Discover the stunning beauty of Ladakh in this short Leh Ladakh Itinerary 5 Days.
Undoubtedly, Ladakh is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Located in the northern-most portion of India, Leh Ladakh is a place ripe with unique experiences, must-do activities, incredible sights & astonishing scenery.
Ladakh is a hot summer destination in India. The place gets maximum attention during April and June, with families, teenagers, and road-trippers all making their way to experience one of the best trips in India. Its dramatic landscape is its single biggest draw, with snow-clad mountains and glistening lakes boasting their charm. Likewise, Ladakh’s diverse topography makes your entire trip worthwhile. No matter where you go or which place you visit, you ought to come across valleys, rustic villages, and peaceful Gompas.
Along with Leh Ladakh’s landscape, its tourist destinations such as Tso Moriri, Nubra Valley, Leh City, Siachen Glacier, and Pangong Lake cultivate a lively sense of tourism. The culture, the traditions, and the local customs create a beautiful blend of harmony to enrich your overall Ladakh tour experience.
With so much to see and do around, we thought of creating the best itinerary for Leh Ladakh that can help you nail your first-ever trip. In this guide, we created a schedule that includes terrific places, top experiences, and must-do tours/activities.
So, without further ado, let’s get started with our Leh Ladakh tour itinerary.
Overview of Leh Ladakh Itinerary 5 Days
The itinerary designed for this Ladakh trip is curated for 5 days. The tour will start and end in Leh.
While not many people visit Leh Ladakh on such a short break, there’s a significant portion of travellers who prefer 5-6 days duration. To cater to these tourists, we created a perfect Ladakh itinerary consisting of all the niche experiences & activities.
Although a 5 Day Leh Ladakh itinerary sounds short, it is still packed with good sightseeing spots, road trip journeys, and must-do activities. Even if you’re a first-time traveller, this 5 day itinerary for Ladakh will come in handy to plan your first ever trip!
The trip can be customized entirely according to your style and preference. Thus, you can include or exclude any destination from the journey as you’d like.
Schedule of Leh Ladakh Trip Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Leh – Sightseeing Tours
Day 2: Leh – Nubra Valley (Khardung La Pass – Diskit – Hunder)
Day 3: Nubra Valley – Pangong Lake (Sumur – Shayok – Tangtse)
Day 4: Pangong Lake – Leh (Chang La – Chemrey – Hemis)
Day 3: Depart from Leh
Essential Planning Tips for 5 Days in Ladakh
These are some vital planning tips one should consider before planning their 5 days trip to Ladakh.
Take a Flight
Since our Leh Ladakh trip is only for 5 days, it makes sense to travel via flight. We won’t recommend a road trip journey to & fro Ladakh, as this is not a feasible option for a shorter travel plan. A minimum of 7-9 days is required to plan a full-fledged road journey to Leh Ladakh. Also, ensure that you arrive in Leh a day before your actual trip. This way, you can also take care of getting acclimated to the altitude of Ladakh.
Pre-Plan your Ladakh Tour
We recommend planning your Leh Ladakh trip at least six months before your actual departure. Considering the summer season in India (April to June), most travellers often book their Ladakh tour to avoid hiked hotel prices & airfare tickets.
Secondly, you’ll need to get your Inner Line Permit arranged. This is only applicable to foreigners (non-Indian residents). An Inner Line Permit is basically a ticket that grants you access to enter the protected areas of Ladakh. These places include visiting Nubra Valley, Pangong Lake, Turtuk, Khardung La, and Tso Moriri. One can get their permits sorted by directly visiting this website.
The charges for these permits are as follows –
Environmental Fee: INR 300
Inner Line Permit: INR 20 per day per person
Red Cross Fund: INR 100
Note: The above prices can change. Please visit the website to stay updated on the latest pricing.
Travel Q – Do you need an Inner Line Permit in Ladakh?
No. Inner Line Permit is no longer required for Indian citizens. Earlier, you had to compulsory book the pass to visit the protected zones of Ladakh. However, now the government has scrapped the idea of improving logistical tourist routes.
Book Your Transport
The second most important thing for your Leh Ladakh itinerary is to book internal transport. For this 5 day tour, we recommend booking a private vehicle for your entire Ladakh trip. Riding a motorcycle can be difficult, especially when you’re just getting acclimatized.
You can directly book a taxi from the airport to the hotel journey from the airport itself. To explore Leh Ladakh’s sightseeing, you’ll need to arrange transport in advance. We recommend Expedia for the rental car service, as they tend to provide affordable rates for their private vehicles.
Altitude Sickness in Ladakh
Many people ignore the altitude sickness problem in Ladakh and then often waste their sightseeing schedule. The best precaution against AMS (acute mountain sickness) is ample rest. At the same time, it may sound like a ridiculous thing to do, especially when you’re travelling to a beautiful region – getting rest is crucial before you start your sightseeing in Leh Ladakh.
Not doing so will only cause you more problems throughout the trip. If you have any medical conditions, please consult a doctor before this trip. It’s best to clarify your fitness levels before you travel to Leh Ladakh.
