Manali – Leh Cannonball Run
Every year, thousands of travelers undertake Manali – Leh cannonball run i.e. the infamous one day journey (roughly 16 hours) from Manali to Leh.
While majority of the people do this exhausting journey to save time, few also do it escape the effects of AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness), which they feel they will surely contract if they do the journey in two or three days.
While both are valid reasons to some extent, cannonball runs can actually prove to be counterproductive, here is why:
Dangerous for occupants and other road users: Driving a multi utility vehicle, packed with people and luggage, without power steering, power brakes and air conditioning at that altitude is an exhausting job. Little wonder then, majority of these drivers drive under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, which in turn lowers their reaction time, which coupled with the fact they drive fast, makes for a deadly cocktail for both the occupants and other road users.
I have personally tasted this deadly cocktail during my first trip to Ladakh, the driver driving that Sumo was frozen still and only after hitting my motorcycle did he realize what had happened. Thankfully I survived and thankfully for the occupant of that taxi, I was riding a motorcycle and not a truck, else they will be going back home in body bags!
It doesn’t actually saves a lot time or money: Yes that’s right, doing a cannonball run, wouldn’t actually save you whole lot of money and time. Let’s do the math, shell we:
Delhi – Manali Volvo tickets: Rs. 850
1 day stay at Manali: Rs. 250-1,000
Manali – Leh cannonball run ticket: Rs. 1,500
Total expense = Rs. 2,600-3350
A ticket on the Delhi – Leh Air Deccan flight costs Rs. 4,224, so at the max you will be saving Rs.1,624 and at the same time you will be wasting couple of days of your life, being pushed from one side to another, hoping your drunk driver doesn’t looses control and takes you down that thousand feet sheer drop!
While for a mere Rs. 874-1,624 you can actually sit comfortably, get a bird side view of some of the highest mountain ranges and arrive in Leh in less than 90 minutes!
Cannonball run isn’t scenic or fun: Now a few might argue that Manali – Leh journey is really scenic and should be done by every one. Well it is true, however only for those who can actually experience the journey, not for those who are packed in a sardine can and are being pushed from one side to another, yearning for a break to come so they can empty their bladder, stretch their legs, get something to eat, breathe in fresh air and then maybe click a few snaps, just before it is time to move on!
In journey like this, you won’t even get a chance to properly capture scenery with your eyes, let alone with your camera.
You won’t escape AMS: Lastly those who think they can escape AMS by doing to Manali – Leh Cannonball run, I got news for you, apart from Leh, nothing else is actually situated at a low altitude in Ladakh. So you will end up doing a day trip to Pangong Tso i.e. spend thirty minutes there and hurriedly return to Leh. You will also have just enough stamina to pose for a photo next to highest motorable road, before you will start gasping for air and would want to return to low altitudes.
Why?
Because you didn’t actually get acclimatized, even if you spent next couple of days in Leh (10,500ft), according to the law of acclimatization you were following, you wouldn’t have acclimatized for 14,000ft high altitude of Pangong Tso and certainly not for the 18,380ft Khardung La.
So what is the solution?
1. Divide the journey in two to three days, with night stops at Keylong/Jispa/Darcha and Sarchu/Pang.
2. Skip the Manali – Leh route, if you can’t experience it properly, it is best not to do it just for boasting rights. Go through the Srinagar – Leh route, it is quite scenic and never climbs above 13,479ft (just a tad higher than Rohtang Jot).
3. Take the aerial route, fly to Leh and then spend a day or two acclimatizing and soaking in the local sights and Gompas.
This will not only give you enough time to experience the journey and enjoy it, it should also get you ready for what lies ahead. Also read this thread on Acute Mountain Sickness, apart from the research in the first post (done on trekkers and not on those traveling in vehicles), you will get to hear personal experience of other travelers who have undertaken this journey and methods which they found were effective in helping them acclimatize and fight the symptoms of AMS on the Manali – Leh highway.
