If you are planning to travel to Ladakh and are wondering, what is the best month to travel there? Then fear not, you are not alone. Many first time and even veteran Ladakh travelers often wonder the same, since bad weather and road conditions can play havoc with your travel plans and no one wants that.
Best time to visit Ladakh is from July to mid-September, though each of these months offers something unique to travelers, which I have explained in detail in this blogpost.
Traveling to Ladakh in July
Benefit of traveling to Ladakh in July is that even though in the first couple of weeks, you can still see snow at Rohtang Jot and Baralacha La. Roads are in much better condition than they were in June. Add to that, temperature in Leh as well as other parts of Ladakh and Zanskar is a lot warmer and comfortable than what it was earlier in the season.
Rohtang Jot
Traveling to Ladakh in August
August is traditionally considered as the best month to visit Ladakh, since summer is at its peak and roads are generally in good condition. Add to that, most of the farms around Leh, Nubra Valley, Srinagar – Leh Highway and Suru and Zanskar Valley are full of produce, thus providing a nice contrast between the arid mountains and green lush fields.
There is also less chance of roads getting closed at this time of the year, barring Zoji La, Rohtang Jot and Baralacha La, which are affected by monsoon rain. Thanks to the pleasant climate in August, maximum numbers of tourists visit Ladakh at that time. So if it is peace and quiet you are after, then it is best to go a little later in the season.
Traveling to Ladakh in September
Unlike July and August, September isn’t traditionally considered as best time to visit Ladakh, since it heralds in fall season and weather starts turning cold. Moreover, high altitude passes start receiving snowfall and even Pangong Tso can experience snowfall in September. Due to this, fewer tourists visit Ladakh in September.
However for the more adventurous soul, September can be best month to visit Ladakh, since roads are at their best and there are fewer people around.
Suru and Zanskar Valleys also undergo a transformation and grass and shrubs change from green to orange and even red in colour! Orange coloured grass contrasted against the deep blue sky, arid mountains and blue water is perfect for photography. Add to that, solace you will find en route to Padum is completely unparalleled. And makes the trip even more special.
Suru Valley
Of course no one can predict what the nature has in stored next and at times severe rains and snowfall can occur due to Western Disturbance and local weather buildup. There are also occasions when bridges get damaged, and can lead to delays.
However these are more of an exception rather than a norm, and these three months remain the best time to visit Ladakh, if you are looking for comparatively good roads and weather conditions.
35 Comments
Very useful info Yogesh Bhai…….+1 for You!!!
Thank you Vivek. Glad you found this useful :).
That’s a fantastic photograph with your bike in midst of the mountains :), cheers Yogesh
Thank you Krishna.
Nice article and informative one also yogesh 🙂
Thank you Sahil
Hello yogesh ji
M amit from Mumbai
M all alone but want to visit tso moriri
Panggong
Numbra july month
Can I go these places all alone ?
Any sharing taxi/jeeps possible??
Can I carry cash n stay alone at tsomoriri and other places??
Pls help
Can u sms me 0n 9322473949 I wanna talk to u 4 ur guidance
Pls m feeling unsafe travelling alone
M from Mumbai
Amit, there is no issue with traveling solo to Ladakh. You will find plenty of shared taxis there or you can team up with other travelers by posting a thread in Travel Partner section of BCMTouring.
Even if you don’t find anyone, there is absolutely no issue with traveling alone, in fact what I consider to be my best trip to Ladakh was my solo motorcycle ride to Ladakh, spanning 18 days and in which I cover Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri and Zanskar Valley. You can read that travelogue here http://www.bcmtouring.com/forum/travelogues-north-india-f61/ladakh-zanskar-return-heaven-t10284/.
Yogesh Da…..please throw some words about May/June month trip for the tourists who wish to fly in/out for ladakh.
Vivek, during May and early June, normally there is quite a bit of snow at Khardung La and Chang La. Which means Khardung La is one way i.e. traffic is only let through from one direction each day and in case of heavy snowfall, routes can get closed for a day or two. Of course all this is weather dependent, so if summer comes soon or in case it doesn’t snows while you are there, you wouldn’t face any problem.
Apart from this, there is no issue with traveling to Ladakh in May and early-June, and weather is quite pleasant as well.
Very useful and straight on topic insights. I was actually researching on an ideal month to visit Leh on bike and your article has cleared up lot of things and saved me a lot of time as well. Thanks.
Glad I could help Vishal :).
Hi Yogesh, quite an inspiring blog. I am planning to visit Ladakh with my family (youngest member 10 yrs, oldest member 70 yrs old) from 15-27 June 2014. I would be grateful if you could give us some advice on whether a family trip will be advisable during this time and also suggest places to visit. Any other useful tips would also be of great help.
Sapna, thank you for your kind words.
How are you planning to travel to Ladakh i.e. in a taxi, by flight or your vehicle?
Road conditions for most part would be stabilized by then, though Manali – Leh highway would still be in a bad condition.
With a senior citizen, you will need to be extra careful while traveling and make sure to gradually gain altitude i.e. go via Srinagar route if you are traveling by road.
