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Minh Diep, a travel blogger currently living and working in Saigon, has traveled to 30 countries across 4 continents. In each country, she explores the unique cultural experiences of that region. Her recent trip to Ladakh (India) was quite interesting, and one of them was camel riding in the beautiful Nubra Valley.
Minh Diep recently had a camel riding experience in the Nubra Valley.
Visiting Ladakh without setting foot in the Nubra Valley would be the biggest regret of the trip. This land of vibrant colors features the pristine white of snow, the ivory white of sand dunes, the magical blue of the sky, and the intense green of the trees growing amidst the cold desert...
Located 150 km north of Ladakh's capital, Nubra is the most fertile valley in the entire Ladakh region, centered around the village of Diskit. Nubra offers numerous campsites for tourists. However, there is no electricity or Wi-Fi. Nevertheless, you can admire breathtaking scenery and experience a peaceful life amidst vast natural surroundings.
The Nubra Valley is an ideal location to fit into an adaptive itinerary for a Ladakh trip.
Located at an altitude of 3,000 meters above sea level, the Nubra Valley is one of the must-see attractions in Ladakh – a vast region known as the "Little Tibet" of India. The towering mountain ranges, colorful trails, and unique cultural aspects of the local people strongly attract tourists.
Minh Diep's camel ride started in Leh at 9:30 am, crossing the Khardung La Pass – the highest pass in the world – to reach the Nubra Valley. This valley boasts majestic and picturesque beauty, featuring rivers, snow-capped mountains, and sand dunes.
Camels are gathered and ready for visitors to choose from to explore the Nubra Valley.
“What’s special is that riding camels here is very interesting because other places are usually hot deserts – where the climate is hot all year round. But in Nubra, this is the first time I’ve crossed a cold desert terrain with such low temperatures. In early October, the temperature was below 10 degrees Celsius during the day and dropped to near 0 degrees Celsius at night,” Minh Diep said.
Fortunately, throughout the journey, Minh Diep did not encounter many difficulties in adapting to the climate and altitude in the Ladakh region. However, many of her friends still suffered from altitude sickness (vomiting, shortness of breath, diarrhea).
There are stretches of road with many sharp turns and curves that not only make you prone to motion sickness but also require oxygen tanks due to altitude sickness.
In addition, the road through the mountain passes was quite bad, and her group encountered snow and sleet, making the road slippery and difficult to navigate. Descending the mountain passes was quite frightening.
In return, all fatigue would vanish upon witnessing firsthand the breathtaking roads, majestic mountains, and the strangely deep gray Shyok River along the way. More importantly, the feeling of riding a camel amidst the picturesque scenery surrounded by majestic mountains was an experience she would remember forever from this trip to Ladakh.
A group of people riding camels in the valley.
Minh Diep also offered some tips for tourists experiencing camel riding across the desert in the Nubra Valley. Camel riding tickets vary in price depending on the riding time. Her group bought tickets for 350 rupees (approximately 100,000 VND) for a 15-minute ride. Camel riding hours are from 9 am to 12 pm in the morning and from 3:30 pm to 7 pm in the afternoon. Tourists should pay attention to the times to ensure a complete and enjoyable trip.
The weather here is quite cold, especially in the mountain pass and around the lake. You need to prepare warm clothing, and moisturizers for your face and body to avoid dry skin. In addition, you should bring a compact GoPro to capture beautiful and memorable moments.
The weather here is quite cold, especially in the mountain pass and around the lake. You need to prepare warm clothing to keep yourself warm.
Sharing her experience from this trip to Ladakh with Travellive, Minh Diep said: “I really love the YOLO lifestyle – you only live once. So open your heart to embrace a new challenge and experience every day. The camel ride in the cold desert was a once-in-a-lifetime experience in Ladakh that you shouldn't miss if you have the chance to visit this sacred land.”
