The drive through this high altitude road beyond the Great Himalayan range on the edge of the Tibetan plateau connects the verdant Kulu valley to the remote, cold desert region of Ladakh, once accessible only from Kashmir. The journey goes through some of the most spectacular mountain scenery ever witnessed by road travellers.
Your journey begins as you drive from Delhi to Manali. Here you can visit Naggar village, Naggar Castle and Roerich Art Gallery. Spend half a day touring the city, including Hadimba Temple, Manu Temple, Tibetan Monastery and Vashisht Village. Next travel by jeep from Manali to Sarchu, en-route visiting Rohtang Pass (3980 m) and Keylong. As one traverses the main ranges of the Himalayas, the stark contrast in the topography becomes apparent. You will stay overnight in tents at Sarchu (4253 m).
The next day you travel by jeep from Sarchu to Leh over the Baralacha (4892 m), Lachang (5065 m) and Tanglang (5360 m) passes. Lahaul and later Ladakh reveal barren landscapes that assume fantastic and bizarre shapes. Surrealistic colours splash off rocks ranging from various shades of brown to rust, gold, pink and yellow. You reach Leh and spend half day sightseeing. A visit to Thiksey, Hemis and Shey monasteries is a must. Leh is like entering an altogether new and different world.Above every village, large or small, rise the 'ubiquitous gompas or Buddhist monasteries, cutting past the pristine air to break the articulate silence of the land of Vajrayana, the Vehicleof the Thunderbolt. Here one traverses the roof of the world, where the Buddhist influence on the inhabitants tries to soften the rough existence they lead for mere survival.
You travel by jeep from Leh to Tsomoriri, a beautiful lake ringed by mountains. Spend a night in this incredible landscape. After spending three nights at Leh, you head back to Sarchu. At reaching Keylong a visit to the Khardong monastery is a good idea.