Manali - Leh road status, 2010

[Top Singh Bodh]

hello,

I am from Visakhapatnam and intend to visit leh with my family, wife and two children aged 18F & 11M, in the last week of May’2011. The school holidays are from 14thMay’11 to 14th June’2011. I am planning tour for 22 days. I want to do both the safaries, i.e. srinagar-leh and manali-leh as I have heard that both r awesome in their own ways. I want to know which direction I should choose to ensure that the roan is open for tourists.
Tentatively, I planned my tour from 22nd May’2011 hoping that the road will be open on both sides by 1st week of June’11. I have two options:
Route 1(anti-clockwise):
22-05-11: Fly from Visakhapatnam to Delhi.
23-05-11: DELHI-AGRA-JAIPUR TOUR FOR 3 DAYS.
26-05-11: Reach Shimla via Kalka (Toy train)
27-05-11: Local tour at Shimla
28-05-11: Reach Manali
29-05-11: 2 days stay at Manali
31-05-11: Manali to Leh (2days bus journey)
01-06-11: Reach Leh and stay for 4 nights.
04-06-11: Leh to Srinagar (2days bus journey)
06-06-11: 2 days stay at Srinagar
08-06-11: Srinagar to katra;
09-06-11: visit Vaishnodevimata temple
10-06-11: Reach Amritsar via Jammu
11-06-11: Amritsar to Delhi
12-06-11: Fly from Delhi to Visakhapatnam.
Route 2(clockwise):
If I perform my journey clockwise covering same places and duration of stay, i.e., DELHI-AMRITSAR-JAMMU-KATRA-SRINAGAR-LEH-MANALI-SHIMLA-DELHI, I would be leaving Srinagar to Leh by 3rd June’10.

My question is, which high way opens first? Manali to Leh or Srinagar to Leh ?
Is 31st May ’11 a safe date to plan my Leh journey from Manali?
or 3rd June’11 would be more appropriate from Srinagar to go ahead to Leh?

Please advice me dates to plan from Manali-Leh & Srinagar-Leh so that I will adjust my dates. And also let me know, Is it safe to travel with my children 18F & 11M? You can suggest me to leave/add some places in my plan.

Thank U.

Hello..uvlmurthy..Juley..
The School holidays are bit early for doing Manali-Leh or Srinagar-Leh by Bus. The likely dates for Bus service in both the routes can not be predicted now as the Jan., Feb and March are the months of snow fall. However you can plan the following destinations of H.P if the Leh route is not open.:-

Dharamshala to see Dal Lake, Bhagsunag etc.
Dalhousie to see Kalatop, Khajiar Lake in the dense Deodar forests.
Manali to see Parashar Lake, Solang valley, Snow point at Gulaba, Marhi, Nagar castle, Roirich Art, Manikaran hot water, etc.
Kaza to see Shimla, Narkanda, Rampur, Kinnaur, Nako Lake, Sangla Valley, Nako Lake Tabo Monastery, Key Monastery, Highest villages Kibber, Komik, Langja, Pin Valley National Park etc.

You can also do the following destinations of Uttaranchal :-
4 Dham of Uttaranchal i.e. Yamunotari, Gangotari, Kedarnath and Badrinath but you have to travel on foot or by mule for Yamunotari 5+5 = 10 KMs as the vehicles go up to Jankimai chatti and from Jankimai Chatti to Yamunotari is 5 KM so to and fro 10 KMs.
For Gangotari you have not to travel on foot as the vehicles go up to Gangotari but if you would like to travel on foot than go to Gomukh which is 20 KMs from Gangotari. For Kedarnath you have to do 14 KMs on foot/Mule riding from Gauri Kund and for Badrinath you have not to do trekking as the Bus reach there.

This year the Rohtang Pass and Baralacha Pass of Manali route has got heavy snow fall of about 7 Fts. so it can be cleared bit late and similar is the case with Jozila Pass of Srinagar route but let us see when the BRO opens these both routes. Juley..

 

[Top Singh Bodh]

Hello..Juley..
Here are some pics of Snow in Manali-Rohtang road, Solang Valley, Bijli Mahadev etc.taken recently:-

 

[dheerajsharma14]

whoa.. great pictures sirji. Just read in news that now tourists would be fined Rs 500 for littering plastics... Head Constable and Pradhan both have the rights to fine the tourists. I feel it is a very nice step in keeping the valley green.

 

[Top Singh Bodh]

whoa.. great pictures sirji. Just read in news that now tourists would be fined Rs 500 for littering plastics... Head Constable and Pradhan both have the rights to fine the tourists. I feel it is a very nice step in keeping the valley green.

Hello..dheerajsharma..Juley..
Thanks for liking my pics. Yes, the Garbage (Control) Act 1995 is into force here in H.P. and for detail please see the following posted by me on dated 11.01.11 in the thread Do's and dont's in Himalayas:-


TREKKING SECTION

10. While trekking and camping in Himalayas and even in all the areas in the State, don't pollute the water, soil and air by throwing or depositing non-biodegradable garbage in the hills, public drains,roads and public places open to view as the Biodegradable Garbage (Control) Act 1995 is into force w.e.f. 15.8.2009 in the interest of public. The following penalty under the act can be imposed for the offence in H.P. but the amount of penalties may vary in other states

S.No. Quantity of Polythene/carry bags and plastic items....... Amount in Rs.

