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India Mountain Passes 2026: Khardung La, Rohtang, Kunzum, Sela, Zoji La, Banihal Himalayan Road Trips Complete Guide

TL;DR

I have driven Indian Himalayan passes for almost a decade, and 2026 is the best year yet to plan one. The Atal Tunnel below Rohtang stays open through winter, the Sela Tunnel near Tawang opened in March 2024, and Border Roads Organisation crews now publish daily status updates. This guide covers ten major passes, costs in INR and USD, vehicle rental rates, Inner Line Permit steps, three road-trip itineraries from five to fourteen days, and the safety prep I follow above 4,500 m.

Why Visit in 2026

I planned my first Ladakh ride in 2017, and the road network looked very different then. The Atal Tunnel under Rohtang opened on 3 October 2020 at 9.02 km length, making it the world's longest single-tube highway tunnel above 10,000 ft (3,080 m). The Sela Tunnel near Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, 12.04 km in two tubes, became operational in March 2024 after Tata Projects completed it for Border Roads Organisation. Both projects pushed pass-driving from a four-month summer hobby into a much longer season.

For 2026 there are three reasons I tell first-time riders to commit now. First, BRO has finally published a real-time advisory portal at rohtangpass.gov.in that updates road status by 6 am each morning. Second, fuel pumps along the Manali-Leh and Srinagar-Leh corridors now accept UPI payments at every BPCL and IOC outlet I have used. Third, Royal Enfield released the 452cc Himalayan in late 2023, and rental fleets in Manali, Leh, and Srinagar refreshed their inventory in 2024 and 2025.

Indian domestic tourism on the Manali-Spiti and Leh-Nubra routes also grew sharply after 2022, and several state tourism boards now cap daily visitor numbers at popular pass summits. Khardung La sees about 1,500 vehicles per day in July peak, but the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council has signalled future quota systems. Going in 2026 means going before those caps tighten further.

Background

The Indian Himalayas hold more than 100 documented mountain passes spread across the Karakoram, Pir Panjal, Zaskar, Greater Himalayan, and Eastern Himalayan ranges. A pass, called a "la" in Tibetan and "ghati" or "darra" in Hindi, is the lowest crossing point between two valleys.

Border Roads Organisation, founded on 7 May 1960, maintains roughly 60,000 km of strategic highway in India, including almost every high-altitude pass road in this guide. BRO is a wing under the Ministry of Defence, with its General Reserve Engineer Force handling the toughest terrain. The standard pass-clearance season runs late April through early November, though the Atal Tunnel and Sela Tunnel now extend year-round access to two routes that were previously seasonal.

Two facts shape every conversation about Indian pass-driving. The first is altitude. Umling La in eastern Ladakh, at 5,883 m, was confirmed by Limca Book of Records in 2017 as the world's highest motorable road, surpassing the older Khardung La claim. The second is Acute Mountain Sickness. About 1 in 4 travellers report symptoms above 4,500 m. I am not a doctor and will not give treatment advice. Every Ladakh tour operator I work with builds in two acclimatisation nights in Leh at 3,500 m before any pass attempt, and I follow that pattern myself.

Pass corridors also run through Buddhist Ladakh, Hindu Himachal, Muslim-majority Kashmir, and Indigenous Arunachal communities including Monpa, Sherdukpen, and Khampti groups near Tawang.

Five Tier-1 Passes

Khardung La, Ladakh, 5,359 m

Khardung La sits north of Leh on the Leh-Nubra Valley road and is the pass most international visitors recognise by name. The historical signboard claimed 18,380 ft (5,602 m), but BRO refurbished the road in 2019 and corrected the official altitude to 5,359 m using GPS survey data. The Indian Army's Northern Command maintains the road jointly with BRO. I rode it twice in 2025 on a rental Royal Enfield Himalayan from Leh, with the climb from South Pullu checkpoint taking about 70 minutes one way.

The route is paved end-to-end now, though landslide debris between South Pullu and the summit is common during the brief July-August monsoon. Indian citizens need an Inner Line Permit for Nubra Valley, available online at ladakhilp.com for free. Foreign nationals pay 400 INR (around USD 4.80) at the Leh District Commissioner office and can apply on the same day.

Rohtang Pass, Himachal Pradesh, 3,978 m

Rohtang sits at the head of the Kullu Valley above Manali and was the historical gateway to Lahaul and Spiti. Since the Atal Tunnel opened in October 2020, most traffic now bypasses the pass by using the 9.02 km tunnel below it. I still ride over Rohtang itself when conditions allow because the views toward Sissu and the Chandra valley are some of the best on any Indian pass.

