4 independent reviews for Ladakh cultural and rural tour, India
Reviews for Ladakh cultural and rural tour, India
Anna Tauc review 12 Sep 2024
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Staying with a local family in Likir. It was amazing to see how they live, watch the pottery maker create his masterpieces and just stay in this wonderful quiet village. Also, in Likir we could participate in a ceremony with the monks of the monastery. Their chanting and music of their instruments was incredibly touching!2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Definitely book a vacation with Responsible Travel! Gaurav takes so much care of preparing a memorable trip for you! And I would advice to take sunscreen and warm clothes :-) The mountains in Ladakh are really amazing. I was a bit scared of the roads and how the driving will be, but our driver Rigzin was incredible and the roads were often actually in better condition than back home in Begum! :-) So, I would advice to go for it!3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
I feel it definitely benefitted the local population, as we stayed in several home stays, we had local drivers and Sanzin - our amazing Ladakhi guide. Also, our tour operator chose hotels and home stays that offered safe filtered water and no plastic bottles - given the enormous issues with plastic in the world, this was very important to us.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
My partner and I had an amazing customised 3-week tour in August 2024 with the operator in Ladakh, Amritsar, Kashmir and Delhi! Gaurav went over and beyond in order to create an unforgettable vacation for us and he remained available 24/7 during our trip! Everything went perfectly well, from pick-ups at airports and railway stations to the selection of wonderful hotels and home stays. Our guide in Ladakh, Stanzin, and our driver Rigzin were absolutely amazing - knowledgeable, punctual, very kind and polite. All our other drivers that Gaurav had organised in the different cities, be it just for a drop-of or accompanying us for a whole day, were equally amazing and we felt safe and well taken care of at all times. We really felt that we could help the local population economically and socially and thanks to the home stays we discovered how locals live - something we would probably not have experienced had we organised the trip on our own. The cherry on the cake was a full-day walking tour in Delhi with Kaushil, where we tasted local street food and visited the tiny streets of old Delhi with its incredible spice market, as well as India Gate, a beautiful Sikh temple and a handicraft market. Our tour couldn’t have been better and we can wholeheartedly recommend Gaurav and his team.Cecile Smith review 15 Jun 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The whole vacation was memorable and it brought together the beauty of the natural environment with the spiritual and cultural dimension. We had time to pause and absorb it all which enabled us to take it in all.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
If wanting a mix of culture and nature, be specific in terms of what you are interested maybe giving examples and the balance you would like to experience3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
I think it benefited local people economically because of the sort of places we were staying at. On conservation and environmental impacts I don't think it did.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
It was an excellent vacation, very enriching and inspiring. It made a lasting impression. Also there was a really friendly atmosphereRead the operator's response here:
Cecile, we really enjoyed hosting you and Avgoustinos. Your interest in Buddhism in Ladakh inspired Wangchuk to share so much with you as it is his area of interest. All our guides and hosts were very pleased to meet you. Just to note two of the homestays you stayed in had solar power/ solar water heater and locally sourced vegetables from farms. Hope to see you in India again.
Ann Clarke-Overy review 15 Aug 2018
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
We met the king of Turtuk who explained the history of his family and the turbulent times experienced by them. We sat right beside the mighty Shyok river which was raging after recent heavy rain. There are many other very memorable and different experiences we had too.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Drink about 4 litres of water to help with the altitude and move slowly! Be prepared to be without wifi for several days and take a good torch.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes. We stayed in simple homestays where we were made very welcome. We ate food grown in their gardens or from the local market. We met many local people on our days out and spent some money in the local stalls.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
This was an excellent trip where we experienced a different side to India. Indeed, it felt very much like a different country. The accommodation was simple but perfectly adequate, although you had to be prepared for intermittent electricity! We enjoyed fresh good food and drank gallons of tea. The organisation of the trip was excellent both before we went and during the trip.Read the operator's response here:
Ann, we are very thankful for such a lovely review. It was fun meeting such a joyful couple like you. Please do come back to India soon. :) During this tour, you
also helped save about 80 plastic bottles of mineral water by choosing an eco-friendly alternative.
Vaughn Lewis review 6 Nov 2017
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The most memorable part is the people that we stayed with throughout the vacation in Ladakh and the itinerary which was put together for us. Everyday we did something amazing and it was so well planned out.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Make sure you research what you want to do and stay with local people!3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Amazing, we would love to go back!Read the operator's response here:
Dear Vaughn, thank you for taking out time for the feedback and we are glad that you could make it to India. It was a real joy planning the vacation for you and hosting you here. You certainly made a big difference by choosing a responsible vacation.
Holiday Reviews
You can trust Responsible Travel reviews because, unlike many other schemes, reviews can ONLY be written by people who we have verified have been on the holidays. In addition, we don't run these holidays ourselves - our only interest is giving you the best independent advice.
