In recent times, Ladakh has emerged as one of the most desired tourist destinations in our country. Now the region is no longer challenging and “considered dangerous”; where only motorcycle enthusiasts and adventure addicts dared to go. Now it is a place where even families visit holidays with children and the elderly. I even had a few people asking if they could plan their honeymoon in Ladakh. Everyone is talking about visiting Ladakh today; and 7 days is generally the most common period considered for the trip. If you are also thinking of taking a trip in a similar way, in this article I will share some examples of the weeklong itinerary in Ladakh.

First, I’ll detail an itinerary that I recommend; followed by some other ways in which the same journey can be made. If, after reading the article, you have any questions, you can comment and ask at the end of this page.

With 7 days in hand, the most important thing to remember is that it cannot be a trip. You will have to take a flight in and out of Leh; and use 7 days to explore only Ladakh. A trip on the Manali Leh and Srinagar Leh roads would have to be left out for another trip at another time; when you could save a few more days for the trip. For a trip, 9 days is the minimum time required. Trying to squeeze it in seven days would just mean that you spent most of the time on the road; and lost several mandatory areas in Ladakh.

Bike trip to Ladakh in 7 days

If you were thinking of taking a bicycle trip to Ladakh in 7 days from your hometown (or even by car); then scroll to the end of this article directly. I covered that information in detail there.

Arrive in Ladakh – Day 1
Leh to Nubra Valley – Day 2
Nubra Valley to Leh – Day 3
Leh to Pangong Tso – Day 4
Pangong Tso to Leh – Day 5
Leh to Tso Moriri – Day 6
Tso Moriri to Leh – Day 7

Itinerary details

Now, going back to our 7-day itinerary, the reason I am recommending traveling this way is because it is possible, regardless of your mode of travel. After disembarking in the city of Leh, there are three ways to move locally in Ladakh. One is that you hire a private taxi, which is the best way, but it also costs a lot of money for 7 days.

Second, you rent a motorcycle that will be a little cheaper than the private taxi, but that is not everyone’s cup of tea. It is a good option if you are traveling with friends and know how to handle a motorcycle in the hills. But for people who have no experience riding a bike or traveling with the family, the bike is not really a choice.

Which brings us to the last and most economical mode of travel, public transport. It is a great option for those traveling on a budget, cannot afford a private taxi or are not very familiar with motorcycles. Public transport here comes in the form of shared buses or taxis; both are available at the Leh bus stop.

Now, let me analyze this plan day by day for a better understanding.

Acute mountain disease

The biggest concern for people flying to Ladakh is altitude sickness; also known as acute mountain sickness, or simply as AMS. Think of it like that; In a moment, you are in your hometown, on the plains, and in a matter of hours, you take your body to an altitude of 3,500 meters, in the city of Leh. This tremendous elevation gain is too sudden for our body to cope with and therefore triggers the symptoms of AMS. The slow gain in altitude is the key to preventing mountain sickness, which is not the case here

Unfortunately, there is not much to do about it. Most people would suffer from AMS on the first day of their trip. Some people continue to experience symptoms on day 2 as well. Too much rest and not running out becomes the trick. After landing in Leh, go straight to your hotel and rest. Don’t be exhausted and wait for the AMS to decrease. Probably, at night, you should be feeling well and well enough to wander around the city. If your condition continues to get worse, see a doctor at a nearby hospital.

Arrival in Leh – day 1

After disembarking in the city of Leh in the morning, proceed straight to your hotel. If you were renting a private taxi, ask the driver to pick you up at the airport. Otherwise, you will easily find a taxi from the airport to the hotel. It started to get a little crowded in Leh these days, during the high tourist season, so I recommend that you book your stay here in advance if you are visiting June, July, August or September. For a list of some recommended budget hotels in Leh, read List of budget hotels in Leh.

His most important task for this day would be to obtain licenses to visit other areas in Ladakh. This permission is called an internal line permission and can be obtained in person in the city of DM in Leh; or online. For more details on how to obtain permission, read How to obtain internal line permission for Ladakh.

