India - Snow Leopards of Himalayas
15-26 February, 2027
12 days
Searching for snow leopards in Indian Himalayas
Level of experience - medium

5000 EUR

Snow leopard - legendary ghost of Himalayas


Snow leopard is the legendary big cat, famous for being very hard to find, observe and photograph.
In the winter time, snow leopards go down the slopes of Himalayas, following their prey - mountain goats. This is the perfect time of the year to observe them here. We will visit Ulley valley in Ladakh - the most famous place in the world where snow leopards can be spotted. We will spend a couple of days for high altitude acclimatisation and then start searching for the snow leopards, moving around Ulley valley mostly by car, and sometimes by feet. With the help of local spotters and powerful optics - telescopes and binos - we will spend a whole week searching for snow leopard and other wildlife of Himalayas. We will also visit local cultural heritage sites - ancient monasteries, temples and other places, but will be keeping strong focus on searching for the snow leopards.
Itinerary
15-26 February, 2027
Day 1
Our trip will begin with a pick-up at Leh Airport (direct flight from Delhi). Your guide and driver will meet you there and transfer you to your hotel for rest and altitude acclimatization.
Day 2
Today we will drive through Leh and see the famous ancient monasteries of the Indian Himalayas, get acquainted with the local culture and traditions.
Day 3
Today we'll travel to the Ulley Valley, where the main part of our tour will take place. The drive will take 3-4 hours. Along the way, we'll admire the mountain views and begin our search for animals. Upon arrival, we'll check into the lodge and rest before beginning the main part of our tour — searching for snow leopard.
Day 4-10
We'll spend these days in the Ulley Valley searching for snow leopards. We'll gather information from the local snow leopard spotters and travel by car and on foot through the valley in search of snow leopards.
It's important to note that we don't guarantee a 100% chance of encountering animals. However, we've selected the optimal season, experienced guides and spotters, and a suitable trip length for our trip. All of this increases our chances of encountering a snow leopard.
Day 11
The return journey from Ulley to Leh. Looking for animals along the way.
Day 12
Today we fly from Leh to Delhi, after which you can fly home or continue your journey through India with us - after all, we are going to Tadoba National Park to look for tigers.
Dates: 15 - 26 Feb, 2027
Price: 5000 EUR per person / double occ
  • Included:
    • Transfers of excursions
    • Searching for snow leopards
    • Driver and spotters
    • Accommodation in comfortable lodges
    • All meals
  • Not included:
    • Flights
    • Insurance
    • Visa
    • Personal clothes and gear
Additional information
  • The Himalayas can be quite cold and windy, so be prepared.
    Pack list:

    • Windproof and waterproof jacket and pants. Ski suits are also suitable.
    • Fleece pants and a sweatshirt.
    • Thermal underwear
    • Hat
    • Warm gloves.
    • Footwear. Good trekking boots with warm trekking socks are ideal. They will also come in handy during our walks through the forests and swamps of the island.
    • Trail backpack
    • Polarized sunglasses
    • Seat cushion (foam)
    • Sunscreen

    What else is useful to bring on the trip?
    • Camera
    • Binoculars
    • Weather conditions

    Daytime temperatures are around -5°C to +5°C
  • How to get here?
    Our journey begins at Leh Airport. Indigo Airlines operates direct flights to Leh from Delhi. We recommend allowing plenty of time for your layover in Delhi, ideally resting and staying overnight at an airport hotel.

    Important!

    The Ulley Valley is located at an altitude of 4,000 meters above sea level. This altitude can be difficult for some people. We will spend the first few days acclimating to the altitude. We recommend consulting a doctor before traveling.
Want to see more? Join us for our tiger trip to central India, which perfectly combines with this one!
India is the wild cat capital of the world! It's home to five species of big cats (Africa has only two) and 10 species of small cats. If you'd like to spend more time spotting wild cats, you can join us on a tiger watching tour, which begins right after the snow leopard trip.
It's easy to book with us!
  • Contact us
    E-mail to info@whale-expeditions.com, or fill the application form below
  • We will call you back
    Or write a message. We will answer all your questions, explain all the details and discuss your personal wishes
  • Deposit payment
    When you are ready to book the trip, we would ask you to pay the deposit, usually it's 50% of the price. You can pay the rest later, the last payment day is 60 days before expedition starts.
  • Done!
    You got your space on the trip, it's time to buy the plane tickets!
Your journey starts here!
Just give us some info and we'll contact you shortly.
Contacts
info@whale-expeditions.com
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