Ladakh
A seven-day high-altitude road trip from Leh over Khardung La to the Nubra Valley and the brackish blue of Pangong Tso.
Ladakh is India at its most cinematic — a high-altitude desert of ochre mountains, turquoise lakes and centuries-old Buddhist monasteries, reached by some of the highest motorable roads on earth. This seven-day road trip eases you in gently: two days acclimatising in Leh before you climb over Khardung La into the Nubra Valley, then cross to the shores of Pangong Tso on the India–China frontier.
Expect Bactrian camels on cold-desert dunes, Balti villages near the Line of Control, and lake water that changes colour by the hour. Altitude is the one thing to respect — take it slowly, carry your Inner Line Permits, and travel between June and September when the passes are open. Every stop is a real place on CityDekho; save the guide or copy it into your own planner.
7 days / 6 nights
June to September
~700 km of mountain driving
Moderate — high altitude
Leh · Nubra · Pangong
Day 1
Leh sits at about 3,500 m. Do almost nothing today: rest, drink plenty of water and let your body adjust — acute mountain sickness is a real risk if you rush higher.
Day 2
An easy day around Leh to keep acclimatising, finishing with a sunset from Shanti Stupa.
Day 3
A short drive south of Leh to Ladakh's grandest gompa, still within comfortable acclimatisation altitude.
Day 4
Today crosses Khardung La into the Nubra Valley. You'll need an Inner Line Permit (arranged in Leh) and an early start before the afternoon winds.
One of the world's highest motorable passes and the gateway from Leh to Nubra. The signboard proclaims 18,380 ft, though modern GPS surveys put it nearer 5,359 m (17,582 ft). Stop only briefly — the thin air is no place to linger.
Nubra's oldest and largest monastery (14th century), watched over by a 32-metre statue of the Maitreya, the future Buddha.
Day 5
Explore the Nubra Valley floor — its famous dunes and, with time, the far northern village of Turtuk near the Line of Control.
Cold-desert sand dunes between Diskit and Hunder, home to the double-humped Bactrian camel — a living relic of the old Silk Road caravans.
One of India's northernmost villages, near the Line of Control and opened to visitors only in 2010 — a Balti settlement of apricot orchards and stone lanes.
Day 6
A long, high drive to Pangong Tso. Another Inner Line Permit zone; most travellers overnight at Spangmik on the lake's Indian shore.
A 134 km brackish lake at about 4,225 m straddling the India–China Line of Actual Control; it shifts from turquoise to deep blue through the day and freezes solid in winter despite being saline.
The lakeshore spot made famous by the finale of the film 3 Idiots.
The main hamlet on Pangong's Indian shore, where most lakeside stays and campsites sit.
Day 7
Return to Leh — a full day on the road. Fly out the next morning, or extend with the Tso Moriri loop if you have more time and permits.
Copy this guide into your own planner and adjust the days, stops and pace — or browse more real itineraries.
