Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Manali to Leh: the Himalayan highway and the Nubra Valley
11 days from Delhi: two nights in Manali, through the Atal Tunnel to Lahaul, a camp night at Sarchu, over Taglang La to three nights in Leh, then Khardung La to the Nubra Valley.
11 days · Round trip from Delhi · up to 12 guests
The signboard at Taglang La, crossed on day 5 Photo: McKay Savage from London, UK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:India_-_Ladakh_-_Travel_-_007_-_Taglang_La_pass_(3891886065).jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 11 days, 10 nights
- Start and end
- Round trip from Delhi
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Longest drive
- 7.5 h on day 5
- Activity level
Active
The walking is easy to moderate: 1 to 3 hours a day in temples, monasteries and villages, with steep monastery stairs and one 2 to 3 hour acclimatisation walk near Manali. Altitude and road time make it active rather than moderate: you sleep one night at about 4,300 m at Sarchu, cross four passes above 4,700 m, three of them above 5,000 m, and spend one day of 7 to 8 hours on the road (Sarchu to Leh) and two of about 5 hours over Khardung La. You can sit out any walk or climb, and day 6 in Leh is a rest day.
- Meals included
- 10 breakfasts, 9 lunches, 6 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 430 (estimated price)
- Season
- Summer only, when the Manali to Leh highway, the high passes and the Sarchu camps are open
Highlights
Why this trip
- Two nights in Manali to start low: the cedar forest around the Hadimba temple, Old Manali and the walk above Vashisht
- Through the 9 km Atal Tunnel into Lahaul, a different valley of glaciers and stone villages
- Over Baralacha La to a summer camp at Sarchu, on the plateau between Himachal and Ladakh
- The Gata Loops, the More Plains and the prayer flags at Taglang La, above 5,300 m on its signboard
- Thiksey at dawn for the morning prayers, then Shey and Hemis along the Indus
- Over Khardung La to the Nubra Valley, the 32 m Maitreya at Diskit and the Hunder dunes in late light
- Oxygen in every vehicle and a guide who checks how everyone is sleeping
What makes this trip different
Short drives, all published
Every drive is listed day by day. The longest is 7.5 h, on day 5.
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 430 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
The longest drive is 7.5 h, on day 5.
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Fly to Kullu, drive up to Manali
Delhi to Kullu (Bhuntar) by air, then up the Beas valley to Manali
- Welcome dinner
- Stay in Manali
- Drive about 1.5 h
Meet your See Sight Tours guide at Delhi airport for the domestic flight to Kullu, the small airport at Bhuntar in the Beas valley.
Evening
Most guests arriving from overseas spend the night before in Delhi; it is not in the price, but we can book a hotel near the airport and quote it with your trip. From Bhuntar our vehicle drives about 50 km and an hour and a half up the valley, past apple orchards, river rafts and roadside shrines, to Manali at about 2,050 m. We start this low on purpose: two nights here are the first step of acclimatisation. Check in, rest, and in the early evening the group meets for the altitude briefing: how the route climbs, what altitude sickness feels like, when to tell us, and how the pulse oximeter and the oxygen in the vehicles are used. Then a welcome dinner at the hotel, with Himachali dishes such as siddu and trout from the valley.
Included
- Economy flight from Delhi to Kullu (Bhuntar) with your guide
- Drive up the Beas valley to Manali
- Altitude briefing
- Welcome dinner
Optional experiences
- A hotel night in Delhi before the flight, booked by us and quoted at booking
Free time: Afternoon free to rest at the hotel
Activity: Flights into Kullu use small aircraft and are cancelled in bad weather. If ours is, we fly to Chandigarh instead and drive up to Manali, about 7 to 8 hours, and you arrive later in the evening.
Old Manali, Hadimba and Vashisht
Hadimba Devi temple and Old Manali, then Vashisht and the walk towards Jogini Falls
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Manali
- Drive about 30 min
We start at the Hadimba Devi temple soon after it opens, before the day-trip crowds. It stands in a grove of tall deodar cedars, a wooden temple with a four-tiered pagoda roof built in 1553, its doorway carved with animals and gods. From there we walk up into Old Manali, the village above the new town, with its stone-and-timber houses, apple trees and cafes along the Manalsu stream.
