SPITI -: Trekking, Home Stays and Facts

Johnny_Walker

detailed info dhananjay.. kudos!!!
@Andrea: awesome pics.. happy clicking

mmt

Hi

I just completed the Homestay trek with Ecosphere and I just loved it. Ecosphere has done great work not just with the Homestays but with the other development projects they work on in these villages – on climate change, green houses, renewable energy promotion, culture and nature conservation – you name it and they are working on it. My guide was great (an ecosphere guide) and he showed me around all the villages and all the various things ecosphere works on in these villages.

I read mridula’s post and that is what inspired me to contact them – thanks mridula – I later read meczko and was little apprehensive – however I visited the Ecosphere website and understood what they are trying to do – promote responsible and eco-travel in spiti – by giving fair prices to the community for their services – and working on various conservation and development activities -- I felt I could pay that extra few hundred rupees knowing the villagers would get a better price and even if ecosphere did make anything out of it – it would go towards its various projects – as they are non-profit – which I learnt of in greater detail after I met the ecosphere team in kaza.

By the way they have even set up an drinking water refilling system in kaza to help curb the waste we tourists generate from mineral water bottles –and you can refill your bottle with drinking water for free!! – so if you visit kaza just carry your water bottles and fill as much as you want.

Have a great trip – I would definitely recommend ecosphere!!

Lucid

@mmt >> can you show us what ecosphere does do in practicality(pics maybe) instead of writing these because in all respect people who have traveled to spiti know what ecosphere does but havent seen it done.

oh btw > staying in chandratal has been a 200 rs affair and that too taking a service from spiti crew..lahlung guys, on the side...700 rs with ecosphere.
Don't mean to sound negative but rather realistic.. In today's world everything comes with loopholes.

cheers

p.s > would love to see you 'MMT' participating in this and hopefully not banish.

__________________
"The understanding of nature is the understanding of complex integrated systems of such complexity, that to deny them consciousness, is just a reluctance of the reductionist mind"
Terrence Mckenna

mmt

sure -- i agree that most things are with loopholes --

i did however meet with team and found them really genuine & passionate -- while unfortunately i didnt bother taking pics of their projects -- i saw how they have helped the villagers to re-model their houses to make them more energy efficient in langza as well as set up a solar bath at langza to basically reduce fuel wood burned by the local ppl -- reducing the monies they spend buying this --ecosphere's objective being to reduce carbon emissions -which up in the himalayas is crucial - i recently read an article about black carbon which is generated by house hold fumes and accelerates the melting of snow.

in komic i saw green houses to help the local family have better access to green veges which are all brought in from outside -- i tried buying some stuff while in kaza and i was shocked at how expensive everything was -- i cant imagine the villagers can afford this

in demul they are helping the villages restore their old village temple
in lhalung -- more greenhouses
in dhankhar - more greenhouses
in kaza - energy efficient houses, pure drinking water for free
in other villages -- i didnt stop here but passed them on my way back to manali -- i think the village was hansa and hull -- quite a few energy efficient houses and when i was coming back from dhankhar -- saw many ecosphere greenhouses in the village before kaza -- forget its name!!

i guess you could also find more detail on their projects here http://www.spitiecosphere.com/about_us_projects.htm

they had plans of helping the villagers in demul and langza to make more of the energy efficient houses this as per my guide -- oh ya and he said they were a few in hikkim as well and yes i had visited key monastery and didnt have a ride back so decided to walk back --and found an old age home of all things in spiti -- near the village --i stopped over to chat with those sweet old ladies -- and they were filling hot water from a solar geyser -- i was quite impressed -- and later found that it had been supported by Ecosphere

Lucid

Well MMt, i will be spiti bound in few days and let me assure you i WILL get to the bottom of this comprehensively as to how much is really genuine and what is a loophole.

Have a nice day.

p.s >> Were you traveling to kaza from langza early morning, when the dalai lama came on the 9th ? Just curious !
Also you sound like one of the ecosphere people posting.. with a knowledge of ishita(Ecosphere)

mmt

ha ha -- well -- i did sit with them quite a while so maybe it rubbed off!! -- i would definitely recommend dropping into their office and meeting with them though when you head up

mridula

Hey I am not an Ecosphere person (look at my post count) and I have trekked with them in 2007. And found them quite reliable. Though the initial price they quoted was quite high, they reduced it when we asked for a non fancy package.

__________________
Mridula

Travel Tales from India

Lucid

@MMT - i have met the whole gang at ecosphere but now exploration of these majestic mountains and the deeds will be looked into personally.
wait for an update soon.

@mridula >> and what was the "fancy" package all about ? just curious.

mridula

Lucid I have completely forgotten the original quote but it included a jeep transfer from Manali and the like. We traveled by the government bus and got such things removed for our plan.

mmt

lucid -- have a great trip --are you heading up now - wish i could go back!!

Lucid

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1490974...7621976285014/
Shots from Last Years Trip.


@mmt >> i will be heading out sooner then i think.

flaterik

Hello,
I'd like to ask you if Spiti is good destination for travelling alone ? I'm planning my first trip in Himalaya and looking for nice destination - I'm under impression of photos. I have about 11 days Delhi-Delhi - is it enough ? And is this trip easy enough to travel alone ?

voyager61

Hi!I came here alone many times,and it's just not a problem,actually it's even better than being 2 or more,it makes meeting local people even easier. So do not worry and just come. Regarding the discussion above,well here in the valley now most people know what Ecosphere is all about,and recently one volunteer who just joined them quit,disgusted and sick of it all.

tvh13

Hi,

I am about to travel to kaza and I am wondering what the cost for lodging is? I am on a budget and looking for cheap lodging.

Thanks!

mridula

When we were there in 2007 we paid 450 rupees for a room quite close to the bus stand.