Building in the Himalaya, India

  India

• Other Cities in India: 
Rural Areas

Duration of Program: 1-2 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 1-2 weeks

Description: Based in the valley of Spiti, high in the Himalayas, you'll be surrounded by stunning views whilst getting your hands dirty and making a difference! As this area is a remote valley cut off from the rest of the world for part of the year you will find an exciting and challenging experience in developing and building greenhouses for the local tribal communities to ensure that they have a year round supply of fresh vegetables. Live with the locals and have a truly amazing experience high up in the mountains!

*What the project does and why it needs you!
Spiti, situated in the vast expanse of the Himalaya, is a cold desert with an arid landscape with limited vegetative growth, similar to the neighbouring areas of Ladakh and Tibet. Its height is well above 3000 mt. and in the 6 month long winters the temperatures can easily dip to 30 degree centigrade. Such hostile conditions and lack of rain mean that agriculture is restricted to only 1 crop a year as the only source of moisture is the winter snow. Due to the extreme winter climate the inhabitants of Spiti burn coal, wood, dung and other bushes to cook and warm their houses. Moreover green vegetables which are largely brought in from outside become very scarce during the long winter months as the roads to Spiti close down. This not only impacts on the nutrition of the local community, especially the children and women, but also has a huge financial burden on the local community.

The Green House project came into being to enable local communities to grow their own vegetables, enhancing their nutritional intake and reducing their expenditure. Any excess produce can also be sold in local markets and increase their income.

With the skill of local masons, a new design of greenhouse was developed using local materials such as mud brick, wood, and straw to enable the rural farmers to grow vegetables during the winter months when temperatures could drop as low as -25 degrees centigrade. The greenhouse is an eco-friendly way of enabling the locals to fulfill their needs within the region itself, however manpower can be in short supply and this is where your help is needed.

*Day 1: Arrive in Manali
After your pick up from the airport a 2 hour drive will bring you to the bustling small hill station of Manali. You will check into your hotel and can spend the day acclimatising to the altitude and roaming The Mall and parts of Old Manali. Your time is free to spend at your leisure, either walking or visiting old temples of the area. You will need to provide your own meals today - but there are many small restaurants and stalls to keep even the most avid foodies happy!

*Day 2: Manali to Kaza
Today is an early start. After breakfast you will drive over the Rohtang pass which separates Kullu from the Lahaul valley, and descend into the valley of the Chandra river. Here you will follow the river and continue past Chhattru, Batal and over the Kunzum la (pass at a height of 4551mts), which divides Lahaul and Spiti. You will spend some time taking in the fabulous views of the Chandrabhaga range of mountains, visit the Buddhist shrine at Kunzum and then reach Kaza by evening. The journey is about 210 kms taking around 8 to 10 hours. Transport will be by jeep. Your overnight stay will be in a guesthouse.

*Day 3: Kaza and orientation
After breakfast you will visit the office of Ecosphere - our partners in this tour and get a insight into Spiti, its culture, people and ecology. You will also get details on Ecospheres various developmental activities in the area along with their initiatives on responsible travel and conservation of nature & culture. Subsequently you will be briefed about the project and preparation for the following day.

In the afternoon you will visit the highlands of the left bank plateau for altitude acclimatization. You will visit the Kye Monastery, about half an hour drive, the largest monastery in Spiti and an old people's home. After spending time here with the residents you will drive up to Kibber village, half an hour away which at 4267m is the road head for the trade route into Ladakh over the Parang La. On the way back you will have the option to bike back to Kaza on mountain bikes (this is an optional extra payable in country).

The evening can be spent roaming the Kaza market where one can find interesting local handicrafts. Any last minute shopping, internet and phone calls are best done today as the project site will not have any of these facilities. You will stay overnight in a guesthouse.

*Day 4: Kaza to the project
Today you will transfer to the village and the project site. You will settle into your accommodation, get to meet the villagers and others who will be working with you on the project.

*Days 5 to 13: Project work
You will spend 7 days (with the weekend free for exploration!) working alongside the local community to construct a greenhouse under the guidance of a local expert. You can expect to participate in various aspects of the building and need to be flexible and pro-active.

Over the weekend you may take a break and spend some time exploring the wonders of the Spiti Valley. There are various things to see and do in the area ranging from over 1000 year old Buddhist Monasteries to a spot of adventure with mountain biking or trekking to some of Spitis lesser known regions. You may also take part in a Yak safari - that's surely something to write home about!

*Day 14: Return to Kaza
After finishing your greenhouse, you will return to Kaza today and visit the office of Ecosphere, where you will be able to give your feedback to the Ecosphere team to allow them to continue to manage effectively this on-going development programme. The rest of the day can be spent unwinding, relaxing, doing some shopping for curios and handicrafts and simply enjoying the stunning scenery.

*Day 15: Kaza to Manali
On the last day you will have an early breakfast and drive back to Manali along the same route that was taken to reach Kaza over the Kunzum La and Rohtang La. You will then be able to catch your flight home or carry on your journey through this amazing country. Please note that you can expect to arrive back in Manali around 5-6pm depending on road conditions and should therefore plan onwards travel with this in mind.

Highlights:
* Being one of the few to travel to this 'forgotten' valley
* Making a tangible difference to the lives of the villagers
* Experiencing the majesty and wonder of the Himalaya

Qualifications: Who is it for?
This is the perfect trip for anyone fascinated by mountains and the people who live in remote parts of the world. Spiti is a stunning and much forgotten part of India and offers the intrepid traveller a unique and rewarding experience. However be prepared for dirty hands and hard work! As this is at altitude you will also need to have a moderate level of fitness. You will be involved in various stages of building but no specific skill set is required, only the ability to be flexible!

What you'll be doing
Your typical day will run from 10.00am until 5.00pm, Monday to Friday. You will be involved in various stages of constructing a 'greenhouse' with the guidance of a local expert. The first stage will involve building double insulated walls on three sides and working your way up to the roof and ventilators. A polythene sheet is then attached to the South face of the structure. After finishing the outer structure the inside will need to be painted and then you will be involved in the basic preparation of the soil and planting some vegetables giving the local communities the opportunity for year round fresh produce - a first in this region!

Cost in US$: USD 2,195.00 for 2 weeks

* Accommodation: Varied; shared rooms in a guesthouse, during the project in a local homestay, guesthouse in a monastery or camping.
* Food: All meals as per itinerary apart from day 1
* Airport Pickup: Included on arrival date. Ask us for details if you're arriving early!
* Training: In-country orientation
* Support: Pre-departure helpdesk, Local in-country team and 24hr emergency support

Experience Required: no

Age Range: 18-80

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel to India Independently

Typically Participants Work in Groups

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network

Year Founded: 1994