Ladakh
Khardung La
A 5,359-metre pass on the road from Leh to Nubra, long promoted as one of the highest motorable roads in the world.
5,359 mEn route stopBest: May–Sep
SnowHigh-altitude desert
Ladakh · Leh
Nubra Valley
Sand dunes, double-humped camels and apricot orchards
- High-altitude desert
- Valley
- Monastery
- Altitude
- 3,048 m
- Ideal stay
- 2 days
- From Srinagar
- 538 km
- From Jammu
- 804 km
- Best months
- May–Sep
Overview
About Nubra Valley
Nubra lies beyond the Khardung La pass, where the Shyok and Nubra rivers converge into a wide, flat valley at around 3,000 metres — low enough by Ladakhi standards to grow apricots, barley and seabuckthorn. The contrast is the appeal: green orchard villages on one side, a genuine sand desert on the other, with the Karakoram rising behind.
The dunes at Hunder are the signature sight, complete with double-humped Bactrian camels descended from Silk Route caravan stock. Diskit monastery, founded in the 14th century, sits above the valley with a 32-metre Maitreya Buddha looking north. Beyond Hunder the road continues to Turtuk, Tyakshi and the Balti villages near the Line of Control.
Two nights is the right length — one is a rush, and the valley rewards a slow day.
Also known as: Ldumra · Valley of Flowers
Why people come here
Hunder sand dunes
A genuine cold desert of white sand between the river and the mountains.
Bactrian camels
Double-humped camels descended from Silk Route caravans, now grazing the Hunder dunes.
Diskit Monastery
A 14th-century gompa above the valley with a 32-metre statue of Maitreya Buddha.
Apricot orchards
Nubra's lower altitude supports extensive fruit cultivation — spectacular in blossom and harvest.
Things to do in Nubra Valley
Ride a Bactrian camel at Hunder
Short rides across the dunes in the late afternoon when the light is best.
Visit Diskit monastery
Climb to the Maitreya statue for a view the length of the valley.
Continue to Turtuk
Three hours further on, a Balti village that was part of Pakistan until 1971.
Stay two nights
One night makes Nubra a long drive with a photo stop. Two lets you actually see it.
Photographs
Nubra Valley across the seasons
Open-licence photography so you can see what the place actually looks like at different times of year — not a retouched brochure.
Spring and summer
June to September is warm, dry and fully open, with all camps and homestays operating.
Autumn and winter
Access depends entirely on the pass; the valley is effectively shut to visitors from November to April.
Season by season
What Nubra Valley is like through the year
Including the months when it is genuinely closed — because knowing that in advance saves a wasted trip.
Spring · Mar–May
OpenApricot blossom
Late April and May bring apricot and apple blossom through the villages — the prettiest time in Nubra.
3°C to 20°C
- Blossom photography
- Diskit monastery
- Village walks
Summer · Jun–Aug
OpenPeak season
June to September is warm, dry and fully open, with all camps and homestays operating.
12°C to 30°C
- Hunder dunes
- Camel safari
- Turtuk day trip
- Diskit monastery
- ATV rides
Autumn · Sep–Nov
OpenApricot harvest and golden poplars
September and October bring the harvest and spectacular colour in the village orchards.
-2°C to 20°C
- Harvest season
- Photography
- Monastery visits
Winter · Dec–Feb
Closed / inaccessibleKhardung La usually closed
Access depends entirely on the pass; the valley is effectively shut to visitors from November to April.
-15°C to 2°C
Getting there
How to reach Nubra Valley
By air
Leh Airport (IXL) is 120 km away via Khardung La.
By rail
Jammu Tawi (804 km) is the nearest railhead.
By road
120 km from Leh over the 5,359 m Khardung La pass — four to five hours.
Nearby
Combine Nubra Valley with
Places close enough to fold into the same itinerary without adding long drives.
Ladakh
Turtuk
A Balti village of apricot orchards and stone lanes near the Line of Control, part of Pakistan until 1971 and open to visitors only since 2010.
2,980 m1–2 daysBest: May–Sep
HeritageValleyOffbeat
The old Silk Route capital of Ladakh, built below a nine-storey palace in a high desert valley on the Indus — and the base for everything in the region.
3,500 m2–3 daysBest: May–Sep
HeritageHigh-altitude desertMonastery
Ladakh
Pangong Tso
A 4,350-metre endorheic lake stretching from Ladakh into Tibet, famous for water that shifts through every shade of blue and green across a single day.
4,350 m1–2 daysBest: May–Sep
LakeHigh-altitude desert
Questions
Nubra Valley FAQs
Something not covered? Ask us directly — we answer every message personally.
Do you need a permit for Nubra Valley?
Yes, an Inner Line Permit for Indian nationals and a Protected Area Permit for foreign nationals, both arranged in Leh.
How many days should I spend in Nubra?
Two nights. One night means spending most of your time driving over Khardung La and back.
Are there really camels in Nubra?
Yes — double-humped Bactrian camels at the Hunder dunes, descended from animals used on Silk Route caravans.
Start planning
Planning a trip to Nubra Valley?
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. We will put Nubra Valley into a full itinerary with the right stops around it, and tell you honestly whether your chosen month works.
A reply within hours
A planner in Srinagar reads your enquiry and responds personally, usually the same working day.
An itinerary, not a brochure
You get a day-by-day plan written for your dates, group and pace — then we refine it together.
One clear quote
Every inclusion listed in writing before you pay anything. No surprise charges on the ground.
Prefer to talk? +91 88991 23434 · Every day, 09:00-21:00