LADAKH - NUBRA, SHYOK & PANGONG TSO

Tour - 6 days

NUBRA, SHYOK & PANGONG TSO

Tour - 6 days

About LADAKH

Ladakh is a part of the Indian Himalayas, located between the Kunlun mountain range in the north and the main Himalayas to the south. As it is the only Indian region that lies north of the Great Himalayan Range, it is very different from the rest of the Indian Himalayas. In many ways it resembles Tibet. Although part of India now, and earlier of the princely state of Kashmir, Ladakh has been an independent kingdom for almost 900 years.

Ladakh is best known for its Buddhist (‘Tibetan’) culture and its starkly beautiful mountain scenery. It is inhabited by a mix of Indo-Aryan and Tibetan people. Especially the latter, with their colorful Buddhist culture, have given the region the nickname of ‘Little Tibet.’

As a result of its location, in the rain shadow of the Great Himalayan Range, the climate is extremely dry. And due to the high altitude – most valleys are situated at 3300m or higher – winters can be extremely cold. Summers, however, are generally pleasant if not warm and sunny.

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TREKKING PARADISE

Ladakh in the narrower sense is the Indus Valley with adjacent areas. It is bordered by two mountain ranges: in the northeast by the Ladakh Range, in the southwest by the Zanskar Range. The area around the capital Leh, and further upstream towards Tibet, is referred to as Upper Ladakh. Lower Ladakh is the area further downstream towards Kargil, where the Indus enters Pakistan.

The remoter areas of Zanskar, Nubra and Rupshu are now seen as regions of Ladakh. In the past, these areas were sometimes part of Ladakh, sometimes not. They can be visited from Leh by car or on foot. The latter, trekking, would be our advised means of transport. That is, if you are up to it. Because, while jeep trips in Ladakh are very rewarding indeed, trekking will give you an even more in-depth experience of the land and the people, with the added bonus of a total renovation of body and soul.

Ladakh can be reached by air or overland. On this tour, you fly in and out. In case you have enough time available, we strongly recommend taking one of the overland routes, in which you travel by train and car to Ladakh through Srinagar in Kashmir, Manali or Shimla, the latter two both in the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh. These are among the greatest car journeys in the world.

Region

Ladakh
(India)

Best Time

July - Sept.

No. Of Days

6 days

Trip Character

Jeep tour

Sleeping Altitude

3100 - 3700 m.

Price

INR XXX/ $ XXX

ABOUT THIS TOUR

On this trip you will explore the beautiful mountain landscapes, people and buddhist monasteries of Ladakh. From Leh, the capital of Ladakh, located in the Indus Valley, you travel over one of the highest passable mountain passes in the world, the 5450 meter high Khardong La, where you have a fantastic view of the Indus Valley, to the idyllic Nubra Valley. In Nubra, an area closed off from the outside world by two major mountain ranges, the Karakoram and the Ladakh Range, you will discover small time-warped villages and beautiful Buddhist monasteries. Then you’ll travel east to the remote village of Shyok, where you will spend three days in a comfortable eco-lodge in the middle of a traditional village. Here you will learn a lot about the traditional Ladakhi culture, its ecology, flora and and fauna. From Shyok, you’ll visit the cobalt-blue lake Pangong Tso, situated at an altitude of 4500m on the Indo-Tibetan border. Returning back to Leh, you’ll cross another high pass, the 5360m high Chang La, and again spectacular vistas await you.

YOUR custom-made TRIP

The tour described here, as well as the other ones on our website, are mainly meant as suggestions. We would be happy to offer you a travel proposal that fully meets your personal demands and expectations. That means that you choose where you want to go, what level of accommodation and type of transport you want and what activities you prefer.

Please let yourself be inspired by this and other trips on our website and then drop us a line (or call us) to explain your travel wishes. We will be happy to help you put together the perfect trip. You can reach us over e-mail, Messenger, Whatsapp or mobile phone.
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EXTENSIONS & VARIATIONS

Apart from the tour as described here, you could consider the following add-ons and changes:

  • Explore the Shyok River further downstream in the direction of Pakistan. The road passes through magnificent gorges and while the vegetation gets more opulent as you are reaching lower altitudes the culture gradually changes from predominantly Buddhist to Muslim. You can travel up to the village of Turtuk where you can stay the night at a simple but decent tented camp.
  • Spend one more day in Nubra on which you make a 5-hour walk to two small, hidden monasteries that rarely if ever see a foreigner coming.
  • Do a trek in the Indus Valley (near Leh). For instance, the Chilling – Lamayuru trek. On this 4- or 5-day trek you sleep in trekkers tents while a walk-along cook prepares your meals. You walk 5-7 h per day, climb 600-1000m on two days but the rewards are great views and authentic villages. See here.
  • Spend a day rafting on the Indus. There are different grades available, so there is the easy but fun to do level as well. Professional oarsmen will be with you in any case. You will be picked up from your hotel and dropped off there again at the end of the day, a pic-nic lunch is included.