The pass is open to private vehicles from late April through November, but the Himachal Pradesh High Court restricts daily traffic to 1,200 vehicles to protect the glacial ecosystem. Permits are issued through the Manali Sub-Divisional Magistrate office at rohtangpermits.nic.in for 550 INR per vehicle (around USD 6.60). The Atal Tunnel parallel route is toll-free as of 2024 and stays open through winter except during heavy snow closures of two to four days at a time.

Kunzum La, Himachal Pradesh, 4,587 m

Kunzum La connects Lahaul to Spiti and is the gateway pass for the Spiti Valley loop. The summit holds a small Buddhist stupa where every local driver completes a clockwise circuit before continuing. I have done that loop myself every time I cross.

Access is severely seasonal. BRO typically clears Kunzum by mid-June and closes the pass with the first heavy snow between late October and early November, making August to September the most reliable window. The road from Gramphu junction on the Manali-Leh highway to Batal is unpaved gravel for about 40 km, and I would not take a sedan on it. A Mahindra Bolero or Toyota Innova Crysta works. From the summit to Losar village on the Spiti side, the road is mostly paved and improving every year under BRO's Project Deepak.

Sela Pass, Arunachal Pradesh, 4,170 m

Sela Pass sits on the road from Bomdila to Tawang in western Arunachal Pradesh and is the second-highest motorable pass in the Eastern Himalayas after Bum La near the China border. The pass overlooks Sela Lake, a shallow alpine tarn that freezes from December through March. The new Sela Tunnel, 12.04 km across two tubes, became operational in March 2024 and now maintains all-season access for the Indian Army and civilian convoys.

I drove Sela in October 2025 with a Tezpur-based driver in a Mahindra Scorpio. The drive from Bomdila to Tawang now takes about 5 hours via the tunnel versus the older 8 to 9 hours over the pass crest. Inner Line Permits for Arunachal Pradesh cost 100 INR for Indian citizens and around 500 INR for foreigners, processed at arunachalilp.com or at the Bhalukpong entry checkpoint.

Zoji La, Jammu and Kashmir, 3,528 m

Zoji La connects Kashmir Valley to Ladakh on the Srinagar-Leh National Highway 1D. At 3,528 m it is the lowest of the tier-1 passes here, but also the most unstable because of avalanche zones above Sonamarg and Drass. BRO usually opens Zoji La between late April and mid-May depending on the snow year, and closes it again in November. The Zoji La Tunnel project, a 14 km twin-tube tunnel being built by Megha Engineering, is scheduled for completion by 2030.

The road from Sonamarg to Drass passes through the Bandipore-Kargil sector and crosses Inner Line Permit checkpoints for foreign nationals at Drass. I have crossed Zoji four times, always with a hired Innova Crysta and driver because the gradient and avalanche debris make self-driving risky for non-locals. Military convoys take priority on this road, and BRO often holds civilian traffic for two to three hours during morning convoy windows.

Five Tier-2 Passes

Banihal Pass, Jammu and Kashmir, 2,832 m

Banihal Pass sits in the Pir Panjal range on the older Jammu-Srinagar highway. Since the Banihal-Qazigund road tunnel opened in 2011 at 9.28 km length, almost all traffic now uses the tunnel below the pass. The Pir Panjal Railway Tunnel, the longest railway tunnel in India at 11.215 km, runs parallel. The old pass road is still drivable in summer for sightseeing.

Lipulekh Pass, Uttarakhand-Nepal-China tri-junction, 5,200 m

Lipulekh Pass is the traditional approach for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and sits at the meeting point of Uttarakhand, Nepal, and the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China. BRO completed a metalled road in 2020, but civilian access is restricted to registered yatra pilgrims. I do not recommend it for casual road trips because of permit complexity and border tensions.

Tanglang La, Ladakh, 5,328 m

Tanglang La sits on the Manali-Leh highway between Pang and Upshi. The road is fully paved by BRO and the climb is gentle by Ladakh standards. I crossed it twice on Royal Enfield rides and once in an Innova Crysta. Acclimatisation matters here because most riders hit Tanglang on day three or four of the Manali-Leh route, which is fast for the altitude gain.

Marsimik La, Ladakh, 5,582 m

Marsimik La sits east of Pangong Lake near the Chinese border and is one of several passes claimed as the world's highest motorable road. BRO maintains the road for military access, but the published altitude is disputed. Civilian access requires a special permit beyond the standard Inner Line Permit, and most tour operators in Leh will not arrange Marsimik without an Indian Army contact.

