Zanskar, Zahar (locally) or Zangskar, is a tehsil of Kargil district, in the Indian union territory of Ladakh. The administrative centre is Padum. Zanskar, together with the neighboring region of Ladakh, was briefly a part of the kingdom of Guge in Western Tibet. Zanskar lies 250 km south of Kargil town on NH301.
Padum is the main town and the administrative centre of the Zanskar tehsil in Kargil district, Ladakh, India. Named after the Buddhist guru Padmasambhava, it was historically one of the two main capitals of the Zanskar Kingdom, the other being Zangla. It is 235 km (146 mi) via the link road from Kargil city. The new Nimmu–Padum–Darcha road connects Padum directly to Leh in the east and to Darcha in Himachal Pradesh.
Ladakh is an administrative territory of India that has been under its control since 1947. The geographical region of Ladakh union territory is the highest altitude plateau region in India, incorporating parts of the Himalayan and Karakoram mountain ranges and the upper Indus River and valley.
Shingo La is a mountain pass in India, on the state boundary between Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh. It connects the Lahaul region of Himachal Pradesh with the Zanskar region of Ladakh. The Nimmu-Padum-Darcha road strategic road runs over the pass. The Shingo La Tunnel is planned under the pass. It is expected to be completed by 2025 and will reduce the Manali to Kargil distance by 522 km. This will provide an all-weather route to Ladakh, as an alternative to the Leh–Manali Highway.
Pensi-la is a mountain pass in the Ladakh union territory of India, which is known as the Gateway to Zanskar. Pensi La is 4,400 metres (14,400 ft) above sea level and connects the Suru Valley region to the Zanskar Valley region. The summit at this end of the Suru Valley, the only peak which can be seen, is 7,012 metres (23,005 ft) high, while the mountain to the north is 6,873 metres (22,549 ft). The pass is about 25 km from Rangdum Monastery.
Zangla is a village in Zanskar tehsil of Kargil district, in the Indian union territory of Ladakh. It is located 262 km (163 mi) southeast of Kargil city, the district headquarters, and 32 km (20 mi) northeast of Padum, the headquarters of Zanskar. An ancient ruined palace, known as Zangla Fort or Zangla Khar is located on a hilltop 1 km (0.62 mi) outside the village, believed to be 11th-century. The Buddhist nunnery in Zangla contains some impressive paintings.
Tourism is one of the economic contributors to the union territory of Ladakh in Northern India. The union territory is sandwiched between the Karakoram mountain range to the north and the Himalayas to the south, and is situated at a height of 11,400 ft. Ladakh is composed of Leh and Kargil districts. The region contains prominent Buddhist sites and has an ecotourism industry.
The Zanskar River is the first major tributary of the Indus River, equal or greater in volume than the main river, which flows entirely within Ladakh, India. It originates northeast of the Great Himalayan range and drains both the Himalayas and the Zanskar Range within the region of Zanskar. It flows northeast to join the Indus River near Nimo.
The Leh–Manali Highway is a 428 km (266 mi) long highway in northernmost India connecting Leh, the capital of the Union Territory of Ladakh, to Manali in the state of Himachal Pradesh. It crosses four passes Rohtang la, Baralacha la, lungalacha la, tanglang la. It connects the Kullu Valley of the upper Beas river to the Chandra and Bhaga river valleys of Lahaul via the Atal tunnel in Himachal Pradesh, then crosses over a series of high Himalayan passes into the Indus river valley in Ladakh. It is usually open for about six months a year from the first week of May when the snow is cleared from the highway to October when snowfall again blocks the high passes on the highway. Before the construction of the Atal tunnel, the highway used to remain closed beyond the Rohtang Pass during winter. With the completion of the proposed Shingo La Tunnel on an alternate route through Zanskar valley, targeted to be completed by 2025, the whole Leh-Manali route will become an all-weather road.
Phuktal Monastery or Phuktal Gompa is a Buddhist monastery located in the remote Lungnak Valley in south-eastern Zanskar, in the Himalayan region of Ladakh, in Northern India. It is 52 km southeast of Padum on Nimmu–Padum–Darcha road (NPD). Solar power was installed at the Phugtal monastery in 2016.
