In Search of the Elusive Snow Leopard

A winter trip meets the elements head-on in the stunning and apparently bleak landscape of the Trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh. But within these high valleys created by folds of the Great Himalaya is perhaps the highest density of the most elusive of the great cats - the snow leopard. The very name evokes all that is most wild, mysterious and elusive in nature - for this is an animal that comes cloaked not just in the subtle beauty of its own coat but also in all the high drama of the harsh and magnificent environment that it dominates. The Ladakh region is a high altitude cold desert and for the snow leopard to survive it has a prey base of bharal (blue sheep), ibex and marmots. Wolves, foxes and wild dogs are other predators in the same area.

An attractive contrast also lies between these stone-hard mountain people and the gentle and compassionate Buddhism that they practice. You will have time to visit some of their great monasteries as well as their picturesque villages. Small settlements of Tibetan farmers and their livestock occupy isolated villages on the valley floors.

Day 1: Delhi

Upon your arrival in bustling Delhi, you will be warmly welcomed by our representatives who will assist you through the customs / immigration and baggage collection process. Afterwards, you will be chauffeured to your hotel, the Trident Gurgaon.

Luxury and convenience converge at the award-winning Trident Gurgaon. Set amongst 7 acres of landscaped gardens, walkways, courtyards, reflection pools and fountains, the hotel is located in the central business district of Gurgaon, a part of the New Delhi National Capital Region.

You will overnight at the Trident Gurgaon in a Superior Room on a bed and breakfast basis.

Day 2: Delhi / Leh

Upon arrival at Leh Airport you will be met and transferred to your hotel.

You have the rest of the day at leisure to acclimatize to the high altitude and rarefied air. Leh is at 11400 feet and the flight up from the plains means that you have to acclimatize gently without pushing yourself.

You will spend 2 ½ days here as it is the minimum required before heading up to even higher altitude. At some point over the next few days in Leh, you will meet with staff from the Snow Leopard Conservancy for a briefing on the history of snow leopard conservation in Ladakh with insight given into the current threats to snow leopards and the strategy’s adopted to combat these threats.

Located in the heart of the ancient city of Leh, The Grand Dragon Ladakh is amongst the first luxury hotels in Ladakh. The hotel is decorated magnificently with handmade paintings by Gulam Mustafa (First modern Artist of Ladakh) around every corner, and fixtures that are reminiscent of royalty. The hotel is also centrally heated and solar powered, not only ensuring warmth but also ensuring that all the services are eco-friendly.

You will spend three nights at the Grand Dragon in a Deluxe Room with ensuite facilities, including all meals.

Day 3: Leh– An Introductory Tour

Leh is a fascinating labyrinth of winding streets and quaint bazaars retaining much of its atmosphere of a Central Asian trading town. The main street is open and airy, with rows of shops on either side. Leh is very Tibetan; the national dress, 'stove-pipe' hats and felt boots with turned-up toes are much in evidence. The Royal Palace, which dominates the town, is very reminiscent of the Potala in Lhasa and Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, large chortens, prayer flags and mud brick houses with flat roofs are a dramatic culture change from the hot, teeming frenetic rush of Delhi. This morning you will visit the Snow Leopard Conservancy; here you will see the efforts made by the authority with the help of the local community to conserve the endanger snow leopard.

In the afternoon we visit the Thiksey monastery. Thiksey Gompa is the most picturesquely situated monastery in Ladakh, perched high on a hill above the Indus. Its buildings are arranged at various levels, leading up to the private apartments of the incarnate lamas on the summit. From here one commands a magnificent view of the valley. The gompa possesses a rich and beautiful collection of hundreds of hand-written or painted prayer books. A new temple contains a 15-meter tall Buddha statue, constructed in 1970 to commemorate a visit to Thiksey by the Dalai Lama. The statue, made of clay and covered with gold paint, is the largest Buddha figure in Ladakh and took four years to construct. Inside, the statue is filled with the Kandshur and the Tandshur - volumes of Buddhist canonical texts. The statue was made entirely by local craftsmen and represents Maitreya, ("compassion" in Sanskrit) the Buddha of the Future. The prophecy made of the Future Buddha is that the world will be undergoing such chaos that He will teach compassion to the people.

Day 4: Leh – Day Tour

Today you set out for an extraordinary drive East heading towards Taglang La and the villages of Gya, Lhato and Meru. It’s a fantastic drive taking you away from the valley of the Indus up a subsidiary valley to an extraordinary area even by Ladakhi’s standards that marks the line where the Indian mainland collided with and drove under Asian land mass. There is some dramatic scenery here and you have a chance of sighting wildlife including Blue sheep, Golden eagles and Bearded vultures. Rafts of Red-billed Choughs perform synchronized aerobatics and in the fallow fields you have the chance of seeing the very beautiful Tibetan Partridge and the more common Chukor partridge.

Days 5 - 11 - Ulley

You drive west on the road to Kargil and Srinagar, generally following the Indus River. You pass through the small town of Nimmu – one of the most important in Ladakh, where the Zanskar river meets the Indus. After a little over an hour you head north on a road marked to Likir – one of Ladakh’s famous Buddhist monasteries. This is all snow leopard country. The landscape here is even bigger, more expansive and open, until you turn off onto a dirt road, winding up a narrow valley, following a stream called the Ulley Chhu. Smaller valleys intersect and the guides have their heads craned all the time, scanning the hill sides and the skyline for any silhouette. This is excellent Ibex country and there are few more evocative sights than a magnificently horned male Ibex standing vigil on some impossibly narrow outcropping, a few thousand feet over a plunging cliff.

Ulley village, west of Leh is an area that is only recently being developed for Snow Leopard watching.

You will be staying in a small family home with a Ladakhi family. The home-stay consists of 6 bedrooms, built separately from the main house with a dining room and kitchen – all in the same low stone built building. Add to this the interest of living with a Ladakhi family in the depths of winter and understanding their life-style and you have a very special experience in store - especially sharing the large and warm kitchens that are the heart of a Ladkahi home in winter and resplendent with brass, copper and silver ornaments.

From the house and its terraced fields, you have a superb view across the valley and a good chance to see Ibex. If you are lucky other wildlife including wolf, Himalayan fox and perhaps even snow leopard may be glimpsed!

You will be based here for 7 nights.

Over the next few days you explore the area on foot and SUV’s with your expert guide. You will be amazed at the sheer dedication and commitment he brings to his trade and the effort he makes to ensure that his guests leave happy. Your guide will interact closely with the local people and use the network of local intelligence to narrow down the likely sites. In the process there will also be plenty of opportunity for you to get insights into local folklore, as well as learn about local customs and traditions.

You will explore 3 valleys, which, apart from snow leopards, are great for finding urial, Ibex, wolf and Himalayan fox.

Day 12 : Ulley – Leh

This morning, after breakfast, we say our goodbyes to our hosts and drive back to Leh town. En-route we visit the Alchi monastery. Alchi Gompa is located near the small village of Saspol. It is one of the earliest monasteries built in Ladakh, dating from the 11th century. Because it was built before the invading wars began in the 15th century, Alchi was built on lowlands, rather than on a hilltop as others were, in order to protect them from marauding armies.

After the visit you carry on your journey back to Leh.

You will spend one overnight at the Grand Dragon in a Deluxe Room with ensuite facilities, including all your meals.

Day 13: Depart Leh / Delhi

Today you leave Leh beind for your flight to Delhi. Upon arrival, you will be driven to the Trident Gurgaon Hotel (close to the airport), where you can freshen up before your homeward flight.