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A strategically vital high-altitude pass in Ladakh connecting Leh to the Nubra Valley and Siachen Glacier, among the world's highest motorable roads.
Khardung La is a high-altitude mountain pass in the Ladakh Range, located about 40 km north of Leh in the Union Territory of Ladakh. It connects the Indus River Valley with the Shyok River Valley and provides the main road link from Leh to the Nubra Valley and onward toward the strategically vital Siachen Glacier.
Type: Geographical FeatureElevation: 5,359 m (17,582 ft) per GPS/satellite survey (signboards popularly display 5,602 m)
Widely regarded as the second-highest motorable pass after Umling La
Connects Leh with Nubra Valley and provides access toward Siachen Glacier
South Pullu and North Pullu are the road bases on either side for permit/security checks
Non-local visitors need an Inner Line Permit (ILP) and must pay the Ladakh Environment Fee
5,359 m (17,582 ft) — GPS-surveyed
Ladakh Range
~40 km north
Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport (IXL), Leh
For centuries, Khardung La was part of the caravan trade route linking Leh with Kashgar in Central Asia, historically used by nearly 10,000 horses and camels annually, carrying wool, silver, tea, silk, and gold southward, and cotton goods, spices, and cereals northward.
Frequency: Recurring in Ladakh geography and border-infrastructure current affairs questions
Khardung La is critical for defence logistics, being the gateway to the Siachen Glacier and Nubra Valley. The Border Roads Organisation has prepared a Detailed Project Report for a proposed 5.5-km Khardung La Tunnel to ensure all-weather connectivity, though it awaited Ministry of Defence funding approval as of 2026.
Khardung La: 5,359 m (GPS), Ladakh Range, ~40 km north of Leh
Connects Indus Valley with Shyok Valley; gateway to Nubra Valley and Siachen
Second-highest motorable pass after Umling La
Historic caravan route to Kashgar, Central Asia
Proposed 5.5-km Khardung La Tunnel awaiting funding as of 2026
Scientific GPS surveys place it at 5,359 metres (17,582 feet), though summit signboards popularly display 5,602 metres.
Khardung La connects Leh to the Nubra Valley and provides further access toward the Siachen Glacier.
No, it is widely recognised as the second-highest motorable pass, after Umling La, also in Ladakh.
A high-altitude Himalayan pass in Himachal Pradesh connecting Kullu Valley with Lahaul-Spiti, now bypassed year-round by the Atal Tunnel.
A major tributary of the Indus rising from the Rimo Glacier in the eastern Karakoram and flowing about 550 km through Ladakh.