Leh LadakhTour Packages In Winter 2026

For more than 9 years, WanderOn has taken travellers across Ladakh, from the first slow acclimatisation walk in Leh to the high passes of Khardung La and Chang La. More than 20,000 travellers have explored Ladakh with us, and we hold a 4.9-star rating on Google. Those years on Ladakh's roads have shaped how we plan every route here, and they are the reason that, this season, we are opening Leh Ladakh tour packages in winter for our travellers for the first time.

Ladakh in Winter is a different place from the one most people know. The Manali and Srinagar highways close, Pangong Lake freezes over from mid-December, and nights in Leh drop well below minus 10°C. Our Leh Ladakh tour package in winter is planned around exactly these conditions, with heated hotel stays, a full acclimatisation day before any high pass, oxygen support on high-altitude days, and itineraries that move with the road conditions rather than against them.

You can travel in one of two ways. Our private winter trips start at ₹18,000 per person and run from 5 to 7 days on dates you choose, while our fixed-departure group trip starts at ₹29,999 per person for 6 days, with a Trip Captain and a small group of fellow travellers. Both formats begin and end at Leh Airport and take you to Nubra Valley and the frozen Pangong Lake.

Whether this is your first winter in the high Himalaya or you are returning to see Ladakh under snow, compare the two formats below, go through the itineraries, and speak to our Ladakh team before you book.

Best Ladakh Winter Tour Packages

Types of Leh Ladakh Tour Packages In Winter

We have Leh Ladakh tour packages in winter in two formats. Private trips are planned around your own dates and pace, while our group departure follows a set itinerary with a trip captain and fellow travellers. Both start and end in Leh, and both are built for the conditions Ladakh brings in the winter months.

How WanderOn Runs Winter Ladakh Group Tour Package 

Ladakh in winter is when it asks the most of anyone who travels there, and it is the season we plan for with the most care. Once the Manali and Srinagar highways close, we will continue running fixed group departures into Leh, drawing on the same experience that goes into every Ladakh group package. That experience is reflected in a 4.9/5 rating across more than 15,000 reviews, built over more than nine years of running group trips.

Our first ever guided winter group expedition Ladakh is a 5-night, 6-day group trip from Leh to Leh, built on that experience. You travel on a set batch date with a small group, a WanderOn Trip Captain and a driver who knows where ice gathers on winter roads. The trip is designed both for first-time visitors to Ladakh and for travellers who have seen the region in summer and now want to see it under snow.

Why the Route Runs the Way It Does

Every day on WanderOn’s Winter Ladakh group tour packages reflect a decision we have made for running trips through Ladakh’s coldest months.

• Two nights in Leh before the first pass: Leh sits at about 3,500 metres, and Khardung La rises to 5,359 metres. A full rest day, followed by a gentle sightseeing day around Shey Palace, Thiksey Monastery and Shanti Stupa, gives the body time to adjust before the climb. Nothing shapes how travellers feel for the rest of the week more than these first two days.
• Heated hotels instead of camps: Camp stays around Pangong and Nubra are hard on the body in deep winter, and many camps shut for the season. That is why every night on this trip is in a hotel with room heating, three in Leh and two in Nubra Valley.
• Turtuk as a full day, not a detour: Turtuk, a Balti village, sits at around 2,900 metres, well below the rest of the route. Placing it between the Khardung La crossing and the Pangong drive gives the group a gentler, lower day in the middle of the trip.
• Pangong as a day visit, not an overnight: A night at 4,350 metres in the middle of winter is one of the hardest a traveller can face in Ladakh. We reach Pangong Tso from Nubra along the Shyok route and give the group time at the lake, including a walk on the ice once it freezes from mid-December. The same evening, we return to heated rooms in Leh over Chang La.

How We Plan for Snow, Road Closures and Extreme Cold

• Passes that run on the day’s conditions: Khardung La and Chang La can close after fresh snowfall until the Border Roads Organisation clears them. The Trip Captain keeps the group informed as conditions change, so a delay is managed calmly rather than discovered at a checkpoint.
• Oxygen and medical support in every vehicle: Each SUV carries an oxygen cylinder and a medical kit. Medical insurance covers you from the start of the trip in Leh until it ends there.
• A Trip Captain from arrival to departure: A WanderOn Trip Captain stays with the group from the airport pick-up to the final drop. They handle check-ins, route updates and the daily coordination that winter travel demands.

