Ladakh Bike Trip Budget — Total Cost of Ladakh Trip by Bike

13 min readFeb 27, 2023

When you plan a road trip that will take you hundreds of kilometers over several days, how much will it cost to do a Ladakh bike trip? This is the first question that comes to mind when planning a road trip of this magnitude. The trick is to get an estimate around your total Ladakh bike trip budget and then work towards reducing it. Continue reading to find out more.

Nearly everyone who owns a bike or any other two-wheeler in our country dreams of visiting Ladakh. However, the thought of being able to afford it keeps many people from achieving their dream. And they’re not wrong. In planning a vacation, price is the first thing we consider. When the journey is to a far-off place such as Ladakh and for a longer period of time, it becomes even more relevant.

Ladakh Bike Trip Budget

If As long as you plan carefully, you can easily travel to Ladakh while keeping your expenses within your budget. I will provide information on how to calculate the total cost of a Leh Ladakh bike trip in this article. In this article, I will provide a sample itinerary covering most of the tourist sites in Ladakh. I will then give you an estimate of the cost of a motorcycle trip to Ladakh day by day.

I Here are a few assumptions I will make for the sake of the article. The first is about the itinerary. I will suggest a travel plan from Delhi and provide a breakdown of the costs. The only change will be the cost incurred on the first and last day if you start from a different place.

In the following estimates, we will calculate the cost from two perspectives. In the first case, the cost will be borne by you alone. In the second case, the cost will be shared equally by you and your pillion.

Acute Mountain sickness is one of the big concerns when you travel to a high altitude place like Ladakh. The itinerary below is keeping in mind that the gain in altitude should be gradual which is one of the biggest steps against AMS.

It is not possible for everyone to follow this itinerary completely. In this case, AMS can be a bit of a problem since you have to omit several days from the itinerary. Read How to Handle Acute Mountain Sickness in Ladakh to find out what AMS symptoms are and how to avoid them.

Cost of Ladakh Trip by Bike

The six biggest expenses in your total cost of Leh Ladakh bike trip will be as mentioned below.

Getting the bike ready
Accommodation
Meals
Permits
Wear & Tear
Fuel

The other personal expenses that you will have to calculate on your own, such as cigarettes, alcohol, and shopping, will be ones that you know better. Before the trip, you will have to add the cost of shoes, jackets, gloves, etc, if you plan to buy those items.

The cost estimateyou may have personal expenses, like cigarettes, alcohol, shopping, etc, that you can figure out on your own. In addition to the estimate below, you will have to add the cost of shoes, jackets, gloves, etc, if you buy them before the trip

How much it will cost to visit Ladakh by a Motorcycle?

In answer to the question above, petrol will be your biggest expense. If you have a pillion rider, this expense will be divided into two.

I will assume for the purposes of this article that any bike will give at least 25 kilometers per liter.

You should calculate your motorcycle’s mileage on the lower side even if it has a better fuel efficiency. Ladakh’s roads are steep and challenging, so your bike may have a lower mileage than it does in a city or highway.

Petrol

When calculating the total budget, I use the following petrol prices: Rs. 76.00 per liter. At the time of writing this article, petrol prices were approximately Rs. 72 in Delhi, Srinagar, and Manali. In Leh, however, they were Rs. 80 per liter. For the calculations below, I will use Rs. 76 per liter.

Meals

On a budget, you would spend Rs. 400 per day for meals. If you ate at a Dhaba while riding, you could very easily stay below that figure. I will assume Rs. 400 per day as a safe number since it is possible to eat at a good restaurant in places like Srinagar, Leh, and Manali, but this can be quite expensive.

Accommodation

Based on your itinerary, I will suggest a cost for accommodation based on the place where you will be staying the night. I will assume Rs. 700 for a one-room budget hotel. If you were lucky, you might be able to find a cheaper accommodation, but I’ll keep it at Rs. 700 as a safe number.

Bike Expenses

It is important to keep in mind that you will spend a total of Rs. 6000 on getting the bike ready, transporting spare parts, and getting it serviced at the end of the trip.

Ladakh Trip Itinerary

To begin with, let me first post a sample itinerary that I will be using to help explain the cost incurred.

