EAT YOUR HEART OUT TOURS
NOMADIC CULTURE, TEXTILES, LANDSCAPES
Kashmir and Ladakh - India
April 29 - May 8, 2026
May 8 - May 17, 2026
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Two show-stopping regions, from nomadic culture to the lure of pashmina
Kashmir
“Heaven on Earth” is no exaggeration. For millennia, Kashmir’s stunning vistas have captivated all manner of visitors and invaders. At the crossroads of ancient Central Asian trade routes, Kashmiri craftspeople have honed exquisite weaving and embroidery techniques on the finest of fibres: pashmina.
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Ladakh
Cut off from the world for most of the year, Ladakh is a place where modernity has yet to intrude. Tucked into the rocky landscape are huge Buddhist monasteries, flying prayer flags to the chanting of monks. On the plateaux, nomads tend to their Changthangi goats and harvest wool. A life so simple, yet it feeds the desire for the one of the world’s most luxe and softest fibres.
We invite you to explore a new way of life and question yours.
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** A leisurely 19 days deep-dive **
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Small group as always. . . write us
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From past tours
I'm still talking about the trip and telling everyone about the fabulous time we had! -- Jan S. Illinois
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Breadth of the trip, number of crafts encountered, diversity of activities, the quality of guides, geography covered -- all provided a comprehensive introduction to Kashmir. -- S.W.M, New York
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I loved being in Ladakh - the landscape, the people, the culture, learning about the history. It was an amazing experience and remain grateful for the opportunity -- Anne A., Staffordshire, U.K.
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Ladakh stole my heart. The monasteries were amazing. The hotels were wonderful. Ran out of adjectives to describe the splendour of the landscape -- Sopiato Likimani, Kenya
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Shila uses local contacts to arrange ‘insider’ experiences that the average tourist would either not know about or would not be able to find. A huge advantage that Shila understood Indian culture and language, and could explain interactions and encounters with empathy and understanding. She was a wonderful cultural bridge for those of us who were from different backgrounds. Val MacDonald, Toronto
Shila, my Friend, which you must be from here to forever, I think today was possibly one of the best days of my life (and feel free to use that on your promotional materials). What magic you have wrought for us in India! Chey Davis, Michigan
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Do you know your pashmina from cashmere? How to tell if it's real pashmina? Read on.
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Photo journal past trips - Kashmir and Ladakh
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COST Write us
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Pasture to Loom
Trace the trail of pashmina from Ladakh's Changha pastures where semi-nomads roam, to the looms of Kashmir which clothed emperors and aristocracy of the world. One, a life so simple, yet it feeds the other's desire for the softest of fibres.
Newly reopened Kashmir
Explore the winding alleyways of 6th CE UNESCO “Creative City” of Srinagar, marvel at walnut wooden architecture, and shop teeming bazaars. Venture further out to the beauty of Gulmarg and Pahalgam with visits to saffron fields, orchards, and willow cricket bat workshops.
Craft Skills
In Kashmir, studio visits with award-winning artisans and demos in hand spinning, designing, washing, dyeing, kani weaving, and sozni embroidery on pashmina. Learn about the painstaking process behind the creation of a single pashmina shawl.
In Ladakh, demos in carding, spindle spinning, and lap-loom weaving.
Hands-on workshops
Hands-on workshops in Kashmiri papier mache and sozni embroidery with renowned artisans
In Ladakh, take in a hands-on workshop in natural dyeing of cashmere from a local women-run cooperative.
Deepen your understanding at every stage of the process.
Museum tours and heritage walks
Spend time with expert locals at Bait ul Miraas, a repository of Kashmiri culture and heritage in Srinagar. In Leh, heritage walks of the ancient city of Leh, once a stop for Silk Road caravans. Private collection visit and audience with premiere Ladakhi designers and visionaries.
Buddhist monasteries
Explore ancient monasteries tucked away into rocky hillsides festooned with prayer flags. Partake in ritual pujas alongside chanting monks and enjoy sipping butter tea amidst the splendour of the Himalayas. Ladakh's Buddhism, allied to Tibetan Mahayana, is filled with imagery, colour, pageantry, and symbolism!
Up close and personal
Two day ethnographic foray into the Changthang plateau in Ladakh to interact with Kharnak nomads. Learn about their harsh lifestyle and indomitable will that allows them to brave exceptionally harsh conditions to deliver one of the finest fibres to human touch.
Culinary Beats
From royal chefs of Kashmir comes the renowned Wazwan cuisine using the bounty of the valley. Taste food cooked to slow perfection on wood fires in clay pots. Explore the innovative cuisine being forged by young Ladakhi chefs headlining trending culinary news feeds. Warm your hands around offerings of smoky Kashmiri kehwa chai and delicious butter tea. Food has never tasted this good.
Houseboat stay
No stay in Kashmir is complete without being lulled to sleep on an impossibly romantic shikhara. Awaken to a steaming cup of kehwa on misty lakes while contemplating the world's highest mountains reaching for the sky. At sunrise, head out to a floating vegetable market. On this tour we stay in a premium deluxe houseboat on beautiful and relatively uncrowded Nigeen Lake.
Support for co-operatives and textile NGOs
The way of life for artisans in Kashmir and Ladakh is under greater threat with each passing year. Aftereffects of political unrest and climate change are bearing pressure on a once serene lifestyle. We will visit and support several women's cooperatives, as well as interact with Chinar Kashmir to help rebuild communities affected by years of unrest.
Hosted by Shila, owner and founder, e.y.h.o. tours
I have waited a long time to share Kashmir with you. I last visited before the region closed to outsiders, and was so struck by Kashmir's natural beauty that I vowed to return. Through long pandemic lockdowns, I began to unravel the thread of pashmina's history, and social and cultural impact, and ended up metaphysically in Ladakh. I realised Kashmir's story without Ladakh is incomplete and Ladakh without Kashmir is only half the story. This exploration of two inextricably linked yet uniquely different regions will go far beyond predictably spectacular vistas . It will delve into one lifestyle completely predicated by natural phenomena, and another by human construct. Join me for an unparalleled opportunity to learn, and question our world.
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