Below is a Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri road map, highlighting every possible route you can take to reach from Pangong Lake to Tso Moriri. The map is quite comprehensive including roads towards Hanle and Nubra Valley as well. Click on the image below to view the map in full size or save it to your hard disk. For a comprehensive road map of the entire Ladakh region, please read A Complete & Detailed Road Map of Ladakh.
Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri Route
There can be several variations for this route. The first leg of the journey will be to reach Chushul from Spangmik. For this, you can either take the tarred road via Erath; or you can drive on the dirt trail right next to Pangong, via Man and Merak. Via Erath, the journey can be done within a couple of hours at most. On the other hand, via Man and Merak, this can very well take up to 3-4 hours.
The second leg of the journey is to drive from Chushul to Tso Moriri. For this journey, you can either drive via Tsaga, Loma, and Nyoma; or you can take the road Kakasang La and Horla (the red connecting road between Chushul and Mahe on the map). The road via Tsaga is the most commonly used one whereas the one via Kakasang La is steep, and a badly broken dirt road that is advisable only for a 4×4 vehicle.
Another route that can possibly be taken is to reach Hanle from Loma and then go to Karzok via Salsal La and Charchagan La. Please note that this is an extremely difficult, broken, and steep at places road. It is only advisable for a 4×4 with high GC and you do not even get permits to go this way anymore.
Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri Distance
The distance between Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri will be between 220 to 400 kilometers; depending on which route you chose. The shortest route is to reach Chushul from Spangmik via Man and Merak. Then you continue towards Karzok via Tsaga, Loma, Nyoma, Mahe, and Sumdo. This will sum up to about 220 kilometers.
The longest route is to reach Loma via Erath, then going to Hanle and reaching Karzok from there via Salsal La and Charchagan La. This will sum up to roughly around 400 kilometers.
Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri Travel Time
The minimum time this journey will take you via the shortest route (Man-Tsaga-Chushul-Loma-Nyoma) is about 12 hours. Remember it is not about the distance but the condition of the road which is mostly a broken dirt trail here. This will severely limit your speed. Then there is also the fact that this route is quite scenic which will increase your breaks and the total travel time.
A lot of people try and complete this journey in a day but it is not at all recommended. Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri is ideally a 2-day journey. You should reach Hanle from Spangmik on Day 1 and then go to Karzok on Day 2. For a very detailed explanation of all the routes, please read Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri Travel Guide.
Conclusion
I hope the Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri road map provided above was of help. If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask in the comments section below or at our Community Forum, and I will be glad to answer.
20 comments
हेल्लो वर्गिस खान,
पहेले तो थैंक यू की आप की इन्फोर्मेशन से हमने बहुत ट्रिप की हैं.. २०२४ में हम फिर से लेह-लिंग्सेद-पदुम-दारचा कर रहे हैं. हमारी ट्रिप १० दिन की हैं हम 5 दोस्त बाइक पर हैं. क्या हम दारचा सरचू से त्सो कार -चुसूल -पेंगोंग -लेह का प्लान कर सकते है?
Tentative Plan
Leh – Photoksar
Photoksar – Padum
Padum – Purne
Purne
Purne – Sarchu
Sarchu – Tso Kar
Tso Kar – Chushul
Chusul – Pangonge
Pangone – Leh
Kaun se mahine mein plan kar rahe ho aap?
Hi Vargis sir , I sam from Kolkata , next year I’m planning to visit ladakh with my family including Hanle but the travel agency denise to provide us a stay in Hanle regarding their lack of knowledge about the place. But I’ve seen many YouTube videos of Hanle and can’t resist my self to visit the place , can you please guide me to arrange the entire schedule for the journey including lay ,pangong ,nubra valley, Hanle then back to manali.
Starting day May 20 20242 and we will starting our journey from Srinagar to accumulate with the climate.please guide us sir. Thank you
Hi, I want to go Tsomiri from pangong(19/08/2022) , night stay at Tsomiri and next day (20/08/2022) will back to Leh. I have 5 years old daughter, is this plan will suitable for her. Please suggest.
If you allow enough acclimatization time and your child was feeling Ok then yes, you can do it.
Hey Vargis, hope you’re having a good day.
Always keen to look up for your articles before planning my Himalayan expeditions. Thank you so much for enlightening all of us. I am planning to visit Tso Moriri from Pangong Tso via Chushul, that is route 1 mentioned by you. I had two doubts.
