Are you planning a road trip to Ladakh and looking to explore beyond Leh, Nubra Valley, and Pangong Lake? The recently inaugurated 298-km Nimmu-Padum-Darcha Road opens up another route to the region, passing through the remote Zanskar Valley and connecting Ladakh with Darcha in Himachal Pradesh. For travellers, it could make reaching Zanskar from the Manali side more convenient, depending on road conditions and seasonal access.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the route to the nation on 15 October 2026. However, the road may not be accessible throughout the year, as snowfall and harsh weather at Shinkun La Pass can affect travel, particularly in winter.
Here is what travellers should know about the route, the road conditions, and the planned Shinkun-La Tunnel.
A 298-km Link Through the Zanskar Valley
Built by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), the 298-km Nimmu-Padum-Darcha Road starts at Nimmu, near Leh, and passes through the remote Zanskar Valley and its main town, Padum, before reaching Darcha in Himachal Pradesh. From Darcha, travellers can connect to the road network leading to Manali. The route crosses Shinkun La Pass, which sits at an altitude of 16,558 feet. However, you should check road conditions and seasonal accessibility before planning your journey.
The third road to Ladakh, Nimmu Padum Darcha, now joins the Srinagar-Leh and Manali-Leh highways.
Is the 298-km Nimmu-Padum-Darcha Road Fully Operational?
The Nimmu-Padum-Darcha Road has achieved end-to-end connectivity, but it does not yet provide confirmed all-weather access. Snowfall and harsh weather at Shinkun La Pass can affect traffic, particularly during winter. Darcha-to-Padum road conditions can change with the season, so travellers should check the latest local road advisories before planning their journey.
A 4.1-km twin-tube tunnel is planned beneath Shinkun La, at an altitude of around 15,800 feet. Once completed, it is expected to allow vehicles to bypass the high-altitude pass and provide all-weather connectivity along this route.
What the New Road Means for the Chadar Trek
The Nimmu-Padum-Darcha Road and the Chadar Trek share a connection with the Zanskar Valley, but they offer very different ways to experience the region. While the road provides a new route linking Ladakh with Himachal Pradesh, the Chadar Trektakes trekkers along stretches of the frozen Zanskar River, usually during January and February.
The completion of the Nimmu–Padum–Darcha (NPD) road is said to mark the end of the Chadar Trek in its traditional form. Because the road runs directly through the narrow Zanskar River gorge, it has fundamentally transformed the environment required for the winter trek.
The Chadar Trek is still technically possible in some seasons, but the newly constructed has made it much harder, less predictable, and heavily truncated. Official safety recce teams have repeatedly recommended suspending or postponing the Chadar Trek, with cancellations in recent winter seasons due to unpredictable weather, unsafe ice conditions, and road-related disruptions.
For those who want to explore more of the region beyond the trek, WanderOn's Leh Ladakh tour packages offer itineraries covering destinations such as Nubra Valley and Pangong Lake, with routes and inclusions varying by departure. If you want to include Zanskar, check the specific itinerary and current road access before finalising your trip.
