![Playing with the shadows........On the way from Pangong Tso Lake (Changthang Valley) to Hundar (Nubra Valley) : North-East Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, India. [EXPLORED] | by biswarupsarkar72](http://live.staticflickr.com/8788/16993684849_c5635f84fe.jpg)
Playing with the shadows........On the way from Pangong Tso Lake (Changthang Valley) to Hundar (Nubra Valley) : North-East Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, India. [EXPLORED]
On 9th October morning, at around 10.00 am, we set our journey from Pangong Tso Lake and proceeded towards North-West, keeping Karakoram Range on the right and Ladakh Range on the left . We reached Hundar (Nubra Valley) via Durbuk Village, Wari la pass (one of the most treacherous Passes known), Digar La Pass, Digar Village, Khalsar and Diskit. To me, Nubra Valley has its own exclusive exotic beauty. The journey along the Shyok River was simply amazing and a lifetime experience.
( Photographed from moving car.)
Nubra Valley
Nubra is a tri-armed valley located to the north east of Ladakh valley. Diskit is the capital of Nubra. The Shyok River meets the Nubra or Siachan River to form a large valley that separates the Ladakh and Karakoram Ranges. The Shyok river is a tributary of the Indus river. The average altitude of the valley is about 10,000 ft. above the sea level. The common way to access this valley is to travel over the Khardung La pass from Leh town.
Geography
Like the rest of the Tibetan Plateau, Nubra is a high altitude cold desert with rare precipitation and scant vegetation except along river beds. The villages are irrigated and fertile, producing wheat, barley, peas, mustard and a variety of fruits and nuts, including blood apples, walnuts, apricots and even a few almond trees. The majority are Buddhists. In the Valley, along the Shyok River, the inhabitants are Balti. Who speak Balti, and are Shia and Sufia Nurbakhshia Muslims.
Siachen Glacier lies to the north of the valley. The Sasser Pass and the famous Karakoram Pass lie to the northwest of the valley and connect Nubra with Uyghur (Mandarin : Xinjiang). Previously there was much trade passing through this area with western China's Xinjiang and Central Asia.
Places in Nubra Valley
Diskit is the headquarters of the Nubra Valley. It is also connected by road with Leh. The 32 metre Maitreya Buddha statue is the landmark of Nubra Valley and is maintained by the Diskit Monastery.
Along the Nubra or Siachan River lie many villages.They are Sumur, Kyagar, Tirith, Panamik, Turtuk and many others.
Diskit, is famous for its Diskit Monastery, which was built in 1420 AD. Hundar was the capital of the erstwhile Nubra kingdom in the 17th century, and is home to the Chamba Gompa. Between Hundar and Diskit lie several kilometres of sand dunes, and (two-humped) bactrian camels graze in the neighbouring "forests" of seabuckthorn.
The beautiful village of Baigdandu is also located in this area. There is a marked presence of people with startling blue eyes, auburn hair and rosy cheeks as against the typical mongoloid features of the Ladakhis. Local lore has it that they were a Greek tribe who came in search of Jesus Christ's tomb and eventually settled here. Baigdandu is also known for the goats that give you the famous Pashmina shawls.
The main road access to the Nubra Valley is over Khardung La pass, thought to be the highest motorable road in the world. An alternative route, opened in 2008, Where the road from Sakti crosses the Wari La Pass and proceeds along the Shyok River and reaches Diskit via Khalsar (see the map). We followed this route from Pangong Tso via Durbuk. Routes from Nubra to Baltistan and Yarkand, though historically important, have been closed since 1947 and 1950 respectively.
The valley was open for tourists till Hunder (the land of sand dunes) until 2010. The region beyond Hunder gives way to a greener region of Ladakh because of its lower altitude. The village of Turtuk which was unseen by tourists till 2010 is a virgin destination for people who seek peace and an interaction with a tribal community of Ladakh. The village is stuffed with apricot trees and children like flowers. The local tribe, Balti, follows its age old customs in their lifestyle and speak a language which is just spoken and not written. Balti people, were part of Pakistan up-till 1972. For tourists Turtuk offers serene camping sites with environment friendly infrastructure.
