Turtuk Village Distance, Temperature, Weather

The Northernmost part of India is popularly known as the beauty hub of India. Everything present there will catch your attention with its beauty. From serene landscape to natural trails and beautiful weather and high altitude, what is not there to love? In fact you can see beauty anywhere you look at and that is surely something that deserves a lot more love. One such spot is the Turtuk Village. The Turtuk Village Ladakh is the northernmost village in India and the strategic position of its location and the history attached to it makes it one of the most sensitive areas as well. Furthermore, all of these are major reasons for a lot of tourists flocking at this location.

If you are ever planning to visit Leh Ladakh, surely include the Turtuk village in your itinerary. After visiting here you would understand how beautiful the nature can be and how thrilling it is to visit a location like the Turtuk village. In this article I will mention everything about Turtuk Ladakh that will help you in planning a successful trip. So keep on reading this article because this is going to be a helpful one for you for sure.

Turtuk Village

Location of Turtuk Village: Turtuk Village, Nubra Tehsil, Leh district, Ladakh

Overview of Turtuk Village

Located in the Nubra Valley of Ladakh the Turtuk Village is a pristine village on the bank of the Shyok River. This village was under the control of Pakistan till 1971 after which it became a part of India. As a location the Turtuk Village holds a lot of history to it which makes it even more intriguing for the visitors to visit here. Parted by the River Shyok this village is a military dominated region because of its close proximity with the Line of Control between India and Pakistan and that makes it a sensitive area. You can even get glimpses of bunkers of the Pakistani army in this area.

Furthermore it is the major last village which is a popular tourist spot along with Thang which is the last village near Line of Control and Tyakshi. Tourists are only allowed here till Tyakshi. With places like the Siachen Base Camp, Nubra Valley, Siachen Glacier, Shyok Valley this is a must visit place when you are visiting Ladakh.

However for all the people visiting here a Protected Area Permit (PAP) is a must. For Indian citizens this permit is valid till 3 weeks and for foreigners it is valid for a week. It is one of the newer tourist spots in Ladakh which was opened for tourists in 2009.

What’s more?

Turtuk Village is basically a Muslim village with around 3500 residents. Majority of the people here speak Ladakhi, Balistani and Urdu languages. Furthermore Turtuk Village is the only place in India where the Balti culture is present. Many tourists visit here only to witness the Balti culture here and also to notice the connection of this place with Pakistan. Things like this make this a thrilling spot to visit for the tourist.

The residents of the Turtuk Village are friendly, honest and helpful and their lifestyle somehow matches with the people living in the upper Himachal and Uttarakhand. Previously the village was quite secluded and had no such connection with the lowland. But with the development of tourism in the area the people have benefitted to a lot of extent to grow their self generated businesses and livelihood as well.

You can enjoy a beautiful view of the Shyok River from the village. One of the major areas of the Turtuk Village is the main market area which is a small market on the Hunder Tyakshi road. Furthermore the upper village location is divided by a small nullah which is one of the picturesque areas of the Turtuk Village. Turtuk altitude is however lower in comparison to Leh, Hunder and Dikshit. A lot of people living here are involved in farming here and you can spot all sorts of vegetable growing here. You will even spot Apricots, Apples and Grapes growing here.

How to reach Turtuk Village

Leh to Turtuk is around 205 km and you can reach there quite comfortably and it would take 6-8 hours to complete the Leh to Turtuk distance in a car. The nearest airport is Leh Ladakh and you will get a taxi from there. You can also take a bus from Leh to Nubra valley as well and Nubra Valley to Turtuk distance can be covered in a car only because bus services are not available from there. Nubra to Turtuk distance via Dikshit Turtok Highway is around 165 km and it would take around 4 hours and 25 minutes to reach there. Furthermore Hunder to Turtuk distance via Dikshit Turtok Highway is about 85 km and it takes around 2 hours and 9 minutes to reach there.

