Ladakh
Pangong Tso
Pangong Tso is a 134 km saline lake at about 4,350 metres, of which roughly a third lies in India and the rest in Tibet. It is four to five hours from Leh via Chang La. Staying one night at Spangmik is what makes the trip worthwhile, because the colour changes through the day.
- Altitude
- About 4,350 m
- Length
- About 134 km, a third in India
- Access
- From Leh via Chang La, 4 to 5 hours
- Stay
- One night at Spangmik or nearby
- Best time
- May to September
Why one night rather than a day trip
A day trip means arriving at the harshest light and leaving before the good light. The lake reads as a different colour in the morning, at midday and at dusk, and that shift is the whole reason people go. Camps and homestays at Spangmik are basic; the point is the water, not the room.
Chang La
The pass on the way, at roughly 5,360 m. As with Khardung La, do not linger. Some itineraries add Tso Moriri afterwards via Chushul, which is a long and rough day but avoids backtracking to Leh.
Cold, and what it means at 4,350 m
Nights are below freezing for much of the season and most accommodation has no central heating. Extra layers matter more than anything else you pack. Anyone who has struggled with altitude in Leh should think carefully before sleeping this high.
Questions people ask
Can you stay overnight at Pangong Lake?
Yes, at Spangmik and a few nearby settlements, mostly in tented camps and homestays. Facilities are simple and it gets very cold after dark, but staying is the difference between seeing the lake and seeing it properly.
How far is Pangong from Leh?
About 220 km via Chang La, which takes four to five hours in normal conditions. It is a full day of driving each way, which is the main argument for the overnight.
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Tours that go there
Every one of these is run by our own team, with the drivers and the permits arranged.
Read next
- Leh travel guideLeh sits at about 3,500 metres and is the base for all of Ladakh. Two full days of rest on arrival are not optional if you fly in, because everything else in the region is higher. Most itineraries run seven to nine days from Leh, taking in Nubra, Pangong and the Indus valley monasteries.
- Nubra Valley travel guideNubra is reached from Leh over Khardung La at about 5,300 metres and sits lower than Leh, around 3,050 metres, which makes it a comfortable night. Hunder has cold desert dunes and double-humped camels; Diskit has the monastery and the standing Maitreya. Two days is standard.
- Altitude sickness in Ladakh and SpitiAltitude sickness typically begins above 2,500 metres and is common in Leh at 3,500 metres, particularly for travellers who fly in. Headache, nausea and breathlessness at rest are the warning signs. The only reliable treatment is descent, which is why itineraries are built to ascend gradually.
- Inner line permits for Ladakh, Spiti and the North EastInner line permits are required for Nubra, Pangong, Tso Moriri and other protected areas of Ladakh, for Arunachal Pradesh, and for foreign nationals on parts of the Spiti circuit. They are arranged locally or online before entering, and are checked at multiple points on the road.
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