Surreal Beauty & Calming Reflections of Nubra Valley Ladakh | Nubra Valley Travel Guide

First Published on August 29, 2017

The soft tinkle of the singing bowl echoed across the valley adding to the mystic aura that I felt as I stared at the fluffy clouds floating in the blue sky. The brown, white, and black mountains framed the perfectly still landscape. 
 Bewitched - I kept looking until the first ripple finally - broke the spell - the one that was cast by the surreal beauty & the calming reflections of Nubra Valley Ladakh.

If you are in Leh, the one thing that most people recommend that you do is take an overnight trip to Nubra valley Ladakh. Before I hit Ladakh, that is exactly what a lot of people told me to do. And when I did, I ended up discovering a land of surreal beauty and calming reflections. Traveling through Nubra Valley in Ladakh felt as if I were watching a movie on one of the travel channels like National Geographic. And that is what you will be experiencing through this Nubra Valley Tour.

This Nubra valley travel guide has answers to most of your questions pertaining to your proposed visit here. From things to see in Nubra Valley to how to get there, where to stay, what to pack – you have it all in this mega post. However, while you get all that information, you will also, be treated to the best of Nubra Valley sightseeing through my own experience here. Hope you are ready for this whirlwind of a tour through Nubra valley Ladakh.

Facts about Nubra Valley Ladakh

Located along the Northern border of India, a little below the famed Siachen glacier, is the Nubra Valley. A tributary of Indus – Shyok river and the Nubra river (Siachen river) slices through this vale creating three arms between the Ladakh and Karakorum range of mountains. This valley is quite unlike the valleys that one has heard of – green in some parts but a cold desert in many others and a little rocky in some, Nubra Valley in Ladakh surprised me with its textures and colors.

The name Nubra in Ladakhi means Western. The valley was originally called Ldumra which in Tibetan means “Valley of Flowers” – on account of the blossoms that still spring between June to August. The strange contrast of landforms has some interesting facts attached to them. Here are some of those facts about Nubra Valley.

• Nubra Valley Ladakh is 3000m about sea level – which places it at a lower altitude as compared to Leh. This makes acclimatization to Ladakh much easier.
• The valley has earned the sobriquet of being the Orchard of Ladakh owing to its numerous plantations -especially those of Apricots.
• Shyok river that flows through this cold desert valley is called the river of death. This is because it originates from a part of the Siachen glacier called the Rimo glacier and flows extremely fast – making it impossible for people to cross it.

History of Nubra Valley in Ladakh

Nubra Valley in Ladakh was an important place in the yesteryears for it was one of the key places that lay along the historic silk route. The area used to be under local chieftains and had a huge Tibetan and Buddhist influence. This is evident from the number of monasteries that are still functional in the Nubra Valley – the oldest one being the 15th-century Diskit Monastery. During the 16th century, the valley was ruled by the Namgyal dynasty of Ladakh.

During the partition in 1947, there were parts of Nubra Valley that were included in Pakistan. During the 1971 Indo-Pak war, India reclaimed four of the villages of Nubra Valley. These included Turtuk, Chalunkha, Tyakshi and Thang. These villages remained out of bounds for tourists until 2010. Now with a special Nubra Valley Permit, you can visit Turtuk and experience the Muslim – rather Balti culture in the hamlet.

The Siachen Glacier in Nubra Valley is another point that has a battle history. In fact, it has earned the term of being the highest battlefield in the world. Until 2019, no one was allowed here except for the Indian army. Now, with the relevant permits, you can trek up to a certain level of the Siachen glacier.

Things to do in Nubra Valley | The ultimate Nubra Valley Sightseeing List

The Nubra Valley sightseeing list is as varied as the landscapes in this region. As you go through this section on the best things to do in Nubra Valley, you will notice that it has something for everyone. From experiencing unique cultures to capturing surreal beauty and getting a dose of adrenaline through adventure activities, there is plenty to do in Nubra Valley Ladakh. There are five major areas that I will cover through this section of the Nubra Valley Travel Guide –

• Diskit
• Hunder
• Sumur
• Turtuk
• Panamik

So let’s begin.

Make a brief stop at the Khardung La pass

At an elevation of 5,359 m above sea level, Khardung La is one of the highest motorable passes in the world. When I had visited it first, it head the record of being the highest one but later records showed that the claim was erroneous. Either way, it is worthwhile a visit – and one that you cannot avoid when traveling from Leh to Nubra Valley. A quick hop out of the car to capture the snowy peaks of Ladakh is highly recommended.

However, do not spend more than 10 minutes here lest you get hit by AMS (Read about AMS right here). As you bundle in and drive down the pass, watch out for the green patch with a beautiful stream. This is the Tsolding Buddha park in Ladakh and this too, is a great place to spend a few minutes. You might even catch Yaks crossing the stream just as I did.

Experience the barren mountains and calming reflections

You don’t have to go to specific vantage points to experience the beauty of Nubra Valley Ladakh. From the time begin your journey from Leh to Nubra Valley, you will witness the uncanny charm of the land.

A few kilometers past Khardung La (one of the highest motorable passes of the world) had me turn back constantly, I kept trying to reassure myself that there were indeed some snow-capped mountains that we had crossed. I pinched myself over and over again for the whole landscape had suddenly turned rocky with some streams flowing around here and there. Patches of blooms would just appear to interrupt the otherwise, sandy yet artistic landscape.

There is a certain beauty in these barren mountains that you are bound to gasp over. It seems unearthly and even more for me when I captured the most amazing reflections on the water that we passed by. Be it just the calm beauty of those barren mountains or the stunning beasts that they shelter.

