Manali to Leh Ladakh Road Trip – Food, Route, Hotels, Places to Visit, Trip Cost

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Manali to Leh Ladakh Road Trip is highly popular among bikers and road trip lovers. Leh – Manali highway leads to a dream destination for all travelers called Leh-Ladakh. Cruizing on this route, you will see all wonders and offerings of nature. This route is beautiful as well as dangerous at the same time.

Planning to do this Manali to Leh Ladakh Road Trips? As this is a little hard route to cover, one must have a proper plan for doing this road trip. Don’t worry, We’ve got you covered with all the things you will be needing for this road trip. From trip cost to stay locations, we have everything you need to know for this road trip.

What is the Best time to do Manali to Leh Ladakh Road Trip?

Manali can be visited throughout the year but there are limitations on going beyond Manali. As per the government rules, official time to do Manali to Leh Ladakh Road trip in June to September. In this time, roads are open and there are almost no weather problems. To have a safe ride, we recommend you to do this road trip from June to September. Also, during this time weather will be good for everyone. Avoid taking old age people along with you because they will encounter breathing issues and weather issues due to high altitude.

Manali to Leh Ladakh Road Trip Cost

Estimation on our website for Manali to Leh Ladakh Road trip is given both for those who are going by Car and also for those who are going by bike. We’ve included all the necessary things like Fuel, Food, Stay, Vehicle (If Rented). So, let’s see how much this trip gonna cost you.

Cost for Manali to Leh Ladakh Road Trip by Bike

For example, We are taking start location as Mall Road, Manali. From Manali, Leh is approximately 427 Km. We are estimating this trip based on official visiting time as per the government which remains open from June to Mid of September. For estimating cost of trip by Bike, I am taking cost for 1 person because going with a pillion isn’t comfortable and also not suggested. Firstly you have to reach Manali from delhi which will consume around 14-15 hours. You can take a bus till Manali and from there rent a bike. Comment in the box below for the best prices on Bike Rentals.

On average of 25 Kmpl, Fuel cost will be approximately ₹3,800 Rupees (Manali >> Leh >> Manali). If in case you have rented the bike, then you have to add Bike rental cost + ₹3,800. For stay, you will be taking hotels for 6 nights. You can get a nice hotel room  at ₹1,500 Per Night. Food including Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner will cost ₹8,000 for 1 Person. Totaling all the expenses, your Manali to Leh Ladakh Road Trip by Bike will cost you ₹21,000+ approximately.

Cost for Manali to Leh Ladakh Road Trip by Car

For example, We are taking start location as Mall Road, Manali. From Manali, Leh is approximately 427 Km. For estimating cost of trip by Car, I am taking cost for 4 people. Firstly you have to reach Manali from delhi which will consume around 15-17 hours (If you take proper halt for meals and photography breaks). It will be a 7 Days 6 Nights trip.

On average of 12 Kmpl, Fuel cost will be approximately ₹8,000 Rupees (Manali >> Leh >> Manali). If in case you have rented the car, then you have to add car rental cost + ₹8,000 Rupees. For stay, you will be taking a hotel for 6 nights. You can get a nice hotel room at ₹2,500 Per Night for 4 People (3 People are generally allowed in a room, ask for an extra bed for 4th person). Because you are going by Car, you have to pay toll tax, approximately you can reserve ₹2,000 rupees for toll tax. Food including Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner will cost ₹22,000 for 4 People. Totaling all the expenses, your Manali to Leh Road Trip by Car will cost you ₹48,000+ approximately which means ₹12,000 Per Person.

What is the Recommended Vehicle for Manali to Leh Ladakh Road Trip?

Going on a road trip, your vehicle is the first thing you have to take care of. The road from Manali to Leh isn’t so good and there are a lot of rough places where you need to drive carefully. So, these are the recommended vehicle for this road trip:

• Car – Any Compact SUV or SUV is preferred (Petrol / Diesel) or a Car with decent ground clearance will work if you don’t have an SUV or Compact SUV. CNG and electric cars (like E2o) are not suggested because CNG won’t be able to give you good performance while going up on the mountains and also you will not be getting many CNG pumps for getting Gas fueled up (Especially after crossing Patiala, there are no CNG Pumps available). Electric cars are not able to do long journies, you will not get charging sockets in between the route (as of February 2021).
• Bike & Scooty – You can use any bike for doing this trip. Scooters with manual gears are not recommended because your hands gonna get tired a lot. Also, scooty is not suggested as it will not be easy to tackle with rough surfaces with a scooty.