Delhi to Jammu — Day 1
Jammu to Srinagar — Day 2
Srinagar to Kargil — Day 3
Kargil to Padum — Day 4
Padum to Kargil — Day 5
Kargil to Leh -Day 6
Leh — Day 7
Leh to Diskit — Day 8
Diskit to Leh — Day 9
Leh to Pangong — Day 10
Pangong to Leh — Day 11
Leh to Tso Moriri — Day 12
Tso Moriri to Pang via Tso Kar — Day 13
Pang to Jispa / Keylong — Day 14
Jispa / Keylong to Manali — Day 15
Manali to Delhi — Day 16

My plan seems too long, but I kept it this way due to a few reasons. The first is that it covers almost all the major tourist attractions in Ladakh, except for a few.

The second is that the travel does not involve a hectic schedule and you can travel at leisure throughout these 16 days. There are some internal Ladakh routes that open later than the other routes in this article, which I will explain later in the article.

This itinerary can be followed during any month when Ladakh is open and you can afford to ride a bike there.

Ladakh Bike Tour Cost

Now let’s take a look at the entire trip and calculate the total cost day by day.

Day 1: Delhi to Jammu

The total distance is 590 kilometers, and the travel time should be between 10 and 12 hours, depending on your speed.
When traveling with a passenger, fuel costs Rs. 1,793.00 and Rs. 896.00 per person
The cost of the meal per person is 400
If traveling with a pillion, accommodation in Jammu costs Rs. 700 for a budget hotel. If traveling alone, it costs Rs. 350 per person.
Expenses so far: Rs. 2,893 if solo; Rs. 1,646 if with Pillion

Day 2: Jammu to Srinagar

Travel time of about 7–8 hours for 270 kilometers
Fuel Cost: Rs. 820 if riding solo and Rs. 410 if riding with a passenger
Per person, the meal costs Rs. 400
Srinagar accommodation costs Rs. 700 if you stay in a budget hotel. Rs. 350 if you travel with a passenger.
Assuming a solo ride of Rs. 1,920, and a pillion ride of Rs. 1,160, the total expenditure for the day is Rs. 1,920.
Trip expenses so far: Rs. 4,814 if solo, and Rs. 2,807 if with pillion

Day 3: Srinagar to Kargil

Distance covered: 200 kilometers in about 6–8 hours
There is a 608 rupee fuel cost for solo riders and a 304 rupee fuel cost for riders with a pillion.
There is a cost of Rs. 400 per person for the meal
In Kargil, a decent hotel will cost you Rs. 1000. If you are sharing with a pillion passenger, you will be charged Rs. 500.
The total expense of the day was Rs. 2,008 for the solo and Rs. 1,204 for the pillion.
So far, the trip has cost me Rs. 6,822 solo, Rs. 4,011 with a Pillion.

Day 4: Kargil to Padum

In eight to ten hours, I covered 230 kilometers
Solo fuel costs 700 rupees; with a passenger, 350 rupees
There is a cost of Rs. 400 per person for the meal
For a budget hotel in Padum, accommodation is Rs. 700 per night. If sharing with a pillion passenger, it is Rs. 350 per night
The total expense for the day was Rs. 1,800 for the solo ride; Rs. 1,100 for the Pillion ride
I have so far spent Rs. 8,622 on my solo trip and Rs. 5,110 on my trip with a passenger

Day 5: Padum to Kargil

Distance covered: 230 kilometers in 8–10 hours
Solo fuel costs 700 rupees; with a passenger, 350 rupees
Per person, the meal costs Rs. 400
For accommodation at Kargil, you will need approximately Rs. 1,000 for a budget hotel, and Rs. 500 for a shared room with a passenger
I spent Rs. 2,100 solo; Rs. 1,250 with Pillion on the day’s expenses
The total trip expense so far has been Rs. 10,720 for a solo trip; Rs. 6,360 for a trip with a pillion.

Day 6: Kargil to Leh

Approximately 6–8 hours to cover 220 kilometers
The cost of fuel is Rs. 670 for a solo ride; Rs. 335 for a ride with a passenger
The cost of the meal is Rs. 400 per person
Accommodation in Leh: Rs. 700 for a budget hotel. Rs. 350 per person if sharing with a passenger
The total expense for the day was Rs. 1,770 for the solo ride and Rs. 1,085 for the Pillion ride.
So far, the trip has cost me Rs. 12,500 solo and Rs. 7,500 with a passenger.

