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* Let's Go ! 485 km separate Manali and Leh, and the changes in scenery to be witnessed during this journey are absolutely stunning! There are actually quite a lot of towns along the way, most of them being nothing more than a cluster of a dozen of tents. But at each town, you will be able to find some food, some shelter, and really friendly people! Foreigners have to show their passport, permit and VISA at a few checkpoints, but nothing too troublesome! Altitudes change a lot and the basically keeps going up and down, with a total of four passes to cross! The lack of Oxygen can be felt from 3,500m onwards. Permits were handled by the guide and I had absolutely no issues! I have summarized the towns, and the altitudes of the trip in the following graph: | ||
The first leg of the journey from Manali to Jispa is at lower altitudes, and the landscapes are actually quite similar to what can be seen in the Alps! The second leg of the journey from Jispa to Pang is the most challenging as there are two passes above 5,000m to cross, and the roads are tricky. However, the scenery changes gradually to rocks and sand. The last leg from Pang to Leh is the reward of the journey, with an amazing 60km stretch of highway on the Himalayan Plateau. |
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Manali to Jispa |
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Jispa to Pang |
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Pang to Leh |
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Manali to Jispa -The first day of the ride is really exciting because that is when you grab your Royal Enfield, and leave Manali with a view on the impressive far-away snow-capped mountains which will need to be crossed! As Manali is located at a lower altitude, it is more prone to Monsoon Rains, and it is on this first day of ride that rain / snow is more likely, and that there are the most rivers and water streams to cross.The first challenge is Rohtang Pass at 4,000m altitude. The road is muddy and is prone to traffic jams due to the many Indian Tourists who go to this "accessible" pass to see snow. After Rohtang Pass, traffic becomes very scarce, and the ride is really enjoyable! |
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The road trip starts at 8am, with a quick stop at the petrol station, and the mountain-roads are reached 20 minutes after leaving Manali town. |
Traffic jams on the way up to Rhotang Pass are to be expected, with their lot of honking, mud pools and exhaust gaz, but as soon as the top of the pass is reached, the road is pretty much yours! |
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Closer to Rhotang Pass, we encountered a little bit of fog (which is basically the cloud ceiling, as we reach nearly 4,000m) but I should think that it can get much much worse when the monsoon hits in July-August. |
Over the Pass! The road is good, with lots of bends and some sandy/rocky patches as it follows the Chenab river. |
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Neither the bike nor the road condition will let you speed! There are alot of unexpected encounters to be made, including queuing behind herds of goats with their beautiful and expensive Pashmina wool! |
As the roads are cut from cliffs and mountains on the side of Valleys; riders always have to be on the lookout for rock slides. |
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Manali -> Jispa |
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Jispa -> Pang |
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Pang -> Leh |
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Jispa to Pang-Although the second day's ride has about the same milage as the first, it is more difficult because the roads are at higher altitudes and have more bends and passes. The town of Sarchu at 4,300m (which is just a set of tents) marks the border between Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh.It is during this leg of the road trip that the scenery really changes from green valleys to the impressive dry landscape of the rocky mountains. It is also during this second day that riders get to experience their first ride over 5,000m ! |
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June is the best month to attempt the journey because by then, the snows should have melted and the water streams are manageable. If too early, the roads can be completely blocked by high current streams! Riders should not stay near the water as flash floods are common. |
At 3,810m, Deepak Tal lake is beautiful with Turquoise waters, and is surrounded by high snow-capped mountains. |
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As progress is made towards Ladakh, the landscape changes gradually to become arid and rocky. |
There are a few bridges to cross on the Manali-Leh highway. However, because the primary objective of this road is to convey military goods & fuel; all bridges are designed to withstand the heavy Tata trucks! |
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| & It is best to wear a few layers of clothes and keep some dry ones ready. The fact that the road is going up and down means that you get quite large temperature variations! |
The low traffic on this portion of the journey means that you often get to enjoy personal stretches of road, a truly amazing sensation! |
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Before reaching every single pass, riders have to go many loops on the flank of the mountains. The ZingZing Bar loops, and the 21 Gata loops (as seen here) are particularly tiring on the clutch hand ! |
The landscape after Sarchu is extremely arid, and the high altitude means that the cloud ceiling is very low and leaves beautiful dancing shadows on the mountains and plains. |
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Located at 5,079m, Lachung La is the third high pass of the second day's journey and for me was the most tiring to get to! From there, it is a steady descent to Pang. |
Finally, after a whole day of riding; warm accommodation was waiting for us at Pang, a camp which comes to life only in summer. Located at 4,600m, Pang is a tough place to sleep in due to the lack of Oxygen which is particularly dreadful at night! -> Drink water! |
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Manali -> Jispa |
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Jispa -> Pang |
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Pang -> Leh |
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Pang to Leh-The final portion of the Manali-Leh on the third day is spectacular. After a long up-hill winding road leading out of Pang, the road to Tanglang La Pass is a long stretch of excellent quality road on a plateau with amazing lunar scenery. TangLang La Pass is the last and highest pass of the Manali-Leh highway reaching more than 5,300m. After TangLang La it is a long down-hill road into rocky mountains until Upshi. Before arriving in Leh, there is a long drive in the lush Indus Valley, where the green of plantations and trees offer a spectacular contrast with the dry mountains! The last 30km to Leh go through small villages, pass by monasteries and up a long straight road bordered by trees to the final destination! |
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The third day's ride starts with a steep climb from Pang, into the amazing More Plains. |
The more plains is basically a stretch of straight and level highway at more than 4,700m altitude with absolutely breathtaking scenery. For me, this portion of the road was one of the best! |
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Stupas are on top of most passes, and at most intersections in Ladakh. One has to turn clockwise around it for luck and as a prayer! |
At 5,328m; Thanglang La is the highest pass between Manali in Leh, and is the second highest motorable road in the world! |
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Prayer flags are a very common sight in Ladakh. Each little piece of fabric has prayers printed on them and a flag is made out of many of these flags. The flags are always attached in windy locations so that the prayers can be "taken" by the wind. |
As the journey nears the end and the road approaches Leh, the road becomes better and better, but also with more traffic! |
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The arrival in Leh is fantastic because for a very long time there is only wilderness, and its only little by little that civilization emerges at last! |
The way to Leh crosses three main monasteries, highlights of Buddhism: Hemis, Thiksey and Shey. |
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Reaching Leh was really a mixed feeling: happiness -and relief- for having successfully ridden on one of the toughest roads in the region, but at the same time; already a feeling of nostalgia of the ride! |
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Manali -> Jispa |
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Jispa -> Pang |
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Pang -> Leh |
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Finally; LEH! |
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