Text and Photos : Snow Leopard Conservancy
We started Himalayan Homestays in Ladakh in 2002 ; we being the Snow Leopard Conservancy, The Mountain Institute, local tour operators and villagers living in important snow leopard areas. In 1999, local people had expressed an interest in generating income from increasing numbers of visitors that passed through their villages, and wanted to offer a tourism experience that would benefit visitors, hosts and the local environment. The first Homestays were established in Hemis National Park, “snow leopard capital of India,” in 2002 and later-on more villagers joined from Sham, another important snow leopard area. We hope that more communities in Ladakh will join the Himalayan Homestay network in 2004.
Homestays generate additional income for local people – helping offset unavoidable income losses from livestock depredation by snow leopards and other predators. With income from tourism that highlights wildlife viewing, local people have a reason to conserve predators which may threaten their herds, especially since poaching and retributive killing of snow leopards are the major threats across the Himalaya to this rare and beautiful cat.
Between the mountains of the Great Himalaya and the formidable Karakoram lies the high altitude kingdom of Ladakh. Ladakh lies at altitudes ranging from 2,750m to 6,670m, covering an area of 90,000sq.km. Today’s high altitude desert was once covered by an extensive lake system, the remains of which can be seen in the large lakes in the south-east. The population of eastern and central Ladakh is predominantly of Tibetan origin and follows Buddhism. Further west people are Muslims of more mixed origin. The area’s landscape and unique cultural heritage have been major attractions since Ladakh opened to tourists in 1974. In 2003, some 30,000 tourists visited Ladakh during June to September for a variety of activities including trekking, rafting, and sightseeing. Tourism related activities have grown rapidly over the past two decades, especially in and around the capital Leh that serves as the base for most visitors.
The primary destination for trekkers and other nature-based visits is Hemis National Park (HNP). In 2003, over 6,000 tourists trekked through the National Park during the summer months. The park is located south of Leh and covers 4,400 sq.km. and has a population of herders that share the area’s natural resources with the wildlife. The Park is divided into three valleys, namely Rumbak, Markha and the Shang valley that remain cut off from each other during winter by the Gandala pass (4,900m) and Kongmrula pass (5,150m) to the south. There are 15 villages with approximately 100 households in these valleys. Apart from the unique landscape and harsh beauty, the mountains are home to a variety of cultural resources such as local homes, monasteries, etc, and support a high altitude ecosystem with rare and endangered flora and fauna. The area is considered the best habitat in India for the elusive snow leopard (Uncia uncia) – an attraction for visitors whether you see one or not.
Selected villages along the Markha and Sham trekking routes have been given Himalayan Homestay training. These settlements are situated in excellent habitat for the endangered snow leopard and its prey. One can see the cat’s sign and herds of blue sheep or ibex.
As a visitor you will be provided : A clean, comfortable room (with candle or solar light), furnished in the Ladakhi style ; Traditional Ladakhi meals, cooked hygienically using eco-friendly methods ; Clean solar-boiled spring water to drink ; A clean traditional dry-composting toilet ; The opportunity to enjoy the rhythm of life in a village where farming and livestock herding has been the way of life for centuries.
In some sites there are local guides who can take you wildlife watching and on village walks. Check with the Homestay Coordinator, Overland Escape or SLC, where guides are currently available.
Contact
Himalayan Homestay Organizations
Snow Leopard Conservancy, Ladakh :
Rinchen Wangchuk, IBEX Hotel Complex, Leh 194 101
Tel :+91 (1982) 250953
Fax : 252735
E-mail : slcindia@sancharnet.in
Internet : www.snowleopardconservancy.org
Support Organisation
The Mountain Institute (TMI) is an international conservation and development organization with over a decade of experience in designing and implementing innovative community-based tourism programs in Nepal, India, China and Peru. TMI’s goal is to conserve mountain environments and cultural heritage while improving the livelihoods of mountain people. TMI brings 30 years of field-based experience to address challenges and opportunities facing mountain cultures, communities, and conservation. TMI’s programs operate in the Himalaya, Andes, and Appalachian mountain ranges.
