Trekking in Ladakh has the stunning beauty of the Trans Himalayan region. If you are thinking to visit their then first check on the UFO adventure travel. They have an 7-day tour with the full experience of Himalayan.

1. TREKKING IN LADAKH - IN
CONVERSATION WITH 3 MOTHERS

2. • The trekking season in Ladakh starts somewhere around June and
now extends unto September every year. These busy months at this
Mecca of adventure are just about enough to give us some of the
most exciting stories and unforgettable moments from the journeys
of travelers. Be it bikers setting off on their breakaway trips,
backpackers on a cultural journey, glamping enthusiasts on their
luxury holidays or trekkers on some of the best trekking trails
around the world in Ladakh, story of every traveler has its unique
charm.
• If you’re looking for an unforgettable experience trekking in Ladakh,
then the route from Rumtse to Tso Kar should definitely be on your
bucket list. This beautiful hike on the Changthang plateau lets you
experience the isolated highlands of Ladakh as you cross through
three high passes and an avenue of stunning sights.

3. • Joining us for the trek this season were Anant Golyan,
Ranveer Singh and a trio of mothers, Aditi Hirawat,
Sumedha Singh and Kohinoor Agarwal. Sumedha is a
baker and a mother of two from Calcutta running her
own cafe in the city. Aditi and Kohinoor are both from
Kathmandu, Nepal, mother of two kids and are into
retailing and arts, respectively. This summer was all
about ticking the box in their bucket list for these
young mothers as they trekked from Rumtse to Tso Kar
in Ladakh crossing some incredible high altitude passes
Kumur La (4900m), Mandalchan La (5000m) and Shibuk
La (5050m).

4. Seeking motivation for new adventures in life is essential.
Tell us what motivated you to go for this new adventure.
• Kohinoor: When I landed at the airport in New Delhi, on being asked the
reason for my visit, I told the officer that I was here to participate in a trek.
They asked me if I was a student and to their surprise, I told them that I
was a housewife. It was indeed a shock for the officer and he didn’t
hesitate to convey his surprise to me. If anything at all, it was this incident
that motivated me to complete this trek even before I started it.
• Aditi: When the idea of this adventure trek was first proposed to me, it
sounded pretty exciting. I had never trekked before and my curiosity about
this new experience was a big reason that I went ahead with it. As a first-
time trekker, I was apprehensive about the comfort and facilities available
during the trek. I would say that we lucked out with UFO Adventure Travel.
Throughout the trek we had clean and comfortable tents with chemical
portable commodes. When the organizers take care of nuances like that, it
simply elevates the outdoor experience.

5. How did you train yourself for this trek?
• Sumedha: UFO had given us prior information
detailing that at least a basic level of fitness and
training would help us enjoy the trek better. I had
been going to the gym for a year and this trek
pushed me to train even harder as I had
something to aim for. 2 months prior to the trek, I
focused on strength training, cardio workouts and
breathing exercises.

6. Spending a few days in Leh is essential for acclimatizing.
What are your fond memories from the city?
• Kohinoor: We spent the first two days acclimatizing in Leh and
visited the beautiful Shey Palace, Thiksey and Stakna Monastery
near Leh. The visit to these gorgeous sights was essential in giving
an insight about the region before we started for the trek. We were
told that going on a picnic was part of the local tradition in Ladakh,
so UFO organized a barbecue picnic in Shey village keeping up with
this tradition. Sitting on the grass, in the midst of trees with the
Indus river flowing nearby, was truly something special. We also got
a chance to interact and get a sneak peek into the lives of the locals.
My chats with Jigmet, Head Operations (UFO) and his sister Padma
achi, are experiences that I really adore. This was our first chance to
personally experience how beautiful the people of Ladakh are at
heart and I feel that they are somehow innately hospitable.

7. Why trekking in Ladakh? What motivated you to say yes?
• Aditi: Treks in Ladakh are known for the instant landscape
changes that leave you spellbound. Such dramatic
landscape changes were indeed a mesmerizing aspect of
walking on this trail. When we began the trek from Rumtse,
I was completely taken over by purple mountainsides,
glowing in the sun, on the pebble trail and I was keen to
collect the stones too. But by the time I made up my mind
to do it, we’d already entered a green track and the pebbles
were nowhere to be seen now. The changing trail with
patches of greenery and the unending cold deserts were
something I wanted to witness for a long time and it truly
gave me a sense of how beautifully diverse landscapes in
Ladakh can be.

