Leh-Ladhak Trip Day 7

We woke up to a cold but sunny morning and quickly got ready for a hearty breakfast at our hotel. 

The breakfast was superb. The kitchen staff took care to cater to our specific requirements and the fare was simple yet tasty and healthy. After this, we got into our vehicles to a long drive to Turtuk village – which is the last village bordering Pakistan. This village was on the Pakistan side till 1971 when after the war, it was recaptured by the Indian army. Unfortunately, many of the villagers were separated from their near & dear ones in the process. This area is now under the control of the Ladakh Scouts.

The drive was beautiful along the riverbanks for most of the time. We had to pass through a narrow steel bridge which allowed only one vehicle to pass at a time. After a long 4 hour drive, through spectacular mountain ranges & villages, we reached Turtuk village. The was quite a crowd here – all eager to get view the Pakistan side through binoculars (available at a nominal rent) and get themselves photographed at the border. The villagers had put up several stalls here to sell locally made stuff as well as fruits. There was even a stall to dress as locals and get photographed for a small price.

We then went to the village after lunch at a pure vegetarian restaurant called Khan Hotel. It seems that many of the villagers have realized that there is a demand for pure vegetarian and vegan food from tourists and they have adapted to cater to that.

The village was beautiful and quaint. We had a good walk through the gullies having small houses and tiny farms. We did small talk with the friendly locals who said that they have seen more prosperity after becoming part of India. The do miss their relatives with whom they are unable to have much contact. Their livelihood is mainly made from farming, providing porters and mules to the army and tourists inflow. They have set up small museums to showcase their lifestyle and have small shops selling local produce as well as artefacts.

We took some pictures of ourselves here. Some locals were more than happy to get themselves photographed with us while a few ladies objected even though they were not being clicked. Locals were generally very amiable as tourists are important part of their economy. After some time, the weather changed, and it started raining. So, we decided to return to Nubra.

The drive back was through a slight drizzle for part of the way. When we reached our hotel, it was evening. We took some rest before having dinner and retiring for the night.