If you haven’t read about how we stumbled upon this fall/winter experience, you’ve gotta read that first.
Read it? Good. Now you know how we got here and I can tell you about what we did next.
The third thing we learnt about Leh and the Ladakh region was that the people there are extremely friendly and hospitable. The hotel staff told us to call the reception anytime around the clock for help upon learning that we were feeling a bit unwell from the high altitude. He even followed up the next day asking how we were. After being fully and comfortably acclimatised, we were ready to head for higher ground.
Our plan was to stay a night in Nubra Valley. To get there, we would have to drive through the mountains, over a pass called the Khardungla pass, widely touted as the highest motorable road in the world. As we traveled along, the landscape changed from wide sandy plains to rocky slopes, then little pockets of snow started appearing amongst the rocks. Soon, snow filled almost every available bit of ground on both sides of the car.
Photo credit: Juxxtapose
When we reached the lofty 18,380 feet, we stopped for photos and a toilet break. The moment I stepped out of the car, an icy breeze hit me, I knew I definitely needed the toilet break. Like, now. So we headed straight for the toilets. Parts of the road had become frozen to ice, and so in a bid to avoid slipping, I chose to step on the part with snow instead… and that’s how my feet ended up in a 20 cm deep layer of snow (I’ve never wanted to pee more). The toilets were less toilets and more row of cubicle huts with holes in the grounds and open windows overlooking the grand snowscape. I would have enjoyed the view more if I weren’t so cold and slowly losing feeling in my feet.
By the time we walked back, I felt like I was walking on two blocks of ice. So I quickly warmed them up a little in the car before we continued taking in the sights. From the other end of the road, towards the direction we were heading, the range of snow-capped mountains seemed to go on and on…
Photo credit: Juxxtapose
I’ve read that in the peak season, it would be crowded here in Khardungla pass, with many rushing to squeeze in a picture with the sign and the views. But as we later found out, the road to Nubra Valley would be closed for winter in 2 days, so we were really traveling during as off-peak a season as it could. The road closes in November and only opens again in June, when the throngs of tourists would be back for the summer.
Next was the long windy descent to Nubra Valley which sits at 10,000 feet, lower than Leh itself. We breathed easy and I felt relieved. We stopped at a guesthouse to drop our overnight bags and grab some hot black tea (which seems like a staple here). Most guesthouses were closed for the year, in fact, we were the only ones staying over that day. The kind owner apologised for the lack of heating and running water because of the time of the year. According to him, further along the year, they would themselves have to get their water supply from a communal well.
Our day wasn’t even close to being over. Next we sped over to the sand dunes just beyond Diskit (the town we were at) to catch a glimpse of the Bactrian camels. These camels were born to habitat harsh desert-like conditions with extreme temperatures of -40 to 40 degrees celsius. They were also used for transport along the ancient Silk Route, which used to run in part, along Nubra Valley.
Photo credit: Juxxtapose
Okay, we did more than catch a glimpse. How could we resist? They looked absolutely adorable and the space between their humps looked like a rather comfy spot. To top it all off, the backdrop looked amazingly surreal. It was like we were riding into a painting.
Photo credit: Juxxtapose
Cheeky, camera-ready camel lounging in the cool weather with his friends. Rides were going at Rs200 per person – very worth it, in fact, it is cheap for the experience. Never thought I would ride a camel twice in a single month. This experience trumps the other, hands down.
Still reeling from the camel experience, we had lunch and ascended to Diskit Monastery for a visit. This might be my favourite monastery visit. For one, the views of Nubra Valley from the monastery were spectacular.
Photo credit: Juxxtapose
You can see the valley stretching out into the horizon. Even if you aren’t into monasteries, this place makes the books just based on its views. The monastery itself felt like a quaint village in itself, with narrow cobbled alleyways and steep steps. It was quiet (probably because it’s off-peak for tourists) and a perfect place for meditation. If I ever wanted to be alone and feel at one with nature and quiet, this would definitely be the place.
Photo credit: Juxxtapose
We stayed the night and drove back to same way to Leh the next morning. But along with us came beautiful memories of the place. I would recommend Nubra Valley to anyone planning a trip to India. For sure.
Juxxtapose 