The Nubra Valley, can be truly termed as Shangri-La, with its dreamlike beauty of reddish hued mountains, silent and isolated, like earth’s hidden treasure. Its administrative center, Diskit, is a 150 kms ride by bus from Leh.
It is located on the edge of a desert on the Shyok-side valley on one side, and with the Khardong La (La means Pass). on the other side. There is an increase in height here ,by over 2000 meters, and on arrival here, your body needs initial reorientation to adjust to the rarity in atmosphere, as you can be prone to dehydration, headache and nausea. Roads are maintained by the Indian army and permits are required. There can be sudden changes of weather. The excursion can be tough, for the strong hearted, but an unforgettable experience.
Surrounded by the majestic Himalayas, that remain snowcapped all the year round, it is a thrill to see the superb views of Leh valley. The initial descent into the valley can be tricky, but down below you start following a mellow stream, and come into a surprisingly green landscape with rugged stone formations rising up into the sky with the peaks in the background.
Diskit is sparsely populated and almost seems like a ghost town, with a pervading smells of smoky Ladakhi kitchens, goats and pungent chang, which is the local brew here. Partake of a local meal served sitting around the massive black stove in a village kitchen, the most important room in any Ladakhi house, being the warmest, where all the family gets together during the long, freezing winter nights..
Once you are conditioned to the atmosphere, you will enjoy taking a day’s walk to Somoor, and 3 kms further on, to Tiger. The furthest place allowed on your permit, is a visit to the valley of Panamik, the last settlement of any size before the Tibetan border. You will enjoy the sizzling hot springs on the outskirts of Panamik, an amazing natural phenomenon in this cold and barren setting. In the far horizon, across the valley, you will see the 250-year old Ensa gompa, perched on a rock facing the mountain.
To enjoy a bird’s eye view of the heavenly network of mountains, you can take a trip by helicopter and fly over the Khardungla Pass, the highest motor able pass in the world Otherwise, you have to enjoy trekking, as there is no other mode of transport in these parts, except for army trucks. Having been on the ancient silk route and open to outside influence, the people of Nubra are of a more progressive attitude and are educated. You will also get to see the unusual double humped Bactrian camel, rarely seen elsewhere in Ladakh. |
