A 7-day Leh Ladakh trip from Delhi costs roughly ₹27,000 to ₹41,000 per person on a tight budget if you fly outside peak season, and ₹53,000 or more if you travel in comfort during peak summer. Flights make the biggest difference, followed by how many people share your taxi. Below we build every total from sourced prices so you can see where each rupee goes, and compare it fairly with our 6N/7D Leh to Leh group trip, which starts from ₹18,999 per person plus 5% GST.
At a glance
| Duration | 6 nights / 7 days, Leh to Leh |
| Route | Leh, Nubra Valley, Turtuk, Pangong Lake, back to Leh via Chang La |
| Usual season | May to September |
| Budget, do-it-yourself (ground cost) | ~₹17,800 to ₹26,600 per person, flights extra |
| Our group trip | From ₹18,999 + 5% GST (₹19,949) per person, flights extra |
| Return flights Delhi–Leh | ~₹9,000 to ₹14,000 off-peak; ~₹20,000 to ₹40,000 in peak season |
| Starts from | Leh airport (fly in from Delhi) |
All prices below were checked in September 2026. Flight fares change daily and local rates are revised every season, so treat these as planning ranges and re-check before you book.
Total cost at a glance
To compare like with like, every column below covers the same 7-day route our trip follows: three nights in Leh, two in Nubra (with a day trip to Turtuk) and one at Pangong. "Ground cost" is everything after you land in Leh. The working for each line is in the sections that follow.
| Per person | Budget DIY | Mid-range DIY | Our group trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who it assumes | 4 friends sharing a taxi, hostels and homestays | A couple sharing a taxi and a hotel room | Sitting Coach option |
| Stay (6 nights) | ₹3,600 – ₹9,000 | ₹7,500 – ₹13,500 | Included |
| Food | ₹4,900 – ₹7,000 | ₹7,000 – ₹12,600 | Lunches extra: ₹1,200 – ₹2,100 |
| Taxi (union rates) | ₹8,344 – ₹9,636 | ₹16,687 – ₹19,273 | Included |
| Environment/wildlife fee allowance | ₹1,000 | ₹1,000 | ₹0 – ₹1,000 (ask us) |
| Camel ride, ATV | — | ₹1,200 – ₹2,000 | Not included |
| Trip price incl. 5% GST | — | — | ₹19,949 |
| Ground cost | ₹17,844 – ₹26,636 | ₹33,387 – ₹48,373 | ₹21,149 – ₹23,049 |
| + off-peak return flights (₹9,000 – ₹14,000) | ₹26,844 – ₹40,636 | ₹42,387 – ₹62,373 | ₹30,149 – ₹37,049 |
| + peak return flights (₹20,000 – ₹40,000) | ₹37,844 – ₹66,636 | ₹53,387 – ₹88,373 | ₹41,149 – ₹63,049 |
How the ground cost adds up:
- Budget: ₹3,600 + ₹4,900 + ₹8,344 + ₹1,000 = ₹17,844 at the low end; ₹9,000 + ₹7,000 + ₹9,636 + ₹1,000 = ₹26,636 at the high end.
- Mid-range: ₹7,500 + ₹7,000 + ₹16,687 + ₹1,000 + ₹1,200 = ₹33,387; ₹13,500 + ₹12,600 + ₹19,273 + ₹1,000 + ₹2,000 = ₹48,373.
- Our trip: ₹18,999 × 1.05 = ₹19,949, plus lunches (₹1,200 to ₹2,100) and up to ₹1,000 for fees = ₹21,149 to ₹23,049.
The ₹1,000 fee line is a safe allowance, not the actual fee. More on that below.