What Makes Ladakh in Winter Worth the Trip

• Snow at its most extreme: When most Indian travellers plan a snow holiday, they picture Kashmir and Himachal at most. Ladakh in winter is colder, higher and starker than any of them, which makes it the place for travellers who want snow at its most extreme.

• Quiet roads and unhurried conversations: With the summer crowds gone, monasteries, markets and viewpoints are close to empty, and the whole region slows down. Locals have far more time in winter, and conversations come much more easily than they do in the rush of peak season.
• Clear skies for stargazing: Winter brings some of the clearest skies of the year. That noticeably improves your chances of a sharp, star-filled night over Nubra Valley and Leh.
• Frozen waterfalls along the route: Waterfalls that run freely through summer freeze into columns of ice. They become some of the most striking sights on a winter itinerary.
• Lower airfares into Leh: Flying is the only way into Ladakh in winter, and flights from Delhi to Leh are comparatively lower in winter than in peak summer. Flights are not part of our packages, but the savings make the whole Winter Ladakh budget group trips easier to plan.

What You Get on a WanderOn Leh Ladakh Winter Tour Package

• Heated hotel stays throughout: Every night is spent in a hotel with heating, so you rest properly after long days in sub-zero temperatures.
• A walk on frozen Pangong Lake: From mid-December, Pangong Lake freezes over, and our Ladakh winter expedition includes a walk on the ice. For most travellers, that is the moment they remember long after the trip ends.
• A Ladakhi cooking experience: You spend time in a Ladakhi kitchen learning to cook the food local families rely on through the coldest months. It is one of the most personal ways to understand how people live here in winter.
• Ice hockey in Leh, when sessions are on: Leh is one of the best-known places in India for ice hockey. If a practice session is running during your trip, we build it into your Winter Ladakh group tour package. Sessions depend on the local schedule, so we confirm this closer to your travel dates.
• A team that plans for winter from day one: Ladakh in Winter tests everyone, from snowfall closing Khardung La to weather delaying flights out of Leh. We plan for these conditions from the start, with flexible itineraries, drivers who know where ice builds up on the road, and oxygen support on high-altitude days. That preparation is why travellers trust WanderOn with Ladakh at its most demanding.

Why Book Your Leh Ladakh Tour Package In Winter With WanderOn?

Our Leh Ladakh winter trips are new this season, but the knowledge behind them is not. Here is what you can expect when you travel with us.

1. Acclimatization Built Into Itineraries

The excitement to start sightseeing is understandable, but your body needs time to adjust to Leh's altitude. Our trip captains have observed that travelers who prioritize acclimatization on day one experience the full depth of everything that follows without the signs of acute mountain sickness.

2. Nine years of planning trips in Ladakh

More than 20,000 travellers have explored Ladakh with WanderOn, and we hold a 4.9-star rating on Google. Every one of our Leh Ladakh tour packages in winter is built on what those years taught us about the region's altitude, roads and stays.

3. Stays chosen for sub-zero nights

The group trip uses only hotels with room heating, and for private trips we confirm the heating at each property before you book.

4. A Trip Captain on every group departure 

A WanderOn Trip Captain stays with the group from arrival to departure, while private trips come with dedicated travel assistance throughout.

5. Experiences that only happen in winter

You can walk on frozen Pangong Lake from mid-December, stargaze over Nubra Valley, see frozen waterfalls and watch an ice hockey session in Leh when one is running.

6. Honest planning around the weather

Khardung La and Chang La can close after snowfall, and flights into Leh are sometimes delayed, so we tell you this upfront and adjust the day's plan when conditions change.

How to Reach Leh in Winter

In winter, Leh is reachable only by air. Both road routes into Ladakh close for the season, so your trip begins and ends at Leh's Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport.

By Flight

• From Delhi: Delhi has the most frequent direct flights to Leh through the winter, with a flying time of about 1 hour 20 minutes. Return fares usually fall between ₹12,000 and ₹22,000, and winter fares are generally lower than in the peak summer months.
• From other cities: Some direct services also run from cities such as Mumbai and Jammu, depending on each airline's winter schedule. Most other cities connect to Leh through Delhi.
• Flight timings: Flights into Leh operate mostly in the morning, when the weather over the mountains is most stable. Choose a morning arrival so that your rest day in Leh starts on time.
• Weather delays: Snowfall or low visibility can delay or cancel flights in and out of Leh. Keep a buffer day before any onward connection, and book a fare that allows changes if you can.

