5 things to do in Nubra Valley
Nubra Valley is one of Ladakh’s prime tourist attractions. Its sand dunes and vast desert attract tourists during the peak season and its breathtaking landscape are akin to heaven for photographers. Here are all the details of how to reach Nubra Valley by road, train and air.
June to September is peak tourist season in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ladakh region. Many tourists from all over India and the world visit Ladakh in this duration as the picturesque Manali-Leh and Leh-Srinagar highways open up for traffic after being snowed under for 6 months. Road trips to Ladakh and within the region are extremely popular among travelers. Ladakh is full of spectacular lakes, breathtaking hillocks and stunning monasteries. However, one of its prime attraction is the remarkable Nubra Valley known for its astonishing desert and sand dunes. The Diskit monastery in Nubra provides a marvelous view of the region while the Hunder sand dunes attract visitors for the Bactrian camel rides. Nubra Valle is located around 150 km north of the Leh city
How to reach Nubra Valley by road
Nubra Valley can only be accessed by road from Leh. One has to take the route via Khardung La (known as the highest motorable road in the world) to reach Nubra. Khardung La falls at a distance of 40 km from Leh. From there, you keep going north to reach Nubra Valley. The total drive will take around 4 hours and 40 minutes. The road from Leh to Khardung La is about 24 km long and asphalted till the South Pullu check post. After this, the road is made up of gravel and dirt track till the North Pullu check point. Right upto Nubra, the route switches between good, tar roads and rocky, bumpy tracks.
How to reach Nubra Valley by train
The closest railway station is Jammu Tawi from where you can take a road trip to Leh and then to Nubra Valley. Leh is located around 653 km from Jammu Tawi Railway station. You will need to get acclimatized in Leh before you go ahead with your road trip to Nubra Valley.
How to reach Nubra Valley by air
You can fly into Leh via Delhi, Srinagar and Jammu by flights run by Air India, Go Air and Jet Airways. You will land at the Leh Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport from where you can take the road route to Nubra Valley as mentioned above.
Enjoy a camel safari
The Nubra Valley is home to the Bactrian camel, a one-of-its-kind camel found only here in India.A camel safari is a popular activity in the sand dunes of this valley.Riding Bactrian Double Humped Camel through the white sand dunes isn’t very expensive either and costs approximately Rs. 180 for 15 minutes.You can get professional photography done while sitting atop the camel.#2River Rafting
The best places for river rafting in Nubra Valley are the Zanskar river and the Indus river.You can witness the wonderful landscapes, ancient monasteries, and scenic mountains when you start rafting from Phey village, 12 km from Leh to Indus-Zanskar.You also have the option to select the distance you would like to enjoy rafting according to your preference.#3Cycling in nearby villages
Love cycling? This place is for you!What’s more, you can enjoy beautiful scenery during the ride.It is recommended to take the Silk Route for cycling. It is the best track to witness the beautiful cliffs and the blue sky.You are likely to catch a glimpse of the snow leopard on this route.Tourists will predominantly see several farming villages, too.#4Explore the culture and history
Turtuk village in the Nubra Valley is one of the very few places in the country where you can explore Balti Muslim culture.There are a few homestays available in this village.You can also visit the Balti Heritage Museum which is maintained by one of the successors of the past rulers. The museum has survived wars and shifting borders.#5Mountain biking
Mountain biking at Khardung La pass is amongst the greatest adventure activities here.This place is the highest motorable pass in India and adrenaline junkies love to enjoy mountain biking in this region.Beware of skidding though. This is why this place is not recommended for non-professional riders.The best time to enjoy biking to the fullest is between June to August.