1. Is the road still open given ongoing tensions between India and China in this area of LAC?
2. You recommended to complete this journey in two days by staying a night at Hanle. But why is that required? I mean if i don’t want to cover Hanle there’s nothing significant that I’ll be missing right?
Wonderful articles. Thanks.
Thank you for your kind words Jay
1. Yes it is open
2. I recommended 2 days because it is a long journey and will get tiring. But yes, it can be done in a single day as well. Hanle is worth visiting though
Hi Vargis.
Thanks for the awesome map.
Need your help with our Leh plan for 2022 June. Please note that we plan to travel to Nubra, turtuk, siachen basecamp, pangong, hanle, tso moiriri on our old Hyundai i10.
Considering the map you have shown, my question is as follows:
1. Can our i10 be used to drive through the Aghma -> Shyok route? If not can bikes go?
2. Can our i10 be used to drive through Spangmik -> Chusul -> Tsaga La ->Loma route? can bikes go?
3. Can the i10 travel over the Chushul -> Mahe route? Can bikes go?
4. can the i10 travel over Hanle -> salsal La -> charchagan la -> karzok route? Can bikes go?
Will be a great help if you can reply.
Hi Vargis,
many thanks for tons of information. We are planning a self drive trip to Spiti and Laddakh in September 2021 and wanted to drive from Pangong Lake to Tso Moriri. Someone advised us not to take this route since it might be closed due to India-Chaina standoff…Is is true ?
Any animal problem,that can harm me,in the off road Pangom Lake to chusul.
Read this
https://vargiskhan.com/log/the-beasts-of-changtang/
I need a small help in preparing itinerary to reach Hanle.
I’m gonna reach Leh on September 30 with my family in our own car (decent ground clearance hatchback) via Manali, Sarchu. This gonna be my fourth visit to Leh but first time to Hanle.
Prepared itinerary is as follows:
Sept. 30: Reaching Leh
Oct 1: Acquiring ILP’s and local sightseeing
Oct 2: Leh to Nubra Valley (Night stay)
Oct 3: Nubra Valley to Pangong Tso (Night stay)
Oct 4: Pangong Tso to Hanle (Night stay)
Oct 5: Hanle to Tso Moriri to Leh
> Is the above itinerary possible?
I had been to Nubra Valley from Leh and to Pangong Tso from Leh but never directly from Nubra to Pangong.
> So how’s the road conditions?
My visit to Hanle would be the first time ever and I literally doesn’t have any idea about it. No idea on road condition, route map, places to stay or places to visit.
> How do I acquire ILP to Hanle in Leh & can the process be completed in one day?
> How to reach Hanle from Pangong Tso and also a visit to Tso Moriri.
> Road conditions?: Pangong Tso – Hanle – Leh
> Availability of fuel (Diesel).
> Being Oct 2 a national holiday, I need to complete all the ILP works by October 1.
Thank you.
1. Hanle to Moriri to Leh is a very long stretch but doable. If possible, stay for the night at Moriri.
2. Bad mostly between Pangong – Hanle – Moriri – Leh
3. It is the normal ILP that works for Hanle as well. Just tell them verbally and they will stamp it as approved for Hanle
4. Read this please
https://vargiskhan.com/log/fuel-availability-in-leh-ladakh-manage/
Hi,
I’m leaving for Pangong from Nubra Valley on 29th May and wish to cover Pangong and Tso Moriri and reach back to Leh on 31st May or if you say even 1st June.
Please give a suggestion as to what would be the best utilisation of these days.
Regards,
Niren Parekh.
I want a tour plan
we want to see
Srinagar
Kargil
Leh
Nubra
Khardungla
Hundar
Pangong
Tsomiriri
Manali
Tour will start on 28th may
Tour will end on 4th june at Manali
Please help us sir
8 Days from Manali to Srinagar? And how will you be traveling?
Hi…can u send me a hi res pic of the map
See this post.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/ladakh-road-map-detailed-road-map-ladakh/
Hi, previously you had suggested that I go from leh to nubra, return , then from leh to pangong. I was thinking if I can do this trip by going directly from nubra to pangong (by skipping the return to Leh) by hitchhiking. Doing this maybe then I can also go to Tso Moriri directly from pangong.
Is this feasible?
https://vargiskhan.com/log/clothes-for-ladakh-trip-pack/#comment-14248
Thank You.
Yes, if you can find a ride from Nubra to Pangong. A lot of people have started to travel on Shyok road these days so chances of finding a ride too are moderate enough.