Ladakh Culture

“LadakhCulture is the amplifying of mind and soul. It is the multiple of every forms of sculpture, adores and reflection which in the centuries have facilitates Ladakhis and tourists to be less imprisoned.”

People

Ladakhis have much similarity to Tibetans and central Asians like their round faces, short broad noses and little eyes with definite cheekbones. They are acknowledged for their jolly nature. Generally, their festivals are celebrated in winters which give out a reason for communal and hospitable assemblies. During summers, archery contest and native version of polo are pretty regular, particularly amongst the Buddhists.These competitions are frequently a local ball where folk songs as well as dances add to the cheerfulambience and Chang, the home made barley beer is thoroughly used.

Buddhism

In Ladakh culture, Buddhist persuade started during the seventh century. Today, the devotion on this religion has achievedsupremacy in this intactcounty. During Leh Ladakh tours, you will discover the ancient Buddhist rock engravings, also some regions are conquered by Muslims. The division between Muslim and Buddhist, Ladakh passes throughout Leh on the Kargil L out the Buddhist villages from the distance as the Mani ramparts are typically marked near to these villages. Such walls are extensively chest-high formation with carved stones opposite to them.

Ladakh is a land with Historical past, sculpture, rich culture, multi-coloured people reflections. Ladakh has been as significant trade route linking the Mediterranean to China. Merchants came from Tibet, Kullu, Muslimand caravans.

Work Culture

The manners of the people are affected by their religious conviction, especiallywith the women. Among the Buddhists, the Muslims of the Leh region, women not just work in the house and ground, but also are occupied in commerce and interrelateliberally with men outside their own relationships. In Kargil and its nearby regions in the other hand, it is only from the time when last few years thatthe women are coming out from semi-privacy and captivating jobs other than conventional such ascultivation and house-keeping.

Rituals & Traditions

The folk music instruments Surna and Daman accompany the ceremonies and public events. During weddings in Ladakh, the celebrations are full of music, dance & cheerfulness as well as extensive meals. The boys are generally married at an age of 16 and girls by the age of 12. Whereas, grooms relatives take Chang, tea, butter and other gifts together with the ring to the bride’s home. After marriage, bride leaves her home and goes to the husband’s house.

If you wish to be a part of the colourful Ladakh culture and want to enjoy the different flavour of feast, aroma and environment. Hurry to book your reservations now...

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Ladakh – The Best Place for Trekking in India

Ladakh is a high terrain region and is known for trekking. It is suitable for almost all types of trekking. Tourists and trekkers from across the world come to this place to experience the endless fun of watching and practicing trekking. Leh is a city of Ladakh and are mostly referred together. People who want to enjoy Ladakh trekking / Leh Ladakh trekking can do it with the help of travel and tour companies.

Trekking in Ladakh without the help of such companies can be little troublesome. In such cases the aspirant has to get the permissions and do all the registrations and this might take much time. Travel and tour companies get these passes for you without wasting your time and energy. Under their guidance people can enjoy without any perimeter and do what they really wanted to, which is trekking.

In Leh Ladakh, the two most famous types of trekking are mountain trekking and river-side trekking. Apart from these two, one can also enjoy forest trekking and sand trekking. Depending upon the choice of the trekker the track can be of 5 miles or 25 miles. As far as mountain and forest trekking are concerned they both go hand in hand i.e. most of forests in Ladakh are on mountains or cliffs. It is clear that after such a tiresome sport one needs good accommodation and dining facilities. Tired by the trekking people sleep like never-before and enjoy the meal as if never had before.

This is why the hotels in Ladakh have wide range of national and international cuisines. There are many types of hotels and rest houses established across the regions of Ladakh. These hotels are economically divided but do stand different on geographical notes. In Ladakh one is never limited to trekking or rafting, tourists in Ladakh are well treated by local Ladakhi people. These people serve them love and expressions, custom and culture, stories and legends. One can also enjoy gudgud chai that is capable of killing the anxiety, stress and exhaustion experienced after trekking.

