Leh · all twelve months

Leh month by month

Sitting at 3,500 m in the high-altitude cold desert of Ladakh, Leh requires strict acclimatization and clear seasonal planning.

Best months

May, June, July, August, September

Months covered

Verified

2026-08-31

Written in

Srinagar

The short answer

June–September for road trips and high passes; January–February for the frozen Chadar trek.

June through September is the prime tourist window for Leh: all high mountain passes (Khardung La, Chang La, Rohtang, Zoji La) are open, lakes like Pangong and Tso Moriri are radiant blue, and daytime temperatures are pleasant (15°C–25°C). In deep winter (December to February), temperatures plummet to −20°C and Leh is accessible by air only.

Written by Tariq Ahmad, Head of Operations, Srinagar · last verified 31 August 2026

At a glance

All twelve months, ranked.

Month	Verdict	Day temp	Snow	Price	Crowd
January	Mixed	−4 to 2°C	Extreme freezing conditions; Zanskar river frozen for Chadar trek	High for specialized winter expeditions	Adventurers & photographers only
February	Mixed	−2 to 5°C	Frozen lakes and snow leopard tracking season in Hemis	High for wildlife tours	Wildlife trackers and winter trekkers
March	Mixed	3 to 10°C	High passes heavily snowed; thaw begins in Leh town	Low	Very quiet
April	Good	7 to 15°C	Apricot blossom in Sham Valley; passes retain snow	Low-Mid	Moderate
May	Best	12 to 20°C	Passes have snow walls; town is dry and pleasant	Mid-High	Moderate
June	Best	16 to 25°C	Snow walls at Khardung La and Baralacha La	High	Busy with bikers and road-trippers
July	Best	18 to 28°C	None on passes, except high peaks	High	Peak tourist rush
August	Best	17 to 27°C	High glaciers only	High	Busy
September	Best	14 to 23°C	Light dusting on high passes late in month	Mid	Moderate and peaceful
October	Good	8 to 16°C	High passes get frequent early snowfalls	Low-Mid	Low
November	Mixed	2 to 9°C	Passes heavily snowed; roads frozen	Low	Very quiet
December	Mixed	−2 to 5°C	Pangong Lake freezes over; extreme cold	Mid for winter tours	Quiet

Leh in January

Mixed

January is extreme winter. The iconic Chadar Trek on the frozen Zanskar River takes place. Most standard hotels are shut; specialized winter homestays operate with heated rooms.

Temperature: −4 to 2°C day · −18 to −10°C night
Snow: Extreme freezing conditions; Zanskar river frozen for Chadar trek.
Price: High for specialized winter expeditions
Crowds: Adventurers & photographers only
Packing: Sub-zero expedition gear: −20°C rated down jacket, thermal inners, fleece, insulated snow boots.
Closed or restricted: All overland highways closed. Flight into Leh (IXL) only.

Leh in February

Mixed

February is peak Snow Leopard tracking season in Hemis National Park. Monasteries host colourful winter festivals like Dosmoche with traditional sacred mask dances.

Temperature: −2 to 5°C day · −15 to −8°C night
Snow: Frozen lakes and snow leopard tracking season in Hemis.
Price: High for wildlife tours
Crowds: Wildlife trackers and winter trekkers
Packing: Extreme cold weather clothing, balaclava, heavy mittens, polarized sunglasses.
Closed or restricted: Flight access only.

Leh in March

Mixed

March sees the beginning of spring thaw. Days become sunny, but nights are sub-zero and overland highways from Manali and Srinagar remain shut.

Temperature: 3 to 10°C day · −9 to −2°C night
Snow: High passes heavily snowed; thaw begins in Leh town.
Price: Low
Crowds: Very quiet
Packing: Heavy winter jacket, thermals, sunglasses, lip balm, and moisturizer.
Closed or restricted: Flights only. Nubra Valley accessible via Khardung La on clear days.

Leh in April

Good

April brings apricot blossoms to the valleys of Sham and Turtuk. Hotels in Leh begin opening and Pangong Lake starts melting into deep turquoise shades.

Temperature: 7 to 15°C day · −4 to 2°C night
Snow: Apricot blossom in Sham Valley; passes retain snow.
Price: Low-Mid
Crowds: Moderate
Packing: Warm fleece, windproof jacket, thermals for night, high-SPF sunscreen.
Closed or restricted: Srinagar-Leh road usually cleared by late April. Manali road closed.

Leh in May

Best

May starts the main tourist season. The Srinagar-Leh highway is fully operational and the Manali-Leh road opens by late May. Pangong and Nubra are fully accessible.