Day 7: Leh

For a five-day permit, there is a charge of Rs. 600 per person
The cost of the meal is Rs. 400 per person
Accommodation in Leh: Rs. 700 for a budget hotel. Rs. 350 per person if sharing with a passenger
Day’s expenses: Solo — Rs. 1,700; With Pillion — Rs. 1,350
Trip Expenses: Solo — Rs. 14,200; With Pillion — Rs. 8,800

Day 8: Leh to Diskit (Nubra Valley)

About five to six hours were spent covering 120 kilometers
The cost of fuel for a solo ride is Rs. 365, while for a ride with a passenger is Rs. 183.
The cost of the meal is Rs. 400 per person
Accommodation at Diskit: Rs. 700 for a budget hotel. Rs. 350 for a shared room with a passenger
Solo — Rs. 1,465; With Pillion — Rs. 932
So far, I have spent Rs. 15,655 solo; Rs. 9,728 with a pillion.

Day 9: Diskit to Leh

About five to six hours were spent covering 120 kilometers
The cost of fuel for a solo ride is Rs. 365, while for a ride with a passenger is Rs. 183.
The cost of the meal is Rs. 400 per person
Accommodation in Leh: Rs. 700 for a budget hotel. Rs. 350 per person if sharing with a passenger
The total expenses for the day were as follows: Solo — Rs. 1,465; With Pillion — Rs. 932
So far, the trip has cost me Rs. 17,120 for a solo trip, and Rs. 10,660 for a trip with a companion.

Day 10: Leh to Pangong Tso

Distance covered: 225 kilometers in about 7–8 hours
Cost of fuel: solo — Rs. 700; with pillion — Rs. 350
The cost of the meal is Rs. 400 per person
The cost of accommodation at Pangong is Rs. 500 per person
The total expense for the day was Rs. 1,600 for solo; Rs. 1,250 for pillion
Expenses so far: Solo — Rs. 18,703; With Pillion — Rs. 11,900

Pangong accommodation gets a little tricky, so your Ladakh bike trip budget may increase. A bed at a Chadar tent will cost about Rs. 300–400 per person. Camp sites will charge you about Rs. 2000 — Rs. 3000 per person including means. There is a range of prices to stay at a guest house in Spangmik, Man, Merak, ranging from Rs. 800 to Rs. 2000, so please factor that in.

Day 11: Pangong Tso to Leh

Distance covered: 225 kilometers in about 7–8 hours
Solo fuel costs 700 rupees; with a passenger, 350 rupees
There is a cost of Rs. 400 per person for the meal
Accommodation in Leh: Rs. 700 for a budget hotel. Rs. 350 per person if sharing with a passenger
The total expenses for the day were as follows: Solo — Rs. 1,785; Pillion — Rs. 1,093.
The total trip expense so far is Rs. 20,488 for the solo ride; Rs. 13,000 for the trip with a passenger

Day 12: Leh to Tso Moriri

The total distance was 220 kilometers, which took about 7–8 hours to cover
Solo fuel costs 700 rupees; with a passenger, 350 rupees
The cost of the meal is Rs. 400 per person
At Karzok, accommodation costs Rs. 1,000 for a budget hotel. If shared with a passenger, it costs Rs. 500 per person.
There were total expenses of Rs. 2,100 for the solo ride; Rs. 1,235 for the Pillion ride.
As of now, I have incurred the following expenses: Solo — Rs. 22,556; With Pillion — Rs. 14,200

Day 13: Tso Moriri to Pang via Tso Kar

A total of 155 kilometers were covered in approximately 6–7 hours
470 rupees for a solo ride, 235 rupees for a ride with a passenger
The cost of the meal is Rs. 400 per person
The cost of accommodation at Pang is Rs. 300 per person
Total expenses for the day: Solo — Rs. 1,170; With Pillion — Rs. 935
In total, I have spent Rs. 23,728 on my solo trip; Rs. 15,164 on my trip with a piggyback.

Day 14: Pang to Keylong

Distance covered: 180 kilometers in about 6–7 hours
The fuel cost for solo riding is Rs. 550; the fuel cost for riding with a passenger is Rs. 275.
Per person, the meal costs Rs. 400
For a budget hotel at Keylong, it costs Rs. 700 per night. If you share with a passenger, it costs Rs. 350 per night
The total expense of the day was Rs. 1,650 solo, and Rs. 1,000 with the pillion.
As of now, the total trip expenses are: Solo — Rs. 25,375; With Pillion — Rs. 16,188

Day 15: Keylong to Manali

About six to seven hours were spent covering 115 kilometers
There is a fuel cost of Rs. 350 for a solo ride; Rs. 175 for a ride with a passenger
Per person, the meal costs Rs. 400
Accommodation at Keylong: Rs. 700 for a budget hotel. Rs. 350 if shared with a passenger
Solo Expenses: Rs. 1,450; Pillion Expenses: Rs. 925
As of now, the total trip expense is Rs. 26,825 for solo travel, and Rs. 17,112 for travel with a passenger.

