The Cold Desert of India, Nubra Valley

Part 1: Packing for an epic Leh and, Ladakh trip (opens in a new tab)
Part 2: Manali to Leh Roadtrip (opens in a new tab)
Part 3: Exploring Leh, the touristy way (opens in a new tab)
Part 4: Land of Baltic People, Turtuk (opens in a new tab)
Part 5:
Nubra – The Cold Desert of India (opens in a new tab)
Part 6: Coming soon

No matter, how bad you are at photography!
No matter, how bad your mood is!
And no matter, if it’s a journey or destination, you will get some of the best memories with the incredible landscapes of Ladakh!

Julley!! It was the fourth day in the stark landscapes of Ladakh, and an inquisitiveness to see the Bactrian camel tempted us to visit the Nubra valley.

A picture-perfect road in Nubra Valley

Nubra Valley is known for its high-altitude sand dunes, home to rare double-humped camels, monasteries, and more. Hunder is the only site in India where one can witness them.

When the journey is as beautiful as the destination.

The weather gods gave us a hint that they were not favoring us by sending an early signal in Turtuk. Driver bhaiya said Hurry up as we bid goodbye to Turtuk at 1:45 PM with an aim to reach Hunder before sunset( because that’s the right time to see camels). A few patches on the road were blocked due to a recent sandstorm that caused some stones to roll down from the mountains. Being an advanced driver, bhaiya drove on the high hilly roads with the utmost attention.

A small village surrounded by a green patch

Upon reaching the sand dunes, we went for a walk following camels. The camels boast of surviving in extreme weather conditions such as blistering heat and freezing cold. They can drink up to 57 liters of water at once and can walk without water for several days!

The calves were running around their mother, carrying tourists on their backs. They look adorable especially when they flaunt facial expressions. We found a good spot to sit and see the camels and..the sand storm was back and we rushed towards the car!

Most of the tourists continued the camel ride including our co-travelers. The sand in the air made it impossible to see mountains and camels. Some people with their kids rushed back to their cars, and some just went out to capture this moment. Driver bhaiya shared a few stories – about his days in the army, the weather of Ladakh, and when people lost their lives while driving in this weather.

The sand storm in the valley

What to do in Nubra Valley?

Visit Hunder sand dunes to see double-humped camels ( Locals bring their camels in the morning and evening )

Camel Ride in the cold desert of India
Cuteness overloaded 🙂 🙂

The famous, Future Buddha statue in Diskit.

The Future Buddha

Visit the oldest and largest monastery in Nubra Valley

Diskit Monastery and the dream house

Enjoy adventure activities such as MTV rides, zip lining, river rafting, etc

View from Future Buddha statue

Camping and bonfires in the cold desert.

Our stay in Hunder

Our little luxurious bamboo hut.
Sunset, rain, and a lot of magical clouds.

The huts were well equipped with modern facilities. Without a doubt, it’s an oasis amidst a desert for travelers. The buffet dinner was unexpected.

Clearly, Ranjan liked the place.

That’s it. Leave a comment if you enjoyed reading it or have any questions 🙂

Published by Shilpa Mandara

Exploring heavenly earth :)

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