Mantra 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.
Our three walls, as the fourth opens to the colourful neighbourhood, are always brimming with delightful chaos. There are people to be met, stories to be traded, timeless impressions to be taken and left behind!
Amidst our cozy coffee corners, lurks the travel antidote to all things local… Hear about hidden travel nooks and secrets, straight from locals as they stumble in and out. Find yourself at a local event that wasn’t part of your original travel plan. Fall into immersing conversations about the age old traditions of a Buddhist land or hibernate in a corner with a rare, old book on Ladakh.Our open doors, our local hosts are bound to propel you off the beaten path and onto new territory, fresh with trails that cultivate culture, render adventure and nurse nature…
A Night Under The Stars
A guiding light, a map stitched in the sky to navigate direction on the Silk Route, the stars of ancient Ladakh ignited the route ahead… Today astronomy in Ladakh has returned for stargazers and dreamers alike, as every half moon night we pull out our observational skills and contemplate the galaxies.
Camp under a sprawling umbrella of constellations, listening to their histories, mythical origins and the sheer wonders of their dancing movements in relation to the earth, beside a cozy campfire and barbecue in tow.
Mountain Biking
Cycle along the rustic countryside, racing the Indus and halting on bridges, listening to the fluttering prayer flags wielded in the wind. Ribbon your way through the villages of Ladakh, with no destination in mind, tyres treading the jagged terrain…
As you explore Ladakh through these raw tracks, the land will become a close acquaintance in no time, revealing to you the quiet tricks of a cold dessert.
Take a Hike
The unyielding wilderness, the vast, spatial valleys of Ladakh are amidst the highest, harshest and most humbling in the world. A mere speck, amidst a sea of mountains through which you can find hiking trails that are a days journey, exempting you from a time crunch in your itinerary.
Spot wildlife, drink water fresh out of a stream, learn about the wild plants, all on a days hike that will take you through the lunar landscape.
Sacred Arts, Timeless Traditions
A land of Thangka painters, prolific potters and immaculate copper-smiths, art and tradition weave together a timeless tapestry of craftsmanship in Ladakh. Life here has integrated art into everyday life, as handcrafted products are made both for daily and decorative use.
From the quiet, inner-workings of a local goldsmith to the processing of pashmina… Get insight into the ancient arts that have paved the way for contemporary culture.
Rock Climbing
Our genetic tree is rooted in the art of climbing. We channel this art fearlessly as children, climbing trees, springing from branch to branch, shooting straight for the sky… and then we grow up into cautious adults.
Revisit your the free spiritedness of your childhood as you try your hand at climbing, a renowned sport across the world, known for its ability to focus the mind and invigorate the body.
A Walk Through History
In the pages of history, the ancient capital of Leh bookmarks one of the greatest cross-cultural crusades of its time.
We have mapped out a trajectory that shadows time, seeking out all that it left behind. This historical trail traces revered palaces and forgotten forts, it visits the quiet courtyards of ancient museums and cafes rooted in romanticism… all of it, illustrating history that once existed on a grand scale!
The Waves of Zanskar
The river of the copper valley, nourished by the glacial origins of the Himalayas. Its tempestuous waters are wild and ferocious, frigid and pure.
This is an experience that will challenge your wits and numb your bones, shape your endurance and check that resolve off your bucket list… of rafting down the bends of the Zanskar River, as treacherous as it is pristine.
Monastic Prayers
As the sun rises behind the mountains, the sound of cymbals and deep chanting echoes within the walls of Thikse monastery. Novice monks serve steaming cups of butter tea and mantras wrapped in juniper incense travel through the air, kindling an ethereal state that gives you a glimpse of a parallel, monastic world.