Read on this freshly prepared travel guide where we will cover how to travel to Ladakh with your kids or infants. Curious to read? Read on, folks!
With a boom of tourism in Ladakh, it was an idea of the past that Ladakh is essentially a place for adventure junkies or motorcycle enthusiasts. These days this high-altitude cold desert is preferred by a lot of families as a holiday spot.
Many questions do arise in our minds with this statement, like, is this place safe to travel with family? Is it safe for infants? Is it safe for children? Many of such mind-storming questions are answered in this article. Some facts are mentioned based on medical data, and some are mere life experiences. Go through this article completely to find yourself with a satisfying answer you are looking for in the Leh Ladakh tour package.
What is the age limit for visiting Ladakh?
Well, generally speaking, there is no age limit on visiting Ladakh. That implies even your new-born baby has the legal rights to be Ladakh.
But considering medical aspects here, it seems like a remarkably bad idea for Infants under 3 months to visit this lofty wilderness. It is mostly due to the breathing problems they may face.
Some medical facts and their explanations supporting this theory are –
- Lungs of a human baby proceed to develop even after their birth; if you instantly change their terrain from planes to the hill, it may cause severe complications in their development process.
- The pressure of air on high altitudes is very low compared to plains. Even adults find difficulty in breathing and show symptoms like nausea and vomiting initially. This condition is called anoxia. Later on, the adult human body adjusts itself to this low oxygen condition by producing more RBCs, and the symptoms disappear.
As mentioned above, you can assess for yourself what consequences high altitudes can have on an infant. It’s not only about falling ill, but it can be life-threatening to a baby.
Thus, if your baby was premature with underdeveloped organs, especially the heart and lungs, this excursion can become their first and last trip in their life.
Ladakh tour package with a toddler
It’s not uncommon for people living on plains (central and south India) to experience altitude or acute mountain sickness (AMS) when they visit hilly regions (North India).
Small kids and children above 3 years of age can communicate with their parents if they do not feel well. On the other hand, toddlers just cannot communicate anything with their parents. You must have to keep a regular check on your toddler’s behavior if you are planning to visit any high altitudes with them.
What is acute mountain sickness (AMS)?
In simple words, it is the effect on the human body due to the high-altitude environment. It usually shows its effect above 8000 ft (approx.) of height. This is due to low levels of oxygen in the environment at high altitudes. To compensate for this, our body increases its heartbeat rate, breathing rate, RBC production. RBCs, also known as Red blood cells, are the chief oxygen-carrying cells in our body. This process of making significant variations in the human body and adopting low oxygen, low pressure, and high-altitude environments is called acclimatization.
Some symptoms of acute mountain sickness are –
- Dizziness or light headaches
- Difficulty in sleeping
- Fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea or vomiting
- Shortness of breath
- Rapid pulse rate
Treating altitude sickness
- You should take a short break and rest.
- Do not travel to higher altitudes for at least 24 to 28 hours.
- Drink as much water as you can and keep your body hydrated.
- Do not exercise or smoke or drink alcohol.
- You can take medicine like promethazine.
- For headaches, ibuprofen or paracetamol would work.
Leh- Ladakh tour package with children
So, it all boils down to one thing that is if your child is less than 3 months old, it is not a good idea to take them to Ladakh or, for that matter, any high altitudes.
It is relatively safe for children more than a year to 18 months (approx.) of age. This will make things comparatively safe for your child and you too.
Tips for taking a Ladakh holiday package with Infants and children
- Increase the altitude slowly
IF you are exploring with your child or infant, it is necessary to ascend altitude gradually and slowly. This will provide your body with the optimum time to acclimatize.
If you traverse a long distance (high altitude) instantaneously, your body won’t get enough time to acclimatize, and you may suffer from acute mountain sickness.
2. Drink as much water as you can and keep your body hydrated
As you visit, high altitude temperatures will fall, and you and your kid will feel chilly. Then you and your kids might not desire to drink water; this will lead to mountain sickness as your body will not acclimatize itself.
3. Remember to protect kids from cold.
Make sure to carry inners, thermals, and an adequate amount of woollen clothes when you visit Ladakh.
This step is really important because things will get very nasty if anyone in your group catches a cold. As there are not many medical and health care facilities available in Ladakh, your trip will become your worst nightmare and may even get cancelled due to a common cold.
4. Keep a close track of the weather.
Weather on particular days in remote areas like Ladakh is very harsh; you must do your research to find that particular “bad weather” day and avoid trips to high altitudes on these days.
Don’t forget to keep your kids warm.
5. Pay very close attention and be vigilant about your child’s physical conditions.
If you observe your kid’s changed behavior, like crying too much or having difficulty in breathing or wheezing, please immediately descend and get the medical aid as fast as you could.
This could be a symptom of mountain sickness. At last, if you bear the above points in mind, your trip will be smooth and entertaining. For any other suggestions on the Ladakh honeymoon package, drop your questions down in the comments section.
