National Highway 1 connects Leh with Srinagar over 434 km, passing through Kargil and crossing Zoji La (3,528 m). The journey takes one long day or, more comfortably, two days with an overnight in Kargil. The road is open roughly June to October.
The route passes through dramatic scenery — the Drass valley (one of the coldest inhabited places on earth in winter), the Kargil War memorial at Dras, and the beautiful Suru Valley. Sonamarg, a popular hill station, is the last town before the Zoji La pass.
JKSRTC buses run this route; private shared Sumos are faster. Note that Zoji La has time restrictions on civilian traffic — check current rules before setting out, as they can change with security situations. The political context along this route has improved considerably since the 1990s but stays worth monitoring.