Zanskar, Zahar (locally) or Zangskar, is a tehsil of Zanskar 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.
Kargil district is a district in Indian-administered Ladakh in the disputed Kashmir-region, which is administered as a union territory of Ladakh. It is named after the city of Kargil, where the district headquarters lies. The district is bounded by the Indian-administered union territory of Jammu and Kashmir to the west, the Pakistani-administered administrative territory of Gilgit–Baltistan to the north, Ladakh's Leh district to the east, and the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh to the south. Encompassing three historical regions known as Purig, Dras and Zanskar, the district lies to the northeast of the Great Himalayas and encompasses the majority of the Zanskar Range. Its population inhabits the river valleys of the Dras, Suru, Wakha Rong, and Zanskar.
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.
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.
Rangdum is a village located in the Suru Valley in the union territory of Ladakh in Northern India. On one side are the colourful hills while on the other side are rocky mountains and glaciers, notably Drang-drung.
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.
Nimo or Nyemo is a village and the headquarters of an eponymous community development block in the Leh district of Ladakh, India. It is located in the Leh tehsil, 35 km from Leh.
The Doda River or the Stod River is a river 79 kilometres (49 mi) long, which forms the Stod Valley in the Zanskar valley of the Leh district in the Union Territory of Ladakh in India.
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.
Stongdey Monastery, often written Stongde, Stongday, Tonday or Thonde, is a flourishing Buddhist monastery in Zanskar, Ladakh, northern India, approximately 18 km (11 mi) northeast of Padum, on the road to Nimmu. The monastery is located on a hillock overlooking the village of Stongdey.
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.
Zangskari dialect is an endangered Tibetic language. It is a dialect of Ladakhi language. It is mostly spoken in the Zanskar region of the Kargil district of Ladakh, India and also by Buddhists in the upper reaches of Lahaul, Himachal Pradesh, and Paddar, Jammu and Kashmir. It is written using the Tibetan script.
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.
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.
Zanskar district is one of 7 districts in Ladakh, India.
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