Staying Options

Well......just 5 more days to go........................We have been planning and getting information like crazy for past few days. Finally things moved into 4th gear last week. Here are few updates for everyone :-

1) According to our plan, We are planning to move to Keylong from Manali on 12th August and stay there for night. HPTDC has an excellent hotel (Hotel Chander Bhaga) at Keylong and they have provision for online booking of rooms. So, a Double Bedroom Suite for 1600 bucks booked out there by me last week.

2) Next on the agenda was looking out for a suitable accommodation in Leh, Tangstse (Near Pangong) and Hundur. Here is a list of registered Hotels and Guest Houses in Leh (Link). After a lot of research through online forums and networking sites (India Mike, Ryze, Orkut etc), I finalized three guest houses:-

• Oriental Guest House

Phone (0)1982 250 516, Fax (0)1982 252 414
Email : ladakhoriental@yahoo.co.in

• Shanti Guesthouse, Below Shanti Stupa, Yurthang Road, Changspa, Leh, Ladakh 194101

Phone: 01982-253084

• Alimjan Guest House, opp. Mandala Hotel on the fort road.

Phone: 01982-250314 (r), 01982-255297 (guest house), 94191-79149 (cell)
Contact: Mr. Parvez Miru

Prashant talked to Mr. Parvez Miru at Alimjan Guest House and told him about our trip details. He came back to us later in the day with his charges for our whole trip (right from the moment we enter Leh to the moment we leave it).

Sunday, August 13, 2006	Arrival : Leh in night	Leh (2 Double Bed room with bath)
Monday, August 14, 2006	Leh-Pangong Tso	Tented accommodation
Tuesday, August 15, 2006	Pangong Tso - Leh	Leh (2 Double Bed room with bath)
Wednesday, August 16, 2006	Leh-Khardung la-Nubra Valley	Tented accommodation in Hundur
Thursday, August 17, 2006	Nubra Valley - Leh	Leh (2 Double Bed room with bath)
Friday, August 18, 2006	Departure : Early morning

We would be having 2 Double bed room (attached bath rooms) with 3 meals (13 August night to 18 morning) + Scorpio to Nubra Valley (night stay) and Pangong (night stay) + Tented accommodation for Nubra valley and Pangong for night including meals

He would also help us in arranging the inner line permit for Pangong and Nubra valley.

The total cost for 5 people is 24000 Rs. That means 4800 Rs per person, which we thought was quite decent. It will save us from all the hassles of looking out for GH in Leh in night, getting the permits, arranging Vehicle for travel (Taxi Union in Leh, outside taxis are not allowed) and accommodation at Hundur and Pangong.

3) So, we are more or less done with our accommodation in Leh and other places we are going to travel including a Vehicle in Leh. What is still left:-

• 4by4 from Manali to Leh : Can only be booked after reaching Manali
• How we are going to travel from Leh to Srinagar (Taxi, Bus ?? ) Not decided yet.
• Accommodation in Drass or Kargil on the way to Srinagar.

More updates coming soon.