A Summer in Zanskar | Exclusively for Mom & Kids | May 2027 Summer Holidays ex Chandigarh | Summer Vacation Ideas for kids, India
15 - 21 May 2027 | ex Chandigarh | Five mothers - kids pairs (10 -15 years)
The first ever - seven-day Trans Himalayan journey for mothers & curious young minds
NOT A SUMMER CAMP ! NOT ANOTHER HOLIDAY TO PLAN !
Led by Founder & Team - Kanupriya Raniwala + Khyati Chauhan
A Note from Kanupriya
You are the planner, the packer, the one who keeps every plan standing. This summer, let us take over. Simple.
We collect you in Chandigarh, and from that moment our team handles the roads, stays, meals, guides and the care.
You decide that you want your child to experience a unique & immersive summer in the Himalayas; we take care of the rest.
You'll find your circle too: just five mothers and five kids in the group. Small enough to feel personal & easy enough to get to know one another, no crowd, no strangers.
Hi, I am Kanupriya, and this journey is handcrafted by me, exclusively for you. An architect turned travel professional, living in the Himalayas since 13+ years, and I bring you my experience and heart, both. Zanskar is close to my heart. It is raw, unhurried and still feels like a place that belongs to the people who live there: mud homes, barley fields, monasteries, mosques, rivers, old routes and everyday life continuing around you with a warm smile.
That is why I wanted to make this journey exclusively for mothers and their children. Not a camp where you hand them over to a program. Not a sightseeing checklist where you spend the whole day taking photographs. A real mountain journey you do together — with enough hands on and incredible fun learning for them, and enough breathing room for you.
Our team awaits you!
— Kanupriya
Why Zanskar, Ladakh
Immersive Location : Because it's not another hill station. Simple. Zanskar - 'Valley of White Copper' is a high altitude valley of Ladakh, a hit list destination for all curious travelers of all ages and walks of life!
Easily Accessible : And guess what? You reach Zanskar in just a few hours from Manali, through the Atal Tunnel and over Shinku La, because the fully carpetted all weather roads are amazing, thanks to the BRO. There are stops for food and refreshments on the way.
Contrasting Landscape : Zanskar just doesnt provide a mountain holiday but actually a jaw dropping 23 mt long glacier, a Snow covered pass on top of the world, oldest monasteries of the world, palaces unlike the plains, a real mud house to have butter tea in, local woman to spend an evening, an epic roadtrip and memories that will stay with you forever.
Authentic Lifestyle & Culture : Zanskar is still far behind from the cities for a reason. Having only recently been connected to the rest of India, Zanskar is still authentic in terms of its culture and function which gives us an oppurtunity to witness a place in its purity and take back from it. With the 4g coming in only in 2020, while the rest of India enjoyed online deliveries, Zanskar has always been a patron to sustainable living which we become a part of for a few days and learn from without sitting in a class.
Rich History : Once part of Western Tibet, Zanskar sat on an old trade corridor linking Zanskar and Kashmir, and faiths and cultures have long lived side by side here. Six nights is just right: enough adventure to thrill, enough leisure to breathe, and enough of everything in between.
Safe Haven : And last but not the least - Zanskar is like a safe home away from home with rich history and traditions!
What Your Kids Take Home
This is not a summer camp indoors, but a Summer Full Of Firsts! A real mountain journey that will stay with the kids for life!
Come close to nature. From lush forests of Manali & Solang to the dry deserts of Ladakh - Zanskar, this road trip as alot to offer. They experience the transition, moving through landscape, cultures, languages and people. A waterfall hike and pool dip, snow at Shinku La and a glacier up close, with fun interactive sessions that explains why rivers, passes and glaciers matter.
A new perspective on culture and life of India. Through experiences by meeting real people while doing real hand crafted activities! They fold momos and dance with local women and kids, and meet kids their own age at a local school only to see what their batchies from Zanskar are doing.
The Explorers kit. All the young explorers get their own Explorer's kit designed by us. It will contain all the tools their require to create their own memorabilia of Zanskar every evening around our hand crafted activities. The Explorer's kit will be handy for the future too, wherever they go exploring this world.
Quiet confidence and independence. They ask their own questions of new friends, keep their own map, and face a high pass and a glacier beside you. They return noticeably more self-assured.
They see just a little bit more of this beautiful world. A step at a time with us on their side.
And New friends from Zanskar!