After obtaining the licenses, rest and let your body acclimate to high altitudes. If you feel better at night, you can visit some of the city’s local tourist attractions. For a list of the places you can see here, read Tourist Places in the City of Leh.

Leh to Nubra Valley – Day 2

If you were traveling by private taxi or rented bicycle, you should start early in Leh. This would give you plenty of time to stroll in the Nubra valley. The total travel time from Leh to Diskit can be 6 to 7 hours, depending on your speed and intervals. Diskit monastery, Hunder sand dunes, Panamik hot springs and Bactrian camel are some of the places to visit in Nubra. Accommodation is available in almost every village here, but I will recommend staying in Diskit or Hunder. If you want, you can also travel to Turtuk and stay there all night; but that means another 4-5 hours of Diskit, so plan accordingly.

The roads are good, except for an uneven stretch at the top of Khardung La, between the south and north of Pullu. For accommodation in Nubra Valley, read Nubra Valley Hotels and Inns. For a list of places you should visit there, read Tourist Attractions in Nubra Valley.

If you were traveling by public transport, the shared taxis between Leh Bus and Diskit start every morning. Just get there around 7am. Buses do not operate every day, but shared taxis. If you find a bus, board it; otherwise, look for a shared taxi.

Nubra Valley to Leh – Day 3

On the 3rd, you will return to Leh by the same road that crosses Khardung La. If you arrived there by bus, the same bus will return to Leh the next day when you can board. For a shared taxi, just go to the Diskit bus stop and find a shared taxi coming towards Leh. If, however, you are on a rented motorcycle or private taxi, turn in the direction of Panamik de Khalsar before heading back to Leh. In Panamik, you can see the hot springs and even dip in the hot water if you want. From Panamik, return to Khalsar and continue on the way back to Leh.

The reason I visited Nubra first is because it is at an even lower altitude than the city of Leh. Therefore, a visit here first becomes beneficial in terms of mountain sickness. On the third day, when you return to Leh, your body would have become quite accustomed to high altitudes.

Leh to Pangong Tso – Day 4

Your next destination will be the famous Pangong Lake, which overtime has become the symbol of Ladakh. Again, if you rented a private taxi or motorcycle, try to start early. If by public transport, you would have to arrive again at the Leh Bus stand and look for a bus to Pangong Tso; or shared tax. In high tourist season, finding a way to get around will not be much of a challenge.

The total travel time would be 6 to 7 hours, depending on speed and breaks. The roads are good, except for a bad stretch at the top of Chang La. Accommodation in Pangong can be camps, wooden huts, chad tents or paying guests in the villages around the lake. For a list of available options, read Accommodation options at Pangong Tso.

From Pangong Tso to Leh – Day 5

You will return to Leh today by the same route you took to get here. The bus from Leh to Pangong completes the return journey the following morning. So, if you arrived at the lake by bus, you can embark again in the morning to return to Leh. If not by bus, you can easily find a shared taxi at Spangmik. If you were traveling by private taxi, I recommend making a short stop to visit Thiksey Monastery on the way.

Leh to Tso Moriri – Day 6

The next destination will be the other beautiful lake in Ladakh, Tso Moriri. Unlike Pangong, however, this is actually a freshwater lake and has wildlife around it. It is also not as crowded as Pangong. The village by the lake is called Karzok and is where you are going. To get here, you will first reach Upshi and then follow the path via Chumathang. The condition of the road is a mix of good and bad with the bad part around Polokongka La; and between Sumdo and Karzok. Travel time will be 7 to 8 hours easily.

If you are traveling by public transport, you will need to again reach the main Leh Bus stop and look for a shared bus or taxi. There are some hotels, hostels and campsites in Karzok, where you can spend the night. For a list of some recommended places, read Hotels and Inns in Tso Moriri.

