9-day Ladakh Road Trip (Manali to Leh)

Arrive in Manali and check-in to a pre-confirmed hotel in the hill station. Today, you can explore the charming area of Old Manali and visit the popular Hidimba Temple or Vashisht hot springs. Overnight in a guesthouse at Manali.

Overnight in Dragon Guesthouse or similar at Manali.

Arrive in Manali and spend the first night of your trip in a guesthouse. Today's package includes dinner only. No lunch is provided but you'll have plenty of options in the many restaurants at Manali.

Begin your journey across Ladakh with a scenic drive towards Jispa. This drive will take on the twisting roads of the Rohtang Pass and alongside mountain slopes decorated by purple, pink and yellow flowers. You'll stop at Keylong for a short break by mid-afternoon and reach Jispa by early evening. Overnight in a lodge at Jispa.

Overnight in Padma Lodge or similar at Jispa.

Travel from Manali to Jispa. You'll spend the night in Jispa at a lodge. Today's meal package includes breakfast and dinner only. En route, you'll stop at Keylong where you can have lunch at your own expense.

Make your way to Leh by travelling through the arid but riveting barren mountains of Leh. En route, your journey will take you to the Gata Loops, a series of 21 hairpin bends, and the Moore Plains, a vast and gorgeous stretch of flat land. You'll drive across the Naki-La Pass and enjoy scenic views of the turquoise Indus River in a few sections. Overnight in a hotel at Leh.

Overnight in Hotel Kanishka or similar at Leh.

Travel from Jispa to Leh. You'll spend the night in Leh at a hotel. Today's meal package includes breakfast and dinner only. En route, you'll stop at restaurants or eateries to have lunch at your own expense.

Today, you'll spend your day visiting local attractions around Leh. You'll begin with the Shey Palace, a historic building that now lays in ruin. You'll stop by the Druk White Lotus School as well, featured in the famous Bollywood movie '3 Idiots'. You'll then proceed to the Thikse Monastery, one of the largest monasteries near Leh, and end the day at the Shanti Stupa, an important Buddhist Gompa. Overnight in a hotel at Leh.

Overnight in Hotel Kanishka or similar at Leh.

Travel to a few of the popular attractions near Leh. You'll spend the night in the same hotel as yesterday. Today's meal package includes breakfast and dinner only. You'll have plenty of options for lunch in the many restaurants at Leh.

Travel to the Nubra Valley, most notably known for sprawling sand dunes and Bactrian camels. En route, you'll drive over the Khardung-La Pass, the world's highest motorable, mountain pass. You'll also stop by the 14th century Diskit Monastery before reaching the village of Hunder. Take a camel ride in the sand dunes of Hunder or visit the tiny little village of Sumur. Overnight in a guesthouse or hotel at Hunder.

Overnight in Apple Cottage or similar at Nubra.

Travel from Leh to Nubra Valley. You'll spend the night at Hunder in a guesthouse or hotel. Today's meal package includes breakfast and dinner. You'll reach Hunder by late afternoon, where you can have lunch at your own expense.

You'll board the vehicle and travel to the magical Pangong Lake, a high-altitude water body that extends partly into China and changes water colour by time of day. No trip to Ladakh is complete without at least a night spent in Swiss tents by the crystal clear waters of this lake. Arguably, this lake is one of the most scenic things you'll see on this Ladakh road trip. You'll spend the night in Maan, a small village by the lake. Overnight in Swiss tents at Pangong Lake.

Overnight in Holiday Shore Camps at the Pangong Lake.

Travel from the Nubra Valley to Pangong Lake. You'll spend the night at Pangong Lake in Swiss tents. Today's meal package includes breakfast and dinner only. You can carry a packed lunch from Hunder or stop at a restaurant or eatery en route.

Spend the wee hours of the day admiring morning views of the Pangong Lake. On your way back to Leh, you'll travel on a serpentine route in the mountains, often with steep curves and inclines. Overnight in a hotel at Leh.

Overnight in Hotel Kanishka or similar at Leh.

Travel from Pangong Lake to Leh. You'll spend the night in Leh at a hotel. Today's meal package includes breakfast and dinner only. En route, you'll stop at Karu where you can have lunch at your own expense.

Today, you'll spend an action-packed day with a rafting session on the Zanskar River. You'll drive up to visit the confluence of Zanskar and Indus rivers, where you'll have a short briefing. Once you're ready, you'll embark on a thrilling 14-km ride over grade III rapids. Return to the Leh city by nightfall. Overnight in a hotel at Leh.

Overnight in Hotel Kanishka or similar at Leh.

Go rafting in Leh. You'll spend the night in Leh at the same hotel as yesterday. Today's meal package includes breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Check-out from the hotel and proceed to your next destination. Your Ladakh road trip ends here.

Your trip ends by early morning.

Check-out from Leh and proceed to your next destination. Today's meal package includes breakfast only. Your Ladakh road trip ends here.