Smithsonian magazine's 22nd Annual Photo Contest | Made possible through the support of MPB.com

21st Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Travel
Nomad

A Changpa nomad watching over her livestock. I took this picture during a road trip in southern Ladakh, India, in May, when the snow had started to melt and the grass had started to grow, allowing the nomads to graze their animals. The Changpa are a community of high altitude pastoral nomads living in the Changthang region, a part of the Tibetan plateau that extends into southeastern Ladakh. The Changpa raise yak, sheep and goats and shift their location with season depending on the availability of grass and water. The famous pashmina wool is obtained from a special breed of goats known as ChangRa, meaning the goat of the Changpas.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 05.2023
Date Uploaded: 11.2023
Photo Location: India
Camera: Canon EOS R5
Copyright: © Rajiv Bhambri