Delhi to Leh Ladakh Travel Guide
One thing I have to give it to Mr. Amir Khan that he is a trendsetter when it comes to doing movies. Seriously how many of you have thought about going to Ladakh after watching 3 idiots, ya ya I know the answer is plenty!!! Ladakh is a part of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. Ladakh consists of two districts – Leh and Kargil. Leh is at an altitude of around 3505 m while Kargil is roughly at an altitude of 2750 m. Due to the strong influence of Tibetan culture on it, Ladakh is often called ‘Little Tibet’. Today in this article we are going to explore the modes of transportation to Leh Ladakh from New Delhi.
Mode of travel |
Road | Air |
Distance (in Km) |
1046 Km | 602 Km |
Time taken | 21 hrs |
2 hr |
Risk factor | Moderate |
Relatively high |
if you are planning to go by air I would less recommend it because the climate of Leh-Ladakh fluctuates on a drop of a hat. Mostly it is preferred to use rented cars, bikes or privately owned vehicles (MUVs/SUVs) for this sort of journey maybe because there are numerous sightseeing spots on the way by road.
Roadways – Delhi to Leh Ladakh
There are only two routes to reach Ladakh. One is from Srinagar and the other from Manali. The route from Srinagar to Ladakh via Kargil remains open from early June to November. However, due to Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir the main route now is the Manali-Leh Highway from Himachal Pradesh. The Rohtang Pass on the Manali-Leh highway opens between July and September.
The HRTC and J&K SRTC operate daily bus services both deluxe and ordinary from Manali and Srinagar. Various transport facilities like mini coaches, shared taxis and rented motorbikes are also available to reach by road and the rates are pretty reasonable.
Route for travel by road in private vehicle – New Delhi to Manali to Rohtang pass to Jispa to Tandi (for stacking up the fuel) to Keylong to Sarchu to Leh.
Airways – Delhi to Leh Ladakh
- 3 airlines operate between Leh and Delhi
- 6 flights per week fly out of Leh connecting to Delhi
- Mumbai, IN is the most popular connection for one stop flights between Leh and Delhi
- 1,149 seats are available per day to fly out of Leh connecting to Delhi
Flight num | Airline | Timings | Fare | Fare (early bird) |
G8-195 | GoAir | 5:15pm – 6:35pm | 6100 | 5000 |
G8-203 | GoAir | 6:45pm – 8pm | 6100 | 5000 |
G8-193 | GoAir | 8:40am – 9:55am | 6100 | 5000 |
9W-2368 | JetKonnect | 5:40 – 7:05 | 7620 | 5500 |
AI-445 | Air India | 6:15am – 7:35am | 10500 | 7800 |
Once you reach Leh there are plenty of private vehicle owners that would take you beyond Leh into the realms of Ladakh. So, in Leh – Ladakh, travelers mostly commute either by private hired taxis or shared taxis run by tour operators or by finding travels partners and sharing the cost with them or riding rented bikes or ultimately self-drive on their personal bikes or cars. Few numbers of drivers are:
- Manzoor – 09622973951
- Chamba – 09906999808
- Naseer – 09906229203 and 09469293183
- Dorjey – 09419372742, 09622969317
- Dorjay Anbchuk – 09419308051
- Tashi – 09469630613, 09906994647, 09419342238
- Tsewang – 09622993372
- Tsewang (not same as above) – 09419853528
- Sonam – 09419371012
- Abbas – 09622998367
- Abbas (not same as above) – 09622971759, 09469271786