All You Need To Know About the Offbeat Suru Valley in Ladakh

Ladakh takes a top seat for adventure lovers and while the city of Leh, Nubra Valley, and lake Pangong Tso are the must-visit and gets a little crowded, there are still many offbeat destinations that would elate the adventure junkie in you. Everything feels picture perfect once you visit Suru Valley in variance to the barren beauty of rest of Ladakh. Nestled in the Kargil district, between the town of Kargil and Pensi La Pass, Suru Valley is said to be a heaven, and better still unexplored by the tourist.

Surrounded by mountains, farmlands and green pastures which are fed by the Suru river and brimming with apricots and apple orchards towering together with Poplar and willow trees, Suru Valley ticks all the boxes for the intrepid travellers. The vastness of the place is mesmerising, and that is what you would get to experience.

Things to Know About Suru Valley

Start from Kargil and drive up the Pensi La Pass and cross it over to enter the Zanskar valley that will take you through Suru. It has divided the Lush green Suru Valley into lower and lower reaches and today only twenty-five thousand people call it home. The inhabitants are Dard and Tibetan descent and this world seems quite different to a city dweller. The valley is one of the most agriculturally rich compared to the rest of Ladakh. But a visit to Suru Vally is only for those adventure seekers who has the will and determination to trek along in the lure to find the off beaten side of life and nature.

Places Of Interest In And Around Suru Valley

Note, Suru Valley provide one of the best trekking opportunities. The three-day trek to Dras passes through beautiful meadows and offers scenic views. Rock climbing is another activity you can try in Suru. There are no hotels in the area but they can arrange camping near Rangdum monastery.

Sankoo is the only town which is the base to all travellers apart from Kargil. Located 42 kilometers from Kargil in a bowl-shaped valley. Dense plantations of poplars, willows, Myrciaria, wild roses, mountains fill the bowl making it quite popular and a favorite picnic spot among the locals. There is also a small bazaar in the town where you can buy little souvenirs for your trip.

Trespone village is often called little Kashmir and is the gateway to Suru Valley. The town has a historic past and the must-see is a 200-year-old mosque and the paintings inside.

Khartse Ghar Village is another pristine village in the area and the most interesting facts are the hilltop castle of the erstwhile king and the seven meter Buddha statue, known as the maitreya statue, a modern rendition of lord Buddha depicted and carved within the rock.

Nun-Kun Massif

The two jagged peaks of Nun- Kun are one attraction in the Suru valley. While Nun is covered in snow all year round, its next-door neighbor, Kun is barren black. Nun is at an altitude of 7135 meters (23,409 ft) and is the highest peaks in all of Ladakh. These two mountains are located right next to each other, separated by a snowy plateau of about 4 km.

Suru River

Suru river follows you through the journeys. The river originates from the Panzella glacier near Pensi La, flows along the Kargil Padum road that forms the Suru Valley. For adventure lovers, they can organize river rafting during summer.

Panikhar

This village is the starting point and the base for travellers wanting to climb Nun Kun Peaks or to even to trek to the base camp. Also, one of the best places to get clear views of Nun Kun.

Parkachik Glacier

This glacier point is also one of the best spot to see the Nun Kunk peaks and trekkers would not give it a miss.

Rangdum

The landscape will remind anyone of the stark landscape of Zanskar. This village has a monastery and a fort that sums up Rangdum, the last village in Suru Valley. These offbeat places don't pitch for tourists so there are fewer tourists.

Ta Tso and the Lang Tso lakes

Sitting at the top of Pensi La ar, the twin lakes of Ta Taso and Lang Tso and twin lakes are positioned right next to each other. This is truly an off-grid spot and a must visit if nature beckons you.

Things to do in Suru Valley

A Photographers Haven

Suru Valley's landscape is unlike Ladakh's stark beauty. It changes every 30 kms specially moving towards Sankoo. The lush greenery at the foreground with the river flowing by the valley and the snow-capped mountains at the backdrop makes a perfect canvas for any photographer.

A Trekkers Paradise

Thousands of trekkers and mountain climbers frequent Suru Valley for hiking the Nun-Kun Massif. Participants from different countries including some of the best climbers from India and abroad attend the annual Suru Boulder Festival in the valley. But for those regulars in trekking, there are easy treks, such like the one day trek between Parkachik and Panikhar over the Parkachik La Pass. Other trekking options include the Sapil Lake and Rushi La trek from Shergole to Sankoo; the six days Warwan Valley trek from Panikhar is also beautiful for its stunning views. Another option is from Tangole, a trek up to the Nun Kun Base Camp.

Where to Stay ?

If you thought there are hardly any accommodation being an offbeat destination, then Suru Valley Tourism will surprise you a bit. There are guesthouses for budget travellers and J&K tourism bungalows that are located in Sankoo, Panikhar, Parkachik, Rangdum, and also in some other villages like Rangdu, Tangol, and Purtikchay. If you book early, the PWD guest house in Rangdum is a great option. The favourite among trekkers is the campsite by the name of Nun-Kun Deluxe Camp.

Best Season to Visit Suru Valley:

The best to visit is from May to October and even spring is also a good time i.e. March to May.

How To Reach Suru Valley

Kargil is the gateway to reaching Suru Valley. You can either reach Kargil via Srinagar or Leh by flight and another 3 hrs (91 kms approx) to the Suru Valley by road. But for road trippers, a road trip to Suru Valley is the ideal way to enjoy the changing landscape of the beautiful Suru Valley.

Suru Valley has the right mix of quietude, nature's bounty, local culture and a day packed with trekking and other activities that could leave you satisfyingly baffled. This experience may lead you to think — Sometimes you don't have to travel international to find the ideal travel experience.

Find Best Places to Visit in India in April & May with Tripoto here.