Manali or Srinagar? Choosing your road to Leh

If you have the time, arriving in Ladakh by road is unforgettable, and it also helps you acclimatise far better than flying straight in. There are two main routes, and the right one depends on your season, your time and how you handle altitude.

Srinagar to Leh: the gentle climb

• About 420 km, usually driven in two days with a night in Kargil.
• Crosses Zoji La (about 3,530 m), then climbs gradually through Drass, Kargil and the Fotu La area.
• Passes Lamayuru's moonland and the Indus valley villages near Alchi.
• Altitude: the most gradual way to reach Leh, and the better choice if you are worried about altitude sickness.
• Season: typically open from around May to November, though Zoji La's opening and closing dates vary with snow.

Manali to Leh: the high road

• About 430 km, best driven over two days with a night at Jispa or Sarchu.
• Uses the Atal Tunnel to bypass the Rohtang Pass, then crosses several high passes including Baralacha La, Lachulung La and Tanglang La (above 5,300 m).
• Wild, empty scenery: the Gata Loops, the More Plains and the river gorges of Lahaul.
• Altitude: you gain height quickly and sleep high at Sarchu, so altitude sickness is more common on this route.
• Season: usually open from around June to October, depending on snow on the passes.

Which should you choose?

• Want the easiest acclimatisation? Srinagar–Leh.
• Love empty, high-altitude landscapes? Manali–Leh.
• Travelling early in the season? Srinagar–Leh.
• Only have one road day? Fly in and acclimatise in Leh instead.

My favourite option: drive one way, fly the other

For most travellers I suggest driving in from Srinagar and flying out of Leh, or, for experienced high-altitude travellers, driving the Manali road out at the end of the trip, once you are fully acclimatised.

Whichever road you choose, check the current status of the passes before you set off, carry warm layers in the car, and never drive the high sections after dark.