Himalayas are the ultimate destination for all thrill seekers and outdoor lovers. There is no dearth of places to go to, to have new and exciting experiences. Spiti and Leh are two such destinations which are the most sought-after when it comes to taking part in adrenaline pumping adventure activities.

With the Spiti Leh Manali Self-drive, we present you with the perfect opportunity to indulge in a new kind of an adventure activity – Self-drive. The best part about this activity is that you get to travel and explore at your own pace and it gives you the freedom to witness these majestic landscapes in close quarters.
 

This adventure ride starts from the beautiful hill town of Shimla in Himachal Pradesh and over a course of 15 days traverses through Sangla, Tabo, Kaza and makes its way to Leh via Jispa and finally concludes in Manali. This is an adventure of a lifetime where you drive through the breath-taking and rugged terrains of Lahaul Spiti, Manali and Ladakh, and reach a maximum altitude of 18,000 feet at Khardung La. You experience a variety of landscapes from lush valleys to deserts to remote yet lively villages.

Spiti Leh Manali Self-drive would definitely test your fitness and endurance levels as you reach high altitudes where oxygen levels drop. Your biggest reward would be to be amidst sights that not many have seen. Our itinerary is designed keeping in mind gradual acclimatization. So get set for this self-drive safari and give a new dimension to your travel horizons.

ITINERARY

Day 01: 17^th September, 2015 – Shimla
This self-drive trip starts from the hill town of Shimla. Upon reaching there, we check-in to the hotel and relax for a bit. Later we have an option of either taking a stroll amidst beautiful oak & pine lined roads, or explore the very popular and busy Mall Road and the ridge area. You could shop here for some locally made souvenirs and later return to the hotel for an overnight stay.

Day 02: 18^th September, 2015 – Shimla – Sangla (220 kms / 06 hours)
We have an early breakfast and head out to Sangla in Kinnaur District. We have a small picnic on the way and aim at reaching our destination by dusk, and enjoy tea upon reaching Sangla.

Day 03: 19^th September, 2015 – Explore the Sangla/Chitkul/Raksham region (11320 feet)
This is a day of leisurely sight-seeing around Sangla. We explore places like Chitkul and Raksham. Chitkul is an exceptionally beautiful village situated on the ancient Hindustan-Tibet route. Once here you could either enjoy a picnic or hike up 5 kms to the armed forces border post that overlooks China. Optional activities like Rappelling, Rock Climbing and River Crossing are all available here (extra charges may apply). Sangla is a place that offers ample hiking opportunities. Raksham walk is very scenic and takes you through meadows and forests, along rivers.

Day 04: 20^th September, 2015 – Sangla – Nako (12014 feet) – Tabo (180 kms/ 04 hours)
On this day we have a lot of excitement in store for us, as we drive to Tabo and aim to get there by late evening. On the way we cross the scenic Nako Lake, where we stop for lunch along the banks of the lake.

Day 05: 21^st September, 2015 – Tabo – Kaza (11980 feet) (50 kms/ 01 hour)
A trip to Tabo is incomplete without visiting the Tabo Mud Monastery. This was built in 996 A.D. making it the oldest monastery in the country. From here you can find caves in the mountain where people still dwell. We have our lunch here and then leave for Dhankar Monastery. Post that, we continue with our Spiti Leh Manali Self-drive and move towards Kaza, which is our destination for the day.

Day 06: 22^nd September, 2015 – Exploring Kaza – High altitude villages of Langza, Hikkim (14400 feet) and Komic
This is going to be a day of exploration and reaching new heights, literally! Villages of Hikkim, Komic and Langza in Kaza are among the highest in the world and travelling to these places is like going back in time. The paths that take you to these villages are so scenic that the journey would be as mesmerising as the destinations. Later we stop by at Key Monastery which is situated on a hill top, offering spectacular views of the valleys below.

