Day one in Leh is rest day by protocol. The hotel staff bring oxygen if needed and ginger tea on the hour. The rule from the army doctors is two litres of water before sundown and no exertion. The first walk on day two will feel like jogging at sea level.

Hunder sits at 10,000 feet and has a working dune system fed by the Shyok river. Fine grey sand, not Rajasthan saffron. The double-humped Bactrian camels were left behind by the Silk Route caravans; a short ride goes for 400 rupees and is worth it for the photograph.

Turtuk was opened to tourists in 2010. The village sits eight kilometres before the LoC and the Baltistan culture here is closer to Pakistan than Ladakh. The apricot trees are everywhere and the locals serve buckwheat noodles called gyathuk. The army permission is checked at the gate.

Diskit Monastery is the oldest in Nubra. 14th century, built on a ridge above the valley floor. The 32-metre standing Maitreya Buddha at the front, painted in primary colours, was finished in 2010. The view from its base takes in the whole Hunder dune field.