Manali, Leh & Kashmir · 11 Nights / 12 Days
Manali to Leh and Srinagar by Road
The full Himalayan traverse: two nights in Manali, then the high road over Baralacha La and Taglang La to Leh, Nubra and Pangong, and out over Zoji La to Srinagar. One of the great road journeys, done in one direction so you never backtrack.
Duration
11 nights / 12 days
Route
Manali → Sarchu → Leh → Pangong → Nubra → Kargil → Srinagar
Best months
Mid-Jun to mid-Sep (both the Manali–Leh and Srinagar–Leh roads open)
Price
from ₹40,000 per person
Planned and run by the Falcon Trails team
Local team in Srinagar · private cab · itemised quote before you pay
Day by day
The whole itinerary, nothing withheld.
- 1
Arrive Manali
Pickup at Manali, or at Bhuntar (Kullu) airport, or driven up from Chandigarh. Manali is at about 2,050 m. Rest and settle in.
Hotel in ManaliDinner - 2
Manali
The Hadimba temple in the deodars, Vashisht’s hot springs and old Manali. An easy day on purpose, to be rested before the high road.
Hotel in ManaliBreakfast & dinner - 3
Manali to Sarchu
The long climb over Atal Tunnel, Baralacha La (about 4,890 m) and the Gata Loops to Sarchu on the Himachal–Ladakh border, at about 4,290 m. A high first night; take it slowly.
Camp in SarchuBreakfast & dinner - 4
Sarchu to Leh
Over the Moraine plains and Taglang La (about 5,330 m), down the Indus to Leh at about 3,500 m.
Hotel in LehBreakfast & dinner - 5
Rest day in Leh
A slow day after the road: the palace and Old Town on foot, Shanti Stupa at sunset. Shey, Thiksey and Hemis if you are feeling well.
Hotel in LehBreakfast & dinner - 6
Leh to Pangong
Over Chang La to Pangong Tso, the lake that changes colour through the day.
Camp at PangongBreakfast & dinner - 7
Pangong to Nubra
Along the Shyok river to the Nubra valley, the monastery at Diskit and the dunes at Hunder.
Camp in NubraBreakfast & dinner - 8
Nubra to Leh via Khardung La
Back over Khardung La (about 5,360 m) to Leh.
Hotel in LehBreakfast & dinner - 9
Leh to Kargil
West along the Indus past the Lamayuru moonland and Mulbekh’s rock-cut Maitreya to Kargil, at about 2,700 m.
Hotel in KargilBreakfast & dinner - 10
Kargil to Srinagar
Through Drass, with a stop at the Kargil war memorial, over Zoji La and down to Sonamarg, then on to Srinagar.
Hotel or houseboat in SrinagarBreakfast & dinner - 11
Srinagar
The Mughal gardens, the old city and a shikara on Dal Lake, after the long road days.
Houseboat, Dal or Nigeen LakeBreakfast & dinner - 12
Depart Srinagar
Drop at Srinagar airport.
Breakfast
What’s included
- Hotels and camps through Manali, Sarchu, Leh, Nubra, Pangong, Kargil and Srinagar, on twin-sharing
- Daily breakfast and dinner
- Private cab Manali–Leh, a Ladakh-registered cab within Ladakh as local rules require, then private cab Leh–Srinagar
- Pickup in Manali and drop at Srinagar airport
- A shikara ride on Dal Lake
- Ladakh environmental fee and permits (Protected Area Permit for foreign nationals)
- One named trip coordinator on WhatsApp for the whole trip
Not included
- Flights or buses to Manali and home from Srinagar
- Oxygen or medical costs at altitude
- Camel rides, monastery entry fees and anything not listed as included
We list exclusions plainly rather than burying them. If something here matters to you, ask — most can be added to the quote.
A Small Promise from Us
When you book this tour with Falcon Trails, we plant a native tree in Kashmir in your party’s name as our contribution towards preserving the natural beauty of the valley for future generations.
Honest Travel Advisory
Who this Manali to Leh and Srinagar by Road itinerary is NOT for
- •Anyone who struggles with altitude: This direction is the harder one: the first night at Sarchu is already about 4,290 m, reached in one day from Manali. Driving in from Srinagar instead builds height more gently. Anyone with a heart or lung condition should take medical advice before going above 3,500 m.
- •Anyone travelling outside the short window: The Manali–Leh road opens later and closes earlier than the Srinagar road; both are reliably open only from about mid-June to mid-September. We confirm both are open before you book.
If any of these apply to your party, speak to us and we will adapt the route.
Before you book
Questions on this itinerary.
Why start in Manali and not Srinagar?
So you cross the whole range once, Manali to Srinagar, without driving any road twice. The trade-off is altitude: the Manali side gains height fast, so the first two nights matter.
Can we do it the other way, Srinagar to Manali?
Yes, and it is gentler on the altitude. Tell us which end your flights suit and we plan it that way.
How many days do we need?
Twelve days is the sensible minimum for the full traverse with a rest day in Leh. Less than that and something high gets cut.
Customise this trip
This is the template. Yours will be different.
Add a night, swap a hotel category, start from a different city, travel with fifteen people instead of two. Tell us what changes and we rebuild the itinerary and the quote around it.
Every quote comes from our own team, from the planner who will actually run your trip.