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Around Ladakh With StudentsAround Ladakh with Students (ALS) is SECMOL's travel agency, specialising in student groups interested in cultural exchange and environmental and development issues. We host a few well-selected groups each year. ALS can organise homestays in Ladakhi villages, treks, and visits to monasteries,
historical sites and environmental organisations. The group can stay for
several days at SECMOL Campus and share in daily activities and discussions.
Our Ladakhi students appreciate the chance to meet young people from different
countries, and to practice their English in real communicative situations.
Some visiting student groups have done work projects too. We have extensive experience organising the following activities: • Homestays, often in villages off the beaten path. One recent group stayed in a village that has never had a tourist group before, and helped with the barley and apricot harvests. Another group stayed in a village in Changthang, next to an important but little-visited monastery. • Stay at SECMOL’s solar-powered Campus near
Leh together with Ladakhi students. Experience first-hand the solar-heated
earthen buildings and solar electricity, cookers and water heaters. Have
conversations with Ladakhi • Visit local organisations to see sustainable development, wildlife conservation, renewable energy, or women’s empowerment projects, among others. Visit ancient Buddhist monasteries and other religious sites, local festivals, museums, etc. • Trek in the mountains or from village to village, tailoring the trek to your level of challenge. Stay in village homestays that allow you to experience authentic village life while contributing to the village economy, or camp in tents. ALS attempts to bridge the gap between cities and villages, and extend the benefits of tourism to villagers, while preserving the fragile environment. The profits support SECMOL’s education-related activities. Comments from some recent ALS tour participants Staying at the
SECMOL campus has opened my eyes to the sustainable lifestyle that Ladakhis
have been working hard to maintain. Spending time with the SECMOL students
during the conversation classes allowed me to better understand the way
the Ladakhis live and how they are planning to develop. This whole experience
at the SECMOL campus has been extremely fulfilling and life changing. The trek pushed
us out of our comfort zones, but in the best possible way. Thinlas, our
guide, made our trek great, and kept our spirits up over 3 high mountain
passes. The views were amazing, and it was surreal to be hiking and staying
in the Himalayas. It's an experience we'll never forget. My four-day homestay
was an experience that I will forever treasure and fondly remember. After
the four days, my hosts had really become my “Ladakhi family”.
Living with them in their home and working with them in the fields, I had
the opportunity to experience Ladakhi life in all of its beauty and simplicity.
Furthermore, I experienced the unspoken bond that unites human beings all
over the world. Thank you SECMOL! |







ALS is ideal
for student groups that want to experience authentic interactions with Ladakhis
and explore development and environmental issues. Ladakh is a perfect destination
because the summer weather is pleasant and mostly dry while the rest of
India has the hot monsoon season.