Nubra Valley

Nubra Valley is a high cold-desert valley in northern Ladakh, formed where the Shyok and Nubra rivers meet, and reached from Leh over the Khardung La pass at about 5,359 metres. Nubra Valley lies at around 3,000 metres, lower than Leh, so it feels warmer and greener, with villages of barley fields, apricot orchards and poplars.

Nubra was once a stop on the caravan routes between Ladakh, Yarkand and Central Asia, and traders brought double-humped Bactrian camels with them. Their descendants still graze on the white sand dunes at Hunder, which is the odd and much-photographed sight of the valley: desert dunes framed by snow peaks. Above the valley, Diskit Monastery is the oldest and largest monastery in Nubra, and a giant Maitreya Buddha statue sits below it. Further west along the Shyok, Turtuk is a Balti village that was part of Pakistan until 1971 and opened to visitors in 2010. Most itineraries give Nubra one or two nights.

What to see

• The sand dunes between Diskit and Hunder, with camel rides in the afternoon
• Diskit Monastery and its 32-metre Maitreya statue
• The hot springs at Panamik, up the Nubra river side of the valley
• Sumur and Samstanling Monastery on the Nubra side
• Turtuk, with its Balti culture and apricot orchards

What to wear

Nubra is warmer than Leh in the day but still cold at night, so pack layers, a fleece and a windproof jacket. The crossing of Khardung La is freezing in any season, so keep a down jacket and gloves in the car. Bring sunglasses, sunscreen and a scarf against dust on the dunes. For monasteries, cover shoulders and knees and remove shoes before prayer halls. Ladakhi people traditionally wear the goncha, a long woollen robe tied with a bright sash.

Local food to try

Guesthouses and camps in Hunder and Diskit serve home-style Ladakhi food: thukpa noodle soup, skyu (a hearty stew of thumb-pressed wheat pasta and vegetables), momos, khambir flatbread with apricot jam, and salty butter tea. In Turtuk, Balti families serve apricot dishes and buckwheat breads, and fresh apricots are sold in season from July to August. Vegetarian food is easy to find, and Turtuk's Muslim households serve halal meat.

Good to know

• Best from June to September; Khardung La can close after snow
• Open at all times; camel rides are mostly in the late afternoon
• Foreign visitors need a Protected Area Permit, arranged by a Leh agent
• Allow one or two nights; a day trip from Leh is too rushed
• Diskit is about 120 km from Leh, 4 to 5 hours by road
• Photography near army installations is not allowed

Nearby places

The road from Leh crosses Khardung La. In the valley, Diskit Monastery and the Hunder Sand Dunes are only a few kilometres apart, and a road along the Shyok links Nubra to Pangong Lake.