GENERAL INFORMATION FOR TRAVELERS

GENERAL INFORMATION FOR TRAVELERS

How to reach:

By Air:  You can take a flight either Indian Airlines, Jet Airways or Go Air. Indian airlines and Go Air operates every day between New Delhi - Leh. While Jet Airway operates every day from Delhi to Leh except on Saturday. The Indian Airlines has its flight operates only on Wednesday between Leh and Srinagar. It also operates from Jammu - Leh twice a week i.e. on Monday and Friday.

By Road:  From Manali or from Srinagar. From Manali to Leh which goes via Keylong takes two days 474 kms with a night halt in Sarchu and from Srinagar to Leh takes two days 434 kms with a night halt in Kargil. Srinagar - Leh road remains open from end of April to November and Manali - Leh road remains open from early June to mid - October.

When to come?

Ladakh is open for tourists throughout the year. The best period for cultural tour is from April - October end. For adventure tours June - October is the suitable period. Most of the trekking routes are closed after November due to heavy snow at high passes except Liker to Khaltsey trek. Ideal period for Chadar-trek (frozen river trek) to Zanskar is from December to February.Best period for spotting snow Leopard is from December to March.
There are three way to reach ladakh.

Getting Acquainted:

Ladakh is spread over an area of 97,000 Sq. Kms and lies on an average of 3500 meters above the sea level. Ladakh has a population of around 260,000. About 84% of Ladakh's population lives in villages

Climate in Ladakh:

Temperature of Ladakh in summer (June to September) can touch 35 °c and minus 30°c in late December and January. Annual rainfall is 6''

Visa and Permit:

Permit is required if you are a foreigner visiting the restricted tourist areas within ladakh like the Pangong lake, Tso-moriri lake area, Nubra Valley and Dha-Hanu region. Permit will be provided by us after arriving in leh.

To enter Ladakh no permit is required. However it is advisable that all foreign tourists must carry their passport with a valid visa and domestic tourist from India must carry any identity proof like driving license, election card or passport.

Time difference:

The Indian Standard time (IST) is 5 hours and 30 minutes ahead of London, 4 hours and 30 minutes ahead of Paris and about 09 hours and 30 minutes ahead of the New York City.

Are there any budget hotels?

Yes, there are Guest houses which are run by local ladakhis, these are simple and may or may not come with attached utilities. Food is not served in some guest house so you have to use local restaurants except breakfast, which they mostly serve at the guest home. There are also Homestays where one can experience the culture and life style of the locals.

Avoid Acute Mountain Sickness

As Ladakh is located at the altitudes ranging from 9,000 - 15,000 ft. above sea level,anyone traveling above 10,000 ft. is liable to get high altitude sickness or commonly known as Acute Mountain Sickness AMS. The most common symptoms of AMS are lack of sleep, loss of appetite, headache, dizziness, irregular breathing, etc. The best way to acclimatize is to take the following precautions:

  • On arrival, take rest for 24hrs, as you are travelling to high Altitude from Low, due to low oxygen.
  • Have plenty of drinking water or any kind of liquid (except alcohol).
  • In case you develop any of the above -mentioned symptoms. Consult Doctor.

Transport and driver

  • Please treat your driver respectfully and feel free to tip them, as they assist you throughout your tour.
  • Please co-operate with driver and his instruction,in hills the large vehicles need to take some sharp turns ,so the speed could varies from time to time.

Dos and Don'ts while in Ladakh

  • On arrival please rest for 24hrs, as you are traveling to high Altitude from Low, due to low oxygen.
  • Have plenty of drinking water or any kind of liquid (except alcohol).
  • While visiting any Gompa (monastery), please take Lama’s permission for Photo or video shoot.
  • Wear proper clothing while visiting Gonpas (monastery).
  • Follow the rules of Gompa (monastery)while visiting Gonpas (monasteries).
  • Take suggestion of your family doctor before visiting Ladakh for any kind of medicines.
  • It would be advisable to ask before clicking a picture of an individual or group of locals. However, a tourist should refuse to give money if asked for.

Things you must carry

  • Clothing for trekkers:wind / water proof Jacket, hat / cap, good trekking shoe, water proof ruck sack & slippers.
  • Clothing for non-trekkers: Light Jacket, hat / cap
  • Sun glass with UV Protection
  • Torch with extra batteries.
  • Sun Screen lotion and cold cream.
  • Cotton clothing for day journey.
  • It is better to carry a water purification set with you during trek. It is even safe to use boiled fresh water during the trek.

National Park:

Almost all the trekking routes fall under the sensitive wildlife habitat area including the Hemis National Park. Some of the species are even endangered ones. Therefore, one should be extremely careful about not causing any disturbance to the vulnerable wildlife habitat while on trek.

Hiring Taxi from outside Leh:

Hired taxis from outside Ladakh are not allowed to be used for local sightseeing and jeep-safari in Ladakh. You can only book non- local taxis only to drop at Leh or for your return trip. It is mandatory to hire local taxis for local sightseeing and jeep safaris. However, there is no restriction for those traveling in their own private cars.