21/08/2026
The Yak, the Mountains & a Piece of Cheese 🏔️🧀
Some of the best food experiences aren’t found in restaurants. While travelling through the high mountains of Ladakh, we came across a yak grazing quietly among the rocks and meadows. A little later, we came across a small restaurant selling Yak Cheese and Milk. ❤️
Yak cheese also known as Churpi, is a traditional dairy product made by pastoral communities in Ladakh. It has been part of their food traditions for generations, particularly in high-altitude regions like Changthang and Zanskar. The cheese was nothing like the regular cheese we’re used to. It was firm, slightly chewy and crumbly, with a distinct earthy and mildly salty taste.
In Ladakh, yaks are much more than animals grazing in the mountains.
For generations, they have been an essential part of life for high-altitude communities providing milk, meat, fibre and fuel, while also helping people transport goods across some of the toughest terrain in the Himalayas. In a landscape where resources are limited and winters can be harsh, the yak has been a remarkable companion to the people who call these mountains home.