The Leh highway climbing towards the Zojila pass

About this drive

This is the long one: the Zojila pass, the Drass valley, Kargil, and the descent to the Indus. It is run over two days with an overnight halt at Kargil, because doing it in one is neither comfortable nor sensible on this road. Rashid drives the first stretch of it, over Zojila, more often than anyone reading this will.

Where you stop

  1. Departure from Sonmarg
  2. Zojila pass
  3. Drass
  4. Kargil — overnight halt
  5. Lamayuru
  6. Arrival in Leh

What the fare covers

Included

  • The vehicle and its driver for the whole booking
  • Fuel, tolls and parking
  • State permits where the route needs them
  • Pickup from your hotel, houseboat or the airport
  • Waiting time at the stops on your route

Not included

  • Hotels, houseboats and any other accommodation
  • Meals and refreshments
  • Entry tickets, gondola tickets and pony charges
  • Local union vehicles where a destination requires them — the inner circuit at Gulmarg, Aru and Chandanwari at Pahalgam, and the winter run above Gagangir into Sonmarg
  • Anything caused by weather or a road closure outside the driver's control

Before you book this route

Where you sleep at Kargil is your own booking

Snowline is a transport business, so the fare covers the vehicle and the driver for both days and not a hotel room for you. Book the Kargil halt yourself — Rashid will tell you honestly which places are decent and takes no commission for it.

Other routes

Book the Sonmarg to Leh

Send your date and how many of you there are. Rashid confirms the vehicle and the fixed fare in the chat before you travel.