Valley of Ladakh

Location : Jammu & Kashmir in India.
Best Time to Visist : May to September

The Brilliant Valley of Ladakh
Ladakh has large number of valleys which present a scenic beauty to be observed and seen.

Nubra Valley
The Nubra is a tributary of the Shyok River which flows parallel to the Indus on the northern side of the Ladakh range. Because of its lower altitude the valley has a mild climate and is therefore richer in vegetation. It is often referred to as the "Orchard of Ladakh".

In ancient times, the valley was part of the Caravan Route, today it offers unparalleled trekking opportunities and scenic landscapes. It is also the natural habitat of the double backed Bactrian Camel. Buddhist monasteries flourished in the valley among which the famous Diskit Gompa. This monastery, over 350 years old, is the oldest in the Nubra region. It is also one of the largest.The monastery belongs to the Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) Sect.

The Nubra valley is accessible from Leh via a number of high passes. One of them is the Khardong-la, the highest motorable pass at 5600 m.

Dras Valley
The Dras Valley is formed by the Dras River, in summer as the snow melts, the volume of this river rises considerably. The summer begins in May, during which snow begins to melt and crop sowing activities start late. Harvesting is taken care of early, before the beginning of the long, hard winter season. Barely and other cereals constitute the bulk of the main crops grown in the valley. The town of Dras gives a pleasant look in summer while in winter it is covered under thick blanket of snow. During winter the temperature drops to as low as -40 degrees Centigrate.

Suru Valley
The Suru valley is around 3,000 m above the sea level. Though this valley is not as inhospitable as the Dras valley, winter begins aound mod-November and usually continues till May. Agriculture is the main source of livelihood for the people of this valley. The main crops raised by the people of Suru valley are wheat, barely and millet. Grapes, apricots and melons are produced in fairly large quantities at Darchik and Garkoon.

Shyok Valley
This is also known as the valley of death. The Shyok River also called the river of death, rises from teh Khumdhang glacier and receives the waters of the Nubra and Changchenmo rivers. The river freezes in winter and in summer as the snow melt the river overflows and inundates the surrounding plain for many kilometers.

Arriving At Ladakh
By Flight : Indian Airlines operates flight from delhi to Ladakh. It runs flights four times a week. It also has flight arrangements from Chandigarh to Leh. Tourist mostly prefer to travel to Leh by air. The flight path will take you directly above the Zanskar valley giving a beautiful look of the most of the other ranges.

By Roadways : The Manali-Leh road has served as the primary land approach to Ladakh. The traffic starts around mid-June and continues till early October. Himachal Pradesh state road transport corporation and J & K state road transport corporation all operate deluxe and ordinary bus services between Manali and Leh. It takes approximately 19 hours from Manali to Leh depending on weather conditions.