This section of the trail through the Nubri Valley is fascinatingly representative. In the lower valley level, agriculture is practiced as well as possible on the available land. Above that, it quickly becomes barren and rock, snow and glacial ice dominate further up. The majority of the people here live from agriculture and animal husbandry. The main crops grown are maize, barley, potatoes and fruit, including apples and oatmeal. However, crop yields last only about three months and people depend on the nearby trading centers of Tibet to the north and Arughat to the south for food and supplies for the rest of the year.
The Nubri region includes the settlement areas of Bihi, Prok, Lho and Sama. The majority of the population consists of the ethnic Bhote Lama, who have their own culture and religion.