Join us for a trekking intensive program that explores environmental and rural community resiliency among one of the most stunning landscapes on Earth. For students interested in engaging in environmental and cultural preservation, honing their trekking skills*, and learning about Tibetan Buddhism.
Participants receive Wilderness First Aid (WFA) certification.
Stretching more than 1500 miles from Pakistan to China, the Himalayan Range boasts half of the world's tallest mountains.
Clinging to the far western flank of the Tibetan plateau, jagged peaks and windswept valleys have largely preserved the indigenous mountain cultures of Ladakh. Our exploration begins close to the regional capital of Leh where we acclimatize to the elevation and begin exploring how the unique Ladakhi heritage and fragile high desert ecosystem interact with the shifting cultural, ecological, and economic pressures within the region.
Clinging to the far western flank of the Tibetan plateau, jagged peaks and windswept valleys have largely preserved the indigenous mountain cultures of Ladakh. Our exploration begins close to the regional capital of Leh where we acclimatize to the elevation and begin exploring how the unique Ladakhi heritage and fragile high desert ecosystem interact with the shifting cultural, ecological, and economic pressures within the region.
Our journey begins in Phyang, where we begin learning the basics of Ladakhi language, exploring the pastoral communities and acclimating to the 11,500 ft elevation. In Leh, we meet with local leaders at NGOs and learn firsthand the challenges that families and local representatives face as they attempt to preserve traditional Ladakhi heritage. We become students of Tibetan Buddhist monks, representatives of the Snow Leopard Conservancy, Ladakh Ecological Development Group and other leaders and activists in order to better understand the local perspectives and realities.
Before traveling deeper into the mountains, we undertake a Wilderness First Aid course to gain practical medical skills that can prove useful in any context. Departing from Leh, we trek deep into glaciated valleys and through tiny hamlets as we follow remote herders’ trails. As we pass through some of the world’s most breathtaking mountains, we explore remote pastoral communities, staying in family homes in tiny villages, sharing meals, and learning about village life, or we pitch tents and sleep outside under a brilliant blanket of stars.
The North India course is designed to encourage students to push themselves in their exploration of this distant landscape, learn about the ecology of the Himalayas as it pertains to climate change, and explore the Tibetan-influenced cultural and spiritual traditions of Ladakh. In addition to a rural village stay, students take part in collaborative social development projects focused on environmental and cultural preservation. The North India program is a window into Himalayan cultures and landscapes, as the region adapts to challenging environmental and political climates.
Click on the gallery below to browse photos, videos and quotes from our participants and instructors.
Introduction to Buddhist philosophy, meditation, and visits to monasteries across Ladakh.
Examine issues of resource management and witness innovative responses to climate change, tourism, health, and globalization.
Expand your knowledge of Ladakh's political and cultural history and the ecology of the Himalayas. Understand what makes this unique environment so fragile.
3-5 days of homestays in a Ladakhi village, and one homestay trek
Possibility to study mountain medicine and Tibetan arts.
Introduction to Ladakhi language.
Participate in community agriculture, tending barley fields, caring for livestock, and working on building projects.
Travel by bus, jeep, and on foot over rough high-altitude terrain.
8-10 days of high-altitude trekking over rough terrain and high passes (peaks and passes are non-technical, so no prior trekking experience is required).
To deepen your experience abroad, you may elect to enroll in one (1) college-level course while participating on this program. Those who enroll in an optional course will be invoiced an additional fee on top of the land cost. To learn more, click here.
Students who take a for-credit course will receive an official transcript from a School of Record after successful completion of the program.
Through our School of Record, you may choose to enroll in one (1) of the following courses for-college credit:
See full Course Offering descriptions.
Being in Ladakh I’ve learned an immeasurable amount about the successes and difficulties of living in a secluded community. I’ve learned how to be grateful and mindful as I perform menial activities, and I’ve gained immense knowledge surrounding a collection of religions and ways of life which are nestled here in the pocket between mainstream India, Nepal, and old Tibet. I really wish I could stay longer!
North India Summer Program
I loved staying at the homestays because of the simplicity to them. They taught me that I really do not need half the things I thought I needed to feel safe and comfortable.
Nadya A. North India Summer Program
Matt has grown so much: in his ability to connect to his higher and inner self, his ability to be present, and his intelligence and heart, I wish I could be 17 and be a part of Dragons. Thank you with all our heart.
Parents of Matthew F. North India Summer Program
Our instructors knew the perfect balance between independence and supervision. Whenever we found ourselves in a new environment, the instructors...made sure we were all able to accommodate our individual needs while also being safe and thoroughly informed.
Dillon C. North India Summer Program
