Road trip from Kaza (Himachal Pradesh) to Leh (Ladakh) with route and intermediate distances

The road route from Kaza (Himachal Pradesh) to Leh (Ladakh) is as follows:
Kaza - Losar - Kunzum - Batal - Gramphu - Khoksar - Keylong - Jispa - Zing Zing Bar - Sarchu - Pang - Leh.



While driving from Kaza and going towards Leh, you will reach Gramphu. The drive from Kaza to Gramphu is via NH505. Gramphu is the intersection from where you can either go to Manali or to Leh.

Kaza to Gramphu via NH505 = 137 kms.

Breakup of distances between important points between Kaza and Gramphu:
Kaza to Losar = 57 kms.
Losar to Kunzum Pass = 18 kms.
Kunzum Pass to Batal = 13 kms.
Batal to Gramphu = 49 kms.


Gramphu to Leh = 408 kms.

Breakup of distances between important points between Gramphu and Leh:
Gramphu to Keylong = 50 kms.
Keylong to Jispa = 23 kms.
Jispa to Zing Zing Bar = 31 kms.
Zing Zing Bar to Sarchu = 54 kms.
Sarchu to Pang = 76 kms.
Pang to Leh = 174 kms.

Gramphu to Manali = 68 kms via Rohtang Pass.

Manali to Keylong = 118 kms.

From Gramphu turn right towards Sissu, Keylong, Jispa, Zing Zing Bar, Sarchu, Pang, Leh.
A left turn from Gramphu will take you to Rohtang, Manali and onwards to Chandigarh.

While driving on the route from Kaza towards Gramphu, after crossing Kunzum when you see the deviation for Chandratal you could visit that as well on the way.

Starting from Kaza, you will cross the Spiti River which flows alongside, a couple of times. Losar and Kunzum are two important locations as you drive alongside the Spiti River. The Spiti River forks off after Kunzum.
Going ahead, you will reach Batal after crossing the Chenab River. The Chenab River will be on your left all along till Chhatru. After crossing the bridge at Chhatru, the Chenab River will be flowing on your right.




Roadies should be aware that Kaza to Gramphu is a horrible stretch of road. The weather is very fickle and people have got stuck in snow storm while climbing Kunzum around 6.30 AM. One would be lucky to get out and reach Batal. The road beyond Batal till Gramphu is a misery.

After starting from Kaza ideally by 5 AM, try and stay in Jispa for the night.

Status of Manali - Leh highway in first week of July 2017 narrated by biker Swaroop Konambi

Swaroop Konambi reached Leh from Manali  on 2017-07-04 afternoon on his bike with a pillion rider.

The status of Manali - Leh highway as reported by him is as follows ...

Manali to Rohtang: Nice road.

Rohtang to Grampu: 5 kms of road is pure hell.  If you are riding/ driving on this road, pray for no rain. If it rains, the stretch would be worse than hell.

Grampu to Kaza: Offroading to it's peak. I could cover approx 10 km per hr with pillion and luggage. All streams are in full flow.

Grampu to Khokser: Small stretch of bad road.

Khokser to Darcha: Road is ok until a little beyond Darcha.

Zing Zing Bar is clear for travel, but BRO is still working.

Road to Barlacha la is good.

Very bad road starts when one starts decending from Barlacha la and remains very bad till Pang road intersection.

Pang to Leh: Road is super fine.

(Source & Content credit: Swaroop Konambi, a member of Ladakh Return group on Facebook)