A 10-day journey to meet the people of Ladakh, the Brokpas of the Aryan Valley, and the nomadic Changpas, with the magnificent landscapes of the Himalayan range as a backdrop, punctuated by high-perched monasteries in white robes.

This journey will first introduce you to the Brokpas, a people with unique physical and cultural characteristics.

According to some theories, the Bhopkas are the descendants of the soldiers Alexander the Great left behind on his return journey from India to Greece in 327 BC.

Historians have called this community “Dard” rather than Brokpa because they are believed to have migrated from Dardistan, in present-day Pakistan. The word “Dard,” derived from Sanskrit, means “people who live on hillsides.” It is believed that Alexander the Great left his troops around this area, suggesting that they then wandered as nomads through Dardistan, Zanskar, and the Nubra Valley before settling permanently in the so-called “Aryan” valley, as these people are Indo-European speakers.

During ceremonies, both Brokpa women and men wear breathtaking outfits; the headdress, in particular, is a veritable floral arrangement. The “Monthu Tho,” the physalis (love in a cage), are the most sacred flowers. These bouquets are considered auspicious and also mark the prosperity of the community.

We will also meet the Changpa nomads around Lakes Tsomiriri and Tso Kar. Their main activity is the breeding of Pashmina goats, whose downy undercoat is used to make the wool of the same name, which is incredibly fine and soft.

Ideal time for this trip: from May to September