Leh Ladakh via Umlingla Pass Road Trip for 10-Day

After breakfast, we go for a fun drive of 90 km. We visit Magnetic Hill, where your car moves without engine! Then we visit Sangam Point, where the blue Indus and green Zanskar rivers meet. We also see the Pathar Sahib Gurudwara and the Hall of Fame museum to learn about brave soldiers. This day is easy and helps your body prepare for higher altitudes. We stay overnight in Leh. The elevation is 3,500m, and the roads are very smooth for sightseeing.

A short but beautiful drive today. We go from Turtuk to Hunder in Nubra Valley. The road follows the Shyok River. In the evening, we visit the Hunder Sand Dunes. You can ride the famous Double-Humped Bactrian Camels here. The desert in the middle of snow mountains looks like a dream. We stay in a deluxe camp or resort in Hunder (3,000m elevation). This 70 km drive gives you plenty of time to take photos and enjoy the valley vibes.

We drive 200 km deeper into the remote Changthang region. We stop at the Rezang-La War Memorial to honor Indian heroes. Then we reach Hanle village, which is famous for its dark skies and the Indian Astronomical Observatory. Hanle is at a high altitude of 4,500m. It is very quiet and untouched by many tourists. We stay in a local homestay or guest house. The night sky here is full of millions of stars—it is perfect for photography!

The most exciting day! We drive to Umling La Pass, the world's highest motorable road at 19,300 feet (5,882m). You will feel like you are on top of the world! The air is very thin, so we don't stay long at the top, just for photos and the certificate feel. The road is newly built and amazing. After touching the sky, we drive back 180 km to Hanle for rest. This is the hardest but most proud day of your entire Ladakh journey.

We start our return journey to Leh, covering 250 km. On the way, we stop at Chumathang Hot Springs, where boiling water comes out of the ground! You can wash your face with this medicinal water. We also visit the beautiful Thiksey Monastery and Rancho School before reaching Leh city. By evening, you are back at 3,500m elevation. It is a long drive but full of changing mountain colors. Overnight stay in a comfortable hotel in Leh.

After many days of long driving and very high altitude, today is for relaxation. You can sleep late, go for a massage, or sit in a cafe. Use this day to buy souvenirs for your family from the Leh Main Market. This "buffer day" is good in case of any road blocks earlier in the trip. It is your last night in Ladakh, so enjoy a nice Ladakhi dinner. Staying at 3,500m helps your body feel normal again after the 19,300 ft climb.

Your 10-day Umling La Pass tour ends today. After breakfast, our driver drops you at the Leh Airport. As the plane flies over the Himalayas, you can see the brown mountains where you just drove. You go home with the record of reaching the highest road in the world! We hope you enjoyed the journey with Mountain Intelligence. See you again in the mountains soon!