Over Khardung La to the Nubra Valley

Khardung La, at 5,500m at its highest point, is a strategically significant high mountain pass north of Leh. It is the world's highest motor vehicle passable pass and the second highest motorbike pass. Our guide carries oxygen cylinders in the car for us, lest we need them, but we managed the high altitude ok.

Khardung La is the gateway to the so called Nubra Valley beyond, which lies the Siachen Glacier, administered by India, but Pakistan maintains a territorial claim. We have to pass through several military checkpoints along the way, and military presence is strong. The road was first built in 1976 and opened to public motor vehicles in 1988. Snow closes the road for 8 months of the year and it only opened a few weeks ago.

Once over the pass, the road meanders slowly into the Shyok River Valley before turning into the Nubra tehsil ( a small government administration unit). Our home for the next 2 nights is the village of Hunder, once the capital of the Nubra kingdom and now famous for its sand dunes and Bactrian camels.Read more