Climate Impact Expedition

An International Impact Expedition

today Dates : 10 Aug 2024 to 18 Aug 2024

access_time Duration : 9 Days

Grade : 2

? Grade 1 : Easy
Grade 2 : Moderate
Grade 3 : Challenging
Grade 4 : Hard

place Location : Ladakh, India

Available Slots : 04/15

USD $2200

Brief :

Join a team of 15 leaders from across the globe on a journey of sustainability and impact in the Indian Himalayas. You will be part of an amazing group of participants who will trek to one of the remote villages in the Himalayas to bring access to clean and renewable energy for the local communities. Soak in the hospitality of the villagers and leave behind a legacy of your visit as you truly empower the communities. A perfect mix of Adventure with Impact. 

The Expedition participants are selected through an interview process to curate a group that is unique. A typical group can comprise of members from across the globe with a passion and interest for sustainable development and climate action.  

The financing of the Solar Water Heaters that are setup to make the expedition carbon negative is done by the participants as part of the expedition cost. The expedition fee will include your contribution to the cost of the Solar Water Heaters for electrification of village along with all your ground logistics, food and accommodation.

Trip Highlights

Embark on an extraordinary expedition that perfectly combines global leadership with environmental stewardship amid the spectacular landscapes of the Indian Himalayas. Similar to the unpredictability of the rags to riches slot machine, this expedition presents a series of challenges and opportunities that can dramatically change the course of your perspective. The ups and downs of the expedition are like a roller coaster of emotions that players experience while watching the reels of a slot machine spin. Like aligning symbols in a slot machine, where each combination provides an opportunity to win, 15 people work together to align their diverse skills, experiences and perspectives. And just as the Rags to Riches slot embodies the concept of unpredictability, their expedition is not without its challenges.

  • Multiple days of community immersion in Ladakh
  • Create an impact with Solar Water Heaters
  • Partner with fellow travelers from across the globe.
  • Give back to the Himalayas and the local communities
  • Discover yourself in the remoteness of the mountains
  • A mix of Adventure, Sustainability and Impact

Gallery :

Route Map :

GHE_Tour_Route_Zanskar-Impact-Expedition.jpg

Itinerary Details :

  1. Day 1 Arrive in Leh, Acclimatize
    Arrive in Leh, Acclimatize_Day 1

    You will fly into Leh from New Delhi. Bounded by two of the world’s mightiest mountain ranges, the Himalayas and the Karakoram, Leh lies at an altitude of 12000 ft. You will be received at the airport by the GHE team leaders and welcomed with the traditional Ladakhi silk scarf “Khatak”. You will then be transferred to your hotel where you will be stationed for the next two days. The remainder of the arrival day is for you to relax or explore the local market and the Leh city. 

  2. Day 2 Cultural Immersion and Team Bonding
    Cultural Immersion and Team Bonding_Day 2

    Today begins with a visit to the Leh City and a learning experience on the background of the ancient heritage. We will take a tour of the Old City and visit a Monastery, where we shall get in touch with the ancient religion of Buddhism and its ideologies

  3. Day 3 Mountain Biking (Optional) and travel to Domkhar
    Mountain Biking (Optional) and travel to Domkhar_Day 3

    The day will begin with a mountain biking session on the beautiful roads of the region surrounded by the Himalayas. Post the session, we shall come back to the hotel and refresh to depart for the trek. From Leh, we will go to Domkhar village which will be a 4 hour ride. The village is located on the banks of Indus river and is also home to an old monastery and an ancient lake, which is known for its medicinal properties. There is also a rock-art museum known for the ancient petroglyphs found in the region.

  4. Day 4 Domkar to Saundoo Trek
    Domkar to Saundoo Trek_Day 4

    The day will begin early as we begin our trek from Domkhar village to the campsite at Saundoo. The trek will take us 7-8 hours and will take us through the valley with beautiful landscapes. It will be a great time to bond with the fellow participants as we enjoy the trek and move towards our campsite. Once we reach, the team will work together with the expedition team and help setup the campsite with the tents. The evening will be spent with a stargazing session and enjoying the clear night skies

  5. Day 5 Saundoo to Kurmabik Trek
    Saundoo to Kurmabik Trek_Day 5

    We will start the day at leisure and enjoy the campsite morning. Once the breakfast is done, we will help the trek team pack up the campsite and load the material to begin our trek from Saundoo towards the village of Kurambik. The trek will take us 4 hours before we reach the beautiful village of Kurambik. The village is home to 16 households who have been settled there for centuries. 

  6. Day 6 Solar Water Heater Setup
    Solar Water Heater Setup_Day 6

    Today is the Expedition Impact Day and the team will install the Solar water heaters in the village, which is currently the most pressing need of the villagers of Kurambik, as boiling the water in winters is very tough affair and uses a lot of firewood. The temperature during winters falls well below zero degree Celsius in this region, so the requirement of hot water is natural and pertaining. Apart from the environment, this step of Solar Water heater installation will provide benefits to the community on a long term

  7. Day 7 Shared Narratives and back to Leh
    Shared Narratives and back to Leh_Day 7

    After an impactful time at Kurambik, we will bid farewell to the villagers and head back to Leh. Enroute, we will make a stopover at the famous monastery of Phyang, and get to experience a unique cultural and meditative session at the monastery, led by the monks. The team will also be shown the ancient monuments along with some Mongolian relics left behind. Post the time spent at Phyang, the team will head back to Leh and check-in to the hotels