Afternoon
Lunch is in Old Manali. In the afternoon we cross the river to Vashisht, where hot springs feed the bathing tanks beside the temple, and set out on the acclimatisation walk: a path above the village through fields and pine forest towards Jogini Falls, 2 to 3 hours there and back. Walking a little higher than you sleep is the best preparation for the passes ahead.
Evening
The evening is free in Manali, with dinner on your own; your guide will suggest places.
Included
- Hadimba Devi temple
- Old Manali walk with your guide
- Lunch in Old Manali
- Vashisht village and its hot spring temple
- Acclimatisation walk towards Jogini Falls
Easier option: Stay in Vashisht for the afternoon, with tea and a look at the hot spring tanks, and skip the walk.
More active option: Continue to the foot of Jogini Falls, adding about 45 minutes on a rocky path.
Free time: Evening free; dinner on your own in Manali
Activity: About 3 to 4 hours on foot in all, on village lanes and a forest path with some steep sections. Shoes off at temples.
Through the Atal Tunnel to Jispa
Manali through the Atal Tunnel to Sissu and Keylong, then Jispa in the Lahaul valley
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Jispa
- Drive about 3.5 h
Morning
We leave Manali after an early breakfast to get ahead of the tourist traffic and climb through forest to the south portal of the Atal Tunnel. Opened in 2020, it runs about 9 km under the Pir Panjal range at roughly 3,000 m and replaces the old road over the Rohtang Pass. You come out into a different world: Lahaul, a valley of glaciers, barley fields and stone villages, much drier than Kullu.
Afternoon
We stop at Sissu, where a waterfall drops off the cliffs above the Chandra river, then follow the river to Tandi, where the Chandra and Bhaga meet, and on to Keylong for lunch. In the early afternoon we reach Jispa, a small village on the Bhaga river at about 3,200 m. The rest of the day is free: walk along the river, sit in the sun, and drink plenty of water. The drive is about 95 km and three and a half hours.
Evening
Dinner is at the hotel or camp.
Included
- The Atal Tunnel
- Sissu waterfall
- The Chandra and Bhaga confluence at Tandi
- Lunch in Keylong
- Dinner in Jispa
More active option: A riverside walk from Jispa towards Darcha with your guide, about an hour on a level track.
Free time: Afternoon free in Jispa
Activity: Your guide starts the morning and evening oximeter checks tonight. Warm layers from here on: Jispa nights are cold.
Over Baralacha La to Sarchu
Jispa to Darcha and Zingzingbar, over Baralacha La to the Sarchu plateau
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Sarchu
- Drive about 3.5 h
Evening
A short drive and an early arrival, because tonight is the highest night of the trip. We leave Jispa after breakfast, pass the checkpost at Darcha and climb past Zingzingbar towards Baralacha La, a pass at about 4,890 m where the Bhaga and Chandra rivers rise and small lakes sit under the snow. We stop for photos, for no more than 20 minutes. From the top the road drops onto the Sarchu plateau, a wide, bare valley on the border of Himachal and Ladakh, cut by the Tsarap river. We reach the camp by early afternoon, about 85 km and three and a half hours from Jispa, with lunch on arrival. The afternoon is for rest: walk slowly, drink water, and sleep if you can. Your guide checks everyone's oxygen level in the evening. Sarchu is about 4,300 m, roughly 1,100 m higher than Jispa, so a headache tonight is common. The camp has fixed tents with private bathrooms and power in the evening. Dinner is at the camp.
Included
- Baralacha La, with a short stop at the top
- Lunch and dinner at the Sarchu camp
- Oxygen checks in the evening and morning
Easier option: Stay in the warm vehicle at Baralacha La and rest in your tent all afternoon.
More active option: A short, slow walk with your guide on the plateau near camp in the late afternoon.
Free time: Afternoon free to rest at camp
Activity: This is the night most people feel the altitude. Tell your guide about a bad headache, vomiting or breathlessness at rest; oxygen is at camp and in the vehicles, and anyone who needs to go down is driven to lower ground at once, on a descent plan we confirm for each departure.
