Explore the wide plateau where the last villages of India are located safeguarding its culture and traditions
Explore the wide plateau where the last villages of India are located safeguarding its culture and traditions
Explore the wide plateau where last villages of India are located safeguarding its culture and traditions
Why this experience is unique?
Explore the beauty of Ladakh with locals. Stay in the homes with local families. Eat authentic local cuisine, enjoy sand dunes and Pangong Lake. The turquoise lake is one of the popular destinations. The village Maan near the lake has gained its new identity as India’s first Astrostay where trained locals offer Astronomy sessions every evening. They show the stars, planets, constellations and share the local folklores. The plateau of Changthang where Pangong Lake is situated is known for the nomadic semi-communities and the world-famous Pashmina fabric. Take a tour to this high altitude plateau where every village has a new story and something unique to offer.
We will pick you up from the Leh airport and take you to your locally owned homestay in Leh (11,500ft). You will be resting today and acclimatizing yourself to the High-Altitude environment amidst the picturesque Himalayan landscape. This day is called the Acclimatization day and is required to adjust your body to the low oxygen levels of this altitude.
Before we step into the villages of Ladakh we would acquaint ourselves with the Ladakhi culture, heritage, and lifestyle. As per your choice, you can pick local places to visit. Hall of Fame, Shanti Stupa, Leh Palace, Central Asian Museum – these are the places we recommend you to visit. Come back after spending a day doing sightseeing and rest in the same homestay.
Today we’ll drive to the beautiful village of Hunder. Poised beautifully in the Nubra Valley, this small village offers an immersive experience of local life and Buddhist culture. Popularly known for the endemic double humpback camel, the village also offers beautiful views of the Shyok River and access to India’s last outpost at Doathang. This village can be said most popular as well as a hidden gem of this region. Stay in a comfortable homestay in Hunder tonight.
Today is the day to go deep into the mountain valley, visit the remote village and see the sand dunes. You will visit the village Turtuk that is close to the border area of India. After the visit, you will come back and stay in Hunder.
After a good breakfast in Hunder, you will head to see an iconic monastery of Ladakh – Diskit Monastery. See the location, old structures, beautiful paintings inside the monastery, and meet the Lamas. After this visit, you will drive to a beautiful village situated next to Pangong Lake. You will stay in an Astrostay where you will be enjoying beautiful views, warm hospitality, and an Astronomy session at night.
Spend a day in the beautiful village of Maan and meet the Pashmina Weavers. This region is known for its pure pashmina and you will see local women busy in Pashmina making process. Take a walk and visit the popular Pangong Lake. A villager would be happy to take you there and share a lot of interesting local stories on the way. The day will end in the same homestay in Maan.
Drive to village Taar today. On arrival, spend a day in the beautiful village, hidden in the western sham valley of Ladakh. The village life here is enchanting with numerous farms spread across the village. Take a stroll to the river stream and meditate in the monastery.
Now the return journey would begin towards Leh. You will be visiting the Mangyu monastery on the way. Rinchen Zangpo (957 – 1055 AD), was an 11th-century ruler and scholar of Ladakh who initiated 108 temples inviting artisans from Kashmir. You will see these beautiful paintings in a Mangyu Monastery done by Kashmiri artists. We will reach back to Leh and spend the rest of the day in the Leh market.
After having a good breakfast, you will be heading back to Leh airport. You will be leaving the land of mystical mountains with loads of beautiful memories and a wish to come back again.
Guests like to eat our Ladakhi food. They say it is delicious, even when it is prepared by an elderly ama (mother) like me. I always make sure I serve them the cleanest and healthiest food. My husband is a copper artist. When guests leave us, they say ‘Julley’, and hug us. It makes us feel happy.
I became a Mountain Homestay Host in 2018, and I have hosted many travellers since then. Running a homestay has helped me and my family a lot. Not only is the solar set up in our house useful for us, but even travellers prefer to stay in our homestay because of it.
The training we got in astronomy turned out to be a life-changing experience for our village. I felt happy and proud while mapping the position of the planets and sharing the secrets of the universe with the tourists. Tourists told me that even they didn’t know so much about the dark skies!
