North of Leh across the Khardung La (pass) at 5,578 metres along the highest motorable road in the world is the Nubra Valley. Fed by the Nubra and Shyok Rivers, the valley was once thought to be under a huge glacier. What remains left today are stretches of sand dunes and stark boulder-strewn plains that look almost extra-terrestrial. Bound by the Karakoram Range in the north and east, this land was once traversed by traders from China with camel caravans. The Nubra valley opened to tourists only in 1994 and is still virgin territory for travellers.