MartiHaight78 at 15:30, 27 December 2025

2025-12-27T15:30:04Z

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{{Short description|Mountain pass in Ladakh, India}}
{{About|the mountain pass in India|the mountain on the China–Nepal border|Changla}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox mountain pass
| name = Chang La
| photo = ChanglaPass.jpg
| photo_caption =
| map = India Ladakh#India
| map_caption = Location of Chang La in Ladakh
| elevation_m = 5360
| elevation_ref =
| traversed = Road from Indus Valley to [[Pangong Lake]]
| location = [[Ladakh]], [[India]]
| range = [[Himalayas]]
| coordinates = {{coord|34.04704|77.93054|region:IN_type:pass|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| topo =
}}

'''Chang La''' is a high [[mountain pass]] in [[Ladakh]] at an elevation of {{convert|5360|m|ft|abbr=on}} in the [[Great Himalayas|Greater Himalaya]] between [[Leh]] and the [[Shyok River]] valley.<ref name=geonames>{{cite web |url= http://www.geonames.org/1274656/chang-la.html |title= Chang La Pass |author=GeoNames |author-link=GeoNames |access-date=2009-06-17}}</ref><ref name="Jina">{{cite book |last = Jina |first = Prem Singh |location = India |title = Ladakh: The Land & The People |publisher = Indus Publishing |pages = 25–26 |date = 31 August 1998 |url = https://www.holidaymoods.in/leh-ladakh-tour-package |isbn = 978-81-7387-057-6 }} </ref> The Chang La, on [[Leh]] to [[Pangong Lake]] road,<ref name=new2/> lies on the Leh-[[Karu, Ladakh|Karu]]-[[Sakti, Ladakh|Sakti]]-[[Zingral]]-Chang La-[[Durbuk]]-[[Tangtse]]-[[Pangong Lake]] motorable road. Karu, which lies on Leh-[[Manali, Himachal Pradesh|Manali]] [[National Highway 3 (India)|NH-3]], connects Chang La and Pangong Lake to Leh and the rest of India. In September 2021, [[Border Roads Organisation|BRO]] opened another alternate motorable asphalt road between Zingral and Tangtse via [[Ke La]] pass ({{convert|5669.28|m|ft|disp=or|abbr=on}}) and [[Taruk]] (also spelled Tharuk).<ref name=new1>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/worlds-highest-motorable-road-18600-ft-inaugurated-ladakh-154665|title=World's highest motorable road at 18600 ft inaugurated in Ladakh|publisher=The News Minute|date=31 August 2021|access-date=21 September 2021}}</ref><ref name=AUTL>{{cite web|url=https://ladakh.nic.in/mp-ladakh-inaugurates-road-connecting-zingral-to-tharuk-tangtse/|title=MP Ladakh inaugurates road connecting Zingral to Tharuk, Tangtse|work=Administration of Union Territory of Ladakh|publisher=Govt of Ladakh|date=September 1, 2021|access-date=September 1, 2021|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241203123648/https://ladakh.nic.in/mp-ladakh-inaugurates-road-connecting-zingral-to-tharuk-tangtse/|archive-date=2024-12-03}}</ref>

Chang La is approached from Zingral village by a steeply climbing asphalt road which requires careful driving. The stretch of 10–15 km road on either side of Chang La becomes loose dirt and slush after the winter and requires regular maintenance. During the summer months specifically the tourist season, small streams appear across the road, making the climb a challenge for bikers. The descent from Chang La towards Tangtse or Darbuk is again very steep. Doctors advise not staying at the top for more than 20–25 minutes as it may cause [[altitude sickness]].

== Etymology ==
''Chang La'' literally means "Southern Pass" ("Chang" = South, "La" = Pass) in the [[Tibetic languages|Tibetic language]] of [[Ladakhi language|Ladakhi]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Changla Pass |url=https://www.jktdc.co.in/changla-pass.aspx |access-date=2025-10-30 |website=www.jktdc.co.in}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Chang La – Gateway to Pangong and Guardian of the Cold → History of Chang La – Gateway to Pangong and Guardian of the Cold |url=https://www.colorstays.in/place/chang-la-pass-ladakh#HowToReach |access-date=2025-10-30 |website=ColorStays |language=en}}</ref>

== Geography ==
The Changla pass is the main gateway for the [[Nubra]] region. The small town of [[Tangste]] is one of the nearest settlements.<ref name=new2/> Zingral is the nearest habitation.

== DRDO research station ==
{{anchor | DRDO | RS | DRDORS | DRDO RS | Research | DRDO Research Station | DRDO research station | Research station | Research Station }}

The [[Defence Institute of High Altitude Research|world's highest research station]], established by the [[Defence Research and Development Organisation]] is functional at Chang La situated at the height of {{convert|17664|ft|m|order=flip}}.<ref name=new2>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/at-17-500-ft-worlds-highest-research-station-becomes-functional-in-ladakh-141003|title=At 17,500 ft, world's highest research station becomes functional in Ladakh|first=Tribune News|last=Service|website=Tribuneindia News Service}}</ref>

==Gallery==

<gallery>
File:Chang La prayer flag.jpg|Chang La with prayer flags
File:Chang La, Tea Point.jpg|Chang La, Tea Point, everyone is welcome
File:Chang La pass, Ladakh.JPG|Chang La, Ladakh in 2013
</gallery>

==See also ==
* [[India-China Border Roads]]
* [[Tourism_in_Ladakh#Transport|Transport and tourism in Ladakh]]
* [[List of mountain passes of India]]
* [[List of mountains in India]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://twitter.com/Ieshan_W/status/1463822067707510789 Video clip of road on Chang La]

{{Ladakh}}
{{Mountain passes of India}}

[[Category:Mountain passes of Ladakh]]
[[Category:Mountain passes of the Himalayas]]
[[Category:Mountain passes of India]]

{{Ladakh-geo-stub}}

Chang La - Revision history

MartiHaight78 at 15:30, 27 December 2025