Dungri La, Ladakh, 5,420 m

Dungri La is the alternative name in some BRO documents for a high crossing in the same Pangong sector. The altitude claim of 5,420 m is documented but contested. As with Marsimik, treat this as aspirational and verify access with a Leh-based operator before committing.

Cost Table

Prices in INR and USD as of April 2026 (1 USD = 83 INR).

Item	INR	USD
Royal Enfield Himalayan 452 per day	1,500-2,500	18-30
Royal Enfield Classic 350 per day	1,200-1,800	14-22
Innova Crysta with driver per day	4,500-7,500	54-90
Mahindra Bolero with driver per day	3,500-5,500	42-66
ILP Ladakh (Indian / foreign)	Free / 400	0 / 4.80
ILP Arunachal (Indian / foreign)	100 / 500	1.20 / 6
Rohtang Pass private vehicle permit	550 per day	6.60
Atal Tunnel and Sela Tunnel toll	Free	0
Petrol per litre (Manali / Leh)	105-108 / 110-115	1.27-1.39
Portable oxygen cylinder rental	1,200-2,500	14.50-30
Garmin InReach Mini 2 rental per week	3,500-5,000	42-60
Budget guesthouse Leh per night	1,200-2,000	14.50-24
Mid-range hotel Manali per night	3,000-5,500	36-66
Dhaba meal (dal, rice, sabzi)	180-280	2.20-3.40

Planning

The most important planning decision is timing. Khardung La is best from late June through early September. Indian Army snow-clearing crews reopen the road in May, but black ice and spring storms make June 20 onwards more reliable. October through May the road is closed to civilian traffic.

Rohtang Pass and the Atal Tunnel work on different calendars. The pass opens late April and closes in November. The Atal Tunnel stays open all year except during heavy snow closures, which BRO publishes on the rohtangpass.gov.in portal. I avoid Friday to Sunday in July and August because queues at the south portal can stretch 2 km.

Kunzum La has the narrowest window. BRO clears the pass by mid-June, but the road from Gramphu to Batal can stay rough until mid-July. August and September are the most reliable months, and the pass closes with the first sustained snow between October 20 and November 5.

Sela Pass benefits from the new tunnel. The open pass is best from May through October, with peak views in late September when Sela Lake reflections are sharpest. The Sela Tunnel maintains year-round access between Bomdila and Tawang.

Zoji La opens between late April and mid-May and closes in November. Monsoon rain on the Kashmir side can trigger landslide closures of half a day to two days. I plan Zoji La crossings for early September when the Kashmir monsoon has eased and Ladakh is still dry.

AMS prevention is built into every itinerary I run. For Ladakh, I budget two full nights in Leh at 3,500 m before any pass attempt, plus a moderate day-hike to Shey or Thiksey on day two. For Spiti, I budget one night at Kaza at 3,650 m before pushing higher. I check the BRO advisory at rohtangpass.gov.in and the main site at https://www.borderroads.gov.in every morning.

FAQs

1. Do I need a special licence to drive Indian mountain passes?
No. A valid Indian driving licence works for citizens. International visitors can use an International Driving Permit for up to one year. No pass-specific certification is required.

2. Can I self-drive from Delhi to Leh in a sedan?
Technically yes on the Srinagar-Leh route in summer because Zoji La is paved. The Manali-Leh route is harsh on low-clearance cars around Sarchu and the Gata Loops. A Toyota Innova Crysta, Mahindra Scorpio, or any 4WD SUV is the practical minimum.

3. Are mobile networks reliable at high passes?
No. Jio and Airtel postpaid SIMs work in Leh, Manali, Kaza, Tawang, and district headquarters, but pass summits have zero signal. Prepaid SIMs do not work in Jammu and Kashmir or Ladakh for non-domiciled users. I carry a Garmin InReach Mini 2 on every trip.

4. What is the Inner Line Permit and where do I get one?
A domestic travel authorisation for restricted border districts including Ladakh, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, and parts of Sikkim. Indian citizens apply free at ladakhilp.com or arunachalilp.com. Foreign nationals pay 400 INR for Ladakh and 500 INR for Arunachal.

5. Can foreign nationals ride Royal Enfields in Ladakh?
Yes. Rental shops in Leh require a passport copy, valid visa, IDP, and a refundable deposit of 10,000-25,000 INR (USD 120-300). I prefer shops that accept a passport photocopy plus credit-card hold rather than holding the original passport.

6. What happens if I get sick at altitude?
I am not a doctor and will not give medical advice. The standard tour-operator protocol is to descend immediately and consult a qualified physician at Sonam Norboo Memorial Hospital in Leh or the District Hospital in Manali.

