Drass Valley | Nubra Valley | Indus Valley | Salt Lake Valley | Shyok Valley | Suru Valley

Drass Valley

Brokpa Tribe. Their centuries old life style of living in this second coldest region of Asia with temperatures falling to minus 40 degrees celcius. Remains cut from the rest of the world for more than 7 months of a year due to heavy snowfall. A fascinating and enchanting valley formed by Drass River.

Nubra Valley

Between China and Pakistan lies the Nubra Valley, a little patch of Indian land. At the foot of the Karakoram Range, this northern part of Ladakh is very close to the Siachen glacier. Numerous villages are scattered in the Nubra Valley.

A few villages of the Nubra Valley has been opened up thus making it possible for the adventurous to take a plunge into this fragment of greenery, nestling between the Karakorams and the Himalayas. Nubra has been part of the famous old Central Asian trade route known as the "Silk Road", a Historical Caravan route for traders traveling from Yarkhand (Central Asia) and Mongolia. Nubra Valley presents features not seen else where in Himalayan Valleys with its Hot springs at Panamik. Panamik with its hot water springs is a place of interest to tourists.

Buddhist Monasteries have flourished in this region. Diskit Gompa monastery is over 350 years old containing some old frescos and a statue of Buddha, it is the oldest and one of the largest in the Nubra region. Nubra Valley is often referred to as “Orchard of Ladakh”.

Indus Valley

This is a large valley formed by the main channel of the Indus River as it flows across Ladakh. It includes parts of Leh district, the Skardu region and the vast cold desert beyond. This valley consists of large stretches of undulating lands interspersed by high mountains across which there are many passes. The Indus Valley is the soul of Ladakh and is strategically the most important part.

Salt Lake Valley

The Salt Lake Valley is one of the widest open areas in Rupshu. The valley has a length of about 20 km and a maximum width of about 7 km. There are two lakes in this valley -- the fresh water Panluk Lake with an area of about 2 square kilometers and the salt-water Tsokar Lake with an area of about 10 square kilometers. Deposits of impure salt occurring on the northern shore of the Tsokar Lake are collected by the Changpas and used as barter to obtain goods from other parts of Ladakh.

Shyok Valley

The Shyok Valley is the valley of the Shyok River. This is a Yarkhand (Central Asian) name and Shyok River also means the river of death. Probably given by the Central Asian traders who ventured on this treacherous route for centuries and perished. The entire northern area -- the region of the Karakoram -- has names related to death. It is evident that this was a part of the ancient trade route from Yarkhand (Central Asia) to Ladakh, where many died and only the hardiest survived. The river freezes in winter, thus forming an easy access between the Khaplu and the Nubra valleys. The river freezes in winter, thus forming an easy access between the Khaplu and the Nubra valleys.

Suru Valley

Suru Valley is relatively more fertile and extends from the Panzella glacier to south of Kargil town. Suru Valley provides its inhabitants with an opportunity of harvesting two crops each year. Some of the vegetables grown here are turnip, radish, peas and black peas. Grapes, apricots and melons. Suru Valley is inhabited by Baltis whose ancestors came here from Dardistan and mongoloids from Tibet.