@Kurt: You have invariably charted my route plan for this summer! I would be taking about 5-6 days to complete this route although it can be easily completed in 4-days, going flat out. But, my main agenda here is to spend a good WHOLE day at the banks of Chandratal, looking at the wonderful lake, photographing it and the areas around and ofcourse contemplate!

Going by the weather these days, I am hoping that Batal - Chandratal route opens by June!

Yes Aryan, Chandrataal deserves a complete day atleast. Infact spending a night on the banks would be a cherry on the top. With the opening of the route, local folks start setting up tents there, to be rented out to travellers.

My trip is already planned during June now..

Yes, a rented tent would be just ideal as I am looking to keep my luggage to a bare minimum. I just hope everything goes well (with regards to my schedule, et al), and I get to see the glorious lake, which has been in my dreams since the last 3 odd years!

From my experience sleeping in a tent "JUST" sounds exciting..but when it comes to actually going there and sleeping..its a real pain and one cannot get/take a proper sleep.

Chandrataal is accesible only by foot right? I read the road is hardly motorable. Is it doable by bike?

@Inder: Trust me, it matters the least to me. I am not doing Leh/ Ladakh, or Spiti this year JUST to give enough time to Chandratal. Leh/ Ladakh has NEVER fascinated me anyways. On the contrary, I have always wanted to ride to and photograph a few 'off-beaten' places, and Chandratal stands right on top of this list. It's been 3 years now that I have been wanting to photograph the beautiful lake.

I'm sure we bikers can manage somehow inside those uncomfortable tents.

Yes its doable on a bike but doing it with a pillion is tough.

It ain't tough nor is it rosy.but yeah having a sleeping bag helps a long way

I see lot of action here for 2010.

I see some possibilities of me join the hyd guys for a short period directly at Leh (when-ever they are going)!!

Here is what I have in my mind with expenses for bike rent, petrol, hotel accommodation and food!!:
Day 1: Leh-Ktop-Nubra (Hired Bike) - 2500/-
Day 2: Nubra-Ktop-Leh (Hired Bike) - 2500/-
Day 3: Leh-Tsomoriri (Hired Bike) - 2500/-
Day 4: Tsomoriri-Tsokar-Leh (Hired Bike) - 2500/-

Total expenses for the 4 days itenary is coming to 10,000/-

The above plan is just a copy paste from Indiamike website. The expenses I have put is just an estimation. I have no clue on what the actual costs!!!

Now I have to plan

1. My travel from Hyd to Leh and Leh to Hyd, the cheapest and fastest way btw!!!

2. Which bike to hire?? Since I will be traveling light, will a RX would be sufficient?? But unfortunately I haven't did much of a touring. May be a Thunderbird should be more comfortable!!! BTW, what should be the budget for the spares I might be requiring to carry for those 4 days of riding??


PS1: I will have only 7 days in hand including weekends!!

PS2: Since I might be Joining the Hyd folks for those 4 days, I might save some money but I suspect thats going to be a small thing when compared to the over all costs!! Whatever something is better than nothing!!! . May be that saved money could be buying me some riding/touring gear!!!

he he, welcome to the thread.

BTW, your requirement reminds me of Sarvajit's signature : "Cheap and Reliable is not Fast, Cheap and Fast is not Reliable, Fast and Reliable is not Cheap!"

Check flight tickets from Delhi to Leh and also bus or taxi service from Srinagar. Other than reaching Leh and back by flight you cannot spend 4 days at Leh in your 7 day plan.

lol man, that thing was also ringing in my mind but could not recollect everything as perfectly as you did!!!

EDIT: Just did a calculation, keeping sarvo's formula of performance in mind!!!(I realised it and now its my siggy too!!!). Its fast and reliable too!!! because connecting flight is the head ache of the airlines!!! .

If I take the flight to Leh, effectively I spend only 4k to 5k extra(for to and from combined!!), keeping in mind the 6days I save (translate them w.r.t loss of pay)!!!

Hi guys,
I am planning to do the leh trip in the 1st week of june.I had posted my itenary earlier on this thread. We are group of 6 people. We have FZs and P220s. All the bikes have stock tyres and have done around 5000 kms. I wanted to know if we can use the stock tyres in this trip or do we have to use offroading tryes. Also, Please give ur comments on the itenary.

^^^ If the tyres are in good condition, by all means use the stock tyres. They are good enough.

But, if the tyres look like they might need a replacement soon - say even in 5-7K KMs, get new ones. For more options, please scan the Tyres thread in Universal Threads section.

FZ's stock tyres perfomed well. Carrying tubes will help in case of any damage to rims...