The honest account of riding the Leh-Ladakh Highway end to end — the altitude headaches, the rest days I didn't plan for, and the stretches that genuinely changed how I think about riding.
I'd been thinking about this ride for three years before I actually did it. Every motorcycling friend in India has an opinion on Leh-Ladakh — and almost none of them line up. Here's what mine looks like now that I've done it.
The route, day by day
Day 0 · Arrival in Leh
- · Arrive in Leh by afternoon, rest and acclimatise
- · Explore the town, eat thukpa and momos, sleep early
Day 1 · Acclimatisation
- · Easy warm-up: ~60 km
- · Arrival in Leh, In and around Leh
- · Sleep low to acclimatise
Day 2 · Leh → Nubra Valley
- · Ride along the Leh-Ladakh Highway
- · Route via Khardung La
- · Different Terrains
Day 4 · Nubra Valley → Pangong
- · Khardung La (5,359 m) — highest motorable pass in the world
- · Don't be a hero. Take it slow, take breaks, and don't forget to breathe.
- · Pang is a tiny village with a few homestays. Book ahead.
Day 5 · Pangong → Hanle
- · Chang La (5,360 m) — the most scenic pass
- · The descent into Sarchu is a gravel riverbed. Take it easy.
- · Sarchu has tents and a few homestays. Book ahead.
Day 6 · Hanle → Umingla → Hanle
- · Gata Loops — 21 hairpins that climb 470 m in just 9 km
- · Climb Umingla and soak in the summit views before descending back to Hanle
- · Arrive in Leh by evening, celebrate with thukpa and momos
Day 7 · Hanle → Leh
- · Tso Kar is a salt lake at 4,580 m. Stunning in the morning light.
- · The road is gravel and can be rough. Take it slow.
- · Return to Leh by evening, rest and enjoy the town.
Day 8 · At Leh
- · Rest and recuperate in Leh
- · Explore the town and its attractions
- · Prepare for the journey back
Day 9 · Return to Bangalore
- · Leh to Delhi
- · Explore Delhi and return to Bangalore
- · Carry lot of memories
What surprised me
The hardest part wasn't the passes. It was Gata Loops — 21 hairpins that climb 470 m and somehow feel like 4,700. The easiest part was Tanglang La, the highest pass, because by then I'd stopped fighting the altitude and started breathing with it.
What I'd do differently
- Acclimatise in Leh for 2 nights before starting.
- Carry a Diamox prescription. Use it on day 2, not day 4.
- Cash > UPI. Signal dies after Keylong.