Flights from Delhi to Leh
Most people doing a Leh-to-Leh trip fly, and the fare is the one number you control least. Here is what we found in September 2026:
| What we saw | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest advertised one-way fare | from ₹4,915 | MakeMyTrip, Goibibo |
| Lowest one-way on EaseMyTrip | ₹4,974 | EaseMyTrip |
| Air India "from" fare | ₹5,565 | Air India |
| Typical one-way range | about US$53 – $94 (roughly ₹4,500 – ₹8,000) | Kayak |
| Peak summer one-way | ₹10,000 – ₹20,000, higher for last-minute | HappyFares fare guides |
Seasonally, it breaks down like this (one way, per person):
- Off-peak (roughly October to April): fares near the ₹4,500 to ₹7,000 mark are common if you book a few weeks out. Kayak lists January as the cheapest month on average; several booking sites flag October as good value.
- Peak (June to mid-September): Kayak lists June as the most expensive month. Expect ₹10,000 to ₹20,000 one way, and more if you book in the last week.
- Shoulder (May, late September): anywhere between the two.
So a return ticket is roughly ₹9,000 to ₹14,000 off-peak (₹4,500 to ₹7,000 × 2) and ₹20,000 to ₹40,000 in peak season (₹10,000 to ₹20,000 × 2). These are ranges we observed, not quotes. Fares change daily, so check a few booking sites on your actual dates.
A few practical points. The direct flight takes about 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes, and IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet all fly the route. Leh's airport sits at about 3,256 m, and flights there usually operate in the morning because afternoon winds make landing harder, so plan your Delhi departure for an early start.
Where you'll stay, and what it costs
A 7-day loop means three kinds of stay: Leh town, a camp in Nubra, and a camp or cottage at Pangong.
| Stay type | Price range per night | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hostel dorm bed, Leh | a few hundred rupees; listings average around ₹500 | Hostelworld, Budget Your Trip |
| Homestay | ₹600 – ₹1,200 | Cosmic Scanner cost guide, March 2026 |
| Budget guesthouse, private room | ₹800 – ₹1,500 | Same guide |
| Mid-range hotel | ₹2,500 – ₹4,500 per room | Same guide |
| Pangong camps | budget listings from about ₹1,085; well-rated camps ₹4,000 – ₹9,000; premium tents and domes to ₹15,000 | Goibibo, Capture A Trip |
Hunder in Nubra also has camps from basic to deluxe; we didn't find current 2026 tariffs to quote, so check listings for your dates. Camp prices may or may not include meals, so ask when you book.
For the totals we used:
- Budget: ₹600 to ₹1,500 per person per night × 6 = ₹3,600 to ₹9,000. At the top end, that means booking basic camps in Nubra and Pangong, not dorms.
- Mid-range: ₹2,500 to ₹4,500 per room ÷ 2 = ₹1,250 to ₹2,250 per person per night × 6 = ₹7,500 to ₹13,500.
Local transport: taxi union rates and bike rentals
Taxis
Sightseeing inside Ladakh runs on local union taxis. Widely reported local rules say taxis and self-drive cars from outside Ladakh can bring you to Leh but can't be used for sightseeing within the region. The union publishes a fixed rate card each season, and published 2026 lists show no increase on last season.
Union rates per vehicle (not per person), as published for 2026:
| Route | Xylo / Ertiga | Innova / XUV | Innova Crysta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airport to Leh | ₹850 | ₹850 | ₹935 |
| Leh local (Hall of Fame, Magnetic Hill, Sangam, Pathar Sahib), full day | ₹3,238 | ₹3,408 | ₹3,749 |
| Leh – Nubra – Turtuk – Pangong – Leh, 4 days | ₹28,436 | ₹29,933 | ₹32,926 |
These rates include toll tax, parking and the driver's allowance.
For our route, one vehicle for the week costs:
- Cheapest: ₹28,436 + ₹3,238 + (₹850 × 2 airport runs) = ₹33,374
- Most comfortable: ₹32,926 + ₹3,749 + (₹935 × 2) = ₹38,545
Split four ways, that's ₹8,344 to ₹9,636 per person. Split between two people, it's ₹16,687 to ₹19,273. A solo traveller pays the whole ₹33,374 to ₹38,545 alone. This is where DIY Ladakh gets expensive for solo travellers.
