Drass

Dras is a town in the Kargil District of Jammu and Kashmir, India on National Highway 1D (India) NH 1D. It is often called 'The Gateway to Ladakh'. The town shot into prominence in the summer of 1999 following Pakistani army incursions into Jammu and Kashmir. The Kargil War saw the town being shelled by the Pakistani army and the war ended with the Indian Army recapturing the areas surrounding the town and the Kargil district.

The Dras valley starts from the base of the Zojila pass, the Himalayan gateway to Ladakh. For centuries, its inhabitants have been known to have negotiated this formidable pass even during the riskiest period (in late autumn or early spring, when the whole sector remains snow-bound and is subject to frequent snow storms) to transport trading merchandise and to help stranded travellers traverse the pass. They thereby established a monopoly over porterage during the heyday of the pan-Asian trade. A hardy people enduring with fortitude the harshness of the valley's winter, the inhabitants of Dras can well be described as the guardians of Ladakh's gateway.

During the three-month long armed conflict between Indian and Pakistani troops, the physical landmarks of war such as Drass sector, Mushko valley, to lo-ling and tiger hill attained an epic status. During the 3 day long trek from the Zoji - la pass, you can visit various prominent attractions such as Treaty road and India Gate. Some places of interest in Ladakh include

The tourist complex in Drass provides well furnished guest rooms and suites. There are some private deluxe hotels with good accommodation and modern facilities.The buses plying between Srinagar and Kargil passes through the Drass sector. The local buses leave for Kargil in the morning and Drass sector in the afternoon. The capital of Kashmir, Srinagar is connected to Kargil / Drass sector via National Highway 1.