Snow Leopard Trail in Ladakh- 2019 - Track the elusive Snow Leopard in its natural habitat - The Wanderers

Snow Leopard Trail in Ladakh- 2019
  Track the elusive Snow Leopard in its natural habitat
                                           10 Nights 11 days

In February 2017, we successfully lead our first snow leopard trip Click to read the blog in Ladakh.
Since then every winter, we have 3 trips that go in search of this elusive cat in the high reaches of the
Himalayas in snow bound Ladakh in the months of Jan, Feb and March.

Live the life of a documentary filmmaker or an ace wildlife photographer, as you track the elusive
Snow Leopard in 2 separate habitats: the village of Ulley whose surrounding mountains & valleys full
of Ibex (snow leopard prey) serve as a habitat with regular sightings & the world famous Hemis High
Altitude national park. You will have to brave the fierce Ladakhi winter over eleven days and seek out
this endangered species.

Hemis reserve is situated at an altitude range of 3,900 M - 6201m and hosts an incredible range of
wildlife and is truly the Snow Leopard Capital of the World. Other endangered species that can be
found here are Tibetan Ibex (Capra sibirica), Bharal or Blue Sheep (Pseudois nayaur), Wolf (Canis
Lupus chanco), Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes), yellow-throated marten and the Pallas's Cat.

We will spend most of the time exploring known wildlife trails around around Ulley village and in
Hozing & Tarbung valleys near Rumbak, which are major Snow Leopard habitats. Day walks will take
us to well-known haunts of the Snow Leopard. We will also witness plenty of Snow Leopard
pugmarks, scrapes and scat around this area. Ibex and Ladakh Urial can also be spotted around Ulley.
A spotting scope and a good pair of binoculars is recommended to scan the slopes in and around the

                 The movement of the cat defines your itinerary. You walk as the cat walks. You rest
                as the cat rests. All you have to do is keep looking.

camp. In Ulley village which has all of 6 houses spread over a large valley, we will stay with one family
in their basic accommodation.

The Hozing Valley area is a very interesting spot with good potential for spotting the snow leopard.
The valley offers good winter grazing for Blue Sheep, one of the favourite prey species for our cat.
Additionally, spring waters run through here almost all winter, while other stream waters elsewhere
freeze up. Both, Hozing and Uley valley provide the snow leopard with perfect camouflage with its
rocky, stark jagged mountains, which is a great advantage to its ambush style of hunting its prey. All in
all…this area is perhaps one of the best places for our audience with the Himalayan ghost.

Highlights of the tour
       Track the elusive snowleopard in the Hemis high altitude national park.
       You will be accompanied by an expert Snow Leopard guide and a veteran team of camp staff
        who will give regular updates on the last sighting of the cat
       Unique stays - Homestay in Uley for 3 nights, camping out in the snow for 3 nights in Hozing
        Nallah and the balance 4 nights in a centrally heated hotel in Leh.
       Small group tour of maximum 10 participants.

                 The movement of the cat defines your itinerary. You walk as the cat walks. You rest
                as the cat rests. All you have to do is keep looking.

Schedule
Day 1:
A spectacular early morning 1hr flight from Delhi, across the high mountains of Ladakh bring you to
Leh!
You will be met on arrival at the Kushok Bakula Rimpoche terminal in Leh and transferred to the
centrally heated hotel which is a 15 min drive from the airport. On arrival, welcome tea is served prior
to check in followed by a full day at rest to acclimatize to the high altitudes of Ladakh (3500m) (It is
suggested to arrive in the morning, so you have full day to acclimatize).
Evening: We can take walk down to Leh Bazaar for a feel around the market area.
Overnight at the hotel in Leh.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner.

Day 2:
Leh – Acclimatization rest.
After breakfast at around 11:00 hrs, please gather at the hotel lobby for a small tour briefing and
interaction session with our Trek Guide. We will inspect and get acquainted with the equipment and
personal gear that will be used during the trek.
Later we can take a short walk towards Shanti stupa and Leh market area. You can do some
necessary shopping / purchasing of essentials, if required, for the trek in the local bazaar.
in the evening, gather in the conference hall to enjoy a short Documentary on Snow leopard to know
how your next few days will be.
Overnight at the hotel in Leh.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner.

                Snow Leopards can take down a prey three times their own size. They feast on
               different types of wildlife. Alpine ibex, local goat, deer, bharal, boar, and horses.

