Monastery festivals in Ladakh 2019

Monastery festivals and buddhist celebrations in Ladakh The dates 2019 Colorful robes, scary masks, unusual musical sounds for western ears, never seen dance steps, these are monastery festivals in Ladakh, where monks in incredible dance performances try to impart stories and philosophies of Tibetan Buddhism. If you feel like it, plan your trip so that [...]

Monastery festivals in Ladakh 20192019-04-11T09:49:28+02:00

Bringing gifts on your travels: pros and cons

We are often asked by our guests whether they should bring small (or sometimes larger) presents with them on their journeys, and if so what would be the best kind of gift. This isn’t a question with a simple answer, so we have written this post to look at the most important aspects.   Should [...]

Bringing gifts on your travels: pros and cons2017-05-15T10:19:07+02:00

Ladakh for children

More and more often, parents are daring to travel to Ladakh with their children. And why not? The country has also plenty to offer to small guests. Children actually usually adapt better to the height than their parents - probably because the kids are not thinking about it. Here are some things that you should [...]

Ladakh for children2019-04-11T09:49:54+02:00

Trekking in Ladakh: 8 things to keep in mind

If you are planning to take a trekking tour for more than a few days in the Himalayan Ladakh, you should carefully consider a couple of things. Choosing the right maps, knowing how to deal with the local people, and even the proper way to do business with horsemen are some of the more specific [...]

Trekking in Ladakh: 8 things to keep in mind2019-04-11T09:50:04+02:00

Pilot Project: Travel with click. A different kind of photo-adventure

…and then sometimes a great idea just falls right into your lap. A few months ago, two Graphic Design students came to us with a special proposition. We were enthusiastic right from the beginning, and so we decided to implement together a somewhat different “photographic journey” within one of our Markha trekking tours.   [...]

Pilot Project: Travel with click. A different kind of photo-adventure2017-05-04T05:44:28+02:00

20 powerful words & phrases in Ladakhi: This way you will make friends in Ladakh!

  It is always good to speak a few words in the language of your host's country. Ladakhi - the language of the people of Ladakh - isn't that easy to learn, but on the other hand you do not have to know it perfectly. It is enough to speak a few words and you [...]

20 powerful words & phrases in Ladakhi: This way you will make friends in Ladakh!2019-04-11T09:50:46+02:00

Travelling alone as a woman: 10 tips from Ulli Felber

"Are you going alone to India? But you’re a woman! That’s too dangerous!!” Too often have I heard these words - from best friends to work colleagues or even my own family doctor. In the meantime, I have already traveled seven times to India. Sometimes accompanied by friends, but very often alone. And I have [...]

Travelling alone as a woman: 10 tips from Ulli Felber2016-06-22T13:08:51+02:00

The Must-See Monasteries of Ladakh

Every Buddhist village in Ladakh has a cloister or a temple. There are so many that you don’t know where to start, or when to stop. In this post we tell you what monasteries you shouldn’t miss no matter what.  The Monasteries of Ladakh There are many impressive monasteries in Ladakh - most of them [...]

The Must-See Monasteries of Ladakh2019-04-11T09:50:58+02:00

All about Nubra: Trekking, Expeditions, sites

Nubra is the northernmost part of Ladakh, with borders both to Pakistan and China. Nubra has a lot to offer, but whoever wants to go there has to first cross one of the two 5000m-high mountain passes.   General facts about Nubra Nubra is one of the three Tehsils (an administrative unit in India and [...]

All about Nubra: Trekking, Expeditions, sites2019-04-11T09:51:07+02:00

From shepherd boy to tour operator: the story of Tashi Wangail

The best stories in life are usually real ones. The tale of Tashi Wangail, founder of Gesar Travel, is improbable, exciting, and of course very very real. Let’s find out how a mountain shepherd boy became a successful tour operator.    Childhood as a shepherd   Tashi's parents Tashi was born in 1969 [...]

From shepherd boy to tour operator: the story of Tashi Wangail2019-04-11T09:51:33+02:00

Monastery festivals 2017 for Ladakh: The dates

Like every year also 2017 will have it's cultural highlights which are really worth to be seen. To be able to plan already now your trip 2017 to Ladakh we put the most important dates together.  Ladakh: Monastery festivals & and other important dates for 2017   Name of festival Venue 2017 Spituk Gustor Spituk [...]

Monastery festivals 2017 for Ladakh: The dates2016-09-15T07:59:23+02:00

Begging in india and how to react

They pull at your shirt, look at you with big supplicant eyes, one open hand outstretched, the other pointing to their mouth while they repeat the words “Chapati! Chapati! Madam, please!". It hurts when children who have not even reached school age stand on the street, filthy and half naked, and ask you for money [...]

