After Srinagar... it was time to take traditional Leh circuit.

Day 1_Srinagar to Kargil 200km / Hight 2676mtr

Sonmarg (81km) cutoff 6am to 10am

Zojila (20km) Dras (42km) war Memorial (10km) Kargil (54km)

Road condition was at its best.

Zozila was very well maintained so no issues at all. 

Short documentary at War Memorial is a good addition.

Tip of the day - Start early, enjoy zero photo bombing at Sonmarg and escape from Zojila before traffic starts.

Day 2_Kargil to Leh 280 km/ Hight 3500mtr

Mulbekh Chamba Statue (36km) Namika La (15km) Fotula (37km) Lamayuru Monastery (15km) Moon land (3km) Basgo plains(72km)  Indus Zanskar Sangam (9km) Magnatic Hills (4km) Pathar Sahib (3km) Guest House Leh (25km)

Spent evening at Shanti Stupa and then at Leh Market.

Road condition- Effortless drive.

Tip of the day - Take lot of photo break and make them as drink break too... consume lot of water. Dont miss sunset at Shanti Stupa.

Day 3_Leh local

Used this day for acclimatize.. fill Dizel stock... refill food stock.

Visited Thiksey Monastery(21km) Hemis Monastery Museum (25km) Rancho School and Cafe (28km) and Back to Hotel (15km)

Again evening spent at Leh Market.

Tip of the day - Along with shopping at Leh market also visit Army item stores at Karu. Best place to buy value for money heavy duty woolen socks and gloves.

Day 4_Leh to Turtuk  and stay at Hunder 300km/ Hight 3160mtr

South pullu (24km) Khardungla top (14km) North Pullu (15km) Ktop View point (17km) khalasar Dhaba (23km) Nubra Filling Station (5km) Diskit Monastery (16km) Diksit pump (5km) Hunder (8km)

Hunder to Turtuk (90km) Thang border Village (10km) Nubra Camp (95km)

Road condition - End to end good roads. Khardungla after road widening and carpeting just like any other La.

Nubra to Turtuk - Awesome route but due to lot curves and Shyok river company besides the road collar you need to be very careful after dark. While in return journey from Turtuk to Nubra got stuck at a critical high hill turn in heavy sand strom... Army Tata Safari was behind me to encourage me to stay stand still till for 10 minutes till that strom pass through... once in a lifetime experience.... real feeling of Darr ke Aage Jit Hai!!!

Tip of the day - If you are targeting to visit Turtuk then start early and try to come back to Hunder before sunset else take halt at Turtuk.

Hunder to Merak 200km / Hight 4325mtr

Hunder – Agham (51km) – Shyok Village (47km) – Durbuk (16km) – Tangste (10km) –First view of Pangong Tso (31km) - Spangmik (14km) Man (9km) Merak (11km)

Road condition - Agham to Shyok Village entire road is made of river pebbles which slows down the speed but its manageable than the old road through Shyok river bed. Rest all smooth tarmac.

Tip of the day - To enjoy real beauty of Pangong atleast drive till Merak. Homestays at Merak is undoubtedly better than crowded tent stays at Spangmik.

Merak to Hanle 150km / 4500 Mtrs

Merak to Numa (25km) to Chushul War Memorial Park (3km) to Rezang La War Memorial (13km)  Loma bend (50km) Hanle (51km)

Road Condition- After few km from Merak till Loma no roads... only durt track befor ane after Rezang La War Memorial. 

Loma to Hanle good road.

Tip of the day - wait till sun get on to the head... the beauty of Pangong will change with sharp Sun bright sun rays.

Hanle to  Karzok Tso Moriri 160km / 4600mtr

Hanle – Loma (51 KMs) – Turn left -  Nyoma (22 KMs) – Mahe (25 KMs) – Sumdo entry (10 KMs) – Tso Moriri / Korzok (53 KMs)

Road condition - After Loma till Karzok its almost broken roads or kachha roads.

Hanle to Umling la and back can be done in 9-12hrs. Could not able to do it due to daughter's health issue. Do not cut lose on water consumption, AMS can hit you anytime.

Tip of the day - Hanle to Loma is one of the best route with lot of different colors of sand combinations can be seen so enjoy the views with color variations.

Karzok to Gemur 320km

Longest and most patience checking day!!!

Karzok to Sumdo (43km) Tso Kar (37km) pang Debering intersection (22km) More Plains (30km) Pang (12km) Gata loops (53km) Sarchu (24km) Baralachala (32km) Suraj tal (3km) Zing Zing Bar (19km) Darcha (21km) Jispa (9km) Gemur Camp (4km) 

Road Condition - its all kaccha road of100km till pang Debering intersection where road connects to Leh Manali highway. Most of section is under construction so may be in near future we can see good tarmac on this route.

Tip of the day - Today is a last day for you to admire the beauty of Leh Ladakh terrain so keep your phone and camera aside and enjoy the vista's around you with your naked eyes.

Gemur to Manali 100km

Once you will be in Manali the world will be changed... the crowded mall road...noise... rush.... mountains hidden under hotel buildings... make u feel either let's go home or let's hit back the hills again.... and that's the point when your plans for next vacation or nextbdrive start cooking.... 

For me from this point onward it was a straight forward drive till home with a one day halt at Jaipur. 

(Road trip from Jaipur to Ladakh and back narrated in the first person by Sandeep Chalke)