8. You crossed three high altitude passes during your trek to
Tso Kar. How challenging was it for you, both mentally and
physically?
• Sumedha: The high passes were both mentally and
physically challenging for my husband and me. Sometimes
you just have to keep your head down, breathe and put one
step after another. I didn’t keep my knees flexed while
walking and my knees were jammed before we could reach
Tso Kar. Kohinoor helped me out with the knee guards that
helped me reach the next camp. We also had an extra
horse with an oxygen tank along with the guide in case
anyone was very tired or an emergency. So we had the
necessary arrangements if anyone had any problems.

9. Travels, and especially high altitude treks, are always beautiful in
retrospect. How do you remember this trek to Tso Kar?
• Kohinoor: It is said that travel is not about the destination but the
journey and this trek proved it right for me. The view of the Tso Kar
was breathtaking and indeed unforgettable but throughout this
entire trail from Rumtse to Tso Kar, we were bowled over by the
stunning vistas that unfolded before us day after day. Be it the
changing colors of the meandering rivers, the herds of yaks or the
local people we encountered, every experience simply renewed our
energy to keep moving forward.
• Sumedha: For me this trek had been about a search for a place
where I could find perfect quietness and Tso Kar was a perfect
destination in that respect. When we reached this majestic mirror
lake, there was no other trekking group around us. The lake was
beautiful in its reflective glory! Enjoying this sort of peacefulness
away from the city and the civilization was what made it all worth
the effort of tireless hiking for days.

10. What do you have to say about the UFO Adventure Travel support staff on this trek?
• Kohinoor: By the end of this trip, we felt like a family walking together. We all
walked at a different pace but somehow we would always find someone from the
support staff walking alongside. UFO Adventure Travel has a 1:1 staff client ratio
and this is an important reason why I would return for another trek with them. It’s
incredible how after the long day of walking uphill, the head chef Kazi Dai,
assistant chef Dawa and other helpers would hardly rest and get on with setting up
the camp, greeting us with juice/tea and hot/cold towels and preparing for bonfire
and dinner. Our guide, Tashi, had his own tricks to keep us motivated to walk and
complete this dream of a trek.
• Aditi: We were definitely well taken care off during the entire trek. I remember the
first day when I had a bit of a headache and I’d stop after every 30 to 40 steps, I
would always find someone from the team by my side to walk along. At that high
altitude it was unbelievable how comfortable our sleeping tents were. We were
using 5-person tent on twin sharing basis and had a separate lounge tent for
playing games, reading books and socializing throughout the trek. Other than a
mess tent and kitchen tent, we also had a chemical portable toilet, which is
something I have never heard any other adventure travel company using in their
itineraries. The staff understood that the devil is in the details and from clean and
comfortable tents, portable commodes to impeccable hotel facility in Leh, UFO
staff took very good care of us.

11. How important do you think it is for women to venture into the outdoors?
• Aditi: In the past whenever my kids went out on camping trips, I would
always be curious about it. This trek gave me an opportunity to
understand their outdoor experiences better and I certainly go back with a
better understanding of travel and exploration. As a mother, it simply
opens a new dimension for me to connect with my kids and introduce
them to newer experiences in life. I hope that i can go trekking with my
two kids in the years to come and encourage them to step outdoors more
often.
• Sumedha: This was my first trek and it was both empowering and
reassuring to see Aditi and Kohinoor on the trek as it was a completely
new experience. We were very comfortable with each other and got along
well since the beginning. Interestingly, each one of us is a mother to two
kids so we had a lot to discuss about! Talk about having things in common.
City life can get stagnant and uninspiring sometimes and getting out in
nature is an instant reset. I feel active and rejuvenated now as i am back
with my family and more than ready to face the challenges of running a
business. Kohinoor and Aditi in the group and UFO taking care of the
logistics certainly played a major role at making the entire experience
really memorable for me.

12. Thank you for your time!
• The experience of these first time trekkers and
mothers crossing high passes and camping in the
isolated Changthang plateau would have certainly
inspired you to get out. Shedding inhibitions and
overcoming self doubt, they are now more
confident of themselves and look forward to
more adventures and exploring the outdoors. So
step out and explore the unique trails and
fascinating new frontiers of the world waiting for
you. Just #follow_the_feather.
Source:
https://www.ufoadventuretravel.com/blog/trekki
ng-in-ladakh-conversation-with-3-mothers