This article provides a comprehensive overview of the important Mountain Passes in India, including their locations, significance, key facts, and a PDF map.
Studying these major mountain passes is important for various competitive examinations such as UPSC Civil Services, CAPF, NDA, and SSC.
Major Mountain Passes in India
Here is a state-wise list of important Mountain Passes in India, along with the places they connect, their significance, and key facts.
Mountain Passes in Ladakh
1. Khardung La
- Lies on the Ladakh Range, north of Leh, and connects Leh to the Shyok and Nubra valleys.
- Forms the gateway to the Nubra Valley, beyond which lies the Siachen Glacier.
- One of the highest motorable roads in the world and is strategically important to India.
- It was historically a caravan route for trade between Leh and Central Asia.
2. Zoji La
- Lies on the Zaskar Range in the Kargil District of Ladakh and connects Srinagar with Kargil and Leh.
- It is a vital pass on the Srinagar-Leh Highway, a part of the National Highway 1 (NH 1).
- In 2010, National Highway 1A (Uri–Srinagar) and National Highway 1D (Srinagar–Leh) were combined to make up the newly numbered National Highway 1.
- It is often closed during winter due to heavy snowfall, though the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) works to keep the pass open when possible.
- The strategically important Zoji La Tunnel is under construction. Once completed, it will provide all-weather connectivity to the Ladakh region
3. Fotu La (Photu La)
- It lies between Leh and Kargil on the Zanskar Range.
- The Srinagar-Leh highway passes through it.
- It is the highest point on the highway.
4. Aghil Pass
- Lies north of the K2 Peak (Mount Godwin-Austen), on the Karakoram Range.
- Connects Ladakh with the Xinjiang province of China.
5. Karakoram Pass (Qara Tagh La)
- Situated in the Karakoram Range, between Ladakh and Xinjiang Province of China.
- It lies on the ancient Silk Route, which was crucial for trade and cultural exchanges between the Indian subcontinent, China, and Central Asia.
6. Mintaka Pass
- Lies between Ladakh and Xinjiang Province of China, in the Karakoram Range.
- Situated near the trijunction of India, China and Afghanistan border.
7. Parpik Pass
- It lies between the Union Territory of Ladakh and the Xinjiang Province of China
- Located east of Mintaka Pass on the Karakoram Range.
8. Lanak La
- It lies in the Aksai Chin region of Ladakh.
- It connects India’s Ladakh with the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.
- It is claimed by India as its border pass but is currently administered by China as part of the Tibet Autonomous Region.
9. Chang La
- It lies in the Ladakh Range between Leh and the Shyok River valley.
- Situated on the main route towards the famous Pangong Lake.
- The world’s highest terrestrial research station, established by the DRDO is functional in Chang La.
10. Pensi La
- It lies in the Union Territory of Ladakh.
- Known as the Gateway to Zanskar (a tehsil of Kargil district).
- It connects the Suru Valley region to the Zanskar Valley region.
- The Suru River, an important tributary of the Indus, flows to the west of the Pensi La.
- It mostly remains open to traffic from May to October and remains closed during winter due to heavy snowfall.
11. Umling La
- It lies in the Ladakh Range, on the ridgeline between the Indus River and Koyul Lungpa River near Demchok.
- It is traversed by Chisumle-Demchok Road which ascends to a height of 5,799 meters near this pass, making it the world’s highest motorable road.
Mountain Passes in Jammu and Kashmir
12. Banihal Pass
- Situated in the Pir-Panjal Range in Jammu and Kashmir.
- Known as the gateway connecting Jammu and Srinagar.
- Jawahar Tunnel (Banihal Tunnel), a 2.85 km road tunnel built below the Banihal Pass has been operational since 1956. It lies between Banihal and Qazigund on National Highway 44.
- The tunnel facilitates round-the-year road connectivity between Srinagar and Jammu.
- Another tunnel, the 11-km long Banihal-Qazigund Railway Tunnel, also known as the Pir Panjal Railway Tunnel, provides a railway link between Banihal and Qazigund.
- In the Kashmiri language, “Banihal” means blizzard.
13. Pir Panjal Pass (Peer Ki Gali)
- It lies on the Pir Panjal Range and connects Srinagar (Kashmir Valley) to the Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu.
- It is the highest point on the 84-km-long Mughal Road (Poonch to Shopian), passing through this pass at 3,490 m.
