Panikhar, a charming hamlet settled at the height of 3,300M in Suru valley, Kargil district, is an exceptional Himalayan hotspot with snowcapped mountains and crystal-clear rivers. Adventure lovers come here to practice rock-climbing, experience river rafting, and trek the less explored Warwan Valley. It is close to famous cities like Anantnag, Kargil, and Srinagar. It holds a sweeping view of the twin peaks, Mount Nun and Kun and has a rich culture with humble people.
This article will give you a comprehensive idea of how to reach Panikhar via Leh and Srinagar.
Reaching Leh
Over the past few years, Leh has become famous among tourists, travellers, and adventure enthusiasts. Though this adventure hub has grown populous, it is still not easy to reach. There are no railways. And roadways are limited. When it comes to buses, we don't have a direct option, and we have to travel from Delhi to Chandigarh and then Chandigarh to Leh. The alternate route is from Delhi to Manali and then Manali to Leh. The fare for buses will range from 1500 INR to 2000 INR (private) or 1000 INR to 1500 INR (government) according to the season.
If you prefer to travel by shared taxis, you can travel from Delhi to Chandigarh and get a different taxi from Chandigarh to Leh. The alternate route is to get a taxi from Delhi to Manali and get another cab for Leh. Traveling by shared taxis can get tedious, expensive (around 2500 - 3000 INR), and might take a massive toll on your body. The safest, fastest, and best option, hence, is air travel.
Reaching Leh by Air
The Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport in Leh is managed by the Indian Airforce. According to their set rules, commercial flights are not allowed to land at night. So, during season time, hundreds of tourists try to book their tickets at the same time. If you are planning for a trip to Ladakh, book your flight tickets 3 months before your journey. You are likely to get a confirmed slot and at a much lower price – between 3000 and 3500 INR. The fares and frequency of flights from metro cities other than Delhi are less and extremely expensive. But from Delhi, options are plenty.
Once you reach the airport, you can get shared cabs outside the airport to reach Leh market. There are affordable homestays, hostels, and hotels around the Leh market area. The distance from Airport to Leh market is 4 km, and the fare for the cab should be around 100 INR. If you have opted for accommodation from Bikat, then the location for your accommodation will be shared with you before your arrival.
Leh to Panikhar Via Kargil
Ladakh in itself is a world within fairylands. A drive from Ladakh to Panikhar is an experience that will show you the most staggering contrast with unique landscapes. The 281 km drive from Panikhar via Kargil should take close to 12 hours to cover. Because of the high mountain lands, railways are not yet established here, and when it comes to roadways, you don’t have a direct bus service to Panikhar. You need to reach Kargil first and get a different bus to Panikhar.
Bus route
Buses are affordable lifelines of Leh, Ladakh. All the buses depart from Leh bus stand, a 10-minute walk from Leh market. You can ask any local to guide you there. Once you reach the bus stand, you can find many buses to local hot spots like Nubra valley and Spituk. Since Kargil falls under the military area, not many people visit there, and the frequency of buses is less.
Timings and Fare
Leh to Kargil:
SRTC – Bus timings – 11 AM – (400 INR)
Private - Bus timings – 1 PM & 2 PM – (800 INR)
Kargil to Panikhar:
SRTC – Bus timings – 7:30 AM, 11 AM & 1 PM – (100+INR)
Private - Bus timings – 1 1 AM & 2 PM – (200+ INR)
Note – These timings are not permanent. They are unpredictable and can change. It is recommended to check for timings at the local bus stand on arrival.
Shared Taxis and Private Taxis
Shared Taxis
Taxis are a famous means of transport in Ladakh. As you walk on the main road or the lanes of Leh market, you will see flyers on the walls with phone numbers of drivers on them. The second-best place to find a shared taxi is near the bus stand. Here, you can see several vehicles parked at the corner of the lane. Because of the taxi unions and permissions, the shared taxi will only drop you until Kargil, and you have to take a bus for Panikhar from Kargil.
Leh to Kargil – Around 220 Kms
Shared Taxi – Around 2000 INR per person
Kargil to Panikhar – No shared taxis
Private Cabs
It’s really easy to book a private cab in Leh. You can ask your hotel manager or travel agent to organize one for you. If not, you can randomly walk into any café or restaurant and enquire there. They will have tie-ups with local drivers or guide you with the right option. The private cab owners are usually well aware of the union issues, and they can quickly get all the necessary permissions to directly drop you to Panikhar. But the only problem here is the cost. They will charge anything between 8000 INR to 10000 INR. The options are slim if you plan to take a shared taxi to Kargil and book a private cab from Kargil to Panikhar. Even if you get one, they will charge around 2000 to 3000 INR.
Reaching Panikhar from Srinagar via Kargil
If you are planning to reach Panikhar directly and skip Leh, then the alternate route is from Srinagar to Kargil and Kargil to Panikhar.
Reaching Srinagar
There are no direct flights to Srinagar from metropolitan cities other than Delhi. Book the tickets 3 months before the plan, and you get a direct flight for around 3000-4000 INR. Or else you will get a long layover time in Leh or Delhi, and the ticket rate will surge drastically. If you prefer the railways, then the nearest railway station is Jammu. You have to take a train from Delhi to Jammu, and the 260 km from Jammu to Srinagar take around 8 hours to cover by road. The frequency of trains is less, and the cost starts from 200 to 800 INR. There are a lot of buses and shared cabs from Jammu to Srinagar. Government busses will charge around 1000 INR and private busses will cost you around 1000-1500 INR. The shared cabs from Srinagar cost around 1500 INR per head. If you are planning to hire a separate vehicle, they will charge you around 8000 INR. The most affordable, fastest, and safest way to Srinagar is to take a flight. We advise you to avoid the railways and roadways and use the airways.
Reaching Kargil from Srinagar by road
The roadways from Srinagar end at the grand Leh-Srinagar highway at Kargil. The 200 km to Kargil take 5 hours by road. If bus is your choice, then there is a single government bus from Srinagar, starting at 8 AM in the morning. It costs around 1000 INR. The frequency of the private busses is less and unpredictable. They cost around 1500-2000 INR. If the bus is not your cup of tea, then shared cabs charge about 1500 INR per head and private cabs charge around 8000-1000 INR.
Kargil to Panikhar
Shared Cab Arranged by Bikat Adventures: Leh to Panikhar and Panikhar to Srinagar
Panikhar is unfrequented and hence an unfamiliar territory. Due to scant crowds, some routes in this region remain inaccessible for the lack of facilities and may not be safe to travel alone. So, we highly recommend using the transport (from Leh to Panikhar) arranged by us. Treks like Warwan Valley are untouched and fall in the off-beat category. They do not see a big inflow of trekkers and tourists due to which facilities in the region remain slim making the place hard to access. Going solo or traveling by road to these regions might prove risky. It is, hence, recommended to opt for travel facilities provided by your tour operators. If you plan for the Warwan valley trek with us, we will arrange a dedicated vehicle to drop you at Panikhar at the beginning of the trek and drop you at Srinagar at the end of the trek.
We hope this article helps you plan your trip to Panikhar. If you have any other queries, please drop a comment below, and our team will get back to you.
