Zanskar Mountains Village Homestay

In 2022, Crooked Trails provided the Anaskare Mountain Village Homestay project with a US$5,000 grant.

High in the Zanskar Mountains lies the Himalayan village of Pidmo, Zanskar in the Ladakh region of northern India. Pismo sits along one of the hardest treks in this part of the world. The Zanskar Valley Trek hosts thousands of trekkers each year. Many villages along this 24-day trekking route offer homestays for visitors to stay, eat, and sleep during their journey.

The Issue

The village of Pidmo sits along this popular trekking route but does not offer a homestay destination for passing tourists. The trek section that passes through Pidmo is also the longest distance between homestays and was without a place to stop, eat, and rest.

The Solution

The village members of Pidmo wanted to create sustainable employment options for the community. They saw an opportunity to create revenue for the community by offering trekkers homestays, meals, and a market for local products to be purchased.

The Project

The community tourism organization, village members of Pidmo, and the local tourism council discussed the options available and decided to construct a village homestay building in Pidmo.

What is Needed

The requested amount of funding is US$5,000.

In 2021, with the help of community organizer Thukjay Dorje, the community of Pidmo purchased land, soil, and stone to construct a homestay building. Since that year, the community has been raising funds that will be used for constructing the project, such as wages, wood, doors, glass for windows, and for indoor furnishings such as rugs, kitchen supplies, and beds.

UPDATE

As of June 2023, the Zanskar Mountains Village Homestay project is complete and awaits trekkers. The final touches were brought by local community members who decorated the homestay with blankets. At the completion of

the project, local monks performed a Puja, a prayer blessing ceremony, for the new homestay.

Due to the cancellation of GoAir flights into Ladakh, bookings have been slow, but the homestay staff welcomes travelers to visit and share experiences with the community.