Himalayan Photo Expedition

Himalayan Photo Expedition Itinerary

Day 1 (Wednesday) - Depart the USA
After meeting and greeting your flight leader and settling in for a comfortable international flight, you’ll have a chance to get to know your new friends, maybe catch a movie in your in-flight entertainment center, or grab a bit of shut-eye.

Day 2 (Thursday) -Welcome to Incredible India!
Your senses will be overwhelmed upon first stepping out into India, the sights, the sounds, and the people will all be welcoming you to this amazing place!  Here you’ll meet your staff members and head directly to the hotel for a shower and a solid night of rest before spending your first full day in India. 

Day 3 (Friday) -Let’s dive into Delhi!
This morning, you’ll set out for an awesome tour of Delhi led by our guides that are well versed to describe the places you visit and answer your questions.  You’ll learn about Shah Jahan, the differences between New and Old Delhi and Gandhi, India’s “father.”  You’ll explore within the walls of the Red Fort, visit the cleansing waters of Bangla Sahib, and take in the India Gate. 

Day 4 (Saturday) -Off to Ladakh!
Today we’ll head to Ladakh, the “Land of High Mountain Passes,” and its surrounding peaks that reach to the roof of the world.  On our first day, we’ll wander around town, learn a little bit about sustainable development and its history in Ladakh, and acclimatize to your new high altitude environment at about 11,500 feet!

Day 5 (Sunday) -A look into Ancient Monasteries
After a great breakfast and a warm cup of chai, we’ll head out to the ancient monasteries that Leh is known for.  You’ll share laughs with novice monks, spin prayer wheels and listen to the soothing sounds of monks chanting as it echoes from the surrounding peaks.  If we’re lucky, we’ll also have the chance to catch one of the local Buddhist festivals that often occur during this time of the year!

Day 6 (Monday) -  Drive to Lake Tso Moriri Lake
Nestled into the Rupsu Valley, we’ll make our way to Tso Moriri Lake.  It is an environmental and landscape photographer’s dream!  The beautiful blue waters juxtaposed against an incredible Himalaya landscape sometimes is inhabited by herds of goats making their way by, or foxes, marmots, and kiang are often spotted in this area.

Day 7 (Tuesday) -  A visit with the Changpa people
Making their life off the land they live on, this group of nomadic peoples have been considered the first to live in Ladakh and through the time, their lifestyle still remains much the same it was years ago.  You’ll get a very unique insight into their life as you live amongst them through our local connections in yurts and tents.

Day 8 (Wednesday) - Stay with nomadic community
You’ll have the opportunity to understand a bit deeper about the way this community spends its days and lives sustainably while tending to their goat, sheep, and yaks.  While living in a yurt during these days, you’ll really feel like you’re seeing things you only have seen off the pages of your favorite travel magazine!

Day 10 (Thursday) - Return Leh, rest day/photo reviews
Most of our day will be spent returning to our base of Leh.  After several days living without many of the western amenities we are accustomed to, we’ll get the chance to head back to Leh, recharge our batteries, have a photo review, and share some laughs over a meal of momo’s and curries!

Day 11 (Friday) - Themisgam
After a quick recharge, we’ll head back out to a couple nights staying with local families in a small mountain village that is also home to a beautiful monastery.  Here we’ll have the opportunity to explore the village over two days in small groups, while also gaining an understanding of the local way of life through homestays.

Day 12 (Saturday) - Themisgam
Heading out for a second day, we’ll work on specific skills, while also meeting new people and understanding how their sustainable lifestyle succeeds after centuries of living off the land in this rugged mountain environment.  You’ll also have the chance to sample some of the delicious apricots that grow throughout this area!

Day 13 (Sunday) - Hemis
After a couple days in a bigger village, we’ll head to a more rural community and explore it for the day.  You’ll have the chance to learn about the local way of life through one of the longest standing families in the Hemis area. 

Day 14 (Monday) - Leh
Today we’ll enjoy our last drive through the mountains and prepare to head back to Delhi.  On this last day, you’ll have the chance to find any last gifts and get some shopping done, then we’ll top the day off watching the sunset over 20,000 foot mountains, then finish off with a delicious Ladakhi meal then head to bed for a night’s rest before our early morning flight.

