Stunning photos of breathtakingly beautiful views that await you along the Delhi-Leh route
Just what can you expect during the 33 hours and 1050 km drive? Take a look for yourself!
Photograph: Sandro Lacarbona/Flickr (Under Creative Commons license)
Himachal Road Transport Corporation restarted its Delhi-Leh bus service last week. The bus service will ply daily between Delhi and Leh and it will cost you merely Rs 1,365 for a one-way ticket. Covering a distance of 1050 km in about 33 hours, the Delhi-Leh bus service is a boon for all backpackers. This non-stop service runs between May/June and October after which the mountain passes are snowbound and closed for all traffic. This is that time of the year when Ladakh opens its doors to tourists and travellers alike and the Delhi-Leh bus will travel through some of the most scenic parts of our country.
On July 1, Himachal Road Transport Corporation will also restart the Manali-Leh bus service, which will leave Manali every alternate day at 11 am and will arrive at Leh the following evening. This bus will make an overnight halt at Keylong and leave at 4am the following morning. One-way ticket on this bus will cost Rs 2700 since it includes the night’s stay at Keylong, dinner and breakfast.
So what sights can you expect along the Delhi-Leh bus route? Let’s see:
The scenic and ever-popular town of Manali
Photograph: Sunpreet Gujahi/Flickr (Under Creative Commons license)
The scenic Solang Valley known as much for its paragliding opportunities as it is for its skiing slopes
Photograph: Parthiv Haldipur/Flickr (Under Creative Commons license)
Mandi, the quaint old town near Shimla
Photograph: Deep Goswami/Flickr (Under Creative Commons license)
The buses will pass through four mountain passes:
Rohtang Pass that offers these breathtakingly beautiful views from 13,050 feet
Photograph: Sandeepa-Chetan/Flickr (Under Creative Commons license)
Baralacha La, which at 16,040 feet is bound to make you dizzy
Photograph: Henrik Johansson/Flickr (Under Creative Commons license)
Lachulung La that looks like a piece of heaven at 16,620 feet
Photograph: Chris Juden/Flickr (Under Creative Commons license)
And Taglang La, which will really test your endurance at 17,480 feet
Photograph: Koshy K/Flickr (Under Creative Commons license)
You will also pass Darcha where sights like this one will greet you!
Photograph: Deepak Tal Flickr (Under Creative Commons license)
The Manali-Leh bus also includes an overnight halt at Keylong (pictured below)
Photograph: Photo Wallah/Flickr (Under Creative Commons license)
And finally you will arrive in Leh, where views like this await you:
Photograph: Sandeepa-Chetan/Flickr (Under Creative Commons license)
