A few months ago, I travelled to Hanle. The little hamlet was the highlight of the Ladakh leg of my month-long Spiti valley, Leh and Kashmir trip. Hanle reminded me of the old, untouched Ladakh. If you want to experience an undisturbed Ladakh away from the crowds, Hanle is the place. For those planning a trip to Hanle, in this “Guide to Hanle”, I have covered the routes, the points of interest, permits, helpful tips and the best time for visiting.

Hanle is the latest addition to the Ladakh travel circuit. In the past few months, these two destinations gained popularity. Hanle is the home to one of the world’s highest observatories. Few travellers know about these remote places. So, to make your planning and travelling hassle-free, I have covered essential info in this Hanle guide.

ABOUT HANLE

Hanle or Anle is a small village on the Ladakh-Tibet trade route, which ran from Hanle to Imis La to Tashigang in Tibet. It is a historic hamlet and home to the 17th-century Hanle Gompa and the Indian Astronomical observatory.

Hanle is a historic town in the Hanle river valley. The Maryul kingdom documents from 930AD mention Hanle (Wam-Le) served as a frontier of the empire. The boundary extended from Wam-Le (present-day Hanle) to the top of Yu-Mig rock (Imis La).

Aside from this, Hanle has been a renowned Buddhist pilgrim centre. The Ladakhi king, Sengge Namgyal and a Tibetan monk, Stag-Tsang-ras-pa, established the Hanle Gompa in the 17th century. The monastery belongs to a sect of Tibetan Buddhism, the Drukpa sect. Hanle Gompa grew and soon became a celebrated pilgrim.

My stay at Hanle was the highlight of the Ladakh leg of the tour. People travel to Hanle because it serves as a base for Umling La. But there is more to Hanle. What I loved about the village was that few outsiders knew about it. It is a remote place untouched by tourism. Its remoteness is its best feature. Also, it is the best place to see a starry night sky. It is an unbelievable sight.

*NOTE:- Acclimatise properly before visiting Hanle.

ROUTES TO HANLE

There are several routes to Hanle – from Leh, Pangong lake, Nubra valley, Tso Kar or Tso Moriri. You can decide the road depending on your convenience and itinerary.

LEH – HANLE

Leh to Hanle is 245 km and umling La is 108 km from Hanle. It takes three days to visit Hanle. It is the direct route from Leh. Take the NH3 from Leh and continue up to Upshi junction. From here, take Pangong lake road to the Mahe check post. Drive across the Loma bridge and continue towards Hanle.

Leh – Choglamsar – Shey – Thikse – Karu – Upshi – Ikpadok – Tirido – Gaik – Chumthang – Mahe – Nyoma – Mahe check post – Loma Bridge – Hanle

NUBRA VALLEY – PANGONG LAKE – HANLE

This route is open to Indians only. Foreigners aren’t allowed to travel along this road. There are two ways to reach Hanle from Pangong lake. One is via Chusul, and the other is from Nyoma. The route via Chusul (162 km) is shorter and in better condition than via Nyoma (207 km).

Diskit – Khalsar – Agham – Shyok – Durbuk – Tangste – Pangong lake (Spangmik) – Man – Merak – Chusul – Rezang La – Tsaka La – Tsaka check post – Mahe check post – Loma bridge – Hanle

Diskit – Khalsar – Agham – Shyok – Durbuk – Tangste – Pangong lake (Spangmik) – Man – Merak – Chusul – Thato La – Kaksang La Top – Mahe – Nyoma – Mahe bridge – Loma bridge – Hanle

TSO KAR – HANLE

It is 145 km and takes 4 hours. It is an unnamed road from Tso Kar to Sumdo. The road construction is underway, but it is a dirt track.

Tso Kar – Puga hot springs – Sumdo – Mahe bridge – Nyoma – Mahe check post – Loma bridge – Hanle

TSO MORIRI – HANLE

The road distance is 149km and takes 4-5 hours. The road from Tso Moriri to Kyagar Tso is unnamed and is a dirt track. But the road construction is underway. It is a tar road beyond Sumdo with a few bad patches.

Karzok (Tso Moriri) – Kyagar Tso – Sumdo – Mahe bridge – Nyoma – Mahe check post – Loma bridge – Hanle

HOW TO TRAVEL TO HANLE?

There are only two ways to reach Hanle- self-driving and hiring a private or shared cab.

If you’re self-driving, refer to the routes to Hanle in the previous section. I have compiled all the roads to Hanle from Nubra valley, Pangong lake, Leh, Tso Moriri and Tso Kar.

There are several travel agencies and taxis that arrange tours to Hanle. Private cabs are pricier than shared taxis. Depending on the vehicle, the cost differs. Also, there are separate charges for overnight trips.

There is one bus every Saturday from Leh to Hanle. It leaves Leh at 6:30 am on Saturday. The next day, the same bus returns to Leh at 6:30 am from Hanle. It is the cheapest way of travelling to Hanle. A single bus ticket costs around Rs.500 each way.

BEST TIME TO TRAVEL TO HANLE

Like most places in Ladakh, Hanle is accessible only for a few months each year. Hanle is at a high altitude and experiences harsh winters. The winter season in Hanle begins in October. Tourists are few during this time because of the cold weather and low temperature.

From November to April, the winter season continues. Snow covers the village and the surrounding areas. The roads from Tso Kar, Tso Moriri and parts of the road from Leh are closed during these months. The winter months are not easy for outsiders as the temperatures are below zero.

May to September is the best time to travel to Hanle. A few internal roads have opened, whereas others open in mid-June.

June is the peak season, and homestays get booked quickly. The temperature is warmer during the day, but at night, the temperature drops.