By Road

The Manali–Leh and Srinagar–Leh highways close through the winter months because of heavy snow on the high passes, and they usually reopen in spring. Driving into Ladakh is not an option during the season covered by our winter trips.

Best Time to Visit Ladakh in Winter

For most travellers, the best time to visit Ladakh in winter runs from mid-December to February, when Pangong Lake is frozen and the skies are at their clearest. Each month feels different, so choose by what you most want to see and how much cold you are comfortable with.MonthLeh Day / Night (Approx.)What to ExpectDecember0°C to 3°C / −10°C to −14°CThe gentlest start to winter, with Ladakhi Losar celebrations in Leh during the month, Pangong Tso begins to freezeJanuary−3°C to 1°C / −15°C to −20°CThe coldest and quietest month, with the Spituk Gustor festival and ice hockey on Leh's outdoor rinks, Frozen Pangong TsoFebruary−1°C to 3°C / −12°C to −18°CLonger days and fresh snow, with the Dosmoche festival in Leh, Frozen Pangong TsoMarch4°C to 10°C / −5°C to −10°CMilder days and fewer closures on the passes, though late snowfall is still possibleTemperatures at Pangong Lake and in Nubra Valley run several degrees lower than in Leh, and the wind on the passes makes them feel colder still.

Best Places to Visit in Ladakh in Winter

These are the places our winter itineraries cover, with a note under each on which trips include it.

1. Pangong Lake

At about 4,350 metres, Pangong Lake freezes from mid-December, and you can walk on the ice wherever it is confirmed safe on the day. Cover your face fully, because the wind over open ice feels far colder than the temperature suggests. This stop is part of every group and private trip, and the 7-day private trip includes a night beside the lake.

2. Khardung La and Chang La

Khardung La (5,359 m) leads into Nubra Valley, and Chang La (5,360 m) links Pangong Lake with Leh. Both can close for a few hours after fresh snowfall in Ladakh, so keep your stop at the top to 15 or 20 minutes. Both passes are part of every group and private trip.

3. Nubra Valley

Nubra Valley sits lower than Leh, at around 3,000 metres, so the first night after Khardung La is often easier than travellers expect. The group trip also stops at Diskit Monastery and its 106-foot Maitreya Buddha. Nubra is part of every group and private trip.

4. Turtuk

Turtuk is a Balti village on the Shyok River whose language, food and architecture feel entirely different from the rest of Ladakh. In winter the orchards are bare, but households still sell the dried apricots and walnuts the village is known for. Turtuk is part of the group trip and the 6-day and 7-day private trips.

5. Shey Palace, Thiksey Monastery, Shanti Stupa and the Hall of Fame

These four sights around Leh fill the second day of the group trip, ending at Shanti Stupa for sunset over the town. In your first days at altitude, drive up to Shanti Stupa rather than climbing its icy steps. These sights are part of the group trip.

6. Sham Valley

The Sham Valley drive west of Leh covers Gurudwara Pathar Sahib, Magnetic Hill and Sangam near Nimmu, where the frozen Zanskar River meets the flowing Indus. Sham Valley is part of every private trip.

Best Things to Do in Ladakh in Winter

The experiences below are the reason to come to Ladakh in winter rather than in summer, and most of them are built into our Leh Ladakh tour packages in winter.

1. Walk on Frozen Pangong Lake

From mid-December, Pangong Lake turns into a vast sheet of ice framed by snow-covered ridges. Our winter itineraries include a walk on the frozen lake wherever the ice is confirmed safe on the day. Never walk out alone or onto stretches where local guides advise against it, because ice thickness varies across the lake.

2. Cook a Ladakhi Meal With Local Hosts

Ladakhi winter cooking leans on barley, wheat and slow-cooked dishes such as skyu and thukpa, food made to keep a household warm through the coldest months. On the group trip, you prepare a meal with local hosts in Leh and then sit down to eat it together. It is one of the most personal ways to understand how families live here in winter.

3. Stargaze Over Nubra Valley and Leh

Winter brings some of the driest, clearest air of the year to Ladakh, and the chances of a sharp, star-filled sky over Nubra Valley and Leh rise considerably. Step out of your hotel after dinner, give your eyes a few minutes to adjust, and dress as warmly as you would for the passes, because the cold sets in within minutes.

