Khardung La is one of the highest motorable mountain passes in the world, at over 5,300 metres, connecting Leh to the Nubra and Shyok valleys and long marketed — if not always precisely accurately by the strictest measurements — as the world's highest motorable road. The pass's dramatic, barren high-altitude scenery and the genuine sense of achievement in crossing it have made it a significant milestone for road trip and motorcycle travellers exploring Ladakh.
A small cafe and prayer flags mark the summit, where visitors typically stop briefly given the thin air at this altitude, before continuing the descent toward Nubra Valley on the other side — the crossing itself is as much the experience as any single viewpoint along the way.
Historically part of the ancient trade route connecting Leh to the Central Asian Silk Road via the Karakoram Pass, Khardung La's strategic significance predates its modern fame as a road-trip landmark by centuries.
May to September; the pass is snowbound and closed the rest of the year.
About 40km from Leh, roughly 1.5-2 hours by road; an inner-line permit is required.
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