Following these simple Do’s and Dont’s will help preserve Ladakh’s pristine environment and unique culture.
Avoid buying plastic mineral water bottles as much as possible. Instead, carry your own bottle and refill it with spring- or solar-boiled water where available
Do not leave any litter along trekking routes or campsites and carry garbage that is unavoidable back to Leh, Srinagar or Kargil for recycling
Don’t use plastic bags, they are banned in Ladakh
Keep all pollutants away from streams and lakes
Where available, use solar showers for bathing
Take special care to not disturb wildlife
Do not disturb breeding waterbirds on lakes and other wetlands
Do not drive off-road, especially near high altitude lakes like Tsokar and Tsomoriri, as this greatly harms ground-nesting birds, small mammals and reptiles
Respect the sanctity of holy and historical sites; take off your shoes before entering a monastery
Do not touch the statues or frescoes in monasteries and refrain from smoking on the premises
Do not use flash photography inside monasteries; the flash damages the colour of the centuries-old frescoes
Take home happy memories, leave only footprints behind!
