DESCRIPTION:

Ladakh is unique in India. Located in a far-flung corner of northern India that is surrounded by alpine desert and bounded by two of the world’s largest mountain ranges, its people tend to refer to the rest of the country as simply "down." For millennia the Ladakh landscape has been spectacularly sculpted by wind and water erosion. Situated at the western edge of the Tibetan Plateau, human habitation here is restricted to narrow strips of greenery clinging to the banks of rivers streaming down from mountain glaciers. Nearly inaccessible from the outside world from November to May, Ladakh’s relative isolation has preserved an almost medieval way of life.

 

Despite the rugged terrain and difficult climatic conditions, the people of Ladakh exhibit a natural joie de vivre. Their cultural traditions and lifestyle are a continuum from the past and are vibrantly alive and colorful. On this unique itinerary learn about the history, traditional culture, and natural history of Ladakh through visits to monasteries, traditional villages, and bazaars. Tour Ladakh’s centuries-old Buddhist monasteries nestled in hillsides overlooking the dry barren landscape. Stroll the bustling markets in Old Delhi and Leh. Take an optional trek to the remote village of Mangyu, where village life continues much as it has for the past 2,000 years. Meet with a local ecological group and a women’s alliance to learn about the ecological and developmental issues and possible future of this fascinating region.

 

Though only opened to foreigners in 1974, change is coming to Ladakh. Hydro-electric power is flooding the region with money. Global warming is altering rainfall patterns and threatening farming cycles. Himalayan glaciers, known as the “Water Towers of Asia” and the source for rivers that flow across the continent including the Indus, Brahmaputra, Mekong, Irawaddy, Yangtze and Yellow rivers, are melting and could disappear as early as 2035. Learn how this potentially changes the future of Ladakh and the continent.

 

This is a trip for the true adventurer. Accommodations can be rustic and roads rough, but long drives are rewarded with sights and scenes rarely witnessed by travelers. You will not readily find this trip offered elsewhere.

 

Take an optional trek to the remote village of Mangyu, where village life continues much as it has for the past 2,000 years. This is a trip for the true adventurer. Accommodations can be rustic and roads rough, but long drives are rewarded with sights and scenes rarely witnessed by travelers. Optional tours to Agra, Delhi and the tranquil and fascinating Amanbagh, formerly a Maharaja’s hunting lodge, are also available.

 

CONSIDER:

Attending the traditional Archery Festival in Saboo (held in August). And the altitude of this trip is 9,800 feet or higher.

 

OPTIONAL EXTENSIONS & ADD-ONS:

Optional tours to Agra, Delhi, and the tranquil and fascinating Amanbagh, formerly a Maharaja’s hunting lodge, are available.