Ecological Footprint Travels

Stanzin’s Ecological Footprint should be the go-to tour operator for anyone planning a trek or stay in Ladakh. My friend and I completed two treks with Stanzin — the Markha Valley Trek and Tso Kar to Tso Moriri — and both experiences were exceptional. Stanzin worked diligently to customize trips to our dates and our trekking abilities, and he put together two extraordinary adventures. Stanzin is able to put together such great treks in part because he is a local who is very well known not just to the people of Leh but to the people who live in villages along the treks. Everywhere we trekked with Stanzin people came out of their homes or tents to greet him. In addition to organizing great treks, we enjoyed the five nights we spent at Stanzin’s Ladakh Eco House where we received delicious meals, comfortable rooms, and exceptional advice about how to explore Ladakh. In short, the sixteen days we spent with Ecological Footprint either trekking or relaxing in Leh were fantastic, and I highly recommend this trekking/touring company to anyone looking to explore Ladakh.

Stanzin and Rigzin are fantastic guides. He helped plan a custom trip for us around the Himalayas that was the perfect difficulty for our group. Both are incredibly patient and hardworking with tea (and sometimes whiskey) being served all day and all night. If you get the chance to go on a tour with Ecological Footprints I would highly recommend you take it.

Excellent experience with Ecological Footprint Travels. Stanzin was very accommodating (even through 2 reschedules due to COVID). He is an excellent host. We had a blast riding bikes, taking a 7 day trek (including summitting Kang Yatse peak), and white water rafting. He even made a room available for us when we finished our trek a day earlier than anticipated.

We saw one person complain about their stay/experience. But they seemed to be expecting a 5 star hotel experience. This is not a 5 star hotel experience. This is a remote, high adventure experience. The mattresses in the hotel are a little old and a bit lumpy. The electricity sometimes gets shut off. The water isn’t always hot. The treking gear is well used. The vehicles are aged. But Stanzin will do his best to make sure you have a great experience.

This warm and cheerful hotel run by Stanzin Oder and his family is a pleasure to stay in. The hotel is located in a quiet part of Leh town, an easy 20 min walk from the market. The rooms are airy, bright, warm and cheerful. The bathrooms are clean and convenient. The staff are extremely considerate and hospitable, catering to the varied demands of a large heterogeneous group like ours with a smile. My daughter forgot her laptop and bag at the hotel when we were enroute to the airport..
Stanzin drove down to the airport to deliver it to us! It felt like a home away from home.

Stanzin helped us amazingly across our full stay in Ladakh. He was so nice to meet us twice before start of the Markha Valley trek to give explanation and introduce us to the guide.

We opted for the camping option (highly recommended for couples!) and the Markha 7 day trip was amazing: great guide, good food and great support. Even when someone fell sick Stanzin arranged everything, arranged pickup and a comfortable stay while we finished the trek.

After the hike we stayed at the Eco residency guesthouse of Stanzin. In comparison to the other guesthouses we did we had more luxury (great beds), a true Ladakh family experience and great counselling for how to spend our time in Leh.

Thanks for everything!

Stanzin is a dream host. He runs a lovely ecological residency with his wife Ena. Lovely food and unlimited energy to help you around. The rooms are large & clean. Next to this Stanzin is vey knowledgeable as a tour guide/organizer. He negotiates best price/quality deals in town. He goes great lengths to bring you the best experience. Stanzin has a professional work attitude. I would highly recommend Stanzin & Ena as a hub from where you explore Leh & surroundings.

Thanks a lot Stanzin!

A group of 6 of us used Ecological Footprint to help us organise a trek in the Markha valley. Stanzin was superb, a really helpful and competent guy. Although a cloudburst had led to flooding, he still managed to pull off an amazing trek and beautiful scenery. The guide called Cho was as informative about buddhist culture as he was knowledgeable about peaks, passes and glaciers.

The lodge Stanzin uses is highly recommended, surrounded by kitchen gardens, poplar trees in a quiet part of town. Lovely balconies and lounging spots in the garden.

As for the food in the lodge and on trek, amazing! They even pulled off a birthday cake at 4000m!

I really recommend Ecological footprint for trekking in Ladakh. There is no need to go anywhere else!

Stanzin is a great chill guy who will do everything he can to make your trip amazing! Would recommend!