"The Journey Is The Destination." : Dan Eldon

Manali-Leh Highway which connect several interesting places brings us delightful feeling.
This article provides you some of the major tourist attractions on Manali to Leh route.
Every tourist destination, every hill station, every city has something special to furnish your
memories, so What does Manali Leh highway offer?
“The journey is the destination.”

― Dan Eldon
Read on to find out how this route defines the above saying. By the end of this article you
will have a checklist to visit all the beautiful places connected to Manali-leh Highway.
Manali to Leh Distance – 473 km
Best time for Manali-Leh road trip- June to September
Tourist Places on Manali Leh Highway

Each place mentioned below promise to give wonderful memories for your lifetime. A detailed
description of these places is further in this article.
 Manali
 Rohtang La
 Jispa
 Darcha
 Baralacha La
 Suraj Taal
 Gata Loops
 Sissu falls
 Moore Plains
 Pang
 Tanglang La
Manali
At a height of 2,050 m (6,726 ft), This small town is a beauty in itself. Situated on the Beas
river (Vyaas in Hindi) and near its source, it is a popular tourist spot for Indians in summer
and a magical, snow-covered place in winter.
Weather
Minimum temp: below -5°C from October thru March.
December, January and February are the coldest months.
Rest of the year, the minimum temperature would be 15-20°C.
Rohtang la
Rohtang La (Pass) is the gateway to Leh Ladakh and every motorist's dream. Situated about 53
km from Manali, the pass connects Kullu valley with Lahaul and Spiti which in turn provide
access to Leh. The road is certainly breath taking. The pass is on the watershed between
the water basins of the Chenab River and the Beas River, and offers beautiful sights of
glaciers, peaks, Lahaul Valley and the Chandra River. The twin peaks of Geypan are also
visible from Rohtang.
Remember to be fully covered as the climate changes quickly.
Jispa
Jispa is in the Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh, at an elevation of almost
10,500ft. An overnight stay is necessary to fully appreciate the beauty of Jispa. You
will be covered by mist-covered mountains and clouds which together makes a
perfectly painted portrait.
Weather
The average temperature in Jispa is 7.0 °C.
The average annual rainfall is 734 mm.
Darcha
Many have described the village as a “lonely cluster of dry-stone huts and dingy tent camps”.
The total population of the village is 298 among which 152 are men and 146 are women. The
river nearby causes the nature to be soft and calm especially at night so that the travellers would
find better sleep during their tiresome journey.
Anytime is suitable to visit Darcha but during winter the cold climatic conditions may pose
difficulty to stay there.
Bara-lacha La
This will be your second-high altitude pass on Manali Leh highway. Ironically, though
Tanglang La is at a higher altitude, it is Bara-lacha La that remains covered with snow for a
longer duration and receives way more snow than Tanglang La. If you are travelling in June
or early July, chances are that you will find a lot of snow atop Bara-lacha La.
In Rudyard Kipling's novel kim, there is a reference to Bara-lacha la pass the source of the
Suraj Tal having been used by Kim's Lama to enter India from Tibet.
Suraj Taal
Also known as Surya Taal, it is a small lake at the top of Bara-lacha La Pass. It is the source of the
Bhaga River and presents a stunning view amidst the mighty hill tops all around. There is also a
trek between Suraj Taal and Chandratal that originates from here. If luck favored you, you may
find the lake completely frozen even in July. The legend related to River Chandra is also relevant
to Suraj Taal.
Ghata loops
A series of 21 hairpin bends that will take you to the third high altitude pass of the journey,
Nakeela. It is also reported to be a haunted site.
Sissu Falls
Sissu, also known as Khagling is a small town in the Lahaul valley. A camp site next to
waterfall and a lake is called Goldrop. One can stay here and visit monasteries of the valley
and do some short trek and cycling.
The view of waterfall across the river and opposite the town is locally known as 'Palden Lhamo
dhar' is particularly spectacular. The adjacent village of Shashin is home of the famous deity
of Lahaul known as Ghepan/Ghepang or Lord Gyephang. The mountain, Gyephang Goh,
altitude 5,870 m. (19,258 ft.), to the east of the town is named after him.
Moore plains
Mesmerizing View: This place is just vast and breath taking with various colours as you
travel. Experiencing storm at this place will be an adventure. The road is pristine, and you
can race towards glory. Do not however make the mistake of speeding as the road can get a
lot bumpy without warning. Stay on the road and do not wander off. If you are lucky, you may
spot a Kiyang or blue sheep here.
Pang
The nature on a large scale is the description suitable for Pang, an inducing beauty. It takes
every visitor to a point of bliss in seconds and that’s the reason why it seated on a high place in
every traveller’s heart. The entire location of Pang is quite scenic with a river flowing while
you approach Pang from Manali Side and More plains on Leh side.
Tanglang La
.
Your fifth and last high altitude pass on this road, located at a height of 17,582 ft. It is also the
toughest because of the severely damaged road leading to it. This pass is considered as second
highest motorable pass in the world. You will feel the low levels of Oxygen. It is recommended
that you do not spend too much time at the top. Just stop, take a few pictures and be on your
way.
Leh
This is that pleasing town for which you will travel all along from Manali. A heaven on earth in
every way.
The road to leh is challenging and will always be new, no matter how many times you visit.
Now, pack your bag and get ready for this lovely drive!

"The Journey Is The Destination." : Dan Eldon

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Manali-Leh Highway which connect several interesting places brings us delightful feeling.

“The journey is the destination.”

Tourist Places on Manali Leh Highway

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