Greening the Desert
₹36,990.00
Keen to make a lasting difference? Help build a greenhouse so local families can grow their own vegetables throughout the year
Travel through Spiti’s spectacular landscapes experiencing its unique culture, while you make a meaningful and long-lasting difference to the lives of communities in one of the most isolated and harsh areas in the World.
- Build a Greenhouse & enable the local community have access to green organic vegetables through the year even in the extreme winter
- Learn traditional mud building techniques and the basics of solar passive architecture.
- Ensure enhanced nutrition and better health for the locals and an additional source of income from sale of the surplus
- Explore the beautiful villages of Spiti for a first-hand experience of life and culture in Spiti
- Visit the Highest village in the World and send a Postcard from the Highest Post Office in the World
- Visit 1000-year-old monasteries and sites steeped in folklore and legend
The Greenhouse Project is of special significance in Spiti since it is very hard to grow green vegetables here, especially in the 6 month long winters when temperatures dip to as low as – 30°C.
Sign up to make a REAL difference in Spiti!
Delhi – Shimla – Kalpa – Tabo – Kaza – Project Village – Langza – Hikkim – Komic – Demul – Dhankhar – Project Village – Kaza – Kee – Kibber - Chicham – Chandratal – Manali – Delhi
Day 1Delhi - Shimla
- Start your journey to the mountains today
- We catch an overnight bus to Shimla
Day 2Shimla - Kalpa
- The lush apple growing belt of Himachal Pradesh.
- The splendid Satluj River Valley which originates in Tibet.
- Breathtaking views of the Kinner Kailash Range at the quaint village of Kalpa.
Day 3Kalpa - Tabo - Kaza
- Transition from lush greens to stark cold desert landscapes.
- Khab – the spectacular confluence of the Sutluj and Spiti rivers.
- Thrilling drives along roads carved out of rocks – known earlier as one of the World’s Most Dangerous Roads.
- Tabo and its over 1000-year-old monastery – popularly referred to as the Ajanta of the Himalayas.
Day 4Kaza - Project Site
- Glimpses of the days to come
- Visit an existing Greenhouse built by past volunteers and learn more about life in Spiti.
- Settle in and meet the family for whom you will be building a greenhouse.
Day 5 - 7Project Site
- Start your journey of making a difference – Work on the Greenhouse begins!
- Immerse yourself in the simple joys of mountain village life.
- Learn the techniques of building with Mud.
Day 8Project Site-Langza-Hikkim-Komic-Demul
- Picture perfect Langza Village – famous for its Buddha Statute and mud craft.
- Hikkim – the World’s Highest Post Office. Send postcards to your loved ones back home.
- Komic – the World’s Highest Village and the ancient Komic Monastery.
- Scenic Demul Village – Spiti’s model sustainable village, also famous for its Arak (local brew) and Folk performances.
Trek along the picturesque meadows from Komic to Demul.
Day 9Demul - Dhankhar - Project Site
- Dhankhar the erstwhile capital of Spiti.
- Travel back in time at the ancient Dhankar Monastery & Fort.
To Balangri – a spectacular vantage spot at 5000 mt. for incredible views of over 18 villages
To the serene Dhankar Lake.
Day 11Project Site - Kaza
- Complete the Greenhouse and inaugurate it!
- Celebrations on a job well done and the prospect of homegrown green vegetables in the village throughout the year!
Day 12Kaza - Kee - Kibber - Chicham - Chandratal
- A stop at the beautiful Kee Monastery
- Drive over the Chicham Bridge – highest bridge in Asia.
- Cross the spectacular Kunzum Pass (4551mt/14931ft) and visit the Buddhist shrine
- The picturesque Chandratal – Lake of the Moon Goddess
Day 13Chandratal - Manali
- Drive along the beautiful Chandra River Valley
- Drive through the famous Atal tunnel that divides Kullu from the Lahaul Valley and experience the contrast from desert landscapes to the lush green of the Himalayas
- All accommodation Day 2 to Day 12 on a sharing basis
- Meals – Breakfast & Dinner: Day 2 Dinner to Day 13 Breakfast, Lunch: Day 4 to Day 11
- Guide Day 4 to Day 11
- Transfers Day 1 to Day 13
- Monastery fees while in Spiti
- First aid kit
- GST @ 5%
- Mineral water and beverages (other than those provided)
- Tips & Insurance
- Inner Line Permit (For Foreign Nationals only)
- Expenses arising out of unforeseen circumstances, road blocks or medical emergencies
- Add on Experiences entail an additional charge
Add Day Trips
Short but culturally-vibrant experiences that are windows to Spitian life.
