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Ryuzaki!!!

DOCC Diaries: Turtuk, where nature came alive!

We had crossed the white sands of Hunder, driving along the river Shyok, on the endless roads of the vast and mountainous Nubra Valley. It was Kapuria, Raj, Smoky, Rahul, Thakral and me in our Xylo. And we were starting to wonder where in the world this Turtuk was. The terrain in front of us was at odds with the serene picture people had painted in our minds.

The endless roads of Nubra Valley along the river Shyok

The Xyloterians (sans Smoky and Kapuria)

Turtuk is the penultimate town before the de facto LOC. It became Indian in 1971 and was opened for tourism only in 2010. It belongs to an ethnic region known as Baltistan. We were told it is a must-visit. And we heeded popular advice but now were beginning to doubt it. Some of the lunatics among us, namely Kapuria and Rahul, wondered if Turtuk even existed. Just kidding. 


Nonetheless, we stayed true to the course, and after crossing a couple of water bridges and army checkpoints, we started feeling that we were, in fact, getting somewhere. Shyok also suddenly seemed more lively and blue. And we finally reached Turtuk. But I was still waiting to be impressed. It was just an uphill road. But then we came across a wooden footbridge and slowly the little place began to unfold.

The Village!

The unparalleled rustic beauty

Turtuk is a village on a plateau, whose two parts are connected by a footbridge. It a beautiful place with patches of green farms and scores of apricot trees. More you walk across the settlement, the more of the village you see. It is a refreshing terrain we city folk are not used to. It’s just such a wonder to see farms and trees on plateaus with mountain backdrops. We were actually quite early, first week of April. Come June, when the trees reach full bloom with green leaves and apricots, flowers would paint the ground white. That would be some sight. Going around the place doing nothing is pleasurable in itself. And the weather was just lovely.

The inhabitants are Muslim, unlike other parts of Ladakh where people are mostly Buddhist. The people are very helpful and industrious. The women, well, are beautiful. And the kids are just adorable. Their innocent weather beaten faces wondered at the new people in their village. They were camera-shy but some kids did follow us, curious as to what we were up to in the first place. We did eventually get a few pictures.

The Turtuki Kids!

The Polo match!

Our historian guide there was an old man whose ancestors had once been kings of that region. As our homestay rooms was being prepared (we were the first tourists that season), he briefed us on the entire history of Turtuk and the Baltistan region.

The future stars...

It was about 2:00 PM then, when he invited to a seasonal game of Polo! Yes, Polo! And we actually witnessed a match. Horses, helmets, sticks and all. We even placed bets on which team would win but they were subsequently dissolved since we could not make out who scored what. We then roamed around the place posing and clicking. Rahul and I wandered to the Shyok river nearby, throwing flat stones in the running stream. Others went to check out the natural refrigerators made of stone. Actually, if you search, you should be able to buy some utensils and carvings made of stone there!

By the time we returned, our rooms were made cozy and comfortable. The kids nearby were playing their usual evenings games. Some played a dumbed down version of Polo followed by some Cricket (even here!). Smoky and Kapuria tried their hand at Cricket but upon failing miserably were content to posing with bat in hand!

Failing and subsequent posing

Bhayya, ye phool kab ugega? #neverendingQs

Our guide, the ‘raja’, then showed us some of his ancestral belongings at his house. And after some more loitering around, we assembled for dinner. Our host served us basic but tasty food with rice, egg, potatoes and curd. We followed it with a good night’s rest.

Morning views are always great and Turtuk was only better. It was sparkling, serene and full of nature. A place you would wish to seclude yourself away from the interminable urban buzz. But sadly, we had to leave, retracing our way along the banks of Shyok.

If you get a chance to visit Ladakh, do make sure that Turtuk is on the list. It is a visit you will surely cherish. That serenity still lingers in my mind today.

PS: Trips to Turtuk can be planned from Leh itself. It can be easily included in your visit to other places in the Nubra Valley in Ladakh. You’ll get to the valley from Leh by crossing the Khardung La (The World’s Highest Road!). You’ll need an inland permit for these visits, which Indian nationals can procure easily from the District Magistrate in Leh. The stay and dinner at Turtuk cost us 900-1000 per room, each room accommodating three. There is also a hotel called Balti Residency which offers better services. But mostly homestay should do it. When in season, you should have more options. June-September would be the ideal time to visit. Turtuk will be the last point in your journey passing the white desert of Hunder, famous for its double humped camel!