India : The Zen of Travel Photography Workshops - Ladakh Explorer : Photography Workshop to Ladakh, India

The Zen of Travel Photography Workshops - Ladakh Explorer
Photography Workshop to Ladakh, India
August 2010

The Zen of Travel Photography Workshops - Ladakh Explorer Photography Workshop is designed for both beginner as well as intermediate photographers who wish to master the skills of travel & cultural photography.

With a focus on landscapes, architecture, people, travel & cultural photography in one of the most beautiful & remote regions of India, this is one photography workshop that no serious student of photography can afford to miss.

Nature of Trip : This trip falls into the category of a "photography workshop" and is part of our Zen of Travel Photography Workshops that we conduct in India. Our Photo Workshops, while geared towards photographers at all levels, differ from tours & expeditions in the amount of time devoted to theory and image reviews. Workshops are geared towards learning, while tours emphasize location.

Before signing up for this trip, you should know that Ladakh ranks amongst one of the most remote regions of India; quality "creature comforts" are usually restricted to the district capital of Leh. A trip of the nature of this one involves us heading out of Leh at times into the hinterland, where accommodation is very basic - usually restricted to tents or Tibetan guest-houses. Culinary delights will be simple, baths mostly restricted to every other day (which is when we head back to Leh). Rest assured, the photographs will be worth it.

Objectives :

Drawing its curriculum from our Zen of Travel Photography Workshops, this trip aims to unleash the budding travel photographer in you by helping you master the essentials of travel photography while shooting in one of the most amazingly scenic parts of India.

With its breathtaking landscapes, ancient culture & medieval towns, Ladakh covers almost all the domains that the travel photographer needs to develop his skills in. Backed up by expert instruction, you will be photographing medieval monasteries, stunning landscapes, mystical dance festivals & ancient towns that lie along what was once The Old Silk Route.

What to carry :

From a photography viewpoint - a choice of lens covering the range of focal lengths from 20-300mm (in 35mm terms - please check the crop factor of your sensor if you plan to be shooting on digital) is ideal to help you capture everything from sweeping landscapes to close-up story-telling details. Tripods are recommended for situations where you may need to step your lens down, as well as for shooting in low-light conditions. Since the use of tripods may not be possible in some of the monasteries which we may visit, fast lenses would be an additional bonus.

If shooting digital, we recommend that you shoot RAW on this trip; what with the associated image sizes , we suggest that you carry sufficient media to last you for at least two or more days if not the entire trip. A laptop or other form of digital storage to transfer your digital images onto at the end of every day is highly recommended.

The electricity supply outside Leh is few and far between, and while this trip is designed to get you back to Leh every other day (at the least) to charge your batteries, have a hot shower, shake a leg and what-have-you-not, we suggest that you carry an extra battery for your camera. The regions we will be visiting can get cold in the night and batteries do tend to discharge faster in the cold.

For those of you planning to shoot on film (slide film, we presume. Yes, even we still do that at times!) - the probablity of sourcing slide film in Ladakh is as high as that of bumping into Elvis! You'll have to carry your film from wherever it is you're traveling, or stock up in Delhi. If you need any assistance on this front, please let us know.

Health pre-requisites & Insurance :

Most of Ladakh is situated at altitudes above 13000 ft, and during our visit to the region, we will at times be ascending to heights in excess of 18000 ft. At such altitudes, one may experience the onset of a range of symptoms that are collectively clubbed under the synonym "AMS" - Altitude Mountain Sickness.

The symptoms of AMS include headaches, nausea, flatulence, breathlessness, and disorientation. Most visitors to Ladakh encounter a mild bout of AMS over the first two days. Symptoms usually ease after that, as long as visitors take care not to exert themselves too much, consume lots of water, and desist from alcohol and excessive smoking.

In a worst-case scenario, a later onset of severe AMS (unlikely but not unheard of) can occur at higher altitudes and may necessiate emergency evacuation to a lower altitude - usually Leh. It is mandatory that participants carry appropriate medical insurance that covers emergency evacuations for this trip.

Considering the rarified atmosphere and studies that show that AMS significantly increases the risks of cardiac arrest in people over the age of 60 and those with a history of previous cardiac problems, we do not advocate this trip for such people.

For more details about AMS, please refer to Princeton University's Outdoor Action Guide to High Altitude : Acclimitization & Illness

Itinerary :

Day 1: Start our trip from Delhi airport, board our early morning flight to Leh - the district capital of Ladakh. On arrival , transfer to our luxury hotel (yes, our stay - at least in Leh - will be luxurious). To expedite our acclimatization process, we take things at a relatively slow pace today.

