There is no airport in Zanskar. Every route in ends with a long drive over a high pass, and all of them are seasonal. Plan on a full day of driving from wherever you land, and two nights of acclimatisation before you start it.
The three ways in
1 · Fly to Leh, drive to Padum over the Nimmu–Padum–Darcha road
This is the route we use for most journeys. Fly into Leh (Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport, IXL) from Delhi — a short flight, usually in the morning, and frequently cancelled for weather, which is worth knowing when you book onward tickets.
From Leh the Nimmu–Padum–Darcha road runs 298 km to Padum. It was completed as a blacktopped road in March 2024, which changed access to Zanskar substantially: what used to be a two-day journey is now possible in one long day. It is not an all-weather road. The Shinkun La tunnel that would make it one is still under construction, so in practice the road is usable in the summer months and closed by snow outside them.
2 · Via Kargil and the Pensi La
The older approach, and still a good one if you are coming from Srinagar rather than Delhi. Kargil to Padum is about 230 km over the Pensi La (around 4,400 m), through the Suru valley — a beautiful drive in its own right, past Rangdum. Expect a long day, and expect the pass to be the deciding factor for whether it runs at all. This road generally opens later in spring than people hope.
3 · From Manali over the Shinku La
From Manali via Darcha and the Shinku La (5,091 m) into the south of Zanskar. It is the shortest way in from the Indian plains and it puts you near the southern end of the Lungnak valley, which suits some trekking routes well. It is also the highest and the most weather-dependent, and it gives you very little acclimatisation time before you are at altitude.
Which one we would suggest. If it is your first time at this altitude: fly to Leh, take two nights there, then drive to Padum. The extra day costs you less than an altitude headache on day two of a trek.
Getting around once you are here
There are shared taxis and occasional buses between Padum and the larger villages, and a road now runs a good way up the Lungnak valley towards Phuktal. Beyond that, it is on foot. For our journeys we arrange all transfers ourselves — airport pick-up in Leh, the drive to Padum or to the trailhead, and the return at the end.
Permits
Indian visa requirements apply as everywhere in the country, and there are additional restrictions in some border areas of Ladakh. For the routes we guide, the paperwork is straightforward and we handle it. Confirm the current permit situation for the specific routes we run, and whether anything changed for the 2027 season.
See also permits and paperwork.
What we can organise for you
- Pick-up at Leh airport and a hotel for the acclimatisation nights
- The drive to Padum or directly to the start of your route
- Transport back to Leh at the end, including from the far end of a point-to-point trek
- Route sequencing if you are combining two journeys in one trip