4. Watch Ice Hockey in Leh

Leh is one of the best-known places in India for ice hockey, and many of the country's players come from Ladakh. When a practice session is running on Leh's rinks during your trip, we include it in your plan. Sessions for Ice hockey in Ladakh depend on the local schedule, so our team confirms them closer to your travel dates.

5. See Frozen Waterfalls Along the Route

Streams and waterfalls that run freely in summer freeze into columns and curtains of ice along the winter roads. They are among the most photographed sights of the season, and they only exist in these months.

6. Attend a Winter Monastery Festival

The monasteries in Ladakh hold some of their most important festivals in winter, including Spituk Gustor in January and Dosmoche in February, with masked Cham dances performed by monks in ceremonial dress. Festival dates follow the Tibetan lunar calendar and change every year, so ask our team whether one falls within your travel dates.

7. Spend Unhurried Time With Locals

With the summer crowds gone, Leh slows down and people have far more time to talk. Some shops and cafés close for the season, but the ones that stay open are run by locals who are glad of the company. A cup of butter tea in a quiet Leh café often turns into the conversation travellers remember most.

Group Winter Departure: 5 Nights, 6 Days

This Ladakh winter itinerary sleeps in Leh and Nubra Valley only, and each day is placed where it is for a reason.

Day 1: Arrival in Leh and rest. You land at Leh Airport, transfer to your hotel and spend the day resting. A short evening walk near the hotel helps your body settle, followed by dinner with the group.

Day 2: Shey, Thiksey and a Ladakhi cooking session. The day covers Shey Palace, Thiksey Monastery, the Hall of Fame and Shanti Stupa at sunset. In between, you cook and share a Ladakhi lunch with local hosts in Leh.

Day 3: Leh to Nubra Valley over Khardung La. You cross Khardung La at 5,359 metres and stop at Diskit Monastery, where a 106-foot Maitreya Buddha faces down the valley. Keep your time at the top of the pass short, because the altitude is felt most there.

Day 4: Day trip to Turtuk. Turtuk is a Balti village on the Shyok River, at around 2,900 metres. Placing it between the two highest drives gives your body a lower, gentler day in the middle of the trip. The route back includes a stop at the Shyok War Memorial.

Day 5: Nubra to Pangong Lake and back to Leh over Chang La. You drive along the Shyok route to Pangong Lake at 4,350 metres. From mid-December, the day includes a walk on the frozen lake wherever the ice is confirmed safe. You then return to Leh over Chang La at 5,360 metres and sleep in a heated room that night.

Day 6: Departure. After breakfast, you transfer to Leh Airport.

How Much Does a Leh Ladakh Winter Trip Cost?

Drawing on our years of planning trips across Ladakh, here is a realistic breakdown of the Leh Ladakh winter trip cost, so you know where your money goes before you book. Figures are per person for a 5 to 7 day trip unless stated otherwise.

1. Flight Cost

Delhi to Leh return: ₹12,000 – ₹22,000

Other cities via Delhi: ₹16,000 – ₹28,000

2. Transport Cost

Private cab for the full winter circuit: ₹22,000 – ₹35,000 per vehicle

Airport transfers and local sightseeing around Leh: ₹1,500 – ₹3,000 per vehicle per day

3. Stay Cost

Budget guesthouses: ₹1,200 – ₹1,800 per night

Mid-range hotels: ₹2,500 – ₹4,000 per night

Hotels with reliable room heating: ₹5,000 – ₹8,000 per night

Premium hotels: ₹8,000 – ₹15,000+ per night

4. Food Cost

Budget meals: ₹500 – ₹800 per day

Mid-range meals: ₹800 – ₹1,500 per day

5. Permits and Miscellaneous

Environment fees and registration for Nubra Valley and Pangong Lake: a few hundred rupeesMonastery entry fees: ₹50 – ₹300 per site

Tips, bottled water and snacks: ₹1,000 – ₹2,000

Total Cost (Per Person, Including Flights)

Budget Ladakh winter trip: ₹25,000 – ₹32,000Mid-range Ladakh winter trip: ₹35,000 – ₹50,000Premium Ladakh winter trip: ₹55,000+With WanderOn, our private winter trips start at ₹18,000 per person and the group departure at ₹29,999 per person, plus 5% GST. Including flights and personal expenses, a private trip works out at about ₹34,000 to ₹55,000 per person, and the group departure at about ₹46,000 to ₹59,000.

