Ladakh · India
Khardung La
Leh to Diskit, Nubra Valley
From Leh it climbs 40 km to a summit at 5,359 m, tarmac to South Pullu and loose gravel near the top, then drops off the Ladakh Range into the sand-dune wilderness of Nubra. High enough that the hazard list starts with altitude sickness.
From Leh the road climbs 40 km through the South Pullu checkpoint to the summit at 5,359 m, asphalted to South Pullu then loose gravel near the top. The descent follows the same pattern to North Pullu before the surface improves down to Khalsar and Diskit in the Nubra Valley. Traffic flows on a timed one-way system in peak season; the road is run by the Border Roads Organisation and carries no highway number.
Khardung La on the map69.8 mi · point to point
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Character
More hairpins than 9 in 10 roads · higher than 9 in 10 roads in the catalogue.
Corners
busiest around mile 55Elevation
under 4%4–8%over 8%3,106.5 – 5,360 mPoints of interest1 stop
- Snow Mountain View PointViewpoint12 mi in
Hazards
- Altitude sickness above 5,000 m
- Loose gravel and dirt between South and North Pullu
- Timed one-way traffic windows
- Sudden weather changes
- Extreme remoteness
Sources
“Khardung La is one of the world's highest motorable roads, located at an elevation of 5,359 m (17,582 ft) in the Ladakh region.”
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