Ladakh FAQ

Q. Where is Ladakh located?
Ladakh is a Union Territory of North India.

Q. Is Ladakh safe?
Yes, Ladakh is an extremely safe place to travel to. Unlike the rest of J&K, Ladakh has not been affected by any kind of conflict till date.

Q. What about the Chinese issue?
The issues with China are an ongoing thing which is at the border where travellers are not allowed to go to. It’s the media who create a mountain out of a mole.

Network related FAQ

Q. Is there cell phone network in Ladakh?
Yes, there is cell phone coverage in Ladakh. BSNL, Airtel and Jio postpaid connection work. Airtel & Jio are the best. Only postpaid connections work in Ladakh.

Q. Why does prepaid cell phone network not work in J&K?
Since J&K is an highly conflicted region for security purposes only post paid connections work in this region.

Q. Is there 3G/4G in Ladakh?
As of October 2023, Ladakh had only 4G all over Ladakh. So basically WhatsApp works. Jio & Airtel has the best data coverage in Ladakh.

Q. Does Airtel and Vodafone work in Pangong Tso, Nubra Valley and Tso Moriri?
Only BSNL has a cellular connection in these regions and that too is very scratchy.

Srinagar (Dal Lake) meeting point and how to reach there

Q. Where do we meet the tlow representative at Srinagar?
The trip starts at Dal Lake gate no.1.

Q. What time should we reach Dal Lake?
Any time from 10:00 HRS to 17:30 HRS on day one of the trip is an ideal time to reach Dal Lake.

Q. What time and where does the trip end at Srinagar?
The trip ends at Dal Lake gate no.1 by 09:00 HRS on the last day of the trip as mentioned on our blueprint.

Q. How do we reach Dal Lake from Srinagar airport?
From Srinagar airport there are two options. Either you can take a taxi to Dal Lake gate no.1 or a local bus.

Delhi meeting point and how to reach there

Q. Where does the trip start in New Delhi?
The trip starts at ISBT Kashmiri Gate New Delhi bus station.

Q. What time should we reach ISBT Kashmiri Gate?
Around 60 minutes prior to the departure of the bus is a good time to reach ISBT Kashmiri Gate.

Q. How to reach ISBT Kashmiri Gate?
-From the airport take a direct AC bus which leaves every 30 minutes. Good options if you want to avoid the metro rush.
-Take a shuttle bus to the airport metro and then an express metro to New Delhi and finally take the yellow line to Kashmiri Gate. (Fastest way to reach ISBT)

Q. Where will we meet the tlow representative for the trip?
Our tlow representative will meet you at HRTC bus station in New Manali.

Q. So we have to board the bus all alone?
You won’t be alone, you’ll be with the rest of the group and our WhatsApp group which is made 36-40 hours before the start of the trip will be used as the platform to co-ordinate.

Accommodation related FAQs

Q. What kind of accommodation will be provided?
We will be using home stays and guest houses all along the trip.

Q. Will the accommodation be clean?
Since no one in the world likes to keep their home untidy, it’s safe to say that every place we stay at will be clean and will give you a homely feel.

Q. Will we get a bed, blankets and pillows?
Yes, at every place we stay at you’ll get a blanket, a pillow and if not a bed then surely a mattress to sleep on.

Q. Will we get hot water for a bath?
Every guest house and home stay we stay at will have geysers so you’ll surely get to have a bath at least once a day.

Q. Will the rooms be based on gender or mixed?
It will be girls in a separate room and boys in a separate room, for all those backpacking solo.

Food-related FAQ

Q. Why is food not included?
Since this is a backpacking trip we want to leave the eating for you’ll to explore on your own. You’ll never go hungry in Ladakh.

Q. Do we need to carry food along?
Not needed. Every place we stay at will have either a cafe or a Ladakh family who will cook for us.

Q. What kind of food should we expect to get?
In Manali, Leh and Srinagar you’ll get everything from pizza to dosa. While in other regions, it’s the basic rajma dal (kidney beans) rice, pickle, mix vegetables and rotis with some local chicken curry.

Q. Can we cook?
Yes, you can cook in our home stay in Leh. Provided you make the time.

Sickness related FAQ

Q. How do I avoid altitude sickness?
The only way to avoid altitude sickness is to rest well, keep yourself hydrated and have plenty of water.

Q. What about motion sickness?
Consulting your local physician is the best for motion sickness.

Q. What about the oxygen level?
The oxygen is indeed very thin in Ladakh but if you remember to keep yourself hydrated with small sips of water, it should not bother you.

Q. Is there a hospital in Leh-Ladakh?
Yes, every town and village in Ladakh has a health centre.

Inner Line Permit (ILP) FAQs

Q. Why do we need a ILP in Ladakh?
Since Ladakh is a vast desert, the ILP is needed to help keep a track of travelers. So if lost, tracking the person will be a little easier.

Q. How do we get the ILP?
Our tlow representative on the Ladakh trip will get the ILP done once you submit the documents to them on the trip.

Q. What documents do I need to submit?
Two photo copies (Xerox) of your identification proof which has your residential address example: Aadhar card, driving license, passport.

Solo travellers FAQ

Q. Is it okay if I enroll solo for a trip?
Yes, it’s absolutely fine to enroll solo. All our trips have 70% solo travelers who enroll.

Q. What if I don’t get along with the other backpackers?
If no one talks to you, don’t worry our tlow team members will be your friend and give you an experience of a lifetime.

Travel related FAQ

Q. What will be our mode of transportation?
While in Ladakh we will be using a combination of multiple modes of transportation.

Q. Srinagar to Leh?
J&K  state transport semi deluxe bus.

Q. Leh to Srinagar?
A 14 seater Tempo traveller which we will use for the over night journey.

Q. Within Ladakh?
A 14 seater tempo traveller.

Q. Leh to Manali?
HRTC ordinary bus.

Q. Manali to New Delhi?
Volvo HRTC bus.

Biking related FAQ

Q. Is this a biking trip?
No, this is not a biking trip but a backpacking trip.

Q. What if we want to go biking?
You can hire a bike in Leh and ride around while in Ladakh. The tlow representative will guide you through the process.

Q. So how does it all pan out?
Based on the number of bikers we suggest you’ll hire a couple of bikes and relay it all along the three-day journey around Nubra Valley, Pangong Tso and Leh town.

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