Friends, are you planning a trip to Ladakh and Spiti Valley together and are confused about what your itinerary or day-by-day plan should be? Then today, read this blog on your Ladakh or Spiti Valley travel guide. Let’s discuss this topic and help all those friends who are planning a trip to Ladakh and Spiti Valley together but don’t know the day-by-day travel plan. Ladakh and Spiti Valley are very beautiful places; both are cold deserts and high-altitude areas. There are high-altitude places, and many people get confused about whether they should go to Ladakh or Spiti Valley.

Some people plan to visit both Ladakh and Spiti Valley together, so in this blog, I am going to outline two routes: one which will be less time-consuming and the other which will be longer. The first route starts from Manali, goes to Spiti Valley, then to Ladakh, and returns to Manali. The other route is more of a circuit which includes Kinnaur Valley, Spiti Valley, Ladakh, and then back to Manali. At the end, I will also tell you about an alternative route if you need to return via Srinagar. So, first of all, let’s talk about the shorter route where we start from Manali.

The first day of this itinerary will be whether you start from Delhi or Chandigarh and reach Manali. If you spend the night in Solang Valley, which is at an altitude of more than 2500 meters, it helps in acclimatization, which reduces your chances of getting AMS. Manali is at an altitude of less than 2000 meters, so it doesn’t help our body much. As of today, the distance from Delhi to Manali is covered in about 12 hours. This time will soon be reduced to about 8 or 9 hours when the expressway from Kiratpur to Mandi becomes operational. If you plan to do sightseeing in Manali and arrive early, start from Manali, take the Atal Tunnel route, and head to Kaza via Kunzum Pass. On this day, you will reach Chandratal. I am taking you to Kaza because it will help you with acclimatization. Yes, the journey will be a little long, so leave early in the morning, and you can have lunch at a bus stop and return to Kaza to rest in the evening. The distance between Manali and Kaza is approximately 180 km, but it will take about 7 hours because the road between Gramphu and Balal is almost on the riverbed. The road condition there is very bad, and generally, the car will drive slowly, as the road is completely broken.

Also Read: Spiti Valley Road Plan And Distance

On the third day, we will go to a lower altitude and visit Pin Valley, which includes Mud village and Pu Pin. Inside the valley, you can drive and see the beautiful views. You will then return to Pin Valley on the same road. After coming back, you can visit Dhankar Monastery or Dhankar Lake. You can also trek if you like. After this, we will stay at Tabe for the night, which is at a lower altitude and will help your body acclimate a little more. On this day, we will cover a distance of approximately 130-135 km, and the drive time will be about 5 hours, including sightseeing.

On the fourth day, after breakfast at Tabe, you can trek a little higher to explore the Monkey Caves. Then, start your journey to Kaza so you can reach by afternoon and have lunch there. In the evening, you can go sightseeing around Kaza, visiting the high villages of Lanja, Hikkim, and Komic. The complete circuit will not take much time, about 2.5 to 3 hours.

On the fifth day, we will start from Kaza in the morning. After exploring your monastery, head to Kibber. The direct route from Kibber to Chich will come to Chich Bridge, which is a very beautiful view and itself a sightseeing spot. After exploring it, continue to Kunzum Pass via Chich village. We will cross the pass and stay at Chandratal Lake for the night. It is a very beautiful place and holds a special place for me because my journey through the Trans-Himalayas in 2008-2009 began from Chandratal Lake. In fact, this Devil on Wheels blog was started because of the adventures I had there. Some other time, we will discuss that story in detail, but you have already done the basic sightseeing of Spiti Valley and visited most of the tourist spots.

On the sixth day, you will wake up early in the morning at Chandratal and head back towards Batal. From Batal, take the direct route towards Gramphu, then proceed to Keylong, and from there, arrive in Jispa by night to spend the night there.

On the seventh day, we will start the journey to Ladakh, completing Spiti Valley. From Jispa, you can head straight to Sarchu to save time. The distance from Jispa to Manali Highway includes Deepak Tal and Suraj Tal. You can stop to see them, take photos, and then proceed to Sarchu, where you can have breakfast, tea, and water before starting the journey to Pang. It is a beautiful journey passing through Gata Loops, Lachung La Pass, and Nakila Pass. You will reach Pang, where you will create many memories and take plenty of photos. After having a late lunch in Pang, start towards Tanglang La Pass and then continue straight to Leh for the night. Upon reaching Leh, find a good hotel, guest house, or homestay. There are good restaurants on Changspa Road where you can eat whatever you like.

On the eighth day, rest in Leh. Remember, for sightseeing in Leh, you need to pay the environmental fee. The Inner Line Permit is no longer required for domestic tourists, but you still need to pay the environmental and ecology fee. On this day, you can do local sightseeing, such as visiting Zorawar Fort, the Palace, Hall of Fame, and Shanti Stupa. In the evening, visit Shanti Stupa to watch the sunset over the city. The view from the top is very beautiful, and as the sun sets, the twinkling lights of Leh village are visible. Afterward, return to Changspa Road or the main market, find a good restaurant, and enjoy your meal.

On the ninth day, start exploring Ladakh by leaving Leh in the morning and passing through Khardung La Pass to reach Nubra Valley. At Khardung La Pass, you can have soup and should not spend more than 15 to 20 minutes there. In Nubra Valley, visit the sand dunes in Hunder where you can see double-humped camels and visit the monastery with a 105-foot Buddha statue.

On the tenth day, we will start from Diskit or Hunder and take the route through Shyok village to reach Pangong Lake directly. This will be a highlight of your trip. If you are visiting Ladakh for the first time, you will love seeing Pangong Lake. It is a vast lake that feels like an ocean in its expanse.

On the eleventh day, after breakfast and a short walk, start from Pangong Lake and take the route near Chang La Pass. You will pass by some monasteries like Chamri, Masho, and Takna of Hemis. You can visit these monasteries if you like. If you want to cover these, start a bit earlier, have breakfast at Pangong Lake, take a walk, and then leave.

On the twelfth day, we will start our journey home. We will first go to Tso Moriri Lake, which has a beautiful route that I really like. If this is your second trip and you skipped Pangong Lake, you can definitely include it. However, if this is your first visit to Ladakh, do not miss Pangong Lake. On this route, you will also pass Chuma Dang Hot Springs, and there are a few dhabas where you can have lunch before continuing your journey. The distance from Leh to Tso Moriri Lake is around 220 km, and it will take you about 8 to 9 hours.

On the thirteenth day, start from Tso Moriri, visit Sokar Lake, and then reach Debring, a place on the highway to Manali. From there, take a left and head to Pang, then to Sarchu. The distance from Tso Moriri Lake to Sarchu via Sokar is around 220-230 km, so leave early in the morning. There might be rush hours, and you should also stop for any sightseeing you might have missed or for photo opportunities.

On the fourteenth day, start from Sarchu and head to Manali. You will pass by Baralacha La, Suraj Tal, and Deepak Tal. In Sarchu, there is a waterfall you can see. You will reach Manali via Atal Tunnel. If you didn’t do the local sightseeing in Manali on the way up, you can do it on this day. The distance from Sarchu to Manali is around 180-185 km and will take about 6 hours. Finally, on the fifteenth day, start from Manali and head to Delhi or Chandigarh, wherever your home location is. This is a basic tour of 15 days in which you can cover both Spiti valley and Ladakh.