The road journey to Leh high up in the Indian Himalayas is a spectacular but oftentimes difficult one.
The terrain is unforgiving, the road can be blocked by sudden landslides, but oh those views…and those colours that look as though they have been overexposed, so bright are they.
Last year we drove from Gulmarg to Leh, and one of the issues was where to stay for the night en route. No-one expects luxury at altitude, but a clean, hygienic overnight stop was a must.
And the little tented camp called Nun Kun did not disappoint. It is about 25 km beyond Kargil, surrounded by mountains and makes a good overnight stop. The camp describes itself as “luxury” and I know most of my party was underwhelmed by the camp, but quite frankly, to find a clean loo, a bed groaning under the weight of so many quilts and hot food was luxury enough for me.
The bathrooms are simple but functional, which is all one needs and expects at 3660+ metres. To find western flush toilets was more than I had expected, to be honest.
Recommended, though I think one night is all you need there, to break the journey. There was a French couple staying there for a couple of days when we were there, but I’m not sure what you would do during the long hot days – walk and explore the surrounding peaks, I guess.
Nun Kun Camp is popular with biker groups – as is much of Ladakh.
Not the camp’s fault, but perhaps they need to explain to men like these that:
(a) they have their own bathrooms for a reason, so there is no need to brush their teeth in the middle of the camp, spitting toothpaste everywhere with gay abandon. Manners, guys, manners…
and
(b) you don’t walk around camp in your thermal long johns. Once again, manners, guys, manners…
Perhaps the charming, unfailingly polite Ladakhis need to be a little stricter with these groups…they mainly are from Maharashtra, which is neither here nor there, I realise.
For information about rates and to book, you can contact the camp via this website.
I didn’t tell them that I write or blog and we obviously paid for our own stay.