Day 15 (Tuesday) - Delhi to Agra
After an early morning flight from Leh to Delhi, we’ll hop in a comfortable air-conditioned bus to Agra to visit one of the “Seven Wonders of the World!”  The Taj Mahal was Emperor Shah Jahan’s 17th century architectural marvel that took over 20,000 people to build!

Day 16 (Wednesday) - Agra to Delhi
We’ll head back to Delhi and have a last chance to visit one of Delhi’s markets to find a gift for your friends, or we can catch a Bollywood movie before heading to a local resort to enjoy a fun afternoon of swimming, laughing and of course, eating a delicious meal to celebrate a great adventure through India!  Students fly out late on this night from Delhi. Day 17 (Thursday) - Arrival back in the US
If you are flying back to the US, you’ll arrive back in the states on this day, as you’ll have time zone changes in the middle.  Many of our students choose to connect to other photography programs, or other programs in our Asian destinations.

A Special Note: With our photography programs, we always try to take advantage of activities and festivals that are unique to the country at the time of our travel and sometimes, they come up in a moment’s notice!  With that being said, please keep in mind that our itinerary is open for change and this is only an example of what we have done in the past.  Just like a photojournalist gets surprised with a new assignment everyday, we like to offer that fun opportunity to our photography students as well!  Hopefully this helps you get a feel for what our photo students might expect

Himalayan Photo Expedition Packing List

This trip involves two drastically different climates. Delhi and Agra are extremely hot, while Leh can be very cold at night. Both areas are very conservative so clothing choices need to be culturally sensitive.

Clothing
1 – lightweight jacket/hoodie
1 – medium jacket
1 – warm pair of socks
1 – pair of sturdy tennis shoes
1 – warm hat
1 – sun hat
1 –long sleeve/thermal shirt
1 – pair of gloves and scarf
2 – pairs of shorts/capris (below the knee)
2 – pairs of lightweight cargo pants
1 – pair of jeans
6 – crew neck short sleeve shirts (No low-cut or deep V shirts. Shoulders should always be covered.)
1 – pair of Chacos/tevas
3 – pairs of socks
7 – pairs of underwear (Girls: Sports bras are recommended for hot climates.)


Medication
Minor allergy and congestion problems are common due the high altitude and dry air in Ladakh. We encourage you to bring the following medication along with any other medications you take regularly.

Decongestant
Antihistamine
Ibuprofen
Cough drops/expectorant

Additional items:
Headlamp
Hand and food warmers for camping with nomads
Sleeping bag liner
Plug adapters for camera battery chargers
External portable hard drive and card reader for backing up photos
Shower flip-flops
Dry shampoo
Antibacterial wipes
Travel size Kleenex
Small bag for day trips

1 - Will the kids be drinking bottled water?
Students will be provided with safe drinking water on their program, either pre-packaged bottled water or water that has been treated and filtered prior to drinking.  During the trek, they will be using iodine tablets to safely purify their drinking water, in addition to using properly boiled water from mountain streams.

2 - Do we need to get visas for this program?
YES! All students traveling to India are responsible for obtaining their own visa for India. You must obtain a minimum 6-month, multiple entry tourist visa. The information for obtaining the visa can be found at: https://indiavisa.travisaoutsourcing.com/

You will need a reference for your visa, which is provided to you or you can email india@rusticpathways.com for this information as well.

3 - What will the accommodation on this trip be like?
Students on this trip will find themselves staying in a mix of 3 star hotel accommodations, comfortable and clean guest houses, during their trekking segment they will be camping in tents and with a nomadic village home stay experience.  Students are provided with quality tents, warm sleeping bags, and nice sleeping pads when required.

4 - What immunizations do we need to get for this trip?
Rustic Pathways only requires an up-to-date Tetanus shot, however the Center for Disease Control often has recommendations that are kept updated regarding India.  Since we do not know your child’s medical history, we recommend you reference the CDC website at:  www.cdc.gov or the World Health Organization website at:  www.who.org for more information.  We also suggest consulting with your local travel doctor prior to your travels for further information.  

