Ladakh
Nubra Valley
A broad desert valley north of Leh where the Shyok and Nubra rivers meet, with cold-desert sand dunes, Bactrian camels and green villages below 7,000-metre peaks.
3,048 m2 daysBest: May–Sep
High-altitude desertValleyMonastery
Ladakh · Leh
Khardung La
The pass everyone wants a photograph at
- Snow
- High-altitude desert
- Altitude
- 5,359 m
- Ideal stay
- En route stop
- From Srinagar
- 457 km
- From Jammu
- 723 km
- Best months
- May–Sep
Overview
About Khardung La
Khardung La is the gateway to the Nubra valley, thirty-nine kilometres north of Leh on the Ladakh range. The summit sign claims 5,602 metres; GPS surveys put it closer to 5,359. Either way, it is a genuinely extreme altitude to reach by car, and the road itself — built and maintained by the Border Roads Organisation — is a considerable feat.
There is a small cafeteria, a souvenir shop and a military post at the top, and almost everyone stops for the photograph. The important thing is not to stay long: at 5,359 metres, oxygen is roughly half what it is at sea level, and lingering is a reliable way to bring on a headache that lasts the rest of the day.
The descent to Nubra on the north side is one of the great mountain drives in India.
Also known as: Khardong La
Why people come here
The altitude
At 5,359 m, among the highest points reachable by ordinary vehicle anywhere in the world.
The BRO road
A remarkable piece of mountain engineering, maintained year-round by the Border Roads Organisation.
North-side descent
The drop towards Khardung village and Nubra is one of the finest drives in the Himalaya.
Snow in summer
Snow banks commonly remain at the pass through June and July.
Things to do in Khardung La
Stop briefly, then move on
Fifteen to twenty minutes is the sensible maximum at this altitude.
Take the photograph
The summit sign is the single most photographed object in Ladakh.
Cycle the descent
Operators in Leh run supported downhill cycling trips from the pass.
Go after acclimatising
Never cross Khardung La within 48 hours of arriving in Leh.
Photographs
Khardung La across the seasons
Open-licence photography so you can see what the place actually looks like at different times of year — not a retouched brochure.
Spring and summer
June to September is the safest window, though snow can still fall at the top in any month.
Autumn and winter
Snow and avalanche risk close the pass to civilian traffic for most of the winter.
Season by season
What Khardung La is like through the year
Including the months when it is genuinely closed — because knowing that in advance saves a wasted trip.
Spring · Mar–May
OpenDeep snow walls on the road
May often has cut snow walls on both sides of the carriageway — dramatic but slow going.
-12°C to 2°C
- Photography
- Snow at the pass
Summer · Jun–Aug
OpenReliably open
June to September is the safest window, though snow can still fall at the top in any month.
-5°C to 10°C
- Pass crossing
- Photography
- Cycling descents
Autumn · Sep–Nov
OpenClear and very cold
October is spectacular but the pass can close at short notice after early snowfall.
-14°C to 3°C
- Photography
- Pass crossing
Winter · Dec–Feb
Closed / inaccessibleGenerally closed
Snow and avalanche risk close the pass to civilian traffic for most of the winter.
-30°C to -10°C
Getting there
How to reach Khardung La
By air
Leh Airport (IXL) is 44 km away.
By rail
Jammu Tawi (723 km) is the nearest railhead.
By road
39 km north of Leh on the Leh–Nubra road, around 1.5 to 2 hours.
Nearby
Combine Khardung La with
Places close enough to fold into the same itinerary without adding long drives.
The old Silk Route capital of Ladakh, built below a nine-storey palace in a high desert valley on the Indus — and the base for everything in the region.
3,500 m2–3 daysBest: May–Sep
HeritageHigh-altitude desertMonastery
Ladakh
Turtuk
A Balti village of apricot orchards and stone lanes near the Line of Control, part of Pakistan until 1971 and open to visitors only since 2010.
2,980 m1–2 daysBest: May–Sep
HeritageValleyOffbeat
Ladakh
Pangong Tso
A 4,350-metre endorheic lake stretching from Ladakh into Tibet, famous for water that shifts through every shade of blue and green across a single day.
4,350 m1–2 daysBest: May–Sep
LakeHigh-altitude desert
Questions
Khardung La FAQs
Something not covered? Ask us directly — we answer every message personally.
How high is Khardung La really?
The sign says 5,602 m but GPS surveys put it at around 5,359 m. Either figure makes it one of the highest motorable passes in the world.
Do you need a permit for Khardung La?
Yes, if continuing towards Nubra. Permits are issued in Leh and we arrange them in advance.
How long should I spend at the top of Khardung La?
No more than fifteen or twenty minutes. At this altitude, staying longer significantly increases the chance of altitude sickness.
Start planning
Planning a trip to Khardung La?
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. We will put Khardung La into a full itinerary with the right stops around it, and tell you honestly whether your chosen month works.
A reply within hours
A planner in Srinagar reads your enquiry and responds personally, usually the same working day.
An itinerary, not a brochure
You get a day-by-day plan written for your dates, group and pace — then we refine it together.
One clear quote
Every inclusion listed in writing before you pay anything. No surprise charges on the ground.
Prefer to talk? +91 88991 23434 · Every day, 09:00-21:00