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Wild life in Leh Ladakh

Leh Ladakh is situated in between the great Himalaya and Karakoram mountain ranges. Scarcely availability of water from rain has made this area into an arid land. Flora and fauna of Ladakh have many similarities to Tibetan Plateau except the birds in summer season. A huge number of birds migrate from the warmer parts of India to spend the summer in Ladakh. A total of 225 species have been recorded. Many of these birds reside at high-altitude wetlands such as Tso Moriri.

Flora in the arid land of Leh Ladakh can be seen as few dots on Ladakh map. Some rare fond and endanger fauna are seen in the snow desert of Ladakh. Ladakh temperature varies nearly 50 degree Celsius from winter to summer (minus20degree  in winter to 30 degree Celsius in summer). This type of variation in the temperature is not observed in any part of the world. It is one of the most important causes of scarcely availability of flora and fauna in Ladakh.

The Ibex (skin)

The ibex (skin) is found in high rocky terrain of Europe, North Africa and Asia, and numbers several thousand in Ladakh. Trekkers often spot them while trekking in Ladakh. The Bharal (napo) is even more common in the Himalayas from Ladakh to Sikkim.

Urial sheep (shapo)

The Tibetan Urial sheep (shapo) is a rare goat found at lower elevations, mostly in river valleys, and therefore is often directly in competition with domesticated animals. They are now rare, numbering about one thousand.

Argali sheep (nyan)

The Tibetan Argali sheep (nyan) is a relative of the Marco Polo sheep of the Pamirs. Impressive animals with huge horizontal curving horns, they are extremely rare in Ladakh, numbering only a couple hundred.

The Tibetan Antelope is also endangered. It has been hunted for its fine wool which must be pulled out by hand, a process done after the animal is killed. Owning or trading this wool is now illegal in most countries.

Wild Ass (kyang)

The Tibetan Wild Ass (kyang) is one animal that visitors can expect to see from the comfort of a vehicle, if they take a jeep tour on the Changthang. Favoring the rolling grasslands of this area, their natural curiosity makes them fairly easy to spot, despite the relatively low numbers, about 1500 individuals.

Shan (snow leopards)

Shan (snow leopards) are extremely shy and hard to spot, and as such not well known. It is believed there are about 200 in Ladakh. While tourists are unlikely to see leopards themselves, during winter the footprints and other marks are not uncommon.

Wolf (shangku)

The Tibetan Wolf (shangku) is the greatest threat to the livestock of the Ladakhis. There are only about 300 wolves left in Ladakh. There are also a very few brown bears in the Suru valley and the area around Dras.

Among smaller animals, marmots are common; you can even sometimes see them from the road. There are also plenty of hares and several types of voles and pika.

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Tips for traveling to high altitude with kids

Do not plan and avoid any kind of travel in high altitude if your baby is less than 4+ months old. Kids more than4+ months old (excluding premature babies) have similar tolerance as an adult. It is very difficult to identify signs of AMS in babies. It can be identified by kid’s behaviors only.

The ancient land of Ladakh, “The broken moon” is set in a fantastic environment. Tourists can enjoy adventurers trek through the mountains and relax near the beautiful TSO Pangong Lake and TSO Moriri. Trekking in Ladakh is a heavenly feeling for the trekkers.

In this article, some tips for traveling to high altitude with kids are given below:-

• You must ascend altitude slowly to allow proper acclimatization. For first few days the night stays must be between the 8000-9000 feet mark, then a couple of days at 10000 feet and then gradually increasing the night stays about 1000 feet each alternate day.
• You must keep baby properly hydrated (not over hydrated in any case) by taking care of proper liquid intake and feeding including water. Hydrated body is the key of acclimatization for both adult and kid’s body. Do not over hydrate.
• You must keep baby protected from cold by sufficient amount of warm clothes. The kids have a tendency to catch cold easily because of their lower capacity of resisting power. Do not take cold of your baby lightly at high altitudes.
• You must cover him well enough to protect kid’s soft skin from the sun rays which may cause skin burns. Eyes too must be protected from the reflection of sunrays which may cause some irritation in kid’s eyes. In any case, you need to protect the kid from the sun rays which are strong at high altitudes.
• Keep the visit or stay at very high altitude as short as possible. The idea is to keep the stay as short as possible to minimize any chances of altitude sickness.
• If the weather seems bad on a particular day, when you plan to visit high altitude (above 10000 feet) then please avoid the travel on that day and stay at the current altitude only. Take extra care to keep the baby or kid warm with woolen clothes.
• If you notice baby or kid is crying too much or having breathing distress or vomiting or his/her color is changing then immediately descend or get medical help as soon as it is available.