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Dear Yogesh,
A correction: ‘…apart from Leh, nothing else is actually situated at a low altitude in Ladakh.’ Unless I have understood this out of context, by and large Nubra is around 10,000 ft asl, Sham is around 9000 ft asl and so is Kargil – definitely lower than Leh town.
Regards,
Sunetro.
Sunetro you are right, Nubra Valley by and large is at 10,000ft. However Pangong Tso, Tso Kar and Tso Moriri are 14,000+ and 15,000+ft in altitude.
Even while going to Nubra Valley, one has to go through Khardung La, where majority of the people like to spend some time to get their photo taken, buy souvenir and get a cup of tea/coffee.
With respect to Sham and Kargil, well Kargil is considered by majority of the people a night stop en route to Srinagar/Leh and not many go to Sham, this is the reason I deliberately left out Suru and Zanskar Valley out of the equation, because they aren’t that popular among regular tourists, who primarily fall for the cannonball run.
Hi Yogesh,
Nice blog.. wht a coinci I am also using this same wordpress theme from my site
Vipin
Yatra.com
Thanks Vipin, it is a nice theme
Dear Yogesh,
I intend to visit Ladakh between 16 to 28.08.2008.
I am 58 yrs old, my wife is 49 and my son is 19 years of age.
The programme that I have prepared is as follows.
16.08.2008 Arrival Manali from Chandigarh by Taxi
17.08.2008 Arrival Keylong N/S
18.08.2008 Arrival Sarchu N/S
19.08.2008 Arrival Leh N/S
20.08.2008 Leh Rest and obtaining Permit + identifying car
21.08.2008 Leh to PangongSo N/S
22.08.2008 PangongSo to Leh N/S
23.08.2008 Leh local visit N/S
24.08.2008 Leh to Hundar N/S
25.08.2008 Hundar to Leh N/S
26.08.2008 Leh to Lamayuru N/S
27.08.2008 Lamayuru to Leh N/S
28.08.2008 Leh rest
29.08.2008 Leh to Delhi by morning flight
30.08.2008 Arrival Kolkata
Kindly
i) Confirm whether the above programme is OK
ii) I fail to accomodate TsoMoriri in my plan because of time.
Do you feel I can have TsoMoriri in my scheme
by recasting the programme?
iii)Can Tsokar and TsoMoriri be done in 2N3D? Is the route
via Chusul viable?
iv)I am a serious amateur photographer. With the above time
schedule can I do justice to the places?
Hope you will find some time to please let me know the above information and any other that I have missed.
May God bless you,
Regards,
Ranjan Datta
Sir I would recommend couple of changes:
i) It would be ideal if you visit Nubra Valley first and then go to Pangong Tso, even though you would have acclimatized for the 14,000+ altitude by spending a night at Sarchu, it would still be a good option to go at a lower altitude and scenery would be a welcome change from the barren landscape of Manali – Leh highway.
ii) With respect to including Tso Moriri and Tso Kar in the itinerary, well it can be done. Are you mainly into landscape photography or are more oriented toward architectural and people photography?
Because if you are mainly into landscapes, then you can easily cover Lamayuru as a day trip and cut down a day at Leh and do Tso Moriri and Tso Kar in 2D1N that most people do. If you can afford, then 3D2N would be ideal and would provide you with plenty of time to indulge in photography at both the lakes.
iii) Chushul route only comes into play if you are planning to go from Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri; else you will not be touching that section.
iv) All I can say, that not even a month is enough for Ladakh because it is so beautiful. Your itinerary is well paced and should provide you with enough time to cover most of it with ease. Though another day in Nubra Valley might be a good, but then again not every one likes it as much as I do.
Please do let me know if you need any additional information.