Rest of the suggestions and place to visit I can only recommend, once I know your mode of transport, since if you are flying to or out of Leh/Srinagar, then you will have a lot more time in hand than if you were to take the land routes.
Thanx for your prompt response and sorry for my delayed response. We have the option of going by flight, but from the point of view of acclimatisation, wouldn’t it be better if we go by road (Srinagar-Leh highway)? What would be your suggestion in thid regard?
Yes, going via Srinagar route would be good acclimatization wise. Though please keep in mind that Zoji La would likely be in bad condition and bumpy, so if the senior citizen traveling with you has back problem, then flying directly to Leh would be a good idea. I had written Ladakh AMS survival guide on BCMTouring with inputs from a fellow traveler, who is a doctor by profession. You can read it here, http://www.bcmtouring.com/cms/ladakh-ams-survival-guide/.
Thanks Yogesh sir. Very informative.
Is there any photography page of yours where I can see the Ladakh grandeur?
PS. I have seen the ones on BCMT pages.
Hello yogesh sir
We r planning for leh ladakh on byk in dec 2014 or jan 2015 .hws d climate there in winter season ? Is it good or worst for bikers ?
Plz suggest.
Bcz not possible for us in june to sep . Plz suggest.
Thank u
Mayuresh adkar
Mumbai
By December, temperature in Ladakh would start touching the lows of -20 degree Celsius, with the maximum temperature being 2-3 degree Celsius. January would be even colder with tons of snow at high altitude passes. Land routes to Ladakh are in any case going to be closed by then (Srinagar route should be open till mid-December).
Biking at such temperatures is out of question, unless you are used to riding in such harsh winter temperatures and on black ice.
Hello Yogesh,
I am planning for Leh Ladakh in few weeks(via flight) but, some of my friends suggested to go there just now or after the rainy season. Does rain creates much problem there?
Ladakh isn’t affected by monsoon season. While roads do get affected by it (till Baralacha La on Manali side and till Zoji La on Srinagar side), there wouldn’t be any issue in Ladakh, unless Western Disturbances or local weather pattern causes rain.
Since you are flying into Leh, there is nothing to worry about.
Hey Yogesh,
This write up was a real deal. Me and a friend are travelling from Delhi to Leh from 6th of Sept.
We will be driving via srinagar to Leh and come back via Manali. Its just two of us and our SUV. Any inputs for us .
Thank you.
Akash
Akash, just make sure you are carrying warm cloths. And if you are lucky, you will see snowfall at Khardung La, Chang La, Tanglang La or Baralacha La. Apart from that, nothing to worry about. Have fun :).
Me and my friends are planning for a trip from delhi to Ladakh at the end of december on rental bikes.. From 30 october to 15 janauary.. Can u guide me .. Problems and good things on d way
Both roads would be closed and Leh would see temperature of -15 to -20 degree Celsius.
Hello Rajesh, are you travelling anytime during dec 25 – jan 2. We are 2 college guys who have backpacked a lot before and would like to tame the beast, that is Ladakh. Some more company would be great! If you are travelling, then call me at +919043876641 . We have made in and around Leh travel arrangements too.
WILL WE GET SNOW IN LEH LADAKH DURING FIRST WEEK OF JULY
You might see snow at Khardung La and Chang La, but there is no surety. If you are taking the Manali – Leh Highway, then you will surely find snow at Rohtang and Baralacha La.
when should we plan to visit ladakh, so that we can get snow and visit Khardung La and pangong lake
Early June would be a good time.
I want to visit leh laddakh in August i.e, from 10.08.2015 to 13.08.2015 , I want to know is it a good time to visit and what precaution should we take.
Rohit, August is considered as the best time to visit Ladakh, since it is peak summer. However 4 days are too few for Ladakh and you would be out of it, before you have even acclimatized properly to high altitude, which is extremely necessary. My suggestion would be to allocate at least 6-7 days for the trip, if you are flying both ways. You can read more about AMS in the following article http://www.bcmtouring.com/cms/ladakh-ams-survival-guide/
Hi Yogesh…i have read couple of your blogs in responding to the queries of travel enthusiasts…Likewise, I have also few of them. This week June 2nd we are heading to Leh from Delhi via Srinagar route in our Duster. Any possibility for us to witness snow en route to Ladakh…since we would be spending 4 days over there covering Leh, Pangong and Nubra, what could be the other areas that we should try to visit to make this journey a bit more memorable.
Last query, what do travelers ideally do in case they are stuck at a place because of landslide or snowfall. do you advise us .to carry any kind of gas stove ( kerosene operated ) to make any tea, or maggi if needed
Hi Yogesh,
I am thinking to go leh in September 2nd week. I will go via manali and returen via srinagar , had a querry that can i find snow ( beside roads and all) while i ride from leh to pangong lake or nubra valley.
and can i find snow in manali ?
Apart from Khardung La, Chang La and Tanglang La, and if you’re very lucky, Pangong Tso, you won’t find snow anywhere else.