Himalaya trek and homestay

Custom packages for traveling in the remote Indian mountain regions of Kua­maon, Ladakh and Sikkim are offered by Shakti Tours (903-904, Vatika City Point Sector 25, MG Road, Gurgaon 122002 India; phone, in India, +91 124 456 3899, fax 456 3801 or phone, in US, 866/401-3705). Using the services of local guides and porters, travelers walk from village to village, staying in traditional homes. A sample eight-day/seven-night itinerary in Ladakh might include attending morning prayers at Thiksey Monastery in Stok, Zanskar River rafting, visiting 11th-century Alchi monastery and Saspol painted caves, and hiking to the base camp of Stok Kangri, Ladakh’s highest mountain. Land only, $3,898 per person, double occupancy.