9-day Motorbike Tour Manali to Leh: Khardung-la & Pangong Lake

Ride the highest motorable pass on earth, then descend to a lake that changes color five times a day

A 9-day guided motorbike and jeep tour from Manali to Leh through the western Himalayas, covering 1600–1800 km across Rohtang Pass, Tanglang-la, Khardung-la and Pangong Lake. You ride your own bike (or hire locally in Ladakh where needed) with a professional guide, mechanical support vehicle, and overnight stays in guesthouses, camps and homestays. The route gains altitude to 5600 m and includes Buddhist monasteries, sand dunes of Nubra Valley, and a free day in Leh for local sightseeing.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Manali to Gemur/Jispa ride

• Ride through Manali countryside
• Cross Rohtang La pass
• Overnight stay at Gemur/Jispa Guest House

Day 2: Gemur/Jispa to Rumsey/Lato via Sarchu

• Start early ride at 6 am
• Ride via Darcha and Jispa
• Pass Himmatnagar, Patseo, Zingzing bar
• Visit Suraj tal lake
• Cross Baralacha la pass
• Reach Sarchu plateau
• Climb Lachulang La pass
• Ascend Tanglang La pass
• Overnight stay at Rumsey camps/homestays

Day 3: Rumsey/Lato to Leh with Hemis visit

• Breakfast at homestay/camp
• Ride to Hemis Monastery
• Visit Hemis Monastery
• Ride to Leh
• Check-in at hotel in Leh

Day 4: Leh to Nubra Valley via Khardung-la

• Hire local bike or cab
• Ride to Khardung-la pass
• Enjoy views of Zanskar and Karakoram ranges
• Reach Hunder and visit sand dunes
• Overnight stay at hotel in Hunder

Day 5: Hunder to Pangong Lake ride

• Early morning ride to Pangong Lake
• Pass Durbuk village and war memorials
• Enjoy Pangong Lake colors and scenery
• Overnight stay at Pangong Tso camps

Day 6: Pangong Lake to Leh via Changla pass

• Enjoy sunrise at Pangong Lake
• Ride to Leh via Changla pass
• Short walk around Leh Mall road
• Overnight stay at Leh homestays/hotels

Day 7: Leh city sightseeing and shopping

• Visit ancient monasteries around Leh
• Visit Shanti Stupa
• Visit Shey Palace
• Visit Thiksey Gompa
• Visit Spituk Gompa
• Visit Phyang Gompa
• Visit Leh Palace
• Tour Magnetic Hill and Gurudwara Pathhar Sahib
• Overnight stay at Leh hotels/homestays

Day 8: Ride back to Manali from Leh

• Start early ride at 6 am
• Ride via Sarchu, Pang, Keylong
• Check-in at hotel in Keylong

Day 9: Keylong to Manali final day

• Cross Rohtang pass
• Rest and conclude tour

The experience

If you're arriving in Manali without a bike or transport, this tour solves that: you start the ride the morning after you land, crossing Rohtang Pass on day one and climbing into high-altitude terrain where a support vehicle stays with the group. The itinerary is built around acclimatization, rather than rushing to Sarchu on day two, you stop at Rumsey or Lato, 70–75 km before Leh, so your body adjusts to the altitude before the final push. A professional guide rides with you and speaks English or Hindi. Mechanical backup means a breakdown doesn't strand you on a remote pass.

The route itself is the draw. Day two takes you over Tanglang-la (5360 m), the second-highest motorable pass in the world, then day four climbs Khardung-la (5600 m), the highest, where you can see the Zanskar range to the south and the Karakoram chain to the north. Between those passes you ride through gorges, across the Pang Plateau (where wild herds of Nagawa sheep roam), and past prayer flags and Buddhist monuments. Hemis Monastery, the largest in Ladakh, sits on the route to Leh. You visit it on day three if time allows. Pangong Lake, which changes color four to five times daily in shades of blue, green, purple and violet, gets a full day (day five) with an overnight stay at the shore and sunrise viewing before the return ride.

