Zanskar weather: today, this week and through the year
Live temperature and a five-day forecast for Padum, Kargil and Leh, month-by-month temperatures, when the passes into Zanskar are open, and how cold the winters get.
- ~3,657 m Padum
- Jun–Oct passes usually open
- Below −20 °C winter nights
- Live 3 places
Photo: Timothy A. Gonsalves, CC BY-SA 4.0
Updated November 2026 · HP Tourism registered travel agent · Reg. No. DTO-MND-11-243/2022 · certificates
Zanskar is a remote high valley in Ladakh; its main town, Padum, is at about 3,657 m. Summers are short, sunny and dry, with warm days and cold nights. Winters are among the harshest in inhabited India — nights regularly fall below −20 °C — and heavy snow closes the high passes, Pensi La from Kargil and Shinku La from Lahaul, for months. The usual travel window is about June to early October, when both roads are normally open; September is often the clearest month.
- Travel windowAbout June to early October.
- WinterNights below −20 °C; passes snowbound.
- RoadsKargil–Pensi La–Padum, and Darcha–Shinku La–Padum.
- ClearestSeptember.
- Before you goCheck that the passes are open.
Padum, Kargil and Leh weather today
Padum in Zanskar (about 3,657 m), Kargil (about 2,676 m) on the Pensi La road, and Leh (about 3,500 m) — current temperature and the next days’ high, low and snow.
Forecast data: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0), refreshed about once a day — last update —.
Zanskar weather by month
Padum has no long published IMD record. The table gives the India Meteorological Department’s normals for Leh as a reference. Padum is at a similar height but lies in a deep, enclosed valley with more snow — its winters are usually colder than Leh’s, and the passes into it far snowier.
| Month | Leh reference avg max / min (IMD) | What to expect in Zanskar |
|---|---|---|
| January | 1.5° / −13.1 °C | Extreme cold; passes closed |
| February | 4.2° / −9.2 °C | Extreme cold; heavy snow on the passes |
| March | 9.7° / −3.7 °C | Very cold; passes closed |
| April | 15.3° / 1.6 °C | Cold; passes still snowbound |
| May | 20.0° / 6.2 °C | Snow clearing begins on the passes |
| June | 24.4° / 11.3 °C | Passes usually reopening; cold nights |
| July | 28.5° / 15.9 °C | Warmest; best for treks |
| August | 28.1° / 15.1 °C | Warm days; occasional showers |
| September | 23.4° / 9.2 °C | Clear, crisp — often the best month |
| October | 16.7° / 0.3 °C | Cold nights; passes may close with early snow |
| November | 10.6° / −7.2 °C | Very cold; passes closing |
| December | 4.5° / −11.7 °C | Extreme cold; passes closed |
IMD normals for Leh, shown as a reference for Padum. Full Leh figures: Leh Ladakh weather by month · Kargil weather.
When are the passes into Zanskar open?
The two road routes into Zanskar cross high passes: Pensi La, on the road from Kargil through the Suru valley, and Shinku La, on the newer road from Darcha in Lahaul. Both are snowbound for much of the year and usually open from about June to October; exact dates depend on the winter’s snow, so check before you travel.
In winter, Zanskar is largely cut off by road. In past years, the Chadar walk on the frozen Zanskar river has run in January–February, but its route and timing have changed with road building along the river — check the current status before planning it.
Nearby weather: Kargil weather · Sissu and Keylong weather · Nubra valley weather.
Zanskar in pictures
The Zanskar range, Phuktal gompa, Gonbo Rangjon and the roads into the valley — real photographs, each credited to its photographer.
Best time to visit Zanskar
Depending on what you are going for.
Road trip
Both passes normally open.
Clearest skies
Crisp, dry and quiet.
Phuktal trek
Trails and bridges open.
Shoulder
Check the passes first.
Winter
Passes snowbound.
Take care
Early snow can close the passes.
Zanskar trip: what the weather means for you
Acclimatise in Leh or Kargil before going over the passes, and carry warm layers for every evening.
Roads: the drive in is long and rough on either route; keep a buffer day in June and October, when snow can close a pass at short notice.
Our Ladakh trips
Hotels, meals and a private car in one quote.
Planning Zanskar?
Tell us your dates, where you are starting from and how many of you are travelling. We check whether the passes are open and send a written quote with stays, meals and a private car. Suzu Travels is a travel agent registered with HP Tourism, based in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh, and plans trips across north India.
Zanskar weather: frequently asked questions
What is the weather in Zanskar today?
The top of this page shows the current temperature and the next days’ forecast for Padum, Kargil and Leh (MET Norway data).
When is the road to Zanskar open?
Usually from about June to early October, when Pensi La and Shinku La are clear of snow; dates vary each year.
How cold is Zanskar in winter?
Extremely cold — nights regularly fall below −20 °C.
When is the best time to visit Zanskar?
July to September; September is often the clearest month.
Is the Chadar trek on this winter?
Its route and timing have changed in recent years with road building along the river; check the current status before planning it.
How high is Padum?
About 3,657 m.
Sources
- MET Norway Locationforecast (CC BY 4.0) — live forecast data
- India Meteorological Department — Leh climatological normals (reference)
- Wikipedia: Zanskar
Photo credits
The Zanskar range from Karsha — Photo: Timothy A. Gonsalves, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Gonbo Rangjon — Photo: Timothy A. Gonsalves, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Phuktal gompa — Photo: Timothy A. Gonsalves, CC BY-SA 4.0 · The Zanskar meets the Indus — Photo: tiendat dinh, CC BY 2.0 · Reflections at Sani — Photo: Timothy A. Gonsalves, CC BY-SA 4.0 · A monastery at Padum — Photo: Timothy A. Gonsalves, CC BY-SA 4.0 · The road below Shinku La — Photo: Timothy A. Gonsalves, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Rain clouds over the Tsarap — Photo: Timothy A. Gonsalves, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Padum from Stakrimo — Photo: Timothy A. Gonsalves, CC BY-SA 4.0
