Is a Ladakh road trip safe for altitude sickness?

It is safe when the itinerary is built altitude-first. Leh sits at about 3,500m and this route goes higher at Khardung La, so we build in a mandatory rest day and ascend gradually. Skip the rest days and a headache can become something serious; keep them and the trip is genuinely enjoyable.

Do I need a permit to drive up Khardung La?

Khardung La itself sits on the road to the restricted Nubra Valley, so travelling beyond it typically needs the same permit as a Nubra trip — a Protected Area Permit for foreign visitors, an Inner Line Permit or fee for Indian travellers. We arrange this for any route that requires it.

How many days should I give a Ladakh road trip?

Five to seven days for a first trip based around Leh and Khardung La. Add extra days if you want to continue on to Nubra Valley or Pangong Lake as part of the wider circuit.

Should I fly into Leh or drive?

Flying into Leh is the gentlest arrival for altitude and the quickest on time. The Srinagar-Leh and Manali-Leh drives are spectacular in their own right but are long, summer-only, and the Manali route in particular raises the altitude-sickness risk, so they need extra acclimatisation days if you choose to drive.

What should I pack for the high passes?

Warm layers even in summer — temperatures drop fast with altitude and after dark — sun protection, and comfortable clothing you are happy to travel in for long drives. We brief every guest on what to bring before departure.

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AdventureLeh, Ladakh

Ladakh road trip: Leh and the high passes

A Ladakh road trip is built around Leh, India's high-altitude desert capital at about 3,500m, with drives up over Khardung La and gentle sightseeing among the monasteries around town. The one rule that matters more than the route is acclimatisation: a mandatory rest day in Leh before going any higher.

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Best season: May to September
Price: Quoted per person
Route: Leh

Reviewed by Experience My India Editorial Team · Updated 13 Sept 2026

For the fuller circuit out to Nubra's dunes and Pangong Lake, see our Leh-Nubra-Pangong circuit.
Mobile connectivity is limited in Ladakh — only postpaid SIMs work in the region, so plan on being largely off-grid.
First-time visitors to Ladakh who want the classic, manageable version of the trip: Leh's monasteries and bazaar, a drive up to Khardung La, and enough altitude time built in to actually enjoy it.
Ladakh is India's high-altitude desert, a Buddhist land of bare ochre mountains, whitewashed monasteries and impossibly blue lakes on the far side of the Himalaya, and a Union Territory in its own right since 2019.

Ladakh is India's high-altitude desert, a Buddhist land of bare ochre mountains, whitewashed monasteries and impossibly blue lakes on the far side of the Himalaya, and a Union Territory in its own right since 2019. Leh, the old caravan capital at about 3,500 metres, is the base for every trip: a road trip from here takes you gently around the Leh valley in the first days, then up over Khardung La — commonly described as one of the highest motorable passes in the world, at around 5,359 metres by modern GPS measurement, though older signage on the pass cites a higher figure — towards the Nubra Valley beyond.

This page covers the Leh-based road trip itself: the drives, the passes and the monasteries around town. For the fuller circuit out to Nubra's dunes and Pangong Lake, see our Leh-Nubra-Pangong circuit.

Day 1 — Arrive and rest
Fly into Leh and rest completely; this first day is non-negotiable, however fit you feel.
Day 2 — Leh, gently
Same-altitude sightseeing around Leh: the whitewashed Shanti Stupa, Leh Palace looking over the lanes, and a monastery or two, with the bazaar's cafes, pashmina and apricot stalls close by.
Day 3 — Leh and the monasteries
An easy drive to the monasteries within reach of Leh — hilltop Thiksey at dawn, vast Hemis, and Spituk above the river — all at a similar altitude, ideal for gentle day-two-and-three sightseeing.
Day 4 — Up to Khardung La
A drive up over Khardung La for the high-pass experience and views back down the valley, timed and paced to your acclimatisation.
Day 5 — Buffer and departure
A spare day for mountain weather, which regularly closes roads and the airport, before flying out of Leh.

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Ladakh road trip: Leh and the high passes

Private guide and vehicle throughout
Reply within four hours, 9am–9pm IST
No payment to start planning

For the fuller circuit out to Nubra's dunes and Pangong Lake, see our Leh-Nubra-Pangong circuit.
Mobile connectivity is limited in Ladakh — only postpaid SIMs work in the region, so plan on being largely off-grid.
First-time visitors to Ladakh who want the classic, manageable version of the trip: Leh's monasteries and bazaar, a drive up to Khardung La, and enough altitude time built in to actually enjoy it.
Ladakh is India's high-altitude desert, a Buddhist land of bare ochre mountains, whitewashed monasteries and impossibly blue lakes on the far side of the Himalaya, and a Union Territory in its own right since 2019.

Day 1 — Arrive and rest
Fly into Leh and rest completely; this first day is non-negotiable, however fit you feel.
Day 2 — Leh, gently
Same-altitude sightseeing around Leh: the whitewashed Shanti Stupa, Leh Palace looking over the lanes, and a monastery or two, with the bazaar's cafes, pashmina and apricot stalls close by.
Day 3 — Leh and the monasteries
An easy drive to the monasteries within reach of Leh — hilltop Thiksey at dawn, vast Hemis, and Spituk above the river — all at a similar altitude, ideal for gentle day-two-and-three sightseeing.
Day 4 — Up to Khardung La
A drive up over Khardung La for the high-pass experience and views back down the valley, timed and paced to your acclimatisation.
Day 5 — Buffer and departure
A spare day for mountain weather, which regularly closes roads and the airport, before flying out of Leh.

Why book with Experience My India?

Government-approved operator
Approved by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India
500+ vetted local guides
35+ destination specialists plan every trip by hand.
Human help, every day
Mon–Sun, 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM IST · +91 73022 65809
No payment until you approve
You receive a written quote first; nothing is charged to start planning.

How we vet every guide, stay and route India e-Visa: who needs one and how to apply Have a specialist design this trip

How does booking work?

1
Send an enquiry
Dates, who is travelling and how you like to travel. Two fields to start.
2
We check availability
Hotels, guides and permits for your dates, with honest alternatives if something is full.
3
Price and hotels named
Every hotel and inclusion is named before you pay anything.
4
Written quote in INR
One document, no hidden lines, valid for the dates it quotes.
5
You approve
Change anything you like. Nothing is charged until you say yes.
6
A named specialist runs it
The same person from first reply to departure, Mon–Sun, 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM IST.