Home Destinations India LadakhSuru–Zanskar Road

Moderate

On-Road

🇮🇳 India

Satellite

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

ID: IN-LA-18

Suru–Zanskar Road

Added on 11 Oct 2026

Logged by @trailx

The way into Zanskar from Kargil: about 250 km up the Suru valley past Sankoo and Panikhar, under the Nun and Kun peaks, to Rangdum's monastery on its hill, then over Pensi La (about 4,400 m) beside the Drang-Drung glacier and down to Padum. Remote, sparsely populated and partly unpaved, with gravel, ruts and stream crossings beyond Rangdum.

Trail Map

Initialising Map Engine...

Trail Profile

General Instructions

Usually open from about June to October. Fill up in Kargil: services thin out beyond Sankoo, with limited fuel in Padum. Plan a night at Rangdum or Panikhar, and be ready to return the same way or continue on the newer roads out of Padum (Shinku La to Manali, or down the Zanskar to Leh).

Mission Logs132 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	NW Start Point	6%	2H
1.9 km	S Terrain Change	-2%	2H
4.0 km	SE Continue on track	3%	2H
6.0 km	S Continue on track	-2%	2H
8.1 km	S Continue on track	0%	2H

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

Weather check

At Start

2699m

Sampling Micro-Climate...

34.5591, 76.1251

Slide to preview conditions across the entire route • Point: 34.5591, 76.1251 @ 2699m

Quick Stats

Distance

252.19 km

Type

On-Road Sector

Elevation Range

2690m - 4480m

Max Elevation

4480 m

Max Gradient

15%

19.2%

Highlights

Nun Kun views from Panikhar
Rangdum Monastery
Pensi La
Drang-Drung Glacier
Karsha Monastery
Padum

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

+2463 m

Total Descent

-1600 m

Ruggedness Index

Terrain Roughness Index

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

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

16.1

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)

1.81

Gradient Distribution

Flat (0-3%)69%

Moderate (3-8%)27%

Steep (>8%)5%

Surface & Hydrology

Paved80%

Unpaved20%

Surface Spectrum Analysis

Asphalt

80%

Gravel

14%

Dirt Track

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: 44

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

Resulting CategoryModerate

Bounding Box (WGS84)

MIN LAT: 33.468340

MAX LAT: 34.560084

MIN LON: 75.929139

MAX LON: 76.910543

Point Spacing: 39.6 m • Engine: TrailX Precision GPX ANALYTICS v1.0.0

Reviews & Discussion0

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Plan this trip

Before you go: Suru–Zanskar Road

Best time to go

Jun–Sep

June to September is the realistic window. The Manali and Srinagar highways usually open between May and June and close again with the October snows, and even in summer, nights on the high passes drop below freezing.