Karsha Monastery or Karsha Gompa is a Buddhist monastery in the Padum Valley of the Zanskar region of the union territory of Ladakh in northern India. The Doda River flows past the monastery from its source at the Drang Drung Glacier of the Pensi La. It was founded by the translator Phagspa Shesrab. The monastery, also known by the name Karsha Chamspaling, was founded by Phagspa Shesrab, under the Gelugpa Order or Yellow Hats. It is 11 km north of Padum in Zanskar River valley.
Tsarap River, also known as Tsarap Chu, forms the eastern part of the Zanskar valley, in the Ladakh union territory of India. The 182 km (113 mi) long river is used for irrigation in riparian villages, and for adventure sports by tourists.
Rangdum Monastery is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery belonging to the Gelugpa sect, situated on top of a small but steep sugarloaf hill at an altitude of 4,031 m (13,225 ft) at the head of the Suru Valley, in Ladakh. It is next to the tiny village of Julidok (Zulidok), and about 25 km north of the 4,400 m (14,436 ft) Pensi La (pass), which leads into Zanskar. It is on Padum-Sankoo-Kargil Road, 103 km northwest of Padum, 87 km southeast of Sankoo & 196 southeast of Kargil. The monastery was electrified using solar energy in June 2017 by Global Himalayan Expedition (GHE)
Darcha is a pair of villages on the Bhaga River in the Lahaul sub-division in the Lahaul and Spiti district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is the northernmost permanent settlement in Himachal Pradesh along the Manali-Leh Highway. With the opening of the Atal Tunnel, Darcha is likely to see a large influx of tourists as it is now connected to Manali throughout the year. The Nimmu–Padam–Darcha road which is being constructed, will improve connectivity of Kargil, Zanskar and Leh District of Ladakh to Darcha.
The Chadar Trek or the Zanskar Gorge trek is a winter trail over the frozen Zanskar River, which lies in the Indian union territory of Ladakh. It is traditionally the only means of travel in the area during the harsh winter months. The trail has become popular with foreign adventure tourists.
All Ladakh Gonpa Association (ALGA) is the central organisation of the Buddhist monasteries in Ladakh, India. It aims to preserve and strengthen the monastic institutions. It was founded by the 19th Kushok Bakula Rinpoche in 1949 and he acted as its president for 41 years, from 1949 until 1991. In 1949, the first meeting of the great monasteries was held and ten monasteries took part. All Ladakh Gonpa Association was registered in 1959 and is run by a governing body consisting of fifteen lama members belonging to all four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. There are sixteen major monastic institutions with hundreds of monks in each monastery.
Chiling Sumda is a village in the Leh district of Ladakh, India. It is located Nimmu–Padum–Darcha road (NPDR) or Zanskar Highway in the Likir tehsil, on the bank of the Zanskar River in Zanskar region. It serves as a base camp for the Chadar Trek in the winters and is used to raft the Zanskar river in the summers.
Nimmu–Padum–Darcha road or Zanskar Highway is a road between the Indian union territory of Ladakh and the state of Himachal Pradesh, passing through the region of Zanskar. It connects Nimmu in the Indus Valley to Padum, the capital of Zanskar, and to Darcha village in Lahul and Spiti. It provides an alternative to the Leh–Manali Highway in linking Ladakh with the rest of India. It was built by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) of the Indian Army. The construction of road was completed in March 2024. The already completed Atal tunnel, and the proposed unidirectional-twin-tube total-4-lane Shingo La Tunnel, which is expected to be completed by 2025 will provide all weather connectivity and reduce the distance from Manali to Kargil by 522 km.
Chah is a small village in the Lungnak valley in Zanskar tehsil, Kargil district, Ladakh, India. The village is situated at the base of a mountain range on the right bank of the Tsarap River. It is located on the Padum-Darcha road, 47 km (29 mi) south from Padum.
Testa is a small village in the Lungnak valley in Zanskar tehsil, Kargil district, Ladakh, India. The village is situated on a plateau at the base of a mountain range on the right bank of the Kargiakh River. It is located on a rural road that runs on the right bank opposite the Padum-Darcha road. Testa is 61 km (38 mi) south from Padum.
