Family Journey to “Little Tibet,” Ladakh, India

Days 1-3 Delhi

Depart home and arrive late in the evening in India’s bustling capital city of Delhi. A Global Family Travels representative will be at the airport to greet you and help you to your hotel. For the next two days you will explore Old Delhi and it’s colorful markets, see its important historical buildings and monuments, meet its people, taste its food and learn of its unique history.

• India Gate-World War I Memorial
• Presidential Palace & Parliament House
• Mausoleum of emperor Humayun - a forerunner of the Mughal style of architecture
• Qutab Minar – The tallest minaret in India at 234ft high with 379 stairs
• Jama Masjid – The largest mosque in India
• The Red Fort – A 17th century fort complex built by the Mughal Emperor
• Chandni Chowk – the oldest market in Delhi

Days 4-5 Leh

Today you will be transferred to the domestic airport to board your flight to Leh, the capital of the Himalayan region of Ladakh. Ladakh was once an independent kingdom and Leh (11,500ft) was an important stopover route for the trade of salt, grain, cashmere, indigo, and silk between India and China. Today, the mountainous, Ladakh region is a hub of Tibetan Buddhist culture and is a main attraction for hikers and seekers alike.

• Ladakhi Ecological Center and Women’s Alliance – Ancient Futures film viewing
• Shey Palace - the former residence of Ladakh’s royal family
• Tibetan handicraft markets – the crossroads of ancient trading routes
• Shanti Stupa – A Buddhist monument with the best views of Leh

Day 6 Nubra Valley

After an early breakfast, we will take a spectacular drive over Khardongla, the world’s highest motorable pass and enter into the northern frontier of beautiful Nubra Valley. Surrounded by high mountains and white sand dunes, Nubra Valley is home to many interesting Buddhist monuments and monasteries and is famous for its double humped camels. We have an entire day to explore this valley and will camp here tonight.

• Drive over Khardongla, the world’s highest motorable pass
• Ride on double humped camels

Day 7-11 Stok

Located 17 km Southeast of Leh, Stok is the current home of the Ladakhi royal family. Your tour guide on this part of the journey will be Lisa Blake, a board member of the Siddhartha School Project.  For the next five days in Stok, you will live and work with your Ladakhi host family and participate in a community service project. During the three-day homestay your time will be spent with your host family helping with chores, tending animals, working the fields, playing with the children and eating meals together. The environmental service project you will be participating in is led by the Amale society, a group of dedicated women who organize events to support the environmental, social, and cultural needs of the community. During this project we will work side by side with villagers and students from the Siddharta School to do a village clean up. We will also visit a local orphanage and interact and play games with the children and teach them some English.  Tour participants who have sponsored a child from the Siddharta School will get to meet their student. During your time in Stok, we will also visit Stok Palace and several monasteries, including Stok Gompa, Spituk Gompa, and Thiksey Gompa. The last days of the tour can be arranged to allow more time for hiking for those who are interested.

• Stok Palace
• Stok Gompa
• Thiksey Gompa
• Spituk Gompa

Day 12-13 Delhi and Agra

After landing in Delhi around noon, the rest of the day is yours to explore. Our final full day will be spent touring the city of Agra. A few hours south of New Delhi by train, Agra is most well known as the home of the Taj Mahal, the impressive white marble structure built by a king for the love of his queen. See other important sites such as the Agra Fort where that same king was imprisoned by his son, and Fatehpur Sikri the capital of the great Mughal ruler, Emperor Akbar. Return to Delhi in the evening.

• Taj Mahal
• Agra Fort
• Fatehpur Sikri

Day 14

Depart Delhi airport for home. Global Family Travels staff will arrange for your transport to the airport.

At GFT we believe that the most powerful way to learn is through first-hand experience. We let the country and its people be your teachers and supplement your experiences with reading lists, informal discussions, and a pre-trip orientation which includes information on the culture and history of your host country, helpful words and phrases and cultural “do’s and don’ts”.
Learning themes unique to this tour include:

• Sustainable Living
• Tibetan Buddhist culture and history
• Northern Indian culture and history
• Environmental and social issues affecting the Ladakh region

Make a meaningful contribution to the village of Stok by participating in a village cleanup with the Amale Society, a group of dedicated women from the village of Stok who initiate and implement social, cultural, and environmental events. Take advantage of the option to sponsor the education of one of the students of the Siddharta School Project when registering for this tour and you will have the opportunity to meet your student and spend time with him or her while on this tour.

Live with a host family in Stok for three days and two nights. Become familiar with the rhythm of daily life in this peaceful little town by assisting your family with daily chores, tending the animals, working the fields and playing with the children. We do not ask our hosts to do anything special or to change their routine during your stay, thus allowing you and your family to have a truly authentic cultural experience. This will help you learn what it means to be Ladakhi and have a better understanding of your family.

Tour price includes:

• A personal tour leader throughout the entire trip
• Private English speaking local guides in each region
• All accommodations mentioned in the program, hotel room based on double occupancy, single room upon request
• All transportation within tour will be in private & air-conditioned vehicles
• Entrance fee for all sights mentioned in the program
• All daily meals, including breakfast, lunch & dinner
• Internal Airfare

Price does not include:

• India Tourist Visa
• International flight with tax and fuel surcharge
• Alcohol beverages
• Gratuities for guides and drivers
• Personal expenses
• Travel Insurance