Route library · Outstation · High passes
Delhi to Turtuk & the Nubra-Shyok Villages
Turtuk, at the far end of the Nubra valley near the line with Pakistan, is a Balti village — stone-and-timber lanes, water channels, apricot and walnut orchards, a language and cuisine that look to Baltistan and Central Asia. It was on the Pakistani side until 1971 and opened to visitors only in 2010. You reach it over Khardung La from Leh, then down the Shyok through Diskit, Hunder and the last villages: Bogdang, Turtuk, Thang.
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At a glance
- Round trip
- About 2,600–2,800 km on the full trip
- Riding days
- 13–15. About 4–5 days to Leh, acclimatisation days at Leh, 2–3 days in Nubra to Turtuk and back, and the return
- Nights
- Nights on the road: 13–15
- Start point
- Delhi (via Manali or Kinnaur, then Leh, Khardung La and the Shyok)
- Highest point
- About 5,360 m at Khardung La; Turtuk sits low at ~2,900 m
- Difficulty
- Expedition. A 5,300 m pass on the way in, then a long Shyok-valley road in a sensitive border zone, days from major help.
- Surface
- Sealed to Leh; Khardung La is paved but rough and slushy in patches; the Nubra floor and the Shyok road to Turtuk are a mix of blacktop, sand and rough graded sections
- Best season
- June to September only. Khardung La and the approach passes are snow-bound outside that; the Shyok can flood the valley road in high summer melt.
The ride
Get to Leh first (see the Kinnaur-Spiti or Manali routes) and take two rest days. Then Leh → Khardung La (5,360 m) → North Pullu → Khalsar, into Nubra.
Down the Shyok: Diskit (the big monastery and the Maitreya statue), Hunder (the cold-desert dunes and Bactrian camels), then the border road through Bogdang to Turtuk — the upper and lower villages, the old mosque and the royal house, the orchards, and the viewpoint toward Thang, the last village. Loop back via Sumur, Panamik's hot springs and (if the road is open) the Shyok-Wari La route to Pangong.
Day by day
Delhi to Leh
4–5 days via the Kinnaur-Spiti back door or the Manali highway (see those routes). Arrive Leh and stop.
Leh rest days (x2)
Two full days at ~3,500 m — short local rides only. Do not skip these.
Leh to Nubra over Khardung La
Leh → Khardung La → Khalsar → Diskit / Hunder (5–6 hours; the pass rough). Overnight Hunder or Diskit.
Hunder to Turtuk
Hunder → Bogdang → Turtuk (3–4 hours along the Shyok, permit checks). Settle in a Turtuk homestay.
Turtuk
The villages, the mosque and royal house, the orchards, the Thang viewpoint. A slow day in Balti country.
Turtuk to Sumur / Panamik
Back down the Shyok, then up the Nubra to Sumur and Panamik's hot springs. Overnight Sumur.
Nubra to Leh
Back over Khardung La to Leh (a long high day). Overnight Leh.
Return to Delhi
The multi-day ride home via Manali or Kinnaur-Spiti (see those routes).
Fuel & services
- Fuel is at Leh, and pumps at Diskit and Panamik in Nubra (check they are stocked).
- Fill completely at Leh before Khardung La. Diskit's pump is the main one in Nubra and can run dry — top up there and carry 5–10 litres of spare for the Turtuk border road, which has none.
- Diskit, Hunder, Turtuk, Sumur and Panamik have homestays and camps, basic and seasonal; Turtuk's homestays are the highlight of the trip. Nights are cold. Carry cash (no ATMs past Leh) and rations.
Road & conditions
Sealed to Leh. Khardung La is paved but rough, potholed and slushy in patches, with heavy tourist and army traffic. The Nubra floor is a mix of good blacktop, deep sand and rough graded sections; the Shyok road to Turtuk is mostly sound but narrow and exposed in places, with army checkposts. It is the 5,300 m pass, the altitude swing and the border-zone rules, not obstacles, that define it. Ride the pass in the dry morning.
Bike, fuel & getting help
- Suggested bike
- Needs a dirt-capable bike (an ADV or a light dual-sport) and off-road experience. Not a commuter route.
- Fuel gap
- One long stretch without a pump — fill up before it and top off where you can.
- Spare fuel
- Carry 5–10 litres of spare fuel.
- Emergency & logistics
- Hospital at Leh; sub-district hospital at Diskit; Army medical along the Shyok; an active border — carry the permit and ID for every checkpost and follow Army instructions exactly.
Permits & local rules
Nubra and Turtuk are in a sensitive border area. Indian nationals no longer need an Inner Line Permit for Ladakh (lifted in 2021); pay the Ladakh environment and wildlife fees online (lahdclehpermit.in) and carry the receipt, a photo ID and several copies for the checkposts at North Pullu, Khalsar and beyond Hunder. Foreign nationals need a Protected Area Permit through a registered agent, travel in a group, and Thang may be closed to them. Photography of checkposts, bridges and military positions is prohibited — this is an active border. Rules change — confirm at the DC office in Leh before you set out.
Best time to ride
June to September only. Khardung La and the approach passes to Leh are snow-gated outside that window. High-summer melt can put the Shyok over the Turtuk road for spells — carry buffer days. September is clearest and coldest, with a short daily light window. Winter is impossible.
What to add to your kit
Beyond the standard ride kit: full cold-weather kit for the pass (down jacket, thermals, gloves, balaclava, windproof) even though Turtuk itself is warm, a 5–10 litre fuel spare, full tools, spare cables and levers, two tubes, a puncture kit, a first-aid kit with altitude medication, water treatment, high-calorie food, a power bank, and a satellite messenger. Cash for the whole trip; ID copies for the permit.
Ride this with a group
We run Turtuk and the Nubra-Shyok villages as a vetted two-week-plus expedition — a slow acclimatising ride to Leh, two rest days there, Khardung La crossed in the dry morning, permits and army rules followed to the letter, and a pass-and-village clean-up carried toward Leh.