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The deep-cut Shayok and Nubra River Valleys offer tremendous scenery on a grand scale, with green oasis villages surrounded by thrillingly stark scree slopes, and harsh arid mountains, strongly reminiscent of Pakistan's Northern Areas. There are sand dunes, monasteries, a ruined palace and – at Turtuk and Bogdang – a whole different culture (Balti) to discover. Permits are required by foreigners.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Nubra Valley.
Buddhist Monastery
Directly above Old Diskit, a 2km spaghetti of hairpins winds up to this photogenic monastery complex, much of which dates to between the 14th and 17th centuries. At the back far right-hand corner of the medieval gonkhang (guardian spirits' temple), a six-armed white Mahakala statue clasps a withered forearm and a human skull, supposedly body parts of a Mongol warrior.
Notable Building
The Yabgo rajas of Chorbat-Baltistan trace their dynasty back to Central Asia, and have had a palace in Turtuk from at least the 15th century. What remains is a modest two-storey courtyard house with aged wooden columns and an upstairs museum.
Pass
At 5602m, Khardung La is claimed (and disputed) to be the world’s highest motorable pass. A plethora of prayer flags festoons a flanking chaos of rocks and there's permanent glacial ice on the pass's north face. There's also a basic canteen and what might be the world's highest traffic jam.
Buddhist Monastery
Remote 600-year-old Ensa Monastery, 35km north of Sumur on the west bank of the Nubra, feels like it's close to the end of the world. The monastery itself is small and home to only one monk, but a lovely kora path takes you past dozens of white chortens and a hermitage retreat to offer fabulous valley views. It's well worth the trip.
Notable Building
At the centre of charming Tegar village is the ancient little Manekhang Gompa from which a mani wall and a line of chortens leads down a sloping lane to this unmarked historic house preserved in its original condition and open on request to visitors. It's entered via the last unmarked wooden door on the left before the footpath tunnels under a raised chorten.
Buddhist Monastery
Hunder's small but expanding monastery is most interesting for the various Buddhist sites dotted around it, notably a series of ancient whitewashed chortens and the Skalzang mani wall. A pilgrim path across the main road leads to a latho shrine and a red Chamba temple and gives views up towards a ruined dzong (fort) high above.
Buddhist Monastery
The extensively rebuilt 19th-century Samstemling Gompa is of minor interest but the uphill walk here from Sumur is charming. It's some 1.5km above Tegar's Zamskhang Palace ruins on a lane that loops back down into Sumur.
Islamic
In the heart of Turtuk Youl, the Old Mosque's distinctive feature is a wooden minaret with a spiral staircase only partly encased by timber slats. Locals date the mosque back to at least the 16th century.
Ruins
The long-abandoned former residence of the kings of Nubra is in an advanced state of ruin, but it offers fine views over the valley, alongside many scattered little stupas filled with votive clay tablets.