Transportation (Ladakh)
There is only one way of transportation in Ladakh (given that, you do not ride a bike yourself) – Taxis. Ladakh has almost one vehicle per house. Moreover, the terrain of Ladakh makes it very difficult for infrastructure development at rapid pace. So, you are left with the option of taxi to explore every part.
Taxi Tours
You have several options to book a taxi.
- If you are 4 or more people then reserve a taxi all for yourself. If you are even larger group, you may book a Traveller Tempo.
- If you are solo or less than 4 people going for a taxi will be costly. You have another option to check out some tour agencies or operators in Leh the day you arrive. They provide taxi on sharing basis or arrange for group tours. Sometimes you do not even have to ask as they put up boards outside their shops informing the same. This will help you save a quite a bit.
Taxi fares
A complete tour of 10 days itinerary will cost you ₹55,000 – 65,000 for a taxi. We have mentioned a rough estimate for a 10 days trip on our itinerary post here. The Leh taxi union has a rate chart that displays the type of vehicle, the area of visit and the price of each trip. The chart is available online here. Check it out and make an estimate for the areas you want to visit before booking a taxi.
Booking
We have provided contact details of a verified taxi operator as well as some important tips for transportation in Ladakh in our suggestions post. You can directly book with them or contact any private taxi operator for their rates. You may request them to give some discounts. The rates might appear very high but it all gets justified when you finish your trip. The terrain of Ladakh is not easy to scale. Also, the time taken to traverse a distance is not the same as in other places. Always keep this in mind before estimating the time of travel.