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Ladakh, India: Monasteries and Mountains - continued Volunteer work
SECMOL The Tibetan Refuge Camp and Library in Choglamsar--about 10 km from Leh on the Manali route-- also offers numerous voluntary work opportunities. Some are welfare activities, others have decidedly political undertones. The largest volunteer organization is LEDeG, the Ladakh Ecological Development Group, who have an Ecological center not far from the Morovian church. Set up to preserve the Ladakhi culture and teach application of "appropriate" technology, their most noticeable activityis a daily screening of the video "Ancient Futures," which highlights the problems of tourism in Ladakh. They also accept volunteers, and every year, scores of overseas visitors pay a fee to sign up for a stint of voluntary work in a Ladakhi village with a family. International Society for Ecology and Culture (ISEC)
Other Opportunites
For more information on volunteer work in Ladakh ecovillages.org
Also, check out notices and posters on the walls of the "German Bakeries" for the current addresses and the programs of other volunteer organizations and projects in the region. You can also check the boards for current meditation and Buddhist study courses offered in the region.
TOURING
Most of the travel agencies and tour operators in Leh are only brokers; very few undertake their own operations. So, it pays to weed out the middleman and find authentic guides.
Local Guides
Mr. Tashi of Yak Travels is also an excellent organizer Explore Himalayas, one of the oldest Travel agencies in Ladakh, also conducts numerous treks, Jeep safaris and Indus River rafting expeditions.
Mr. T. Wangchuk Shali
Indian Shepherds (P) Ltd. (contact Capt. Raaj Kumar) Snow Leopard Trails (India) Pvt. Ltd. For other reliable guides, you can also try the Travel Corporation of Ladakh There are plenty of hotels and guesthouses in the region, but don’t look for the 4 star luxuries. There are a number of upmarket places located on the roads leading down westward from Leh’s main street, some with running hot and cold water.
Leh Other similar guesthouses can also be found near the Sankar Gompa at the northern end of the town. Usually placed in a garden and surrounded by barley fields and vegetable patches, these guesthouses are usually quite and very neat and the landlords friendly and accommodating: a far cry from the cramped and bedbug-ridden places with stinking toilets around the bazaar. Leh is prone to perennial power shortages, so there is mostly candlelight--and sometimes generator power--at night. It’s romantic and real, but make sure to carry a flashlight.
Elsewhere
Homestays Similar arrangements can be made in virtually in every village in Ladakh, offering an excellent atmosphere to disappear and unwind, especially if allergic to the tourist crowd.
Monasteries Read more GoNOMAD stories about India Search our directory for tours in India |
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