Turtuk Village Tour

It would be a really nice experience if you stay overnight in Turtuk Village. But if you are planning the Turtuk Village tour along with visiting Ladakh, Hunder and Dikshit you will need an extra day. Along with stay options in Turtuk there are options to stay in Leh, Hunder, Dikshit and Sumur as well. So if you are staying there you can make a trip to Turtuk Village.

Best time to visit Turtuk Village

According to Turtuk weather this is an all year round destination. The weather here is always pleasant with the Turtuk temperature ranging between 2 degrees to 28 degrees in summer. However the winters can be a little too chilly here with temperature going down to -6 degrees. Furthermore the months between April to September are ideal times to enjoy the beauty of this place, the surroundings, and also the pleasant weather.

Things to do in Turtuk Village

You must visit the museum maintained by the Kacho family known as the Royal Yagbo House. By visiting this spot you will get an insight about the history of Turtuk Village.

Check out the Water Mill or the Gharat which is used by the villagers to grind grain.

Visit the ancient mosque of Turtuk, along with Tyakshi, and Zero Point.

Turtuk hotels

You can get some decent options for hotels as well as Turtuk homestay for a comfortable stay. Also you can stay in Hunder or Leh and take trips to Turtuk Village.

The Stone Palace Turtuk

This is a decent option to stay in Turtuk. They offer rooms with gorgeous views and serve delicious home cooked meals here. This is a homely homestay option that you can opt for. The area is in close proximity with sightseeing spots like Turtuk Waterfalls, Balti Museum etc. Furthermore they offer breakfast, lunch and dinner only at Rs. 350 per person. They have a deluxe room with valley view and the tariff starts from Rs. 5000.

Turtuk Green View Guest House

This property is hosted by Iftikhar, and is located at the centre of the Turtuk Village. The rooms are comfortable here with an attached bathroom and running hot water. Furthermore they offer amenities like Parking, Balcony, Free Wifi, Dining area. The tariff starts from Rs. 2208.

Sukoon Turtuk Homestay

This is yet another homestay in Turtuk that offers a decent stay in budget. Furthermore they offer facilities like a sun terrace, restaurant, free Wifi, Dining area and river view. They have a Double room with terrace, Deluxe family room, Family room, Family room with mountain view, Single room, Villa with Garden View. The tariff starts from Rs. 1400.

Things to remember while visiting the Turtuk Village

Do not click photographs of the local people without their permission, photographs of military establishments as this is a sensitive area.
In Turtuk Village the only network provider is BSNL so it would be better if you can carry a postpaid BSNL sim with you.
You must try the local food while visiting here like Apricot pancakes, Yak Butter Tea, Thakuk etc. Furthermore you can also enjoy the Balti cuisine here.
You should carry a basic medical kit along with you.
It is a safe place as the army is present here at all times. So in case of any emergency need you can contact them and ask for help.

Wrapping Up!

A location like the Turtuk Village holds on with it a lot of history and depth. For the region being so close to the Line of Control between India and Pakistan it is quite a vulnerable area. However in recent years the location has also become one of the most popular tourist destinations as well. Furthermore with the development of tourism the Turtuk Village got its due recognition.

Another thing that attracts the tourists here is the fact that it is the last village accessible to the tourist near the line of control. Technically Thang is the last village but that is not accessible for the tourists to visit. On the lap of the Himalayas the nature here outshines everything else. So if you are in search of a natural destination where you can enjoy the unspoiled beauty of nature you can surely consider visiting the Turtuk Village.

Furthermore it can be that ideal place for you where you can enjoy the unprecedented natural beauty, beautiful landscape, historical relevance and the thrill of being at such a sensitive location with the army and base camps so near. It would be a fulfilling as well as an enjoyable trip for you. So whenever you are visiting Ladakh make sure you are visiting the Turtuk Village. Do let me know if this article on the Turtuk Village Ladakh was helpful for you in planning a successful trip.