What comes to your mind when you hear of Ladakh? If it is the climax scene of 3 Idiots, or bikes vrooming and parading the cold desert, or the mesmerizing beauty of arid mountains with white washed stupas at high mountain passes; you’re truly validating your love for the mountain desert. Ladakh tour packages are crafted so intricately that it caters to adventure junkies with treks to rough terrains in Zanskar and also biking on thunderbolts. Culture connoisseurs too have a blast amongst Ladakhis with their unique festivals and foods. But what if we say, there is more to Ladakh? Yes, we handpick five unique fun-filled things you can do while you next visit to Ladakh.
1. Going Green with Pedals
Cycling in Leh, keeps the doctor away! Wide spread roads, with panorama as enchanting as a Picasso painting; cycling in Nubra valley is a lifetime experience. As you slowly pass by the barren brown mountains and the white shimmery river, pedaling along with your peers is a must to do things in Leh Ladakh. Costing approximately 1000 INR per person for a day, it is easy on your pocket too.
2. Tryst with Ladakhis
Heard of cham dance or the famous mask dance? Want to jam along to bring down the evil in the vibrant festivals celebrated round the year? Be it meeting them to learn about their culture or learning to make the lip-smacking thukpa; meeting the locals and seeing Ladakh through their eyes is an experience you’ll perish for long. To make it more happening, how about some fun competitions bringing out the best from waste? Explore the DIY maker in you and be part of #Saveladakh initiative by reusing plastics.
3. Helpers in Need are Volunteers Indeed
Do you know the new crave taking by the tourism industry? Volunteering tourism these days is a top pick for youngsters who look out to travel and want to dedicate their time in helping a cause. Be it SECMOL (Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh) or GHE (Global Himalayan Expedition) and many more like them in Ladakh; you can work as a volunteer or pay to be a visitor and support the campaign of #Saveladakh.
4. Channeling Inner Self
Reason many travel around is to seek out the peace which the bustling cities doesn’t offer. Ladakh is the place for all recreation. No, you won’t be pampered with spa but the chanting of prayers by monks in the numerous monasteries is definitely no less than rejuvenation. One of the centres being Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre, you can indulge in activities like yoga and meditation than just thundering over the bullets in Ladakh.
5. Cleaning up Carbon Footprints
As a tourist, we leave back tons of plastic bottles for Ladakh and emissions from our vehicles as carbon footprints. A half day clean-up drive also meaning the ‘shramdaan’ is not just a clean up act but is equally exciting and fun-filled. Be it the Pangong Tso, or the Shanti Stupa or any stop worth a capture in Ladakh; wrappers and bottles are a constant too. Spreading awareness and being a responsible traveler is a unique thing to do in Ladakh as you gear up to dust off the dirt.
With an initiative to #Saveladakh, it is not the number of things to be added in the list but people joining the cause. Shoes on Loose has intricately designed out Ladakh Tour Packages with a motive to #Saveladakh.
Let us explore Ladakh this summer with add-ons of choosing and doing any of the above listed activities. Be it cycling, volunteering, cleaning, channeling or mingling; tour to Ladakh needs a change beyond sightseeing and for its betterment. So #BetterLadakh to #SaveLadakh.
