|
|
|
|
|
| |
Nubra Valley Camp |
|
|
|
| |
|
| » Home » Nubra Valley Camp |
| |
Nubra Valley is situated about 150
km north of Leh, the capital town of Ladakh, India. Its name
is derived from Ldumra (the valley of flowers). 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 from Leh where one will first encounter
the Shyok Valley. To enter the Nubra valley, one must cross
over the Shyok River via a small bridge and pass through
a military checkpoint. Non-locals require an "Inner Line" permit
to pass. The Sasser Pass and the famous Karakoram Pass lie
to the northwest of the valley which connect Nubra with Xinjiang.
Previously there was much trade passing through the area
with East Turkestan and Central Asia. |
 |
Along the Nubra River
lies the quaint villages of Sumur, Tigher, Tirith and Panamik.
Sumur is also known for an important gompa or monastery
called Samstanling, while Panamik is noted for its hot
springs. Across the Nubra at Panamik, is an isolated Ansa
Gompa located on a hill. Most of the people are of mixed
Tibetan and Central Asian origin and speak varieties of
the Balti language. |
The
Nubra valley is a fertile tract of land producing a variety
of fruits and nuts. The beautiful village of Baigdandu is located
in the valley. Here one can suddenly find beautiful people
boys and girls with startling blue eyes, auburn hair and ruddy
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 settled here. In 1948, the
cease-fire line cut across the tribe, isolating Baigdandu village,
a major part of the tribe was stranded on the other side. In
1971, the Ladakh Scouts liberated more areas and brought more
of these people together,
|
The Shyok
River meets the Nubra to form a large valley that separates
the Ladakh and the Karakoram Ranges. Two villages accessible
to tourists and foreigners in the Shyok Valley are Deskit
and Hundar popular for Sand Dunes Desert of Nubra Valley
and two hump Bacterian Camels. Deskit is home to a busy
and dramatically positioned Deskit Gompa. Hundar ("old
village") was the capital of the erstwhile |
 |
|
Nubra kingdom in the 17th century. Apple, walnut, apricot and even
some rare almond trees are grown. Hundar is home to the Chamba
gompha. Nubra Valley is one of those rare places on earth
where you can see the splendid beauty of Sand Dunes Desert
along with bacterian camels (two-humped), sand dunes similar
to Sahara Desert, rolling mountains and snow peaks along
with Rivers and Tributaries flowing with fresh streams of
water. |
| |
| Sightseeing Highlights: |
 |
Diskit Village is one
of the main villages in Nubra famous for its apricot plantations
and a 350 year-old monastery. Dotted with guest houses
and budget hotels, Diskit is a major halt for tourists.
The road which leads to relatively smaller Hunder Village
from Diskit winds through a stretch of desert sand dunes
and its here where one can spot the famous double-humped |
|
| Bactrian camels. Hunder Village, the last stop where tourists are allowed
in Nubra Valley, is home to an ancient monastery which treasures
old frescoes and a statue of Buddha. Samtanling Gompa in Sumur
Village has a good collection of tangkhas, Buddha idols and
frescoes. The village of Panamik is famous for its hot water
sulphur springs. |
| |
| Other Activities: |
| Enjoying
a typical Ladakhi meal in Nubra is quite a delightful experience.
Chang, a local brew and butter tea are must haves in Nubra.
Camel safaris are yet another way to see the valley. Bactrian
camels, which were once used as pack animals are quite
popular today as a convenient mode of transport for the
locals. There are a row of shops in Diskit. Trekking to
gompas and villages rewards with endless scenic vistas |
 |
|
| from snow - covered mountains to gorges
and deep valleys for the adventure buffs. Saboo to Khalsar
and beyond is a good trek option to start with. |
|
|
|
|
|
