This is the second part of our two part Ladakh series where we will detail everything that you need to plan that ultimate Ladakh trip. For detailed itinerary read part 1 An incredible trip to Leh Ladakh.
Best Time to Visit
June to September (July, August being the busiest months)
This is the summer time when the days are pleasant and the cold is moderate. Many significant routes like the Manali – Leh and Srinagar – Leh start opening and chances of road blockage are less. As many Ladakhi festivals happen in this time including the Hemis Festival, expect a lot of crowd there.
Visit towards the end of August to avoid the summer crowd.
If you are an adventure seeker and love Solitude, then a visit to Ladakh in winter [December to March] is recommended.
Taxi
Renting a taxi for the whole trip is the best way to explore Leh-Ladakh as the roads at many places are treacherous and need special expertise. On the other hand, if you have already driven in difficult mountain terrains, then car and bike are also available at Leh for rent. To have an estimation of the total taxi cost for the trip, you may have a look at the Ladakh taxi union rates for various routes. The rates are published every year and here is the rate chart for year 2018-19: Leh-Ladakh Taxi Rate
Book your taxi before the start of you trip (especially for the high season of May to August) for convenience and do not forget to ask the driver for a discount on the total taxi cost. They usually provide a 10-15% discount on the total amount.
Travelling solo or on a tight budget? No worries. There are shared taxis available from the taxi stand for various places including Nubra, Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri.
Permits
Inner Line Permit (ILP) is required for Indian Nationals to visit certain places like Pangong Tso, Nubra Valley and to Tso Moriri etc. You may obtain the permit from DC office in Leh or apply for it online through www.lahdclehpermit.in. Similarly, Foreign nationals need Protected Area Permit (PAP) to visit some places in Ladakh and it can be obtained from the same website mentioned for ILP.
There are many accommodation options available in Leh-Ladakh for every range of traveler starting from budget and medium range guest houses to luxury hotels and tents. We suggest to check for their reviews on Trip Adviser before going ahead with the booking. But if you are keen on experiencing Ladakhi culture, then we suggest to go with the home stays and small guest houses that give you a feeling of being at home. These are the places where you can enjoy freshly prepared local dishes or special Ladakhi tea in the kitchen itself which is decorated with colorful bone china pottery and rows of beautiful bowls and saucer sets. This also gives you the opportunity to talk to fellow travelers from different places (even different countries) and to make new friends. We stayed in a medium range guest house in Leh and a home stay run by an old couple in Tso Moriri and thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it.
For solo travelers or groups, there are dormitories with shared toilets available in almost all guest houses at reasonable price.
We recommend
Stay in a tented accommodation in Nubra Valley among the apricot trees and enjoy the starlit sky at night. This may be a bit expensive than a medium range lodge/hotel, but we can assure you the experience will be well worth it. Read More…..