Day 07: 23^rd September, 2015 – Kaza – Jispa (10500 feet) (210 kms / 04 hours 30 minutes)
We start this day early and leave for Jispa with packed breakfast. Jispa is a small village in the Lahaul region and we will get there crossing the grand Kunzum La situated at approximately 15000 feet. At Kunzum La there are always strong winds blowing and chances of witnessing snowflakes even in summers are very high. We also pass by other places like Gramphoo, Koksar, Keylong ans Sisu where there is a magnificent waterfall. The views of Shingri Glacier from Keylong will take your breath away. We will have lunch on the way at the well-known Koksar Dhaba and then drive towards Jispa. We will make a pit stop for fuel at Tandi and reach Jispa and spend the night there.
 

Day 08: 24^th September, 2015 –Jispa - Leh (330 kms / 10 hours)
We rest well the night before and begin the day at 5 in the morning. We prepare ourselves mentally to drive on high altitudes in the majestic Himalayas. We move towards Baralacha La and Tanglang La at 16000 and 17585 feet respectively, and Pang Valley.  From Jispa, we drive along the Bhaga River, moving towards its source and then towards Baralacha La. The terrain and the weather are going to be demanding on your body. We stop by for lunch at Pang Valley and then move towards Leh to reach there by evening.

Day 09: 25^th September, 2015 – Leh

Rest day is finally here! With pleasure we spend this day at leisure, relaxing and exploring the stunning city of Leh. We visit the Shanti Stupa, built on a hill, offering grand views of the town of Leh. We also pay a visit to the relatively modern Shankar Monastery.

Day 10: 26^th September, 2015 -Leh - Pangong Lake (14270 feet) - Leh (330 kms / 10 hours)
Once again we begin the day at 5 AM and leave the hotel with packed lunch. Our destination of the day is one of the most beautiful and popular high altitude lakes – Pangong. The way leading to Pangong is spectacular with hills and valleys all around as far as the eye can see. On the way we make a stop at Thiksey Monastery.

Our next stop for the day is Chang La. At 17580 feet, this visit would prove to be an endurance test for your lungs as the air would be very thin. We cross this pass and move towards Pangong Tso, which would refresh you as soon as you get there. We will have our lunch sitting by the lake, taking in the beauty of the sparkling blue waters and mountains in the background. We return to Leh by late evening and stay overnight.

Day 11: 27^th September, 2015 - Leh – Nubra Valley (120 kms / 04 hours)

We have our breakfast and leave for Nubra Valley situated at an average altitude of 10000 feet. We reach this place by crossing Khardung La, which is at an altitude of 18380 feet and is said to be the highest motor-able road in the world. We cross the pass and reach Khardong Village post which we reach Khalesar Village and have our lunch there. Lastly we cross Deskit village at stay overnight at Nubra.
 

Day 12: 28^th September, 2015 – Nubra Valley – Leh (120 kms / 04 hours)
After having our breakfast we drive to the Hunder Village where we will get an opportunity to ride on the double humped Bactrian camels and then move towards Deskit Monastery. We have our lunch on the way at North Pullu and then leave for Leh. We arrive at Leh by afternoon and enjoy the remaining part of the day shopping, sightseeing or just simply unwinding in the hotel.

Day 13: 29^th September, 2015 – Leh – Jispa (10500 feet) (330 kms / 10 hours)
We have our breakfast and drive towards the town of Jispa. On the way we stop at Pang to have lunch and then continue towards Jispa, aiming to reach there by evening.

Day 14: 30^th September, 2015 – Jispa – Manali via Rohtang Pass (13050 feet) (140 kms / 06 hours)

We start this day really early, at about 4 AM. We drive towards Manali with packed lunch and on the way we cross Rohtang Pass at 13050 feet. Rohtang Pass is surrounded by Great Himalayas in the North, Pir Panjal range in the South and the Spiti –Chandra watershed in the east. We stop by at Marhi for lunch and then head towards Manali. We arrive in Manali by evening and relax.

Day 15: 1^st October, 2015 – Return
This is the last day of the Spiti Leh Manali Self-drive and the exhilarating journey comes to an end. We leave for our respective destinations.