Day 3:
Leh – Indus Valley tour
Today we shall proceed for a full day tour of Indus Valley monasteries, which includes visit to Thiksey
Monastery, Shey Palace and the 71ft Stok Buddha statue in Stok village. During the tour, guests will
enjoy a cup of Local tea at a family house in stok village. Back to Leh and the rest of the days is free to
explore the surroundings.
Thiksey Monastery: Resembling the Potala palace in Lhasa, this mini Potala is a 12-storeyed
monastery is built atop a hill and structured in a unique hierarchical manner, where the top of the hill
has the monastery and the official residence of the chief lama (Khanpo Rinpoche) while the foot of
the hill has living quarters. It is also famous for its 49ft tall statue of Maitreya Buddha in the lotus
position, rising up to two floors of the monastery.
Shey Palace : The former summer capital of Namgyal Dynasty of Ladakh, who abandoned in mid 19th
century and move to Leh Palace. Shey has an impressive 39ft tall Shakyamuni Buddha Statue made of
Gold and copper.
Overnight at the hotel in Leh.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner.

                 Snow Leopards can take down a prey three times their own size. They feast on
                different types of wildlife. Alpine ibex, local goat, deer, bharal, boar, and horses.

Day 4 to Day 6:
Leh - Uley
After an early breakfast, we drive to Uley village which is 60km west of Leh. We will pass the beautiful
villages of Nimoo and Basgo. There are many scenic photo opportunities en-route and we will take
quick stops at a few like the confluence of Indus & Zanskar rivers, Basgo Castle point etc.

The uphill 2hr journey from Likir to Ulley on a narrow snow bound road is truly exciting (Video) and if
you are lucky you can see small herds of Urials grazing in the snow covered slopes of the hills. Birdlife

We shall arrive at the tiny village of Uley by noon, Uley is located at around 13300ft (4055m).
The mountains of Uley village and nearby Saspotse village area an important habitat area for Snow
Leopard. Uley homestay will be our base for the next few days while we go on short hikes around the
village every day to track the Snow leopard.
Overnight for 3 nights in a comfortable Homestay in Uley village.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

Day 7 to Day 9:
Camping at Hozing Nallah
After an early breakfast, we leave for Hemis National Park – another habitat of the snow leopard. We
drive down towards Likir and along the main highway onto Spituk from where we drive across Indus
into Zingchen valley. From Zingchen, we will hike up the valley for 2-3 hrs to Hozing close to Rumbak.
The next 3 days will be spent in and around the Hozing nallah trying to catch a glimpse of the Snow
Leopard. There will be no fixed itinerary and our days will be decided by our expert wildlife guide and

                    The Snow Leopard does not roar. This is due to the physiology of their throat,
                   which does not allow them to make a roaring sound. Instead they make a non-
                  threatening sound, a ‘chuff’, which is a puffing sound.

spotters - this is to maximise the chances of sighting a Snow Leopard. Our days will be spent searching
for the snow leopard and other animals, which inhabit this beautiful area. The extreme cold of winter
forces the Snow Leopard and other animals down from the high altitude ridgelines they normally
inhabit, into the pasture lands.
Since most of the time will be spent away from our campsite in order to maximize our time looking
for the snow leopard, hot lunches will be brought to us in the field, or packed lunches given to us in
our day sacks. Dinners however, will be laid back – leisurely - affairs in our mess tent, accompanied by
stimulating conversations.
(Overnight will be in tented camps.)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

Day 10:
Zingchen - Leh.
Hopefully by this time we should have spotted the lovely cat, if not then before we trek down to
Zingchen, we can get our search again for the last time to catch a sight of the elusive cat before we
depart. We will begin walking towards Zingchen Village and drive back to Leh and check in to your
hotel. This afternoon is at leisure for you to relax or you can go out and visit Leh market to pick up
some souvenirs for your friends back home.
Overnight at the hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

                    The Snow Leopard does not roar. This is due to the physiology of their throat,
                   which does not allow them to make a roaring sound. Instead they make a non-
                  threatening sound, a ‘chuff’, which is a puffing sound.

Day 11:
Fly Leh – Delhi
It’s time to bid adieu to your friends and to the land of snow leopard as you will be transferred to the
KBR Airport to board flight for Delhi.
Meals: Breakfast.