5 - What costs are not included on this trip?
This trip includes all of the student’s accommodations, in addition to three meals a day, drinking water, transportation, entrance fees and other related group entertainment costs.  Optional activities, such as massages, internet use, phone calls home, snacks, souvenirs, etc… are extra costs.  For this program, we typically recommend between US$100-200 per week for allowance depending on the student’s spending habits.  Student spending can vary greatly, however, as some students may spend very little and others may spend much more if they plan on making a big purchase.

6 - Will there be a flight leader to this country?
All flights departing from and returning to the United States will have flight leaders.  In the event a student is connecting from another country, they may or may not have a flight leader.  In such instances, we generally have coordinated with the airlines to escort the students from check-in through customs, and delivered to a verified Rustic Pathways staff member in Delhi airport.

7 - How does this program connect to other programs?
This program connects seamlessly with our other India programs and students traveling in different regions of India will use Delhi as their hub. This program also easily connects with any of our other programs in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Burma, and China.

8 - How long is the flight to this country?
Students travel on a very comfortable nonstop flight from Newark Airport in New Jersey (EWR) to Indira Gandhi Airport in Delhi, India.  It is approximately 14 hours each way.

9 - What kind of food will we be eating?
Students will be eating a mix of Indian, Tibetan, Chinese and maybe even a little western food.  Dietary restrictions are typically accommodated quite easily and vegetarians are in paradise here with the extensive options of vegetarian dishes.  Indian foods can be easily sampled at a local Indian restaurant, but they consist of rice, lentils (dals), curries, and flatbreads (naan, roti, parantha).  Tibetan food is made up of momo’s (steamed or fried dumplings stuffed with veggies or meats), Thukpa (noodle soup with vegetables, or meat), and chowmein (fried noodles) dishes.

10 - How many girls and boys are usually on this trip?
This program generally breaks down to about a 60% female and 40% male mix

11 - Is your staff qualified in First Aid?
Because safety is our number one priority, all of our programs have guides that are certified with First Aid and CPR training. Many of our guides are also qualified Wilderness First Responders, EMTs, Wilderness EMTs, or Life Guards.

12 - How often (if at all) will students be able to do laundry on this program and what will it cost?
During this program, students will be moving around a bit, so laundry will only be able to be done one or two times on the program. Students should keep in mind that they don’t need new outfits for each day and ‘rewearing’ clothing is perfectly fine! In fact, the less you pack, the happier of a traveler you’ll be. Many of your guides will be carrying just a small pack to travel with, you’d be amazed at how little you need! Laundry will be the equivalent of about US$10 per load generally.

13 - How often will they have access to phone and internet?
Students will have access to phones and internet throughout their travels and have the time to use them about every 3-4 days, but this can vary through the trip. Parents will receive safe arrival emails upon their student’s arrival and should also remember that many students get to India and to fully immerse themselves in their trip and new opportunities stay away from things like phone and internet which connect them back to their lives at home. This is completely normal and parents should remember that ‘no news is good news’ if they don’t hear from their child during the course of their trip

14 – What is the climate in the region where this program takes place?
The climate during this time of year generally is hot and sometimes humid. During much of the year, temperatures in India can be in excess of 90 degrees Fahrenheit. IN the Himalaya Mountain zone of Northern India, temperatures can also drop to the 30s, so please plan on packing a few warm layers for the chilly evenings.

14- Will I receive community service hours on this program?
This trip does not offer a specific community service component in the areas that we travel. This program does however connect easily with a few of our other community service driven programs in India, as well as many of our other community service programs in other countries in Asia.

15 – How physically strenuous is this program?
This program is not very strenuous, but students should be able to hike short distances, and be in fairly good physical shape. Students with health concerns should contact our India staff at: india@rusticpathways.com

16 – What are the optional activities available at an additional cost on this program?
This program does not have optional activities that will require a student to spend extra money.

17 - What kind of food will we be eating? Where?
Most of the meals on this program will be in restaurants. We will also have packed lunches on many days of the trip.

18 - Can we cater to specific diets?
India is extremely vegetarian friendly, however some special diets may be more difficult to cater to during parts of the trip. If a student has questions, they should contact india@rusticpathways.com or contact our administrative offices for more information.

19- What is the ratio of guides to students?
Depending on the program, we sometimes have a lower staff to student ratio, but with safety as our top priority, we maintain at least a 4 or 5 to 1 student to staff ratio.