Sham Valley (often referred to simply as Sham or Western Ladakh) is historically one of the most significant, densely populated, and fertile regions in Ladakh. Running along the Indus River and the Srinagar-Leh highway, its lower altitude gives it a warmer climate, earning it the nickname "The Apricot Valley."
​Historically, Sham was not just an agricultural paradise; it served as a powerful political cradle, a crucial Silk Road corridor, and a repository for Ladakh's oldest intact Buddhist art.