Departure Dates
2019: 11-21 January, 8-18 February, 8-18 March

Tour Cost
 Room sharing          DBL/TWIN        TRPL
 Cost Per Person        75,000        72,000

* Single occupancy can be given only in Leh (in hotel) and in Hozing Nallah (in-tent) and is
subject to minimum group strength and availability of rooms. It cannot be given Ulley village
due to limited room inventory at the homestay. At Ulley, it is on shared basis with 2 twin/
triple sharing.

                    Being slow eaters, Snow leopards typically take 3-4 days to consume a single
                   prey.

What’s included?
     Accommodation:
      − 4 nights in Leh in Hotel Singee Palace (Premium rooms in the new wing / fully centrally
          heated).
      − 3 Nights in Ulley Village in a family run Homestay with simple clean rooms with local Dry
          pit toilets situated outside the main house.
      − 3 nights camping in A-shape tents with comfortable mattresses, separate mess tent with
          table & stools, kitchen tent and toilet tents (long drop). (Members have to bring their
          own feather filled sleeping bags for minus temperature).
     Meals:
      − Daily breakfast and dinner in Leh.
      − All meals while trekking (lunch during day treks/sighting days will be either box packed or
          hot prepared), boiled water will be provided for drinking during Uley & Hosing stay.
     Transport:
      − Airport transfer in Leh with assistance
      − Leh local sightseeing on Day 3 by using non ac vehicles (Xylo etc)
      − Day 1 and Day 2 there will be no vehicle service other than the airport transfer / Free
          Days for rest, acclimatisation and purchasing
      − For all transfers to Uley and Zingchen we shall use 01 non ac Tempo Traveller
      − Horses / ponies for carrying photographers luggage and camping equipment for Hosing
          trek
     Entry fees:
      − District Wildlife Entrance & Permit fee for the required days for Snow Leopard Tour in
          Rumbak valley
      − Camping fees and monastery entrances
     Guides:
      − A local snow leopard trek guide during the trek and a guide for one day sightseeing in Leh.
      − Services of a good cook and helpers for the trek
     Basic First aid kit with one backup oxygen cylinder

What’s not included?
     Air travel to and from Leh (please book well in advance to avail of moderate airfares)
     Expenses of a personal nature like lunches in Leh, dining in a restaurant, beverages & soft
      drinks etc.
     Tipping of trek guides / cook / helpers / pony men / drivers
     Personal gear/clothing for the cold weather (eg. sleeping bags, parka, winter trekking shoes)
     Personal accidental / life and medical insurance.
     Medical or any other emergency evacuation costs.
     Camera batteries or any other props.
     Mineral or packaged drinking water/at the camp we shall provide boiled water for drinking
      purpose
     GST 5%

                 Being slow eaters, Snow leopards typically take 3-4 days to consume a single
                prey.

Optional Experiences
   Half day Excursion to Khardongla pass : Rs.3500/- per car
    Khardungla Pass - the highest motorable pass in the world - is at an altitude of 5,359 meters and
    is 39.7 km from Leh. Journey from Leh to Khardungla is a 3 hours’ drive up on a winding road. The
    army maintains this road throughout the day. The pass cuts through the mountain peak and so it
    offers amazing view of Leh and mountains surrounding the valley.

Optional Add-ons
   Day trip to frozen Pangong Lake : Rs.9500/- per car (will depend on prevailing snow condition on
    Changla pass) + INR 9900 per room (approx. for additional night in Leh)
    During winter the lake freezes completely, despite being saline water and it’s a sight not to be
    missed. Pangong Tso is a five-hour drive from Leh, most of it on a rough and dramatic mountain
    road.
   Full Day Excursion to Alchi & Likir Monastery: Rs. 4000/- per car

Suggested Flight Details
Ex Mumbai (tentative cost as on (10 October 2018) – INR 20,000 per person)
 Jet Airways 9W – 339                   Mumbai Delhi                03:00              05:05
 Jet Airways 9W – 635                   Delhi      Leh              06:40              08:05
 Jet Airways 9W – 640                   Leh        Delhi            08:40              10:25
 Jet Airways 9W – 352                   Delhi      Mumbai           13:00              15:20

Ex Delhi (tentative cost as on (01 March 2017) – INR 10,000 per person)
 Go Air G8 – 710                          Delhi      Leh             07:25             08:55
 GoAir G8 – 205                           Leh        Delhi           11:25             12:55

Weather Info
The winter in Ladakh is frigid in nature. From January to March the days are likely to be sunny but
there will be a biting chill in the air. Early mornings, evenings and night times stay extremely cold.
Daytime temperatures in Leh, and on trek, will be between –20°C to +6°C. Night-time temperature
can drop from -10°C to -25°C.