July and August are the low-season months and have fewer tourists. The temperature is warmer, and there may be a little rain. Also, finding a homestay is easy due to the fewer tourists. September is the best time to visit Hanle before winter. The village and the surrounding area are in shades of autumn. The temperature is colder than in the previous months. Rooms in homestays are readily available.

*TIP:- Always wear a warm jacket and a cap when in Hanle. It is a high-altitude village and is windy, which causes severe headaches.

PERMITS FOR HANLE

Earlier, Indians and foreigners were required to apply for an inner-line permit, either online or manually. You had to fill out a form online or manually, pay the environmental fee and submit it to the DC office in Leh. But, a few months ago, they scrapped inner-line permits for Indians. They only need to pay the environmental fee of around Rs.500 per person. Foreigners still need to apply for one. The form is available online on their official website and at the DC office of Leh.

PLACES TO VISIT IN HANLE

Hanle is known for three things- the Hanle gompa, the Indian astronomical observatory and Umling La.

THE HANLE GOMPA

Hanle monastery of the Drukpa lineage is a 17th-century gompa. The Hanle gompa is one of the first monasteries belonging to the Drukpa sect and holds an influential position as a pilgrim centre. Once upon a time, it emerged as the Gelug sect’s rival. King Sengge Namgyal and the Tibetan monk Taktsang Repa Ngakwang Gyatso built the monastery during his reign.

The monastery sits atop a hill outside the village and is visible from every corner of Hanle. From the gompa, you can see the Hanle river valley. It is a beautiful sight.

INDIAN ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY

The observatory sits on a small hill on the side of the village and is visible from a distance. It is like any other observatory with a giant telescope. So what makes the Hanle observatory special? It is the highest location for gamma-ray, optical and infrared telescopes worldwide. Also, it is India’s first dark-sky preserve, meaning the area has the least pollution, artificial light, humidity and other factors required for clear images of the galaxies.

Indian citizens are sometimes permitted entry to the observatory. You can walk around the observatory and see the telescope. But the public is not allowed after dark when the telescope is working. From the observatory, you can see the entire village.

The road to the observatory closes at 5 pm. The road to the top is barricaded and locked at 5 pm. And there is no one around to open the lock. So avoid visiting the observatory after 4:45 pm. Also, the observatory is closed on Saturday and Sunday.

UMLING LA

Most travellers stop in Hanle on their way to Umling La. The highest motorable road is 2-3 hours from Hanle and takes an entire day for a roundtrip to Umling La. Also, Hanle is the closest village providing accommodations to travellers.

Are you planning a day trip to Umling La pass? Refer to my Umling La guide for details.

ACCOMMODATIONS IN HANLE

Hanle is a tiny village with limited housing options, mostly homestays. Due to the tourist influx, new establishments are opening in Hanle. Every other house in Hanle is a homestay, but only three or four are on Google maps. They are –

• Padma Guest house
• Milky Way home stay
• Sonam homestay

These homestays at all times are fully pre-booked. If you arrive early, you can easily find a room or two. Most tourists leave Hanle after breakfast. So if you arrive by noon, you can find lodging. Many tourists come to Hanle in the evening. It is too rushed, and finding a place is difficult.

There are no cafes or restaurants in Hanle. Every guest house and homestay provides breakfast and dinner and is in the tariff.

*NOTE:- The vegetables and staples arrive from Leh once a week. So please do not waste their food.

HELPFUL TIPS

• Carry at least 20 litres of extra fuel when travelling because the nearest petrol pump is in Leh. The other pumps are in Leh and Karu. You can find loose petrol for Rs.130 per litre and diesel for Rs.100 per litre in Durbuk, Nyoma, Spangmik, Merak and Hanle. Many times diesel s unavailable.
• Download offline maps or carry a map book because the mobile network is unavailable. Also, hire a guide from Hanle to take you to Umling La.
• Carry proper medication because there is no medical assistance nearby. And it takes hours to reach Leh.
• Bring plenty of cash because homestays don’t accept online or card payments. There are no ATMs nearby. A.so there is no network in Hanle and Umling La,
• Carry plenty of snacks and water. There are no houses or shops en route to Umling La.
• Wear warm clothes because the temperature drops at night.
• Pre-book homestay during peak season. Rooms get sold out quickly.
• Get acclimatised before travelling to Hanle and Umling La or higher altitudes because the nearest medical facility is Leh.
• Even during June, the temperature drops at night. Always wear warm clothes.
• The homestays offer simple vegetarian meals. They have simple items like bread and omelette, paratha and curd, tea, milk (goat) or coffee for breakfast. Dinner consists of a mixed veg sabzi, roti, rice and dal. It is because the vegetables come from Leh once a week. So they often have vegetables that are easy to store.

CONCLUSION

Hanle is a beautiful and remote village in Ladakh. It is rapidly gaining popularity and becoming the latest tourist hub. Truthfully, Hanle is not everyone’s cup of tea. It is a tiny village with three points of interest. The temperatures drop drastically at night, even during the summer. Hanle is at a high altitude, so oxygen is less. A lot of people have difficulty breathing. There are many disadvantages and reasons for not visiting Hanle. But you need only one reason for visiting this tiny hamlet. It is secluded and reminds me of old Ladakh before it became crowded with tourists. But when I think of Hanle, I think of starry skies. I live in a village, so stars are a daily sight. But even I haven’t seen millions and millions of dots of shining light. This reason solely is enough to visit Hanle.

Are you looking for a place away from the crowded towns of Ladakh? Somewhere remote, where there’s no network? Some off-the-beaten-track? Hanle, it is.

In this guide to Hanle, I have compiled all the information for planning a stress-free trip. If something is missing, please let me know in the comments.

I hope this guide to Hanle ignites your wanderlust because

Don’t underestimate the healing power of these three things. Music, the ocean and the stars.

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