Visit Diskit Monastery in Nubra Valley Ladakh

One of your major stops on your Nubra Valley Tour (not counting the photo stops) will be the Diskit monastery. The monastery atop a hill looks quite impressive and naturally, so given that it was the largest one in Nubra Valley. I had heard that the place had a very impressive prayer hall, a Maitreya Buddha statue within and some unusual Buddhist guardian statues within. Sadly, time was short and I could not really explore the place to discover these on my own. However, we did visit another of its landmarks – another Maitreya Buddha statue and this one, was really gigantic.

This 32 feet statue dominates the sky and faced the Shyok river. The Jhampa statue is a recent addition to this old monastery and was constructed in 2010 with all the donations that the place got. The statue is said to be a symbol of world peace and specifically, aims at preventing a clash with Pakistan. Hence, it has been built to face the country. It is said to bring peace and protection to the Nubra Valley below.

The day being clear, I got multiple shots of this statue from every possible angle. It might sound crazy but each angle gave me something new to admire in this statue. Like the side view showcases a building with windows – I wonder if you caught that at the first glance 😉

Feel the Nubra Valley sand dunes at Hunder

If barren mountains were not a distinct enough landscape, you suddenly, encounter sand dunes. The cold desert of Ladakh makes its appearance in Nubra valley in the most bizarre manner as one leaves Diskit monastery and heads to Hunder, Gone were the rocky formations and all you could see were miles of free flowing, ever-shifting sand dunes. It was as if nature was showcasing its best all in one place.

Meet the cutest animals – the bactrian camels of Nubra Valley

Where there are dunes, there have to be camels. And not just any camels, but the cutest ones with double humps. The Bactrian camels of Nubra Valley Ladakh stole my heart, especially this guy as he stared back at me in the eye to say – “Yo there! What are you upto?”.

The Bactrian double-humped camels have been the chief mode of transport and living for the people of Nubra Valley. They were the prime means of crossing the Nubra Valley desert for the tradesmen on the silk route. Sadly these camels now are all tagged for tourist activities which include camel riding. Even the babies are strung along.

Head to Turtuk – the last village of India

This is one major regret that I have when it comes to my trip to Nubra Valley Ladakh. I could not visit the Balti settlement at Turtuk. Turtuk as I mentioned earlier, was closed for tourists till 2010. The village along with three others became a part of India in 1971. The change was literally overnight and there are tons of stories floating around on how some of its natives slept in Pakistan but woke up in India.

Turtuk is a cultural hub where a unique culture called Balti prevails. The people speak a different language that has no script and practice Islam. The village is full of apricot orchards and a night stay here is highly recommended to enjoy its folk dances and to learn about their unique rituals.

Explore the Samstanling Monastery in Sumur

My journey in Nubra Valley in Ladakh ended at Hunder . That does not mean that your list of things to do in Nubra Valley ends with that. Besides Turtuk that I mentioned above, I have three more interesting Nubra Valley sightseeing options. Sumur and the Samstanling monastery is one of them.

Samstaling monastery is the 2nd largest monastery in Nubra Valley and is renowned for its gorgeous murals. A visit here entails a trek – an activity that most of my adventure-loving readers would totally enjoy. While in Sumur, you can even plan to visit the Yarab Tso Lake – a tranquil water body that captures the most amazing reflections of the landscape.

Dip into the Panamik hot spring in Nubra Valley Ladakh

Panamik is one of the key villages in Nubra Valley Ladakh and is famous for its hot sulphur springs. It is believed that a dip in these waters cures rheumatism. Ensa Monastery is the other Nubra Valley attraction that is located in this village. It is 250 years old and is home to ancient Buddhist scripts and murals

Add a drive to Siachen Glacier in your Nubra Valley tour

Until 2019, Siachen glacier was out of bounds for tourists. The closest you could go was Panamik village in Nubra Valley. Now, with the Nubra Valley permit, you can get to the base camp of Siachen Glacier and see some bit of what is called the highest battlefield in the world.

Suggested Nubra Valley itinerary

Is it possible to do a day trip to Nubra Valley? – This is a common question that I get from most of my readers. My answer is – Yes, you can but it will just be a tick mark on your Ladakh attraction. You can never get the full flavor of Nubra Valley Ladakh unless you have spent at least one night here. Ideally, I would recommend two nights. It is a good idea even from the perspective of your health. Given that this is at a lower altitude as compared to Leh, the acclimatization is much better in Nubra Valley.

Here is my recommended Nubra Valley itinerary for 2 nights –

• Leave Leh in the morning and cross Khardung La to start your journey towards Diskit monastery. Have lunch in Diskit and explore the Maitreyi Buddha
• Stay the night at Diskit or continue onto Hunder to spend the night there. You can stop at the various sand dunes on the way.
• If time is of the essence, you can head back to Leh or Pangong the next day. Else, continue towards Turtuk the next day and check into a home stay here. Experience the Balti culture before heading back to Leh.
• An alternative to the above itinerary would be to head to Panamik via Sumur and visit the hot springs.

If you wish to include all of it, then you would need at least 3 – 4 nights in Nubra Valley Ladakh, especially if you are opting for one of those treks.

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Booking resources

• Booking.com has good listings for stays and Nubra valley camps . You can use this link to book one for yourself. 
• For any of your travel needs or general shopping, consider using Amazon through this link.

Disclaimer: This article includes affiliate links. This means that at no cost to you, I will receive a small commission if you purchase through my link. Thank you for supporting me with this.

P.S: I experienced Nubra Valley as a part of the Highest Blogger Meet organized by ScoutMyTrip and OYO Rooms