CHAMBA CAMP, (IN THE VALLEY)

Activity Options for Young Adults (14 and above)

ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES:

1. Rock climbing: Learn the techniques of Rock Climbing at an indoor studio in Leh. The next day takes the guests to a nearby mountaineering spot () where they can try out the new skill, under the supervision of an instructor. Guests can opt for rappelling as well. 2. Rafting: White water rafting basic safety, skill and techniques with professional instructors (SPLASH). Young guests can opt for a short course (over a period of 2-4 days) and enjoy and learn how to Kayak on gentle stretches at different spots on the Indus. 3. Trek & Camp: Short treks like the Markha Valley, Sham-Sumdo, Rizong etc. Guests can learn basic outfitter skills along with cooking outdoors, pitching tents and safety and survival skills. 4. Cycling: Spituk to , via Palam is a least busy route and safe for young guests to enjoy a short cycling tour.

NATURE ACTIVITIES:

1. Local clubs such as the Snow Leopard Conservancy and Wildlife Conservation & Bird Club of (WCBCL) organize activities/programs/ initiatives during the summer months. 2. Chewang Norphel: Ice man of and Leh Nutritional Project to host talks and field trips.

MONASTERY PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVE:

We look forward lending a hand in the respective programs and initiatives of the local monasteries.

INTERACTIVE/LEARNING AND EXPERIENCE BASED ACTIVITIES

1. Learn to make Ladakhi butter tea in the monastery kitchen: Guests can learn the art of making butter tea from monks in the monastery kitchen which is served to monks during the Morning Prayer. The young guests will start their day early and learn everything from making fire in the huge hearth to boiling tea in big monastic pots to churning the tea. They can even help the monks serve it to the monks while they are engaged in chanting and meditation in the assembly hall. They can then spend some time with the monks in the prayer hall. This activity will acquaint the guests to a monastic way of life. 2. Interactive session/ football/cricket match with school children: This experience can be conducted with students from a nearby school. The guests can enjoy a friendly match of cricket or football with the local kids. 3. Field trip to a local house: Young guests will be taken to a local house nearby. This will give them the chance to see a local house set up and the different activities that take place on a usual summer day. Guests can help the lady of the house in the vegetable garden, help her water the fields or even weed the fields. 4. Milking to churning butter; learn the whole process: This activity takes guests to the nearby village of Nang or Sakti. The first day (evening), they will visit the house and see and learn milking cow and then making curd. The next day they will go back and learn how to churn butter the traditional way, followed by making cheese and putting it to dry. 5. Volunteering at SECMOL: A day visit to this institution will help them understand insulation methods/techniques in construction and use of solar energy. An interactive session with the resident students will be very interesting as they come from varied villages and varied backgrounds. 6. Learning Tibetan Calligraphy: A workshop on Tibetan calligraphy with a monk in the Monastery or with an artist. They will acquire the basic strokes of Tibetan Calligraphy. 7. Visit CIBS : Here, guests can see thanka and sculpture making and may even indulge in learning the basics. 8. Engraving mani stones: The guests can be taken to Gya village, a spectacular village setting and learn to engrave mani stones. A workshop can be arranged where they will learn about the Buddhist mantras, their significance and how to carve them on stones. 9. Sow & Plough (seasonal): Guests will be taken to a nearby village to help the farmers in ploughing and sowing. In villages like Sakti and Nang, villagers still plough fields the traditional way with the help of dzo which is very interesting. 10. Photography tour (Night photography): This will interest guests keen on photography. Ladakh being a picturesque land, a photography tour will be very interesting.