Route of Manali to Leh Ladakh Road Trip

There is only one route available for doing this trip with ease. We will be explaining complete route to you here. Starting from Manali, this route will take you to Leh and then back to Manali.

Leh-Manali Highway (474 KM – 15 Hours Approximately) – Manali >> Rohtang >> Keylong >> Jispa >> Zing Zing Bar >> Sarchu >> Pang >> Debring >> Gya >> Upohi >> Thiksey >> Leh (After leh, Follow route back to Manali).

Manali to Leh Route via Leh-Manali Highway (474 Kms and 12 Hours Approximately)

From Manali, Continue towards Rohtang which is about 51 Km from Manali. After reaching Rohtang, take a break and click some pictures and then continue your journey towards Surajtal and Baralacha La using Leh-Manali Highway. Following this one route called Leh-Manali Highway, you will easily reach Leh passing through Rohtang, Surajtal, Baralacha La, Gata Loops, Nakee La, Lungalacha La, More Plains, Taglang La, and then reach Leh.

Do this 12 hours journey in 2 days taking proper halts at food points. Take stay at Keylong, Jispa, and Sarchu for a comfortable and safe ride. Avoid riding in the dark.

What are the Places to Visit During Leh to Manali Road Trip?

Because you are going on a road trip, this means that you should explore and enjoy everything which comes in your way. I believe that you must visit all the famous places in your way to make the most out of your road trip. You will be free to stop at any place. We are mentioning only those places which are easily accessible and can be noticed easily while passing by. So, these are the places which you can visit during your Leh to Manali Road Trip

1. Manali Nature Park (Van Vihar) – This is an extremely popular place where people go while their trip to Manali. You should go to this place during your road trip.
2. Nehru Kund, Bashisht – There is a story about this place that Nehru Ji used to take water from this Kund to Delhi. This is a popular tourist attraction, you can enjoy the scenic beauty and rock mountains at this place.
3. Solang Valley, VPO Palchan – With over 7,500 reviews on Google Maps, Solang valley is one of the favorite places of every traveler. Solang Valley is a must to visit place.
4. Gulaba Viewpoint, Kothi – Gulaba Viewpoint is a place where you can get a 360 view of mountains, trees, snow, and breathtaing nature. This is a perfect place for photography.
5. Gulaba Tourist Point, Leh Manali Hwy – It is again a perfect location for taking some awesome pictures.
6. Filmcity Hill View Point, Kullu – You will find a lot of vehicles stopped at this place. This is again a spot for photography for visitors.
7. Rohtang Pass – With over 3,800 reviews on Google, Rohtang pass is one of the best tourist spot near Manali. This is a major spot to take a halt on Leh-Manali Highway. Rohtang Pass is the highest pass on the eastern Pir Panjal Range of the himalayas.
8. Suraj Tal – It is a sacred water body which is called lake of lord Sun. It lies just below the Bara-lacha-la pass.
9. Bara-Lacha-La Pass – Bara-Lacha-La Pass is highest mountain pass in Zanskar range. It connects Lahul district with Ladakh.
10. Thiksay Monastry, Thiksey – Thiksay monastry is a Large hilltop monastery from the mid 1400s, with temples, a nunnery & a variety of Buddhist art.

Now you are in Leh – Ladakh, Take rest and then start exploring.

Best Food Places on Manali to Leh Ladakh Road Trip Route

Manali to leh highway doesn’t have a lot of places where you can get good meal. At intervals you will get food places but sometimes you will find yourself far from a food place. Avoid eating a lot of spices and also avoid trying unhealthy dishes. Among a lot of places lying between the route, there are some food points and restaurants from where you can have a good meal. We’ve listed down all the preferred food places in between Manali to Leh. These are the food places you should eat at:

1. Gufa Hotel, Teling, Himachal Pradesh – You can get yourself a complete meal at this palce at reasonable prices.
2. Sonam Dhaba, Gondhla – From here you can pick snacks, packed food items, and soft drinks for your ride.
3. Momos and Meggi Shop, Sumnam, Himachal Pradesh – Take a small break at this place and enjoy the all time and everyone’s favorite maggie.
4. Rolling Stones Camping and Restaurant, Jispa – Long time riding, its time to take a break and have a meal.
5. Chamba Dhaba Sunny, Killingsarai – This is another decent place on Leh Manali Highway where you can have a meal.
6. Whisky Nala – It is a place where you can take a proper break including a sleep and meal.
7. Chuzin Cafe, Choglamsar – Take a small breat at this place and have a lite meal and then continue towards your destination.
8. Pangong Restaurant, Paru – Now this is the most famous food point on this Leh – Manali highway. You should take a halt and have a meal over this place and then continue towards Leh and you will reach soon there.

