Things to do in Leh — the palace, the monasteries and the passes
Things to do in Leh: Leh Palace and the Shanti Stupa, the monasteries along the Indus, Alchi and the Zanskar confluence, Khardung La and the war museum.
ArticleVerified 2026-10-23
Nubra Valley and Pangong Lake from Leh — permits, the roads, Diskit, Hunder and when to go
Nubra Valley and Pangong Lake from Leh: the online permit from the Leh district portal, the roads over Khardung La and Chang La, Diskit, Hunder, and when to go.
The two great trips out of Leh are north over Khardung La to the Nubra valley, and east over Chang La to Pangong Lake. Both need a permit, both cross passes far higher than Leh, and both are long days on mountain roads. These are the official rules as the Leh district's portal states them, read on 23 October 2026.
Photos: sushmita balasubramani (CC BY 2.0) · KennyOMG (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
Permits
The Leh district administration and the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council run an online permit portal, the Leh District Tourist Management System. It lists the Nubra circuit (Khardung, Khalsar, Diskit, Hunder, Turtuk) and the Pangong circuit (Kharu, Chang La, Durbuk, Tangtse, Lukung) among the routes that need a permit. Apply and pay online; the fee covers the green fee, the Red Cross fund and the wildlife fee. The portal encourages tourists to go through a local travel agent, and says that gives 10 percent off the fee. Citizens of some countries, and some passport types, need a separate Protected Area Permit from the Ministry of Home Affairs; foreign visitors should check the portal's list first.
Acclimatise first
The district's health advisory asks every visitor to spend at least 48 hours in Leh before going higher, and warns that driving up does not help you adjust. Rest on the first days, drink plenty of water, avoid alcohol and smoking, and know the danger signs: headache, breathlessness, confusion. Follow a doctor's advice on medicines.
Nubra: Diskit and Hunder
The road climbs over Khardung La, at about 5,359 m, and drops into the valley of the Shyok. On our routing Diskit is about 111 km from Leh and Hunder about 121 km; Wikipedia gives 150 km to Diskit.
- Diskit Monastery, a Gelugpa monastery founded in the 14th century, stands on a hill above Diskit village at about 3,144 m. Wikipedia describes a statue of Maitreya Buddha in its hall, and a very large statue of Maitreya, or Jampa, at the foot of the hill.
- Hunder is known for the pale sand dunes between it and Diskit, and for the double-humped Bactrian camels of the valley.
Pangong
The road east crosses Chang La and runs down through Durbuk and Tangtse to the lake. Spangmik, on the shore, is about 157 km from Leh on our routing. Pangong lies at about 4,300 m; its water is brackish, and Wikipedia says the lake still freezes in winter, when a Frozen Lake Marathon is run on it in February. The district asks visitors to carry their rubbish back and drop it at the Tsangda collection point on the way.
Plan the rest
Start with the three days in Leh to acclimatise, and read when to visit Leh and how to reach Leh.
Places around Leh
The Leh guide →
Leh Palace — the nine-storey royal palace above the old town
Shanti Stupa — the white stupa on the ridge above Leh
Spituk Monastery — the hilltop gompa near Leh's airport
Shey Palace — the old royal hill complex and its great Buddha
Stok Palace — the royal summer home across the Indus
Phyang Monastery, Ladakh — the Drikung gompa on the blue hill west of Leh
Thiksey Monastery — the hilltop Gelug monastery with the great Maitreya
Magnetic Hill — the roadside illusion on the Leh–Srinagar highway
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Questions people ask
Do I need a permit for Nubra Valley and Pangong?
Yes. The Leh district's official permit portal lists the Nubra and Pangong routes among the circuits that need one. Indian visitors apply online on the portal, and the fee covers the green fee, the Red Cross fund and the wildlife fee. The portal says booking through a local travel agent gives 10 percent off the fee.
How far are Nubra and Pangong from Leh?
On our routing over OpenStreetMap, Diskit in Nubra is about 111 km from Leh over Khardung La, and Hunder about 121 km. Pangong, at Spangmik, is about 157 km over Chang La. Wikipedia gives 150 km to Diskit. These are slow mountain roads over very high passes, so allow most of a day each way.
How long should I wait in Leh before going to Nubra or Pangong?
At least 48 hours. The Leh district's health advisory asks every visitor to acclimatise for that long before going higher, and warns that road travel does not help you adjust. Rest on arrival, drink plenty of water, avoid alcohol, and see a doctor at once if you feel breathless or confused.