"Kolkata - Leh - Manali - Kolkata" Route Planning and Inputs Needed

[rohit_navigator]

Today, Tomorrow and Day after, this way my Dream Trip to complete the

"Kolkata - Leh - Manali - Kolkata" Circuit Kept on Getting Delayed.

Finally took a Vacation Long enough to Execute this trip.

So TAI-gers , I am Planning to complete this circuit in May ~ June.
Planning to start Probably on 20th or 27th MAY 2015 unless some Emergency Crops up !

I did quite a lot of homework and chalked out an approximate passage plan.

Since I am partly a follower of some Old-School procedures, also don't Trust the MapMyIndia much, I had manually planned the trip on paper.
Printed some maps from Google for guidance.

Here are the details I have planned out, and updating with Inputs whenever I find any.

So Tai-gers and Experts Please Pour in Your Suggestions and Inputs
and :me in any way Possible.
Any Inputs will be Highly Appreciated

Please Note that the Timings / Dates and Hotels are all approximate till now because I do not prefer to book Hotels in advance, just check in as I reach.
Also I am in No deadline to reach Home, so didn't wanted to Hurry !

Please Excuse Me if My writings are not legible.




Wanted an Early Morning Blessing From Shivji, so Varanasi.

 

[smooth rider]

delhi srinagar is it doable in a single day ? i am not sure. roads are narrow and heavy traffic. you may have to stop in between. patnitop has good accomodations. we had stopped beyond banihal at the JKTDC alpine resorts. very nice & cosy accomodation just by the road side. very cheap too.the road via udhampur was potholed when we went, but we bye passed jammu as its a politically volatile area with unexpected bandhs ( as like here in kerala ) i too am from the old school but the mapmyindia gps is very handy and spot on in ladakh you can rely on it very much.

 

[rohit_navigator]

delhi srinagar is it doable in a single day ? i am not sure. roads are narrow and heavy traffic. you may have to stop in between. patnitop has good accomodations. we had stopped beyond banihal at the JKTDC alpine resorts. very nice & cosy accomodation just by the road side. very cheap too.the road via udhampur was potholed when we went, but we bye passed jammu as its a politically volatile area with unexpected bandhs ( as like here in kerala ) i too am from the old school but the mapmyindia gps is very handy and spot on in ladakh you can rely on it very much.

Thank You Very Much For the Update smooth rider, Updating mine accordingly.

Truly Speaking I also preferred Bypassing Jammu.
So MapMyIndia works Spot On? WoW Thank You.


Also Just to Follow Up further, just got this Passage Plan from the "HVK"

D1: Calcutta-Allahabad

D2: Allahabad-Delhi

D3: Delhi-Jammu

D4: Jammu-Srinagar

D5: Srinagar (buffer for delays crossing Zoji la)

D6: Srinagar-Kargil

D7: Kargi-Leh

D8: Leh

D9: Leh-Khardung la-Turtuk (Nubra Valley)

D10: Turtuk-Khardung la-Leh

D9:1Leh-Pangong-Leh

D12: Leh

D13: Leh-Keylong

D14: Keylong-Manali

D15: Manali-Delhi

D16: Delhi (buffer)

D17: Delhi-Varanasi

D18:Varanasi-Calcutta

If you add some more places in the Ladakh circuit,

D13: Leh-Hanle

D14: Hanle-Tso Moriri

D15: Tso Moriri-Keylong

D16: Keylong-Manali
..
D20: Varanasi-Calcutta
If you add Zanskar Valley too,

D7: Kargil-Rangdum-Padum (tough, consider turn back at Darang Durung or else taking an extra day to reach Padum)

D8: Padum-Kargil

D9: Buffer

Buffers are required to cushion against delays in Zoji la, water crossings in Leh-Keylong route and delays in crossing Rohtang Pass.

 

[rahul4640]

So Tai-gers and Experts Please Pour in Your Suggestions and Inputs
and :me in any way Possible. Any Inputs will be Highly Appreciated

I think you may even contact HVK for some information.

delhi srinagar is it doable in a single day? i am not sure.

Though I know that you have endurance, I like to voice the same concern too.

 

[rohit_navigator]

I think you may even contact HVK for some information.

Though I know that you have endurance, I like to voice the same concern too.

Thank You for the Compliment Sir, will surely alter the plan and make a Stop in between.
Also, I did contact HVK and got the plan above, but don't you feel the Plan by HVK has too many Stops?
Definitely I may be Wrong, just Curious !

 

[smooth rider]

it you haven't been to srinagar before i would suggest one more day in srinagar to see the sights there and recuperate from the long ride from calcutta. from delhi i feel you can go beyond jammu and stay some where beyond so as to reach srinagar next day before 12 noon and have extra half day there. which automobile are you taking for the trip ?

 

[rohit_navigator]

it you haven't been to srinagar before i would suggest one more day in srinagar to see the sights there and recuperate from the long ride from calcutta. from delhi i feel you can go beyond jammu and stay some where beyond so as to reach srinagar next day before 12 noon and have extra half day there. which automobile are you taking for the trip ?

