Nubra Valley Travel Guide: Dunes, Diskit, Turtuk and Khardung La
The Nubra Valley lies about 120 km north of Leh, across Khardung La and the Ladakh Range, with the Karakoram beyond. The places to visit in Nubra Valley are the Hunder sand dunes and their double-humped Bactrian camels, Diskit Monastery and its Maitreya statue, the Panamik hot spring and the village of Turtuk. Go only after 48 hours in Leh, with your permit or fee receipt.
By Experience My India Editorial Team · Reviewed by Experience My India Editorial Team
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Places to visit in Nubra Valley
Things to do in Nubra Valley
Take a camel ride on the Hunder dunes, watch the morning prayers at Diskit, raft the river or walk a stretch of the old trekking routes; the Leh district's own list of treks includes Hunder to Phyang over the Dok La in four to five days. In September the valley holds the Nubra Sports and Adventure festival. What our trips include is on our Nubra Valley tours and experiences page.
Best time to visit Nubra Valley
How to reach Nubra Valley
How many days in Nubra Valley
One night is the usual stay: arrive over Khardung La, give the afternoon to the Hunder dunes and Diskit, and go on to Pangong in the morning. A day trip from Leh means crossing the pass twice in a day, which our tours avoid. Turtuk and Panamik each need a second night. Our Ladakh Tour — 8 days reaches Nubra on day three, after two nights in Leh, then continues to Pangong and Tso Moriri; it suits fit, patient travellers. 10 Days Ladakh with Srinagar starts on Dal Lake and reaches Nubra on day six. Both trips are on our Nubra Valley tour packages page.
Permits and check-posts
Indian citizens need no Inner Line Permit for Nubra. You pay the environment fee online on the Leh district's permit portal before you go and carry proof of it; pay only there, since the administration has warned of fake fee slips sold by private agents. Foreign nationals need a protected-area permit naming the Khardung La and Nubra circuit; it is valid only for the places and entry points it lists, and you may be asked to leave a photocopy at each check-post, so carry several. Our tour packages include the permits their routes need.
Where to stay in Nubra Valley
Expect cottages and tented camps around Diskit and Hunder rather than large hotels, and nights that are cold even in summer. The eight-day tour confirms its camp or hotel at enquiry; the ten-day tour's list of inclusions names no accommodation, so check where you will sleep before you confirm.
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Frequently asked questions
Why is Nubra called the orchard of Ladakh?
The Leh district uses that name for the valley and notes that it was originally called Ldumra, meaning the valley of flowers. Lower and more sheltered than the passes around it, Nubra grows fruit in its villages, and Turtuk, at its far end, is known for its buckwheat. The district's list of Nubra's attractions puts the orchards beside the dunes, camels and monasteries.
How high is the Nubra Valley?
Incredible India puts Diskit, the valley's main town, at over 10,000 feet, a little above 3,000 metres. The road in is much higher: Khardung La, on the way from Leh, is one of the high passes Ladakh's tourism department tells visitors not to cross in their first 48 hours. Official sources disagree on the pass's exact height, so plan for altitude rather than a number.
Can tourists go to the Siachen base camp?
Indian tourists can, up to the base camp only: the Leh district says the Siachen area has been opened to domestic tourists that far, and the base camp appears on the permit portal's Nubra circuit through Sumur and Panamik. It is not listed among the circuits for foreign visitors. Neither of our tours goes there; it needs an extra day and the right permit before you set out.
Do I need a permit for the Nubra Valley?
Indian citizens do not need an Inner Line Permit; they pay the environment fee online through the Leh district's permit portal and carry proof of it to the check-posts. Foreign nationals need a protected-area permit, which covers Khardung La as well as the valley and is valid only for the circuit it names. Both our Nubra tours include the permits their route requires.
How many days should I spend in the Nubra Valley?
One night is enough for the Hunder dunes and Diskit, the way both our tours do it, continuing to Pangong Lake the next day without returning to Leh. Add a second night if you want Turtuk or Panamik and the road towards the Siachen base camp, which lie farther from Diskit. Either way, Nubra comes after your first 48 hours in Leh, not before.
Should I acclimatise before visiting Nubra?
Yes. The Leh district requires every tourist to spend at least 48 hours in Leh before travelling to higher places such as Khardung La, the pass on the only road in, and the health advisory warns that HAPE and HACE can be fatal. Rest completely on your first day in Leh, keep the second gentle, and turn back and see a doctor if a headache or breathlessness gets worse.
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