Nubra Valley Travel Guide
Nubra Valley is located in the union territory of Ladakh. Average altitude of the place is 3048 meters above the sea level. Capital of Nubra valley is Diskit village. It is located 150 km away from Leh.
Nubra Valley lies on the old silk route. The two main rivers of the valley are the Shyok River and the Nubra River. These two rivers meet at Nubra to form a large valley. This valley separates Ladakh from the Karakoram ranges.
It is believed the original name of the place was Ldumra which means the Valley of Flowers. The Nubra Valley lies on the border line of both China and Pakistan. Special Inner Line Permit is required for the tourists to visit the place. The permit is obtained from the local office in Leh.
The place is strongly dominated by Buddhism. Nubra is a high altitude cold desert. The Nubra Valley is surrounded by some breath taking beautiful landscape. On the Northen side is the Siachen Glacier and on the North West side lies the Karakoram Range and the Sasser Pass. The main access to Nubra valley is through the Khardunla Pass. This is open to vehicular traffic all through the year.
The soil here is very fertile and various types of crops are grown of which red apples, apricots, walnuts and almond are famous. There are few villages located in this valley. Out of them, Tirith, Sumur and Panamik are major ones. The Paramik village on the Nubra valley is famous for its natural springs. It is also the last village on the Northern side till which tourists are allowed to go.
Nubra Valley is also famous for the Pashmina Shawls which are world renowned. The local people here normally speak the Ladhaki and the Balti language. Diskit town is the headquarters of the valley.
How to Reach Nubra Valley
Nubra Valley is 120 Kms from Leh. The road from Leh to Nubra passes through Khardung La pass (17,582 ft). It is the highest motorable road in the world. The road condition is extremely tough and only SUV type vehicles are suitable to ply here. Hiring a car from Leh is the only option to reach here.
Distance of Nubra Valley from Below Places:
| Place | Distance (KM) |
|---|---|
|
Leh |
120 |
|
Khardung La |
40 |
Weather
Nubra Valley Temperature
- Summer (May to Jun) – Temperatures are mild and range between (2°C) to (19°C). This is when the winter snow starts to melt and the mountain roads are opened for traffic. It is advisable to know the current road conditions before you start your journey
- Monsoon – (Jul to Sep) – The whole of Ladakh being a rain shadow area, the rain fall is very low and that too for small intervals. This is actually the best time to visit Ladakh with the sky remains pristine blue and the temperature is moderate (~ 5 to 20 degree C)
- Winter – (Oct to Apr) – Temperatures are low and remain in sub zero range with few places falling as below as -20 degree C. From late October, fresh sow fall starts and roads get closed for traffic.
- Best Time to Visit – July to September is the best season for tourism
What to See In Nubra Valley
Diskit monastery is the largest and oldest monastery in the Nubra Valley. In 14th century Changzem Tserab Zangpo founded the monastery. It belongs to the Gelugpa group among the Buddhists. Several shrines are found here. A huge number of Tibetan and Mongolian texts are preserved here. The prayer hall of the monastery has a deity of Maitreya Buddha. In February Dosmoche festival happens in the monastery. Many local people attend this festival.
It is a very serene and calm village with a soothing effect. Infact, it is like a pleasant oasis within the cold desert like region. One can hear the refreshing sound of the rivers and streams cross the lush green landscape. It is known for the medicinal plant named sea-buckthorn, known for its nutritive quality. One can also find fruits like walnuts, apricots, apples etc. The Hunder festival is celebrated annually where traditional dances are performed by regional artists.
Panamik is an enchanting green valley bordered by mountains covered by snow. It lies on the banks of the Nubra river and is close to the Siachen Glacier. Panamik is also well known for its hot springs that have incredible healing properties. The hot water spring , situated at a high altitude of over 10,000 ft above sea level is potent to cure ailments like rheumatism.
Sumur is a lovely village based upon a high altitude. The fields are colored yellow with shades of green due to the mustard plantations alternating with grassy patches.
Other Details
What to Do
There are sand dunes running into several kilometers between Diskit and Hunder. The Camel Safari in Hunder Sand Dunes, 10 kms from Diskit, is one of the most important attractions in Nubra Valley. The world famous two humped Bactrian camels are found here. The ride on these camel’s back is an adventurous experience in the Himalayan ranges.
Where to Eat
- Gyantse Restaurant in Diskit Market
- Hiamlayan Guest House
What to Buy
There is A Curio Shop in Diskit Valley. Other than this the valley does not have much in terms of shopping.
Get Around
Having your own car is the only means to travel around the valley. In case something goes wrong approach the army personnel who are always happy to help.
Top Destinations - Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh
– Gulmarg
– Jammu
– Kargil
– Leh
– Nubra Valley
– Pangong Lake
– Patnitop
– Pahalgam
– Sonamarg
– Srinagar
– Tso Moriri Lake
– Vaishno Devi
Popular Tour Plans - Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh
4-6 Days
1. Srinagar-Pahalgam (5N/6D)
7-10 Days
1. Jammu-Srinagar-Gulmarg-Pahalgam (8N/9D)
2. Jammu-Srinagar-Gulmarg-Sonamarg-Pahalgam (9N/10D)
> 10 Days
1. Jammu-Vaishno Devi-Patnitop-Srinagar-Gulmarg-Sonamarg-Pahalgam (11N/12D)
2. Srinagar-Kargil-Leh-Pangong Lake-Nubra Valley-Tso Moriri Lake-Sarchu-Manali (13N/14D)