Delhi to Leh is the road trip most crews talk about for years before they actually do it. The Manali–Leh highway crosses some of the highest motorable passes in the country, so this is a drive you plan around altitude and weather, not just distance.
Delhi → Chandigarh → Mandi → Manali → Atal Tunnel → Keylong → Jispa → Baralacha La → Sarchu → Gata Loops → Nakee La → Lachulung La → Pang → More Plains → Tanglang La → Upshi → Leh. The Manali–Leh highway is usually open from around June to mid-October, depending on snow clearance. If it is closed, or you want a gentler climb, the alternative is Delhi → Jammu → Srinagar → Zoji La → Kargil → Leh.
Budget roughly ₹8,500 to ₹9,500 one-way for a hatchback or sedan, based on around 12 km/l over 1,000 km of highway and high-altitude driving. Fill up fully at Tandi, just before Keylong. It is the last reliable pump for roughly 350 km until Karu or Leh, so carry a spare jerrycan.
The highway is smooth up to Manali, and the Atal Tunnel has cut out the old Rohtang climb. Beyond Keylong, expect stretches of broken tarmac, water crossings that run high in the afternoon from snowmelt, and gravel around Pang and the high passes. Mornings are the safest time to cross streams. Altitude is the bigger risk than the road: spend a night at Jispa or Keylong before going over Baralacha La, and avoid sleeping at Sarchu or Pang if anyone in the crew feels unwell.
A sensible plan is Manali on night one or two, Jispa or Keylong for acclimatisation, then Leh. Jispa has riverside camps and small hotels. Sarchu has seasonal tent camps if you need them, but it sits above 4,200 m and is not ideal for sleeping. In Leh, guesthouses around Changspa and Fort Road suit crews, and you should keep your first full day there for rest before heading to Nubra or Pangong.
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