Need help in planning itinerary

[harshad.bondre]

Hello Everyone..

First of all, kudos to all the members of BCMT for providing such valuable information to fellow travelers.

Went through almost all the solo ride travelogues on BCMT and chalked out a plan for Zanskar & Ladakh for June - July 2017.

Now, this time I will be riding my new KTM Duke 200 and it comes with only 10.2 ltr fuel tank .

I request to all the fellow BCMT'ians and solo riders to advice / help me here on possibility of riding on below route with Duke (10 ltr tank + 10 ltr in cans). or I can do this circuit other way round as mentioned in my full Itinerary -


Leh - Karu - Upshi - Chumthang (overnight stay)
Chumthang - Mahe - Karzok (overnight stay)
Karzok - Mahe - Nyoma - Loma - Hanle (overnight stay)
Hanle - Loma - Tsaga La - Chushul (overnight stay)
Chusul - Merak - Man - Spangmik (overnight stay)
Spangmik - Marsimik La - Leh (Is it feasible?) (overnight stay)

I can buy loose petrol in Nyome, or Hanle but do you guys recommend on buying loose petrol since Duke has fuel injected system not the carburetor one ?

Also, need to know if above route is possible & do I need to mention separately this route in ILP?
I am open to idea of spending 2-3 days more in Ladakh but need to cover this route.

(I know Indian Army sometimes does not allow travelers to Tsaga La, Hanle. Lets hope this year solo riders will have good luck with them and they will allow me to go.)


My Full Itinerary -

Day 1 Pune - Baroda
Day 2 Baroda - Udaipur
Day 3 Udaipur - Delhi
Day 4 Delhi - Amritsar
Day 5 Amritsar - Patnitop
Day 6 Patnitop - Sonamarg
Day 7 Sonamarg to Kargil
Day 8 Kargil to Panikhar
Day 9 Panikhar to Padum
Day 10 Padum (relax, visit nearby areas)
Day 11 Padum to Parkachik
Day 12 Parkachik to Kargil (is it possible to reach leh same day ?)
Day 13 Kargil to LEH
Day 14 Buffer day for above journey
Day 15 Leh (rest day / ILP procure)
Day 16 LEH - Khardung La - diskit / hunder
Day 17 Diskit - Turtuk
Day 18 Turtuk - Diskit / Hunder (may visit panamik & return diskit for stay if its possible.)
day 19 Diskit - Leh
day 20 Leh – Spangmik
Day 21 Spangmik – Marsimik La - Chushul
Day 22 Chusuhul - Tsaga La - Loma - Hanle
Day 22 Hanle - Loma - Nyoma - Mahe - Sumdo - Karzok
Day 23 Karzok - Sarchu
Day 24 Sarchu - Manali
Day 25 Buffer day for Leh - Spangmik - Karzok - Manali journey.
Day 25 Journey towards Pune.

If someone going on this route do let me know on [email protected] . I have no time restriction so I can adjust 2-3 days if I have some company.

 

[Yogesh Sarkar]

Welcome to BCMTouring, Harshad.

Skip Amritsar, unless you really have to visit it. With a single night stay, you won’t be able to see much. Add to that, Amritsar to Sonamarg would be a really long journey. My suggestion would be to spend the night at Udhampur and next day ride to Sonamarg.

Normally what sort of range do you get in a tankful?

 

[harshad.bondre]

Welcome to BCMTouring, Harshad.

Skip Amritsar, unless you really have to visit it. With a single night stay, you won’t be able to see much. Add to that, Amritsar to Sonamarg would be a really long journey. My suggestion would be to spend the night at Udhampur and next day ride to Sonamarg.

Normally what sort of range do you get in a tankful?

Thank you Yogesh,

Amritsar I have to visit the Gurudwara and there is a stop at Patnitop I mentioned on Day 5.

Its gives around 270 - 300 never really measured it... just bought a week before

What do you suggest on below route ?

Leh - Karu - Upshi - Chumthang (overnight stay)
Chumthang - Mahe - Karzok (overnight stay)
Karzok - Mahe - Nyoma - Loma - Hanle (overnight stay)
Hanle - Loma - Tsaga La - Chushul (overnight stay)
Chusul - Merak - Man - Spangmik (overnight stay)
Spangmik - Marsimik La - Leh (Is ita feasible?) (overnight stay)

Also, please advice on acclimatization since I will be riding for the 1st time in Himalayas.
Initial journey will be in Zanskar. So where do you suggest to stay overnight on Zanskar route?

