Snow leopard population might be increasing across the globe (as this elusive animal was listed as endangered in IUCN red list earlier and now listed as vulnerable) but it is still a 'once in a lifetime' kind of moment to spot the snow leopard—the apex animal
in high reaches of the Himalayas.
There are umpteen wildlife tour agencies who organize tracking and sighting events in Spiti and Ladakh, but most of them operate from big cities.
A few local companies are there.
Snow leopard expedition by Raacho Trekkers is the one that I recommend. It is a local team, and they have quite sucessful in spotting the grey ghost
over the last few years.
Pasting the itinerary and other details from thier event page:
Itinerary for photo expedition
Day 1: Chandigarh–Narkanda (altitude, 2700 m): Distance covered 175 km. Drive (on NH5) duration: 6 hours (Overnight stay at HPTDC hotel).
Day 2: Narkanda–Ralli, Kinnaur (altitude 2100 m). Distance covered 144 km. Drive time on NH5: 5–6 hours (Stay at Homestay).
Day 3: Ralli–Kibber Village (altitude, 4270 m): Drive time on NH5 and NH505: 7–8 hours. Overnight stay at a Homestay.
Day 4,5,6, and 7: Hiking and following the elusive snow leopard around Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary. Reach early for spotting places like
Rong Nala in Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary. Snow leopard tracking guides and porters will lead you to the spot. There would not be any specific routine for these 4 days reserved for spotting snow leopards, as we need to move to the spotting places as soon
as we hear about the sightings from our spotting guides.
Day 8: Kibber–Rampur Bushahr: 10 hours drive time, covering about 320 km. Stay at Nau Nabh Heritage hotel.
Day 9: Rampur Bushahr–Chandigarh Airport/ISBT
Expedition Highlights:
1. Highly experienced team of trackers, guides, and wildlife photography tour organizers.
2. All staff members are local.
3. All-inclusive trip.
5. Premium Accommodation at Hotel and Homestays with heating facilities.
6. Foldable Camping Chairs for seating while waiting for snow leopard sighting.
7. Opportunity to photograph other Himalayan wildlife like Ibex, Blue sheep, and Red foxes.
Inclusions
- Opportunity to witness the majesty of the Shen and photographing them in the wild. We have sighted snow leopards on all expeditions we have organized in the last six years.
- 2 Nights hotel accommodation (HPTDC Narkanda and Nau Nabh Heritage hotel, Rampur).
- 6 Nights homestay accommodation with wood burning Tandoor/ Bukhari heaters and all meals.
- Spotters / Scanners, Guide, porters for carrying camera gear.
- Walkie-talkie radios
- Monastery fees, wildlife permit fees, and Kibber village Panchayat fee.
- Hot water, tea, and snacks in homestay and at sighting spot.
- Walking pole.
- Foldable stools at spotting site.
- 4WD car for all itinerary days.
Essentials to carry along
- Two pairs of thermal base layer
- Good quality thick wool socks (2-3 pairs)
- High ankle trekking boots (Similar to Decathlon FORCLAZ 100 hiking shoes)
- Sweater and fleece for mid-layer
- Heavy down jacket for outer layer (Similar to Decathlon MT500)
- 100–400 mm zoom lenses or super telephoto (500 mm / 600 mm focal length) lenses
- Phone and camera batter chargers
- Batter backups and power banks
- Memory cards
- Good quality gloves
- Backpack (70-90 liter) for multi-days Hikes.
- A pair of trek gaiters – To prevent snow/moisture seeping inside the boot.
- Trekking Pole
- Wind-proof fleece pants / trousers – (at least 3 Trek Pants), no Jeans. Synthetic, Quick Dry fabric-based Trek Pants are ideal.
- Balaclava
- Sunglasses – They are a must for a snow hike. Carry UV rated ones.
- Water bottles – Avoid plastic drinking bottles.
- Toiletries (Sunscreen – SPF 60+, moisturizer, light towel, lip balm/chapstick, small soap, toilet paper, wet tissue)
- Headlamp/ LED Torch
- Energy bars/dry fruits. Essential for surviving the harsh winters of Kinnaur & Spiti valley.
- First-aid kit
Cancellation policy
- Full refund for all cancellations before 30 days of departure date
- 50% refund for all cancellations between 10 and 30 days before the departure date.
- 25% refund for all cancellations made 10 days before the departure date.
Key terms of expedition
- Extreme climate events and natural disasters are common in this north-eastern part of Himachal Pradesh. In case there occurs such an event, the expedition will be canceled, and we won’t be able to offer you any refund.
- You need to be in good health before starting this expedition. You’ll also need to provide proof of good health and fitness certificate on day 1 of the itinerary.
- Though we have spotted snow leopards on all previous expeditions, sighting them and capturing them in a perfect frame is still a matter of chance. Probability of sighting them gets increased whenever there is large snow precipitation. In case of such events,
we may take liberty in rescheduling fixed departure dates and itinerary plan accordingly.