Note
We reserve the right to amend the rates/itinerary. Rates are subject to change due to increase in park
fees, government levies, etc.
Portable Genset: There won’t be any electricity at the camping site, we will carry a portable Honda
genset which will be used for 2hrs every night.
High altitude Sickness: This trip is conducted in High Altitude, hence comes with the inherent dangers
of Altitude sickness. For a better understanding of AMS, please read the following:
http://leh.gov.in/tourist/highaltitude.pdf

                   Being slow eaters, Snow leopards typically take 3-4 days to consume a single
                  prey.

Personal items to be brought on tour-
− Spotting scope (this is a MUST equipment): Ideally angular as you would mostly be looking up the
     mountain but that too is really based on luck. Good pre purchase read:
     http://www.opticsden.com/best-spotting-scope/
− ID proof for entrance in reserved national parks
− Down jacket feather filled: Goretex/ similar
− Windproof lowers
− personal torch / head held
− ankle length trek shoes
− woollen socks
− woollen cap & mufflers
− personal feather filled sleeping bags
− knee length insulated gaiters with hook and strap component
− binocular & Sun glares (we recommend Polycarbonate impact resistant, optically precise lenses –
     with lightweight frame preferably with a Thermogrip rubber on nose pads and inside temples for
     a secure fit – should be UV400 rated)
− Sun block creams / lotions with SPF 50+
− thermal inner wears
− insulated gloves (inner and outer)
− Personal portable flask to store boiled water for drinking etc.
− Camera, chargers, adequate battery backup, lens cleaners, power banks, solar batteries
− 50 litre rusksack and a 10 litre day pack.
Health Requirements-
You need to be extremely fit and medically sound to take up this trip. It is advisable to get a complete
check-up done. Check with your doctor on the Altitude sickness – is taking Diamox suggested with
your current medical condition. Prescriptions and medication you are currently taking and will it or
will it not affect your climbing and hiking to high altitudes.
Tipping- It is suggested to tip the helpers and guides as per the below-
          Guide: Rs.700 - Rs.1500 per day
          Cook: Rs.500-Rs.1000 per day
          Helper: Rs.300-Rs.600 per day
          Poney men for Hosing trek: Rs.200 per day
          Vehicle driver: Rs.200-Rs.400 per day
Child policy- This trip is not advisable for children below 18years due to the extreme weather
conditions.
Mobile connectivity: There will be no mobile connectivity at Ulley and Hozing nallah

Payment and Cancellation
Payment terms-
A booking deposit of 20% of the tour cost per person will be required at the time of booking to block
the services for you.
The balance will be payable 50 days prior to the departure.
Cancellation Terms-
50 days or more prior to the departure: Forfeiture of the booking deposit (20% per person cost)
49 days or less or no show - 100% cancellation
Payment options-

                   Being slow eaters, Snow leopards typically take 3-4 days to consume a single
                  prey.

1. Online transfer on our bank account :
   Account name: Wanderers Leisure travels pvt ltd. (Type-Current account)
    YES Bank Ltd, Bandra Branch, A/c No. 013486700000070, IFSC code : YESB0000134
    HDFC Bank, Chembur Branch, A/C No. 00132560000275, IFSC code: HDFC0000013
    Standard Chartered Bank, Unique Center Branch, Bandra (West), A/C No. 238-0-503263-5, IFSC
       code: SCBL0036057
2. Online Payment (we can raise a link for you to pay online with your credit/debit card, you will also
   have an option to pay in EMI)
3. We can send our representative to collect the Cheque/DD from your place.

For more information about the trek, check out the blog on Snow Leopard tracking by Abhik Dutta
(Director – The Wanderers) - http://www.thewanderers.travel/blog/index.php/the-ghost-of-the-
himalayas/

Have any queries about the tour, don’t hesitate to contact us at info@thewanderers.co.in or 022-
26488784/785.

                   Being slow eaters, Snow leopards typically take 3-4 days to consume a single
                  prey.