Ladakh Expedition: Leh, Nubra Valley and Pangong Lake

What is the Nubra and Pangong circuit?

It is the classic first journey into the Ladakh high desert: a base in Leh, a climb over Khardung La into the green Nubra Valley with its sand dunes and double-humped camels, and a drive to the long, colour-changing lake at Pangong. Soun Kashmir plans it as a loop that begins and ends in Leh. Some plans go from Nubra to Pangong along the Shyok road, while others return through Khardung La and Leh first. Ask the quote which one, because the road conditions decide.

The circuit suits couples, friends and families with older children who like open landscape and can accept simple rooms. It is a poor choice for anyone who cannot spare the days to rest, because the height is the main challenge, not the distance.

Which listed trips follow this route?

The first three begin in Leh, so you fly there or arrive by road. The ten-day tour begins in Srinagar and drives the whole way; our Kashmir and Ladakh combo page explains how the valley, the road and this circuit join. None of the cards says whether a night is spent at the lake itself, so ask for it by name: a night beside Pangong gives you the sunset and the sunrise, which a midday visit cannot.

What does a six-day plan look like?

The listed trips run five days, which makes the circuit brisk. The single most useful change is a sixth day, so that the first day in Leh is a rest and the sightseeing starts on the second. Ask for a six-day quote beside the five-day one and compare the price of the extra night.

How do you manage the height?

Leh is near 3,500 m. Nubra is lower, but the road crosses Khardung La above 5,000 m on the way. The night at Pangong, near 4,300 m, is the highest of the trip, which is why it comes after your Leh nights and not before them. This is general advice, not medical advice.

• Spend the first day quietly, drink water often and go easy on heavy meals and alcohol.
• Tell the driver at once about a headache, sickness or breathlessness; the plan changes and you come down.
• Anyone with a heart, lung or blood-pressure problem, a pregnancy, or a small child or a frail parent in the party should ask a doctor before booking.
• Do not hurry across Khardung La: stop for a few minutes only, because the air is very thin there.

Which permissions and papers do you need?

Carry the original government photo ID of every traveller and expect to show it at checkposts. For Indian travellers the Leh District Tourist Management System takes the environmental, Red Cross and wildlife fees for Nubra and Pangong online, and prints no rupee amounts. The Free Press Journal reported on 7 August 2021 that the inner line permit for Indian nationals had ended, and the portal's FAQ says it applies only to foreign tourists, who need a Protected Area Permit for Pangong, Nubra, Khardung La and Tsomoriri. Send names, ID details and nationalities with your enquiry, and the quote should say whether the fees are in the price. The Ladakh guide covers the general rules and the guide to permits across Kashmir and Ladakh lists the circuits.

Where do you stay?

Leh has the widest choice, from simple guesthouses to comfortable hotels. In Nubra and around Pangong you sleep in camps, cottages or small guesthouses, where rooms are plain, electricity comes and goes and hot water may arrive in a bucket. Lakeside nights are cold. Read our hotels in Leh and hotels in Pangong pages, and ask each stay:

• Is the toilet attached, and is there hot water in the morning?
• What heats the room, and how long does the power stay on at night?
• Are meals cooked on site, and can a vegetarian or other food rule be met?

Which months suit the circuit?

What should the quote show?

• Each night by name: the Leh hotel, the Nubra camp or cottage, and the Pangong stay.
• The vehicle and driver for the whole circuit, and the driver's meals and nights.
• The permissions, who arranges them and whether the fees are in the price.
• Meals included, which are usually breakfast and dinner on the road.
• Extras paid at the spot, such as monastery entry, a camel ride and any heater charge.
• Where the payment and change rules are set out: the terms and conditions page, to read before you pay.

How do you ask for this circuit?

1. 1Send your dates, the number of travellers, their ages and where you arrive in Leh from.
2. 2Say whether you want five days, six days or the seven-day Best of Ladakh.
3. 3Ask for the road and the permissions to be checked for your dates, and for a plan.
4. 4You receive a written quote with the stays, the extras and the permissions on their own lines.
5. 5Confirm, and the driver's name and number reach you before the trip.

Which Soun Kashmir pages should you read next?

A package is easier to choose once the price, the route in and the advice are clear. These pages cover each of them, from the listed prices to the checks to make before you pay.

• Kashmir tour packages: the listed Kashmir trips side by side
• Kashmir honeymoon packages: the couple trips and the short break, each with its listed price
• Kashmir honeymoon guide: seven steps from the season to the quote
• Kashmir tour package price list: every listed package, what the price covers and what is extra
• Kashmir travel agency in Srinagar: how to check any agency and read a written quote
• How to plan a Kashmir trip: days, season, route and booking in order
• How to reach Kashmir: flights, the Vande Bharat train and the roads into Srinagar
• Is Kashmir safe to visit: dated government advice and what has reopened
• Kashmir and Ladakh permits and ID: what to carry and where a permit or fee applies
• Kashmir travel guides: a reading path from the season to the quote

Where do the facts on this page come from?

On 6 November 2026 we re-read the IANS report of 19 March 2022 (published by Business Standard) for the usual closing and opening dates of the Zoji La pass, and the Kashmir Reader report of 1 April 2025 for that year's reopening. The planning months on this page are Soun Kashmir's own; confirm the road and any permit with the authorities before you travel. On the same date we also re-read the Leh District Tourist Management System pages and the Free Press Journal report of 7 August 2021 for the permit wording, which follows the permits guide on this site.