What Six Days in Zanskar Actually Feels Like

Zanskar doesn't ease you in. From Kargil, the road climbs almost immediately, and by the time you reach Rangdum's high plateau on day two, you're already above 3,600 metres with the Drang-Drung glacier visible in the distance.

Pensi La, the pass that opens into the valley proper, is where most riders describe the trip "actually starting" — loose gravel, thin air, and views that make the effort worth it almost immediately.

Padum itself is a small, quiet town that feels genuinely disconnected from the rest of Ladakh, let alone the rest of India. A night there, surrounded by silence and mountains on every side, is usually what riders remember most once they're back home.