But, This Trip is for You! :))
You are going to Zanskar too!
We take the planning off your plate — Chandigarh pickup and drop, Innovas, stays, meals, guides, entries, itineraries, experiences and the route plan are all set and shared even before you land.
You are part of the holiday, not running it — Walk together, dance together, fold momos together, meet local women together — and enjoy seeing Zanskar through their eyes too.
Your own circle — A tight group of Four other mothers who chose something rare for their kids. Enjoy unhurried evening with butter tea while the curious minds are at work remembering the million different colours of mountains they saw during the day.
Your own circle with Zanskar Baddies :). On Day 4, you spend an evening with local women and their kids: momos, laughter and a cheers over butter tea. They are warm, spirited and wonderfully real, and you will likely chat like old friends.
Peace of mind. Technical aspects covered - Great Team of Drivers and hosts of 10 experienced professionals, Oxygen and oximeters in the vehicle, online and offline assistance, and a leader beside you who has been in the mountains for 13+ years.
And - An adventure for and by self!
The Journey at a Glance
Duration: 6 nights / 7 days
Dates: Sat 15 May – Fri 21 May 2027
Pickup and drop: Chandigarh
Your circle: 5 mother + child pairs (ages 8–16). An additional child may join with a supplement.
Route: Chandigarh · Manali (2 nights) · Shinku La · Gombo Rangjon · Padum (3 nights) · Phuktal · Jispa (1 night) · Chandigarh
Travel: 3 Innovas with experienced drivers
Stays: Apple-orchard stay in Manali, locally run homestay in Padum, riverside stay in Jispa
Meals: All meals, from Day 1 dinner to Day 7 breakfast
Led by: Kanupriya Raniwala, founder and Trans-Himalayan expert + A mom expert - Khyati Chuahan
Your Journey, Day by Day
Day 1 · Sat 15 May: Arrive and Exhale
Chandigarh to Manali · ~300 km · 6-7 hrs
We collect you from Chandigarh in the morning and follow the Beas River towards Manali.
Check in to an apple-orchard stay and keep the rest of the afternoon light.
Settle in, meet the other mothers, let the kids find their feet.
Join us for dinner and a relaxed trip briefing with Kanupriya.
Each young traveler gets a simple Explorer’s Kit — map sheet, field notebook, pencils and a souvenir collector for the journey to keep their curiosity going.
Little mission for the kids: notice three things that feel different from home. No homework submission required.
O/N: Manali (~2,050 m). Dinner at stay.
Day 2 · Sun 16 May: A Map, Waterfall & Getting Hands dirty
Manali · short drives
Morning hike to a hidden waterfall, with a pool dip for anyone who wants one. A playful first outing and a gentle way to begin adjusting to mountain altitude.
After lunch head to the stay and rest.
Afternoon head for a clay play pottery session, imagine, create & get your hands dirty.
Evening Expedition Cartographers session : a two-hour Map-Making Session led by Kanupriya. Curious young minds become the mapmakers of their own journey, sketching, photographing, noting what they observe with the help of the Explorer's kit while moms take a peaceful evening off.
The idea is not to make perfect maps, its to explore in the wild, move though jungles, get your hands dirty and get acquainted with fellow curious minds.
O/N: Manali (~2,050 m). Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 3 · Mon 17 May: On Top of the World & Snow - Shinku La
Manali to Padum · 283 km · 7-8hrs with stops
An early start, around 7 am with packed breakfast, gets us moving ahead of the day. We cross the Atal Tunnel, travel through Sissu and Darcha, and climb towards Shinku La.
At 5,091 m - Shinku La, we make a short, deliberate snow stop — long enough to look around, take photographs and add a memory stamp to the map.
Then comes Gonbo Rangjon, the dramatic “King of Mountains”, followed by the descent into Zanskar and our arrival in Padum.
We settle in at the cozy homestay in Padum, rest, followed by dinner.
For the curious minds: Snow walls, iconic mountains - this is the day the road stops looking like a road trip and starts looking like an expedition.
O/N: Padum (~3,600 m) All meals; packed breakfast on the road.
Did you know? Padum is named after Padmasambhava, and River Zanskar is formed by the two rivers we will see, while we drive along with one all the way from Shinkula.
Day 4 · Tue 18 May: Palaces, Monasteries & An Evening With Zanskari Women
Zangla, Karsha and an evening with local women · ~90 km
We begin with Zangla Palace, once home to the kings of Zanskar, until when Namgyals of Leh to it over and made it a part of Ladakh. The Palace is very different than what one may perceive from the plains.
