Ladakh 2020

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Our sold-out tour to Ladakh in 2020 was all set to embark when the global pandemic turned for the worse. After visiting a number of the local monasteries, consulting with local healers and shamans, and reviewing high-altitude eco-sustainability projects, we had planned to take in three days of teachings by His Eminence The 100th Ganden Tri Rinpoche, before Geshe Tenzin Zopa led us in a concluding residential retreat at Ngari Institute. From there, a small delegate would have ventured further to remote Zanskar to deliver proceeds from our fundraising campaign for the nuns of the seven-hundred-year-old Dorje Zong Nunnery. In the end, though we were disappointed not to be able to travel, each and every pilgrim voluntarily donated their tour deposit to our local operators on the ground in a final act of goodwill before the world went into lockdown. We hope to fulfill our aspirations to visit Ladakh one day. — Dr. Miles Neale