- This pass is mentioned in the Rajatarangini as Panchaladeva, meaning the deity of Panchala, a kingdom mentioned in the Mahabharata.
- Rajatarangini is a narrative of Kashmir’s history written by Kalhana.
14. Burzil Pass
- It connects the Astore Valley of Kashmir with the Deosai Plains of Ladakh.
- It is part of the historic caravan route between the cities of Srinagar and Gilgit.
- The Astore River, a tributary of the Indus River, originates from the western slopes of this Pass.
Mountain Passes in Himachal Pradesh
15. Bara Lacha La
- It lies on the Zanskar Range in Himachal Pradesh.
- It connects Lahaul district in Himachal Pradesh to Leh district in Ladakh.
- It is situated along the Leh–Manali Highway, a part of the National Highway 3 (NH 3).
- Chandra and Bhaga, the two headwaters of the Chenab River, originate near this Pass.
- It acts as a water divide between the Bhaga River and the Yunam River.
16. Rohtang Pass
- It lies in the eastern Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas.
- It connects the Kullu Valley with the Lahaul and Spiti Valleys of Himachal Pradesh.
- It is situated along the Leh–Manali Highway, a part of the NH 3.
- The strategically significant, Atal Tunnel (Rohtang Tunnel) is built under this Pass and provides all-weather connectivity on the Manali-Leh axis.
- The 9.02 km long Atal Tunnel is the longest highway tunnel above 10,000 feet in the world.
17. Shipki La
- It lies on the India-China border between the Kinnaur district in Himachal Pradesh and Ngari Prefecture in Tibet.
- It is one of India’s border trading points with Tibet along with Nathu La in Sikkim, and Lipulekh in Uttarakhand.
- The Sutlej River (known as Langqên Zangbo in Tibet) enters India near this Pass.
Mountain Passes in Uttarakhand
18. Lipu Lekh Pass
- This pass links the Pithoragarh district (Uttarakhand) of India with the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.
- It lies at the trijunction of the borders of India, China, and Nepal.
- It is an important border post for trade with China.
- The pilgrims for Mount Kailash and Manasarovar Lake travel through this pass.
19. Mangsha Dhura
- It is located in Kuthi Valley in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand.
- It connects the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand with the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.
- The pilgrims for Kailash-Manasarovar use this Pass.
20. Niti Pass
- It connects India’s Uttarakhand state with the Tibet Autonomous Region.
- It was an ancient trade route between India and Tibet.
- Sealed after the 1962 Sino-Indian War.
21. Mana Pass
- It lies on the Garhwal Himalayas and connects Uttarakhand with Tibet.
- It is located within the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve.
- It lies about 50 km north of the Hindu pilgrimage town of Badrinath.
Mountain Passes in Sikkim
22. Jelep La
- It passes through the Chumbi Valley and is located in the Dongkya Range of the eastern Himalayas in Sikkim.
- It lies on the route that connects India’s Sikkim to Lhasa, the administrative capital of Tibet.
- The pass is just about 4 km south of Nathu La.
23. Nathu La
- It is located in the Dongkya Range of the eastern Himalayas in Sikkim.
- It connects the towns of Kalimpong and Gangtok to the villages and towns of the lower Chumbi Valley.
- It was part of the ancient Silk Route.
- It is an important trading border post between India and China.
- It was closed after the Chinese aggression on India in 1962 but was reopened in 2006.
- It is one of the five officially agreed Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) points for the security forces of China and India.
24. Naku La
- It lies in Northern Sikkim in India and connects to the Tibet Autonomous Region in China.
- It has been the site of military standoffs and confrontations between India and China in the recent past.
Mountain Passes in Arunachal Pradesh
25. Bum La
- It is a border pass between China’s Tsona County in Tibet and India’s Tawang district in Arunachal Pradesh.
- It currently serves as a trading point between Arunachal Pradesh and Tibet.
- It is also an agreed Border Personnel Meeting point for the security forces of China and India.
- Like Nathu La, it was also closed after the Chinese aggression on India in 1962 and was reopened in 2006.
26. Sela Pass
- It is located on the border between the Tawang and West Kameng districts of Arunachal Pradesh.
- It lies along the National Highway 13 (NH 13) connecting Tawang with the rest of India.
- Sela Lake, a sacred lake in Tibetan Buddhism, lies near the summit of this pass.
- Usually open throughout the year unless temporarily closed due to landslides or snowfall.
