Explore Nubra valley

Nubra Valley is a high-altitude desert valley north of Leh, accessed by crossing Khardung La at 5,359 metres, one of the highest motorable passes in the world. The descent from the pass takes you 2,000 metres down in 40 kilometres, from a snowfield panorama to a valley floor where the Shyok and Nubra rivers converge. The Hunder Sand Dunes are a geological anomaly: wind-deposited Bactrian Desert sand in a glacial mountain landscape. The Bactrian camels at Hunder are a direct remnant of the Silk Road. Double-humped Bactrian camels were used by Central Asian merchants crossing the Karakoram route between India and the Tarim Basin. When the Silk Road declined in the 16th and 17th centuries, the herds stayed. Today approximately 40 animals remain at Hunder, owned by local families who offer camel safaris across the dunes. Alike's Nubra packages include a private camel safari as the signature activity. "Diskit Monastery, 600 years old on a clifftop above the valley, is the oldest and largest Buddhist monastery in Nubra. A 32-metre Maitreya Buddha statue, added in 2010, faces down the valley towards Pakistan. The position, the scale, and the desert backdrop make this the most visually dramatic monastery site in Ladakh. An Inner Line Permit is mandatory for all visitors. Alike processes the permit for every Nubra package. No government office visits required. Permit in the pre-trip WhatsApp dossier 72 hours before departure. Accommodation is camp-style. Alike's confirmed properties: Wooden Resort, Hundar Sarai Camp, Desert Himalaya Resort. All pre-verified for heating, bedding, and hot water. Best time: July to September. Khardung La opens late June, closes mid-October. Alike's Nubra packages operate July-September 2026 only."