Leh Ladakh Winter Tour Packages Inclusions/Exclusions

The two formats include different things, so check the list for the trip you are considering.

Group Winter Departure: Inclusions

• Travel from Leh to Leh in an SUV, the Trip Captain and the driver.
• Five nights in hotels with room heating, with three nights in Leh and two in Nubra Valley, on double or triple sharing.
• Daily breakfast and dinner as per the itinerary, plus the Ladakhi cooking session and lunch with local hosts in Leh.
• A WanderOn trip captain with the group throughout the trip.
• An oxygen cylinder and a medical kit in every vehicle.
• Medical insurance, valid from arrival in Leh until departure from Leh.
• Inner Line Permit and environment fees wherever applicable.
• Driver night charges, toll taxes and parking charges.
• Airport pick-up and drop at Leh on pre-decided group slots based on flight timings.

Private Winter Trips: Inclusions

• Four, five or six nights in hotels or cottages, depending on the trip length you choose.
• Daily breakfast and dinner as per the itinerary.
• A private vehicle for your group for all sightseeing and transfers.
• Airport pick-up and drop at Leh as per your itinerary.
• Environment fees wherever applicable.
• Toll taxes, parking charges and driver allowances.
• Oxygen support on high-altitude travel days.
• Dedicated travel assistance throughout the trip.

Exclusions for Both Formats

• 5% GST, charged on top of the package price.
• Flights to and from Leh. (Can be customized)
• Meals and drinks not listed in the inclusions, including lunches on the road, bottled water and alcoholic drinks.
• Personal expenses such as tips, laundry, shopping and phone bills.
• Monastery and monument entry fees, and camera or video charges.
• Optional activities such as camel safaris.
• Extra costs caused by snowfall, road closures, landslides or flight delays, which are paid directly by the traveller on the spot.
• Anything not listed under inclusions.

Travel Guidelines for Ladakh in Winter

A winter trip to Ladakh goes well when you arrive prepared. These are the points we ask every winter traveller to read before they pack.

1. Rest completely on your first day: Feeling fine on arrival does not mean your body has adjusted to 3,500 metres. Stay in, keep any walk short and slow, and avoid alcohol and heavy meals for the first 48 hours.
2. Drink more water than you think you need: The winter air in Ladakh is extremely dry, and you lose moisture long before you feel thirsty. Aim for 3 to 4 litres a day, and carry an insulated bottle so your water does not freeze on the road.
3. Pack in layers, not one heavy coat: Bring thermal innerwear, a fleece, a down jacket and a windproof outer layer, along with a woollen cap, insulated gloves, woollen socks and waterproof boots with a firm grip. Layers let you adjust between heated rooms, cold vehicles and windy passes.
4. Protect yourself from the sun: Sunlight reflected off snow at this altitude burns quickly, even when the air is freezing. Use SPF 50+ sunscreen, a good lip balm and sunglasses with UV protection.
5. Keep your batteries warm: Phone and camera batteries drain fast in sub-zero temperatures. Keep devices in an inner pocket close to your body and carry a charged power bank.
6. Expect winter living conditions: Water pipes freeze in many parts of Ladakh in winter, so hot water is often served in buckets. Power cuts can happen, and corridors and dining areas stay colder than heated rooms.
7. Carry enough cash: ATMs are reliable mainly in Leh, and card payments are not accepted everywhere in Nubra Valley or at Pangong Lake.
8. Bring a postpaid SIM: Only postpaid connections from outside Ladakh work here, and coverage in Nubra Valley and at Pangong Lake is patchy at best.
9. Carry a government ID: Indian nationals no longer need an Inner Line Permit for Nubra Valley or Pangong Lake, though environment fees and registration may still apply, and we take care of these on your behalf. Foreign nationals still need a Protected Area Permit, so share your passport details with us early.
10. Speak to your doctor if you have a medical condition: If you have a heart, lung or blood pressure condition, get your doctor's advice on travelling to high altitude before you book.Temperatures at Pangong Lake and in Nubra Valley run several degrees lower than in Leh, and the wind on the passes makes them feel colder still.