Homestay in the Himalaya
This is a unique opportunity to stay in a remote and tiny village in Ladakh called Zabu Zong. You would stay with a small, friendly family who Wolf Expeditions have used in the past and who speak limited English. Located 15 miles outside of Leh, the nearest town, you would be the only Westerner in the area, but still within range of supplies and communication if needed, and with a local member of staff called Nawang living permanently in the village Wolf Expeditions can always be on hand and contactable if you desired.
Stay for as long or short a time as you like, though a 1 month stay would be the normal length longer periods can be arranged. Wolf Expeditions only takes one person on at a time for the homestays so places are very limited. For more information, to book, or if you would like to speak with clients who have previously stayed in Zabu Zong with us contact Adrian at info@wolfexpeditions.com
Ladakh is situated on the Tibetan frontier at the Northernmost tip of India, nestled between the mighty Karakoram mountain range and the Zanskar mountains. Formerly part of Tibet it is now under Indian administration. Its population however consider themselves Ladakhi and the local language, food, culture and religion is more resonant of Tibet than Hindu.
The local religion is Buddhism and its influence permeates life in Ladakh to a remarkable degree. Grand and isolated monasteries surround the region with ancient Chortens standing aloft the mountainsides. Every home has a temple inside and prayer flags are colourfully fluttering everywhere.
Within your stay with me you will have much opportunity to learn language, either Hindi, Tibetan or Ladakhi, local cooking and crafts, and depending on the time of year join in with the harvest, Losar celebrations (Tibetan New Year), or local festivals. Such a personal experience would be nearly impossible for a standard traveller or tourist to achieve and combined with the finance put back into the local economy I am proud that Wolf Expeditions is involved in such a positive scheme.
Diary extracts from a homestay visit in September 2007 by Deb Patterson from Canada:
Conclusion of Homestay
The first thing that comes to mind when I think of my month staying with the Skilday family are the words ‘Kulay, Kulay.’ Life seems to be slower and more precious in Ladakh and it would take years to fully understand and integrate oneself into the culture. I was only there for a month, but I gained an incredible amount of agricultural, cultural and environmental knowledge. Observing how the field work is carried out, how to cook delicious ladakhi food, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and meeting all the kind locals.
My experience is quite difficult to actually put into words here, but I will try my best. ‘Shaaaaabaaaaas!’ is what it really comes down to.
When I went on one of my daily walks through Saboo village I was persistent in observing my surroundings and all the villagers busy at work, whether it was digging up potatoes, cutting the barley, threshing the wheat or washing the dishes in a nearby irrigation channel. I came to understand pieces of how life is lived and how an ancient wisdom has been passed on from generation to generation. A wisdom I truly hope never fades. I was able to work in the field carrying loads of wheat, which was nowhere near the weight of the wheat carried by everyone else, digging potatoes, and cutting potato leaves and I got the impression my family thought I was a little crazy for getting my hands dirty and enjoying it. For an unskilled Canadian I thought I did alright, but when it came to hand washing my clothes I feel I failed miserably in mastering that skill. It must have been painful to watch as even Dolma, Rinchen and Deldan offered to do them for me. It is a memory that will always be with.
I think of all the people that smiled to me, said ‘Julay, Julay,’ asked me into their homes for tea, gave me apples and apricots, asked me ‘Karu chayat?’ or asked me to help clean their dirty vegetables from their gardens and I am overwhelmed with all the compassion and kindness I received. I am very thankful and full of gratitude for this. The Skilday Family has shown much love, affection and happiness towards my being in their home for a month and I felt the warmth and comfort in a home away from my life outside of Ladakh. I deeply appreciate all that they have given me and all that they have done for me.
When my last day crept upon me Norbu and I followed the dusty road towards the jeep that was to take me to a friend’s home in lower Saboo. He asked me if my experience went the way I expected and if there was anything I would change or anything I was disappointed with. My problem in life is that I always expect and to be perfectly honest Saboo wasn’t at all what I expected, but when I left that day I had no disappointments with it.
My time in Saboo with the Skilday family put a light in my heart and gave me a sense of direction and hope. I definitely would not change anything as every experience has a purpose even the negative ones. He told me before I left that he thought the Ladakhi food was a bit dull and plain and wish he could have had something more extravagant.
We grew up with dozens of large fast food corporations towering the streets in our home town and ready made meals in our freezers. So taking a few hours every day to prepare meals full of nutrients and non existent of chemicals was something new to me. We are used to non-organic, mass produced meals with ingredients shipped from the other side of the world. I have never felt as healthy in my own country as I have in Ladakh and I will take the knowledge gained from the hands of my family to my own table in my own home. Of course I have doubts it could be as good as the food prepared by the Skildays.
Thank you Aba-le, Norbu, Rinchen, Dolma, Deldan, Lakzes and Jiggy!!!I feel I will always have a family in Saboo.
September 20th 2007
The Ladakhi sky has never failed to fill the night with beauty. The sunset over the wheat fields and mountain ranges is an image never to forget. As we all sat down for milk and tea and bread I noticed the colours of the eyes which all seemed to portray different tones of brown under the shine of the evening sun. Lovely. The group of men working with us today were polite and hard working and kept to their work for the whole day, with meals and tea breaks being an exception.
29th September 2007
Tonight was a steamed mutton mok mok night. There is a possiblity I’ve mastered the art of filling and shaping a mok mok… with much hassle and skeptism from the family I was forced and pressured to learn it properly. Similar to hand washing clothes or cutting potatoes the right way. They encompass perfection, but the Ladakhi way. It’s done properly but it’s done over a period of time. I find art in many things they’ve learnt and mastered. Simple things that they’d see me crazy for thinking so. Making food, preparing tea, the way they can judge just how much a person can eat when they put food on the plate, the perfect knitting, creation of Choks, and their lives, which, even though there have been developments still represents ancient wisdom. Knowledge passed down from generation to generation on how to live of the land and natural resources. That’s beauty.
30th September 2007
I wondered up to the neighbouring gompa and climbed the loose rocky hill, which it is perched on. I must have sat there with my legs tucked close to my chest and the rays beating down for a couple of hours. Watching the cows, dzo and yaks walking lazily on the road and in the fields, a few women carrying woven baskets full of veggies or cow dung on their backs, and just feeling the peaceful air of Zabu for the last time.
