In 2015, J&K and Centre Government had opened Warshi Village for Indian tourists and now, Warshi Village along with Yarma-Gompa and Yarma-Gonboo Monastery are open for foreign tourists as well.
While Indian tourists just need to submit self-declaration form at Panamik check post, in order to proceed to Warshi Village. Foreign tourists and NRIs will need Protect Area Permit (PAP), in order to visit one of the most beautiful parts of Nubra Valley.
Warshi Village is located around 40kms ahead of Panamik, the last village till which foreign tourists could go, before this new notification.
Panamik and Warshi are both situated on the road leading to Siachen Base Camp, world’s highest active battlefield and an area extremely sensitive for India, since this is the only place where Indian Army faces off with Pakistani as well as Chinese forces. Due to this, this sector had been off the tourist circuit for such a long time, even though locals have been demanding this sector to be opened up for tourism.
Beyond Panamik, tourist infrastructure is scanty at best with only a handful of small roadside teashops and restaurants. Warshi itself is a fairly small village and during my October 2015 visit, I didn’t spot any guest houses or restaurants there. Then again, only a handful of Indian tourists actually visit it. Hopefully with this area now opened up for foreign tourists, and foreigners being more interested in remote areas and monasteries, Warshi will get more visitors next season.
Hopefully by next year, more areas will be opened up for tourists, including a few newly constructed army routes; which interest me quite a bit ;).
6 Comments
Thanks for the information Yogesh .
Thanks Jitendra
That’s great news! You are very lucky to witness this uncharted territory before it gets infested by tourists. Lovely picture!
Thanks Sandeepa
Hello yogesh, while looking for destination in leh, i came across ur blog and partiularly the writeup about warshi. Can u please let me know the time u went there is 2015. The area seems phenomenal and somewher i would want to goto asap.
Thank you
Pankaj
Pankaj, I went there in October 2015.