Moreover, to help you avoid AMS in Ladakh, read this guide as an additional resource. It details some steps to handle altitude sickness in Ladakh.
Cost of Leh Ladakh Tour Itinerary
Ladakh is an expensive region to travel to. Significantly, after COVID-19, many hotels and tour operators have hiked their rates to match their daily expenses. On average, a 5-day trip to Ladakh can cost anywhere between INR 12000 – INR 15000, which excludes to & fro flights and sightseeing entrance fees. Considering flights, expect the price to increase to INR 28000 – INR 32000.
Note – The above prices are an indicative number based on the history of previous tours/packages. You can explore the below packages to find your perfect Leh Ladakh tour –
5D/4N Leh Ladakh – Explore this tour to book a similar version of this itinerary.
7D/6N Ladakh Sightseeing – Book an all inclusive tour for Ladakh via Delhi.
Detailed Leh Ladakh Itinerary 5 Days
Day 1: Arrive in Leh
Leh, the city of adventures, is a bustling cold desert town filled with glorious tourist attractions. It isn’t a developed city boasting great amenities and accessibility; it still marks a vital destination to promote adventure tourism.
The rugged roads, dramatic landscapes, snowcapped peaks, bells of the monasteries, and the deserted cold wind makes you feel alive when you’re in the city of Leh. It isn’t only the attractions that drive most tourism, but its unique blend of Indian and Tibetian culture tends to bring out energetic vibes.
Once you reach Leh, the first thing you need to do – is get acclimatized.
Due to Leh Ladakh’s altitude, oxygen levels are minimum – causing you breathing and exertion problems. To avoid any health-related issues, it’s best to recommend giving yourself the time to get acclimatized to Leh’s atmosphere.
Note: You can spend more than a day in Leh to cover most of the city’s major sightseeing. If you take a day off to get acclimatized to the surroundings, it’s recommended to add an extra day to your Leh Ladakh itinerary to visit its important landmarks.
On this day, you can opt to visit Leh Ladakh’s top most attractions including – Shanti Stupa, Leh Palace, Magnetic Hill, and Hall of Fame. To add more sightseeing excursions to your Ladakh trip, you can book a full-day guided tour of the Leh City. This way you can maximize your travel for inner region travel.
Apart from the attractions listed above, there’s plenty to see and do in Leh Ladakh. You can add these places to your Leh Ladakh itinerary – Shey Palace, Shey Monastery, Gurudwara Patthar Sahib, Stok Palace, Likir Monastery, and Thikse Monastery.
Day 2: Leh to Nubra Valley (Drive)
Approx Distance from Leh to Nubra Valley – 4hr 40mins (160km)
If there’s anything that a traveller might dream of on their Leh Ladakh road trip, it is this journey – Leh to Nubra Valley. It’s one of the bucket-list activities many adventurers plan for a good reason!
The scenic drive from Leh to Nubra is packed with astonishing scenery, barren landscapes, mighty Himalayas, and the beautiful Zanskar and Karakoram range. These natural settings make the road trip quite memorable!
Visiting Nubra Valley is a must on a Leh Ladakh tour. Every biker dreams of seeing the place and traversing the region to explore its stunning beauty. The valley houses many attractions such as Diskit, Turtuk, Panamik, and many other unspoiled areas. The locals who live here showcase their lively traditions to fascinate tourists from all over the world.
To reach Nubra Valley, you’ll need to start early in the morning. You’ll travel via the Khardung La, which is approximately 38kms from Leh and will take you around an hour to reach. There’s a canteen around the place to stop by and get some refreshments.
Continue your journey from Khardung La to reach Diskit for some sightseeing tours. The town is famous for its landmark – the Diskit monastery, which is considered the largest gompa (Tibetian temple) in Nubra Valley. Nearby the hill lies another milestone of Diskit – the statue of Maitreya Buddha. Bactrian camel rides and Hunder dunes also remain popular sightseeing tours of Nubra Valley.
You can spend the night at Hunder Village, located 10kms from Diskit. For more hotel recommendations around Nubra Valley, explore this page.
Day 3: Nubra Valley to Pangong Lake (Drive)
Approx Distance from Nubra Valley to Pangong Lake – 6hr 20mins (140km)
Like the other road trips in Leh, the journey from Nubra Valley to Pangong is one of the scenic drives in the country. Every year, many tourists flock to the region of Ladakh to experience the road trip vibes of the Nubra and Pangong. Especially if this is your first-time exploring Leh Ladakh, you shouldn’t miss out on a trip to these places.
Pangong Lake is one of the gorgeous, most beautiful lakes in India. The expansive views of the contrasting blue lake make the waters look adorning to the backdrop of the rugged mountains. During the winters, the temperatures in the area fall below -20°C causing the lake to get frozen completely. Moreover, the lake’s elevation makes the surrounding scenes truly captivating, making you fall in love with Pangong Lake’s beauty.
