Guides · Itinerary
Zanskar via Shinku La: a 7-day motorcycle itinerary from Delhi
In through the back door at 5,091 m, out through Kargil and Leh. Seven days, no filler.
Ridden · Motorcycle
7 days, day by day.
Delhi – Manali – Shinku La – Padum – Pensi La – Kargil – Leh – Jispa – Delhi
- Days
- 7
- Distance
- ~2,150–2,200km
- Highest point
- 5,328m Tanglang La
- Season
- Late June to early October
-
Day 1
Delhi → Manali
- Distance~550 km
- Riding12–13 hrs, with stops
Delhi – Ambala – Mandi – Kullu – Manali
- Stay
- Manali. Old Manali makes the morning easier
-
Day 2
Manali → Gonbo Rangjon over Shinku La
- Distance~180–200 km
- Riding8–10 hrs
- RoadOff-road after Shinku La
Atal Tunnel – Jispa – Darcha – Shinku La – Kurgiakh – Gonbo Rangjon
- Shinku La (5,091 m): rugged, raw, wild
- Your first look at the Zanskar valley
- Stay
- Campsite or a basic homestay near Gonbo Rangjon
- Last fuel
- Tandi, before the climb. The next pump is Padum
-
Day 3
Gonbo Rangjon → Padum via Purne
- Distance~120–140 km
- Riding7–9 hrs
- RoadTechnical trails, river crossings
- Optional hike from Purne to the cliffside Phugtal monastery, 1.5–2 hrs each way
- Valley riding, suspension bridges and river beds
- Stay
- Padum, hotels and guesthouses
-
Day 4
Padum → Kargil
- Distance~220 km
- Riding8–10 hrs
Padum – Pensi La – Rangdum – Suru valley – Kargil
- Pensi La and the Drang Drung glacier
- The raw Suru valley
- Stay
- Kargil
- Last fuel
- Refuel in Kargil
-
Day 5
Kargil → Leh
- Distance~220 km
- Riding6–7 hrs
Kargil – Mulbekh – Lamayuru – Alchi – Leh
- The moonland around Lamayuru
- Alchi monastery
- Stay
- Leh
-
Day 6
Leh → Jispa
- Distance~250–280 km
- Riding9–10 hrs
Leh – Tanglang La – Pang – Sarchu – Jispa
- Tanglang La (5,328 m)
- High-altitude desert, all day
- Stay
- Jispa. You'll sleep better there than in Sarchu
-
Day 7
Jispa → Delhi
- Distance~600 km
- Riding13–14 hrs
Jispa – Atal Tunnel – Manali – Mandi – Chandigarh – Delhi
Start by 5 AM, ride easy and steady, and expect a late evening into Delhi.
From the road
Shot on the way.
Most people meet Zanskar from Kargil. This plan comes in the other way, over Shinku La from Lahaul, and leaves through Kargil and Leh. I’ve ridden every stretch of it, just not as one trip: Shinku La and Gonbo Rangjon into Padum in September 2026, and Kargil over Pensi La to Padum, then Leh down to Jispa, in September 2023. Put together, it’s seven days with no padding.
Why Shinku La first
Crossing Shinku La on Day 2 means the rawest riding happens while you’re fresh. Gonbo Rangjon to Padum is the technical day, with trails and river crossings, and Purne is where you decide whether to walk to Phugtal. After Padum, the road gets kinder: Pensi La, the Suru valley, then the tarmac towards Leh.
Fuel strategy
Fill up at Tandi and carry extra. It’s the last pump before Padum. Refuel again in Kargil. That’s the whole strategy, and it matters more than anything else on this list.
Pro tips
- A BSNL postpaid SIM works best out here.
- Keep one buffer day. Weather and landslides don’t read your plan.
- Carry essential spares: clutch cable, puncture kit, the tools you know how to use.
- Day 7 is a 600 km ride. Don’t plan anything for Day 8.
The detour is the point. Zanskar just makes you earn it.
See you somewhere on the road.
Shubham