ITINERARY

  • Day 1: Leh - Nubra (4 -5 h)
    You leave the Indus Valley and cross the mountains of the Ladakh Range to Nubra, via the 5450m high Khardong La, one of the highest auto passes in the world. Just before the pass you get spectacular views of Leh and the Indus Valley. Altitude 3500 → 5450 → 3150m.
  • Day 2: In Nubra
    You’ll spend the whole day exploring the Nubra Valley. You can either do a camel ride and visits to the oldest monasteries of Nubra valley or go on a high mountain trail above the Nubra river to remote little gompas that even Lonely Planet has never heard of. Altitude 3100m.
  • Day 3: Nubra - Shyok (4 h)
    A thrilling jeep ride awaits you today, along the untamed Shyok river to Nubra. The road follows the beautiful valley, passing small hamlets of Ladakhi farms, crossing sand dunes and small side-rivers. Altitude 3100 → 3700m.
  • Day 4: In Shyok
    Today you'll be taken on village and nature walks near Shyok. You'll learn a lot about the Ladakh way of life and the Ladakhi flora and fauna. Altitude 3700m.
  • Day 5: In Shyok, visit Pangong Tso
    Famous Pangong Tso, located at 4400 m on the border with Tibet (China), is probably the largest high salt lake on earth. It is not only a spectacular lake, set amidst light-coloured mountains, but the route to the lake is beautiful too. Altitude 3700 → 4250 → 3700m.
  • Day 6: Shyok - Leh (5 h)
    Today you will return lo Leh, crossing the Ladakh Range again. This time you’ll do this via the 5360m high Chang La pass. Road conditions on the pass are bad but the views when coming down are worth it. You can visit two lesser known monasteries on the way. Altitude 3700 → 5360 → 3500m.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS TOUR

Flight to Leh

Although the flight takes only one hour, on a clear day this no doubt is one of the most spectacular flights in Asia. After leaving the North-Indian plains and the heavily forested hills you’ll cross a number of ranges before flying over the actual glacier-clad Himalayas, the highest mountain range in the world. You’ll be amazed at the different landscapes you’ll see beneath you on the other side: bare, lightly coloured mountains, tiny rivers, small hamlets of Ladakhi farms surrounded by deep-green fields of barley, made possible by ingenious forms of irrigation.

CARAVAN ROADS OF LADAKH

Leh’s small size and laid-back atmosphere belie a very prominent and historically important position. Leh used to lie at the intersection of seven caravan routes. Yaks, donkeys and camels were used as pack animals. One route connected Leh with the Silk Road in China. Others routes went to Lhasa in Tibet, Srinagar in Kashmir and to Baltistan, Nubra and Manali (the opium route). When the borders with China and Pakistan were closed in 1962, the caravans stopped. But by now Leh had acquired a place on the world maps, and the Ladakhis were used to ‘strangers’ in the bazaar. When the first tourists came to Leh, in 1974, it was not a big step for the Ladakhis to accommodate and guide them.

Khardong La

Labeled the highest motorable pass in the world by the Indian Army, crossing the Khardong La (5450m) between Leh and Nubra is definitely an adventure in itself. It is nearly 2 vertical kilometers higher than the town of Leh, of which you get fantastic views while driving up. The road over the Khardong La follows the old caravan trail that used to connect Leh with Yarkhand in Turkmenistan (present day Xinjiang in China). Just imagine long trains of mules, horses and camels trudging up this pass, laden with Indian commodities, the most important one being opium from the Kullu Valley. The opium stopped passing through in 1962, after the war between China and India. Half a century later, a new valuable commodity passes daily in even longer caravans: tourists.

NUBRA VALLEY

Nubra Valley is an idyllic enclave between the mountains of Ladakh and the famous Karakoram. The main highlight here are the many small villages, hidden between poplars and apricot groves and adorned with an abundance of stupas, mani walls and prayer wheels. Definitely worth visiting as well are the beautiful gompas (monasteries), such as 15th century Deskit Gompa, with commanding views over the valley. While in Nubra you may bump into some of the large bactrians, two-humped camels that are descended from the animals that used to work the caravan trails between Leh and Yarkhand (Turkmenistan, now China). Riding the bactrians over the extensive sand dunes near Hundar is like being a Sahara traveler.

SHYOK RIVeR LODGE

Shyok River Lodge is a community-based accommodation. The lodge is part of a traditional Ladakhi house and while on the outside is hard to distinguish from the neighbours’ house, inside the rooms are clean, with luxury mattresses and a private bathroom. Shyok river lodge is in a remote village halfway between Nubra and Pangong Lake. It is not a place to pass through but a place to be, to absorb the Ladakhi culture and lifestyle and, if you want, be part of it. You’ll be taken on village and nature walks where you’ll learn about the incredible adaptation of the Ladakhis to their beautiful but forbidding environment, as well how to recognise tracks of snow leopards and wolves. More info.

PANGONG Tso (LAKE)

Pangong Tso (Tso means Lake in Tibetan) is a huge brackish ‘salt lake’ located right on the border of Ladakh (India) and Tibet (China). Situated at an altitude of 4450m, it is the largest high-altitude salt lake on earth.
The lake is spectacular, especially in the afternoon when its colors range from cobalt blue to turquoise, and the yellow-orange mountains behind it form a striking contrast. Besides, the drive in itself is more than enough reason for the trip. It takes only 2 hours from Shyok River Lodge and there is plenty of time to stop along the way for photos, for instance of marmots and, if you’re lucky, the beautiful wild Tibetan horses (kyang). A warm lunch will be served in the form of an outdoor picnic at the lake.

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