The administrative centre of Zanskar and, for practical purposes, its front door. Around seven hundred people live here. Almost every journey into the region begins or ends in Padum.
What Padum is for
Padum sits where the Stod and the Lungnak meet, which is why it is where it is. It has the district offices, the hospital, the bank, the shops that stock anything, the bus stand and the guesthouses. It is not the reason anyone comes to Zanskar, and nobody pretends otherwise — but it is where you arrive, resupply, sleep before a trek and wash after one.
Around Padum in a day
- Karsha Monastery — across the valley, the largest in Zanskar and an easy half day.
- Sani — west along the Stod, with its ancient stupa, roughly 6 km.
- Stongdey — on the road towards Zangla, high on its spur.
- Bardan — south along the Lungnak, on a rock above the river.
- Pibiting — the hill and gompa right on the edge of town, good for a first afternoon when you are still getting used to the altitude.
Practical
Accommodation is guesthouses and small hotels, simple but adequate. Mobile coverage exists but is unreliable, and connectivity in Ladakh can go down for extended periods; do not plan on being reachable. Cash matters — ATMs exist but are not dependable, so bring rupees from Leh. Shops carry basics rather than trekking equipment; bring anything technical with you.