Turtuk Sightseeing

Turtuk is a beautiful village in Nubra Valley, inhabited by the Balti tribe, a mix of Mangaols and Aryans, situated few kilometers from the line of control between India and Pakistan, on the Indian side. The population of the Village is approximately 25000. In 1971 it became a part of India, earlier it was a part of Pakistan, shared strong economic and cultural ties with Tibet. There are many best places to visit in Turtuk that will definitely amaze you. Turtuk is penultimate village open to foreign as well as domestic tourists few years ago. Turtuk Ladakh has a rich culture which is different from Ladakhi culture. Every year the people of Turtuk Ladakh celebrate Nawroz festival on 21st of March, with traditional music, folk songs, dances and polo matches, which lasts till the end of April. The village is stocked with apricot trees, patches of vegetables exhibiting, plots canals of fresh water and children. The village is situated on the bank of Shayok River and between the mountains of Karakoram and Himalayan ranges. The beautiful Turtuk streams also flow through the village. The people speaks Balti language, the people here grow crops like wheat, buckwheat and barley and also fruits like apple, cherry, walnuts, pears, peaches, grapes and apricot, etc. Some of the Turtuk sightseeing places are.

Turtuk Village
some best places to see in Turtuk are the 16th century old Minarets and Mosques, the ruins of Pun Khar which is the the Royal House of the Yabgo dynasty, K2 Peak's view, isolated culture of village, Historic Polo Ground and Natural freezing point. This amazing village can be explored through camping and cultural tours. The Turtuk village is well known for its heavenly beautiful scenery and picture perfect views. Our Ashoor Guest house is located in such a beautiful village.
Pun Khar :
The Yabgo kings of Chorbat-Baltistan trace their dynasty back to a Prince Tang from western Turkestan in Central Asia, who must have built a palace in Turtuk from at least the 15th century. The Pun Khar is truly amazing place to see in Turtuk.

Turtuk Old Mosque :
The Turtuk Old Mosque lies in the center of Turtuk Youl. The Old Mosque's unique feature is a wooden minaret having a spiral staircase and only partly encased by timber slats.

Polo Ground Turtuk
A part of the Baltistan region in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province till 1971 when the Indian army captured this village, Turtuk has stridently preserved the traditions that link it to its Balti roots. Polo is an important part of this tradition. Each year, on March 21 – the first day of the Balti New Year called Navroz – the best Polo players of Turtuk Youl and Turtuk Faroul – the two parts of this village connected with an old, rickety wooden bridge, gather for a match at their polo ground situated at an altitude of over 9300 feet. The preparations for the match start months before the Navroz. During the months of December and January, the players purchase Polo ponies (aged between 1 to 3 years). The players then train these horses for polo over the next three months and feed them a diet of buckwheat, wheat and lentils soaked in water for five weeks to help the horses gain stamina and stealth. The Polo Ground Turtuk is also one of the interesting Turtuk sightseeing places.

Hunder
The distance between Turtuk and Hunder is approximately 82.8 kilometers and one can from Turtuk to Hunder within 2 hours and 21 minutes. Hunder is a beautiful remote village and oasis in the cold desert of Nubra Valley. Though the area surrounding Hunder is dry and barren, the village is wide area of green and has abundant cultivable land. Hunder is noted for forests of sea-buckthorn which is known as Leh Berry, a medicinal plant which is rich in vitamins, bio-molecules and nutritive properties. The Hunder Gompa, the Buddhist monastery of the Hunder village is among the oldest monastery in the Nubra Valley. The Hunder monastery is also the best place in the village to view the amazing sunset. You can also witness the ancient cultures of the valley during the commemoration of the Festival of Hunder where you can witness the performance of the Cham dance, exhibition of traditional arts and sports are the highlight of the festival. Hunder Village is the perfect place for campers and trekkers. You can also experience camel safari in amazing sand dunes of Nubra Valley. The Hunder is one of the best tourist places to visit near Turtuk.

Diskit Monastery
The distance between Diskit Monastery and Turtuk is approximately 91.7 kilometers and one can reach within 2 hours and 32 minutes by car. The Diskit Monastery is a 14th century old monastery, situated on a small hill above the flood plains of Shyok River in village of Diskit in Nubra Valley. Apart from religious and historic reasons, the Diskit Monastery offers amazing views of the surrounding areas. There is an eye-catching 32 meter tall statue of Maitreya Buddha near Diskit Monastery which is the most photographed and popular Buddha statue in the Ladakh region. Besides this amazing Buddha status, this Tibetan style Diskit Monastery houses many magnificent murals and frescos. Local buses and taxis for Turtuk and Hunder are easily available from the bus stand. The Diskit Monastery is truly amazing tourist place to visit near Turtuk.

Khardung La Pass
The distance between Khardung La Pass and Turtuk is approximately 166 kilometers and one can reach within 4 hours and 19 minutes by car. The Khardung La Pass is believed to be the World's Highest Motorable Pass. The Khardung La Pass is indeed a heavenly place as it is situated at an altitude of more than 18,000 ft. This Khardung La Pass is on the way from Leh to Nubra valley. The oxygen level at such a high altitude is very low, so be prepared and do not stay here for more than 15 to 20 minutes. There is no need of Permit for Indians to visit Khardung La Pass. The Khardung La Pass is divinely tourist place to visit near Turtuk.