warm clothes, post paid sim card preferably BSNL as it has a wider network there.
Permits
If you are opting Srinagar- Kargil route then you are required to take only one permit. But if you are taking the Manali route then you need to take 2 permits. Because the first is for Manali to Rohtang pass and the other permit is to explore Leh. For this you can contact the DC Office in Leh or apply online. It is advisable that you take multiple photocopies of it so that you can use them at different places.
The Tour
The Ladakh Tour can be planned for 7 days. And the best time to explore Ladakh is from May to October. On the 1st day of the tour you can make it an easy day so visit Ranchoo school where the famous movie called 3 Idiots was shot. It has all the glimpses and art wall for the visitors of the film. After this Thiksey Monastery can be a good option, which is the largest monastery of the central Ladakh and is a kind of replica of the Monastery in Tibet. After an easy day, you can spend your first evening on the Ladakh Tour at Sindhu Ghat Cafe, which is near the Indus river.
Next morning, you can go to Sangam point, which is a confluence of the Indus and Zanskar rivers. You can also spot a bridge where the climax of Jab Tak Hai Jaan movie was shot. After the Sangam you can go to Magnetic Hill, which is famous because it defies the phenomenon of gravity and if you park your vehicle on the box you can find your car moving in spite of being in neutral. The next attraction of Leh is the Hall of Flame, which is an army museum and is all about the soldiers who contributed and sacrificed their lives for the nation. After this is the Shanti Stupa, which is the very famous attraction of Leh as this will give the aerial view of the beautiful mountains. In the evening, you can end your tour with the Zorawar night show with a cinematic experience.
Now is the time for Nubra Valley which is near Khardungla pass. The distance between Leh and Khardungla is about 40 kilometers which is full of beautiful scenes that you will come across. On the way to Nubra Valley you can also visit North Pullu where most of the tourists stop and enjoy their lunch in the nearby hotel after their check point permit. After this you will also get the opportunity of camping in Nubra. Along with this you can also take a ride on a double Humped camel in Sand Dune.
Next day can be planned for Pangong Lake. The beauty of this place is that it changes its color from shades of blue to green to red. It is situated at a high altitude that is filled with saline water. Here you can visit the 3 Idiots film spot and this is the place where this movie climax is shot. On the final day of the tour, you can visit Tso Moriri which is a lake that gives you a soothing experience with the chilling cold out there.