Kargil Travel Guide

Where is Kargil, and how high is it?

Kargil is the headquarters of Kargil district in the Union Territory of Ladakh. Wikipedia places it on the Suru River, 204 km from Srinagar and 234 km from Leh, and records 16,338 residents in the 2011 census, with Islam the largest religion at 85.2 percent and Buddhism at 14.2 percent. Three official or encyclopaedic sources give three different heights, so quote it as roughly 2,700 m.

Leh stands near 3,500 m, so a night at Kargil puts you about 800 m lower than the capital. Our Ladakh guide explains how that step helps with the thin air.

How far is Kargil from Srinagar, and how long is the drive?

The road is National Highway 1. It runs from the Kashmir valley through Sonmarg, over Zoji La, down the Dras valley and on to Kargil. Wikipedia puts Dras 140 km from Srinagar and 63 km from Sonmarg, and Kargil 58 km beyond Dras. The Ministry of Tourism's itinerary allows about two and a half hours from Dras to Kargil and tells travellers to follow the road timings for departure.

Soun Kashmir drives the whole way to Leh in two days with the night at Kargil. A private cab is described on our taxi to Ladakh page, and a group van on our van hire to Kargil page.

Is the road to Kargil open in winter?

Not normally. IANS reported in March 2022 that Zoji La usually closes by the end of November and reopens only by mid-April; in earlier years it stayed shut 135 days on average. The same report gives the pass height as 11,650 ft, while PTI in 2019 gave 11,516 ft. Wikipedia adds that the highways from Kargil to Srinagar and to Zanskar are often blocked by snow in winter, and that the stretch to Dras and Leh sees temporary blockages in bad weather.

The Z-Morh tunnel near Sonamarg opened on 13 January 2025, but the 13.153 km Zoji La tunnel is still under construction, and Wikipedia gives February 2028 as the revised completion date. Until then the pass remains the weak point of the route.

What is the Kargil War Memorial at Dras?

The Kargil War Memorial, also called the Dras War Memorial, stands near Dras, 7 km from the town according to Wikipedia's Dras article, and commemorates the Kargil War. Wikipedia says the Indian Army built the present memorial in November 2014. Its centrepiece is a pink sandstone wall with a brass plate bearing the names of the soldiers who died in Operation Vijay, and a gallery named for Captain Manoj Pandey. From the site you can see Tololing Heights, Tiger Hill and Point 4875, where fighting took place.

India marks 26 July each year as Kargil Vijay Diwas, and Wikipedia reports about 125,000 visitors in 2016. Opening hours quoted by travel sites differ widely, so confirm the day's timing at Dras. Wikipedia calls Dras one of the coldest inhabited places in India, with average winter lows around -20 °C, so carry a warm layer in any month. Dress modestly, keep your voice low and photograph only where staff allow.

What else is worth seeing between Kargil and Leh?

The Suru valley is the way to Zanskar. NH 301 leaves the highway at Kargil for Zanskar, per Wikipedia. Read about Rangdum and Padum before planning it, and see Leh for the end of the day's road.

Which months suit a Kargil stop?

The Ladakh Police page warns that the Leh to Srinagar highway has rough patches, high passes and risks of landslides or snow blockages, especially in June and July. The Ladakh Tourism advisory asks every visitor arriving in Leh to rest at least 48 hours before going higher; the best-time guide covers the valley months.

Do you need a permit for Kargil?

Wikipedia describes most of Ladakh, Leh and Kargil towns included, as open without a special permit. Border areas are different: its list of protected areas, as of 2018, names Chiktan and Batalik in Kargil district. A Free Press Journal report of 7 August 2021 said Indian nationals no longer need an inner line permit, while foreign nationals still need a Protected Area Permit. Ask us how permits are handled for the package you choose.

Will your phone and cash work in Kargil?

The Ladakh Police page says only postpaid mobile connections work in Ladakh, that prepaid SIMs from other states are unreliable, and that ATMs are available in Leh but sparse elsewhere. Carry cash for the Kargil night and for the drive on to Leh. A first-aid kit and your prescribed medicines belong in the cabin of the cab.

Where do the facts on this page come from?

On 6 November 2026 we read the Wikipedia articles on Kargil, Dras, the Kargil War Memorial, Protected Area Permit, Mulbekh Monastery, Nun Kun, Zoji La, the Zoji-la Tunnel and tourism in Ladakh, the Incredible India Srinagar to Manali itinerary of the Ministry of Tourism, the IANS report on Zoji La of 19 March 2022 and the PTI report of 28 April 2019 (both on Business Standard), Kashmir Reader of 1 April 2025, Ground Report of 28 April 2026, Onmanorama of 25 April 2026, the Ladakh Police tourist safety page, the Ladakh Tourism advisory, and the Free Press Journal report of 7 August 2021. Heights, opening hours and permit rules change, so confirm them before you travel.