Kargil, India
Kargil is a regional capital of 16,338 people in Ladakh, India, founded in July 1, 1979.
Why visit Kargil
Townapedia lists 7 museums and landmarks, 3 parks and trails, 4 places to eat, 9 places to stay and 5 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Munshi Aziz Bhat Museum of Central Asian and Kargil Trade Artifacts.
Weather in Kargil
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Kargil
Kargil (English: /ˈkɑrɡɪl/ KAR-ghil, Hindi: [kaːɾɡɪl]) or Kargyil is a city and headquarter of the eponymous district, tehsil, and community development block of Indian-administered Ladakh in the disputed Kashmir region. It is the joint capital of Ladakh, an Indian-administered union territory, and the headquarters of the Kargil district. It is the second-largest urban centre in Ladakh after Leh. Kargil is located 204 kilometres (127 mi) east of Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir, and 234 kilometres (145 mi) to the west of Leh.
From the Wikipedia article Kargil (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Travel tips from other travellers: Kargil on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Things to do5
Museums and landmarks7
Munshi Aziz Bhat Museum of Central Asian and Kargil Trade Artifacts
Museum · 0.6 km
Public Museum in Kargil
Parks, trails and playgrounds3
Restaurants and cafes4
History
The Sod Valley had a strong fort called Sod Pasari (Wylie: sod pa sa ri, now known as Pasar Khar) by the 16th or 17th century. It controlled "Lower Purig", including the Sod Valley, the lower portion of Wakha Rong and, likely the Kargil basin itself. By the 18th or 19h century, it also had a sub-branch at Pashkum (Wylie: pas kyum) southeast of Kargil town in the Wakha Rong valley.
From the History section of Kargil on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay9
Churches and places of worship4
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries11
Healthcare3
Map of Kargil
50 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
- Yougu 70 km north, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Thang 74 km northeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Kargil Town Panorama, Saurabh Lall, CC BY 2.0
Page built November 3, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.