- Sela Tunnel, situated 400 meters below the Sela Pass, is the longest twin-lane tunnel in the world at 13,000 feet.
- Inaugurated in March 2024, the Sela Tunnel ensures all-weather connectivity between Guwahati in Assam and Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.
27. Bomdi La
- It is located in West Kameng district in western Arunachal Pradesh.
- It lies along the Chariduar-Tawang Road, a part of National Highway 13 (NH 13).
- It connects the Tawang district with Bomdila and other parts of Arunachal Pradesh through NH 13.
28. Yonggyap (Yangyap) Pass
- It lies on the Indo-China border in north-eastern Arunachal Pradesh.
- It connects India’s Arunachal Pradesh with the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.
29. Diphu Pass
- It is located in Anjaw district of Arunachal Pradesh near the trijunction of India, China, and Myanmar.
- It lies on the McMohan Line, which demarcates India and China.
- It is an important trade route between India and Myanmar.
30. Pangsau Pass
- It lies on the crest of the Patkai Hills on the India–Myanmar border.
- It connects Arunachal Pradesh with Myanmar.
- During World War II this pass became famous because of the Stilwell Road (Ledo Road) connecting British India to China.
- The Pangsau Pass Winter Festival is a joint India-Myanmar annual event organized during the 3rd week of January in Arunachal Pradesh since 2007.
Other Important Mountain Passes in India
The Northern, North-Western, and North-Eastern regions of India have several important mountain passes due to their mountainous topography. However, some major mountain passes in India are also present in the Deccan and other regions. Here are some important ones from North to South:
31. Haldighati Darra
- It lies in the Aravalli Range of Rajasthan between Khamnore and Balicha villages
- It connects Rajsamand and Udaipur districts.
- It is known for the Battle of Haldighati (1576), which took place between Maharana Pratap of Mewar and Man Singh I of Amer.
32. Asirgarh Pass
- It lies in the Satpura Range in Madhya Pradesh.
- It connects the valleys of the Narmada and Tapti rivers.
- It was known as the “key to the Deccan” as it was one of the most important routes from northern India to the Deccan.
- Asirgarh Fort overlooks this mountain pass.
33. Thal Ghat (Kasara Ghat)
- It lies in the Western Ghats near the town of Kasara in Maharashtra.
- It is located on the busy Mumbai–Nashik route and is an important link to Mumbai via road and rail.
- The railway line passing through this pass is the steepest in India with a gradient of 1 in 37.
34. Bhor Ghat
- It lies on the crest of the Western Ghats in Maharashtra.
- It is located between Palasdari and Khandala for the railway and between Khopoli and Khandala on the road route in Maharashtra.
35. Kumbharli Ghat
- It cuts across the Western Ghats Range in Maharashtra.
- It connects the Ratnagiri District with the Satara District in Maharashtra.
- The Koyna Dam lies near the eastern end of this Pass.
36. Chorla Ghat
- It lies in the Sahyadri Range (Western Ghats).
- It is located at the intersection of the borders of Goa, Karnataka, and Maharashtra.
- A Nature Conservation Facility has been established at Chorla Ghat to facilitate research and long-term monitoring of the Western Ghats.
- It hosts the rare species of wolf snake in its sub-tropical forests.
37. Pal Ghat (Palakkad Gap)
- It is a low mountain pass in the Western Ghats connecting Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu with Palakkad in Kerala.
- It is located between the Nilgiri Hills to the north and Anaimalai Hills to the south.
- The Bharathappuzha River flows through this Pass.
4 thoughts on “37 Important Mountain Passes in India with Map [State-Wise]”
I am Padma Wangyal born in Kalimpong 1948 which was a hub ancient trade route between Lhasa and India
right now I am doing a research work on all major trade routes between India and Tibet but good source of maps are rare to find but your Map show all the important crossing points and also short description with it
If I can make use of your map with short description?
with heartiest greetings
Padma Wangyal
Dear Padma Wangyal,
Thank you for your kind words and for reaching out to me. I am honoured that you find my maps helpful for your research work.
I would be more than happy for you to make use of my maps and descriptions in your work. While it’s not obligatory, I would sincerely appreciate it if you could provide source credits to my website. However, please feel free to use the material as you see fit, even without attribution.
Wishing you the best with your research, and thank you again for your kind greetings.
Warm regards,
Subodh Sharma
Thank you sir and best wishes for your bright future 💗
You are welcome, Fohi!