Most travellers consider September to be the best time to visit Leh-Ladakh. However, for adventurous souls, May is the best time to take a trip to this beautiful destination. It’s the perfect time to watch plenty of snow and indulge in mountaineering, trekking, and other such activities. A Leh Ladakh trip in May can be difficult with troubling road conditions, but a journey via flight can help you skip this issue. Moreover, rising snow walls on various sites, including high altitude passes, are a sight to watch.
Leh Ladakh Trip in May
In May, most guesthouses and hotels become functional. Therefore, tourism-related activities also begin. Most importantly, since you won’t find many tourists in the region, it’s a good time to explore Leh-Ladakh at your own pace. Public transport services are also available in May. It’s worth mentioning that internal roads leading to Tso Moriri, Pangong Tso and Nubra Valley remain open, and allow you to explore all kinds of touristy attractions. Once you reach the main city, you won’t come across any major issues.
Srinagar to Leh
A journey between Srinagar and Leh depends on weather conditions. Technically, the Srinagar – Leh highways remains open for most part of the month. In case you’re planning a road trip to Leh, this route will be the better choice. However, we still recommend taking a flight to Leh and heading on to the other part of your journey via a shared or private taxi.
To be on the safer side, it’s better to plan a road trip in the second half of May. Though most of the snow clears up by this time, avalanches in Zojila Pass aren’t uncommon. These can block the road for several days. In order to ensure you aren’t stuck anywhere, it’s good to plan an itinerary carefully, and even better to book a package tour with a service provider.
Manali to Leh
The Manali – Leh highway remains closed for most part of the month. Even when roads get cleared, melting snow can cause problems. It’s advised to skip the Manali – Leh route during the month of May. If snow doesn’t get cleared, road conditions can be pretty bad, and you may be stuck for days.
In case you want to choose this route in the month of May, it’s better to plan your journey in the last week of the month. You can even plan to reach Leh via Srinagar, and return from the Manali – Leh highway.
Leh Ladakh Weather
Beginning May, Leh Ladakh temperature begins to rise, and you can expect it to be somewhere between 15 degree celsius and 5 degree celsius. Day time is pleasant and you can cover several attractions on the trip. However, nights can be cold and it’s important to carry thermals and a lot of warm clothes. A Leh Ladakh trip in May isn’t for the faint-hearted, and requires careful planning.
Renok Adventures has been organising and conducting tours to Leh-Ladakh for quite some time. If you’re planning a trip in May, get in touch with our team of experts to plan everything for you. To discuss your requirements, please click here.
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