Pangong Tso is the lake that ends up on every Ladakh itinerary for a reason - a genuine change-of-colour, high-altitude lake stretching into China. Here's what the trip from Leh actually involves, permits included.
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Pangong Tso sits at roughly 4,225 metres and is about 160 km from Leh, reached by crossing Chang La (one of the higher motorable passes in the region). The drive takes around 5 to 6 hours each way, so most itineraries treat it as an overnight trip rather than a single long day. An Inner Line Permit is required, and only about a third of the lake lies in Indian territory - the rest extends into China.
Pangong is the lake most people have already half-seen before they arrive, thanks to how often it turns up in photos - but the colour shift across the water, and the sheer scale of it against bare mountains on both sides, is still genuinely striking in person. It is also a working reminder that this is a border region: the lake extends well beyond what is visible from the Indian shore.
Getting to Pangong Tso from Leh
The standard route from Leh crosses Chang La before descending to the lake at Spangmik, the most commonly visited access point on the Indian shore. Because of the altitude of both the pass and the lake itself, this is not a route to attempt without at least a day or two of acclimatisation in Leh first.
What to expect at the lake
- ✓The water colour genuinely shifts through the day with the light - most photographs are taken in the couple of hours around sunrise or sunset
- ✓Accommodation directly at the lake is basic camp-style stays; comfort levels are lower than Leh town, by design given the location
- ✓Nights are cold even in peak summer given the altitude - warm layers are not optional
- ✓Mobile connectivity is limited to non-existent at the lake itself
Related reading: Leh's Monasteries: Thiksey, Hemis and Shanti Stupa
Permits
Pangong Tso requires an Inner Line Permit, the same category covering Nubra Valley and Tso Moriri - see our Inner Line Permit guide for what is needed. This is arranged through a registered local agent as part of planning the trip, not something visitors handle themselves at a checkpoint.
Our real, bookable Ladakh Explorer package covers Pangong Tso alongside Nubra Valley and Leh as part of a fly-in itinerary.
Book for this trip
Book a Leh Ladakh trip with Via Kashmir
These Ladakh trips are live and bookable on Via Kashmir, priced per person for groups of 4 or more. Smaller groups and custom routes get a written, itemised quote. Flights to Leh are booked separately.
| Package | Days | Price per person |
|---|---|---|
| Ladakh Explorer - Leh, Nubra & Pangong (Fly-In) | 6 days | From ₹30,292 |
| Kashmir with Leh Ladakh - 7 Day Express | 7 days | From ₹34,112 |
| Kashmir & Ladakh Grand Tour - Srinagar to Leh Highway | 9 days | From ₹42,385 |
If you would rather plan it yourself, we also have 24 verified hotels in Leh from ₹2,062 a night (see Leh hotels), and a private cab from Srinagar to Leh over Zoji La from ₹19,200 in a sedan or ₹20,500 in an Innova (route and fares). Full planning guide: Leh Ladakh tour packages.
Is Ladakh closed in winter?
Ladakh as a place stays open in winter, but the road from Kashmir usually does not. Zoji La, the pass at about 3,500 m between Sonamarg and Drass on the Srinagar-Leh highway, has traditionally been closed by snow from around December to April, and the Manali-Leh road closes for even longer. Leh airport runs all year, so from December to April Ladakh is a fly-in trip.
The closures have been getting shorter. In winter 2024-25 the pass was shut for only about a month and reopened on 1 April 2025, the shortest closure on record, and in 2025-26 the Border Roads Organisation kept it open past the end of February for the first time, with short closures after heavy snow. That depends on the weather each year, so a winter drive is never guaranteed.
The Sonamarg (Z-Morh) tunnel, open since January 2025, keeps Sonamarg reachable in winter but does not get you past Zoji La. That is the job of the new Zoji La tunnel, about 13 km from Baltal to Minamarg, which broke through in June 2026 and is now due to open around February 2028.
Related reading: Khardung La and Magnetic Hill: A Day Trip Guide from Leh
Frequently asked questions
How far is Pangong Tso from Leh?
About 160 km one way, roughly 5 to 6 hours of driving via Chang La given the mountain roads and the pass itself.
Do I need a permit for Pangong Tso?
Yes, an Inner Line Permit is required, the same category as Nubra Valley and Tso Moriri, arranged through a registered local agent.
Is Pangong Tso an overnight trip or a day trip from Leh?
Given the distance and altitude, an overnight stay near the lake is the standard, more comfortable approach rather than a single very long day trip from Leh.
Planning Pangong as part of a Ladakh trip?
See our Ladakh Explorer package →Planning more than this? Get a full itemised Kashmir quote