Learning from Ladakh

September 3rd to 14th

itinerary for JwM Ladakh

September 3rd to 14th (12 days)

really tough to sum up how wonder ful this trip has been. The many conversations we have had, the people weve met, the momen ts weve shared are irreplaceable. And I can vouch that I will be taking a lot back from all that Ive learnt and got expose d to in these past t wo weeks. The seeds have definitely been sown. Thanks a lot, Vinod & Homi, for organiz ing such a wonder ful trip. I hope to join you on anothe r journey someti me soon. - Avanti Pethe (JwM Ladakh trip partici pant, August 2011)

Its

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Religion & Culture

With its emphasis on nding nirvana or enlightenment within oneself - in solitude & stillness - Buddhism has found a superb ally in Ladakh. The vast expanses and the immense craggy mountains have been patient hosts to some of the most remote monasteries the world has seen. Today, these beautiful oases of calm are easily accessible by roads. But transport yourself back mentally a 1000 years, and you will see just how hardy & sincere the Ladakhi monks of yore were in their quest for wisdom. Ridzong, Hemis, and Thiksay - some of the oldest & most picturesque monasteries that we will be visiting and spending time in. Use the time to reect & introspect on your lifes purpose. Or to engage in an insightful conversation with the monks there.

Jullay!
Most Ladakhis radiate a deep contentment. The happiness on their faces & in the cheerful allpurpose local greeting, Jullay, is unmistakeable. Which begs the question - how did a community living in one of Earths harshest environments, nd a way to be truly happy? Is it because of their beautiful surroundings? Or their religion, that emphasizes the acceptance of what is? Lets nd out by talking with them - the citizens of Leh, the village dwellers we encounter on our treks, and the nomadic ChangPa. Our conversations with them should provide us some good insights into their state of mind. What attitudes do they practice that allow them to nd peace & contentment in a harsh high-altitude desert region - a region that experiences severe winters lasting nearly 7-8 months a year - where food is hard to come by, unless like the proverbial ant, they labour through the short summers to stock up for the long and cold winters.

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Adventure
However, the culture of Ladakh isnt all that were experiencing! Were taking off for 3 whole days to enjoy the spectacular mountain landscapes that surround Leh - on a moderately challenging trek between the towns of Spituk and Stok. This stunningly beautiful trek through the Hemis National Park, includes an ascent to an altitude of nearly 16,000 feet! After spending a few days helping the villagers with their harvest, this trek will be a refreshing break for us.

Then theres the mighty Khardung La, a behemoth at 18,030 feet, down which you will be cycling! Yes, thats right... cycling the 39 kms to Leh. This 3-hour long ride will leave you feeling exhilarated. And possibly bruised! But only if you nd yourself unable to handle careening down on a bike from those heights.

Interactions
Too many people travel to the most beautiful places on Earth... and return home without having increased their knowledge & understanding of the place. Were not making that mistake. Every JwM trip comprises a whole bunch of fun activities, but always with a healthy balance of inspiring interactions with people & organizations in the places we visit.

Learn more about:

the traditional organic agricultural practices of Ladakh and how people there have lived in harmonious coexistence with Nature for centuries, from T.T. Namgyal, our good-natured host & retired school-teacher, at the picturesque village of Hemishukpachan where we will be helping with the harvest. earth-friendly solutions to local issues through a visit to an articial glacier site created by Chhewang Norphel (the articial glacier man) the traditional cultural practices of Ladakh from LAMO (the Ladakh Arts and Media Organization) the state of education in Ladakh from SECMOL (Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh)

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Date
Mon, Sep 3rd

What we will be doing

Day 1: Meet in Leh by mid-morning. Leave for Hemishukpachan, a picturesque village in the Sham Valley - our base for the next 3 days. Get to know our fellow group-members and meet our host, Mr. T T Namgyal, who will show us around the village and talk to us about the traditional Ladakhi way of life. End the day with some heart-warming Ladakhi dinner at our homestay. Day 2: Explore Hemishukpachan on an early morning walk. Watch the sun do its magic on a beautiful autumn morning. After breakfast, help the village folk with the harvest of wheat and barley. Go for a walk along one of the 5 streams that ow through this picturesque village. Documentary screening in the evening, followed by a discussion on the need for ecological balance, and other issues related to climate change. Day 3: Work the elds with the village folk. After lunch, trek to the ancient monastery at nearby Ridzong, an hour away on foot. Converse with the monks about Buddhism and their way of life. Return to Hemishukpachan for dinner. Day 4: Our nal day with the harvest at Hemishukpachan! Documentary lm-screening followed by a discussion with the group. After dinner, count the shooting stars! Day 5: Leave early for SECMOL, located on the banks of the Indus. Enjoy the spectacular views on the way. Walk around - get hugely inspired by their sustainably-built campus. Over the next 2 days, learn about their work on education reforms and engage in lively interactions with their bright students who come from all over Ladakh. Day 6: Continue with our interactions with the students at SECMOL. Have conversation classes with them to help them improve their English. Pick up some Ladakhi ourselves! Share skills that you may have, with them. Learn about passive solar technology from the students. Day 7: Trek day! Leave early for the village of Spituk where we begin our trek. Walk from Spituk to Zingchan, where we stay the night at a village homestay. A hearty Ladakhi dinner, followed by stimulating conversations under the night sky. Day 8: Leave early from Zingchan for the beautiful village of Rumbak, our midway point on the trek. Have packed lunch on the way and rest for a while. Continue ascending until we cross the magnicent Stok La at nearly 16,000 feet! Then another 2-3 hours to the picturesque village of Rumbak, our home for the night. Day 9: Start for the village of Stok, our last leg of the trek before head back to Leh. Reach Leh by late afternoon. Spend the evening relaxing and taking a well-deserved break in Leh! Do some shopping for your families and friends. Day 10: Go for a pre-sunrise walk up to the quietly beautiful Shanti Stupa. Enjoy the stunning views of Leh. After a good Ladakhi breakfast, walk around this little town which was an important stopping point on the old Silk Route. Take in some history at the recently opened Central Asian Museum. After lunch, drive up to the mighty Khardung La, carrying our rented bicycles. Cycle down from an altitude of 18.030 feet all the way to Leh which is 39 kms and 3 hours away. Dinner at Leh.

