Volunteer with 17000ft in Ladakh for a vacation you've never had before

The Voluntourist programme is one of the efforts to improve the quality of schools and learning outcomes in the remotest parts of Ladakh

Harsh” and “bleak” may be two of the most common adjectives used to describe the remote landscape of Ladakh. Altitudes range between 10,000 and 17,000 feet. Temperatures range from 30 degrees in summer in more inhabited areas to an appalling minus 50 degrees in farther corners. The terrain is rocky, steep and barren. Spotting another human can be a challenge. The availability of food is uncertain.

So, when Sujata Sahu, founder of 17000ft, an NGO that works with local schools, suggests that you venture into this less-than-indulgent terrain for a holiday — and pay for it — you might think she’d