Nubra means garden and it lines up to its name because Nubra is greener as compared to other parts of Ladakh. Situated on the old caravan route, this beautiful fertile valley was an important halting place on the old caravan route. It lies north of main Indus valley and Leh. It was a restricted area because of its strategic location bordering China on the northeast and Pakistan on the west. The highest battlefield of the world, Siachen Glacier, is located here bordering Pakistan where still Indian and Pakistani armies exchange fire almost every day.
Ninety percent of its population is Buddhist and rests are Muslims, culturally Nubra remains unspoiled because it remained closed for the outside world for many decades except the big presence of Indian Army for the last many years. Nubra has many monasteries prominent among them are Samstanling and Diskit.
Nubra is rich Flora and Fauna especially on the Sakti – Phyang trek one can see many wild flowers and plants. One can also see on this trek semi nomadic people with their herds of sheep and yaks.
Day 01 : Drive Leh – Takthok. Drive Time: 2 hrs.
After breakfast drive to Takthok Monastery. Camp at Takthok monastery. Altitude (4000 mtr.) It is important to camp at Takthok for acclimatisation.
Day 02 : Takthok – Chumchar. Trek times: 04 hrs.
From the Camping ground at Takthok start the climb to Warila. Chumchar is a camping place between Takthok and Warila top at an altitude (4400 mtr.) Nice camping places with clean drinking water nearby.
Day 03 : Chumchar – Bable. (Across Warila) Trek times: 06 hrs.
This day starts the trek early so that most of the climbing can be done before it gets hot. It takes about 3 / 4 hours to reach the top of Warila at (5250 mtr.) The trail is well defined. Descents to a nice camping place at an altitude of (4750 mtr.) near some huts. Avoid the first camping place, which is at an altitude of (5000 mtr.)
Day 04 : Bable – Tangyar. Trek times: 04 hrs.
Walk down – stream on well-defined trail for about 04 hrs. Tangyar is a village of about 40 houses with a small monastery. Camp near the stream of an altitude of (3750 mtr.)
Day 05 : Tangyar –Akgyam. Trek times: 03 hrs.
The trek from Tangyar to Akgyam takes two and half hours to three hours on well defined trail. Akgyam has 03 houses on the bank of river Shayok. Akgyam has one of the best camping places on this trek. (Alt. 3240 mtr.)
Day 06 : Akgyam – Ramgjuk. Trek times: 08 hrs.
This day is one of the longest and hardest. One must have a good guide for this day. Just after crossing a bridge at Akgyam, the trail is very tricky and difficult to find. One has to cross a small plantation area and a vast de3sert for about two and half-hours. At the end of this desert climb a hill to avoid the crossing of Shayok River and descent to a place called Hotong which can be identified with the presence of some trees. From here another strech of desert starts and after walking for another 02 hrs. Some tree can be seen to your left side. There you can have lunch where fresh water is available. From this point again climb the mountain to your left side and walk on a prepared trail for some time. Here at one place the loaded horses have to be unloaded, as the trail is very narrow, again after crossing a patch of desert one reaches Rongjuk. To find a camping place walk up stream for about 15 – 20 minutes, all in all it takes about 7 / 8 hours to reach Rongjuk. It can be very hot on this day or one can encounter storm. Ramgjuk is at an altitude of (3200 mtr.)
Day 07 : Rongjuk – Tirith. Trek times: 07 hrs.
Cross a small wood bridge on the Khardong nala just near the camping place and come to the left-hand side of the stream. Walk down stream to reach the main Shayok valley. Again continue your trek on the left hand side of Shayok River for some time and then climb a hill side trail to your left hand side to reach the under the construction jeep road. Walk on this road. Until you reach the Leh – Nubra black topped road. Continue walking on the mettle road fore some time and take a shoort cut to your right side by avoiding the army check post to reach Khalsar. Continue your trek to Tirith crossing river Shayok on your right side into hours. Beautiful village and nice place to camp at.
Day 08 : Tirith – Day
Return trek to Samstanling Monastery. This beautiful monastery is just 10 min trek from our campsite. After monastery visit rest of the day free to take rest and to explore the surroundings. (trek can also be terminated here from here you can drive back to Leh in 04 hours or you can continue trekking).
Day 09 : Tirith – Hunder. Trek times: 07 hrs.
Hot day treks to Hunder 06 – 07 hour’s enroute visit Diskit Monastery. Very beautiful about 70 – 80 houses with a small monastery.
Day 10 : Hunder – Hunderdog. Trek times: 07 hrs.
This is a very long trek of about 6 / 7 hours. A good guide or a detailed description of the trail is necessary for this day. Hunder has a very nice camping ground at the end of the village. From the camping place walk up stream and after crossing the black topped road enter the Hunder gorge from the left-hand side of Hunder brook. Walking for some time cross a small footbridge and come to the right side of the stream. From bridge enter a side valley to your right side after 10 /15 minutes of walk. Walk up stream in this valley for some time and again enter a dry and narrow gorge to your left side. After negotiating this narrow gorge one reaches a plain area and the trail is well defined here for some distance. Always take the route used for animals and avoid negotiating difficult rocks. At one point you see a traid and take the right hand sidetrack along a hill. Before reaching Hunderdog the valley devices into two and to reach Hunderdog one has to take the left side from the right hand side valley by crossing a foot bridge across a nalla coming from the right hand side valley and climb a hill side before you reach the village of Hunderdog. Camp at the end of the village where good camping ground and fresh water is available. Additional quantity of drinking water is recommended for this day as the trek is very strenuous and for most of the time the trail runs away from the stream. Hunderdog is situated at an altitude of (5800 mtr.) and houses 21 families.
Day 11 : Hunderdog – North base of Lasermola. Trek times: 05 hrs.
Cross a footbridge at the end of the trek and come to the left-hand side of the stream. The walk on this day is very pleasant on every ground. For most of the track is well defined but some time it is difficult to find the trail when it is stony. There are serval camping places but it is advisable to camp after walking for about 05 hrs.
Day 12 : North base of Lasermola. Trek times: 06 hrs.
Lasermola can be seen from the camping place. The track from the camping place to the bottom of the pass is stony. A good guide is a must. One has to negotiate a snow file from the bottom of the pass to the top. There are several routs to the top depending on the snow conditions and the season you are crossing the pass. The top is at and altitude of (5200 mtr.) Which do the trekkers normally take? The horses have to be led from a left-hand sidetrack, which leads to a higher ridge of the pass. The descend is very steep and has to walk on loose sand. After reading the southern bottom of the pass, the trail runs through uneven and stony place. The track is also not well defined. One has to cross the stream several times to reach the camping side on the left-hand side of the valley. The camping site can be easily identified, as this is the only even ground.
Day 13 : South base – Phyang – Leh. Trek times: 03 hrs.
From the camping place walk down stream upto a triad. Cross the stream coming from Lasermola at the Sumdo and come to the right hand leaving the main stream to your left-hand side. Walk on even and defined trail upto the village of Phyang. It takes about 03 hrs. to reach Phyang. Pick up and drive to Leh.