Self-drive bike rentals
If you'd rather ride, Leh's rental shops charge per day, fuel extra, with a refundable deposit:
| Bike | Per day (full day) |
|---|---|
| Royal Enfield Classic 350 | ₹1,400 – ₹1,800 |
| RE Himalayan 411 | ₹2,000 – ₹2,500 |
| RE Himalayan 450 | ₹3,000 – ₹3,500 |
| Scooter (Activa type) | ₹800 – ₹1,200 |
Deposits run from a few thousand rupees on basic bikes to ₹10,000 to ₹25,000 on premium ones. As with taxis, bikes rented outside Leh are widely reported to be off-limits for sightseeing inside Ladakh.
For five riding days on a Himalayan 411: ₹2,000 to ₹2,500 × 5 = ₹10,000 to ₹12,500 for the bike, before fuel, riding gear and any backup vehicle. Our biking option (below) bundles those.
Inner Line Permit and environment fees
This line causes the most confusion, so here's what the official LAHDC Leh permit portal (lahdclehpermit.in) actually says:
- Indian citizens don't need an Inner Line Permit. The portal's FAQ states the inner line permit applies only to foreign tourists. Foreign nationals need a Protected Area Permit for places like Pangong, Nubra and Khardung La.
- Domestic tourists do pay a fee. It combines an environmental (green) fee, a Red Cross Fund contribution and a wildlife fee, and you can pay it online on the same portal. You don't need to visit a government office.
- Booking through a local registered travel agent gets 10% off the total fee, per the portal.
- The portal also warns about fake environment fee slips, so pay only on the official site or through a registered agent.
We couldn't find the exact rupee amounts on the official portal or the Leh district site (leh.nic.in), and travel blogs quote different figures. So our honest answer: a few hundred rupees; check the official portal before you go. In the totals above we set aside ₹1,000 as a safe allowance so you aren't caught short.
Our trip's inclusions list "all inner line permits for the trip". If you're booking with us, ask us to confirm on your batch whether the domestic environment and wildlife fee is covered.
Food and the extras people forget
Food. Everything in Ladakh travels a long way to get there, so meals cost more than in Delhi. A March 2026 cost guide puts a simple thali at ₹200 to ₹300, café meals at ₹300 to ₹600, and a normal day's eating in Leh at ₹700 to ₹1,000. Expect meals in Nubra and Pangong to cost 20 to 40% more, with fewer options.
- Budget: ₹700 to ₹1,000 × 7 days = ₹4,900 to ₹7,000
- Mid-range (café meals): ₹1,000 to ₹1,800 × 7 = ₹7,000 to ₹12,600
Extras. On our itinerary, the Bactrian (double-hump) camel ride and ATV rides at the Hunder dunes are on personal expense, and they would be on a DIY trip too:
- Camel ride: reported prices range from about ₹200 for a short 15-minute ride up to ₹1,000 for longer rides, depending on duration and season.
- ATV ride: traveller reviews put it at around ₹1,000 per ride. Rates are set on the spot, so confirm before you get on.
Monument entry tickets and parking during sightseeing are small but add up, and they aren't included on our trip either.
Group trip vs doing it yourself: a fair comparison
Looking at the totals above, the DIY budget column's lower end (₹17,844) is cheaper than our trip's ground cost (₹21,149 and up). So when does each option make sense?
DIY wins when:
- You're a group of four who already know each other and will split a taxi. That's how the budget column reaches ₹8,344 per person for transport.
- You're happy in dorms and basic homestays.
- You want your own pace, like an extra night at Pangong, a detour to Hanle, or a slow morning.
A group trip wins when:
- You're solo or a pair. A solo traveller's taxi alone costs ₹33,374 to ₹38,545. A couple pays ₹16,687 to ₹19,273 each just for transport, which is close to our whole trip price.
