Riding the World’s Highest Motorable Pass at 18,379 ft to Reach Turtuk, POKs Neighbouring Village

Claimed by Pakistan after independence in 1947, Turtuk was annexed to India in 1971 during the Indo-Pakistani war, when the province of Baltistan was partitioned between the two countries. As a military border, it remained closed for outsiders.

Turtuk

It remained closed until locals, weary of their long isolation, petitioned for the remote, scenic valley to open up. Villagers studying or working in Pakistan before 1971 remained stuck there after Turtuk became a part of India.

I was determined to see Turtuk for myself – no small feat, considering it's a full day journey from Leh, Ladakh’s major city, includes a vertiginous climb over Khardung La, the world’s highest motorable pass at 18,379ft. As expected, the bike ride was super hectic.

Bike ride from Khardungla to Turtuk

Got the glimpse of Marmot!

We crossed the beautiful fields of Turtuk and spoke to few locals about their life. While their relatives became Pakistanis, they remained Indians and now miss their family members on the other side of the border. However, the Indian government has now made it possible for villagers to visit from Pakistan.

The Village offers view of beautiful valley part of the Shyok Valley

Here's a picture of our cute homestay in Turtuk. We were without internet and WiFi for a long time. Locals are super hospitable and humble. They get super excited to see new people. We had Khan bhai who gave us amazing food and took us to fields of Turtuk.

This shot was taken when we were hunting for fresh apricots:

Today, with no WiFi, few businesses, limited electricity and a distinct local language (Balti), the largely self-sufficient border village retains the feel of another age.

The water was fresh and clean. We actually drank the water and mixed one for our drink too:

The village is now part of India, but the Pakistani border is just down the road:

Here's our wonderful host, we call him Khan bhai! He showed us the Pakistan border. We were specifically told to not make any hand gestures as it could give a dangerous hint. He also informed that military base has sniper units which can get dangerous if they thought we were trespassing.