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Try "Spiti", "snow leopard", "Char Dham", "homestay", "Tiger's Nest"
Route · Ladakh
Leh to Diskit in Nubra is about 120 km over Khardung La (5,359 m), 4–5 hours by car. A state bus and shared taxis run in season. Cross only after two or three nights in Leh, and keep the stop at the top short.
Photo: Addy6697 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · CommonsEvery way to go
| How | Time | Cost, indicative 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Shared taxi | 4–5 h | ₹800–1,200 a seat |
| State bus | 5–6 h | ₹200–300 |
| Private car | 4–4.5 h | ₹9,000–11,000 one way; ₹12,000–15,000 for a 2-day return trip |
Shared Innovas and Sumos leave Leh in the morning for Diskit and Hunder when they fill. Look for flyers in Changspa and Main Bazaar, ask your guesthouse, or post in hostel common areas a day ahead. You will need your environment fee receipt and ID. Return seats are easiest to find in Diskit's bazaar.
A bus runs from Leh bus stand to Diskit on most days in season, leaving early in the morning, with some services continuing to Hunder or Panamik. It is by far the cheapest way to cross Khardung La. Seats are basic and the stop at the pass is brief. Check timings at the bus stand a day before; check current status before you travel.
A Ladakh Taxi Union car lets you stop at South Pullu, Khardung La and North Pullu and drop down to Hunder or Sumur. Union rates are fixed by route and published in Leh. Leaving at 7 am beats the traffic at the pass and the afternoon melt water on the north side.
At each end
Photo: Anirvan Shukla · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Old caravan town at 3,500 m, and where every Ladakh trip begins
Photo: Addy6697 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
The old caravan valley over Khardung La, with dunes and orchards
Questions
About 4–5 hours by car from Leh to Diskit, 120 km over Khardung La, and 5–6 hours by bus. Hunder is 10 km beyond Diskit, Sumur and Tegar about an hour on the other arm of the valley. Add time for checkpost queues and photo stops.
Khardung La is kept open through most of the year, but snow can close it for hours or days, especially between October and May. Early mornings can be icy. Check current status before you travel, and leave flexibility in your plan.
Indians need the online environment fee receipt and photo ID; foreign nationals need a Protected Area Permit arranged through a Leh agency. Checkposts at South Pullu and North Pullu inspect documents. Carry several printed copies. Rules change, so check current status before you travel.
Yes. A road along the Shyok river links Nubra with Pangong via Agham and Shyok village, joining the Pangong road near Durbuk. It saves returning to Leh but is rough and prone to stream crossings and landslides. Ask locally the day before, and check current status before you travel.
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