Home Destinations India Himachal PradeshShinku La Pass Road

Hard

On-Road

🇮🇳 India

Satellite

This track was identified and mapped via high-resolution satellite imagery.

ID: IN-HP-35

Shinku La Pass Road

Added on 10 Oct 2026

Logged by @trailx

The new road from Darcha in Lahaul over Shinku La (about 5,050–5,090 m) to Kargyak in Zanskar, part of the 298 km Nimmu–Padum–Darcha axis. The Border Roads Organisation has black-topped it, but it is snowbound from roughly October to April and avalanche-prone. A 4.1 km twin-tube tunnel under the pass is being built, targeted for 2028.

Trail Map

Initialising Map Engine...

Trail Profile

General Instructions

Remote, high and with few services: carry fuel, food and warm clothing, and acclimatise in Keylong or Jispa first. Snow can close the pass without warning outside summer.

Mission Logs45 waypoints

Distance	Direction & Instruction	Gradient	Gear Gearing suggestions are defensive and based on terrain profile. Always assess real-time conditions and the path ahead personally.
0.0 km	N Start Point	4%	2H
1.1 km	S Terrain Change	-4%	2H
2.0 km	S Steep Descent	-12%	2H
2.7 km	NW Terrain Change	-5%	2H
3.3 km	SW Terrain Change	2%	2H

Note: Gear suggestions are based on terrain gradient and are for reference only.

Weather check

At Start

3388m

Sampling Micro-Climate...

32.6735, 77.2161

Slide to preview conditions across the entire route • Point: 32.6735, 77.2161 @ 3388m

Quick Stats

Distance

66.36 km

Type

On-Road Sector

Elevation Range

3337m - 5034m

Max Elevation

5034 m

Max Gradient

15.9%

28.3%

Highlights

Cross from Lahaul into Zanskar over Shinku La
See Gonbo Rangjon, the striking rock peak near the pass
Continue to Purne and Phugtal monastery

Field Radio Protocol

VHF-UHF Communication

Signal Verified

Emergency Simplex

146.520MHz

Team Coordination

446.006MHz

Scout Primary

146.400MHz

Propagation Telemetry

Ridge Line

92%

Gorge Floor

18%

Sector Relay: Sector Alpha Relay• 12-18 KM Range

Regulatory Compliance

VHF/UHF frequencies are for monitoring and emergency coordination only. Transmitting on these bands may require an Amateur Radio License or regional government permits. Check local telecommunications laws before operation.

Technical Analysis

Total Ascent

+1765 m

Total Descent

-1026 m

Ruggedness Index

Terrain Roughness Index

Vertical displacement per km. Typical range: 0 (Smooth) to 100+ (Extreme Mountain).

0 (Smooth)50 (Steep)100+ (Extreme)

42.1

Tortuosity Index

Route Curviness Index

Ratio of actual path to straight line. Typical range: 1.0 (Direct) to 3.0+ (Switchbacks).

1.0 (Direct)2.0 (Winding)3.0+ (Serpentine)

1.53

Gradient Distribution

Flat (0-3%)31%

Moderate (3-8%)42%

Steep (>8%)27%

Surface & Hydrology

Paved74%

Unpaved26%

Surface Spectrum Analysis

Asphalt

74%

Dirt Track

26%

Water Crossings

Includes only technical water fords where the vehicle actively enters a stream or riverbed. Permanent bridges are excluded from this count.

Difficulty Analysis

SCORE: 51

Difficulty is determined by a technical multi-vector analysis of elevation profile, surface quality, and topographic intensity.

Resulting CategoryHard

Bounding Box (WGS84)

MIN LAT: 32.670401

MAX LAT: 33.063018

MIN LON: 77.109456

MAX LON: 77.255518

Point Spacing: 33.4 m • Engine: TrailX Precision GPX ANALYTICS v1.0.0

Reviews & Discussion0

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Plan this trip

Before you go: Shinku La Pass Road

Best time to go

Jun–Sep

Mid-June to late September is the season for high passes. Spiti and Lahaul lie in a rain shadow and stay fairly dry during the monsoon, but the Kullu and Chamba approaches often get landslides in July and August. Sach Pass is usually snowbound from late October until June.