Chang La Pass Ladakh — 5,360m Third Highest Pass to Pangong Lake
The formidable 5,360-metre high-altitude pass across the Ladakh Range, the direct mountain gateway connecting Leh to Pangong Lake and Changthang.
Elevation: 5,360 m (17,586 ft)Route: Gateway to Pangong TsoPass Shrine: Changla Baba TempleMaintained By: BRO (Project HIMANK)Permit: Inner Line Permit (ILP) Required
Chang La (5,360 m / 17,586 ft), the high trans-Himalayan pass crossed when traveling between the Indus Valley and the turquoise waters of Pangong Lake.Quick Orientation
Elevation
5,360 m (17,586 ft)
Distance from Leh
75 km east (approx. 2.5 to 3 hours)
Distance to Pangong
65 km further east (approx. 2.5 hours)
Guardian Shrine
Changla Baba Mandir
Pass Name Meaning
'Pass Towards the South' / 'Pass of Changthang'
Chapter I — Geography & Gateway
The High Barrier to the Changthang Plateau
Chang La is a formidable, snow-crested mountain pass situated at an elevation of 5,360 metres (17,586 feet) along the crest of the Ladakh Range, approximately 75 kilometres east of Leh. Widely recognized as the third-highest motorable mountain pass in Ladakh, Chang La serves as the indispensable vehicular gateway connecting the fertile Indus River valley with the vast, windswept Changthang wilderness and the iconic transboundary waters of Pangong Lake.
Unlike Khardung La, which leads into the sheltered, lower river basin of Nubra, crossing Chang La drops travelers directly onto the high-altitude plateau of Changthang, where the baseline valley floor rarely drops below 4,200 metres. The ascent from the village of Sakti involves an exhilarating, steep series of hairpin switchbacks that climb over 1,500 vertical metres in less than 25 kilometres.
Chapter II — Changla Baba & Military Presence
The Guardian Temple and Army Emergency Aid
At the windswept summit of the pass stands the revered **Changla Baba Mandir**, a colourful temple complex dedicated to a legendary hermit-saint believed by local travelers and Indian Army convoys to protect the pass from catastrophic avalanches and blizzards. By custom, every taxi driver, military convoy commander, and motorcyclist halts briefly at the shrine to offer a prayer, ring the brass bells, and seek safe passage before descending the perilous icy switchbacks.
Because Chang La experiences extreme wind-chill and severe sub-zero temperatures throughout the year, the Indian Army maintains a permanent medical post and transit station at the crest. Soldiers from the Ladakh Scouts and engineering units provide complimentary cups of hot sweet herbal tea (*Kahwa*) to shivering travelers and operate emergency oxygen resuscitation chambers for visitors who succumb to acute altitude sickness.
Chapter III — Snow Conditions & Road Status
Navigating Heavy Drifts and Meltwater Torrents
Due to its geographic exposure to moisture-laden western disturbances, Chang La regularly experiences heavier snow accumulations and more persistent ice sheets than Khardung La. Even during the peak summer months of July and August, colossal walls of packed white snow 10 to 15 feet high flank the road near the pass crest.
During sunny summer afternoons, rapid snowmelt cascades across the tarmac in freezing torrents (*pagal nallahs*), creating treacherous slush, loose scree, and hidden ice patches that demand four-wheel-drive capability and skilled mountain driving. Between November and May, the pass is battered by ferocious blizzards, though BRO bulldozers work tirelessly around the clock to clear the road for military supply trucks.
Logistics & Practical Advice
How to Reach, Permits & Travel Rules
Critical Information for Visitors
How to Reach: Located 75 km east of Leh on the paved highway to Pangong Tso. Drive via Karu, Chemrey, and Sakti (approx. 2.5 to 3 hours from Leh).
Altitude Warning: Spend no more than 15 to 20 minutes at the crest. Drink hot tea at the Army post and avoid running or climbing snow banks.
Permits: An Inner Line Permit covering the Pangong/Changthang sector is mandatory. Permits are checked at the Zingral military post below the pass.
Vehicle Recommendation: 4x4 or high-ground-clearance vehicles are strongly recommended, particularly in May, June, and October when snowmelt and black ice are prevalent.
Chang La sits at an elevation of 5,360 metres (17,586 feet) above sea level, making it the third-highest motorable pass in the region.
How far is Pangong Lake from Chang La?
From the summit of Chang La, it is approximately 65 km (about 2.5 hours drive) descending through Tangtse and Durbuk to reach the shores of Pangong Lake at Spangmik.
Who is Changla Baba?
Changla Baba is a revered spiritual guardian deity to whom a temple is dedicated at the summit. Drivers and soldiers believe his blessings protect travelers from blizzards, vehicle accidents, and avalanches.
Is Chang La pass open in winter?
The Border Roads Organisation keeps Chang La open for the majority of the winter to maintain military supply lines to border sectors, though temporary closures of 1 to 3 days occur during heavy snowstorms.
Does Chang La have oxygen facilities?
Yes. The Indian Army operates an emergency medical aid post at the summit equipped with oxygen cylinders to assist travelers experiencing acute mountain sickness.