Day 16: Manali to Delhi

In about 13–14 hours, I covered 555 kilometers
There is a cost of Rs. 1,680 for a solo ride, and Rs. 845 for a pillion ride
There is a cost of Rs. 400 per person for the meal
The total expense of the day was Rs. 2,087 for Solo and Rs. 1,243 for Pillion.
So far, total trip expenses are Rs. 28,900 for solo travel; Rs. 18,355 for traveling with a passenger.

Tota Cost of Ladakh trip by Bike

So the total cost incurred for a leisurely bike ride of about 16 days, following the itinerary I mentioned above is as mentioned below.

Total distance covered: 3,655 kilometers approximately
Total Fuel Consumption: 150 liters approximately with a minimum average of about 25 kilometers per liter
Fuel Expense: Rs. 11,100 if traveling solo; Rs. 5,550 if with pillion
Meal Expense: Rs. 6,400 approximately
Accommodation: Rs. 10,800 if traveling solo; Rs.5,800 if with Pillion
Bike Expense: Rs. 6000
Total Trip Expense for 16 days: Rs. 34,900 if traveling solo; Rs. 21,355 if riding with a pillion

Although this number seems high for a budget trip, think about it this way. A total of about 35,000 for 16 days means around 2000 per day. That is the minimum for any vacation anywhere in the world.

You also need to take into consideration the fact that this was a leisurely ride for 16 days covering all tourist areas. This number is also on the safer side. If you keep your expenses low, it will be rare for you to spend more than this. There are still ways to reduce this total cost depending on the number of days you travel, the hotel, and the meal.

Agham Shyok Road

Pangong Tso is connected to Nubra Valley by this road. It was once one of the most dangerous roads in Ladakh, but after a lot of work by BRO, it is now smooth sailing all the way. It takes about 5–6 hours to reach Pangong from Nubra via this road.

There will be no need to return to Leh anymore, which will save you a day on your itinerary and reduce your Ladakh bike trip budget. It is about 160 kilometers long between Diskit and Spangmik. In this way, you won’t have to return to Leh on Day 9 and can shorten your stay. Check out How to get from Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso by Shyok Road for more information.

Chushul Route

You will have to travel 300 kilometers between Pangong and Tso Moriri directly, with a night stop at Hanle. If you cover the entire journey in one day and do not go to Hanle, then the distance will be about 200 kilometers. In the article below, I explain how you can get directly to Tso Moriri from Pangong Tso. For more information, please visit How to go directly to Tso Moriri from Pangong Tso.

Ladakh bike trip Budget from Other Cities

My estimation was based on Delhi, but if you were coming from another city, the cost would increase. For example, if you were coming from the south or west of the country, there would be an additional charge.

The cost of transporting your bike to Srinagar, Delhi, or Chandigarh, or riding it all the way from your hometown will be higher.

I will give you a rough idea of some of the cities involved.

Ladakh Bike trip Cost from Manali: Rs. 12000–15000 if you are traveling on your own bike. Rs. 25000 if you are renting a bike from Manali.
Ladakh Bike trip Cost from Kolkata: Rs. 35000 — Rs.40000
Chandigarh to Ladakh Bike trip Cost: Rs. 20000–25000
Ladakh Bike trip Cost from Jaipur: Rs. 25000 — Rs.30000
Leh Ladakh bike trip cost from Pune: Rs. 35000 — Rs.40000
Ladakh Bike trip Cost from Bangalore: Rs. 35000 — Rs.40000
Chennai to Ladakh Bike trip Budget: Rs. 35000 — Rs.40000
Ladakh Bike trip Cost from Mumbai: Rs. 35000 — Rs.40000
Kerala to Ladakh Bike trip Budget: Rs. 35000 — Rs.40000

This number is highly dependent on many assumptions, and is subject to change. However, on an overall basis, your trip cost will be around these numbers.