Turtuk, a pictorial little hamlet in Ladakh is located in Nubra valley along the shores of Shyok river. It is situated near the Pakistan border and was once a part of Pakistan until the 1971 Indo-Pak war when the Indian army occupied this small village.
Ladakh is itself an offbeat destination and Turtuk is a wonderland, a road fairly less travelled. Turtuk is the last outpost in India and is also known as the last village on the Indo-Pak border (now Thang village is supposed to be the last village) It is also one of the getaways to Siachen Glacier.
When we got the Ladakh itinerary for 7 days from our travel agency, Turtuk was included and after reading about this scenic village, we confirmed our itinerary.
However, a few days before our trip, we saw some travellers videos where they were not recommending visiting Turtuk as they said there is nothing much to see there. It’s a waste of time, energy, and money. So we were apprehensive now about what to do, but then we decided to go ahead with our itinerary, and am glad we did because Turtuk is worth visiting.
Usually, travellers plan the Leh Ladakh trip for 5-6 days and miss out on visiting Turtuk, but I would recommend everyone to add one more day (and night, we didn’t stay overnight as it was not in our package) to your itinerary and visit this unknown little hamlet because:
There are 6 reasons why you should visit Turtuk village in Ladakh.
1. The journey to Turtuk is sheer beauty
It is flanked between snow-clad mountains and a pristine river. The journey to Turtuk from Nubra valley is sheer beauty & pleasing to the eyes.
The journey is around 3-4hours but not a single dull moment as it takes you to the mesmerizing view of the Shyok river & Karakoram mountain ranges.
Ladakh is itself heaven and we get to see nature at its best. However, I can assure you that the road trip to Turtuk will give you one of the best views of Ladakh.
Must visit Rancho School & Thiksey Monastery in Leh trip
2. Turtuk is about 2.5km from the Line of Control between Pakistan & India
We saw enormous army men at small distances on our way to Turtuk in Ladakh. I saluted a few of them and they saluted me back.
Thanks to Jawans, only because of them we travellers can freely and without any worry can visit this remote offbeat destination.
In Turtuk also, we saw many army men and I requested them to have a photo with me, but they were not allowed to do it in uniforms.
3. A picturesque hamlet & captivating waterfall
Once we reached Turtuk, we all loved it at first glance. The exquisiteness of the village & the ambient sounds of the waterfall filled our hearts with love and peace.
This small village in Ladakh looks like a postcard and the panoramic views of the landscape are spectacular. we enjoyed exploring it on foot and went through the wooden bridge with water flowing beneath.
Later, we came down & like many visitors, sat near the waterfall and engulfed ourselves in it. It was a surreal experience.
4. Meet the locals & get to know the Balti tribe
As Turtuk was a region of Baltistan, the people of the village are known as the Balti tribe. The hospitality of the locals is hard to miss.
The heir of the Balti museum was humble with a beautiful soul. We got to see the original Balti artifacts and the history of the Balti dynasty.
She took us to a bunker where a natural stone cooling storage system was used in earlier times.
The kids were playing with water and having fun as their holidays were going on.
5. Spot Pakistani Army bunkers using binoculars
As the border is quite close, few locals offer travellers to see Pakistani Army bunkers by using their binoculars at a nominal charge.
My brother & friend paid & saw it. They said it was enthralling to watch it so clearly. (Wish I had seen it too)
6. A land of apricots
Get yourself fresh Turtuk apricots as it is the largest apricot-producing village in the whole of Ladakh valley. We bought a lot to take home with us for friends & family.
Remember: Please carry chocolates or anything small essential for the Turtuk village kids
Thankfully, I had watched a vlog where that vlogger gave chocolates to the kids and their smile was priceless.
After watching it, I too decided to do this small gesture and purchased 2 packets of chocolates before reaching Turtuk.
My goodness, just 1-2 chocolates can bring so much happiness to a kid’s face. It was priceless.
So please remember, next time you plan to visit Turtuk in Ladakh, don’t forget to bring chocolates. You can be a ‘Santa’ in any season.
Leh Ladakh Trip Cost for 7 days: Our Tour Package for 6 people