Following a leisurely lunch, explore this ancient town & take in its ambience. Photograph the ancient castle from the marketplace, locals selling their wares in the marketplace. Photograph the peace monument that stands on a hill overlooking Leh; while there, photograph the Leh valley and surrounding mountainscapes. (L, D)

Day 2: Again, a day at a relatively leisure pace to assist with the acclimatization. Post breakfast head to Thiksey monastery - the most photographed monastery in Ladakh. Lunch by the river close to the monastery, then head to the monastery at Hemis. Enroute back to Leh, visit the Stok Palace & museum. (B, L, D)

Day 3: Depart very early in the morning for Lamayuru. Photograph the confluence of the rivers Indus & Zanskar enroute. Lunch at the beautiful monastery at Alchi, reaching Lamayuru by late afternoon to photograph the oldest monastery in Ladakh. Stay in tents or at a guest house either at Lamayuru or Uleytopko. (B, L, D)

Day 4: Photography inside Lamayuru. On the way back to Leh, visit either the monastery at Ridzong (to photograph the cute bunch of pre-teen monks there) or the monastery at Likir. Arrive back in Leh - you may just decide to look a bit more presentable by getting rid of that stubble. A bath wouldn't hurt either. The rest of the evening is free for you to explore the bazaar & town and maybe grab a spot of dinner with some of your tour members or on your own. Make sure to call it an early night though, as we will be setting off on a truly breathtaking journey the next day. (B, L)

Day 5: Begin our ascent up the mighty Khardung-La. We will be on the world's highest motorable road, and will summit the mighty Khardung at a breathtaking (literally - you may experience breathlessness at the summit!) altitude of 5680m (18380 ft) above sea level. We will stop enroute to have our permits checked (a whiff or two of bottled oxygen from the army medical camp there won't hurt either!), make some photographs. Huddle together to yell "Ki Ki Soso Lha Gyalo" - the traditional Tibetan yell of exultation and thanks to the gods on summiting a pass, before descending into the Nubra (green) valley - a veritable oasis!

Afternoon photography around the sand dunes of Hunder - expect some great landscape shots here. Don't forget to shoot (with your camera, of course!) the two-humped bactrian camels - descendants of the camels that plied the Old Silk Road to China. The night will be spent in tents or in a guest house either at Hunder or Diskit. (B, L, D)

Day 6: Photography around Hunder. Make believe you're a trader on the Old Silk Route and ride a camel from Hunder to Diskit (costs extra). If you're up to a bit of walking, visit the monastery at Diskit. Visit a traditional Ladakhi home. Evening photography again at Hunder. Night in tents or in a guest house at Hunder or Diskit (B, L, D)

Day 7: Early morning photography around Hunder & Diskit, then begin to drive back to Leh. On arrival, get rid of that stubble. A bath is advisable - you don't want your roommate holding their breath when around you, do you? Again, the evening is free for you to walk around in Leh & catch a spot of dinner on your own (B, L)

Day 8: Depart for Pangong Tso (Pangong Lake) - the largest seawater lake in Asia. Visit the monastery at Chemrey (or Thak Thok) before halting for lunch at a Tibetan guest house. Reach the lake by mid-afternoon, stop "ooohing" & "aaahing" long enough to get your cameras out and start making some memorable landscape photographs. Camp by the lake (or, stay in a guest house) for the night. (B, L, D)

Day 9: The early morning will be spent photographing around the lake. Enroute back to Leh, stop to photograph Asia's largest chorten field. Catch up with any last minute shopping in the bazaar. Farewell dinner at our hotel. (B, L, D)

Day 10: Catch your flight back to Delhi. Trip ends on arrival at Delhi airport (B)

Dates : August 2nd - 11th, 2010.

If your dates don't coincide with ours, or, would rather have us customize a private photography tour or workshop for you, do contact us. Check out our Custom Photo Tours & workshops section for more details.

Pricing :

The Zen of Travel Photography Workshop - Ladakh Explorer is priced at US $2550.

This trip is limited to a maximum of six participants. The cost covers tution, flights from Delhi to Leh, all ground transportation in Ladakh (except for camel rides at between Hunder & Diskit), twin occupancy accommodation in top-tier hotels in Leh and tents / guest houses in the rest of Ladakh, most set meals in Ladakh, return flight back to Delhi.

Not included in the price are beverages, laundry, tips, cost of film or developing, media backup costs (for digital shooters), personal expenses, camel rides between Hunder & Diskit, and any other costs that are not listed above. Photographers are expected to carry their own cameras, lenses and other photographic gear & media and are responsible for the safety of the same.

Booking terms & conditions :

To book this trip please contact us.

A deposit of $750 is required to confirm your reservation and block a seat for you. Payments can be made either via Paypal or Wire Transfer (or via a Demand Draft / Banker's Cheque if paying from within India). The remainder is due 90 days before the trip.

If you choose to cancel at least 90 days prior to the scheduled departure, your deposit will be refunded in full, less a 3.9% transaction fee if you've paid using a credit or debit card via Paypal. If we've already made hotel or travel bookings / deposits on your behalf, those will be refunded to you upon us receiving the same from the concerned parties.

Charges for cancellations within 90 - 30 days of departure are 25% ; charges for cancellation within 30 days of departure are 80%. Cancellation charges are non-transferable - either from person to person, or, trip to trip.

Should we choose to cancel a trip on our own accord, your deposit will be refunded in full.

To book this trip, please email us at info@nevillebulsara.com