Best of Leh & Ladakh: The Land of High Passes — Self-Launched
6 days · Leh & Ladakh, India
Swastik India Journeys charges £435
No-markup version: ~£290 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Swastik India Journeys' 6-day Ladakh loop: Leh acclimatisation, the Hall of Fame and Magnetic Hill circuit, over Khardung La to Nubra Valley, Diskit Monastery and a night beside Pangong Lake. Instead of a private car-and-driver package, you book a guesthouse in Leh's Old Town and use Ladakh's shared-tour network (fixed-price seat-in-jeep day trips run by local Leh agencies) plus shared taxis between Nubra and Pangong. Budget figures are approximate and exclude flights to Leh — note that altitude acclimatisation and Inner Line Permits are entirely your responsibility, so build in a rest day and sort permits in Leh on day one.
Day-by-day
Arrive Leh — acclimatise gently
Leh
Fly into Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport (IXL) — the approach over the Zanskar range is one of the world's great landings. Pre-book a guesthouse in the Old Town or Changspa area (£12-18/night, most will arrange a taxi pickup for ~₹600/£6). Spend the day doing almost nothing: this is 3,500m and altitude sickness is real. Drink water, skip alcohol, eat light. In the late afternoon, if you feel well, stroll slowly up to Shanti Stupa for sunset views over the valley. Tomorrow morning, take your passport and a photocopy to the DC Office (Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council) in Leh to get your Inner Line Permit for Nubra and Pangong — free to apply, or pay a local agent ~₹300-500 to handle it same-day. Many nationalities can now also apply online via the LAHDC Ladakh portal.
🚌Airport taxi to guesthouse ~£6 (shared) / transfers on foot
🛏Guesthouse in Leh Old Town / Changspa (~£15)
- →Shanti Stupa sunset walk (free)
- →Apply for Inner Line Permit at DC Office, Leh
Leh sightseeing circuit — Hall of Fame, Magnetic Hill, Sangam
Leh
Join a shared seat-in-jeep day tour of the classic Leh loop — local agencies on Fort Road sell these for roughly ₹1,200-1,800 (£12-18) per person, departing ~9am and returning by late afternoon. The circuit covers the Hall of Fame museum (war memorial, ~₹50 entry), Gurudwara Patthar Sahib, the Magnetic Hill gravity-deflection spot, the Kali Temple at Spituk and Sangam, where the Indus and Zanskar rivers meet in a striking green-blue confluence. Optional add-on: white-water rafting on the Zanskar from Chilling to Nimmu (~₹1,800/£18, bookable through the same agencies or directly with operators at Sangam). Back in Leh, eat thukpa and momos in the Old Town and go to bed early.
🚌Shared seat-in-jeep day tour ~£15
🛏Guesthouse in Leh Old Town / Changspa (~£15)
- →Hall of Fame museum
- →Gurudwara Patthar Sahib
- →Magnetic Hill
- →Kali Temple, Spituk
- →Sangam confluence
- →Optional: Zanskar rafting ~£18
Over Khardung La to Nubra Valley
Nubra Valley (Hunder/Diskit)
Shared jeeps and the local bus run from Leh to Nubra via Khardung La (5,359m) — the shared taxi rate is fixed by the union at around ₹1,000-1,200 (£10-12) per seat, roughly 5-6 hours with photo stops at the pass. Bring your Inner Line Permit (checked at the gate) and expect headaches from the altitude — chew on the chai stops. Arrive in Hunder or Diskit and check into a simple guesthouse or homestay (£10-15). In the late afternoon, walk to the Hunder sand dunes for the double-humped Bactrian camels — a short ride costs ~₹300-500 (£3-5), or just sit and watch the light. Dinner at the guesthouse, usually dal, rice and vegetables.
🚌Shared jeep Leh → Nubra over Khardung La ~£11
🛏Guesthouse/homestay in Hunder or Diskit (~£12)
- →Khardung La Pass (5,359m)
- →Hunder sand dunes
- →Optional Bactrian camel ride ~£4
Diskit Monastery, then on to Pangong Lake
Pangong Lake (Spangmik/Man)
Start early at Diskit Monastery — Ladakh's oldest and largest, home to the 32m Maitreya Buddha statue looking out over the Nubra valley. Entry is free/donation. Then take the spectacular Nubra → Shyok route to Pangong Lake (about 6-7 hours in a shared jeep or shared tourist vehicle; union seats run around ₹1,500-2,000/£15-20 if you can find one — the alternative is to ask your Nubra guesthouse to link you with other travellers heading the same way, which is how most backpackers do it). The road along the Shyok river is rough and stunning. Arrive at Pangong in the late afternoon — the colour shift as the sun drops is the highlight of the trip. Stay in a basic lakeside cottage or homestay in Spangmik (£15-20, cold; ask for extra blankets and a hot water bottle).
🚌Shared jeep Nubra → Pangong via Shyok ~£18
🛏Lakeside cottage/homestay at Pangong (~£18)
- →Diskit Monastery and Maitreya Buddha
- →Shyok river valley drive
- →Pangong Lake sunset
Pangong sunrise and back to Leh
Leh
Get up for sunrise over the lake — reason enough to have slept at 4,250m. Spend the morning walking the shoreline, drinking chai at one of the small stalls, and photographing the changing blues. Then take a shared jeep back to Leh over Chang La (5,360m), roughly 5 hours, ~₹1,000-1,500 (£10-14) per seat — seats fill up fast so ask your cottage owner to reserve one the night before. Back in Leh, check into a guesthouse, take a hot shower and treat yourself to a proper dinner in the Old Town (Tibetan Kitchen or Bon Appetit in Changspa are reliable, ~₹500-800/£5-8). Optional: pick up pashmina or apricot oil souvenirs at the Main Bazaar.
🚌Shared jeep Pangong → Leh over Chang La ~£12
🛏Guesthouse in Leh (~£15)
- →Pangong Lake sunrise
- →Chang La pass
- →Leh Old Town dinner and bazaar
Departure from Leh
Leh
A slow breakfast, then an airport taxi (shared ~£6, private ~£10) for your flight out. Note that Leh flights are frequently cancelled or delayed in the shoulder season due to weather — build a day's buffer into your onward plans if you can. If you have extra time, a half-day shared jeep to Thiksey Monastery or Hemis is ~₹1,000 (£10) and well worth it before you leave.
🚌Taxi to IXL airport ~£6
🛏—
- →Optional Thiksey or Hemis Monastery half-day ~£10
Self-launched vs. Swastik India Journeys
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Swastik India Journeys | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£290 | £435 |
| Duration | 6 days | 6 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £145 per person (33%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Swastik India Journeys-style trips? Check them out here.~£290
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Best of Leh & Ladakh: The Land of High Passes — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £290 per person for 6 days in Leh & Ladakh, India. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Swastik India Journeys?+
Yes — Swastik India Journeys charges around £435 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £290 — a saving of roughly £145 (33%) per person.
How long is the Leh & Ladakh, India trip?+
This itinerary runs 6 days, covering 6 day-by-day stops through Leh & Ladakh, India.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, hiking trip through Leh & Ladakh, India, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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