Health and Safety FAQ
Altitude: Can I Do It?
Given most of you will be flying into Leh, Ladakh (11,500 ft) from Delhi (around sea level), you all will experience some mild symptoms of altitude sickness (AMS). Your body will feel quite turned around from travel, the time change and the altitude. Read More>
How Do We Treat the Water?
Any water that is untreated in Ladakh should be considered unsafe. However, it is relatively easy to find clean, safe drinking water in Leh. Most guesthouses and restaurants will offer boiled and filtered water. Read More>
Is the Food Safe?
In Leh we stay at a wonderful, family-run guesthouse where they cook homemade vegetarian meals. They are hygienically prepared and cause for no concern. Read More>
How Rigorous and Remote are the Treks?
Each of the treks offered by Crossroads Himalaya vary in their level of challenge, remoteness and amenities offered. All treks will use pack animals to carry the bulk of our equipment, and you will only have to carry a small day pack. During some treks, we will stay in basic homestay or guesthouse accommodations, whereas others we will be primarily camping at high altitudes. No matter where you trek in ladakh, there are high passes to cross and there could be snow at anytime of the year. The terrain can be rugged, rocky and even precipitous at times, yet these are not technical mountaineering trips. Safety is of utmost importance to us on all of our treks, and we do everything in our capacity to ensure safe adventures. Having said this, there are undoubtedly factors out of our control that may arise. At times we will be days from the nearest road and medical facilities. We will carry a satellite phone with us on our treks and we have contingency plans in place for all trips. There are emergency medical evacuation facilities from Leh that are prepared to handle remote mountain emergencies in Ladakh. Our aim is to be preventative, and ensure the safety of all members of Crossroads Himalaya groups.
Is Ladakh a Safe Place to Travel?
Ladakh, sandwiched between India, China, and Pakistan and situated within the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, is a highly strategic geopolitical region. Although the U.S. State department does warn against visiting the central Kashmir region, it does deem Ladakh an exception and as completely safe for travelers. Ladakh has been little affected by the separatist conflict inflicting the main Kashmir valley over the past several decades (see map). Relations have been steadily improving between the governments of India and Pakistan as they continue a dialogue for a resolution to the conflict.