Programs

Mindful Trekking - Tips for Visitors to Ladakh

If you are booking a tour or trek in Ladakh, here are some issues you should consider when you are choosing a tour operator. Do they:

Use local food as much as possible (where available) and give preference to natural foods with minimal packaging
Partner with local trekking firms
Use local guides and pay a fair wage
Work to minimize the ecological impact of their tour groups. For instance, how do they deal with the following issues: Litter, toilet paper and sanitary products, bottled water, used batteries, water (including hot water), human waste, trail care, plant awareness, use of fires, etc.
Refrain from using generators on treks
Employ no-trace camping measures and make efforts to 'clean-up' routes and areas that have been polluted by visitors
Use local campsites and guesthouses and pay the going rate
Provide clients with information about Ladakhi cultural norms
Provide clients with some language guidance and information about Ladakh's cultural history and current issues
Support Ladakhi businesses in Leh (guest-houses, restaurants, trekking agencies, etc.)
Have small group size (5 or 6)
Spread their tours throughout the season? It would be good to see groups coming in April/May/June/Sept/Oct to ease the pressure during the summer when Ladakhis are already busy farming.
Give a proportion of their profits back to organizations working in Ladakh, or projects directly benefiting Ladakhis?

Choosing who to give your business to can be a very complicated decision. Simply asking about these issues will help provide incentive for tour operators to adopt more culturally and ecologically sensitive practices.