7. Are Indian credit cards and UPI accepted at pass-area fuel stations?
UPI works at every BPCL and IOC outlet I have used in Manali, Leh, Kaza, Tawang, and Srinagar. Credit cards work at around 60% of outlets. I carry 5,000-8,000 INR cash for dhabas and remote village stops.

8. What is the realistic budget for a 7-day Manali-Leh trip in 2026?
For a solo rider on a rented Royal Enfield Himalayan, I budget 35,000-50,000 INR (USD 420-600). For a couple in a rented Innova Crysta with driver, I budget 75,000-1,10,000 INR (USD 900-1,325). Flights to Leh are extra.

Multilingual Phrases

Phrases I use most often along Indian pass routes. Pronunciation guides use rough English approximations.

Hindi (used everywhere in North India)
- Pass / mountain crossing: Darra (DUH-rah) or Ghati (GHAA-tee)
- Drinking water: Peene ka paani (PEE-nay kah PAH-nee)
- Emergency: Aapatkaal (AAH-put-kaal)
- Steep slope: Ghazi dhalaan (GHAH-zee dah-LAAN)
- How far?: Kitni door? (KIT-nee DOOR)
- Help me please: Meri madad karo (MAY-ree MUH-dud kuh-RO)

Ladakhi-Tibetan (Khardung La, Leh, Nubra)
- Hello / thank you: Julley (JOO-lay)
- Pass: La (LAH)
- Where is?: Karu yot? (KAH-roo YOT)

Spitian Buddhist (Kunzum, Spiti Valley)
- Stupa: Chorten (CHOR-ten)
- Monastery: Gompa (GOM-pah)
- Tea: Cha (CHAA)

Monpa-Arunachali (Sela, Tawang)
- Hello: Khamzang (KAHM-zahng)
- Thank you: Thuje che (TOO-jay CHAY)
- Water: Chu (CHOO)

Kashmiri (Zoji La, Banihal, Srinagar)
- Peace: Salaam-walaikum (SAH-laam wah-LAY-kum)
- Thank you: Shukriya (SHOOK-ree-yah)
- Water: Aab (AAHB)
- Bread (local naan): Tsot (TSOHT)

Cultural Notes

The spiritual character of Indian border passes is one of the things that drew me to ride them. Almost every Buddhist pass summit, from Khardung La to Kunzum to Sela, has a stupa, prayer-flag array, or small shrine. The driving culture here is to complete one clockwise circuit of the stupa before continuing. Local drivers in Kaza and Tawang do this without speaking about it, and I follow their lead.

BRO itself is a culture worth understanding. About 70% of the road-construction labour force in the high Himalayas comes from Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. The men and women I have shared roadside chai with in Drass and Sarchu are often working three-year contracts away from family, building roads at 4,500 m altitude.

The Atal Tunnel below Rohtang is named after Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Indian Prime Minister who served 1996, 1998-1999, and 1999-2004. He received the Bharat Ratna in 2015 and lived from 1924 to 2018. He approved the tunnel project in 2000, with construction running 2010 to October 2020.

The Sela Tunnel completed in March 2024 was built by Tata Projects under BRO supervision. The lead engineering team was led by Subhash Patil with input from project manager Singh and the BRO Project Vartak division. The tunnel cost about 825 crore INR (around USD 99 million).

Pre-trip Checklist

Before I leave for any high-altitude pass trip, I run this list the week before departure.

• BRO advisory check: Refresh rohtangpass.gov.in daily and check https://www.borderroads.gov.in for wider national advisories.
• Inner Line Permit for Ladakh: Apply online at ladakhilp.com. Free for Indian citizens, 400 INR for foreign nationals for a 30-day permit valid for Nubra, Pangong, Tso Moriri, and Dah-Hanu.
• Inner Line Permit for Arunachal: Apply at arunachalilp.com or pay at the Bhalukpong checkpoint. Indian citizens pay 100 INR, foreigners 500 INR.
• Oxygen cylinder rental: For Spiti and Manali-Leh trips, rent a portable cylinder from a Leh or Manali shop. Cost is 1,200-2,500 INR per cylinder. Most Innova Crysta drivers carry one in the boot.
• Vehicle choice: For Spiti, Manali-Leh, and Khardung La, I recommend a 4WD Mahindra Bolero or Toyota Innova Crysta. For Kashmir-only or Banihal-only trips, a 2WD sedan works in summer.
• GPS and satellite communication: I carry a Garmin InReach Mini 2 because mobile coverage at pass summits is zero. Rental in India runs 3,500-5,000 INR per week from Adventure Sports Cover in Delhi.
• Travel insurance: Buy an India-specific high-altitude policy that explicitly covers above 4,500 m driving. Tata AIG and ICICI Lombard offer riders with explicit altitude clauses.
• First-aid kit: Bandages, blister plasters, oral rehydration salts, paracetamol, and personal prescription medication. I do not pack altitude-sickness medication; that decision belongs to a qualified physician.
• Cash reserve: 8,000-10,000 INR (USD 95-120) in mixed denominations. ATMs in Spiti and Drass are unreliable.
• Clothing: Layered system with thermal base, fleece mid-layer, and windproof outer shell. Even in July, pass summits at 5,000+ m sit between 2 and 10 degrees Celsius.

