A one-time jeep experience - Travelling from Manali to Leh

Thanks a million for all your comments!!! We really like being far but still close to YOU!!!

To accelerate the trip to our destination Leh and travel comfortably (as we were told), we booked seats on a private jeep. After a lot of hassle in the local market and endless discussions who was going with whom, we finally set off at 4am (2 hours later than planned). The result: 12 people in a vehicle for 8. Three in the front, 4 in the middle (2 of them writing this) and 5 in the back. Had it been 11 we would have been a decent football formation: 3-4-4.
8 of the "team" were locals travelling to work in Leh, making permanent noises that our parents would have told us off for. IGITITT :-(
As the Dalai Lama says "It is as it is".

Very soon we found ourselves in the middle of high snow-capped mountains. The clowds covering the valley like a blanket. Even though it was dark, it was an amazing view.

The road took us over passes as high as 6300 m through many different but beautiful valleys along fast and wild rivers. We felt deeply touched by the enormous sights and the power of nature.

The roads were changing as the landscape was, from stone covered dirt tracks to paved paths, the drive only interrupted by passport stops, breaks for food and a punctured tyre, which was changed pretty quickly and repaired almost as quick on one of our next stops.

485 kms of many ups and downs of roads, patience and physical wellbeing (one does feel the altitude...) - 18.5 hrs. A once in a lifetime experience, especially considering the views, but no likely to be repeated. We have just booked our plane tickets for the trip back to Delhi in 2 weeks time.


Impressions alongside the road...