Himalaya only · Saver trips from ₹7,500
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Comfort Ladakh · Balanced
Ten nights from Leh to Srinagar the long way round, through Zanskar. Three gentle nights in Leh, Alchi and Lamayuru on the way to Kargil, then the Suru valley, Rangdum and Pensi La to Padum for Karsha, Stongde and the walk to Phugtal. Out via Zoji La to Srinagar.
Photo: Anirvan Shukla · CC BY-SA 3.0 · CommonsZanskar takes effort, and that is why it is still quiet. From Kargil it is a full day over Pensi La to Padum, and most of the valley's monasteries and villages are reached on rough side roads. This trip gives it the time it needs: a night at Rangdum on the way in, three nights in Padum, and a long, unhurried drive back out. You travel in a private SUV with an experienced driver, and stay in the best rooms available, which in Zanskar means clean, simple hotels and guesthouses.
We fly you into Leh and keep you there three nights for acclimatisation, then work west along the Indus: Alchi's painted temples, Lamayuru, and down to Kargil at 2,676 m. That lower night helps before Rangdum and Padum, both around 3,650 m. The trip ends in Srinagar, so you see the whole sweep of Ladakh from the Indus to Zoji La.
Sleeping altitude, night by night
Red points are nights above 3,000 m. We pace those climbs by the usual advice of no more than 300–500 m of sleeping height a day. This is not medical advice: talk to your doctor before a high trip. Try the altitude planner.
Day by day
Your driver meets you at the airport and drives you to a garden hotel in Changspa. The rest of the day is for doing nothing: water, light food, no alcohol, no stairs. A gentle walk in the lanes in late afternoon if you feel fine. Your driver and SUV stay with you for the whole trip, through to Srinagar.
About LehLate breakfast, then a slow walk through the old town to Leh Palace, taking the stairs at your own pace. Lunch in Changspa and rest. In the evening drive to Shanti Stupa for sunset. We go through the plan for Zanskar, including what to pack in the car for long days: water, snacks, warm layers and cash, since Padum's ATM is unreliable.
About LehAn early start for Thiksey's morning prayers, then Shey and Hemis with its museum. Back to Leh for lunch and a quiet afternoon. This third night at Leh's height finishes your acclimatisation before the long drives west and south. Your driver checks the latest reports on Pensi La and the Kargil–Padum road.
About LehDrive west along the Indus, stopping at the Indus–Zanskar confluence near Nimmu, then Likir Monastery with its gilded Maitreya. Continue to Alchi, about 3,100 m, and check into a garden guesthouse. Visit the Sumtsek and Dukhang in the afternoon light, with a local guide to point out the Kashmiri-style paintings. Photography is not allowed inside.
About Alchi and the Sham ValleyDrive to Lamayuru, about 1.5 hours, for its monastery and the moonland views. Continue over Fotu La, at 4,108 m the highest point on the highway, and Namika La to Mulbekh's 9 m rock-cut Maitreya. Drop to Kargil, at 2,676 m, the lowest night of the trip. Walk the bazaar in the evening for dried apricots.
About KargilLeave Kargil at 7 am and follow the Suru river south through Sankoo and Panikhar, with views of Nun and Kun, both over 7,000 m. Beyond Parkachik the valley empties into the wide Rangdum plain. Visit Rangdum's monastery on its hillock in the late afternoon. Rooms here are simple guesthouses or camps; it is cold at night, and the stop breaks the long road into two kinder days.
About Zanskar (Padum)Cross Pensi La, about 4,400 m, in the morning when views are clearest, and stop at the viewpoint above the Drang Drung glacier. Follow the Stod river down past villages and fields to Padum, the valley's main town at about 3,650 m. Check into the best available hotel with attached bathroom, and rest. Your local Zanskar guide joins you this evening to plan the next two days.
About Zanskar (Padum)Morning at Karsha, Zanskar's largest monastery, climbing slowly through the white buildings on their cliff. After lunch in Padum, drive south-east to Stongde's monastery on its ridge and on to Zangla, with its old palace ruins and nunnery. Return to Padum by late afternoon. Walk slowly at every stop; you are at about 3,600 m.
About Zanskar (Padum)A long day. Drive up the Lungnak valley to the road end, then walk with your guide along the gorge to Phugtal, the monastery built around a cave high on a cliff. The walk is a few hours each way on a mostly gentle path, depending on how far the road reaches this season. Sit quietly in the cave temple before returning to Padum. If you prefer, spend this day in villages near Padum instead.
About Zanskar (Padum)Leave Padum at dawn for the long drive back over Pensi La and down the Suru valley. Your driver will stop at Rangdum for tea and at Panikhar for lunch. This is the hardest road day, so carry food and water and rest in the car. Reach Kargil by evening and have an early dinner. If you prefer, we can split this into two days with another night at Rangdum.
About KargilLeave Kargil early to cross Zoji La in the morning. You pass Drass and the war memorial, then climb to the pass and drop to Sonamarg's meadows and pine forest. Continue down the Sindh valley to Srinagar, where your driver drops you at your hotel or the airport. If flying out, plan an evening flight or stay a night in Srinagar.
About KargilWhere you sleep
Photo: McKay Savage from London, UK · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Mid
A long-running family hotel in Changspa, the quiet green lane below Shanti Stupa, with garden seating and a short …
Questions
We price it from about ₹98,000 per person, twin sharing, for 10 nights with rooms, breakfast and dinner, a private SUV and driver from Leh to Srinagar, a local Zanskar guide, fees and entries. Flights are extra. A one-way car to Srinagar costs more than a loop from Leh, which is reflected in the price.
Yes, if you enjoy road journeys and quiet places. Karsha, Phugtal and the Padum plain feel very different from the busy Leh–Nubra–Pangong circuit, and you will meet few other travellers. If long rough drives make you unwell, Nubra and the Sham valley may suit you better.
Padum has simple hotels and guesthouses with attached bathrooms, hot water at set times and limited power. They are clean and warm with good bedding but not luxurious. Rangdum has basic guesthouses and camps. We choose the best available rooms for each night.
July to September. Pensi La is reliably open, the Phugtal walk is easy, and villages are busy with farming. June can still have snow on Pensi La and early-season closures. By October nights are very cold and passes can close. Check current status before you travel.
It is a moderate walk of a few hours each way on a mostly gentle path, with a steep final climb to the cave. You are at about 3,850 m, so walk slowly. If you have mobility issues, skip it; a day visiting villages near Padum is a fine alternative.
Yes. Starting from Srinagar gives gentler acclimatisation: Kargil, Rangdum and Padum first, ending in Leh. We would then add Alchi and Lamayuru at the end and fly out of Leh. Ask us and we will reverse the days.
No Inner Line Permit or Protected Area Permit is needed for Kargil, Zanskar or the Srinagar highway. Carry photo ID and copies for checkposts. Rules change, so check current status before you travel.
Padum has an ATM, but it often runs out or goes offline. Carry enough cash from Leh or Kargil for donations, tips, snacks and any extras for four days. Card and UPI payments are rarely possible in Zanskar.
Older children who handle long car journeys can enjoy it, especially Karsha and the Drang Drung glacier. The 10–11 hour road days are hard for young children. We can add a second Rangdum night each way to shorten drives.
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Plan with a local planner
We reply within one working day with a route, a sleeping-altitude profile and an itemised price in your tier. Change anything. Pay nothing until you are sure.