Tso Moriri to Leh – day 7

If you were traveling by public transport, you really have no choice but to return to Leh via the same route, via Changthang. However, if you were traveling by private taxi, I recommend that, for your return trip, take the road via Tso Kar, another beautiful lake nearby. From Karzok, you will return to Sumdo first. Then, from Sumdo, you will head towards Tso Kar, via Polokongka La. Then, you will cross More plains to reach the lake. Take a break, spend some time here and then return to Leh via Tanglang La.

And that will end your one week in Ladakh. On the 8th, you will take a flight home. As I also mentioned earlier in the article, if you were looking to return home on the 7th, read the best itinerary to visit Ladakh in 6 days.

The itinerary I explained is probably the simplest and easiest way to travel to Ladakh. You will have no trouble moving between places, finding accommodation or looking for a way to travel. If you were traveling by private taxi or rented motorcycle; and are not subject to bus schedules or availability of shared taxis; so the same journey can be done in many other ways. I will name a few, for example.

One Week in Ladakh

Arrival in Ladakh. Rest and arrange permits – Day 1
Leh to Diskit – Day 2
Diskit to Turtuk – Day 3
Turtuk to Panamik – Day 4
Panamik to Pangong via Shyok road – Day 5
Pangong to Leh – Day 6
Leh to Lamayuru to Leh – Day 7

Arrival in Ladakh. Rest and arrange permits – Day 1
Leh to Diskit – Day 2
Diskit to Pangong via Shyok road – Day 3
Pangong to Hanle – Day 4
Hanle to Karzok (Tso Moriri) – Day 5
Karzok to Leh – Day 6
Leh to Lamayuru to Leh – Day 7

Arrival in Ladakh. Rest and arrange permits – Day 1
Leh to Diskit – Day 2
Diskit to Turtuk to Panamik – Day 3
Panamik to Pangong via Shyok road – Day 4
Pangong to Karzok (Tso Moriri) – Day 5
Karzok to Leh – Day 6
Leh to Lamayuru to Leh – Day 7

Arrival in Ladakh. Rest and arrange permits – Day 1
Leh to Kargil – Day 2
Kargil to Leh via Batalik – Day 3
Leh to Diskit – Day 4
Diskit to Pangong via Shyok – Day 5
Pangong to Tso Moriri via Chushul – Day 6
Tso Moriri to Leh – Day 7

Arrival in Ladakh. Rest and arrange permits – Day 1
Leh to Kargil – Day 2
Kargil to Leh via Batalik – Day 3
Leh to Diskit – Day 4
Diskit to Turtuk to Panamik – Day 5
Panamik to Pangong via Shyok – Day 6
Pangong to Leh – Day 7

Arrival in Ladakh. Rest and arrange permits – Day 1
Leh to Kargil – Day 2
Kargil to Padum – Day 3
Padum – Day 4
Padum to Kargil – Day 5
Kargil to Leh via Batalik – Day 6
Leh – Day 7

Arrival in Ladakh. Rest and arrange permits – Day 1
Leh to Diskit – Day 2
Diskit to Pangong via Shyok – Day 3
Pangong to Leh via Chang La – Day 4
Leh to Tso Moriri via Chumathang – Day 5
Tso Moriri to Leh via Tso Kar – Day 6
Leh to Lamayuru to Leh – Day 7

Arrival in Ladakh. Rest and arrange permits – Day 1
Leh to Diskit – Day 2
Diskit to Pangong via Shyok – Day 3
Pangong to Leh via Chang La – Day 4
Leh to Tso Moriri via Chumathang – Day 5
Tso Moriri to Leh via Tso Kar – Day 6
Fly Out – Day 7

Delhi to Manali – Day 1
Manali to Keylong / Jispa / Sarchu – Day 2
Keylong / Jispa / Sarchu to Leh – Day 3
Leh – Day 4
Leh to Pang / Sarchu / Jispa / Keylong – Day 4
Manali – Day 5
Delhi – Day 6

Ladakh One Week Itinerary