The Untouched Centre of Tibeto-Buddhist Culture.
Located in the sub-district of Zanskar, Zangla is a small town that is an important nodal point in the Padum - Strongdey - Zangla - Karsha round trip. It is also home to the Zangla Palace, that is often mistaken to be a monastery. You can visit the palace for its paintings and to interact with some lamas. Zangla can be reached by jeep or horseback from Padum, which can be reached from Kargil. The nearest airport is in Leh.
Ladakh and Zanskar are famed for dogs, big and small, but nowwhere are there as many per family as in Zangla. They include some Corgi lookalikes that appear on the roof of one of the house of the king of Zangla. The old king, who was such a delightful host to trekking parties, died in 1989.
Although for a century the king had held only a nominal title, his lineage can be traced back to when the royal lineage in Zanskar was split. One side of the family ruled from Padum, and the other from Zangla was able to reach an accord which allowed him to retain a nominal rule over the nearby villages of Honia and Chazar, and the villages of Hanumil, Pidmu and Pishu on the far side of the valley. The head monk at Spitok is related to this family, and also administrators the Zangla monastery, which is on the cliff just beyond the village.
Since, Zangle is an important part of the Chadar Trek, the place can be visited in the winter season that begins from October. On the other hand, summer is also a good time to visit Zangla, when the clear sky and pleasant weather makes it a more hospitable destination.
Zangla Monastery, located in the nearby village of Tsa Zar is celebrated for its beautiful fresco paintings. Nestled on the Hilltop, this Buddhist monastery is the home of around 150 monks and also has an old nunnery.
An old castle which is popularly known as Zangla palace is also engages tourists which are mainly in ruins. The panoramic view from the palace is breathtaking and thus this goes into the category of unmissable for the tourists. Zangla palace is sometimes mistakenly called Zangla monastery but Zangla village has no monastery expect a nunnery.
Zangla is an important point for the various treks. Zangla is the destination for famous Padum-Stondey-Zangla-Karsha-padum round trip. For Markha Valley Trek, Zangla is the base camp. For other treks like Padum- Lamayuru and Chadar trek, Zangla is the departure point.
Zangla Palace and nunnery
Zangla Monastery which is in Tsa Zar village and also known as Tsazar Monastery
Starting point as well as base camp for various treks
Zangla is an ideal destination for trekking enthusiasts, apart from this, the place has attractions like an old castle, monastery and nunnery.
The villagers provide rooms on rent to tourists for long stays. One can also find accommodation in the nearby monasteries. There are several private hotels and a Tourist Complex at Padum that offers well furnished rooms. Moreover,camping sites and tents in the region are also popular for adventurous stay.
Zangla is easily accessible from Kargil as well as Padum. The route is open from around mid July to early November. The J&K SRTC (State Road Transport Corporation) operates a tri-weekly bus service from Kargil. Besides A-Class buses, Super-Deluxe buses, Jeeps and Gypsy taxis can also be hired at Kargil. In the months of June-July, Zangla can also be reached through the nearby trek routes.
