workers from other parts of India. Languages The Purgi language is the predominent language in the Suru Valley, spoken by about 95 percent of the people in the Sankoo Tehsil. Landscape and agriculture The lower part of the valley, at altitudes below 3,000 metres (9,843 ft), is one of the most agriculturally productive parts of Ladakh with two crops a year being harvested, watered by the run-off from the very heavy winter snowfalls, and even plantations of willow and poplar trees making it a relatively lush and very attractive area, but around Rangdum the landscapes are stark, flat moorlands ringed by arid crags. The spiky white topped mountain peaks of the Nun-Kun massif, topping 7000 m, are visible from several places in the valley. Tourism Despite considerable potential, tourism activity is very limited in the valley with most visitors rushing through to Padum and Zanskar. There are few facilities for visitors but Ladakh UT Tourism does have basic tourist bungalows in several of the villages. and there's a summer tent-camp in Rangdum. Tangole village is a possible starting point for mountaineering expeditions up Nun Kun. Notes References Bibliography Nicola Grist (1998), Local Politics in Suru Valley of Northern India (PhD Thesis) Janet Rizvi. (1996). Ladakh: Crossroads of High Asia. Second Edition. Oxford University Press, Delhi. . External links Geography of Ladakh Valleys of Ladakh Ladakh