'''Nubra Valley''' is in Ladakh region of state of Jammu and Kashmir in India.

Understand

Nubra Valley lies in the old '''Silk Route''' from South to Central Asia. Traders and their caravans used to traverse this route from areas in Ladakh and Kashmir to Central Asian places like Yarkand and Baltistan. Currently it is a military area because both Pakistan and China borders touch this region with whom India does not have very cordial relationship. The valley is relatively warm during summers but temperature goes down to -40 degrees celsius during winters.

Towns & Villages

  • Diskit
  • Panamik
  • Hunder
  • Sumur
  • Khalsar
  • Khardung
  • Rivers

    This region is fed by two rivers, one is '''Shyok''' and other one is '''Nubra'''. When descending from Khardungla pass, one encounters '''Shyok''' river and continues on its left bank. The river's entire basin is visible from road. The river is not full of water so, it has many channels. The basin is o/w filled with sand, stones and occasional green patches of trees, shrubs and sometimes cultivated fields. Same is the case with Nubra river which originates at '''Siachen glacier'''. They both meet near a place called Khalsar.

    Talk

    The people here speak Ladakhi or Balti language and their dialects but they fairly understand and speak Hindi and a bit of English mostly due to number of foreigh tourists who visit this region.

    Get in

    It is approachable by road from the city of Leh which is the capital of Ladakh region. One has to climb the '''Khardung La''' pass (also known as '''K\Top''') ,popularly but wrongly claimed to be the highest motorable pass in the world and descend into the valley further beyond. The road forks at a place called Khalsar, one of which goes towards towns Diskit & Hunder and further upto a place called Chalunka but tourists are not allowed to go beyond Hunder. The other road goes to towns like Sumur & Panamik and further upto Sosoma check point and Siachen base camp but tourists cannot go beyond Panamik.

    Get around

    Public transport is very intermittent and unpredicatble due to remoteness and difficult terrain of the place, so your best bet is to go by your own vehicle.

    See

    The major attractions apart from the mountain scenery and '''Shyok''' river basin to this region are cold desert and '''bactrian camels''' of Hunder and hot water springs of Panamik. Yes, there is a desert with sand dunes around Diskit and Hunder which host bactrian camels who have two humps reminding us of old times when this region was a part of '''Silk Route''' to Central Asia. Panamik hot springs are not that great with not very great amount of water oozing from mountain cervice at around 60-70 degree.

    Itineraries

    Leh -> Diskit -> Hunder -> Panamik -> Leh is a possible itinerary with overnight stay at Diskit and Panamik.

    Get out

    The only way out is to go back to Leh and then proceed somewhere else. There is no other escape from here.