Tso Moriri lake is one of the main attractions that I would like to visit during my Leh Ladakh trip. It looks so out of the world in pictures and I don't want to miss out on capturing this unerathly element on my camera lenses. How far is the Tso Moriri lake from the Leh town? Does it have motorable roads? Does it have public transport or I need to rent a tourist taxi/cab? Basically I am looking for any information on how to go to Tso Moriri from Leh.
Tso Moriri lake in located in the Changthang region of Ladakh. Perched at an elevation of 15,075 feet, it is one of the largest and most beautiful high altitude lakes in the Ladakh region. From the Leh town, Tso Moriri lake is situated at a distance of around 240 KM. There is no direct bus from Leh to Tso Moriri as far as I am aware of, but JKSRTC does have a bus service to Korzok village from Leh. It departs in the morning hours from Leh bus stand and arrives at Korzok in the evening. It's around 8 hours journey by bus, with a lunch break at Chumathang in between. From Korzok, Tso Moriri is just around 25 KM. After reaching Korzok, you can hire a jeep or travel in a shared taxi from Korzok to reach Tso Moriri. Also shared taxi service is available from Leh to Tso Moriri. It would be a little costly compared to the bus, but still a way cheaper option than renting a tourist taxi/cab from Leh. You may also rent out motorbikes from Leh for this trip. Bike rentals cost around INR 300 to INR 600 per day, so even if you rent a motor bike for 3 days, it would come a lot cheaper than taxi rentals. The best route from Leh to Tso Moriri is given below - Leh - Karu - Upshi - Kumdok - Kere - Chumathang - Mahe - Sumdo - Korzok - Tso Moriri. Till Upshi, you need to travel along the Leh-Manali national highway. From Upshi, take the diversion on the left side to proceed towards Chumathang. It's a straight road till you reach Mahe. There is a check-post at Mahe where you need to register your details. Take the road right next to the check-post over the bridge, and you should arrive at Sumdo after 10 KM. From Sumdo, you need to take the road towards Namashang La pass to reach Korzok. If you are unsure of the directions, do ask the local folks to get proper guidance. Besides the Tso Moriri lake, you can also visit Thicksey, Hemis and Shey monasteries while going through this route. Regards, Deb