- You want the planning done. Stays in Leh, Nubra and Pangong, most meals, the vehicle, tolls and parking, an oxygen cylinder in the car, a first aid kit and a Team Captain are all arranged.
- You'd rather not coordinate bookings across Leh, Nubra and Pangong during peak season yourself.
What you give up on a group trip: fixed dates (we depart every Friday), shared rooms (double, triple or quad sharing, with double sharing at extra cost) and a set itinerary.
One thing both options should share: acclimatisation. The official Leh permit portal advises at least 48 hours of acclimatisation before heading to high-altitude areas, and no exertion for the first two days. Leh sits at around 3,500 m. Our itinerary keeps Day 1 for rest and Day 2 for gentle local sightseeing before crossing Khardung La on Day 3. If you plan your own trip, don't cut those days to save money.
Ways to save on a Ladakh trip
- Fly off-peak or book early. Flights are the biggest variable. Choosing between ₹9,000 and ₹40,000 on return fares matters more than any other decision you make.
- Fill the taxi. Taxi rates are per vehicle, so four people pay a quarter each. Solo travellers can find co-travellers at hostels in Leh, or join a group trip.
- Book the full circuit as one package. The 4-day union rate for Leh – Nubra – Turtuk – Pangong – Leh (₹28,436 to ₹32,926) works out cheaper than booking each leg on its own.
- Pay the environment fee through a registered local agent for the 10% discount, and never pay a stranger for a paper slip.
- Eat where locals eat. Thalis and momos cost a fraction of what the cafés charge.
- Skip the paid extras you don't care about. A camel ride and an ATV ride together can add ₹1,200 to ₹2,000.
- Don't economise on acclimatisation. An extra night in Leh is cheap insurance against altitude sickness.
Comparing destinations? Our Spiti vs Ladakh guide covers how the two stack up, and if you're thinking of a colder, quieter trip, see our winter Spiti trip guide.
What's included in our Leh to Leh trip
Our Leh to Leh trip runs 6 nights / 7 days with departures every Friday. The route: arrival and rest in Leh; Leh local sightseeing; Leh to Nubra over Khardung La; a day trip to Turtuk; Nubra to Pangong via Diskit Monastery; Pangong back to Leh via Chang La, Shey Palace and Thiksey Monastery; then a drop at Leh airport.
Price per person (5% GST extra):
| Option | Price | With 5% GST |
|---|---|---|
| Sitting Coach | ₹18,999 | ₹19,949 |
| RE Himalayan, with pillion | ₹22,999 | ₹24,149 |
| RE Himalayan, solo rider | ₹27,999 | ₹29,399 |
Included:
- 6 nights in hotels, camps or cottages and homestays on double, triple or quad sharing (double sharing costs extra)
- All meals mentioned in the itinerary
- For bikers: bike rent for 5 days (Leh to Leh), fuel as per itinerary, riding jacket, helmet, gloves and knee pads (bringing your own gloves and gear is recommended), an RE mechanic with spare parts and minor repairs en route
- Mechanical and luggage backup vehicle
- All inner line permits for the trip
- Oxygen cylinder in the car 24x7 for emergencies (we still recommend carrying portable oxygen) and a first aid kit
- Complimentary bonfire night
- Team Captain throughout, group pickup and drop
- Driver night charges, toll tax and parking
- 24x7 customer support
Not included:
- 5% GST
- Flights or train fares
- Early hotel check-in
- Lunches and any meals not listed in the inclusions
- Parking and monument entry fees during sightseeing
- Personal expenses (camel ride, ATV and the like)
- Extra stay or food costs from delays, flight cancellations, landslides, roadblocks or other natural events
- For bikers: spare parts for accidental damage, towing if the bike is dropped, and servicing or maintenance costs
FAQs
How much does a 7-day Leh Ladakh trip cost from Delhi?
