Puga Hot Springs in Ladakh: Should You Include it in Your Leh-Ladakh Trip?

Travel to Ladakh isn’t easy; it's expensive and it is can take a toll on your body...after all you are finding amusement at thousands of feet above sea level. So when you do take a trip to Leh-Ladakh, be very careful in creating your itinerary. As a woman traveler with an insatiable wanderlust, I found myself irresistibly drawn to the mystical landscapes of Ladakh and thus I ended up visiting it thrice in 20 years. I have seen it change....but what doesn't change is the awe inspiring beauty of the landscape.

Amidst this remote Himalayan region, I stumbled upon a hidden gem....a bright green emerald– Puga Hot Springs.

Tucked away in the Changthang region of Ladakh, Puga Hot Springs remain relatively unexplored by mainstream tourism. The focal point of Puga Hot Springs is undoubtedly its geothermal springs, renowned for their therapeutic properties...but too hot to even touch. Beware! Don't be stupid and burn yourself. If you do want to experience the 'healing properties' of mineral rich water then do step away from the main spring and try and sample the water around it.

The bubbling fountain of boiling hot water is the centre of what is called the Puga Valley. The valley is vast and green during the summer months. The undulating earth in the Puga valley makes a swampy, marshy & green meadow. You can spot wild horse and other animals grazing, while some bird watchers will also be rewarded with some good sightings. The vast stretches of untouched wilderness are surrounded by majestic snow-capped peaks.

If you visit the valley, you will be jumping over mounds of soft earth that form a puzzling maze for any traveller to solve before they can reach the hot spring fountain. But do remember the beauty of these green bumps is limited to the summer months after the grass has had enough time to rejuvenate from the harshness of the winter. This is why you have to time the trip perfectly. Before June, the mounds might be yellow and pale with dried up grass and after September it’s too cold. There is a very small window to experience the child like pleasure of jumping over these green Puga bumps.

Also the factor to consider it while putting it in your itinerary is that Puga valley is 176 km away from Leh and requires almost a 3.5 hour journey in a taxi, which can prove to be expensive. While most tourist will head to Pangong Tso and the more adventurous ones to Tso Moriri, very few will make that arduous journey till Puga Valley. The cost can be prohibitive and when you are on a budget you might want to skip it. But take my advice, if you choose to go to Tso Moriri, then don't skip Puga valley.