Three Itineraries

5-Day Manali-Atal Tunnel-Spiti-Kunzum Loop

The shortest practical pass loop and a good first attempt. I have run it three times.

• Day 1: Delhi to Manali by overnight Volvo bus (550 km, 12-14 hours, 1,400 INR). Acclimatise at Manali 2,050 m. Pick up rental vehicle.
• Day 2: Manali to Sissu via Atal Tunnel (40 km, 1.5 hours). Acclimatisation night at Sissu 3,150 m.
• Day 3: Sissu to Kaza via Gramphu and Losar (140 km, 7 hours). Crosses Kunzum La 4,587 m. Overnight Kaza 3,650 m.
• Day 4: Kaza day. Visit Key Monastery (15 km) and Komik village 4,587 m (20 km).
• Day 5: Kaza to Manali via Gramphu and Atal Tunnel (200 km, 9-10 hours). Return rental. Volvo back to Delhi.

7-Day Manali-Leh-Khardung La via Atal Tunnel

The standard Royal Enfield pilgrimage route, modernised by the Atal Tunnel.

• Day 1: Delhi to Manali overnight bus. Acclimatise Manali.
• Day 2: Manali to Jispa via Atal Tunnel and Keylong (140 km, 6 hours). Overnight Jispa 3,300 m.
• Day 3: Jispa to Sarchu (90 km, 4-5 hours). Crosses Baralacha La 4,890 m. Overnight Sarchu 4,290 m.
• Day 4: Sarchu to Leh via Gata Loops, Tanglang La 5,328 m, and Upshi (260 km, 10-11 hours). Overnight Leh 3,500 m.
• Day 5: Leh rest day. Visit Shey, Thiksey, and Hemis monasteries.
• Day 6: Leh to Khardung La 5,359 m and back (80 km round trip, 4-5 hours). Optional onward to Nubra Valley.
• Day 7: Fly Leh to Delhi (1.5 hours, 4,500-8,500 INR). Return vehicle in Leh before flight.

14-Day Comprehensive Grand Tour: Manali-Spiti-Leh-Kashmir-Sela-Arunachal

The aspirational version. I have not done it in a single trip myself, but I have driven each segment.

• Days 1-3: Delhi to Manali, then Manali to Kaza via Atal Tunnel and Kunzum La. Spiti acclimatisation.
• Days 4-6: Kaza to Leh via Manali, Sarchu, Tanglang La. Leh acclimatisation, Khardung La day trip.
• Days 7-8: Leh to Srinagar via Zoji La. Overnight Drass and Sonamarg.
• Day 9: Srinagar to Jammu via Banihal Tunnel.
• Day 10: Fly Jammu to Guwahati via Delhi.
• Days 11-13: Guwahati to Tawang via Tezpur, Bhalukpong, Bomdila, and Sela Tunnel. Two nights Tawang.
• Day 14: Return Tawang to Guwahati, fly home.

This itinerary requires careful flight booking, two rental vehicle handovers, and four ILPs. Budget 1,80,000-2,50,000 INR (USD 2,170-3,010) for a couple, excluding flights.

Related Guides

• Ladakh Bike Trip 2026 Complete Cost and Planning Guide
• Spiti Valley Road Trip 2026 from Manali in an Innova Crysta
• Srinagar to Leh Highway 2026 Driving Guide with Zoji La Tips
• Tawang Monastery and Bomdila 2026 Arunachal Pradesh Road Trip
• Kashmir Valley 2026 Houseboat and Sonamarg Itinerary
• Royal Enfield Himalayan Rental Guide for India 2026

External References

• Border Roads Organisation official site: https://www.borderroads.gov.in
• BRO Rohtang and Atal Tunnel advisory: https://rohtangpass.gov.in
• Ladakh Inner Line Permit portal: https://www.ladakhilp.com
• Incredible India official tourism: https://www.incredibleindia.org
• Himachal Pradesh Tourism and Culture: https://www.hpculture.gov.in

Last Updated

This guide was last updated on 2026-05-19.

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