Leh valley and Magnetic Hill day
Leh-Ladakh · 7 hrs · SUV and driver included · Pickup from your stay
From ₹5500 for the whole vehicle, up to 6 people. The price is per car, not per person.
Vehicles
- SUV: The only vehicle for these passes. ₹5500 for the vehicle.
The day you do before the passes
Everybody arriving in Leh is told to take it easy for two days, and almost nobody is told what to actually do with them. This is the answer: a low, unhurried circuit along the Indus, all of it below 12,000 ft, which is genuinely worth the day rather than a way of killing time.
It runs west out of Leh on the Srinagar road to Magnetic Hill and the confluence at Nimmu, with the Hall of Fame and the gurudwara on the way, and comes back into town for the late light from Shanti Stupa. Nothing on it climbs, nothing on it hurries, and the driving is short enough that you are back with an evening still in front of you.
It is also the day that makes Pangong and Khardung La possible later in the week without a headache. You book the vehicle, not a seat, so the price holds whether there are two of you or six.
Your day, stop by stop
1. Hall of Fame
The army museum on the edge of town, and the clearest half hour anyone will give you on why this valley is shaped the way it is. Worth doing first, while your head is fresh.
Museum entry, paid at the gate
2. Gurudwara Pathar Sahib
Maintained by the army on the Srinagar road, around a boulder with a story attached to it. Everyone is welcome, heads covered, and the langar is offered to whoever turns up.
3. Magnetic Hill
The stretch of road where a car in neutral appears to roll uphill. It is an optical illusion and knowing that does not spoil it in the slightest.
4. The Indus and Zanskar confluence
Two rivers of visibly different colours meeting below the road at Nimmu, and holding the line between them for a surprisingly long way downstream.
5. Shanti Stupa at the end of the day
Back above Leh for the late light over the town and the Stok range behind it. A short flight of steps, taken slowly on day two at this altitude.
In your price
- Registered local SUV with driver for the day
- Pickup and drop at your stay in Leh
- Fuel, parking and driver allowance
- GoExplorer support number for the day
Not included
- Museum entry
- Meals
- Anything personal
What you pay on the day
- Hall of Fame museum entry
- Shanti Stupa contribution, if you choose to leave one
- Lunch and drinks
- Personal expenses
Who this suits
Everyone, including people who landed yesterday, which is rather the point. All of it is at or below Leh's own altitude and none of it involves a climb beyond the stupa steps. Children of any age are fine. Six seats, one flat price.
What to bring
Sunblock and sunglasses, which matter more here than the temperature suggests, a head covering for the gurudwara, a light layer for the afternoon wind, and water.
Rarely affected
This circuit is on the main highway and runs in almost any weather. The exception is a road closure west of Leh, which is uncommon; if it happens you take a full refund or a free reschedule.
Cancellation
- More than 24 hrs before: Full refund
- Within 24 hrs: 50% refund, or reschedule free once
- No show: No refund
Safety and the operator
Licensed local ground operator. No permit is needed for this route and nothing on it climbs, which is why it is the right first day in Ladakh. Even so, altitude affects people on day one and two: drink more water than feels necessary, skip alcohol, and tell your driver if you feel unwell rather than pushing on.
Questions
Is the price per person?
No. It is the price of the SUV for the day, flat, however many of you are in it.
Do we need a permit for this one?
No. Everything on this circuit is outside the inner line. Pangong and Nubra are the ones that need paperwork.
Can we do this on the day we land?
Yes, and it is a sensible way to spend it. It stays low, it does not rush, and you are back by four. Save the passes for day three.
Can we add Thiksey and Hemis?
Those sit east of Leh, the opposite direction to this circuit, so not without cutting something. Ask on WhatsApp after booking and we will tell you honestly what fits.