<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nDras calls itself the second-coldest inhabited place in the world after Siberia’s Oymyakon – a claim that’s true on overnight lows even when afternoon highs creep towards 20\u00b0C. Our host contact in Kargil says shopkeepers are still wearing fleece into mid-morning. The Kargil War Memorial reopened to public visitors on 28 April, and the road to Zoji La pass cleared in the first week of April. For the most dramatic temperature swing from any Indian city, Dras still wins.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAvg temp May 2026<\/strong><\/td>10\u00b0C \u2013 20\u00b0C (overnight lows often hit 5\u00b0C)<\/td><\/tr> Entry fee<\/strong><\/td>Free entry to town. Kargil War Memorial: free for Indians, \u20b950 for foreign nationals<\/td><\/tr> Timings<\/strong><\/td>Kargil War Memorial: 6:00 am \u2013 8:00 pm daily<\/td><\/tr> Best time of day<\/strong><\/td>Mornings (9 am \u2013 1 pm); afternoons stay cool but winds pick up<\/td><\/tr> How to reach<\/strong><\/td>Fly to Srinagar (SXR), then 8-hour drive on NH-1 via Sonmarg and Zoji La. Shared taxis from Srinagar bus stand: \u20b91,800 per seat<\/td><\/tr> Time required<\/strong><\/td>1 night minimum, ideally as a stop on a Srinagar\u2013Leh road trip<\/td><\/tr> Ideal for<\/strong><\/td>Adventure travellers, history buffs, anyone serious about cold<\/td><\/tr> Pro tip<\/strong><\/td>Stop at Drass Sub-Sector view for an unobstructed Tiger Hill view \u2014 the same one you’ve seen in Kargil War footage. Carry a thermos of kahwa.<\/td><\/tr> May 2026 access status<\/strong><\/td>Zoji La open since first week of April 2026, unusually early. Drukpa village road tarmacked last September.<\/td><\/tr> Where to stay<\/strong><\/td>StayVista doesn’t host properties in Dras itself. Most travellers route via Srinagar and stay one night in Kargil’s J&KTDC guesthouse before pushing on to Leh.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/span>3. Spiti Valley (Kaza), Himachal Pradesh – 12\u00b0C to 20\u00b0C<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSpiti is what most travellers picture when they imagine cold-desert India: monasteries on cliffs, lithium-blue lakes, a horizon you can see for fifty kilometres. The Atal Tunnel is open year-round now, but Kunzum Pass – the gateway to Chandratal – usually only opens late May to early June. Plan for the eastern (Shimla\u2013Kinnaur) route if you’re travelling before 25 May. Daytime temperatures sit in the high teens this week. Bring thermals for the nights.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAvg temp May 2026<\/strong><\/td>12\u00b0C \u2013 20\u00b0C (overnight lows can dip to 4\u00b0C)<\/td><\/tr> Entry fee<\/strong><\/td>Key Monastery: free; Dhankar Monastery: \u20b925; Chandratal entry: \u20b950 (Indians) – accessible only after Kunzum opens<\/td><\/tr> Timings<\/strong><\/td>Monasteries: 7:00 am \u2013 6:00 pm daily<\/td><\/tr> Best time of day<\/strong><\/td>Mornings for monasteries, late afternoon for valley photography<\/td><\/tr> How to reach<\/strong><\/td>From Chandigarh: drive via Shimla\u2013Kinnaur (the safer eastern route, 12 hours) \u2014 open year-round. From Manali: via Atal Tunnel\u2013Kunzum Pass (8 hours, Kunzum typically opens 25 May to first week of June). HRTC buses ply both routes.<\/td><\/tr> Time required<\/strong><\/td>5 days minimum to do Kaza, Key, Kibber, Dhankar without rushing<\/td><\/tr> Ideal for<\/strong><\/td>Road-trippers, photographers, slow travellers comfortable with rough terrain<\/td><\/tr> Pro tip<\/strong><\/td>Spend your first night at 8,000 feet (Kalpa or Tabo), not at Kaza’s 12,500 feet – your body will thank you. Carry Diamox if you’ve had altitude issues before.<\/td><\/tr> May 2026 access status<\/strong><\/td>Atal Tunnel open. Kunzum Pass still closed as of 12 May \u2014 eastern route via Shimla\u2013Kinnaur is your only reliable entry until late May.<\/td><\/tr> Where to stay<\/strong><\/td>StayVista doesn’t operate properties in Spiti. Most travellers use government-run homestays in Kibber, Langza, or Tabo (\u20b91,200\u2013\u20b92,500 per night).<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/span>4. Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh – 12\u00b0C to 20\u00b0C<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nTawang is the journey people wish more travellers took. The 14th Dalai Lama was born here. The monastery dates to 1680. Getting there is its own adventure – two days from Guwahati through landslide country – but for serious cold-weather seekers in May, it delivers what no other Indian destination quite matches: emptiness. Most travellers from Kolkata or Guwahati combine Tawang with Bomdila and Dirang to make the long drive worthwhile.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAvg temp May 2026<\/strong><\/td>12\u00b0C \u2013 20\u00b0C (Sela Pass can drop to 2\u00b0C)<\/td><\/tr> Entry fee<\/strong><\/td>Inner Line Permit mandatory: \u20b9300 (Indians, up to 3 days) or \u20b9500 (up to 14 days); \u20b9600 (foreign nationals). Tawang Monastery: free<\/td><\/tr> Timings<\/strong><\/td>Monastery: 6:00 am \u2013 7:00 pm; Sela Pass: open 24 hours but avoid after dark<\/td><\/tr> Best time of day<\/strong><\/td>Sunrise at Tawang Monastery; afternoons for Madhuri Lake<\/td><\/tr> How to reach<\/strong><\/td>Fly to Tezpur (TEZ) or Guwahati (GAU), then 12-hour drive via Bomdila and Sela Pass. Shared taxis from Tezpur: \u20b91,500 per seat. Apply for permits at Arunachal Pradesh eILP portal<\/a>.<\/td><\/tr>Time required<\/strong><\/td>