Turtuk
ཏུར་ཏུག
A Balti village in the Shyok River valley, under Pakistani control until 1971, known for its terraced fields, apricot trees, stone houses and a former royal residence turned museum.
Turtuk lies about 85 km west of Diskit, roughly a 3-hour drive along the Shyok River, and is one of the Indian-side villages closest to the Line of Control. Its residents are Balti Muslims who speak Balti. After the 1971 India-Pakistan war, the village came under Indian control, and it opened to tourists only in 2010. It features terraced fields, apricot groves, clear irrigation channels and old stone-and-timber houses. Visitors can tour the former residence of the Yabgo royal family and a museum of traditional Balti houses, and sample apricot kernel oil and buckwheat flatbread. A day trip is tight, so staying overnight is recommended. Dress conservatively in the village.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Thang Village Viewpoint
- Hunder Monastery
- Ensa Monastery
- Panamik Hot Springs
- Nubra Valley
- Hunder Sand Dunes
- Diskit Monastery & Maitreya Buddha
- Yarab Tso