Trekking in Ladakh. Radek Kucharski

reservations, visit www.makemytrip.com or go to any tourist office in Delhi. These buses leave from different places in Delhi; make sure you check the exact boarding point. State-owned buses leave from Kashmiri (also spelt ‘Kashmere’) Gate Inter State Bus Terminal, and the route is operated by Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC: www.hrtc.gov.in). Tickets cost about Rs500 for an ordinary bus and about Rs900+ for an air-conditioned deluxe bus. It takes about 16hrs for the ordinary bus to cover the distance. There are also direct buses to Keylong and to Leh (the latter makes an overnight stop at Keylong).

      Otherwise take a train to Chandigarh (5hrs, Rs140/100 for Sleeper/Seat Class). Chandigarh was built in the 1950s as an experimental project planned by the French architect Le Corbusier. However, unless you are a lover of modern architecture, continue by bus to Manali; there are a few connections every day from the new Inter State Bus Terminus at sector number 43 (it is quite far from the railway station; a bus links the two places) in Chandigarh. It takes about 10hrs to Manali, and an ordinary bus ticket costs about Rs300.

      Although Manali (at about 1900m) is not at a sufficiently high elevation for you to acclimatise fully to the altitude of Leh, staying a few days and taking day-long hikes will certainly help. The scenery is spectacular and there are plenty of trips to do, with a number of interesting temples.

      View of the Lesser Himalayas around Manali

      MANALI

      Manali is located in the upper Beas River Valley, southeast of the Pir Panjal Range (part of the Lesser Himalayas) in the Kullu Valley region in Himachal Pradesh state. It is an important mountain resort for both Indian and foreign tourists. Hiking, trekking, cycling, skiing, white-water rafting, paragliding and rock climbing are popular here. The nearest airport is about 50km from the town.

      The town has two parts, Manali and Old Manali, the latter being the main foreign tourist section. There are dozens of cheap hotels, restaurants and shops; Rockway Cottage is a quiet accommodation option. If you arrive by a private bus, you may be dropped at Old Manali; otherwise you will probably be dropped at or near the Manali bus station. As you stand at the bus station with the Beas River on your right, the main street – the Mall – is on your left. To get to Old Manali, follow it upwards until you arrive at a roundabout, about 150m further. Take the main street slightly to the left. Follow it for 1.5km with a spruce forest on your right (hotels and shops left). Reach a bridge over a side river, the Manalsu Nala. Old Manali is on the other side; to find the main part, cross the bridge and go left. There are number of guesthouses and restaurants by the main road, 250m from the bridge. To get to the author’s favourite guesthouse – Rockway Cottage, off the road – look for a sign at the first loop in the road.

      If you spend some time in Manali visit Hadimba Temple, temples in Vashisht and go for a trip to the Solang Nullah Valley.

      Snow on the Rohtang and Baralacha passes dictates whether the road is open beyond Manali. The Rohtang is between Manali and Keylong, and the Baralacha is beyond Keylong. Generally, the road beyond Manali is accessible only between early June and late October and throughout the season may be closed at any time for a few hours or a few days due to heavy snowfalls, landslides or bridge damage. The planned Rohtang tunnel to link the upper Solang Nullah Valley with the Chandra Valley should improve the accessibility of Keylong.

      A Hindu temple in Old Manali

      Private minibuses operate on the route and start/end the service earlier/later in the season than the HRTC buses. Most leave Manali at night, about 2am, and go directly to Leh, taking 20–24hrs. There is often only one driver – this is sufficient reason not to take this option! – and if you don’t stop overnight in Keylong, the risk of altitude sickness is high. However, if the HRTC buses do not run beyond Keylong, you do not have much choice. In this case, to aid acclimatisation, try to go to Keylong first by an ordinary HRTC bus (they should run between Manali and Keylong early in the season, at which time they do not operate beyond Keylong), sleep there at least one night, and continue by minibus the following day. Minibuses do not start in Keylong so you will need to book the ticket before leaving Manali and arrange to be picked up in Keylong. In this case you will probably have to pay the fee for the whole route from Manali to Leh (approximately Rs2000).

      There are a few state-owned buses from Manali to Keylong each day, leaving in the morning. As the snow of the Rohtang Pass is a day attraction for Indian tourists, leaving Manali no later than 6am is crucial to avoid traffic jams on the pass. The ordinary bus costs Rs130 and takes 7hrs.

      Crossing the Rohtang Pass (3970m) over the Pir Panjal Range you leave the Kullu Valley and enter the region of Lahaul. Beautiful forests give way to vast treeless areas of green meadows, bare slopes and glaciated peaks. From the pass you descend along the Chandra River as far as its confluence with the Bhaga at Tandi. Upstream along the Bhaga, the road reaches Keylong after a few kilometres.

      KEYLONG

      Situated high above the Bhaga River, on sheer slopes, Keylong is the capital of the Lahaul region of northern Himachal Pradesh. It is a predominantly Buddhist area with a few monasteries; the scenery is fantastic. It is a much quieter, smaller place than Manali, definitely worth more attention than a brief overnight stop on the way to Ladakh. The main road to Leh is above the main part of the town, and there is a new bus station below the road. To reach the hotels nearby walk down from the bus station then follow the main street to the right (west) for around 200m. The Gyespa (www.gyespahotels.webs.com) is a nice simple hotel with a good restaurant (prices start at Rs300 for a double room). For a great momo (Tibetan dumpling) and momo soup check out a small restaurant on the main street, 100m from the Gyespa, on the right towards the bus station.

      Donkeys grazing the meadows at the campsite in Pishu (Treks 5 and 6)