Lachung La Pass Ladakh — 5,059m Rugged Pass on Manali-Leh Highway
The rugged 5,059-metre pass on the Manali-Leh Highway, cutting through dramatic limestone gorges between the Gata Loops and the canyon of Pang.
Elevation: 5,059 m (16,598 ft)Highway: NH3 (Manali-Leh)Location: Between Sarchu & PangPreceding Pass: Nakee La (4,739 m)Geology: Fractured Limestone Canyons
Lachung La (5,059 m / 16,598 ft), carving through the rugged, fractured limestone canyons of the Zanskar Range between Sarchu and Pang on NH3.Quick Orientation
Elevation
5,059 m (16,598 ft)
Highway
National Highway 3 (Manali-Leh)
Location
Between Nakee La and Pang transit camp
Distance from Leh
195 km south (approx. 5 to 6 hours)
Distance from Sarchu
54 km north (approx. 2 hours)
Chapter I — Wild Canyon Topography
Carving Through the Fractured Heart of the Zanskar Range
Lachung La (officially spelled *Lachulung La*) is an austere, high-altitude mountain pass situated at an elevation of 5,059 metres (16,598 feet) along National Highway 3 (the Manali-Leh Highway). Unlike Tanglang La, which crosses an expansive, open mountain ridge, Lachung La is carved through a dramatic, claustrophobic defile of deeply fractured, crumbling limestone crags and vertical scree gullies.
Positioned approximately 54 kilometres north of the border camp of Sarchu and 24 kilometres south of Pang, Lachung La represents the second of three colossal 5,000-metre passes crossed when driving from Manali to Leh. The surrounding landscape is extraordinarily wild and desolate: naked, razor-sharp rock formations twist in convoluted geological folds, with zero vegetation visible beyond sparse lichen clinging to the shadowed stone.
Chapter II — The Ascent via Gata Loops & Nakee La
The 21 Legendary Hairpin Bends
The approach to Lachung La from the south is one of the most famous driving sequences in the Himalayas. Leaving the broad riverbed of Sarchu, the highway confronts a sheer mountain wall and ascends the legendary **Gata Loops**—a dizzying staircase of 21 continuous hairpin bends that climbs 450 vertical metres in just 10 kilometres.
After cresting Nakee La pass (4,739 m), the road descends briefly into a desolate canyon before immediately beginning the final winding ascent to Lachung La at 5,059 metres. The rapid sequence of crossing two back-to-back high-altitude passes tests both vehicle engines and human physiology, as radiators overheat and thin oxygen strains unacclimatised travelers.
Chapter III — Descent into the Gorges of Pang
Natural Spires and Canyon Wonders
Descending from Lachung La towards the north leads into the surreal canyon of the Kangla Jal stream. Here, millennia of wind and water erosion have sculpted the soft conglomerate cliffs into fantastical natural rock needles, spires, and gothic arches that tower hundreds of feet above the road like the ruins of ancient cathedrals.
The road continues down to Pang (4,500 m), an essential transit camp where the Indian Army maintains a high-altitude medical centre and local operators set up seasonal parachute-tent dhabas serving hot noodles, tea, and basic beds before the highway climbs onto the flat expanse of the More Plains.
Logistics & Practical Advice
How to Reach, Permits & Travel Rules
Critical Information for Visitors
Location: On NH3, halfway between Sarchu (border camp) and the More Plains. Approx. 195 km south of Leh and 230 km north of Manali.
Road Quality: Fully paved with asphalt, though seasonal rockfall and freezing meltwater can cause rough gravel stretches near the pass crest.
Best Travel Window: June through mid-October when the Manali-Leh Highway is officially open.
Medical Alert: If crossing from Manali, do NOT sleep at Pang or Sarchu if you feel severe headache or nausea; try to descend or seek oxygen assistance at the Army medical post in Pang.
Lachung La sits at an elevation of 5,059 metres (16,598 feet) above sea level on the Manali-Leh Highway.
What are the Gata Loops near Lachung La?
The Gata Loops are a famous series of 21 steep hairpin bends climbing up the mountain from the Sarchu riverbed towards Nakee La and Lachung La passes.
Are there hotels or camps at Lachung La?
No. Lachung La is a remote high-altitude pass. The nearest basic accommodation camps are at Sarchu (54 km south) and Pang (24 km north).
How many 5,000m passes are there on the Manali-Leh Highway?
There are two passes exceeding 5,000 metres on the main route: Lachung La (5,059 m) and Tanglang La (5,328 m), in addition to Nakee La (4,739 m) and Baralacha La (4,890 m).
Do I need a permit to cross Lachung La?
No. Driving across Lachung La on the open Manali-Leh National Highway does not require an Inner Line Permit.