 

[Yogesh Sarkar]

Sorry about that, not sure how I missed it.

Coming back to your itinerary.

Padum has a fuel pump and fuel is also available in black. So as long as your bike can do 240km without needing spare fuel, you should be fine, in the case of Zanskar Valley.

You can do Parkachik to Leh in a single day, especially since Kargil onward the road is really good.

Petrol pump at Diskit was operational last year, so hopefully, you won’t need to carry spare fuel for Nubra Valley. You can also ride directly from Nubra to Pangong Tso, in case you find fuel at Diskit.

The real issue for you is going to be the last leg of your plan. Because as per it, you will need to cover around 950 km without petrol pump. So you’re looking at, at least 20 litres of spare fuel, if you don’t wish to buy fuel in black. Removing Marsimik La would help reduce the requirement by 100 km and coming back to Leh instead of going to Manali would help reduce fuel requirement by 160 km.

In permit application, you will have to mention Marsimik La, Chushul, Tsaga, Loma, Hanle and Nyoma.

As far as acclimatisation is concerned, you should be fine. Suru and Zanskar Valley isn’t at extremely high altitude. Read Ladakh AMS Survival Guide for more details.

 

[harshad.bondre]

Sorry about that, not sure how I missed it.

Coming back to your itinerary.

Padum has a fuel pump and fuel is also available in black. So as long as your bike can do 240km without needing spare fuel, you should be fine, in the case of Zanskar Valley.

You can do Parkachik to Leh in a single day, especially since Kargil onward the road is really good.

Petrol pump at Diskit was operational last year, so hopefully, you won’t need to carry spare fuel for Nubra Valley. You can also ride directly from Nubra to Pangong Tso, in case you find fuel at Diskit.

The real issue for you is going to be the last leg of your plan. Because as per it, you will need to cover around 950 km without petrol pump. So you’re looking at, at least 20 litres of spare fuel, if you don’t wish to buy fuel in black. Removing Marsimik La would help reduce the requirement by 100 km and coming back to Leh instead of going to Manali would help reduce fuel requirement by 160 km.

In permit application, you will have to mention Marsimik La, Chushul, Tsaga, Loma, Hanle and Nyoma.

As far as acclimatisation is concerned, you should be fine. Suru and Zanskar Valley isn’t at extremely high altitude. Read Ladakh AMS Survival Guide for more details.

Thanks a ton Yogesh Ji for your efforts & quick reply...

a few more doubts I have as follows -

- If I plan to go to Leh from Karzok then how is the road condition of Mahe - Chumathang - Upshi - Leh?

- If I buy fuel in black then do I have any chance to get fuel in black at Chushul / Nyoma / Hanle ? How is the quality ?

- Also, I heard from my few friends here in Pune that Army does not allow to travel on Chushul - Tsaga - Loma route sometimes. Is it true?

- Do I need to pre - book the guesthouse in Panikhar / Parkachik ?

Thanks a lot

 

[Yogesh Sarkar]

The majority of that route is under construction and widening work. However, even though the road is broken, it is still fairly fast and easy to do.

You will find fuel in black at Durbuk, Lukung, Chushul, Hanle, Nyoma, Karzok and Chumathang. Quality is something that you can never be 100% sure about. There is a fair bit of chance that kerosene might be mixed in it.

Yes, the army can turn you back from Chushul, even if you have a valid permit. It all depends on the situation on the ground at that moment.

No, you do not need to book accommodation in advance.

 

[harshad.bondre]

The majority of that route is under construction and widening work. However, even though the road is broken, it is still fairly fast and easy to do.

You will find fuel in black at Durbuk, Lukung, Chushul, Hanle, Nyoma, Karzok and Chumathang. Quality is something that you can never be 100% sure about. There is a fair bit of chance that kerosene might be mixed in it.

Yes, the army can turn you back from Chushul, even if you have a valid permit. It all depends on the situation on the ground at that moment.

No, you do not need to book accommodation in advance.

Thank you Yogesh Ji for your valuable advice.
I really appreciate your help.