( source: Wikipedia).
Ladakh Maps: ( www.lehladakhindia.com/ladakhmaps )
Playing with the shadows........On the way from Pangong Tso Lake (Changthang Valley) to Hundar (Nubra Valley) : North-East Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, India. [EXPLORED]
On 9th October morning, at around 10.00 am, we set our journey from Pangong Tso Lake and proceeded towards North-West, keeping Karakoram Range on the right and Ladakh Range on the left . We reached Hundar (Nubra Valley) via Durbuk Village, Wari la pass (one of the most treacherous Passes known), Digar La Pass, Digar Village, Khalsar and Diskit. To me, Nubra Valley has its own exclusive exotic beauty. The journey along the Shyok River was simply amazing and a lifetime experience.
( Photographed from moving car.)
Nubra Valley
Nubra is a tri-armed valley located to the north east of Ladakh valley. Diskit is the capital of Nubra. The Shyok River meets the Nubra or Siachan River to form a large valley that separates the Ladakh and Karakoram Ranges. The Shyok river is a tributary of the Indus river. The average altitude of the valley is about 10,000 ft. above the sea level. The common way to access this valley is to travel over the Khardung La pass from Leh town.
Geography
Like the rest of the Tibetan Plateau, Nubra is a high altitude cold desert with rare precipitation and scant vegetation except along river beds. The villages are irrigated and fertile, producing wheat, barley, peas, mustard and a variety of fruits and nuts, including blood apples, walnuts, apricots and even a few almond trees. The majority are Buddhists. In the Valley, along the Shyok River, the inhabitants are Balti. Who speak Balti, and are Shia and Sufia Nurbakhshia Muslims.
Siachen Glacier lies to the north of the valley. The Sasser Pass and the famous Karakoram Pass lie to the northwest of the valley and connect Nubra with Uyghur (Mandarin : Xinjiang). Previously there was much trade passing through this area with western China's Xinjiang and Central Asia.
Places in Nubra Valley
Diskit is the headquarters of the Nubra Valley. It is also connected by road with Leh. The 32 metre Maitreya Buddha statue is the landmark of Nubra Valley and is maintained by the Diskit Monastery.
Along the Nubra or Siachan River lie many villages.They are Sumur, Kyagar, Tirith, Panamik, Turtuk and many others.
Diskit, is famous for its Diskit Monastery, which was built in 1420 AD. Hundar was the capital of the erstwhile Nubra kingdom in the 17th century, and is home to the Chamba Gompa. Between Hundar and Diskit lie several kilometres of sand dunes, and (two-humped) bactrian camels graze in the neighbouring "forests" of seabuckthorn.
The beautiful village of Baigdandu is also located in this area. There is a marked presence of people with startling blue eyes, auburn hair and rosy cheeks as against the typical mongoloid features of the Ladakhis. Local lore has it that they were a Greek tribe who came in search of Jesus Christ's tomb and eventually settled here. Baigdandu is also known for the goats that give you the famous Pashmina shawls.
The main road access to the Nubra Valley is over Khardung La pass, thought to be the highest motorable road in the world. An alternative route, opened in 2008, Where the road from Sakti crosses the Wari La Pass and proceeds along the Shyok River and reaches Diskit via Khalsar (see the map). We followed this route from Pangong Tso via Durbuk. Routes from Nubra to Baltistan and Yarkand, though historically important, have been closed since 1947 and 1950 respectively.
The valley was open for tourists till Hunder (the land of sand dunes) until 2010. The region beyond Hunder gives way to a greener region of Ladakh because of its lower altitude. The village of Turtuk which was unseen by tourists till 2010 is a virgin destination for people who seek peace and an interaction with a tribal community of Ladakh. The village is stuffed with apricot trees and children like flowers. The local tribe, Balti, follows its age old customs in their lifestyle and speak a language which is just spoken and not written. Balti people, were part of Pakistan up-till 1972. For tourists Turtuk offers serene camping sites with environment friendly infrastructure.
( source: Wikipedia).
Ladakh Maps: ( www.lehladakhindia.com/ladakhmaps )