Lamayuru to Leh by Motorcycle: Day 6 via Sangam and Magnetic Hill

Day 6 of our 11-Day Himalayan Motorcycle Tour: Zanskar and Ladakh is the short, easy day riders have earned after Zanskar. We spend the early morning at Lamayuru Monastery, ride about 125 km of good road along the Indus, stop at the Sangam, have tea at Magnetic Hill and reach Leh in time for lunch. The afternoon is yours.

This post follows that day as our September 2026 group rode it on 17 September: the route, the timings, the heights, the temperatures and what to do with a free afternoon in Leh.

Lamayuru to Leh at a glance

• Route: Lamayuru, Khalsi, Nimmu, Sangam, Magnetic Hill, Leh

• Distance: about 125 km

• Start: Lamayuru, about 3,510 m (11,520 ft), wheels rolling between 8 and 9 am

• Stops: Sangam viewpoint and a tea break at Magnetic Hill

• Finish: Leh, about 3,524 m (11,562 ft), between 12 and 1 pm

• Road: paved highway, no high passes

• Bike: Royal Enfield Himalayan 450

• Night: Leh

Early morning at Lamayuru Monastery

After the long ride from Padum on Day 5, we wake up in Lamayuru with one job before the bikes: explore the monastery. It was about 7°C in the early morning, and the village was still quiet.

Lamayuru Monastery stands at about 3,510 m (11,520 ft) on a rock above the Srinagar to Leh highway. From its terrace you look straight down over the village, the poplars and the loops of road we ride later in the morning.

A short history of Lamayuru Monastery

Lamayuru is one of the oldest and largest monasteries in Ladakh. Local tradition says it began as a Bon monastery, and its old name, Yungdrung, stands for "eternal". Today it belongs to the Drikung Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism.

The best-known story is about Naropa, the Indian Buddhist scholar who lived from 956 to 1041. The valley, it is said, was once filled by a lake. Naropa caused the lake to dry up and founded the monastery, and his meditation cave is still kept inside the central hall. The oldest surviving building, a temple called Seng-ge-sgang, is attributed to the builder-monk Rinchen Zangpo, who is credited with founding many monasteries across this region.

Around 150 monks live here today, and the monastery once housed up to 400. Twice a year it hosts masked dance festivals, when monks from the surrounding monasteries gather to pray. Inside you will see painted walls of protector deities and Buddhas, and old masks kept in the halls. Please ask before you take photographs, because some parts of the monastery do not allow it.

The moonland and the old village

The hills around Lamayuru are famous in their own right. Wind and water have carved the soft, pale earth into ridges and hollows that people call the moonland of Ladakh, and many connect them with that old lake.

Below the monastery, the old village is worth a slow walk. Mud-brick houses lean against each other, the lanes are narrow and stepped, and old gateways frame the green poplars and the newer houses down by the highway.

Riding from Lamayuru to Leh

Between 8 and 9 am we are back on the bikes. After Shinku La, Singge La and Sirsir La, this is a relaxed ride: smooth tarmac on the Srinagar to Leh highway and no high passes. The road drops towards Khalsi, where there is fuel, and then follows the Indus upstream past Nimmu.

The road captain sets an easy pace, and the support vehicle stays with the group.

Sangam: where the Zanskar meets the Indus

Near Nimmu, about 35 km before Leh, the road runs above one of the best-known views in Ladakh: the Zanskar River joining the Indus. For riders on this tour it means a little more, because we spent the last two days in the Zanskar valley. Here we meet that same water again, arriving at the Indus.

It was about 13°C at the viewpoint in the middle of the morning.

Tea at Magnetic Hill

A few kilometres on, we take a tea break at Magnetic Hill, about 27 km west of Leh. The slopes around the road create an optical illusion: a stretch that runs downhill looks as if it climbs, so vehicles seem to roll uphill by themselves. There is no magnet involved, but everyone tries it anyway.

