HHE team will fly into Ladakh and provide free medical and dental care while trekking through several small Tibetan villages located in the Zanskar valley of Ladakh. Our team will fly into New Delhi and take a domestic flight to Leh 11,500 ft ( capital of (Ladakh). After a 2-dat rest, a 3-day drive from Leh 11,500 ft (capital of Ladakh) takes us to the first clinic site at Padum 12,000 feet. After a 2-day clinic at Padum, our team will set out on a trail which is high in altitude, rough, challenging and lies above the Himalayan tree line. All clinic and camp sites are located between 12,000 ft – 13,500 ft. Approximately, 1600-1800 patients are expected to attend our 12 days of clinics. We trek and set camps at the villages of Padum 12,000 ft, Reru 12,628 ft , Purne 12,150 ft, Testa 12, 950 ft, Kargiakh 13,300 ft and finally after crossing over Shingo La pass 16,700 ft at Palmo/Chikka 11,500 ft. A drive from Chikka brings the team to Manali 6,600 ft.

The region is Buddist dominated, peaceful and quiet but it is high, remote and rough. 7 months out of the year it is cut off from the rest of the world due to extreme cold and heavy snow accumulations. Excess to health care in the entire valley is extremely limited. HHE team visits Zanskar every summer to provide free care and medicines to the needy people.

Note: This is a very demanding trek with minimal comfort. It involves high altitude trekking (all of it above tree-line) in a rough mountainous terrain. Please take time to grasp the reality of this and conduct a personal inventory on yourself before signing-up.

"One Month in India: An International Medical Elective Story"
Article by Dr. Elizabeth Haney
e-mail: ehaney@DAL.CA

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