Itinerary of Manali to Leh Road Trip

Region of Leh – Ladakh has a lot to offer. So, make sure that you keep enough days to spend in Leh and Ladakh. Even if you are going for a shorter duration, it is suggested that you visit at least Nubra Valley and Zanskar Valley. We’ve prepared an ideal itinerary for you so that you can reduce stress on planning and get going with the trip. So, without taking more of your time, let’s get started with the itinerary of Manali to Leh Road Trip.

Day 1: Manali to Sarchu (223 Kms via Leh Manali Hwy)

We have sorted some of the best accommodations in Sarchu for your overnight stay. These properties are not available for online booking, so you have to contact the hotel for price and booking purposes. Check them out:

Day 2: Sarchu to Leh (250 Kms via Leh Manali Hwy)

We’ve sorted some of the best properties for stay in Leh at affordable price with great amenities and food. Have a look at these properties and book them before reaching leh to avail discounts on early bookings.

Day 3 to 7: Explore Leh and Back to Manali

As you have arrived in Leh, you can start exploring places near to Leh. Stay in Leh for about 2-3 days and explore the surroundings. Here are some of the most popular places people visit during their Manali to Leh Road Trip:

1. Pangong Lake
2. Magnetic Hill
3. Khardungla Pass
4. Nubra Valley
5. Tso Moriri Lake
6. Lamayuru Monastery
7. Diskit Gompa
8. Shanti Stupa
9. Kargil
10. Royal Leh Palace
11. Gurudwara Pathar Sahib
12. Sangam Point
13. Tso Kar Lake
14. Hall of Fame
15. Thiksey Monastery
16. Drass Valley

Once you are done with exploring, it is the time to head back to Manali. Follow the same route back to Manali and you’ll mark the road trip complete.

Best Hotels for Stay During Manali to Leh Road Trip

This route opens seasonally. Also, there aren’t many hotels for stay on this route. We will be listing here all the places which lies in-between the route where you can stay. It is suggested that you cover this route in 2 days. These are some best hotels to stay in durin your Manali to Leh Ladakh Road Trip. We have listed 5 hotels for each destination where you should take break.

Best Hotels for Stay in Manali

1. Treebo Woodstock Inn – Rs.1300 Per Day
2. Kalista Resort – Rs.1360 Per Day
3. The Whispering Inn by Vivaan – Rs.1600 Per Day
4. The Hosteller Manali – Rs.999 Per Day
5. Hotel Mountain Face by Snow City Hotels – Rs.1260 Per Day

Best Hotels for Stay in Zing Zing Bar

1. 1 BR Boutique Stay in Jisp, Distt. (E00F) by Guesthouser – Rs.3500 Per Day
2. 1 BR Tent in Sarchu, Leh, by Guesthouser (7B73) – Rs.3600 Per Day
3. Tent Accomodation in Sarchu, Leh, by Guesthouser 20464 – Rs.4500 Per Day

Best Hotels to Stay in Leh

1. 1 BR Homestay in Upper Tukcha Road, Leh (F0A8), by Guesthouser – Rs.1765 Per Day
2. OYO 14359 The Mir Villa – Rs.2205 Per Day
3. Hotel Dolma Residency – Rs.3500 Per Day
4. 1 BR Guesthouse in Chulung Old Road, Leh (B1DF), by Guesthouser – Rs.3529 Per Day
5. Hotel Vamoosetrail Ladakh Palace – Rs.4050 Per Day

Petrol Pumps on Manali to Leh Ladakh Road Trip

Leh – Manali highway passes through plains and places where you won’t be getting any population, food points, hotels, and not even petrol pumps. So, it is suggested that you take a can of Petrol / Diesel along with you for emergency purposes. There are few petrol pumps available on Manali to Leh Ladakh Road Trip. Have a look at them here and plan your journey according to availability of fuel.

1. Lahaul Potato Growers Indian Oil Petrol Pump, Keylong Near Tandi.
2. Indian Oil Petrol Diesel Station, Karu, Keylong – Leh Road.

If you have any other query then let us know in comment section below and we will definitely get back to you ASAP.

Shashank Kulshrestha

I love to travel places and write about my experiences and travel guides to help people in making their travel plans with ease. Otherthan traveling and blogging, I work on my internet ventures and provide internet business consulting.