Arriving in Leh

We aim to reach Leh between 12 and 1 pm. At about 3,524 m (11,562 ft), it is the largest city in Ladakh and the old capital of its kingdom. We check in to the hotel and have lunch together.

A free afternoon in Leh

After lunch the day is yours. Here is what you can do:

• Leh Market: the Main Bazaar, also called Mall Road, is a paved street of shops and cafes. It is the place to buy gifts or anything you need for the road ahead.

• Shanti Stupa: this white-domed stupa on a hilltop in Chanspa was built in 1991 by the Japanese Buddhist monk Gyomyo Nakamura. Take a short taxi ride or climb about 500 steps for the wide view over Leh.

• Leh Palace: built around 1600 by King Sengge Namgyal, the palace looks down on the old town. The royal family left in the 19th century and moved to Stok.

Take it slowly and drink plenty of water. You are at about 3,500 m, and tomorrow goes much higher.

What our crew does in Leh

For riders it is a free afternoon. For our team it is the busiest part of the day. Every bike gets a proper check and maintenance after the rough roads of Zanskar, so it is ready for Khardung La. The eastern Ladakh section also needs permits that have to be collected in person in Leh, and our team takes care of that too.

Temperatures on Day 6 (17 September 2026)

• Lamayuru, early morning: about 7°C

• Sangam, around 10 am: about 13°C

• Magnetic Hill, around 11 am: about 11°C

• Leh, 1 pm: about 10°C

These figures come from historical weather data for each place on the day we rode, which was mostly cloudy.

What to wear and carry on Day 6

• A warm layer for the monastery in the early morning

• Your normal riding gear with a windproof outer layer

• Shoes that are easy to take off at the monastery halls

• Modest clothes for the monastery

• Cash and a small bag for the market

If this is your first ride at altitude, read our guide to what to know before a Himalayan motorcycle tour.

Where Day 6 fits in the 11 days

• Day 1: Delhi to Manali

• Day 2: Manali preparation day (read the Day 2 post)

• Day 3: Manali to Jispa (read the Day 3 post)

• Day 4: Jispa to Padum over Shinku La (read the Day 4 post)

• Day 5: Padum to Lamayuru (read the Day 5 post)

• Day 6: Lamayuru to Leh, this post

• Day 7: Leh to Nubra Valley over Khardung La

• Day 8: Nubra Valley to Pangong Lake

• Day 9: Pangong Lake to Hanle over Umling La

• Day 10: Hanle to Leh

• Day 11: Departure from Leh

Questions riders ask about Day 6

How far is Lamayuru from Leh?

About 125 km by road on the Srinagar to Leh highway. That is around 3 to 4 hours of riding. With our stops, we leave between 8 and 9 am and reach Leh between 12 and 1 pm.

How high is Lamayuru Monastery?

About 3,510 m (11,520 ft), almost the same height as Leh.

Is the road from Lamayuru to Leh difficult?

No. It is a paved highway with no high passes, and one of the easiest riding days of the tour.

Where do the Indus and Zanskar rivers meet?

Near Nimmu, about 35 km from Leh on the same road. The viewpoint is right beside the highway.

Do I need to arrange my own permits in Leh?

No. Our team collects the permits for the next section of the tour while you enjoy your free afternoon.

Ride Ladakh in 2027

Our 2027 departures for the 11-Day Himalayan Motorcycle Tour run from June to September, each with ten riders at most, a road captain, a mechanic and a support vehicle. If a morning in an ancient monastery and an afternoon in Leh sounds like your kind of day, pick a date on the calendar or write to us.

Next in this series: Day 7, Leh to Nubra Valley over Khardung La.

Photos of Leh town, Leh Market, Shanti Stupa and Leh Palace are from Unsplash (Owais Khan, Mohammad Pranjol Islam, Amritanshu Prajwal and Anand Mahajan). All other photos: Offhorizon Adventures, September 2026.