Begging in india and how to react2016-04-08T09:29:36+02:00

10 good reasons to not go to Ladakh with us

Let’s be completely honest here: there are some really good reasons not to travel with us to Ladakh. We want to be perfectly clear in advance, so you can’t say afterwards that you didn’t know what you were getting into. So take your time to read this and consider carefully, if you really want to [...]

10 good reasons to not go to Ladakh with us2019-04-11T09:51:50+02:00

The official programme for the Hemis Festival 2016

  As mentioned in our earlier blog, the Hemis Festival 2016 is one of the most important celebrations in the whole Himalaya regions in 2016. Check out our blog: Hemis Festival 2016: What is it about? But in this blog we want to inform you about the official programme.   [tg_alert_box style="notice"]Attention: The programme has been [...]

The official programme for the Hemis Festival 20162016-05-29T17:39:02+02:00

10 important Mudras in Tibetan Buddhism

What is a Mudra? Mudras are symbolic hand gestures that play a major role in Hinduism and Buddhism. In addition, mudras are also present in the Indian dancing tradition, and are an important part of yoga, where they are not only symbolic, but should also have an effect on the body and mind. Sooner or [...]

10 important Mudras in Tibetan Buddhism2016-10-25T08:28:23+02:00

The weather in Ladakh: what to expect

What will the weather be like in Ladakh? What temperatures should be expected? These two questions are between the most frequently asked by our guests. And every year I'm a bit more cautious when answering them. Why? Because in Ladakh you can expect almost anything, almost always.   How will the weather be in Ladakh? [...]

The weather in Ladakh: what to expect2019-04-11T09:52:39+02:00

Cycling in Ladakh

Cycling is becoming a very popular activity in Ladakh. The bicycle rental sector in Leh has been steadily growing every season for the last few years. But what are the best cycling routes, and what should you take into consideration when exploring the country on two wheels? Discovering Ladakh on a bicycle can be [...]

Cycling in Ladakh2016-07-31T08:43:34+02:00

Zanskar & its 10 most beautiful spots

Zanskar remains one of the very few places on Earth that, for several months every year, becomes almost entirely isolated from the rest of the world. It can only be reached, or left, via the frozen river Zanskar. Our guide Phunchok Motup - also known simply as Kalyan - comes from that region, and he [...]

Zanskar & its 10 most beautiful spots2019-04-11T09:52:52+02:00

Up to the mountains! Expeditions in Ladakh & India

Expeditions in the Himalayas? The majority will automatically think about Nepal. And yes, Nepal has a much longer history when it comes to climbing tourism and they are truly experienced in that business and has the advantage of having the maximum mountains above 8000m. And there is one more thing that makes expeditions in the [...]

Up to the mountains! Expeditions in Ladakh & India2016-10-14T08:58:02+02:00

Breathless. Tips for the acclimatization in high altitude

Many people shy away from traveling to Ladakh (and other regions of the Himalayas), because they are afraid of the effects of high altitude. And yes, Ladakh is only in a few places below 3,000 meters above sea level. At that altitude the air is thin enough that keeping it inside requires some effort. But [...]

Breathless. Tips for the acclimatization in high altitude2019-04-11T09:53:31+02:00

Hemis Festival 2016: What is it about?

Hemis Festival is held every year, but every 12 years it is very special. 2016 will be one of those years. In the 5th lunar month of the monkey year several hundred thousand people from tibetan-buddhist areas and the whole world will gather to celebrate the life of Naropa.   Hemis Festival: Every 12 years [...]

Hemis Festival 2016: What is it about?2015-12-15T09:36:19+01:00

Tsomoriri, Pangong, Tsokar: The most beautiful lakes in Ladakh

Even though Ladakh is for the most part a high altitude desert and therefore very, very dry, it can surprise you with some really beautiful lakes. The best known are the Pangong Tso, the Tsomoriri & the Tsokar. These three lakes have a lot in common: First of all their names contain the word “Tso”, [...]

Tsomoriri, Pangong, Tsokar: The most beautiful lakes in Ladakh2019-04-11T09:53:54+02:00

Traveling with children: nightmare or lifetime experience?

This post is not a theoretical essay on long-distance traveling with children: it is a collection of my own experiences as a mother of three who, for at least two months every year, packs her bags and takes her young on an adventurous journey. And no, it is not always a cheerful, problem-free scenario, and [...]

Traveling with children: nightmare or lifetime experience?2016-02-17T09:36:57+01:00

The good traveler: Paths to sustainable tourism

Many tourists travel with a bad conscience and think that travel, in general, brings more harm than good. It destroys the environment, the traditions and the culture of the host…  And yet they travel, hoping to be the exception. Every traveler leaves traces. Every step does, even at home. It is the nature of a [...]

The good traveler: Paths to sustainable tourism2016-03-02T08:25:00+01:00
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