A long salt lake that changes colour with the sky, not a two-hour stop
Pangong Tso sits east of Leh across Chang La, a brackish lake that runs far beyond the Indian shore. The colour — mineral water under thin air — is why it is on every first itinerary. The drive is five to six hours. The lake is not a picnic after a flight the same morning.
One night on the shore is the honest plan if you want dawn on the water. A same-day return from Leh is possible after you have already slept high. Inner Line Permit applies. The Indian stretch is the only part of the lake this circuit uses.
Water thawed, camps opening, a quieter bank.
The colour most photographs promise — and the most vehicles.
Clearer peaks and a better overnight if rooms remain.
A frozen sheet. Only for travellers who already know the cold.
Tell us your Leh night count. We will not send Pangong out on day one.
