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Eight unhurried nights for travellers curious about Ladakh's Balti west. Three nights in Leh, then over Khardung La to Nubra, two nights in Turtuk with its stone lanes, apricot orchards and royal house museum, a last night in Nubra and one in Leh. Lower altitudes and short drives throughout.
Most visitors to Nubra see Turtuk, if at all, on a rushed day trip. This journey gives it two nights, which changes everything. You walk the village lanes at dusk and dawn, share meals with Balti families, help with the apricot harvest in July and August, and hear the story of a village that changed countries in 1971 and opened to visitors only in 2010. Two nights make all the difference.
The journey is unhurried and stays low. After three nights in Leh, Khardung La is the only high point; Nubra sits at about 3,100 m and Turtuk at about 2,900 m, lower than Leh. Nights in Nubra are at Lchang Nang Retreat, and in Turtuk at the best homestay available, with private bathrooms and good home cooking. Drives are short after the first crossing. Permits are arranged for you. Pace is relaxed.
Highlights
Day by day
Your guide meets you at Leh airport and drives you to The Grand Dragon Ladakh. Rest for the day, with lunch, sleep, water and an early dinner. Your guide explains the plan and the permits for Nubra and Turtuk, and talks about the different cultures you will meet on the journey. If you arrive on an early flight, your room may not be ready at once; the hotel will serve tea and breakfast while it is prepared, and you can rest in the lounge.
A slow walk through Leh's old town, past the old mosque and restored houses to the palace gate. Lunch with a Ladakhi family in a village near Leh, cooking skyu and drinking butter tea. A rest in the afternoon, and a short drive to Shey if you feel well. The old town walk takes about two hours at an easy pace. The village lunch is cooked by a Ladakhi family.
Morning prayers at Thiksey, then Hemis monastery and its museum. Lunch at Hemis and a stop at Stakna on the way back. Afternoon rest. Your guide collects your permits, and you pack a smaller bag for the nights in Nubra and Turtuk. Leave Leh at 5.30 am for Thiksey's prayers, so you are seated before the horns sound. Hemis's museum of thangkas and masks deserves an hour. Dinner is early.
Leave Leh by 8 am for Khardung La, at 5,359 m. A short stop at the top, then descend into the Nubra valley, lower and warmer than Leh. Lunch near Khalsar, then on to Lchang Nang Retreat in Sumur. Afternoon in the garden and a walk to Samstanling monastery. Keep the stop on the pass short. The drive takes about five and a half hours. Nubra is lower than Leh.
Morning prayers at Diskit and the 32 m Maitreya above the valley. Then follow the Shyok west, as the valley narrows into a gorge past Bogdang, into Balti country. Arrive in Turtuk for a late lunch at your homestay. In the late afternoon, a first walk through the lanes as families bring in fodder and children play by the streams. Dress modestly for Turtuk. Dinner is at the homestay, with Balti dishes.
A slow morning walk with a village guide across the hamlets, over wooden bridges and through orchards, with a stop at a natural cold store in the rocks. Visit the Yabgo royal house museum and hear the family's story. In apricot season, join a family to pick and dry fruit. Lunch of Balti dishes. If permitted, drive to the viewpoint at Thang in the afternoon. Check current status before you travel.
A dawn walk in Turtuk, then breakfast and the drive back along the Shyok. Stop at the Hunder dunes in the afternoon for the golden light and a short camel ride, then return to Lchang Nang in Sumur for dinner. The drive back along the Shyok takes about three hours. Camel rides at Hunder are short and slow. Bring a warm layer for the evening. Dinner is at Lchang Nang.
A relaxed breakfast, perhaps a visit to Panamik's hot springs if you leave early, then the drive back over Khardung La to Leh. An afternoon in the bazaar and a farewell dinner at The Grand Dragon. The drive takes about five and a half hours with stops. Keep the stop on Khardung La short, and enjoy the views over Leh on the descent. Dinner is at the hotel. Rest before dinner.
Breakfast and transfer to Leh airport for your morning flight to Delhi. Your guide sees you through check-in. Take home a bag of Turtuk's dried apricots. If there is time, a last walk in the bazaar. Morning departures are the norm at Leh because afternoon winds make flying difficult, so we plan an early start and carry a packed breakfast if needed. Keep warm layers and any medicines in your hand luggage.
Included
Not included
Where you sleep
The Grand Dragon is Leh's most complete hotel: central, centrally heated and open all year, with mountain-view rooms, several restaurants and a staff used to looking …
Lchang Nang, meaning house of trees, is a small retreat in Sumur village in Nubra, set among willows and fields with views of the surrounding peaks. …
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Questions travellers ask
A day trip gives only a few hours in the village at midday. Two nights allow evening and dawn walks, a full day with a village guide, the museum, Balti meals and, in season, the apricot harvest. It turns a sight into an experience.
Yes. Turtuk is at about 2,900 m, lower than Leh at 3,500 m and Nubra at around 3,100 m. Most guests sleep well there. The only high point on this journey is the brief crossing of Khardung La. Summer days there are warm.
Yes. The altitudes are moderate, drives are short after Nubra, and children enjoy the village, the camels and the apricots. The Khardung La crossing needs good acclimatisation. Children usually love the village lanes, the streams and the apricot trees. Rest days are easy to add.
Yes. Turtuk is in the Nubra protected area. Foreigners need a Protected Area Permit, and Indian nationals have needed an Inner Line Permit or online registration. Check current status before you travel. Checkposts on the Shyok road inspect them. Carry your identity documents too.
Simple and welcoming, often with garden rooms among apricot trees and home-cooked Balti meals. We choose clean homestays with private bathrooms where possible. They are not luxury hotels. Many have garden rooms among apricot trees, and Balti meals cooked by the family.
May to September. July and August bring the apricot harvest; May has blossom. September is quieter, with clear skies. October is possible early in the month, with golden trees and cold nights, but some homestays and Lchang Nang may be closed by then.
Yes. From Nubra, the Shyok road leads to Pangong, and you can return to Leh over Chang La. It adds one night and a high pass. Pangong is at 4,225 m, so we place it after the Nubra and Turtuk nights, when you are well acclimatised.
From ₹2,80,000 per person, twin sharing, including stays, private car, guides, permits and the meals listed. Flights are extra. A village guide in Turtuk and museum entry are included. Single travellers, festival dates and peak weeks in July and August cost more, and we confirm the exact price once your dates and rooms are fixed.
Modest clothing covering arms and legs, and comfortable shoes for stone paths. Women may want a scarf. Layers are useful, as evenings are cool even in summer. Remove shoes before entering homes and the mosque area. A sun hat and sunglasses help on bright days.
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