Ladakh cultural and rural tour, India

Environment

We follow our environmental conservation policy while executing this trip to minimize the negative impact of tourism. Some of the points are -

a) Our vehicles are of BS-IV standard (equivalent to Euro 4) emission norms. It is currently the national emission standard followed in India
b) Our drivers drive responsibly in mountains. This not only ensures your safety, but also keeps in check the fuel consumption
c) During the hikes and village walks, we educate you on local waste management and organic farming practices
d) We don't encourage use of plastic carry bags or non-biodegradable plastic bottles. We provide other alternatives
e) Your accommodation is made from eco-friendly material which is a mix of wood, stone and mud. This also keeps the accommodation temperature regulated
f) Raw material for your meals is sourced locally. It is organic, fresh and is not transported in vehicles from long distances. Therefore there is less consumption of fuel. And you get authentic local cuisine to taste

Community

Under our community development policy, we execute the vacation in such a way that it provides direct financial support to them. It also helps in forming a closer, more meaningful connect between you and the local communities. At every point, you will get a clear sense of how your money is supporting local community. And we are open to any questions from you during the trip. Some of the points are -

a) The money you pay is used in projects like training of villagers in responsible tourism, education of children in villages which are BPL (Below Poverty Line), socio-economic development of villages of Ladakh by promoting products like apricot, bulding green houses and irrigation facilities through canals. We will tell you more about this as you travel with us
b) We execute small groups. We want to be conscious about the consumption of natural and human resources of the village
c) We are using local homestays. This not only gives you a very authentic experience, but also helps the community directly. Facilities like cleanliness, food quality and safety are taken care of. In some locations of Ladakh like Leh, we are using hotels to maintain the quality in places where good homestays are not available
d) We encourage you to buy any souvenirs (if you want) from local craft centers where locals work, rather than from bigger shops
e) Our homestay accommodations are not run by front desk staff, but by the family themselves
f) We also contribute part of what you pay towards development of the village according to the requirement of locals (eg. installation of dustbins and sanitation in general, contribution in schools, mainenance of homestays, salaries for local support staff)
g) We encourage mutual respect between travelers and locals. We do not support or conduct engaging activities with young school children