Leh is one of the most unique and beautiful places in the country. With its high altitude, desert topography, winding passes, snowy mountains and crystal lakes, it seems to be a nature lover’s paradise. Similarly, it also offers a rich cultural experience with its heritage of Buddhism and the various monasteries there. Leh is an extremely popular tourist destination, however it is also not the easiest to plan and reach. The location of the city means that getting there takes time and sightseeing in and around the place is also a lengthy process. Most people plan at least a week-long trip to Leh, while some try to fit it in a smaller amount of time. However, trying to complete a Leh tour in four or less days is not advisable for the following reasons: 

Sightseeing Issues

The most obvious problem with planning this trip is the time constraint. Leh, the city, is relatively small and the monasteries and lakes close to it can be covered within two days. However, there are numerous sites around the city that are popular tourist attractions which should not be missed. For instance the Khardungla Pass, the Pangong Lake, the Magnetic Hill, the Nubra Valley, Tso Moriri Lake, the Lamayuru Monastery as well as other places like the Shanti Stupa and Diksit Gompa. Since these attractions are not in the city, it takes some time from Leh to reach them and then spend time experiencing the wonders too. This means that you will have to stay for extra days and keep making small day trips to all the surrounding attractions, which is not possible in just four days. 

Transport Issues

If someone is okay missing out on some attractions, there are still more practical problems to be faced. Travelling to and from Leh is not an easy task. Leh lies in an extremely high altitude zone and the roads there are not as well constructed and maintained as roads in other, more populated regions of India. Furthermore, the winding nature of the roads and the mountains and passes means that it takes even more time to reach Leh. Most people choose to take a flight to nearby places like Delhi or Manali or Srinagar and then travel to Leh by road. However, this option is not possible on a four day trip. This is because travelling from a nearby airport to Leh will take at least a whole day, which means that two out of the four days will get wasted in travel, leaving almost no time for actual sightseeing. 

Budget Issues

In order to save time on travelling, some people might choose to take a flight directly to Leh, rather than taking one to Delhi or Manali and then going by road. However, this option is also impractical for two reasons. Firstly, the direct flight to Leh would be extremely expensive, and would almost double the normal expenditure of the trip. This would mean that you would end up spending more money on simply the transport rather than the actual activities in Leh. Secondly, taking a direct flight will mean that you end up missing out on the lovely roads and sights that the road offers. 

Health Issues

For those that are okay with travelling directly to Leh, with a higher budget, there is the potential of health issues which should be avoided. Leh has an altitude of more than 10,000 feet or 3,500 metres. This is a significant amount for those that have lived in low lying areas and cities all their lives. The human body requires time to adjust to the extreme altitude, in a process called acclimatisation. Even the fittest and healthiest people take at least a day or two to acclimatise to the altitude, especially if they take a direct flight. Taking the road means that the body gets gradually adjusted to the increasing height, but with flights, the change is more sudden. Lack of acclimatisation can cause altitude sickness, nausea, headaches, ill health and even mood swings and irritation. This would spoil the trip and leave you unable to enjoy the beauty of Leh. Thus, a four day trip means that you would spend at least half of your time there getting acclimatised and not being able to use time judiciously. 

Conclusion

It is clear that while it is technically possible to fly directly to Leh and stay there for a four day trip from Pune, it is not at all advisable to do so. Issues with transport, the budget, the itinerary and your health would crop up on this extremely short Ladakh trip. This is why, leave the planning to us, the experts. At Pravas The Journey, we cater to all travellers’ needs and offer group tours, honeymoon tours as well as customised tours, so that you can experience the beauty of a place like Leh completely.