Working from sourced prices, a budget DIY trip costs about ₹17,800 to ₹26,600 per person after you land. Add ₹9,000 to ₹14,000 for off-peak return flights, or ₹20,000 to ₹40,000 in peak season. Our group trip costs ₹19,949 including GST, plus flights, lunches and personal extras.
What is the Delhi to Leh flight price?
In September 2026, booking sites advertised one-way fares from about ₹4,900. Typical off-peak fares are around ₹4,500 to ₹7,000, and peak summer fares run ₹10,000 to ₹20,000 or more. Fares change daily, so check on your dates.
Do Indians need an Inner Line Permit for Ladakh?
No. The official LAHDC Leh permit portal says the inner line permit applies only to foreign tourists. Indian visitors pay a combined environment, Red Cross and wildlife fee online instead.
What is the Ladakh permit fee?
For domestic tourists it's a few hundred rupees. We couldn't confirm the exact current amount on the official portal, so check lahdclehpermit.in before you travel. Booking through a registered local agent gets you 10% off.
Is it cheaper to rent a bike or take a taxi?
For a solo rider, usually a bike: a Himalayan 411 costs ₹10,000 to ₹12,500 for five days before fuel, against ₹33,000+ for a taxi on your own. For four people sharing a taxi (about ₹8,300 to ₹9,600 each), the gap closes, and you get a warm seat over Khardung La.
Can I use a car or bike rented in Delhi or Manali for sightseeing in Ladakh?
Widely reported local rules say no. Outside vehicles can get you to Leh, but sightseeing within Ladakh has to be in a local taxi or on a locally rented bike. Confirm the current rules before you drive up.
Ready to stop adding up spreadsheets? See dates and book our Leh to Leh trip, or plan a custom Ladakh trip for your own group and dates. For shorter escapes closer to home, browse our weekend trips from Delhi.
Sources
- LAHDC Leh permit portal (fees, ILP FAQ, acclimatisation advisory): https://www.lahdclehpermit.in/ and https://www.lahdclehpermit.in/faq/
- Leh district administration: https://leh.nic.in/
- Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport (elevation, airlines, morning flights): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kushok_Bakula_Rimpochee_Airport
- Kayak, New Delhi–Leh route (typical fares, cheapest and priciest months): https://www.kayak.com/flight-routes/New-Delhi-Indira-Gandhi-Intl-DEL/Leh-IXL
- EaseMyTrip, Delhi–Leh: https://www.easemytrip.com/flights/delhi-del-to-leh-ixl/
- MakeMyTrip, Delhi–Leh: https://www.makemytrip.com/flights/new_delhi-leh-cheap-airtickets.html
- Goibibo, Delhi–Leh: https://www.goibibo.com/flights/delhi-to-leh-flights/
- Air India, Delhi–Leh: https://www.airindia.com/en-in/book-flights/delhi-to-leh-flights
- HappyFares, Delhi–Leh fare guide: https://happyfares.in/blog/delhi-to-leh-flights-guide/
- Leh Ladakh taxi union rates 2026: https://www.travelhimalayas.in/transportation/taxi-rental/316-leh-local-taxi-rates-2015.html and https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/leh-ladakh-taxi-rates/
- Leh bike rental rates 2026: https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/leh-ladakh-bike-rental-rates/
- Ladakh trip cost guide (food, stays), March 2026: https://www.cosmicscanner.com/post/ladakh-trip-cost
- Pangong camp prices: https://www.captureatrip.com/blog/pangong-lake-camp and https://www.goibibo.com/hotels/camps-in-pangong-pt/
- Hostel prices in Leh: https://www.hostelworld.com/hostels/asia/india/leh/
- Hunder camel and ATV ride prices: https://www.holidify.com/places/nubra-valley/bactrian-camel-safari-sightseeing-5551.html and https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g297625-d4340911-Reviews-Sand_Dunes_Leisure_Park-Leh_Leh_District_Ladakh.html
- Best time to visit Ladakh: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/guide-to-ladakh-india
Last checked: September 2026.