Enjoy these experiences as stand-alone programs or add them onto an existing Ecosphere trip.
Cook Like as Local
- January To December
- 2 To 3 Hours
- 550*pp
Folk Expressions
- May to October
- 1 Hours
- 9000*pp
Bhuchen Performance
- May to October
- 1 To 2 Hours
- 15000
Throw a Pot!
- May to October
- 1 Hour to Full Day
- 600 to 2000 pp
Mountain Biking
- May to October
- 1 Day
- 550*pp
Yak-Back Safari
- May to October
- 2 to 5 Hours
- 2000 pp (min 2 persons)
Spin Yak Rope
- January to December
- 30 Mins to 1 Hour
- 550
Say Yak Cheese!
- May to October
- 30 Mins to 1 Hour
- 550
Session with an Amchi
- May to October
- 30 Mins to 1 Hour
- 550
NO ONE KNOWS SPITI LIKE US
We are local and we are passionate. With us you will experience the hidden gems of Spiti like an insider.
GOOD KARMA
What you pay for your trip goes directly towards creating local livelihoods and supporting various development & conservation projects in Spiti.
YOU’RE IN SAFE HANDS
Your safety is our utmost priority. We ensure our trips and staff follow highest safety standards and protocols. Our guides are all first aid trained and air ambulance services are just a call away.
WE CARE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
Traveling with us means you leave ZERO carbon footprint – all your emissions + more is offset by our award winning solar projects. We provide you reusable water bottles to ensure you don’t need to buy bottled water.
AWARDED & FEATURED
Internationally recognized as a leader in responsible travel and recommended by leading travel guides, magazines and blogs.
Dont just take our word for it!
The experience with ‘Spiti Ecosphere’ was one of its kind, as it not only provided my wife and me with an experience of a lifetime, but also opened our minds to the hidden world of Spiti. Ecosphere ensured that it was a safe, clean, scenic and educative journey for us. Most importantly, it was humbling to see how Spiti Ecosphere, especially Ishita has changed the lives of the people of Spiti, by the untiring energy, that Ecosphere dedicates for the better upliftment of the local people. I would sincerely advise anyone to only use Spiti Ecosphere, if one plans Spiti as their destination.
A genuine responsible travel agency led by warm and sincere people. If you are looking for a real experience of Spiti in a way that supports the locals and protects their environment, Ecosphere must be your choice.
Spiti has left an unimaginable impressions on our minds and souls. Kudos to Ecosphere for organizing a very memorable trip and introducing us to the wonderful world of spiti with its magnificent peaks.A big thank you and warm hugs to the entire team of Ecosphere for doing such wonderful projects.!! Hoping to be back in spiti very soon. Once again thank you team Ecosphere for making our holidays so memorable and taking care of us like a family. Took care of us like family.
Spiti with Ecosphere was a life changing experience for me. I grew up as a person while 'living like a local' in this wonderland. Understanding the local way of life, its merits, its struggle and its sanctity had a profound effect on me. I've never traveled with an itinerary, so I was apprehensive doing the same here, but Ecosphere has done a wonderful job, not only in managing this programme for us but good work done by this organization is visible everywhere which somehow makes me feel extremely proud that I was tiny part of their efforts to do something good for real and not just for show. This was travelling redefined for me and I looking forward to be a part of the good work again, for sure.
This was the most rewarding experience of my life. . Spiti Ecosphere gave me an amazing volunteering opportunity that allowed me to help build a greenhouse in a small village in Spiti Valley, a mountain desert where nothing grows. I signed up for Ecosphere’s 2-week voluntourism program that combines volunteer work with the opportunity to explore the beauty of the valley without the negative side effects of commercial tourism. . What Ishita and Ecosphere are doing in Spiti is remarkable. Ecosphere is helping local communities create sustainable means of living through its many projects, volunteerism being just one of them.
Spiti with Ecosphere was a life changing experience for me. I grew up as a person while 'living like a local' in this wonderland. Understanding the local way of life, its merits, its struggle and its sanctity had a profound effect on me. I've never traveled with an itinerary, so I was apprehensive doing the same here, but Ecosphere has done a wonderful job, not only in managing this programme for us but good work done by this organization is visible everywhere which somehow makes me feel extremely proud that I was tiny part of their efforts to do something good for real and not just for show. This was travelling redefined for me and I looking forward to be a part of the good work again, for sure.
Outlook
World Travel and Tourism Council
Virgin Holidays & Responsible Travel
Wild Asia
Travel+Leisure
The Ashden Awards For Sustainable Energy
The Sierra Club
L’Oréal Paris
CNN IBN & Reliance Foundation
CNN-IBN
The IIPTI Global Awards
Economic Times
