Trip Style - Group
Snow Leopard Experience[ Print this itinerary 
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Trek deep into the pristine valleys of Ladakh in search of the rare and magnificent Snow Leopard. This amazing 13-day adventure takes you from the ancient town of Leh into Rumbak, the scenic realm of the Snow Leopard and home to a rich variety of exotic Himalayan wildlife.
- Trip Highlights
- Detailed Itinerary
- Accommodation Gallery
- Inclusions / Exclusions
- Activity level
- Departure Dates
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- Explore Leh
- Exotic wildlife of Ladakh
- Hemis- home of the Snow Leopard
- Rumbak- world's Snow Leopard capital
- Trekking in Rumbak Valley (6 days)
- Extensive exploration of Husing Valley area
- Trek up to altitudes of 4,600 meters
- Tarbung Nala and Yurutse Pasture
Day 1 - Leh
Your Snow Leopard experience begins today at Leh. The beautiful town of Leh is situated at an altitude of 3,500 meters. It was once the capital of the ancient Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh. The town is dominated by the Leh Palace, whose architecture is similar to that of the Dalai Lama's former Tibetan residence- Potala Palace.
We spend the day getting acclimatized to the high altitude. Our tour guide will brief us about the tour in the evening.
- Meals: No Meals
- Accommodation: A Class hotel
After breakfast, we set out on a guided tour of Leh. We visit the Shey Palace, Thiksey Monastery and Hemis Monastery. The tour will give us a glimpse of Tibetan Buddhist culture, which has existed in the region for centuries.
In the evening, we shall watch an interesting documentary on Snow Leopard conservation, produced by the Snow Leopard Conservancy.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch , Dinner
- Accommodation: A Class hotel
Today we leave Leh and head for Hemis National Park (approx 1 hour drive). On reaching Zinchen Village, we trek into the gorge towards Husing Camp. Husing lies at a point in the Snow Leopard corridor that links three valleys, and the elusive leopards have often been spotted along its ridge line. This route to Husing takes about one and a half hours to traverse. We aim to arrive at the camp in time for lunch and some rest. In the evening, we will trek high up to Tarbung Nala in search of these magnificent animals.
Hemis National Park (also known as Hemis High Altitude National Park) is the largest notified protected area in India. It is also the only park in the country that lies to the north of the Himalayas. Hemis is famous for its population of Snow Leopards, especially in the Rumbak region. The wildlife here also includes the Argali (Great Tibetan Sheep), Bharal (Blue Sheep), Shapu (Ladakhi Urial), Tibetan Wolf and Eurasian Brown Bear.
The park is a good place to study Himalayan and trans-Himalayan birds of prey. The noted birds of prey here are the Golden Eagle, Lammergeier Vulture and Himalayan Griffon Vulture. The Rumbak valley presents ample birdwatching opportunities, especially for several Tibetan species that are not common in other parts of India.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Accommodation: Husing Camp at 3,700 meters
- Hike category: Grade B (moderate trek in extreme weather conditions with temperatures going down to -15 to -25 degrees Celsius)
Our tryst with Hemis continues over the next two days as well. We will be exploring the valleys around Husing Camp in our quest for the rare Snow Leopard.From this day on our trek itinerary depends on the movement of the Snow leopard and thus the itinerary has to be very flexible as we trek and camp depending on the sighting of the cat.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Accommodation: Husing Camp at 3,700 meters
- Hike category: Grade B (moderate trek in extreme weather conditions with temperatures going down to -15 to -25 degrees Celsius)
Today after breakfast, we hike for 3 hours to Rumbak Village, which is located at an altitude of 4,050 meters. Rumbak is known as the Snow Leopard capital of the world. We spend the day exploring the Rumbak Mountains.Look out for the Snow Leopard camouflaged in the white snowy mountains as well as the other interesting wildlife in the area. Our scouting trips take us as high as 4,600 meters. We also trek up towards Yurutse pasture in search of the Tibetan Argali (Great Tibetan Sheep).