Day seven is free in Leh for exploring monasteries like Thiksey, Spituk and Phyang Gompa, or visiting Shanti Stupa, Leh Palace and Magnetic Hill. Days eight and nine are the return ride to Manali via Sarchu and Keylong, with an overnight stop at Keylong before the final push home. Temperatures run 15–20°C during the day. The best season is June to September. This is graded Adventure+, and you need at least moderate fitness and a valid motorcycle license.

What’s included

• Professional guide fluent in English and Hindi.
• mechanical support vehicle with backup for breakdowns.
• overnight stays in guesthouses, camps and homestays (Gemur or Jispa, Rumsey or Lato, Leh, Hunder, Pangong Lake).
• bike hire in Ladakh for days four through six when your own bike cannot travel.
• entry to Hemis Monastery on day three.
• a full free day in Leh (day seven) for local sightseeing at monasteries, Shanti Stupa, Leh Palace, Magnetic Hill and Gurudwara Pathhar Sahib.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day except Tuesday

AgesAdult (18 to 60 years) · Under 18: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Hindi

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 6 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortWheelchair accessiblePublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by VOICE OF HIMALAYAS BIKE RENTAL MANALI

Is this one for you?You start from Manali without needing your own transport. The tour picks up the ride the morning after you arrive, so you don't need to arrange a bike or navigate the high passes alone. If you're staying in a hotel in Manali, the guide meets you there. If you're coming from elsewhere in Himachal Pradesh, confirm the pickup point when you book. The support vehicle means a mechanical failure or altitude trouble doesn't trap you on a remote pass, and the homestay stops (especially Rumsey or Lato on day two) let your body adjust before the highest climbs.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Hindi.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Can I ride my own bike the whole way, or do I need to hire one in Ladakh?

Bikes with Himachal Pradesh number plates are not allowed beyond Khardung-la and Pangong Lake, so if you ride your own from Manali, you hire a local bike in Leh for days four through six. The tour arranges this. You return it after Pangong Lake and ride your own bike back to Manali on days eight and nine.

What is Pangong Lake actually like when you get there?

Pangong Tso sits at 4400 m and stretches 150 km, though only 25% belongs to India and 75% to China. The water shifts between blue, green, purple and violet throughout the day depending on light and mineral content. A few army-operated boats are available, but they rarely venture beyond half a kilometer from shore. You stay overnight at camps on the Indian side and watch the sunset and sunrise from the water's edge.

How much time do I spend riding versus resting each day?

Day one is 140 km. Day two is the longest and hardest, starting at 6 am and covering high passes with many hairpin bends. You arrive at Rumsey or Lato in the evening. Days three through five are moderate, 45–170 km each. Days eight and nine are the return, with an overnight stop at Keylong. The itinerary builds in rest days and a full free day in Leh (day seven) so you recover between high-altitude riding.

What happens if I get altitude sickness on the route?

The guide and support vehicle stay with the group throughout. The itinerary is designed to minimize acute mountain sickness (AMS) by stopping at Rumsey or Lato on day two instead of pushing all the way to Sarchu, giving your body time to acclimatize before the final climb to Leh. If symptoms worsen, the support vehicle can transport you to lower altitude or to medical help in Leh.

Are meals and lodging included, or do I pay separately?

Overnight stays in guesthouses, camps and homestays are included. You sleep in Gemur or Jispa on day one, Rumsey or Lato on day two, Leh on days three and six–seven, Hunder on day four, and Pangong Lake on day five. Meals are not mentioned in the itinerary, so confirm with the operator whether breakfast and dinner are included or if you arrange and pay for them separately.

What is the best time of year to do this tour?

June to September is the official season. Roads are open, passes are clear of snow, and daytime temperatures range 15–20°C. Outside these months, high passes close due to snow and weather makes the ride dangerous.