Follow these guidelines to minimize the chances of altitude sickness  of your baby and always keep baby in touch of consultant physician. Get ready to explore the memories of the ancient mountain kingdom that can be seen in the old palaces, monasteries and forts of Ladakh.

Plan your vacation now, call us on 1800-103-2228 (toll free in India) or visit our website http://www.destination-doorstep.com/leh/

Nubra ethnic camp

Ladakh is a very popular tourism destination in India. Ladakh is known for cultural tours, adventure tours, fairs & festivals, monasteries, trekking, etc. Ladakh tours attract a number of adventure enthusiasts from all over the world. Trekking in Ladakh is a rewarding experience. There are many natural trekking routes in this region. Tourists need accommodation in a peaceful and comfortable place to enjoy their holidays.

Most of the tour organizers arrange an ethnic camp in the scenic and natural beauty of Nubra Valley in Leh Ladakh. Ule Resort Nubra ethnic camp is one the suitable places for accommodation of tourists in Nubra Valley. The Resort is located on the Leh-Srinagar highway around 70 kms from Leh, in the heart of the Sham region of Ladakh at 10,000 ft. (3,300m). You can reach Ule resort from Leh within 2 to 3 hours.

Your trek to the prominent and the oldest monasteries (Alchi (12 km), Lamayuru (40 km), Liker, Rezong (5 km), Mangu and Temisgam) of this region are made convenient and free from tiredness. The Resort is sprawled over around 10,000 sq. meters of apricot and apple groves rendering a relaxed and a rejuvenating atmosphere for your holidays.

Nubra ethnic camp

You can dine in river side restaurant (with the scene of Himalayan mountains) relishing Indian, Ladakhi, Chinese and Continental delicacies.

Other facilities includes Luxuriously & furnished rooms & tents, Running hot and cold shower, Travel Desk, Laundry, Car Parking, Money Exchange, Riverside Restaurant, Independent Huts and Tents, Multi Cuisines dinning.

You can enjoy standard double and single huts and tents in a tranquil riverside setting with all conveniences in the friendly atmosphere of Ladakh. The Resort has 32 double Tents and 12 Mud Huts to experience the life at the Oasis in the Desert Mountains.

Ule Ethnic resort is a complete eco resort that provides facilities maintaining the ancient wisdom of what has passed on from our fore fathers. The resort is running an organic stay with the food grown in the vegetable garden at the camp site, electricity produced by mini micro hydro power for each occupation. Due to these facilities tour organizers choose Ule resort as Nubra ethnic camp.

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Important Places to Visit in Nubra Valley

Enthusiast tourists across the globe love to visit Leh Ladakh trekking paradise of India. They can select any Ladakh package online from the several Ladakh packages designed by the famous tour organizer Destination@Doorstep. I will suggest you to choose Sand dune Magic Ladakh package which is suitable for historical, cultural, adventurous and peace lover tourists.

Nubra is a high altitude desert with rare rainfall and scant vegetation except along river beds at about 10,000 ft. above the sea level. The villages are irrigated and fertile, producing wheat, barley, peas, mustard for oil, and a variety of fruits and nuts, including apple, walnut, apricot and even a few almond trees.

The Shyok River meets the Nubra River to form a large valley which separates the Ladakh and the Karakoram Ranges. The common way to access this valley is to travel over the Khardung La pass (18380 ft.) from Leh. Non-locals require an Inner Line Permit to enter Nubra. The permit will be obtained by your tour organizer in Leh.