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Accommodation: Local home stay
- Hike category- Grade B (Moderate trek in extreme weather conditions with temperatures going down to -15 to -25 degrees Celsius)
We continue to explore the scenic valleys of the Rumbak and Husing areas for the next few days. The mountains around Rumbak are known for their unique biodiversity. They are home to four different species of wild sheep and goats – Ibex, Blue Sheep, Ladakh Urial and Tibetan Argali. Of these, the Blue Sheep is the main prey of the area's Snow Leopard population.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch , Dinner
- Accommodation: Local home stay
- Hike category- Grade B (Moderate trek in extreme weather conditions with temperatures going down to -15 to -25 degrees Celsius)
Today we hike up the Kharlung Valley to look for snow leopards and blue sheep. We return to Husing Camp at the end of the day.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Accommodation: Husing Camp at 3,700 meters
- Hike category: Grade B (moderate trek in extreme weather conditions with temperatures going down to -15 to -25 degrees Celsius)
Today we trek down from Husing to Zinchen for about an hour and then on drive further down the of Indus river to see ancient petro clips towards Ulley village. On the way look out for Ladakh Urial endemic to this region
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Accommodation: Ulley homestay
Today has more trekking on the agenda. We leave for a trek after breakfast down to a spot where Ibex are found in large numbers in Ulley area. Either a packed or hot
lunch will be served. Post lunch drive back to Leh (Depending on snow leopard sighting)
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Accommodation: A Class hotel
Today we head for the airport to catch a flight to Delhi. Your expedition ends here,hopefully after an eventful journey.
- Meals: Breakfast
Please Note: Accommodation providers are subject to change without notice. The accommodations listed in this dossier are our preferred suppliers, but sometimes due to availability issues, we are unable to make use of the properties listed in this dossier. If we cannot use an accommodation provider as listed we will substitute another property of similar standards.
What's Included
- Accommodation and meals as indicated in the itinerary
- Ground transportation with an English speaking driver/guide
- Sightseeing as mentioned in the itinerary
- Park or reserve entry fees
- Game drives /activities as mentioned in the itinerary
- Registered Guides
- Trekking permit
- Information Kit
- Taxes
What's Excluded
- Gratuities and Tips
- Visas and Insurance
- Vaccinations
- Optional activities (if any)
- Souvenirs
- All items of personal nature
Advanced - At this level, PlanetWildlife recommends previous experience of the activity involved. These are our most challenging and advanced expeditions. They include long walks, cycling, trekking, hiking or rafting in variable weather conditions for more than ten hours a day. These trips may often be over 3 weeks in duration.
The ‘South Atlantic Odyssey’, a 31-day itinerary, is a perfect example of this trip activity level as it involves sailing for long hours in extreme weather conditions. Also, the ‘Snow Leopard Experience’ itinerary is another example which best suits this activity level. Ascents and descents are over 1000m at altitudes up to 6000m and the climate can be rigorous and challenging. Excellent physical condition and previous mountain trekking experience or appropriate preparation is essential.
Other Activity Levels
Basic - Designed for travellers who enjoy the outdoors, are in good health, and want an interesting yet relaxing wildlife experience. These trips
may involve walking, trekking, hiking, cycling, rafting or sea kayaking at a very slow pace. Certain trips involve safari drives for a maximum of
five hours a day. Most of these trips are usually a week long in duration.
The ‘Classic Yala Tour’, ‘Kenya Luxury’ and ‘Luxury in Botswana’ itineraries are the best examples of this activity level as you’ll have a relaxed
holiday. These trips are mostly about culture and sightseeing. There will be exploring on foot and safaris drives involved as well. Most travellers
will find themselves comfortable with the basic activity level trips.
Moderate - Requires a spirit of adventure and some degree of fitness, as the trip might consist of many activities or long journeys. These adventures involve walking, trekking, hiking, cycling, rafting, sea kayaking, or driving for long hours, at times for up to six to eight hours a day at a steady pace. The maximum altitude is 3000m, so it requires you to be reasonably physically fit. The trips are usually 6 to 12 days in duration.
The ‘Only Tigers’, a 11 day itinerary, is a perfect example of this activity level as it involves long journeys for up to eight hours a day and a bit of walking. Also, ‘Around Spitsbergen - Kvitøya and Beyond ’, a 10 day itinerary is another example of this trip activity level.
You should be reasonably fit because you will be travelling in extreme weather conditions.
High - Fitness is vital at this level, as the environment traversed may be remote and challenging. These rugged experiences include long walks, trekking, cycling or rafting in isolated areas through variable weather conditions for up to eight to ten hours a day. These trips are usually 13 to 19 days in duration.
The ‘Ultimate Nepal Trekker’, is a good example of this trip activity level as it involves hiking and trekking for up to eight hours a day. Maximum altitude will be 4000m and you need to be very fit in order to withstand the weather conditions. Also, ‘Kilimanjaro Trek- Rongai route’ is another example that applies to this this activity level. Good physical condition is essential and previous hill-walking experience or preparation is advisable.
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