Tag Archives | Turtuk

Turtuk, the last village in the Shyok Valley before the Pakistani border, Baltistan, India

Where we stayed? At Maha Guesthouse. Surrounded by a sea of flowers and greenery it was the first guesthouse that opened, in 2010. But the season was ruined by the horrible mudslide in Leh that year and serious flooding in the Shyok Valley. The super friendly and most helpful owner speaks English really well and cooks delicious food. No wonder his 10 rooms (800 to 1.000 Rupees) are full every day. The increasing number of tourists has tempted several of his neighbors to open a guesthouse as well and we spotted several homestays. Continue Reading →

Turtuk, the last village in the Shyok Valley before the Pakistani border, Baltistan, India

Who would expect an oasis at 3.000 meters? Turtuk village, like the few other villages in the Shyok valley, sits on a plateau about 200 meters uphill from the small road that runs along the Shyok River. Completely out of sight from the road, only the fields down at the riverbank give away human activity.
A steep ten-minute climb brings you to a place of incredible beauty, a display of immense fertility. Plots – neatly fenced in by small stonewalls – glow in different shades of green or golden with wheat sheaf swaying heavy on the stems. We identified potatoes, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, tomatoes, but lots of other vegetables we did not know. The branches of the apricot- and apple trees hang low from the weight of the many fruits. Even grapes grow at this height. Continue Reading →