Wild horses, Nomads and Lakes Trek with Sacred Dance Festival
led by Carol and Martin Noval
July - August 2010 (15 days on the trek)
Join us for a walking adventure holiday in the high mountains of the Indian Himalayas.
Trek with us into the high-altitude nomad country in Ladakh, India's "Little Tibet." Here the Changpa nomads raise herds of yak and pashmina goats and live in camps of yak wool tents. We visit their encampments along our way and marvel at the way they have adapted to living on top of the world. The nomads are Buddhist and so the area is rich in wildlife too - kyang (the wild horse of the Changthang), wild goats, marmots, giant wild hares; bar-headed geese, brahminy ducks, gigantic "bearded" vultures, snow pigeons, Tibetan snow cocks and the rare black-necked crane.
It's a short but amazing flight over the Great Himalayan Range from Delhi to Leh (11,880 feet), capital of Ladakh. Leh was a transit point for caravans on the bygone Silk Route and has fascinating lanes and bazaars. The Leh Palace, a mini-Potala, looms over the old town. We spend a couple of days acclimatizing while exploring the town. And before we leave for the trailhead in Pang we will attend a two-day sacred dance festival at an ancient gompa. The lamas perform sacred rituals and mask dances, the masks representing guardian deities and local people from the surrounding villages will watch the spectacle along with us.
Our trek is a high-altitude walk that will stretch body and mind. We will walk across high passes strung with prayer flags and lush grasslands carpeted with wildflowers. We will visit ancient monasteries and temples and immerse ourselves in Tibetan Buddhist religion, philosophy and art.
The Himalayan scenery is incredible and there are beautiful camping sites along our way. We camp on the shores of two high-altitude lakes, Tso Kar and vast Tso Moriri, containing every shade of blue you can imagine. Many varieties of birds breed here in the summer. Just at the northern edge of the lake is the village of Karzok, one of those frontier places that look as if it's at the end of the world. We’ll explore the village and the large Changpa encampment nearby.
This is Himalayan trekking with horses carrying all equipment, luggage and supplies. On the trail you need only carry a light daypack with a water bottle, light jacket, etc. Our dining and lounging tent is large and our experienced and very friendly local team sets up camp and prepares meals in the separate kitchen tent.
Included: all your airport transfers, hotel accommodation in Leh, all meals, road travel by deluxe SUV, the two flights from Delhi to Leh and Leh to Delhi and roomy Gortex sleeping tents on the trek.
Notes:
Airfare is included in the tour price.
$3200 per person (single supplement add $200)
Included:
-Guided touring with Carol & Martin in Leh, Indus Valley & Delhi
- Delhi/Leh and Leh/Delhi flights
- Hotels in Delhi and Leh with all meals
- all international and domestic airport transfers
- Spacious Gortex tents on the trek
- Road travel by deluxe SUV
- Entrance fees
Also see tour packages in:
Asia
India
Outdoor: Land Rambler
Hiking & Trekking
Festival Tours
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