Kargil is a district of Ladakh region in Jammu and Kashmir. Zanskar is part of Kargil district along with Suru, Wakha and Dras valleys. Kargil district is nestled in the Himalayas, giving it a cool, temperate climate. Summers are warm with cool nights, while winters are long and cold with temperatures often dropping to -40 °C (-40 °F) with recorded temperatures of -60 °C (-76 °F) in the tiny town of Dras, situated some 56 km (35 mi) from the Kargil town.The entire Kargil district is spread over 14,086 km2 (5,439 sq mi). The Suru River flows through the district.
The region is open for tourists, with steps a travel hub by the Central Government.The Purik language is being spoken by about 78 percent population of Kargil while 10 percent speak Dard group of languages and about 3 per cent speak Balti language.The Buddhists of Zanskar speak Bhotia or Ladakhi language. The Kashmiri language is also spoken by about 50 per cent of the inhabitants of the village Malayan, which lies near the entrance to Kargil district, after crossing the Zojila pass. However, in Drass, we find most of the people there speaking three languages, firstly Purik and Shina, which are the regional languages and then Kashmiri.