1. Up to 100 gms. 500/-

2. 101 to 500 gms. 1500/-

3. 501 to 1 Kg. 3000/-

4. Above 1 Kg. to 5 Kg. 10000/-

5. Above 5 Kg. to 10 Kg. 20000/-

6. More than 10 Kg. 25000/-

In view of above, all are requested not to litter the non-biodegradable garbage while trekking and camping. The camping site may be cleaned as it was before using the land. Juley.

 

[anupmathur]

....
In view of above, all are requested not to litter the non-biodegradable garbage while trekking and camping....

Top Singh ji, I wish our members do not need monetary penalties to comply! We should be doing this out of sheer concern and love!

 

[ramkya1]

Anupji,

Our members may be relatively more disciplined. I don't have a whole lot of faith on others, this penalty is in the right direction, it would be a great demotivator.

A guest of our company from Japan was amazed at the number of cops in traffic signals, he was asking why do you need signals, wardens, cops, sargents and cops in jeeps waiting to chase law-breakers all at one place along with Yellow lines!!! When you come to think of it, why? I was at a loss of words.

So heavy penalty should be enforced for people who go all the way to Himalayas and pollute the environment.


@Weather Singh: You rock. Pkease keep rocking


--Ramky
======

 

[Top Singh Bodh]

Top Singh ji, I wish our members do not need monetary penalties to comply! We should be doing this out of sheer concern and love!

Hello..anupmathur ji..Juley..
Yes, that is the spirit, if our members don't pollute the environment by throwing the plastic garbage in the public places but the H.P. Non-biodegradable Act has been enforced for all to compliance in the State.

Here the tourists while driving in nights throw the bottles of bear, plastic cups, plastic water bottles and plastic pouches out of their Car which is dangerous for the bikers following them. I don't know as to how such tourists can be penalized.

Juley..

 

[Top Singh Bodh]

Anupji,

Our members may be relatively more disciplined. I don't have a whole lot of faith on others, this penalty is in the right direction, it would be a great demotivator.

A guest of our company from Japan was amazed at the number of cops in traffic signals, he was asking why do you need signals, wardens, cops, sargents and cops in jeeps waiting to chase law-breakers all at one place along with Yellow lines!!! When you come to think of it, why? I was at a loss of words.

So heavy penalty should be enforced for people who go all the way to Himalayas and pollute the environment.


@Weather Singh: You rock. Pkease keep rocking


--Ramky
======

Hello..ramkya1..Juley..
Thanks a lot, Sir..Juley..

 

[Top Singh Bodh]

Hello..Juley..
Manali-Keylong road is closed coz of snow fall on Rohtang Pass so the Helicopter service has been started by the Govt. @ Rs. 1500/- per person for the patients and locals but yesterday there was only one flight fixed for Rawa to lift the locals of Lahaul from Bhunter and also to lift the referred patients from Rawa but the Helicopter couldn't bring the patients coze of black ice on the Helipad. Let us see when they fix the date for lifting the patients lying in Lahaul. The weather is bright and a good sunshine is here.

The State level Winter Carnival at Manali has been declared open by the Hon'ble Chief Minister H.P. on 23.1.11 it will last on 27.1.11. so now it is going on with great pump and show. Out of about 40 contestants of Voice of Himalaya 20 has been eliminated. Ski competition of about 90 Juniors contestants have been completed by the Atal Bihari Bajpai Mountaineering Institute Manali and now the Seniors will take part. The Contestants of 'Winter Queen', "Man Personality", "Fasion Show", "Talent Show", "Folk Dance", "Filmi Dance", "Comedy Show", "Rangoli", "Group Songs", "Vocal Solo Songs" etc. are going on through out day and night in Manu Rangshala ( Nehru Park Manali). The following cultural group are doing their best:-

Kriti Kala Manch Nasik.
Dhan Laxmi Group Assam
Cultural Group Pune
GTB Chhabianvali Punjab
Sarishti Kala Manch Mumbai
MABNJS College sundernagar
Akash Kala Manch Manali
Jagriti Kala Manch Manali.
Miljul Group Aasam
Sanvad Manch Mandi
Satya Group Ludhiana
Hardeep Dance Group Jammu.
Haryana University
Valcano Group Gujrat.

The stall of local dishes have been installed and the sale of Siddu, Fembrha, Geeche, Babru, Red rice-Rajmah and trout fish are getting the attraction of the tourists. First time the local Trout farmer of Haripur has installed the stall and the tourists are enjoying the trout fish a lot.

Juley.

 

[anupmathur]

...
A guest of our company from Japan was amazed at the number of cops in traffic signals, he was asking why do you need signals, wardens, cops, sargents and cops in jeeps waiting to chase law-breakers all at one place along with Yellow lines!!! When you come to think of it, why? I was at a loss of words.
....

So would I have been! (At a loss for words...)
Japan is truly beyond belief! You can drive a hundred kilometres, across many small towns and villages, without seeing a single cop!!