The closest airport to Nubra valley is Leh Kushok Bakula Rinpoche Airport which is located 120 Kms away in Leh. Jet airways, Kingfisher Airlines, GoAir and Air India are some of the connecting carriers which serve this domestic airport. Due to the weather conditions, all flights arrive and depart at 7:00 in the morning and for security reasons, hand baggage isn't acceptable.
In order to reach Nubra valley after you get down at the airport, the best choice is to hire a jeep or board a bus which will take you to your destination.
How to Reach Nubra Valley by Rail
As there are no railheads in Ladakh, travelling via rail is not a smart move to reach Nubra Valley. The nearest train station to this region is the Jammu Tawi Railway Station which is positioned 620 kms from the valley.
How to Reach Nubra Valley by Bus
The best way to reach Nubra Valley is by road as there aren't any train stations or airports situated in the region. It is a wise plan to first arrive via air at the domestic airport situated in Leh. From there, you can book a jeep which will get you to Nubra Valley along the Srinagar-Leh National Highway. Public buses in Leh which are run by the state government also form a great option if you are looking to reach Diskit in Nubra valley.
All tourists approaching in or going out of the Nubra valley has to take the Khardung La Pass where they need to present the photocopies of their travel permits to soldiers stationed at North and South Pullu.
If you are going in the months of November to May, entry to Nubra Valley will only be permitted in the mornings of Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. However, you can only leave from the valley to Leh on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday mornings. It's better to shun Mondays at all costs as the road closes for repairs. Vehicles arriving in Nubra can only do so till 10:00 in the morning while those going towards Leh can access the roads exclusively from 1:00pm-6:00pm.
Getting Around Nubra Valley
Jeeps and buses are the only two ways which enables steering through the region. If you want to travel on the cheap, commuting in buses is the best way to do so. However, there are incomplete bus services available and if you want to plan your travels in this region, it's important to keep an eye on the timetable of the public transport.
Monday through Saturday, buses leave from Diskit for Sumur at either 8:00 in the morning or 3:00 in the afternoon, which takes about two hours and costs not more than Rs. 25. If you want to reach Panamik, board the 8:00am bus from Diskit which will cost you around Rs. 45 and will arrive at the desired destination in two and a half hours. For Rs. 10, you can also tour in local buses which ply every few hours between Diskit and Hunder.
If you prefer ease over finances, you can hire a jeep from Diskit Bus Stand itself which will cost you Rs. 250 to land at Hunder and Rs 1035, Rs 1775 and Rs 3300 to Sumur, Panamik and Leh respectively.
Since travelling by road is the best way to roam around and even enter Nubra valley, you can also consider bringing along your own means of transportation. But if you want to try getting around like locals do, hop on Bactrian camels which are natives to the place.
You can also get around the valley on foot to have the spectacular landscape of the valley.
Leh to Nubra Valley
Nubra Valley can be reached from Leh through a variety of means like your own car, buses, taxis or you can hire motorcycles
Leh to Nubra Valley by Bus: J & K SRTC along with quite a few other travel companies run regular bus service from Leh to Diskit and other parts of Nubra Valley. While some are one way local transport buses, others are part of packaged tours.
Leh to Nubra Valley by Taxi: Taxis are the like better mode of transport for locals as well as tourists, due to the fact it is faster and more at ease than a bus. You can get a seat in a local taxi which is normally run in the same manner as a local bus or you can hire one yourself.
Leh to Nubra Valley by Hiring Motorcycle: Motorcycle enthusiasts who are unable to take their motorcycles to Leh can get one for rent for local sight seeing and to go to places such as Nubra Valley. One can locate numerous bike rental shops at the old post office road or you can ask your hotel to arrange one for you.