The Gata Loops, Taglang La and Leh
Sarchu over Nakee La and Lachulung La to Pang, across the More Plains and over Taglang La to Leh
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Leh
- Drive about 7.5 h
Today is the long day, about 250 km and 7 to 8 hours, and the reason is simple: there is no shorter road and no hotel between Sarchu and Leh.
Morning
We leave at 6 am after a hot breakfast.
Afternoon
The road climbs the Gata Loops, about 21 hairpins up a mountainside, then crosses Nakee La and Lachulung La, both above 4,700 m, before dropping to Pang, a summer settlement of tent kitchens where we stop for a hot lunch. After Pang comes the More Plains, a high, flat valley of grass where nomads graze their herds, then the climb to Taglang La, at 5,328 m on its signboard, where we stop briefly under the prayer flags. From the pass the road drops to the Indus at Upshi and follows it to Leh.
Evening
We reach the hotel in the early evening, at about 3,500 m, lower than Sarchu, so most people sleep better tonight. Dinner is at the hotel.
Included
- The Gata Loops
- Nakee La and Lachulung La
- Hot lunch at Pang
- The More Plains
- Taglang La, with a short stop at the top
- Dinner at your hotel in Leh
Easier option: Stay in the warm vehicle at the passes; the views are from the road.
Activity: Parts of the road are unpaved and dusty: bring a scarf and keep medicines in your day bag. We stop for tea or photos about every 90 minutes.
Rest day in Leh
Leh: a free morning, then the old town, Leh Palace and Shanti Stupa
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Leh
- Drive about 30 min
A rest day, and you will want it after the passes.
Morning
Sleep in, have a slow breakfast, and spend the morning as you like: in the hotel garden, in a cafe, or wandering the main bazaar. If a landslide or snow closed the road for a day on the way up, this is the day we use to catch up, so the rest of the plan stays the same.
Afternoon
After lunch together in the bazaar we walk slowly into the old town, under painted Buddhist gateways and through narrow lanes of mud-brick houses and prayer wheels, to Leh Palace. Built in the 17th century for King Sengge Namgyal, it rises nine storeys above the town, and from its roof you see the Indus valley and the Stok range.
Evening
In the late afternoon our vehicle drives up to Shanti Stupa, the white stupa on the ridge above Changspa, for sunset over the town. Dinner is on your own in Leh.
Included
- Lunch in Leh
- Leh old town walk with your guide
- Leh Palace
- Shanti Stupa at sunset
Easier option: Skip the palace stairs and rejoin the group at Shanti Stupa, which we reach by vehicle.
Free time: Morning free; dinner on your own in Leh
Activity: About 2 hours on foot in the afternoon, on uneven lanes and the palace's steep inner stairs.
Thiksey at dawn, Shey and Hemis
Leh to Thiksey for the morning prayers, then Shey, Hemis and back to Leh
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Leh
- Drive about 2.5 h
Morning
An early start for those who want it: we leave Leh at about 5:30 am to reach Thiksey for the morning prayers, when monks gather in the assembly hall with long horns, drums and butter tea, and the first light hits the tiers of white and red buildings climbing the hill. Inside, a Maitreya Buddha two storeys tall fills its own hall. Breakfast is near the monastery. Next is Shey, the old summer palace of the kings, with its large seated Buddha of gilded copper. Then we drive up the valley to Hemis, tucked into a side gorge about 45 km from Leh, one of the largest monasteries in Ladakh and the setting of the masked dances of the Hemis festival each summer; its museum holds thangkas, masks and old copper. A local monastery guide joins us at Thiksey and Hemis.
Afternoon
Lunch is near Hemis, and we are back in Leh by mid-afternoon, with the rest of the day free.
Included
- Thiksey Monastery and its morning prayers, with a local guide
- Shey Palace and its Buddha
- Hemis Monastery and its museum, with a local guide
- Lunch near Hemis
Easier option: Skip the dawn start: a second vehicle leaves Leh after breakfast and meets the group at Shey.
More active option: Climb to Thiksey's rooftop and walk up to the small temples above Shey Palace.
Free time: Late afternoon and evening free; dinner on your own in Leh
Activity: Plenty of stairs inside each monastery. Shoes off in prayer halls; shoulders and knees covered; no flash during prayers.
