This part describes the 3 days Day7-Day9 of the journey into Nubra valley covering the Khardungla, Deskit, Turtuk village very near the LOC, Hunder.
Day 7 -22nd Aug - Leh - Deskit
This was going to be a day when we were going over the highest motarable road in the work via khardungla pass.
It was going to be a short journey (compared to other days:-)) so we started at 10am after taking sumptous breakfast.
Climbing Khardungla is very fast by 10:55 we were already at South Pullu, an army camp south of khardungla, at a height of 15300feet. Permits are checked at this place.
Then we reached Khardungla top at 11:40 which is 18000feet.
So just in 1hr 40min we had climbed from 11000ft to 18000ft.
We had decided to stop at Khardungla while coming back from Deskit as Ritesh and his wife had just arrived in Leh the earlier day and were not completely acclimatised.
Even after travelling from Srinagar to Leh and staying at Kargil & Leh I was not feeling very good at 18000feet.
I had just got down at the Ktop to take a few pics and felt very drained.
While climbing down the Khardungla we stopped just before North pullu.
There was beautiful green medow with a small waterbody having a buddha statue.
Just sat there absorbing fresh air and beauty of nature of 10min.
On the way some marmots were seen and finch like birds but we did not stop.
But little ahead of North pullu got our first Tibetan Snowfinch.
There were also a lot of Red billed choughs. While observing them suddenly saw a huge sized raptor and it was the Golden Eagle. It was a fantastic sight!! Its a bird with a wingspan of 5-7feet.
Reached Khalsar at 1:15pm from where the road splits. One goes to Panamik and other to Deskit and ahead to Turtuk.
From here we enter the Shyok valley. The road is very flat and the valley is huge and very sandy.
Reached Deskit by 14:30 and checked into our Hotel Oltang.
Very nice place with a direct view of Deskit Gompa.
The rooms were big and clean with 24hr hot water a very difficult thing to find in remote place, even in guest houses in Leh.
Just behind our room was a small stream and village path going into the village behind. Some houses were also visible. In the front was a garden with flowers and trees of apple and apricot.
Got a black redstart and a white wagtail at this stream and some more birds the next morning.
Post lunch we had some rest and then started for the Deskit gompa by 17:00.
First we went to the old gompa.The road goes till the gompa.
The sight from gompa was wonderful. The complete shyok valley was visible and in the front the new fompa with a big statue of buddha.
From there we went to the new gompa just as the sun was setting.
We just got the buddha in good light. It was very peaceful up there and we just wanted sit there.
We sat for some time till sunset and then returned back to the hotel.
Day 8 - 23rd Aug - Diskit - Turtuk
Turtuk is a village 100km from Diskit very near LOC. This was opened to tourists just last year.
One can see shyok all the time along the road.
We started at 8:15, just half an hour after start we started seeing the sand dunes of Hunder.
Reached Turtuk by 11:30. On the way saw blue rock thrush and red billed choughs.
It was little difficult find the exact village because initially we crossed many shops and thought it was a village but looked very much like small roadside town. But fourtunately it was not the village.
The village was much ahead and the entrance to it was very a beautiful bridge over a gushing stream which was finally flowing into Shyok river.
The village roads were narrow with fields on one side and houses on the other. There was also a primary school in this distant village which was very nice to see.
There was small hotel cum guest house in the village itself where we checked for food.
The owner told us that he can cook a vegetable and roti quickly.
Along the village road there was a constant stream of water flowing. We were told this was fresh water flowing from the mountain and very safe to drink. It was nice, cold and sweet.
The guest had 2 rooms and also 2 tents outside. He also had a tented accomodation near the road below the village where we had seen lot of shops.
It was a wonderful experience and started our journey back to Diskit after nice lunch at around 14:00.
On the way back near around a town called skuru we got wonderful views of a flock of Chukar crossing the road.
The plan was to stop at Hunder for the sand dunes and reached there by 16:45.
Clicked some pics of the Double humped camels.
These are not original of this place but had been brought here by the traders very very long time back as this was on the old silk route from central asia (mongolia).
They have now grown here and the locals here breed them for rides on the sand dunes for tourists.
It is said that they are left in the wild in the evening and brought back in the morning.
Reached back to our hotel by 6:15pm.
Day 9 - 24th Aug - Diskit - Leh
The main attraction of the day was the halt at Khardungla.
In the morning around an hour was spent birding.
Just when we were planning to leave for birding from our hotel room we saw a cuckoo like bird flying.
It turned out to be a eurasian / oriental cuckoo (still to confirm id).
So we went behind the hotel and got some good shots. Other birds seen here were the black redstart, white wagtail and the rosefinch pair.
Started our journey to Leh by 9:15.
At North Pullu there is a stream next to the army camp.
We got white winged redstart (2males and 3 females) and little ahead, marmot, red billed choughs and Hill Pigeon.
Reached khardulngla at 12:15. The height really starts affecting.
It was not very cold as we had expected and the weather was also very clear.
We had lemon tea here which was very soothing.
Day 7 -22nd Aug - Leh - Deskit
This was going to be a day when we were going over the highest motarable road in the work via khardungla pass.
It was going to be a short journey (compared to other days:-)) so we started at 10am after taking sumptous breakfast.
 |
| Leh town while climbing Khardungla |
Then we reached Khardungla top at 11:40 which is 18000feet.
So just in 1hr 40min we had climbed from 11000ft to 18000ft.
We had decided to stop at Khardungla while coming back from Deskit as Ritesh and his wife had just arrived in Leh the earlier day and were not completely acclimatised.
