Leh, the Nubra valley over Khardung La, and two nights beside Pangong Tso — properly acclimatised.
A high-altitude route run at a safe pace. Two full nights in Leh before you go any higher, because altitude sickness ruins more Ladakh trips than weather does. From there: Khardung La into Nubra, cold-desert dunes at Hunder, and two nights on the shore of Pangong Tso where the lake changes colour hour by hour.
Every stop, stay and meal in the order you'll meet them. The line fills as you scroll.
Land at Leh and do almost nothing. At 3,500m the only sensible first-day plan is hydration and a short walk. Optional easy stroll to Leh market in the late afternoon.
Dawn prayers at Thiksey, then Hemis and Shey along the Indus. Afternoon at the Nimmu confluence where the Zanskar meets the Indus in two distinct colours.
Cross Khardung La, one of the highest motorable passes in the world, and drop into the Nubra valley. Afternoon camel ride on the Hunder dunes.
Drive to Turtuk, a Balti village opened to visitors only in 2010, then follow the Shyok river valley.
The long, spectacular drive east to Pangong Tso via Agham and Shyok. Arrive by mid-afternoon for the best light on the water.
No driving. Walk the shoreline, watch the colour shift from turquoise to deep blue, and stay up for a sky with no light pollution anywhere near it.
Drive back to Leh over Chang La, with time for a last lunch in town before your flight.
The two things that decide whether a trip feels considered or improvised.
The Grand Dragon Leh
Leh
4-Star
Nubra Ethnic Camp
Hunder
Premium Tented Camp
Pangong Lakeview Camp
Pangong Tso
Tented Camp
Dates, pace and stays can all be adjusted. Tell us what you have in mind and we'll rework the route.
The questions travellers ask most about this journey.
Serious enough that we build two nights in Leh before going higher, carry oxygen and an oximeter, and will change the plan if anyone is struggling. Most people are fine by day three.
Mid-May to late September. Outside that window the passes are closed by snow and we will not run it.
Postpaid Indian SIMs work in Leh only. There is no signal in Nubra or at Pangong — which is arguably the point.