Over Khardung La to the Nubra Valley
Leh over Khardung La to Diskit, then Hunder in the Nubra Valley
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Nubra Valley (Hunder)
- Drive about 5 h
We leave Leh at 8 am, now three nights acclimatised, for the road north over Khardung La. The climb takes about two hours past the army post at South Pullu to the pass, above 5,300 m on its signboard and one of the highest roads you can drive. We stop at the prayer flags for no more than 20 minutes, because the air here is thin for everyone. Tea is at North Pullu on the way down, then the road drops into the Nubra Valley, where the Shyok river spreads out between sand, poplars and barley fields.
Afternoon
Lunch is in Diskit. In the late afternoon we walk on the Hunder dunes, where Bactrian camels graze in the low light. The drive is about 125 km and four and a half to five hours with stops, slightly over our 4-hour cap, because the only road to Nubra crosses Khardung La; the pass stop, tea and lunch break it up. Hunder is about 3,100 m.
Evening
Dinner is at the hotel or camp.
Included
- Khardung La, with a short stop at the top
- Tea at North Pullu
- Lunch in Diskit
- The Hunder sand dunes in late light
- Dinner at your hotel or camp
Optional experiences
- Bactrian camel ride on the Hunder dunes, paid locally
Easier option: Stay in the warm vehicle at Khardung La, and watch the dunes from the edge rather than walking out.
Activity: Foreign nationals need the Protected Area Permit for Nubra; we file it before you travel and carry copies. Keep your passport with you today for the checkposts.
Diskit Monastery and Hunder
Hunder to Diskit Monastery and the Maitreya Buddha, then back to Hunder
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Nubra Valley (Hunder)
- Drive about 45 min
Afternoon
A short day in the valley and a free afternoon. After breakfast we drive the few kilometres to Diskit, where the monastery climbs a rocky spur above the village. Founded in the 14th century, it is the oldest and largest in Nubra, and its prayer halls look down the valley towards the Karakoram. A local guide takes us through the assembly hall and the small temples on the ridge, then down to the 32 m Maitreya Buddha that sits below the monastery facing down the Shyok. We walk through Diskit's small bazaar before lunch together. Then the afternoon is yours in Hunder: rest, walk through the village and its apricot orchards, or sit by the stream.
Evening
In the late afternoon your guide walks back out to the dunes with anyone who wants a second look in the evening light. Dinner is at the hotel or camp. Tomorrow we cross Khardung La again, so take the rest.
Included
- Diskit Monastery, with a local guide
- The Maitreya Buddha at Diskit
- Diskit bazaar
- Lunch in Diskit
- Dinner at your hotel or camp
Optional experiences
- Bactrian camel ride on the Hunder dunes, paid locally, if you did not ride on day 8
Easier option: Visit the Maitreya statue, reached by road, and skip the stairs to the old monastery buildings.
More active option: Walk back from Diskit to Hunder through the dunes and villages with your guide, about 2 to 3 hours, instead of driving.
Free time: Afternoon free in Hunder
Activity: Steep stairs at Diskit Monastery. Shoes off in prayer halls.
Back over Khardung La to Leh
Hunder over Khardung La to Leh
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Leh
- Drive about 5 h
We leave Hunder at 8 am for the drive back to Leh, about 125 km and four and a half to five hours, over our cap for the same reason as day 8: there is one road, and it crosses Khardung La.
Morning
The morning light is good on the Shyok and its villages as we climb. Tea is at North Pullu, then a last short stop at the pass, now familiar, before the drop to South Pullu and the long view over Leh and the Indus valley to the Stok range.
Afternoon
We are back at the hotel for a late lunch, followed by a free afternoon: a hot shower, the Tibetan market and the main bazaar, or a quiet hour on a cafe roof.
Evening
In the evening the group meets for a farewell dinner, a last round of thukpa, momos and butter tea. Pack tonight: the flight out of Leh leaves early tomorrow.
Included
- Khardung La, with a short stop at the top
- Tea at North Pullu
- Lunch in Leh
- Farewell dinner in Leh
Easier option: Stay in the warm vehicle at Khardung La.
Free time: Afternoon free in Leh
Activity: If snow closes Khardung La, we wait in Nubra and your guide re-books the flight; travel insurance should cover a delay of a day.