At Karsha, we explore the historic monastery and its associated school, where the young ones get to meet people their own age.
Then comes one of the highlights of the week: an evening with local Zanskari women and families. The women welcome us in their traditional attire and invite us into their world through food, stories, language, folklore, everyday customs and the warmth of an evening spent together.
Together, we make momos, sit down to a traditional local meal served by our hosts, taste butter tea, learn, chat, laugh and dance. It is an intimate cultural experience where everyone participates — not a staged performance.
For the inquisitives: watch how a meal comes together. Listen to the language. Look at the clothes. Ask about the recipe. Then get up and dance anyway.
O/N: Padum, All meals.
We carry stationery as gifts for the schools. Every visit is made with respect and consent, never as a performance.
Day 5 · Wed 19 May: A Glacier Up Close
Sani, Pensi La, Drang Drung Glacier, Rangdum · ~240 km
We drive towards Sani Village and Sani Gompa, then continue towards Pensi La at about 4,400 m and the Rangdum landscape.
The big moment is Drang Drung Glacier: one of Ladakh’s largest, and a chance to see first-hand how mountain ice, meltwater, rivers and farming are connected.
Rangdum Monastery is visited if road conditions allow, before we make our way back to Padum.
Explore Padum Market and take some chilly oil back !
Head back to the stay, dinner and rest.
Review the Cartographers and their observatins while moms can sit back through a slow evening.
Kid moment: Standing in front of a glacier, and understanding why it matters.
O/N: Padum, All meals.
Did you know? The Drang Drung Glacier is about 23 km long, and its meltwater irrigates the barley fields of the whole valley.
Day 6 · Thu 20 May: The Cave of Liberation
Phuktal, then Jispa · ~230 km drive + a 1–2 hr walk each way
An early start of 8 AM takes us to Purne, from where we walk towards Phuktal Monastery. The trail is around 20-30 Mins each way, with a fixed turnaround time so the walk stays sensible for the group.
Phuktal — the “Cave of Liberation” — is built into a natural cliffside cave. It is the kind of place where even teenagers tend to stop talking for a minute.
We retrace the route, cross Shinku La again and settle into Jispa beside the river.
Final map stamp. And perhaps the beginning of the “remember when…” stories. Closing circle with stories, laughter and memories.
Kid moment: A monastery inside a cliff, and the final map stamp.
O/N: Jispa (~3,200 m), riverside stay. All meals.
Why we sleep at Jispa: in mid-May the road into Manali is very busy. Resting at Jispa spares you a late, tired drive and gives you a calm evening beside the river.
Day 7 · Fri 21 May: Home, With Stories
Jispa to Chandigarh · ~330 km · 8-9 hrs with stops
An early start with breakfast to avoid any traffic so we get a smooth gateway till the end.
Via the Atal Tunnel, Manali and the Beas river, with a lunch stop.
And the keepsake? Not another refrigerator magnet. A printed version of the map they made themselves.
O/N: Trip ends. Breakfast included.
After the trip, every family receives a printed keepsake of the maps.
Our Aim - Less screen. More screen-worthy.
We are not interested in policing phones or turning the trip into a digital detox programme. We simply give the kids plenty of competition for their attention: snow, rivers, a waterfall, momos, a glacier, village walks, new faces, strange architecture and skies that make people look up without being asked. We rather use phones to document and use it as a part of the Explorer's kit to create something memorable.
There is structure because mountains need structure. There is fun because this is their summer holiday. And there is enough freedom for them to be themselves.
Safety & Care
Written so you can share it with your family.
Zanskar is high, and children can feel altitude just as adults do. This is how we plan for it.
Slow acclimatisation. Two nights in Manali (~2,050 m), with a nature walk and waterfall dip, before we go higher.
Short stops at high passes. Snow and photographs, then down. No lingering at 5,091 m.
Checks, not guesswork. Oxygen and oximeters travel with us. Online and Offline assistance for acclimatization 7 days before the trip.
A clear rule to come down. If a child has a headache that doesn't settle, vomits or turns unusually quiet, we descend to Darcha or Jispa.
Your doctor's guidance. After booking, we send a Parent Pack with questions for your child's doctor (including about Diamox) and a short health form.
Local stays and hosts. Stays are handpicked after our personal experiences. The families are like our extended families.