Even after travelling from Srinagar to Leh and staying at Kargil & Leh I was not feeling very good at 18000feet.
I had just got down at the Ktop to take a few pics and felt very drained.
 |
| From Khardunla top |
 |
| Fresh snow on the peaks near the top |
While climbing down the Khardungla we stopped just before North pullu.
There was beautiful green medow with a small waterbody having a buddha statue.
Just sat there absorbing fresh air and beauty of nature of 10min.
 |
| Near north pullu |
On the way some marmots were seen and finch like birds but we did not stop.
But little ahead of North pullu got our first Tibetan Snowfinch.
There were also a lot of Red billed choughs. While observing them suddenly saw a huge sized raptor and it was the Golden Eagle. It was a fantastic sight!! Its a bird with a wingspan of 5-7feet.
 |
| Red Billed Chough |
 |
| Golden Eagle |
Reached Khalsar at 1:15pm from where the road splits. One goes to Panamik and other to Deskit and ahead to Turtuk.
From here we enter the Shyok valley. The road is very flat and the valley is huge and very sandy.
 |
| Flat sandy road made in the valley near Khalsar |
 |
| Shyok valley while approaching Diskit |
Reached Deskit by 14:30 and checked into our Hotel Oltang.
Very nice place with a direct view of Deskit Gompa.
 |
| Old gompa taken from the hotel |
The rooms were big and clean with 24hr hot water a very difficult thing to find in remote place, even in guest houses in Leh.
Just behind our room was a small stream and village path going into the village behind. Some houses were also visible. In the front was a garden with flowers and trees of apple and apricot.
Got a black redstart and a white wagtail at this stream and some more birds the next morning.
 |
| Apricot tree full of fruits in the hotel |
 |
| White Wagtail |
Post lunch we had some rest and then started for the Deskit gompa by 17:00.
First we went to the old gompa.The road goes till the gompa.
The sight from gompa was wonderful. The complete shyok valley was visible and in the front the new fompa with a big statue of buddha.
 |
| New Gompa statue as seen from Old Gompa |
From there we went to the new gompa just as the sun was setting.
We just got the buddha in good light. It was very peaceful up there and we just wanted sit there.
We sat for some time till sunset and then returned back to the hotel.
 |
| Statue of Buddha at new Gompa |
 |
| Front view of the statue |
 |
| Old Gompa as seen from the New Gompa |
Day 8 - 23rd Aug - Diskit - Turtuk
Turtuk is a village 100km from Diskit very near LOC. This was opened to tourists just last year.
One can see shyok all the time along the road.
We started at 8:15, just half an hour after start we started seeing the sand dunes of Hunder.
 |
| Shyok on the way to Turtuk |
 |
| Formations possible by Glaciers |
 |
| Shyok river |
Reached Turtuk by 11:30. On the way saw blue rock thrush and red billed choughs.
 |
| Gushing waters of shyok |
It was little difficult find the exact village because initially we crossed many shops and thought it was a village but looked very much like small roadside town. But fourtunately it was not the village.
The village was much ahead and the entrance to it was very a beautiful bridge over a gushing stream which was finally flowing into Shyok river.
 |
| Gushing stream near Turtuk Vilalge |
 |
| The bridge connecting the village to the road |
 |
| The bridge from the road to the vilalge |
The village roads were narrow with fields on one side and houses on the other. There was also a primary school in this distant village which was very nice to see.
There was small hotel cum guest house in the village itself where we checked for food.
The owner told us that he can cook a vegetable and roti quickly.
Along the village road there was a constant stream of water flowing. We were told this was fresh water flowing from the mountain and very safe to drink. It was nice, cold and sweet.
The guest had 2 rooms and also 2 tents outside. He also had a tented accomodation near the road below the village where we had seen lot of shops.
It was a wonderful experience and started our journey back to Diskit after nice lunch at around 14:00.
On the way back near around a town called skuru we got wonderful views of a flock of Chukar crossing the road.
The plan was to stop at Hunder for the sand dunes and reached there by 16:45.
Clicked some pics of the Double humped camels.
These are not original of this place but had been brought here by the traders very very long time back as this was on the old silk route from central asia (mongolia).
They have now grown here and the locals here breed them for rides on the sand dunes for tourists.
It is said that they are left in the wild in the evening and brought back in the morning.
 |
| Hunder sand dunes |
 |
| Sea-buckthorn. Popularly known as Leh berry and its juice is very famous |
 |
| Double humped Camel |
 |
| Sand dunes |
 |
| Tourist on double humped camel with the Deskit old and new Gompa in the background |
Reached back to our hotel by 6:15pm.
Day 9 - 24th Aug - Diskit - Leh
The main attraction of the day was the halt at Khardungla.
In the morning around an hour was spent birding.
Just when we were planning to leave for birding from our hotel room we saw a cuckoo like bird flying.
It turned out to be a eurasian / oriental cuckoo (still to confirm id).
So we went behind the hotel and got some good shots. Other birds seen here were the black redstart, white wagtail and the rosefinch pair.
 |
| Eurasian Cuckoo |
 |
| Common Rosefinch |
Started our journey to Leh by 9:15.
 |
| Shyok valley |
At North Pullu there is a stream next to the army camp.
We got white winged redstart (2males and 3 females) and little ahead, marmot, red billed choughs and Hill Pigeon.
Reached khardulngla at 12:15. The height really starts affecting.
It was not very cold as we had expected and the weather was also very clear.
We had lemon tea here which was very soothing.
Spent around 30min on Khardungla and then started to Leh by around 12:45.
Reached by late afternoon around 5pm in Leh.
Reached by late afternoon around 5pm in Leh.
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