Fly back to Delhi
Leh to Delhi by air
- Breakfast
- Drive about 15 min
Morning
An early breakfast, a last look at the mountains from the hotel, and a short drive to Leh airport for the morning flight to Delhi, about an hour and a quarter. From the plane you can see the ranges you drove across, laid out below. Your guide flies with the group, helps with bags at Delhi and sees you to your onward connection or a transfer into the city.
Evening
Flights out of Leh leave in the morning, before the afternoon winds, and weather can delay them, so book onward flights from Delhi that leave after about 4 pm, or stay a night in Delhi; we can book it. If you want more of the mountains, our Rishikesh, Dharamshala and Amritsar trip also starts in Delhi. After ten days at altitude, Delhi's heat and air will feel thick, so drink water and take the afternoon gently. This is the end of the trip.
Included
- Drop-off at Leh airport (IXL)
- Economy flight from Leh to Delhi with your guide
Optional experiences
- A hotel night in Delhi after the trip, booked by us and quoted at booking
Activity: Book onward flights from Delhi leaving after about 4 pm. Photography is restricted at Leh airport, which is also a military airfield.
- Delhistart
- Manali2 nights
- Jispa1 night
- Sarchu1 night
- Leh3 nights
- Nubra Valley (Hunder)2 nights
- Leh1 night
- Delhiend
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: Mid-June to mid-September is the season. Manali is mild and green, with monsoon rain in July and August that can bring landslides on the Kullu side. Beyond the Atal Tunnel, Lahaul and Ladakh sit in the rain shadow: sunny days of 15 to 30 °C, strong sun, and nights near or below freezing at Sarchu and on the passes. Look for marmots near the passes and Bactrian camels on the Hunder dunes.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Travellers who want to see the Himalaya change from green Kullu to the high desert of Ladakh by road
- People who would rather acclimatise step by step than fly straight to 3,500 m
- Those happy with one very long road day and two of about five hours in exchange for the passes and Nubra
- Solo travellers and couples who want a group of no more than 12
Not for you if you want
- Anyone advised by a doctor to avoid high altitude, or with an untreated heart or lung condition
- Travellers who want hotel comforts every night: Sarchu is a simple tented camp
- People who dislike long drives on narrow, partly unpaved mountain roads
- Step-free access: temples and monasteries mean steep stairs and uneven floors
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
10 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Manali2 nights
- Jispa1 night
- Sarchu1 night
- Leh3 nights
- Nubra Valley (Hunder)2 nights
- Leh1 night
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 10 nights: 2 in Manali, 1 in Jispa, 1 at a seasonal camp at Sarchu, 3 in Leh, 2 in the Nubra Valley at Hunder, 1 more in Leh
- Central hotels in Manali and Leh within walking distance of the old town and the bazaar; private bathrooms everywhere, including the Sarchu tents
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Economy flights from Delhi to Kullu (day 1) and Leh to Delhi (day 11)
- Transfers at Kullu (Bhuntar) and Leh (IXL) airports
- Himachal-registered SUVs with mountain drivers from Kullu to Leh (days 1 to 5)
- Ladakh-registered vehicles with Ladakhi drivers in Ladakh (days 6 to 11), as local rules require
- Bottled oxygen and a pulse oximeter in every vehicle
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide with the group from Delhi airport on day 1 to Delhi airport on day 11
- An altitude briefing on day 1 and oxygen checks each morning and evening from Jispa on
- Local monastery guides at Thiksey, Hemis and Diskit
Activities
- Manali: the Hadimba Devi temple, Old Manali, Vashisht and the acclimatisation walk towards Jogini Falls
- Lahaul: the Atal Tunnel, Sissu waterfall and the Chandra and Bhaga confluence at Tandi
- The highway: Baralacha La, the Sarchu plateau, the Gata Loops, Nakee La, Lachulung La, Pang, the More Plains and Taglang La
- Leh: the old town, Leh Palace and Shanti Stupa
- Indus valley: Thiksey Monastery at the morning prayers, Shey Palace, Hemis Monastery and museum
- Nubra Valley: Khardung La, Diskit Monastery and the Maitreya Buddha, the Hunder dunes
- Every temple, monastery, palace and museum entry on the plan
- Our filing of your Protected Area Permit for Nubra
Meals
- 10 breakfasts
- 9 lunches, including a hot lunch at Pang on the long day
- 7 dinners: welcome dinner in Manali, Jispa, Sarchu, the first night in Leh, two in Nubra and a farewell dinner in Leh
Not included
- International flights to and from Delhi
- Hotel nights in Delhi before or after the trip
- Indian visa
- Protected Area Permit and Ladakh environment fees, paid locally
- Travel insurance, which must cover travel up to 5,500 m and road or flight delays
- Dinners in Manali on day 2 and in Leh on days 6 and 7
- Drinks
- Tips
- Optional activities: the Hunder camel ride
- Personal expenses
Local fees
- Protected Area Permit and Ladakh environment fees, paid locally; the current amount is confirmed at booking.
