2,900 m
Turtuk
A Balti village of stone lanes, apricot orchards and glacial streams, among the last villages before the Line of Control.
Rupshu
Tso Kar, Ladakh
A white-rimmed salt lake on the Rupshu plateau, a breeding ground for black-necked cranes.
- Altitude
- 4,530 m
- From Leh
- ~160 km, 5 hours
- Best time
- June to September
- Permit
- Protected-area permit required
Tso Kar (“white lake”) is fringed by salt deposits and wetlands. It is a protected Ramsar wetland and a nesting ground for black-necked cranes, bar-headed geese and Brahminy ducks. Kiang (Tibetan wild ass) graze the surrounding plains.
More hidden gems
4,300 m
Hanle
India’s first Dark Sky Reserve: a 17th-century monastery, an observatory, and a sky crowded with stars.
2,900 m
Aryan Valley (Dha-Hanu)
Home of the Brokpa people, known for flower-crowned headdresses, vineyards and a distinct culture.
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