Khardung La

4.8

Location: Ladakh, India

Estimated Visiting Time: 1 hour

Khardung La In the Leh district of the Indian union territory of Ladakh, Harding La or Khardung Pass is a mountain pass. Connecting the Indus River valley and the Shyok river valley, the pass is on the Ladakh Range, north of Leh. Beyond which lies the Siachen Glacier, which forms the gateway to the Nubra valley. Opened to public motor vehicles in 1988, a motorable road through the pass was built in 1976. As it is used to carry supplies to the Siachen Glacier, the pass is strategically important to India, maintained by the Border Roads Organization. Incorrectly claiming its elevation to be in the vicinity of 5,602 m (18,379 ft) and that it is the world’s highest motorable pass, local summit signs, and dozens of stores selling shirts in Leh.

Attraction

By road, Khardung La is at a distance of 39km from Leh. Beyond the pass, the roadway was primarily loose rock, dirt, and occasional rivulets of snow melt, which from there to the North Pullu checkpoint is about 15 km. Except in a few places where washouts or falling rock occur, the road approaching the Nubra Valley is very well maintained. Though special permits are required to be arranged for Travellers, hired vehicles (two and four-wheel-drive), heavy trucks, and motorcycles regularly travel into the Nubra Valley.

History

As it lies on the major caravan route from Leh to Kashgar in Central Asia, Khardong La has great historical importance. To take the route annually, about 10,000 horses and camels are used, and in the area north of the pass, a small population of Bactrian camels can still be seen at Hunder.

Inside/Outside Views

Leh is the nearest sizable town. Daily flights are operated from Delhi, and Leh is connected by road from Manali and Srinagar. May also be reached by a hired car with an experienced driver or by motorcycle, from Leh, a daily bus service to Nubra Valley passes over Khardung La. North Pullu and South Pullu are the two bases on either side of Khardung La. For people not acclimated to high altitudes, sickness is a serious health concern. For some as there are no emergency medical facilities to treat altitude sickness along the route, prophylactic altitude-sickness medication such as acetazolamide may be necessary. From approximately October to May, the road is closed due to snow and is often subject to long delays due to traffic congestion on narrow one-lane sections, washouts, landslides, and road accidents.

Opening Hours

Everyday 9.00 AM To 5.00 PM

Entry & Others Fees

INR 20 is needed to be paid as entry fee.

Near Restaurants

Near Hotels

How to Reach

By air: Very well connected with some major airports in India, including New Delhi, the closest airport is Sheikh Ul Alam International Airport. To reach the destination from the airport, taxis can be hired.

By Rail: At 812 km from Leh, the closest major railway station from Leh is Jammu Tawi. Taxes can be hired from the railway station to reach Leh over Srinagar Leh Highway in a 3-day journey with overnight halts at Srinagar and Kargil.

From Leh via Manali Leh Highway, Joginder Nagar railway station is just 635 KM but is not a major one.

By road: The most feasible option is to travel the distance between gurudwara and Leh by road. Between November and April, the road remains closed, so during that time, you should avoid going there.