Travel Q: Is camping at Pangong Lake allowed?
Considering the imbalance in the ecological fragility of the lake, the Government of India has decided to stop overnight camping around Pangong Lake. The sustainability issues made the authorities declare a ban, thus preserving the beauty of the lake. For alternatives around Pangong, check this page.
There are multiple ways to reach Pangong Lake from Nubra Valley. One is via Shyok, where the roads are comprehensive and extensive, and the other via Wari La, which is more of an off-beat experience. Nowadays, most travellers opt to take the Wari La route to explore the mountainous region, and it isn’t the easiest path to drive on and will require profound driving experience to complete the stretch.
Distance from Nubra Valley to Pangong Lake via Shyok route: 140kms (6hr 20mins)
Distance from Nubra Valley to Pangong Lake via Wari La route: 375kms (9hrs)
Looking for accommodation near Pangong Lake? Find out the resources below –
Hotels near Pangong Lake: Explore this page to find best hotel stays & deals near Pangong Lake.
Campsites near Pangong Lake: The Nature’s Nest Camp near Pangong is the closest you can get to Pangong Lake.
Day 4: Pangong Lake to Leh (Drive)
Approx Distance from Pangong Lake to Leh – 5hr 30mins (222.9km)
Before returning to Leh, stroll around Pangong Lake to admire the scenic sunrise. You’ll even spot many bird species around the lake, as Pangong is a popular breeding site for migratory birds.
On your way back, you’ll be taking the Chang La pass. You can visit several attractions here, such as Chemrey monastery and Hemis monastery. The Hemis Gompa is Leh Ladakh’s largest monastery, boasting beautiful shrines and an 8-meter Padmasambhava statue. Before reaching Leh, you’ll also find the famous monastery of Thiksey. It’s known for its impressive architecture and decorated interior work.
The rest of the day is free for you to explore Leh’s surroundings. Furthermore, if you had spent day one getting acclimatized to Leh’s climate – this is the perfect day to enjoy the serene beauty of Ladakh’s amazing sightseeing spots.
Day 5: Departure
This marks the end of your Leh Ladakh Itinerary for 5 days. You can extend this itinerary to 7 or 9 days, depending on your schedule, and visit places like Zanskar Valley, Kargil, Hemis National Park, Moonland, and Tso Moriri Lake.
Accommodation for Leh Ladakh Itinerary 5 Days
When planning your Leh Ladakh tour, accommodation becomes a crucial factor. Firstly, it’s essential to understand that Leh Ladakh isn’t a developed region compared to other metropolitan cities. It boasts many luxury hotel stays, guesthouses, and hostels – but you shouldn’t expect great amenities in places like Nubra Valley and Pangong Lake.
Most of the inner sub-regions feature rustic accommodation with basic amenities & facilities – which is still considered a favorable option amongst travellers who enjoy rustic stays.
For our Leh Ladakh itinerary trip itinerary, we categorized hotels into several price ranges. This will help you select the right hotel for the right price during your stay in Ladakh.
Please find the below resources for the hotel stays in Leh Ladakh –
Budget Hotels in Ladakh – Explore this page to find budgeted stays & rental apartments in Leh Ladakh.
Mid-range Hotels in Ladakh – Looking for good amenities? Check this page to find mid-range hotels across Leh.
Luxury Hotels in Ladakh – Fancy a luxurious stay in Ladakh? Check this page to find more.
Recommended: Read this guide to find out the top 5 luxury stays in Ladakh.
FAQs for Leh Ladakh Itinerary 5 Days
How many days are enough for Leh Ladakh?
You’ll at least need 10-12 days to cover major sightseeing spots of Leh Ladakh. Considering the distance between Nubra Valley, Pangong Lake, and Leh, you should give yourself the time to soak in Ladakh’s serene beauty.
Are 5 Days enough for the Leh Ladakh tour?
Factually, a 5 day trip to Ladakh isn’t a sufficient period to admire Leh Ladakh’s scenery. With so many attractions & experiences, a tour of a minimum of 7-9 days is required. However, if you’re short on time and need a quick breakthrough to fizz past Ladakh’s sightseeing, a 5-day tour is worthwhile.
How much does a Leh Ladakh trip cost?
Many tour operators across India will charge different prices for their services & sightseeing add-ons. It ultimately comes to the duration you choose, places you visit, and some off-beat experiences. However, an average 5D/4N Leh Ladakh package costs INR 13,000 (excluding flights). You can check these tours here.
What is the best time to visit Leh Ladakh?
Indian summers are the best period to enjoy Leh Ladakh’s mild temperatures. The region attracts most of the crowd between April and July and is the busiest period to travel within Leh. You can expect temperatures ranging between 15°C – 30°C during this season.
Are Ladakh roads safe?
The roads in Leh Ladakh are pretty rugged, featuring steep cliffs, unpaved lanes, traffic jams, and rocky terrains. The highways in Ladakh aren’t the most drivable paths but certainly, boast incredible scenery and amazing landscape.
Further Readings & Resources
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