Temperature: 12 to 20°C day · 0 to 5°C night
Snow: Passes have snow walls; town is dry and pleasant.
Price: Mid-High — season opening
Crowds: Moderate
Packing: Day layers, warm jacket for pass crossings, UV sunglasses, sun protection.
Closed or restricted: Srinagar highway open; Manali road opening.

Leh in June

Best

June is the most popular road trip month. Both Srinagar-Leh and Manali-Leh highways are open, Hemis Festival takes place, and weather is warm and dry.

Temperature: 16 to 25°C day · 4 to 9°C night
Snow: Snow walls at Khardung La and Baralacha La.
Price: High — peak tourist month
Crowds: Busy with bikers and road-trippers
Packing: Summer clothes for day, light jacket, heavy jacket for Khardung La/Pangong night.
Closed or restricted: All highways, passes, and lake circuits completely open.

Leh in July

Best

July is warm and vibrant. High-altitude trekking routes (Markha Valley, Stok Kangri base) are in prime condition. Leh market is bustling with Tibetan handicrafts.

Temperature: 18 to 28°C day · 7 to 13°C night
Snow: None on passes, except high peaks.
Price: High
Crowds: Peak tourist rush
Packing: Light cotton clothing, trekking shoes, sunscreen, sun hat, evening fleece.
Closed or restricted: Full access everywhere.

Leh in August

Best

August has ideal weather for white-water rafting on the Zanskar and Indus rivers, camping under starry skies at Nubra, and visiting Hanle Dark Sky Reserve.

Temperature: 17 to 27°C day · 6 to 12°C night
Snow: High glaciers only.
Price: High
Crowds: Busy
Packing: Day clothes, light jacket for evening, sturdy walking footwear.
Closed or restricted: All circuits open.

Leh in September

Best

September is our favourite month in Leh: crystal-clear skies, golden poplar trees, radiant blue lakes, and fewer tourists. Outstanding for landscape photography.

Temperature: 14 to 23°C day · 1 to 6°C night
Snow: Light dusting on high passes late in month.
Price: Mid — best photography value
Crowds: Moderate and peaceful
Packing: Fleece jacket, windbreaker, thermals for Pangong night, sunscreen.
Closed or restricted: All roads open.

Leh in October

Good

October brings intense autumn colours and freezing nights. Tourist camps at Pangong begin closing by mid-October. Highways close on heavy snow.

Temperature: 8 to 16°C day · −4 to 1°C night
Snow: High passes get frequent early snowfalls.
Price: Low-Mid — season closing
Crowds: Low
Packing: Heavy woollens, insulated jacket, gloves, thermal underwear.
Closed or restricted: Manali and Srinagar highways close towards late October.

Leh in November

Mixed

November is cold and dry. Overland routes are shut for winter. Leh town is peaceful and local life centres around traditional heated kitchens.

Temperature: 2 to 9°C day · −11 to −4°C night
Snow: Passes heavily snowed; roads frozen.
Price: Low
Crowds: Very quiet
Packing: Heavy winter thermals, down jacket, insulated boots, gloves and balaclava.
Closed or restricted: Flights only. High passes subject to weather clearances.

Leh in December

Mixed

December starts Ladakh's sub-zero winter. Pangong Lake transforms into a massive solid ice sheet. Losar (Ladakhi New Year) festivities take place.

Temperature: −2 to 5°C day · −15 to −8°C night
Snow: Pangong Lake freezes over; extreme cold.
Price: Mid for winter tours
Crowds: Quiet
Packing: Extreme cold sub-zero down clothing, insulated thermal boots.
Closed or restricted: Flight access only.

Common questions

Timing Leh, answered.

How many days of acclimatization are mandatory in Leh?+

At least 48 hours of complete rest in Leh (3,500 m) is mandatory before travelling to high passes like Khardung La (5,359 m) or Pangong Lake (4,225 m).

When do the Manali-Leh and Srinagar-Leh highways open?+

The Srinagar-Leh highway opens around late April or early May; the Manali-Leh highway opens around late May or early June.

Is Leh accessible in winter (December to February)?+

Yes, by direct daily flights from Delhi into Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport (IXL). Overland roads remain shut.

What permits are required for Nubra Valley and Pangong Lake?+

An Inner Line Permit (ILP) is required for Indian nationals, and a Protected Area Permit (PAP) is required for foreign tourists, arranged easily through our team.

Still deciding

Tell us the month. We will tell you the truth.

If the month you have leave for is the wrong one for the trip you are picturing, we would rather say so now than take the booking and let you find out.