Email : summit@mountain.org
Internet : www.mountain.org
The Snow Leopard Conservancy (SLC) is dedicated to demonstrating innovative, “grass-roots” measures that lead local people to become effective stewards of the endangered snow leopard, prey and its habitat. SLC operates under the Cat Action Treasury (a US-based nonprofit charity), which supports projects of the Cat Specialist Group, World Conservation Union - IUCN. Ladakh
Email : slcindia@sancharnet.in
Internet : www.snowleopardconservancy.org
The main objective of UNESCO (United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is to contribute to peace and security in the world by promoting collaboration among nations through education, science, culture and communication in order to further universal respect for justice, for the rule of law and for the human rights and fundamental freedoms which are affirmed for the peoples of the world, without distinction of race, sex, language or religion, by the Charter of the United Nations.
Internet : www.unesco.org/culture/ecotourism
We started Himalayan Homestays in Ladakh in 2002 ; we being the Snow Leopard Conservancy, The Mountain Institute, local tour operators and villagers living in important snow leopard areas. In 1999, local people had expressed an interest in generating income from increasing numbers of visitors that passed through their villages, and wanted to offer a tourism experience that would benefit visitors, hosts and the local environment. The first Homestays were established in Hemis National Park, “snow leopard capital of India,” in 2002 and later-on more villagers joined from Sham, another important snow leopard area. We hope that more communities in Ladakh will join the Himalayan Homestay network in 2004.
Homestays generate additional income for local people – helping offset unavoidable income losses from livestock depredation by snow leopards and other predators. With income from tourism that highlights wildlife viewing, local people have a reason to conserve predators which may threaten their herds, especially since poaching and retributive killing of snow leopards are the major threats across the Himalaya to this rare and beautiful cat.
Between the mountains of the Great Himalaya and the formidable Karakoram lies the high altitude kingdom of Ladakh. Ladakh lies at altitudes ranging from 2,750m to 6,670m, covering an area of 90,000sq.km. Today’s high altitude desert was once covered by an extensive lake system, the remains of which can be seen in the large lakes in the south-east. The population of eastern and central Ladakh is predominantly of Tibetan origin and follows Buddhism. Further west people are Muslims of more mixed origin. The area’s landscape and unique cultural heritage have been major attractions since Ladakh opened to tourists in 1974. In 2003, some 30,000 tourists visited Ladakh during June to September for a variety of activities including trekking, rafting, and sightseeing. Tourism related activities have grown rapidly over the past two decades, especially in and around the capital Leh that serves as the base for most visitors.
The primary destination for trekkers and other nature-based visits is Hemis National Park (HNP). In 2003, over 6,000 tourists trekked through the National Park during the summer months. The park is located south of Leh and covers 4,400 sq.km. and has a population of herders that share the area’s natural resources with the wildlife. The Park is divided into three valleys, namely Rumbak, Markha and the Shang valley that remain cut off from each other during winter by the Gandala pass (4,900m) and Kongmrula pass (5,150m) to the south. There are 15 villages with approximately 100 households in these valleys. Apart from the unique landscape and harsh beauty, the mountains are home to a variety of cultural resources such as local homes, monasteries, etc, and support a high altitude ecosystem with rare and endangered flora and fauna. The area is considered the best habitat in India for the elusive snow leopard (Uncia uncia) – an attraction for visitors whether you see one or not.
Selected villages along the Markha and Sham trekking routes have been given Himalayan Homestay training. These settlements are situated in excellent habitat for the endangered snow leopard and its prey. One can see the cat’s sign and herds of blue sheep or ibex.
As a visitor you will be provided : A clean, comfortable room (with candle or solar light), furnished in the Ladakhi style ; Traditional Ladakhi meals, cooked hygienically using eco-friendly methods ; Clean solar-boiled spring water to drink ; A clean traditional dry-composting toilet ; The opportunity to enjoy the rhythm of life in a village where farming and livestock herding has been the way of life for centuries.
In some sites there are local guides who can take you wildlife watching and on village walks. Check with the Homestay Coordinator, Overland Escape or SLC, where guides are currently available.