Tour tour organizer Destination@Doorstep has arranged an ethnic camp to enjoy in Nubra Valley where you will stay for visiting the following important places and camel safari:

• Ensa Gompa: The 250 years old Ensa Gompa, nestled on top of a rock overlooking snow-peaked mountains across the valley is much further away than it looks. It takes at least a six-hour walk to reach, which involves crossing the river at Hargam. It is one of the comfortable trekking routes for trekking in Ladakh.
• Samstenling Gompa: It was founded by Lama Tsultrim Nima and was also known as Rezong Gompa. About 50 monks are residing at this 132 years old monastery. The Gompa has some strict rules and regulations.
• Diskit Gompa: It was founded by Lama Sherab Zangpo of Stod in about 1420 AD during the reign of King Dragspa. About 100 monks are residing in the Gompa, which is a branch of Thikse Monastery. Spectacular view of the valley can be seen from the monastery. Diskit is the main village of headquarter of Nubra valley, which has a small market consisting of a row of shops and about 400 years old Gompa on the hilltop.
• Khardungla pass: The road journey to Nubra valley leads through Khardung La pass is around 50 Km from Leh. There are two check-posts on the both sides of the passwhere you have to show the Inner Line Permit.
• Hunder Village: It is the most beautiful village of Leh Ladakh to stay with lot of trees and you will really enjoy your stay at Hunder. It has a small monastery and ruined fort above the village. Hunder village is known for its sand dunes sitting pretty amidst snowcapped mountains green valleys and rivers. The wonderful Camel Safari (Double Hump Bactrian camels) from Hunder to Diskit through sand dunes takes two hours.
• Panamik Lake has its own myth according to local beliefs that the fortunate can see a reflection of the famous Potala Palace of Lhasa in its water.

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Gurdwara Pathar Sahib

Gurdwara Pathar Sahib is a beautiful Gurudwara constructed in the memory of Guru Nanak about 25 miles away from Leh in Ladakh, on the Leh-Kargil road, 12000 ft above sea level. The Gurdwara was built in 1517 to commemorate the visit to the Leh Ladakh region of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder Guru of the Sikh faith.

During his lifetime Guru Nanak travelled to many distant places and one such place was Tibet. Guru Nanak is well respected by Tibetan Buddhists who consider him a saint; The Dalai Lama, has confirmed this in his discussions with some Sikh leaders saying that Tibetans respect Guru Nanak as a Buddhist saint under the name of Guru Gompka Maharaj.

Gurdwara Pathar Sahib

The 25 miles road from Leh to the Gurdwara Pathar Sahib is in good condition, visitors can go by bus or taxi. The Gurdwara Sahib is located next to the main road near Magnetic Hill India. Visiting hours for the Gurdwara Pathar Sahib is 8 A.M. to 7 P.M. from April to October and the rest of year it remains closed due to heavy snow fall.

In the late 1965, during the construction of the Leh-Nimu road in Leh Ladakh, a large boulder was found in the middle of the road bed covered with Buddhists prayer flags. The boulder was covered with Buddhist prayer flags, the type of flags that are often found in Ladakh and are strung by Buddhist Lamas along mountain ridges and peaks high in the Himalayas to bless the surrounding countryside.

It was tried to push the huge stone to the side by bulldozer, but it refused to move. Suddenly, with a large snap, the blade broke and the work stopped. That night the driver had a dream in which a voice told him not to move the stone.

Today, the site and the Gurdwara that now covers the boulder are respected by both the local Lamas and Sikhs. Currently the army is looking after the Gurdwara Pathar Sahib.

It was that boulder which was pushed down by the demon to kill Guru Nanak. The imprint of the body of Guru Nanak Dev and the footprint of that demon can be seen on it. The boulder is currently kept on display in Gurdwara Pathar Sahib. It is said that since the visit of Guru Sahib to the building of the roadway in 1965, the local Lamas had held the boulder sacred and offered prayers to it.

Plan your vacation now, call us on 1800-103-2228 (toll free in India) or visit our website http://www.destination-doorstep.com/leh/