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 430 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the price include?
Ten nights in hotels and camps, economy flights from Delhi to Kullu and from Leh to Delhi, mountain vehicles and drivers, your See Sight Tours guide throughout, local monastery guides, every entry on the plan, 10 breakfasts, 9 lunches and 7 dinners. Not included: international flights, your visa, the permit and environment fees paid locally, insurance, drinks and tips.
How will the altitude affect me on the Manali to Leh road?
Expect to feel it, especially at Sarchu, about 4,300 m, on night 4. We start with two nights in Manali at about 2,050 m and one at Jispa, cross passes above 5,000 m only briefly, then rest three nights in Leh before Khardung La. Your guide checks oxygen levels morning and evening, and every vehicle carries bottled oxygen.
How long are the drives?
Most days are under four hours. Sarchu to Leh, day 5, is about 250 km and 7 to 8 hours, because there is no shorter road and nowhere to sleep between them; it has tea stops, a hot lunch at Pang and a rest day after it. Leh to Nubra and back over Khardung La are each about five hours.
How fit do I need to be?
Fit, healthy and comfortable with long days in a vehicle. The walking is easy to moderate, 1 to 3 hours a day with steep monastery stairs. The challenge is altitude and road time. You can skip any walk or climb, and day 6 in Leh is a rest day. Ask your doctor before booking if you have a heart or lung condition.
How big is the group?
The small group runs with 7 to 12 guests, and twelve is the hard maximum. We confirm the vehicles and seating for your departure when we confirm your dates. If you want fewer people around you, book the private trip for your own party only.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide travels with you from Delhi airport on day 1 to Delhi airport on day 11 and runs the altitude checks. Local monastery guides join at Thiksey, Hemis and Diskit, and drivers who know these passes drive every road. We name your guide when we confirm your dates.
I am travelling solo. Do I pay more?
Only if you want a room of your own, which is from CAD 430 more. Otherwise ask to share with another solo guest of the same gender and we will try to match you; if we cannot, we tell you before you pay anything. The supplement covers a room or tent of your own on all ten nights, including Sarchu.
When is the Manali to Leh highway open?
Usually from about June to October, after the snow is cleared from the passes, and we run the trip from mid-June to mid-September only. July and August bring monsoon rain on the Manali side, which can close the road for a day; Lahaul and Ladakh stay mostly dry. Nights at Sarchu are cold in every month.
Do I need a visa or permit?
Most visitors need an Indian visa, and many nationalities can apply for the e-Visa online; check your eligibility early. Foreign nationals also need a Protected Area Permit, often called the Inner Line Permit, for the Nubra Valley. We file it with your passport and visa details; the permit and environment fees are paid locally and confirmed at booking.
What is the camp at Sarchu like?
Simple, cold and quiet. Sarchu has no hotels, only seasonal camps of fixed tents with beds, blankets and attached bathrooms, run in summer. Power is limited to the evening, and hot water may come by bucket. We arrive early in the afternoon so you can rest, and dinner and breakfast are at the camp.
How does booking work?
Choose a start date and request to book. We check availability and provide the final quote, itinerary and booking terms before you accept. No payment is taken when you send the request. The small group starts from CAD 2,540 per person sharing, with taxes, including both domestic flights. Prices are indicative until we confirm.
Can we travel privately or on our own dates?
Yes. The trip also runs as a private trip for your party only, on a date you choose within the season, from CAD 4,570 per person. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates, send us an inquiry from the dates section and we can quote the same hotels, vehicles and permits.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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