|
 Tsomoriri (Official name:
Tsomoriri Wetland Conservation Reserve) is a High Altitude Lake (HAL) in Ladakh,
India. It is situated at a height of 4595 m above MSL. Tsomiri is the largest of
the High Altitude Lakes to be situated entirely within India.
The Korzok monastery which
lies on the western bank of the lake is one of the oldest settlements of the
world. (Dept. Of Wildlife Protection, Wildlife Division LAHDC, Undated)
The wetland provides rich
pastures for domestic livestock. The area has recently been opened to foreign
tourists, thereby providing locals direct as well as indirect employment. Korzok
monastery in Korzok village, some 400 years old attracts many tourists.
The wetland is considered 'Sacred' by the local Buddhist community and at the
WWF Annual Conference, Nepal, in November, 2000, Tsomoriri was pledged as a
'Sacred Gift for a Living Planet' by the local community.
Tsomoriri and Tsokar wetlands
represent the only breeding ground of the barheaded goose, Anser indicus in
India and the only breeding ground for the globally threatened blacknecked
crane, Grus nigricollis, outside China
The construction of a road right
up to the lake has opened up this once remote basin for tourism and economic
activities. The increased human activity is likely to affect the breeding
waterfowl population. Direct disturbance, wilful or otherwise, is another
serious threat e.g. Kiang chasing by jeep safari, disturbance of the black
necked crane in its feeding and breeding grounds.
Increasing pollution levels in
areas of tourist concentration like trekking routes and campsites is gradually
becoming a problem. In the absence of garbage disposal facilities, the practice
of dumping garbage into nearby streams as well as into marmot, mouse hare or
vole burrows, has become quite common in recent years.
Our program here is aimed at the
conversation of this oldest settlement through its flora, fauna, people and its
culture. You can be giving first aid to the livestock of the nomads, educating
the the people and the the monks tithe monastery, help clean up the Tso
morri lake banks.
Sample Program Itinerary
( 2 weeks)
| Day
1: |
Arrival at New Delhi
International airport, transfer to a local hotel. Rejuvenating Ayurvedic
Massage session in the evening to help you relive your stress and prepare you
for your journey further. |
| Day
2: |
Early morning transfer to the
Domestic Airport for flight to Leh, capital of Ladakh. Transfer to the
Mahaboddhi International Meditation center. Rest of the day is for rest to
acclimatize to the high altitude. Evening take a round of the various
facilities at the center: old age homes, orphange, blind school, nunnery etc. |
| Day
3: |
Morning introduction Vipassana
mediation/Yoga session followed by transfer to the Lake Tso Moriri (Korzok
)via road, its a 6 hour journey passing though the Tanglangla pass, the second
highest road in the world. On arrival in Korzok tranfer to the Homesty family |
| Day 4
- Day 12 : |
6.00
AM : Morning Yoga/Meditation Lessons, these are optional but we
recommend all your volunteers to take these.
8.00 AM :Breakfast with home stay
family/at meditation center. We also ask volunteer to help the family in their
daily work not restricted to cooking, as it helps them to understand the
culture better
9 AM - 3.30 PM (Includes 1 hour Lunch
Break) : Volunteer Work.
4.30 PM - 8.00 PM (Includes 1 hour
Meditation /yoga session): This is the leisure time and the volunteers are
free to do whatever they feel like. Volunteers do a range of activities during
this time as per their preferences. You can learn local sports/dances, cultural lectures/workshops, yoga lessons,
take a barbecue, visit temples and shrines, chat with locals,
cooking classes and do many other things.
Weekend (
Saturday - Sunday)
Weekends consists of activists which are longer and require more time. Though
most of the volunteer spend their weekends doing volunteer work but some other
options are:
• Trek to Tso Kar
• Personalized Meditation/yoga sessions
• Visit the Pangong Tso Lake for an over night
stay
• Trek around the Tso Moriri
• Visit the Changa nomads
|
|
Day 13: |
Early
morning departure from Korzok to Leh via road (6 hours) on the way stop at the
Monastries of Hemis, Thiksey and Spituk. Evening visit the Leh town for
shopping, sightseeing and a visit to the Shanti Stupa. |
| Day
14: |
Early Morning
flight to New Delhi and further transfer to the International Airport |
| |
|
|
