A travel agency owned and operated entirely by Ladakhi women.
Founded by Thinlas Chorol, Ladakh\'s most experienced female guide, our agency specialises in organising homestay treks and providing trekkers with female guides and porters.
Our aim is to encourage the women of Ladakh to show their abilities and skills, particularly in the more remote areas. Through our village homestay network, we give women in the villages a chance to meet new people and cultures, while generating independent income. This helps women achieve the same status as men and encourages people to remain in their villages instead of seeking employment in cities.
In addition to helping women, our agency serves as a unique example. We employ only women for organising and running our treks. Thinlas Chorol, our founder, is one of the few Ladakhis to complete a comprehensive course in wilderness skills at the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) and an advanced mountaineering course at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute.
As well as helping women, we aim to support the preservation of Ladakhi culture. Our guides are knowledgeable about the local history, flora, and fauna, offering you a deeper look at the real Ladakh.
Many visitors travel to Ladakh without ever seeing the real Ladakh. Standard camping treks often bring little benefit to the villages along the way. Our homestay treks change that — you stay in genuine Ladakhi homes, sharing meals and stories with the families who call these mountains home.
Each homestay is run by the women of the household, who provide clean bedding, three home-cooked meals a day, and safe drinking water. It is the most meaningful way we know to connect travellers with the communities we serve.
Homestays are the most sustainable way to explore Ladakh. Without the need for large pack animals carrying camping gear, this approach puts far less pressure on the fragile mountain environment.
Most homes use traditional Ladakhi dry composting toilets — after use, you simply add a shovel of earth. Running water is rare at this altitude. These simple practices are an essential part of sustainable life in the mountains.
Tourism in Ladakh provides vital income, but it also carries responsibility. We believe that through thoughtful travel, young Ladakhis can learn the importance of preserving the culture and environment that draws so many visitors to this region. That belief shapes every trek we run.
Why We Avoid CampingTraditional camping treks put a strain on the fragile mountain environment. Pack animals consume the limited grass that local wildlife depends on, rubbish is often left behind, and toilet waste at campsites is a growing problem. Our homestay model eliminates these issues entirely.
Do
Buy drinks in glass bottles
Use refillable water bottles
Choose guesthouses with solar-heated water
Buy locally made produce and goods
Don't
Buy drinks in plastic bottles
Drive off-road onto fragile ground
Feed the wildlife
Use guesthouses with wood-fired hot water
Ice hockey has grown in popularity across Ladakh in recent years, especially among women. Many of our staff compete in local tournaments during the winter months. Our former office manager, Kunzes Dolma, was selected to represent India at the 2017 IIHF Ice Hockey Women's Challenge Cup of Asia in Bangkok — an honour that recognises the skill and dedication found right here in the mountains.
Several of our guides have pursued advanced training at institutions beyond Ladakh, including the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute in Darjeeling, the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering in Uttarakhand, and The Woodstock School in Uttarakhand. During one course at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, our staff earned a total of six medals for outstanding performance.
Many of our staff also work as guides during the trekking season to fund their college education in the off-season. We are proud to see more young women gaining financial independence and pursuing further studies. Their success is our success.
Our work empowering Ladakhi women has been recognised by leading publications around the world.
Learn more about LWTC, our founder, and how we support local women in Ladakh.
Thinlas Chorol is the founder of LWTC and Ladakh’s most experienced female trekking guide. She is a graduate of SECMOL, NOLS, and the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute.
We provide training and employment for female guides and porters. We also utilize a network of village homestays run by women, ensuring tourism income goes directly to local households.
A homestay provides clean bedding, three authentic Ladakhi meals a day, and safe drinking water. You stay within a family home, usually with a private room for guests.
Most homestays utilize traditional Ladakhi dry composting toilets. These do not use water. You cover waste with soil or cow dung after use.
Tap water is generally not safe for tourists. However, safe, boiled, or filtered drinking water is available at all our homestays. We strongly encourage using refillable bottles to reduce plastic waste.
