boltQuick Facts10-sec scan
navigationHow I Did It
- check_circleMissed the monthly JKSRTC bus (runs only on the 10th, 20th, 30th), so I grabbed a seat in a shared 2-day tour taxi from a Changspa Road agent.
- check_circleSplit everything with 5 strangers — the taxi, the homestay owner’s dinner table, even a packet of biscuits.
- check_circleGot my Ladakh environment fee and inner-line permit online before leaving Leh — no last-minute counter queues.
- check_circleStayed in a basic Korzok homestay instead of a lakeside camp; the family threw in hot dinner and endless butter tea.
alt_routeMy Route
- 1Leh~₹4,500–5,000shared 2-day tour taxi, ~₹4,500–5,000 per seat
- 2Chumathang hot springstea stop
- 3Korzok village, Tso Moriri~₹1,000homestay ~₹1,000/night
- 4Tso Kar → Taglang La → Lehday 2, included in tour
articleMy Experience
Tso Moriri sits at nearly 4,500 metres, and the first thing that hits you isn’t the view — it’s the air. I had spent three days acclimatising in Leh, and I still felt the altitude on the climb past Chumathang. Our driver, Tsering, stopped whenever someone needed to breathe, no drama, no rush. By the time the lake appeared — impossibly blue against brown mountains — nobody in the taxi was talking.
Korzok is a handful of houses and a 300-year-old monastery above the lake. My homestay was one spare room with thick blankets and a window facing the water. That evening I walked the shoreline alone for an hour and spotted black-necked cranes in the marsh grass, which felt like a private screening. Dinner was thukpa with the family, and the grandmother kept refilling my cup until I physically covered it with my hand.
Day two gave me the surprise I didn’t plan for: Tso Kar, the smaller salt lake on the way back, with wild asses grazing on its white fringe. Everyone photographs Moriri; almost nobody talks about Tso Kar. We crossed Taglang La in light snow and were back in Leh by evening, dusty and quiet in that good way.
account_balance_walletWhat I Spent
| Expense | Approx Cost |
|---|---|
| Shared 2-day tour taxi (per seat) | ₹4,800 |
| Korzok homestay (1 night, with dinner) | ₹1,000 |
| Ladakh environment fee + permit | ₹450 |
| Food, chai, water (2 days) | ₹600 |
| Tips + miscellaneous | ₹300 |
lightbulbMoney Saver
Join a shared tour taxi from Leh’s Changspa Road agents instead of hiring private — a 2-day Moriri circuit costs ~₹4,500–5,000 per seat shared versus ₹15,000+ for the whole vehicle. Homestays in Korzok are half the price of lakeside camps.
verified_userReality Check
What actually saved money? The shared taxi seat. Everything else was rounding error compared to that split. What wasn’t worth saving money on? The homestay dinner — hot food at 4,500m after a cold evening walk is worth every rupee. Biggest mistake? Not carrying enough cash. There are no ATMs after Upshi and my homestay took cash only. Biggest surprise? Tso Kar on day two — quieter and stranger than Moriri, and barely anyone visits. Would I do this route again? Yes — but with 3 days next time, so I could sit by the lake for a full slow morning.
tips_and_updatesWhat I Wish I Knew
- The JKSRTC bus to Korzok runs only on the 10th, 20th and 30th — plan around it or go shared-taxi.
- Carry 2 full days of cash; no ATMs or card machines past Upshi.
- Nights are brutally cold even in August — my sleeping-bag liner saved me.
- Acclimatise in Leh for at least 2 days first; the lake is higher than Leh.
personAbout the Traveler
Arjun from Bengaluru — a traveller story on Mountains Bliss. Traveller stories · fellow travellers, honest budgets.
forumArjun
Is 2 days enough, or should I add a day at the lake?
2 days covers it if you’re acclimatised, but a 3rd day in Korzok would be lovely — the lake changes colour through the day.
Did the shared taxi feel cramped with 6 people for 2 days?
We were 6 in an Innova — snug but fine, and splitting ₹4,800 each beat paying ₹15,000 alone. Book the front seats early if you get carsick on mountain roads.
forum Traveler discussion (0)
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