Every summer, a stream of motorcycles and jeeps rolls past the Naggar turnoff heading north. They are all going to the same place: over the Atal Tunnel, up the Bhaga valley and across four passes into Ladakh. The Manali–Leh highway is about 430 km long, and it is one of the great drives on earth.
When the road opens
The highway is closed by snow for roughly five months. The Border Roads Organisation clears it each spring, and the route usually opens to traffic somewhere between mid-May and the end of May — in 2026 the road was reported open from around 12 May. That date moves by a week or two depending on how heavy the winter has been, so never book non-refundable travel around it.
The season then runs until the passes close again, usually in late September or October. June brings meltwater and slush across the road; September usually has the best surface and the clearest skies of the year.
The four passes
- Baralacha La — about 4,890 m (16,047 ft)
- Nakee La — about 15,547 ft
- Lachulung La — about 16,616 ft
- Tanglang La — about 17,582 ft, the highest point of the drive
Between Nakee La and Lachulung La sits the Gata Loops, twenty-one hairpins stacked up a bare hillside, and beyond Pang lies the More Plains — forty-odd kilometres of flat high-altitude desert that feels like driving on another planet.
A sensible four-day plan from Naggar
- Day 1: Naggar to Keylong or Jispa, roughly 135–155 km through the Atal Tunnel. An easy first day that gets you to about 3,300 m.
- Day 2: Keylong to Sarchu, about 110 km over Baralacha La. Sarchu sits at around 4,290 m and this is where altitude bites.
- Day 3: Sarchu to Pang, about 80 km. Short on distance, hard on the body.
- Day 4: Pang to Leh, about 180 km across the More Plains and over Tanglang La.
Riders in a hurry do it in two days. Don't. Altitude sickness on this road is common and the evacuation options are poor.
Practical essentials
- Fuel: the last reliable pump on the Himachal side is at Tandi, near Keylong, and the next is at Karu near Leh — a gap of roughly 365 km. Fill up at Tandi and carry a spare can.
- Nights: Sarchu and Pang are tented camps only, seasonal and basic. Keylong and Jispa have proper rooms.
- Connectivity: only postpaid Indian SIMs work in Ladakh, and there is effectively no signal between Jispa and Pang.
- Vehicle: good tyres, decent ground clearance and a spare. Water crossings are worst in the afternoon — cross them early.
- Cash: carry it. Card machines are unreliable the whole way.
Why start from Naggar
Naggar sits at about 1,800 m, roughly 22 km short of Manali, and it is a far calmer place to spend the night before a big drive than the Mall Road crowds. Ghar in the Hills is a cozy homestay in the village — book your stay for a night or two before you head north, and you'll start the drive rested and already a little acclimatised.
Give the road the time it deserves, drink far more water than feels necessary, and turn back if anyone in the vehicle is genuinely unwell. Then come back through Naggar on the way home and sleep off the dust.