Whole Cottage / Home stays. We book entire cottages / villas / homes for our groups so our guests feel right at home and feel secure and safe.
An experienced leader. 13+ years in the high Himalayas.
Designed with kids in mind. We have driven this route many times, and the local hosts are the families we work with on our adult journeys.
Plans for the road. Backup 4x4 options for Shinku La rules, a valley-day alternative for Pensi La, and a planned night at Jispa so no one drives into Manali tired.
Can we speak before booking? Always. We're happy to speak with you, and with your family, before you decide. Call or WhatsApp 8172047843.
Good to know
Days 3 and 7 are early starts
Distances and times are approximate and may change with weather and road status.
This is an inclusive journey. Mothers are part of activities, with our team leading, guiding and looking after safety.
This is not a baby sitting tour - we expect moms to be responsible and accountable for their kids and that kids be under their supervision at all times.
Kids are expected to be
Your Investment - (early bird discount of 10% till 15 feb 2027)
A pair (1 mother + 1 child, sharing a room): ₹1,30,000 + 5% GST
Second child (extra bed in mother's room): ₹42,000 + 5% GST
A mother with one child is one pair. A mother with two children is one pair plus the second-child supplement. The circle is limited to five pairs.
What's Included
Pickup and drop, Chandigarh to Chandigarh, in 3 Innovas with Drivers & Guides
6 nights :1 room per family: Manali (2, apple-orchard stay), Padum (3, locally run homestay) and Jispa (1, riverside stay).
All meals, Day 1 dinner to Day 7 breakfast, including lunches and packed meals on the road.
Kanupriya as trip leader, plus local guides.
The Map-Making Session and each young traveller's Explorer's Kit.
The waterfall hike with pool access, pottery session, the momo session, and the evening of dance and food with local women, history trivia etc.
Monastery school visits, plus monument and monastery entries and donations.
Oxygen, oximeters and a first-aid kit with children's basics.
Not included
Airfare or train fare to and from Chandigarh.
Personal expenses (laundry, phone, snacks outside meals).
Travel and medical insurance.
Camera fees at monuments, where applicable.
Medical expenses.
Costs from force majeure, weather or road closures.
Anything not listed under 'Included'.
Experiential Stay in Manali amidst apple orchards
Booking & Payment
Reserve your place with 50% of the trip cost + 5% GST. UPI: travel.a.i.p@oksbi or GPay 8172047843. Bank transfer details are shared on confirmation.
Balance 50% + 5% GST, 7 days before the trip.
Cancellation: 50% refund 30 days before the trip; 25% refund 20 days before; 15% refund 7–19 days before; no refund within 7 days.
If a confirmed family cannot travel, they may propose a replacement family. Otherwise the cancellation terms apply.
Booking begins on receipt of payment. Stays depend on availability at confirmation.
Re-routes due to weather or road closures may involve extra cost, in consultation with the driver.
Do & Don'ts
Rest on arrival. Altitude needs time.
Drink plenty of water and fluids.
Ask permission before photographs or video at a gompa.
Dress modestly at gompas: shoulders and knees covered, hair tied for girls and women.
Follow the trip leader's guidance on the road and at passes.
Carry a photo ID for every child (school ID/Aadhaar) and for yourself. A consent letter is needed if a child travels with someone other than a parent.
Consult your family doctor before travel, especially about altitude medicine for children.
Packing for Your Young Traveller
Layers: thermals ×2, fleece, down jacket, waterproof shell, warm cap, gloves, buff.
Feet: waterproof walking shoes with grip, wool socks, flip-flops for the pool dip.
Sun: sunglasses, SPF 50, lip balm, sun cap.
Water and snacks: own bottle, ORS sachets, a few favourite snacks.
For the journey: swimsuit. small daypack, a favourite book for the drives.
Recommended medicines (ask your doctor first)
ORS/electrolytes and paracetamol syrup, as advised by your child's doctor.
Anti-nausea for the drives, as advised.
Altitude medicine such as Diamox, only if your doctor recommends it, at the right dose for weight.
Personal medicines, and a short health form (allergies, doctor's contact) for every child and mother.
With warmth,
Team Travel AIP (Instagram @travel.a.i.p) · Sikkim | Spiti Valley & Himachal Pradesh | Zanskar | Ladakh | Kashmir | Rajasthan | Golden Triangle Circuit · Call or WhatsApp 8172047843.
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