The Changpa are nomadic and semi-nomadic people living in the high-altitude Changtang plateau, in the eastern part of Ladakh (India), extending into Tibet.

They are pastoralists, raising mainly yaks and goats, especially the Pashmina goats. Their life conditions are hard, as Changtang lies at an altitude at least 4000 m a.s.l., with harsh climate - short summers and long Arctic-like winters.

This week-long photo trip was organized by Darter Photography and led by Manish Lakhani.

We spent one night in Gya village, one of the oldest in Ladakh. We then moved to a semi-permanent Changpa settlement of Yagan, where we observed the daily duties with goat herds: early morning milking, taking them to grazing lands higher up the valley, and then late afternoon return of the herds. Finally we moved to the Korzok village area (by Tso Moriri) for a few nights.



See the trip journal by Shampa RC