TIME TRAVEL
For the 21st century traveller, Ladakh is a land brimming with magic and mystery. Alluring landscape, bucket-list lakes and the idea of enchanting Buddhist practices serve as the most common reason to pack a bag, book a flight and arrive in Leh.
Allow us to paint a different picture. Turn back the clock to a time in Ladakh that existed before taxing technology and chaotic consumerism…
A time when airplanes were simply big birds in the sky… A time when the vast valleys were only punctured by a caravanserai… A time when ornamental travel companies were an alien concept to the local porters…
The clock ticked on and modernisation came seeping into this ancient valley, replacing everything that the people once knew. Cultural erosion in a land as old as time unraveled and exploded, hiding in its wake, the raw and real light of Ladakh.
MANTRA EXPERIENCES
Monkhood
A parallel world, an ascetic existence. The life of a monk appears frugal and severe, it reflects purity and a devout sainthood. Years of isolated meditation, studying of scriptures and the abandonment of the materialistic world and its order… Yes, monks are often ascribed as pious beings. Their disciplined lives seem beyond the grasp of us, regular human beings. However a second look, a simple interaction will divulge a few pleasant surprises.
Nomadic Trails
Unseen, uncharted territory with wild, open pastures, lavender fields hidden amidst undulating hills and brackish basins that give refuge to migratory birds, the wintry hinterland of Chang-thang stretches far and wide.
Home to the nomadic people known as Chang-pa, the plateaus of Chang-thang hide adventures that the most daring of travellers fear to embark on.
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Village Life
Stranded from the world, high above the clouds, the barren mountains of Ladakh rise and fall, like sentinels of an ancient landscape, standing tall and heavy with the mystery of a quiet spectator who knows one too many secrets. Tucked away into the folds of their Trans-Himalayan terrain are clusters of villages, offering a simple perspective into a parallel world.
Tailored Travels
Traverse the routes of our Himalayan home that have been aiding culture and abetting adventure for centuries, nourishing the land and our lives, since we were children. Share your travel bug and we will share all that our home has to offer, ensuring your travels follow the right course!
UPCOMING PROJECTS
Shel
Born as the capital of a dynasty, raised as an arena for art and tradition, the village of Shey has been our home for generations. We were once known as Shel, which translates to mirror, acquiring its ancient name from the former royal palace that stands, casting a rippled reflection upon the holy waters at its foothill.
Inspiration struck when we realised the old name of our village was soon going to be forgotten and with it, its rich history.
Community Spaces
Travel Lounge
Started as a passion project, Mantra Travel Lounge was to be a community space equipped with all the bare necessities of a traveller - free wifi, travel information, books and board-games paired with rejuvenating cups of tea.
Slowly yet steadily, it grew into so much more.
