Kargil-Zanskar Valley

Kargil town, situated midway between Srinagar (Kashmir Valley) and Leh on the Srinagar-Leh highway, is the second largest town of Ladakh and headquarters of Kargil district. In the past, Kargil served as an important trade and transit center for the Central-Asian merchants due its equi-distant location from Srinagar, Leh and Skardo, well-known trading centers on the old trade route network. Being located in the lap of the Himalayas, Karfil serves as an important base for adventure tourism and trips into the Suru and Zanskar valleys. Passengers traveling between Srinagar and Leh have to make night halt here before starting the second leg of their journey.

Kargil is a convenient base for adventure tourism like trekking, mountaineering, Camping, and river-rafting. You can go on day-return excursion into Suru valley to behold the unfolding panorama of the Great Himalayan range. Another interesting excursion option is to visit Dras for seeing Tolo-ling, Tiger Hill, and Mushkoo Valley. Kargil also offers some interesting walks through the suburban villages nestling along the rising hillsides of the river valleys.

Kargil is also known as a base for mountaineering expeditions to the Nun-Kun massif which has six known peaks.

To the south-east of Kargil lies the valley of Zanskar. It is accessible by the 240-km long Kargil-Padum Road which remains open from July till September. The road passes through the Suru Valley and Zanskar begins after crossing of the Panzila pass. As you begin the descent to Zanskar after crossing the pass, the majestic 'Drang-Drung' glacier looms into full view. A long and winding rive of ice and snow, Drang-Durng is perhaps the largest glacier in Ladakh, outside the Siachen formation. It is the source of the Stod or Doda tributary of the Zanskar river.

Zanskar is a tri-armed valley system kying between the Great Himalayan Range and the Zanskar mountains, the three arms radiating towards the west, north and south from a wide central expanse. Here the Zanskar river comes into being by the confluence of its two Himalayan tributaries. It is mainly along the course of this valley system that the region's mainly Buddhist population lives.

Surrounded by high-rise moutains and deep gorges, Zanskar remains inaccessible for nearly 8 months a year due to heavy winter snowfall resulting in closure of all passes. This geographical isolation and the esoteric nature of Buddhism practiced here have enabled its inhabitants to preserve their identity and to live in perfect harmony with the unique environment. There are a number of ancient monasteries, some of which have developed around caves associated with famous Buddhist saints.

Padum is the headquarters of Zanskar which is a sub-division of Kargil district. It is also the base of cross-Himalayan treks and river rafting on the Zanskar. With Padum as the base, you can visit the famous monasteries of Zanskar: Karsha, Stongde, Burdan, Zongkhul and Phukthal.

Hotels in Kargil, Zanskar, and Padum:

Hotel Siachen, D'Zojila, Zojila Residency, Hotel Greenland Kargil, Hotel Caravan Sarai, Royal Guest House, Ladakh Residency, Hotel Pangong, Kargil Continental.