Premium 12 Nights / 13 DaysLeh · Kargil · Rangdum · Padum
Ladakh Zanskar
- Leh to Kargil drive via Alchi, Likir, Basgo & Lamayuru Moon Landscapes
- Kargil War Memorial at Drass — Vijay Smarak
From₹68,750per person · twin sharing
Key facts
- Region
- The Zanskar valley in Ladakh, beyond the Suru valley and Rangdum
- Altitude
- About 3,600 m, close to the height of Leh
- Distance
- Kargil to Rangdum is 127 km on our itinerary, then a long day over Pensi La; Padum back to Kargil is about 210 km and nine to ten hours
- Good months
- Roughly June to September; July and August are the steadiest
- Limited or closed
- Snow shuts the pass road for much of the year, and stays are few and simple
- How long people stay
- Two nights in Padum, one night at Rangdum on the way in
- How we plan it
- As the far point of our 12-night Ladakh with Zanskar circuit, with a night at Rangdum on the way
About
Discover Padum.
Ringed by centuries-old monasteries at Karsha, Bardan, Stongde and Zangla, Padum is Zanskar’s main town — reached only after a full day’s drive past the Drang Drung Glacier. Remote, quiet, and largely untouched by Ladakh’s tourist circuit.
Tour packages
Ladakh with Zanskar
12 Nights / 13 Days · Leh, Kargil, Rangdum, Padum, Nubra Valley, Turtuk, Pangong
₹68,750
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Padum
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Padum
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What is Padum, and why make the journey?
Padum is a small town on a flat, wide stretch of the Zanskar valley, with a bazaar, guesthouses and barley fields under bare mountains. It is the base for everything else in the valley, and the monasteries around it are the reason to come. Karsha, Bardan, Stongde and Zangla are all active Buddhist communities, not museums. Zanskar is quieter than the Leh and Nubra circuit, so people come here for the road, the silence and the sense of having gone somewhere few others reach.
There is no airport in Zanskar, so everything is by road. That is why Padum is a commitment, and why we include it only in our Ladakh with Zanskar package, listed from ₹68,750 per person on twin sharing.
How do you get to Padum?
| Stretch | What it is like | Our advice |
|---|---|---|
| Leh to Kargil | A drive past Lamayuru's moon-like hills, Alchi, Likir and Basgo | A full day; the first night out of Leh |
| Kargil to Rangdum | 127 km up the Suru valley with views of the Nun-Kun range and a rock statue of the Buddha at Kartse Khar | Stay the night at Rangdum; see our Rangdum page |
| Rangdum to Padum | Over Pensi La, past the Drang Drung Glacier, on rougher dirt in places, with Sani Monastery on the way | A long day; we reach Padum by late evening |
| Padum back to Kargil | About 210 km along the same valley, patchy in places, nine to ten hours on our itinerary | Leave early and keep the day free |
The glacier comes into view near Pensi La, the pass between the Suru valley and Zanskar, and it is worth a stop for the wind and the view. Road conditions change with weather and work, so we check them on the morning of each drive.
Which monasteries can you visit from Padum?
| Monastery | What to know | How we group it |
|---|---|---|
| Karsha | Built up a steep slope above the village, reached by a 9 km road and an iron bridge; the largest monastery in the valley | Half-day with Bardan, about five to six hours |
| Bardan | A 17th-century monastery on a rocky outcrop about 12 km south of Padum, one of the early monasteries of its order here | Half-day with Karsha |
| Stongde | About 18 km north of Padum, the second largest monastic settlement in Zanskar, with a community of monks | Second excursion with Zangla, six to seven hours |
| Zangla | At the end of a long, hard road of about 35 km from Padum, in the northern arm of the valley | Same excursion as Stongde |
Dress modestly, remove shoes where asked and ask before you photograph monks or prayer halls. Donations are voluntary. Some monasteries welcome visitors only at set times, so we plan the order of the day around the hosts.
Where do you stay in Padum?
Choices are few and simple. Our package page lists a homestay in Padum for the Standard tier and Hotel Omasila for the Deluxe, Super Deluxe and Premium tiers, with a homestay at Rangdum for all four. Expect basic bathrooms, heaters rather than central heating, limited evening power and weak or no mobile signal. Meals are plain and home-cooked. Book early in midsummer, because rooms are limited.
When should you go to Padum?
| Months | What to expect | What to weigh |
|---|---|---|
| November to May | Snow on the pass road, deep cold, and most stays shut | We do not plan trips here in these months |
| June | The road opens as snow is cleared; cold nights | Opening dates change each year, so ask us first |
| July to August | The steadiest road conditions, long days and green barley | The busiest weeks; book early |
| September | Clear skies, golden fields and the first hard cold | Short days; keep a spare day in the plan |
| October | Very cold and quiet, with early snow possible | Ask which stays are still open |
How should you prepare for Zanskar?
- Spend your first nights in Leh to adjust. Rangdum is at about 3,657 m on our itinerary, and Padum is nearly as high. Drink water, eat lightly and tell your driver about a headache, nausea or breathlessness.
- Talk to your doctor before booking if you have a heart, lung or blood pressure condition.
- Carry cash, because cash points are scarce, and a power bank, since charging can be limited.
- Bring layers, a hat, gloves, sunscreen and sunglasses; see our packing list.
- Pack snacks and water for the long driving days, and a remedy for motion sickness if you are prone to it.
How long should you spend, and what is the next step?
Our circuit is 12 nights, with two of them in Padum and a long day each way. That is the shortest pace we recommend, because the drives take most of the daylight. Compare it with the shorter Ladakh tour packages, read about Leh, Kargil and Nubra Valley, and see the wider Ladakh guide. Send your dates and group size through our contact page, and we confirm roads and permits before you pay.
Questions travellers ask
Where is Padum, and what is Zanskar?
Padum is the main town of Zanskar, a remote valley in Ladakh beyond the Suru valley and Rangdum. It sits at about 3,600 m among bare mountains and is the base for visiting the monasteries of Karsha, Bardan, Stongde and Zangla.
How do I reach Padum from Leh or Srinagar?
Only by road. From Leh we go to Kargil, then up the Suru valley to Rangdum for a night, and over Pensi La to Padum the next day. There is no airport in Zanskar. We plan the whole route inside our Ladakh with Zanskar package.
How long is the drive from Kargil to Padum?
It takes two days with a night at Rangdum: Kargil to Rangdum is 127 km, then a long day over Pensi La to Padum. The return, Padum to Kargil, is about 210 km and nine to ten hours on our itinerary. Conditions can add time.
When is the best time to visit Padum?
Roughly June to September, when the road is open. July and August are the steadiest months. Snow closes the pass for much of the rest of the year, and most stays shut. We confirm the road and the stays for your dates.
How many days do I need in Padum?
Allow two nights in Padum. That gives one day for Karsha and Bardan and another for Stongde and Zangla, without rushing. The drives in and out are long, so a one-night visit leaves little time at the monasteries.
Do I need a permit for Zanskar?
Our Zanskar package page lists inner line permit fees as included, and we arrange the permits for the places that need them. Rules differ for Indian and foreign nationals and can change, so we confirm what your group needs once you send names and ID details.
Written by the TDI Holiday Ventures planning desk in Srinagar. Conditions, fares and rules change: confirm anything that affects your booking with us on WhatsApp before you pay.
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