Khardung La is the famous high pass above Leh, on the road to Nubra Valley, a famously high mountain pass.
Because it is on the way to a border area, you need a Ladakh inner line permit to cross it. An Indian traveller books the permit online on the Leh permit portal. A foreign visitor goes through a registered Ladakh agent for a Protected Area Permit. The pass is extremely high, so you take real altitude care.
Who needs a permit
You need a permit for every person to cross Khardung La towards Nubra, Indian or foreign. You show it at the check post on the way up. The same permit that covers Nubra covers the pass, so you book for your route, not for the pass alone. The main Ladakh permit page covers the whole system.
The pass, in plain words
You climb from Leh in a series of switchbacks to the top of Khardung La. A sign, a cafe and a shrine mark the height, and the views stretch across the ranges. It is thrilling to stand so high, but the air holds little oxygen, so you stop only briefly, take your photos, and drive on. The pass is the gateway to the green oasis of Nubra beyond.
How Indians get the permit, step by step
As an Indian traveller you book the inner line permit online on the official Leh permit portal, for your route over Khardung La to Nubra, or through your hotel or a Leh agent. You pay the small fee and the daily charge and print the permit. Carry the printed permit and your original identity, because staff check them at the check post. See the main Ladakh permit page for the full steps.
For foreign visitors
A foreign visitor cannot use the Indian online permit. You go through a registered Ladakh travel agent, who gets a Protected Area Permit for the Nubra route over Khardung La, and you often travel with at least one more person. Carry your passport. See the Ladakh permit page for the foreigner rules. [Confirm the current foreigner rule with a registered agent. Last checked 13 September 2026.]
Altitude care (please read this)
Khardung La is a famously high mountain road, and the air is very thin at the top. Do not cross it on your first day in Leh; give your body a few days to adjust first. At the top, stay only a short while, do not run or exert yourself, and drink water. If you feel a bad headache, sickness or breathlessness, come down. People with heart or lung trouble should take medical advice before the crossing.
Season, so you plan the right months
Khardung La is best from about May to September, when the road is clear. Snow can close or block it in winter and after storms, and the army and road teams keep it open in the season. Even in summer it is freezing at the top, so carry warm layers, and check the road before you set out, because weather can shut the pass at short notice.
Questions people ask
Do I need a permit for Khardung La?
Yes, a Ladakh inner line permit, the same one that covers the Nubra route. Indians book it online; foreigners go through a registered agent.
How do Indians book it?
Online on the official Leh permit portal, for the Nubra route over Khardung La, or through a hotel or agent.
Can foreigners cross?
Yes, with a Protected Area Permit arranged by a registered agent, usually in a small group.
Should I cross on my first day in Leh?
No. Give your body a few days to adjust to the height first, because the pass is extremely high.
When is the best time?
From about May to September, when the road is clear.