I am Taking my Scorpio S10 with me smooth rider.

Will go past Jammu and stay over as you have mentioned, to cover some extra distance.

And Definitely I would Love to do the sight seeing of Srinagar.

 

[smooth rider]

how many members & how many drivers are going ? scorpio would be the ideal vehicle for ladakh. the below link is a good one if you haven't gone through-
http://www.bcmtouring.com/travel-guides/ladakh-travel-guide/index.html

 

[rohit_navigator]

how many members & how many drivers are going ? scorpio would be the ideal vehicle for ladakh. the below link is a good one if you haven't gone through-
Ladakh Travel Guide | BCMTouring

Thank You so much for the link

I have gone through this guide for making notes.
All you wanted to know about traveling to Leh – Ladakh - BCMTouring

It will me , my wife and two of my friends.
Members - 4
Drivers will be 2 of us.

 

[smooth rider]

no updates. is the trip still on ?

 

[rohit_navigator]

Sorry for the Late Reply,
Here is My FINAL Travel Plans.
Oh Yes, The Trip is Definitely "ON"
HVK and Highway Club will take care of all the boarding arrangements.

03-Jun : Calcutta-Varanasi, 693 Kms
04-Jun : Varanasi-Delhi, 818 Kms
05-Jun : Delhi-Jammu, 643 Kms
06-Jun : Jammu-Srinagar, 312 Kms (Will Stop and Stay for sight seeing, but not yet confirmed, I need one more reason for another Road Trip)
07-Jun : Srinagar-Kargil , 215 Kms
08-Jun : Kargil-Leh, 239 Kms
09-Jun : Leh-Shey-Thikshey-Stakna-Hemis-Stok-Leh-Spituk-Leh, 118 Kms
10-Jun : Leh-Turtuk, 241 Kms
11-Jun : Turtuk-Leh , 229 Kms
12-Jun : Leh-Pangong-Leh, 320 Kms
13-Jun : Leh
14-Jun : Leh-Hanle, 263 Kms
15-Jun : Hanle-Tso Moriri , 166 Kms
16-Jun : Tso Moriri-Keylong, 355 Kms
17-Jun : Keylong-Manali, 123 Kms
18-Jun : Manali-Panipat, 534 Kms
19-Jun : Panipat-Allahabad, 834 Kms
20-Jun : Allahabad-Calcutta, 778 Kms

 

[Chandranath]

Sorry for the Late Reply,
Here is My FINAL Travel Plans.
Oh Yes, The Trip is Definitely "ON"
HVK and Highway Club will take care of all the boarding arrangements.

03-Jun : Calcutta-Varanasi, 693 Kms
04-Jun : Varanasi-Delhi, 818 Kms
05-Jun : Delhi-Jammu, 643 Kms
06-Jun : Jammu-Srinagar, 312 Kms (Will Stop and Stay for sight seeing, but not yet confirmed, I need one more reason for another Road Trip)
07-Jun : Srinagar-Kargil , 215 Kms
08-Jun : Kargil-Leh, 239 Kms
09-Jun : Leh-Shey-Thikshey-Stakna-Hemis-Stok-Leh-Spituk-Leh, 118 Kms
10-Jun : Leh-Turtuk, 241 Kms
11-Jun : Turtuk-Leh , 229 Kms
12-Jun : Leh-Pangong-Leh, 320 Kms
13-Jun : Leh
14-Jun : Leh-Hanle, 263 Kms
15-Jun : Hanle-Tso Moriri , 166 Kms
16-Jun : Tso Moriri-Keylong, 355 Kms
17-Jun : Keylong-Manali, 123 Kms
18-Jun : Manali-Panipat, 534 Kms
19-Jun : Panipat-Allahabad, 834 Kms
20-Jun : Allahabad-Calcutta, 778 Kms

Rohit, Tso Morari Keylong is long and will be a big grind. But i believe there will be 2 of you driving.

And one more thing. I feel in a tight roped drive you should either visit Tso Morari or Pangon. Just my thoughts as SR will be in a better position to comment.

 

[rohit_navigator]

Thank You for Pointing out chandranath da.
Yes it will be 2 drivers, but i am planning to do all the driving.
This would be the typical hilly terrain to drive, and definitely exhausting.
So is there any alternative that I can opt for in this case?

 

[Chandranath]

Thank You for Pointing out chandranath da.
Yes it will be 2 drivers, but i am planning to do all the driving.
This would be the typical hilly terrain to drive, and definitely exhausting.
So is there any alternative that I can opt for in this case?

Smooth Rider can answer. Let him respond.

 

[smooth rider]

no problem tso moriri- keylong is doable. i did tsomoriri- jisp. started by 9.30 am it was a leisurely pace with nearly 1.5 hours stop for cleaning my vehicle at pang. reached jispa by 10pm i think. its only 35 odd kms to keylong from jispa. keylong would be ideal for stop compared to jispa as there are more accomodations there. driving in the himalayas was never tiring for me. i did most of the driving.