Thalle Valley: Green Pastures West of Khaplu

The Thalle valley (also spelt Thalay or Thally) is a 40 km side valley of the Shyok in Ghanche district that leaves the Skardu to Khaplu road at Doghoni, about 15 km short of Khaplu, and climbs from about 2,500 metres through farming villages to summer pastures below the Thalle La. A jeep road has run up it since 1985. It sees far fewer visitors than the Hushe road, and most outsiders who come are trekkers heading over the pass to Shigar.

This guide covers where the valley is, the road and villages, what you see on a day in, and whether it is worth the detour. For the trek itself, see our Thalle La trek guide.

Where is the Thalle valley?

The Thalle river flows south into the Shyok near Doghoni and Balghar, at the western edge of what was once the kingdom of Khaplu. The valley runs north-west from there for about 40 km, with Hushe to the east, the Kiris valley to the south-west and the Shigar valley across the mountains to the north-west.

Near its head the valley divides. The north branch leads to the Tusserpo La, a high and seldom-crossed pass; the south branch to the Thalle La, the easier crossing. Both drop into the Bauma valley, which runs down to Shigar.

The Gilgit-Baltistan tourism department puts the valley 35 km north-west of Khaplu and 110 km from Skardu, at 2,647 m, and singles out the pasture of Thalle Brok for camping and hiking. The people of the valley are known as Thalaypa. Their villages include Harangus, Daltar (also written Daltir), Yarkhor, Baltoro, Khasumik and Lodas, with Olmo the highest settlement.

The road and the villages

Leave the main road at the Doghoni bridge and cross the Shyok to Doghoni, the first village at the valley mouth. The Thalle valley road then climbs north beside the river.

Altitudes come from elevation data at mapped village positions, and distances from route planning, so treat them as approximate. Sources disagree on Khasumik: trekking guides give 2,900 m, while a Roskilde University study puts it at 3,150 m.

Beyond Khasumik a wide track continues to the open pasture of Thalle Brok, where a separate route leads south-west over the Kiris pass to Kiris village on the Shyok. About an hour's walk further up is Olmo.

Vehicles. The road is unsealed for most of its length. A car may manage the lowest stretch in dry weather, but for anything beyond the first villages hire a jeep with a local driver in Khaplu or Skardu, as you would for Hushe. Side streams can cut the track after heavy rain or fast snowmelt.

What you see in the valley

• Terraced fields and orchards in the lower villages. Wheat, potatoes and barley are the main crops, with maize and fodder grown as well. A Roskilde study found that about 95 per cent of households still buy wheat from outside the valley.
• Summer pastures higher up, at Thalle Brok and around Olmo, grazed by herders' yaks and dzo.
• Ibex country. The high slopes are habitat for Himalayan ibex. Sightings need binoculars, patience and usually a local who knows where to look.

There is no single landmark to aim for. The reward is the scale of the valley, the pastures and the quiet.

Floods and the changing climate

The valley has felt climate change sharply. A Wageningen University study of the Central Karakoram found later snow each winter, more rain, and a 45 per cent rise in the frequency and severity of flooding in Thalle over 30 years, and ranked it among the most vulnerable valleys in the region for pasture loss.

For a visitor that means two practical things. After heavy rain in July or August, ask in Khaplu whether the road is open before setting off, and don't camp on flat ground beside a stream bed.

Where to stay and what to bring

We have not found established guesthouses in the valley that we can recommend by name. Most visitors either drive in for the day from Khaplu or camp at the pastures as part of the trek. Our Khaplu hotels guide covers places to stay at the bottom.

Bring:

• Food and water for the day. Village shops, where they exist, are small.
• Warm layers. Olmo is roughly 800 metres higher than Khaplu.
• Cash. There are no ATMs above Khaplu.
• Modest dress, and ask before photographing people or homes. These are conservative farming villages, not a tourist circuit.

When to go

June to September is the season. The road is clear, the pastures are in use, and the trek over the pass is possible. May and October can work for a drive to the lower villages, with fewer people and colder nights. In winter the upper valley is under snow and the pastures are empty.

Is the Thalle valley worth the detour?

For trekkers, yes. It is the eastern gateway to the Thalle La, and driving up to Thalle Brok or Olmo is the easiest start to Baltistan's gentlest high crossing.

For travellers with a spare day in Khaplu who like empty valleys, it is a good half day by jeep: up to Daltar or Olmo, lunch at the pastures, back by late afternoon.

For a first visit to Khaplu with only a day or two, spend the time elsewhere. Khaplu Palace, the Chaqchan Mosque and a run up to Saling and Machulu make better use of a short stay; see our guide to places to visit in Khaplu. If you want a jeep valley with big mountains at the end, the Hushe valley is the stronger choice.

If you are fitting the Thalle La into a longer Baltistan trip, our trip planning page can help with dates.

Frequently asked questions