Khardung La is a mountain pass at 5,359 metres about 39 kilometres from Leh, and the road gateway from Leh into the Nubra valley. It is one of the highest roads in the world open to vehicles, and the crossing is the reason many people come to Ladakh at all. The right way to do it is to stop briefly and keep going down.
Duke Kashmir Travels has run the Nubra road since 2011 under J&K Department of Tourism registration JKTA00003978, and handles the permits. Ladakh packages start near ₹6,350 per person, two to a room.
By Duke Kashmir Travels Team · Reviewed by Rayies Ahmad Zargar, Founder · Published · Updated
Key takeaways
- 5,359 metres at the top, about 39 to 40 km from Leh by road.
- The gateway to Nubra and the Shyok villages.
- Distant views towards the Siachen side and the Nubra ranges.
- Inner Line permits are needed to cross; we arrange them.
- Open roughly May to September; snow and closures are common outside that.
- Stay no more than fifteen to twenty minutes at the crest.
Why should you not linger at the top?
Because 5,359 metres is high enough for altitude sickness to develop quickly, especially if you have flown into Leh recently.
Fifteen to twenty minutes is the sensible limit; drink water, avoid exertion, and get back in the vehicle. Anyone with a headache, nausea or breathlessness should descend at once, which means continuing to Nubra or returning to Leh rather than waiting it out.
When is the pass open?
Usually May to September. Snow, landslides and maintenance can close it at short notice in any month.
Check the road position on the morning of travel. The Border Roads Organisation keeps it open, and convoys or one-way timings sometimes apply.
What do you need to cross?
An Inner Line permit for Nubra, arranged in advance, and a vehicle and driver used to the road.
We organise permits and use local drivers for the crossing. Beyond the pass the road drops into the valley towards Diskit and the Hunder dunes.
Booking this with us
Behind the itineraries: Duke Kashmir Travels, a Srinagar agency carrying tourism registration JKTA00003978 from March 2011, IATO membership ALD150928 and a seat in the JK Tourism Council. Details on About Us.
Give us the dates and the number of travellers; the itinerary and the quote come back the same day. +91 9018 44 0000, info@dukekashmirtravels.com, or the contact page.
About the founder
Duke Kashmir Travels is owned and run by its founder, Rayies Ahmad Zargar, who set it up in Srinagar in 2011 and checks these destination pages himself. LinkedIn.