Introduction
There is a lot of confusion about when is the Leh Ladakh bike trip best time because Ladakh has extreme seasons. This is mostly because the entrances to Ladakh, Zoji La, and Rohtang Pass remain closed during the winter. In addition, frequent landslides make it difficult to navigate these entry points during the monsoon. This leaves you with a small window of opportunity throughout the year to view Ladakh’s moonscapes.
It is generally agreed that the best time to visit Ladakh is between the months of June and September. In addition to these months, winter is a good time to take a bike trip to Leh-Ladakh, but the cold temperatures make riding very difficult.
Renting cost
The cost of renting a bike for a trip to Ladakh varies slightly because you can bring your own or rent one to ride until Ladakh. A trip on your own bike will cost you between INR 17,000 and 20,000, while hiring a bike can cost between INR 25,000 and 28,000, taking into account costs for fuel, lodging, food, gear, and permits. Because of this price, the best time to ride a bike in Leh, Ladakh, is in the summer.
Total Duration
The total distance of the trip will vary depending on where you start. However, assuming that you begin your journey in either Manali or Srinagar, the trip will last between 7 and 9 days. During this time, you will not only see the most important places to see in Ladakh, but you will also see where the journey began and ended.
In addition, the total distance between two locations is a subjective factor. However, the majority of the traveled distance will be between 1200 and 1500 kilometers.
Various Insights
Because Ladakh as a whole is still a mystery and there are still some things you need to know before starting this trip, the best time to visit Leh Ladakh on a bike is in the summer.
There will be a great deal of paperwork. To enter Nubra Valley, Pangong Lake, and other locations, Indian citizens living in India will need an Inner Line Permit. A Protected Area Permit is required for foreigners and Indians living outside of India to access these locations.
Consequently, you will visit the Leh DC office upon arrival to get your paperwork stamped. You can only visit any of these places from Leh, and you need to have the proper paperwork to do so.
Aside from that, if you are traveling to Ladakh on your own bicycle, you must prepare all the necessary paperwork. The bike must pass a pollution check, and be registered to you (you cannot bring a relative’s bike without them present), and the terrain is too rough for ordinary bikes.
If you are bringing your own bike, you should keep in mind that it must be in good health. This is because it’s possible that you won’t find the right mechanics on your way to Ladakh, which could be cause for concern.
During the monsoon season, the Manali-Leh highway is susceptible to landslides. In these circumstances, avoid the road. Because Ladakh is on the rain shadow side of the Himalayas, you might think that everything else nearby would be the same as it is on this side.
At such altitudes, acute mountain sickness (AMS) is always a real possibility, so be prepared for it. Dehydration is not only a symptom of AMS but also a cause of it, so always drink plenty of water.
Places to visit
You can see a lot of places and see them at their best when you visit Leh, Ladakh, on a bike during the best time to do so.
Name these locations:
- Diskit Monastery
- Panamik
- Turtuk,
- Pangong Tso,
- Shyok Village,
- Sham Valley (Magnetic Hill, Pathar Sahab Gurudwara, Confluence of Indus and Zanskar),
- Upshi,
- Kargil,
- Nubra Valley and Khardung La Pass
Prices may rise during this time of year when the weather is unpredictable, the roads are rough, and there is snow on them. This can be attributed to a number of things, including extreme weather, decreased imports of goods, and a decrease in road connectivity. Because of this, going on a bike trip to Ladakh in the winter might cost you more, say, INR 35,000, than it would in the summer.
Make sure to check out our bike trip package to Manali, Leh, and Srinagar before embarking on the best adventure of your life.
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