  8. Day 8 Khardungla Pass & Reflection Day
    Khardungla Pass & Reflection Day_Day 8

    The team will begin the day by heading towards the KhardungLa Pass, the worlds highest motorable road. Once we come down from the pass, the rest of the day will be a leisure and reflection day for the team to visit the Leh market and pick up souvenirs, including Pashmina, Apricot based food products and other local handicrafts. In the evening, we will have a debrief on how the Expedition experience was for everyone and what can be the next steps for development of the communities that has been impacted by our expedition

  9. Day 9 Departures
    Departures_Day 9

    “The mighty mountains beckoned, and we answered the call. “

    It’s time to say our farewell all around and make our way back to the airport with the GHE Team Leaders who will assure your safe departure. It's been an adventurous and impactful Expedition 2023. 
     

Inclusions :

  • Airport Transfers in Leh
  • All breakfast, lunch and dinner all days
  • All accommodations including hotels, homestays and camping on shared basis
  • All local transportation including coaches and taxis
  • All meals as per itinerary (excluding drinks)
  • Boiled clean drinking water in Village 
  • Mountain Bikes included

Exclusions :

  • Flight tickets to and fro Leh
  • Visa Fees 
  • Travel Insurance 

Carbon Offset :

The expedition to bring Solar Water Heaters to the village will offset 126 Tons of Carbon from the environment  through setup of 15 Water Heaters
Our estimates suggest that the entire 12 days expedition Carbon footprint, including carbon generated during camping, hotel stay and through the participants return flight tickets, will be around 53 Tons. 
Overall Your trip to the Himalayas will be Carbon Negative!

GHE_Tour_Carbon_offset_Zanskar-Impact-Expedition.jpg
Expedition Essentials :

Important Notes

There are a couple of days of long travel in the Bus on mountain roads. However the jaw-dropping scenery should take away the fatigue of bus travel. Since we will be at an average altitude of 13000 feet or 3500m, it will help if you are at good fitness level overall. Also smoking and drinking is prohibited. The weather can be very unpredictable in the mountains. Kindly refer to the instructions in the Expedition essentials document you will find on this page.The homestay in the village will have very basic facilities, you will being staying with the local community and experience life from their point of view. 

Physical Rating: 2 (Moderate)

The trek will be long and overall the expedition will be moderate. We recommend that you undertake regular aerobic exercise in the months before you travel. Walking daily and cycling along with doing brisk walks or climbing long staircases with a small backpack is good preparation to enable you to enjoy the trekking to its fullest.

Arrival and Departure Details

The expedition shall begin from the city of Leh in India, and will also end in the city of Leh. Please note that due to the high altitude, we Include the days of acclimatization in the overall expedition itinerary. You don’t need to come early for acclimatization.  In case you would like to extend your trip beyond the expedition dates, please feel free to do so at your own discretion and cost. 

Additional Details 

You can read all the expedition essentials in the document shared below. For general enquiries or questions about your booking, please contact us at https://www.ghe.co.in/Help/Contact-Us/

 

Download Files :

Expedition Essentials

Hear from our Alumni

Paulina
Paulina - Chile "Coming from South America, I was able to relate to the remoteness of the communities and the challenges faced by them. This was the most beautiful and satisfying experiences for me as a Traveler. Never could I have imagined that I would be able to bring light to someone while taking part on an adventure trek."
Staffan
Staffan - Sweden "This expedition has been one of the most positive influential experience of my life. Being out there in the remoteness and interacting with the locals gave me a sense of purpose. I was deeply moved on the issue of energy access for remote communities and hope to apply my learnings in this direction. "
Mark Appiah
Mark Appiah - Ghana "I come from Ghana in Africa and I have seen the problems faced by the local communities. The expedition exceeded all my expectations. I have never been so happy when I saw the Happy faces of the villagers seeing light for the first time. I am thankful to GHE for such a professionally conducted expedition. "
Jose Carlos
Jose Carlos - Peru "The expedition with GHE was one of the most life changing experiences I have had so far. I am motivated now to also start a similar initiative in my country."
Ashley
Ashley - USA "Joining hands in an unknown land to bring electricity to the beautiful people of a remote village was an extraordinary experience; one which not only cultivated strong friendships but also showcased the power of the human spirit when we come together to achieve greater good."
Archi
Archi - India "The journey you undertake with GHE, is a journey unlike any other. As you are thrown against the bare and stark backdrop of the Himalayas, you learn to overcome your fears, challenge your limits and appreciate the beauty around you, as you unite with those who were once strangers, to bring ‘light’ to a shared dream"
Rolf
Rolf - Denmark "GHE was for me an opportunity to bring back focus, dedication and a broader perspective to my life – it was extremely enriching and inspirational to see, live and change the lives of the people in the village. I can urge anyone who feels they want to do more with their life, to take the leap and join the cause of “Impact Tourism"
Ute
Ute Marke - Germany "Very seldom are we given the opportunity to make a measurable impact in the world. To be part of a team that helped to set up solar grids in the village and seeing the pure joy on the villagers' faces when we turned on the lights for the first time, is something I will never forget."

About GHE

A mix of Adventure, Sustainability and Leadership, the expeditions feature diverse individuals who come together from different parts of the globe with the goal to empower the remotest communities

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