Tue, Sep 4th

Wed, Sep 5th Thu, Sep 6th

Fri, Sep 7th

Sat, Sep 8th

Sun, Sep 9th

Mon, Sep 10th

Tue, Sep 11th

Wed, Sep 12th

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Thu, Sep 13th

Day 11: Drop in at the beautifully restored office of LAMO (the Ladakh Arts & Media Organization), housed in a beautiful 17th century house. Learn more about Ladakhi art & culture through a lm-screening & interaction over tea, with a Ladakhi elder. Still up for more? Well, the now unused, but still breath-taking Leh Palace awaits us just around the corner. Breath-taking, as it is one of the highest points in Leh and is reached only after huffing & puffing up a ight of steps! :) Day 12: Our last day in Leh - Visit the hugely useful and earth-friendly articial glacier created by Chewang Norphel, the sprightly ex-engineer. Stop at the beautifully serene Thiksay monastery and the ruins of Shey Palace on the way back. For those choosing to travel by road, leave for Srinagar in the afternoon or for Manali at midnight. Others y out to Delhi the next morning.

Fri, Sep 14th

NOTE:

This trip is ex-Leh. As were meeting in Leh on the morning of September 3rd, please try and

arrive in Leh on Sep 2nd so that you will have a whole day to acclimatize to the altitude, especially if youre ying in.

Cost - Rs.23,000/- per person for a 12 DAY trip (group size: 12 people)
This cost may go up marginally if we have less than 12 participants. And will come down there are 13 participants. The group will be limited to 15 people:- 2 JwM facilitators + 13 participants max.

INCLUSIONS
All travel within Ladakh - this will be in a Tavera/ Maxicab or similar vehicle. Accommodation will be in clean & comfortable guesthouses and homestays. 2-3 people to a room,
depending on room size.

The trip cost comprises 2 kinds of costs - xed & variable. Fixed costs are for accommodation, most
travel costs, and the fee you pay us for organizing & facilitating this trip. Variable costs include most meals as we may eat at different places everyday, and some travel costs as there can be some uctuation depending on weather & other conditions at the time. These 2 costs add up to Rs.23,000/-. On the variable side, weve assumed an average of Rs.500/- per day for meals (bfast/lunch/dinner) based on earlier visits. This cost is usually lower when we eat more local food. If we insist on eating pizzas in Leh, however, this per day cost could easily go up. Please also see exclusions below.

EXCLUSIONS
Travel costs from your home-city to Leh and back are not included. You will need to make your own
travel arrangements up to Leh and from Leh to your home-city. Well help out with suggestions though.

Any meals apart from what is already included, soft drinks, STD calls, laundry, etc. Entrance fees to places of interest, camera & video camera fees, tips to waiters/driver/guides, etc. Any other expenses of any nature that are not in the INCLUSIONS section. Any extra expenses due to delays arising from bad weather & unforeseen circumstances.

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CONFIRMING YOUR PARTICIPATION

If youre sure about joining in, please conrm your participation soon by sending in an advance of Rs. 9,000/-. Please email us at journeyswithmeaning@gmail.com for details of our bank account. LAST DATE for conrming your participation is August 25th.

CANCELLATION CHARGES
For any cancellations made between now and Aug 25th, you will forfeit 10% of the trip costs. For cancellations after August 25th, the advance paid will be non-refundable unless you have to opt out for genuine reasons, such as a family emergency. Please do remember that we make our room & vehicle bookings for our journeys based on your conrmations, and that we stand to lose a lot monetarily when there are last-minute cancellations.

Please contact Vinod, Homi, or Moresha with any questions that you may have about the trip. You can email us at journeyswithmeaning@gmail.com or call us:
Vinod - 098191 54365 | Homi - 098691 75484 | Moresha - 099204 44042

Important
The itinerary is loosely structured to give you an idea of what to expect. We may switch some activities to different days, however, depending on your feedback and based on what we feel is needed at the time. We will also have free photography lessons during the trip. Please carry your DSLRs or point-and-shoot cameras. Ladakh is a photographers delight. We will not be liable for any delays or cancellations arising out of unforeseen circumstances or bad weather. Some of you may want to visit Pangong Lake/ Tso Moriri Lake/ Nubra Valley, or go rafting on the Zanskar. You can choose to opt out of the trek and do these activities then. Or you could stay back after the trip for 2 or 3 extra days to do these. If you opt out of the trek, your trip cost will come down to approximately Rs.17,000/-. We can connect you with a reliable travel agency in case you choose to go rafting or visit the above places.

Thank you for considering joining Journeys With Meaning on this trip to Ladakh. As weve been doing since 2007, our effort will be to make this journey an experience that you will not only remember with great joy, but also one that will leave you with lasting insights & perspectives into one of Indias littleunderstood regions. Welcome aboard! :) - the JwM Team

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