Korzok – Pashmina, Lake Legends & Nomadic Encounters

Located on the banks of Tso Moriri Lake, Korzok is a rare village where you can engage directly with nomadic producers of Ladakh’s famed pashmina wool.

• What to Explore:
  • Visit Changpa grazing grounds, interact with families living in yak-hair tents (rebos)
  • Attend a wool carding and hand-spinning session by Changthang Weavers SHG
  • Participate in yak milking and butter-churning activities (early mornings)
• SHG-Led Experiences:
  • Craft workshops on pashmina yarn dyeing, weaving motifs, and embroidery
  • Highland food tastings: try yak chhurpi curry, salt tea, and roasted barley cakes
  • Shop for locally spun pashmina scarves, yak wool rugs, and nomadic felt items
• Stay Tip: SHG-affiliated homestays or eco-lodges support local livelihoods directly.

Hanle – Astronomy Meets Ancestry in India’s Highest Village

Known globally for the Hanle Observatory, this quiet settlement is also a hidden hub of pastoralism, spirituality, and Sowa-Rigpa wellness.

• Why Visit Hanle:
  • Visit the Indian Astronomical Observatory and experience crystal-clear night skies
  • Engage with Changpa women groups who work on yak wool felting, butter candle making, and natural insulation crafts
  • Explore Hanle Monastery, perched high above the valley and central to the community’s spiritual rhythm
• SHG Highlights:
  • Yak wool felting demo: learn how rebo tents are built and maintained
  • Traditional food sessions: chhang (barley brew), tangtur, and dried meat stocks
  • Buy artisan-made chhurpi strings, salt lamps, and seasonal dried herbs
• Nature Add-On: Spot kiangs (wild asses), migratory birds, and rare Himalayan marmots
  
  

Nyoma – Micro-Enterprise in the Making

Once a border checkpoint, Nyoma is now becoming a focal point for salt harvesting and mineral-based micro-enterprises by nomadic women collectives.

• Emerging SHG Activities:
  • Salt crystal collection and traditional drying methods
  • Production of natural scrubs, bath salts, and seasonal herb sachets
  • Wild rhubarb and seabuckthorn collection for jams and herbal oils
• Community Insights:
  • SHGs are supported by NGOs and LAHDC under rural enterprise pilots
  • Workshops on solar-powered preservation units and mobile cheese-making kits are being introduced here

Why It Matters: Visiting now supports the growth of a fragile, women-led economy in one of the world’s most extreme habitations