Mountains and Passes of India

The Karakoram Pass (5,540 m) in Ladakh connects India with China (Xinjiang region). It is one of the highest passes in the world and is located in the Karakoram mountain range. The historic Silk Road passed through this region.

Nathu La pass in Sikkim connects India with China's Tibet Autonomous Region. It was reopened for trade in 2006 after being closed since the 1962 war. At 4,310 metres, it is one of the three open trading border posts between India and China.

The Western Ghats are locally known as the Sahyadri range. They run parallel to the western coast of India for about 1,600 km through Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. They are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Rohtang Pass (3,978 m) is located in Himachal Pradesh on the eastern end of the Kullu Valley, connecting Manali to the Lahaul and Spiti valleys. The Atal Tunnel (opened 2020) bypasses this pass, providing year-round connectivity.

Jelep La pass at 4,267 m connects the Chumbi Valley of Tibet with Sikkim and was an important trade and travel route between India and Tibet. It is located near Nathu La but at a lower elevation and is currently restricted.

The Vindhya Range acts as a natural boundary separating the Indo-Gangetic Plain (North India) from the Deccan Plateau. It runs across central India through Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.

Anamudi (2,695 m) is the highest peak in South India, located in the Eravikulam National Park in the Anaimalai Hills of Kerala. It is also the highest peak in the Western Ghats.

Siachen Glacier is located in the Karakoram mountain range in Ladakh. At 76 km long, it is the world's second largest non-polar glacier and the world's highest battlefield, where Indian and Pakistani forces have been deployed since 1984.

Lipu Lekh Pass in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district is a traditional route to Kailash Mansarovar. Pilgrims on the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra use this pass. India and China have had disputes over this tri-junction area.

The Nilgiri Hills (Blue Mountains) are situated at the junction of Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. The highest peak is Doddabetta (2,637 m). The Nilgiris are home to the famous Ooty hill station and the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.

Zoji La (3,528 m) is a high mountain pass in the Ladakh/J&K region, connecting Srinagar in the Kashmir Valley with Kargil and Ladakh. It is strategically very important and remains the only land route between Kashmir and Ladakh during winter months when other passes are closed.

Guru Shikhar (1,722 m) near Mount Abu in Rajasthan is the highest peak of the Aravalli Range. The Aravalli Range is one of the oldest fold mountains in the world, running for about 800 km from Delhi to Gujarat.

The Palghat Gap (Palakkad Gap) is a low mountain pass in the Western Ghats between the Nilgiri Hills and the Anaimalai Hills in Kerala. At about 30 km wide and 300 m elevation, it provides easy connectivity between Kerala and Tamil Nadu and influences the regional climate.

Shipki La (6,608 m) is a high-altitude mountain pass in Himachal Pradesh through which the Sutlej river enters India from Tibet. It is one of India's official immigration checkposts and a trade route between India and China.

Milam Glacier in the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand is the source of the Gori Ganga river. It was formerly a major trade route to Tibet. Climate change has caused significant recession of this glacier over the past decades.

The Patkai Range (which includes the Naga Hills, Manipur Hills, and Mizo Hills) forms the natural boundary between India's northeastern states and Myanmar. The Patkai Hills are the westernmost extension of the Indo-Malayan mountain system.

K2 is known by multiple names — Godwin-Austen (after the British surveyor), Chhogori or Chogori (Balti for 'Big Mountain'), and the 'Savage Mountain' due to its extreme difficulty and high fatality rate among climbers. It is located in the Karakoram range in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Doddabetta (2,637 m) is the highest peak of the Nilgiris and is located in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu near Ooty. It is the second highest peak in South India after Anamudi and offers panoramic views from the telescope house at its summit.

Baralacha La (4,890 m) connects Lahaul (in Himachal Pradesh) with Ladakh. It is located on the Leh-Manali Highway and is the source of the Bhaga river (a tributary of the Chenab). The pass remains snow-covered for most of the year.