Guides · Itinerary
Zanskar to Umling La: a 14-day Ladakh motorcycle itinerary
Two weeks, one buffer day, and a fuel column that does most of the planning for you.
Ridden · Motorcycle
14 days, day by day.
Delhi – Shinku La – Padum – Lamayuru – Leh – Turtuk – Hanle – Umling La – Tso Moriri – Jispa – Delhi
- Days
- 14
- Distance
- ~3,000–3,550km
- Highest point
- 5,799m Umling La (19,024 ft on the BRO board)
- Season
- September, before the high passes start closing
-
Day 1 · 21 Sep
Delhi → Manali, Sissu or Koksar
- Distance540–620 km
- RoadNormal
- Last fuel
- Manali
-
Day 2 · 22 Sep
Manali → Gonbo Rangjon via Shinku La
- Distance110–140 km
- RoadHard
- Last fuel
- Tandi
-
Day 3 · 23 Sep
Gonbo Rangjon → Padum
- Distance120–150 km
- RoadUnknown
- Last fuel
- Tandi
-
Day 4 · 24 Sep
Padum exploration
- Distance50–100 km
- RoadGood
- Zangla palace
- Karsha
- Local rides towards Photoksar
- Last fuel
- Padum
-
Day 5 · 25 Sep
Padum → Lamayuru via Lingshed or the NPD road
- Distance200–220 km
- RoadExtreme via Lingshed, normal via NPD
- Last fuel
- Padum
-
Day 6 · 26 Sep
Lamayuru → Leh
- Distance~110 km
- RoadNormal
- Last fuel
- Lamayuru
-
Day 7 · 27 Sep
Leh: buffer, bike check, rest
- Distance20–50 km
- RoadNormal
- A monastery or two
- The Rancho school
- Getting the bike looked at
- Last fuel
- Leh
-
Day 8 · 28 Sep
Leh → Turtuk via Khardung La
- Distance~200 km
- RoadHard, patchy
- Last fuel
- Diskit
-
Day 9 · 29 Sep
Turtuk → Karu or Upshi
- Distance250–280 km
- RoadHard, patchy
- Last fuel
- Karu
-
Day 10 · 30 Sep
Karu → Mirpal Tso → Hanle
- Distance230–280 km
- RoadHard, patchy
- Last fuel
- Karu
-
Day 11 · 1 Oct
Hanle → Umling La → Hanle → Chilling Tso → Ryul Tso → Mahe or Tso Moriri
- Distance300–350+ km
- RoadExtreme
- Last fuel
- Nyoma
The big one. Highest road, longest day. Everything else in the plan exists to protect this day.
-
Day 12 · 2 Oct
Tso Moriri → Sarchu or Jispa via Tso Kar
- Distance230–300 km
- RoadExtreme
- Last fuel
- Mahe or Nyoma
-
Day 13 · 3 Oct
Sarchu or Jispa → Delhi
- Distance650–750 km
- RoadHard
- Last fuel
- Tandi or Jispa
-
Day 14 · 4 Oct
Buffer day
Unused, it's a rest day. Used, it's the reason the trip still works.
From the road
Shot on the way.
This is the plan I rode through Ladakh in September 2026. It’s long, it’s ambitious, and every day has a column for the last petrol pump, because out here that column is the plan.
The route, stop by stop
Gurugram to Manali (554 km), Sissu or Koksar (40), Shinku La (110), Gonbo Rangjon (30), Padum (150), then Lingshed, Singe La and Photoksar to Lamayuru (210), Leh (120). From Leh: Khardung La (40), Nubra (80), Turtuk (100), back to Karu (220), Upshi (15), Mahe (115), Mirpal Tso (52), Hanle (150) and up to Umling La. Then Chilling Tso and Ryul Tso (60), Mahe (60), Sumdo (30), Tso Moriri (45), Tso Kar (80), Sarchu (140), Jispa (85), Manali (95) and home (550).
Two other ways to do it
The sensible version. Padum to Leh on the NPD road (about 180 km), then Leh to Mahe, Sumdo and Tso Moriri, back to Leh, and Leh to Manali over the NPD road. It’s mostly one mountain pass at a time, with petrol in Leh, Padum, Tandi and Manali.
The extreme version. From Mirpal Tso, go via Nyoma (70 km), Chilling Tso and Ryul Tso (40), back to Nyoma (40), Loma (24), Demchok (102), Umling La (27) and Hanle (88), then Chumur (120) and Tso Moriri (20). Unknown roads, a lot of fun, and not one to try without a buffer day.
Reading the road column
“Normal” means ordinary mountain riding. “Hard” and “patchy” mean broken tarmac, gravel and slow kilometres. “Extreme” means you plan the day around it: start early, carry fuel, and accept turning back. “Unknown” is honest. Ask in Padum and Gonbo Rangjon before you commit.
Before you go
- Check permits for Nubra, Turtuk, Hanle and the Changthang lakes before you leave Leh.
- Get the bike checked in Leh on the buffer day, not after something breaks.
- Carry fuel for the Hanle and Umling La days. Nyoma is the last reliable pump.
Leave room for the unexpected. Out here, it shows up on schedule.
See you somewhere on the road.
Shubham
