All travelers going to Leh-Ladakh, Kunzum pass, Spiti, Chandertal lake, Kaza should keep in mind the new norms set up by Himachal government. If you are hiring a jeep/cab registered outside Himachal or you are planning to drive your own car, do not forget to obtain permission certificate from SDM office Manali. Otherwise, you won’t be able to cross the Rohtang pass.
And make sure that you have applied between 10 am to 5pm in all working days. The process will take only few minutes. According to the application form, required information is as follows:
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Date of travel
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Vehicle registration number
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Driver Name with mobile number
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Full address
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Driving license number
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The place you want to visit
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And also carry the RC of vehicle you will be travelling
You must know that the permission is required only to cross the Rohtang pass.
And make sure that you leave for Leh (or Lahaul-Spiti/Kaza/ Rohtang etc) before 6am in the morning, otherwise, you may caught in hours long traffic jams and police may prevent you to reach Rohtang in preventive action.
Don’t forget to carry extra fuel (petrol or diesel) with you as you may not find petrol pumps between your 15 hours journey.
Check the fitness of your vehicle. A thorough service is must. Check if your tyre has too much patches or repairs. Grip is must as you may have to face snowfall and bogey roads many times. Also carry a torch and complete toolbox. Carry some warm clothes too. The temperature may fall as below as 5 degrees C anytime.
In view of security reasons, the pre-paid mobile phones (cellular phones) do not work in Ladakh. However some post paid service providers are providing their roaming service in Leh. Ask your service provider before starting your trip. And be prepared to face network problems throughout the journey to Ladakh. You can find some network only at some places below Rohtang and Lahaul.
Make all hotel/camp (accommodation) reservations few days before your tour. You may not be able to book room/camp on the spot.
Try to drive with some other vehicles. It will help you find accurate way and if you stuck in any problem, he may help you with every possible ways. And the same way, if somebody asks for help, don’t hesitate to do the same for him, or you might fall in trouble as nobody would help you out.
And if you want to visit Tso-moriri and Pangong Tso lakes (must visit place), you will need to obtain permission from Leh administration.
Keep checking the Manali-Leh and Leh-Srinagar highway status at http://leh.nic.in (with inputs from Discover Leh Ladakh)
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