Iceland vs Ladakh Ecotourism: Comparing Sustainable Travel at High Altitudes
Introduction – When Sustainability Climbs High and Dives Deep From Nordic Roots to Himalayan Heights There are moments when the silence of a place speaks louder than any word. I remember one such moment vividly: floating in the steaming waters of an Icelandic geothermal spring, my eyes tracing the horizon where volcanic rocks met dancing northern lights. And months later, a different silence greeted me—thin, crisp, reverent—as I stepped onto the sunburnt plateau of Ladakh for the first time. The contrasts were stark. The connection, however, was immediate. This column was born from that contrast. Iceland, a land sculpted by ice and fire, has become a poster child for sustainable tourism in Europe, where green energy meets sleek Scandinavian infrastructure. Ladakh, on the other hand, is less known to European travelers, but no less remarkable. Tucked between the peaks of the Indian Himalayas, its villages operate not on electricity or concrete, but on rhythm, memory, and sun. Here, I f...