Hey! That’s a lovely blog. I’m thinking of doing this route in June. Need your advice on two things: How’s an Innova for driving Manali-Leh? and, somebody told me that there are handy portable oxygen cans avaialbe which are very useful as a couple of deep breaths can make a lot of difference to a frazzled person. And more importantly, need to know if it’s okay to take a 11-year old boy on such a trip. tks much. H
Hi Himangshu,
Do you own the Innova or are you planning to hire it? If it is the later option, then it would be best to hire a Qualis or Scorpio as Innova’s suspension are a bit soft and that can make the drive a bit too bumpy.
Portable oxygen cylinders are available at Medical supply stores and even at few chemists and camping equipment stores. In case you or a family member feel uncomfortable/sick, approach the nearest Army base and they will help you guys out as they have doctors on duty and also oxygen cylinders and medicines to deal with such a situation.
You can take your son to Ladakh, but do make sure to keep an eye on his health and water and food intake. Do go through http://www.bcmtouring.com/forum/articles-f20/high-altitude-acclimatization-illnesses-t95/ and posts which follow, which contain valuable information. If you are still worried, then go via Srinagar – Leh route for easier acclimatization or do Manali – Leh in the following manner:
Manali – Keylong
Keylong – Leh
Let me know if you need more info.
Thanks much for the reply. I really appreciate it. I own an Innova and I plan to drive it. What I need to know is if the ground clearance is enough to do the journey. My plan is to spend a day at Salong valley beyond Manali, about 8000 feet altitude. Two acclimatisation nights at Keylong (where i’ve been earlier in my old Zen!). And I’m debating whether to spend one more night at Sarchu or whether to go to Leh directly. One involves high-altitude night stary, the other involves a very long drive with little time to enjoy the views or take pictures. And where are the army bases? Both at Sarchu and Pang? I then plan to come back to Delhi via the longer route .. kargil, Srinagar Jammu. thanks again. chrs. H
Ground clearance isn’t going to be an issue at most places; even small cars do this route. Though you would have to be careful at a few water crossings, the one right after Kokhsar and one before Pangong Tso in particular.
With respect to acclimatization, sleeping at 8000ft isn’t going to acclimatize you for a night at 14,000ft i.e. Sarchu. Better option would be to take the Srinagar route first, reach Leh and spend some time there and in Nubra Valley for acclimatization. That way not only will you be acclimatizing, you would also be sight seeing and better utilizing your days.
I am saying this because Leh and Nubra Valley are located at lower altitude than Sarchu and even in case of Pangong Tso, you can reach relatively lower altitude in a matter 20-30minutes, which isn’t the case with Sarchu or Pang. This is especially important because your son would be with you, else I would have recommended you to go via Manali route. Of course this also means that while returning, you can spend a night at Sarchu with ease.
As for Army bases, yes they are at Pang and Sarchu.
I am thinking to do a trip to leh from hyderabad. I have two sons 5 years and 7 years. They have played well in Rotang Pass last year. I am thinking to them along with me to do this trip. is it advisable ? I am waiting for this trip since long time, as few of the friends advised to wait till the children are 5 years old. would appreciate your advice. Have you seen children of small age travelling to Manali Leh route.
Hello Prem, I have seen few young kids traveling with their parents in Ladakh; however it would be best to take the advice of a doctor regarding this.
Also if you do decide to go to Ladakh, you might want to take the Srinagar – Leh highway initially to ensure easy acclimatization and make sure they drink plenty of watch and some glucose mixed with water as it helps in acclimatization. Also check with the doctor if they can be given diamox for a few days.
Hi!
We plan to do the restricted wetlands of Ladakh coming summer. Can you please tell us how to apply/obtain permits fro same (Chushul, Hanle and Nyoma)?
dear yogesh,
this year we are planning to go to leh in the group of 11 people and from manali route. our plan is to leave from manali on 27th may 2010. we get little contradictory view about the road being open by then or not?
however, most of the people say mostly it will be open.
would like to know from you, though we know it will be the best of he estimation and not the surity.
thanx in advance.