Ladakh: Is it possible to sleep near Hanle? (India)

hi there, my answer isn’t what you’d hope for, but since I went to that area in 2023, I can tell you it’s pretty complicated. These are disputed border zones, so you usually need special permits on top of the special permits!! Otherwise, you could try getting a permit to visit Zanskar—it’s stunning and there aren’t many tourists.

Hi there, You can sleep in Hanle... no problem at all! What’s your exact route? I’m guessing you’re doing this solo without an agency—it’s a very remote area with high altitude! I’m heading back this summer. Ladakh is safe, no need to worry. There are plenty of people on the roads, very popular with bikers, so if you run into trouble, there’s still some traffic. Lots of paved sections and many guesthouses or homestays available. How have you planned your acclimatization? Gravel? Loaded up?

just a heads-up, with the current situation, check day by day—it’s really tense

Thanks for your encouraging reply. We’re pretty used to altitude: last year we did the Pamir Highway with a pass at 4,650 m at Ak-Baïtal Pass and lots of other high-altitude trips over the past 20 years. We’ll arrive in Leh by plane, and I’ve planned to stay there for 48 hours, maybe 72. Then we’ll take our bikes (yes, gravel bikes) and follow the Indus to Nyoma (and even a bit further), then turn right toward Leh. I’ve allowed 3 days to get back to Leh, which will give us 5 days of acclimatization between Leh’s 3,400 m and Hanle’s 4,400 m. That should be perfect. From Leh, we’ll tackle the real mountains—the killer loop ;-). I’m planning to do it this way because the only unpaved section will be downhill: Day 1: Photila (5,520 m) then descend to the Chisumle bridge (4,800 m), where we can normally camp for the night. Day 2: Umlingla (5,798 m) and descend back to the bridge via the same route. Day 3: Climb to Nurbula (5,300 m) and descend to the Hanle track, probably via the cobra switchbacks, without going back down to Ukdungle. Then we’ll return to Leh via Pangong Lake: Tsaga Pass or Kaksang Pass (5,400 m) if the Tsaga road is closed, Chushul, Pangong if the road is open—otherwise, we’ll go through Harong. Long descent: Tangtse, Durbuk, Shyok, Agham, Rongdu, Tsati (the lowest point of the circuit, 3,200 m), then a long climb up Khardung La (5,350 m) and a dive down to Leh. That’s about 900 km, and I’ve planned 10–12 days for the trip. We’ll sleep in homestays every night, so our bikes will be pretty light (around 25–27 kg).

My main concern isn’t really the altitude but the food—I really don’t want to deal with last year’s *tourista* that I caught in the Pamirs...

Yes, it's tense, but not in Ladakh—it's more tense in the northwest, around Pakistan.

Yeah, I agree, but try to look into the origin of the current issues—it’s about the Indus and water-sharing. We really don’t want them to impose access restrictions on the pass, which is the main route to the Pakistani border.

yes I agree, but try to look into the origin of the current issues—it’s about the Indus and water-sharing. We wouldn’t want them to impose access restrictions on the pass, which is the main route to the Pakistani border.

Yeah, I know there’s little chance all the roads will be open... but hey, we’ll find some places to ride anyway. Plus, the passes I’m eyeing are far from Pakistan (though very close to China, at least for the highest one: Umlingla.

Any tips on food? Just to avoid another family-style bout of traveler’s diarrhea? For Tajikistan, I’d read that a lot of people got sick; in a chat with a group of French travelers doing Paris-Tokyo, they told me everyone in the group had caught it... Is it also high-risk in Ladakh?

Tourists are practically dropping like flies there, so make sure you bring the right meds ahead of time—especially water purifiers—and absolutely avoid raw veggies and meat, obviously... Leh is okay, but be careful outside of it. There are shops in all the little villages if you need supplies. You’ll find snacks, biscuits, sodas, and Chinese soups. You can normally take the route by Man and Merak since 2024... Ambitious project.... On a bike, it’s about 100 km a day, so you’ve gotta take good care of your gut to stay at your best.

The tourist trots are hitting everyone hard, so make sure to bring the right meds ahead of time—especially water purifiers—and absolutely avoid raw veggies and meat, obviously... Leh’s okay, but be careful outside of it. There are shops in all the little villages if you need supplies. You’ll find snacks, biscuits, sodas, and Chinese soups. You can normally take the route via Man and Merak since 2024... Ambitious plan.... On a bike, it’s about 100 km a day, so you’ve gotta manage your gut health to stay at your best.

Are the Chinese soups safe? Like, can you eat them without too much risk? At the small restaurants along the road, can you order rice-based dishes, even if there’s a little meat in them? Yes, for the Merak and Man route—that’s where I planned to go... if it’s open.

I’d avoid meat outside of Leh—wise advice! Soups are fine, even if the water’s murky. If there are eggs, grab them, but bring protein bars from France if you’re worried about running low on energy or want jerky. In Ladakh, there’s now a huge Indian tourism boom, so guesthouses are adapting their offerings. Locals quickly set up businesses wherever they can make money. No meat or raw veggies, Maurice—that’s the golden rule! !

Question about the Pamir Highway... what route did you take? Over how many days? Did you return via the Bartang Valley?

Question Pamir...what route did you take? Over how many days? Did you return via the Bartang Valley?

We left from Rushan then Khorog, Jelondy, a little detour to Bulunkul, Murghab, Ak-Baïtal, Karakul. We were supposed to go back down to Rushan via the Bartang Valley, but despite an IV in Karakul, I was too weak to attempt the 130 km of no man’s land (and barely drivable track!) between Karakul and Gudara. The daily stages were about 100 km, except for the one between Murghab and Karakul, which we did in one go: 135 km.