In Search of the Snow Leopard

Arrive independently to Delhi International Airport and meet your tour representative to transfer to your Aerocity hotel for your included overnight stay. After checking in, the rest of the morning will be at your leisure. In the afternoon we have arranged a half day exploration of Delhi with a city expert.

One night’s accommodation at the Lemon Tree Hotel, Aerocity, Delhi, with breakfast included.

On the morning of day 2 you will transfer back to the airport for your included flight to Leh in the Ladakh region. Upon arrival you will transfer to the beautiful Grand Dragon Hotel. Since the majority of your itinerary will see you stay at areas of very high altitude, it will be necessary to spend a couple of days here to acclimatise before we head into the Ulley Valley. Leh lies at an altitude of 11,562ft above sea level and the area is also a desert, meaning a lack of trees which also contributes to low oxygen levels. There will be no activities planned for today as it will be necessary to stay at the hotel to acclimatise. There is plenty to keep you entertained at the hotel, including 3 different eateries, a games room, wellness centre and beautiful gardens.

The following day, if you are feeling suitably acclimatised, a local sightseeing tour around Leh has been organised. This will bring you to visit the Leh Market, Shanti Stupa and a Buddhist monastery. In the evening you can enjoy your included interaction with the Snow Leopard Conservancy which will introduce you to facts about these big cats and other wildlife in the region, the landscape of the area, the people, and the challenges facing the wildlife and the work being done to protect them. In the morning it will be time to set out to find these elusive big cats for yourself!

2 nights’ accommodation at the Grand Dragon Hotel with breakfasts, lunches and dinners included.

On the morning of day 4 it will finally be time to make your way to Ulley to begin your search for the elusive snow leopard, filled with expectation and excitement. Along the way you will pass through some incredibly scenic areas and some famous sites including Gurudwara Pathar Sahib (one of the highest places in the world to have a Sikh temple), and the famous Alchi monastery. Based on the information your guide will have on recent sightings of the snow leopards around Ulley, they will take a call on whether to explore these beautiful sites and destinations now or on your way back.
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Once you are close to Alchi your driver will take a detour on to a road that is less travelled, and you should be on the lookout for wildlife from this point onwards. There will be only one or two villages that fall on this route and from this point on you will encounter very few people who travel or live in this remote wilderness. The region is home to the Tibetan Wolf, Himalayan Fox, Ibex, Ladakh Uriel, Golden Eagle and Lammergeiers, besides the magnificent snow leopard.

Depending on the number of stops made along the way (the journey is so scenic that you may wish to stop for photo opportunities at every turn on the road!), the drive to Ulley should take around 2.5 to 4 hours. Upon arrival you will check into the Snow Leopard Lodge homestay, the only dedicated wildlife lodge in Ladakh, which was initiated by the Snow Leopard Conservancy to use tourism as a conservation tool for the preservation of snow leopards and their ecosystem, by putting tourism revenue directly into the local community.

The lodge lies at an altitude of about 13,000 feet in the Ulley Village which is a hamlet of just 7 houses. During your time here you will take daily guided excursions into the valleys, mountains and hills surrounding the lodge which have gained a reputation not just for the high numbers of Snow Leopards but also as one of the best areas to see Ibex, Urial, Wolf, Red Fox, Bearded and Himalayan Griffon Vultures and Golden Eagles. Excursions will involve walking, some trekking, and sometimes guided drives to the nearby valleys. Each day your guides and local trackers will help you seek out those unforgettable experiences and we will be on a constant lookout for sightings and observations across this stark untouched landscape. Please note, although this is one of the best places in the world to spot snow leopards, sightings can never be guaranteed.

7 nights’ accommodation at the Snow Leopard Lodge Homestay with breakfast, lunches, dinners and all guided excursions included.

After your thrilling search for snow leopards and the other iconic wildlife species that reside here, there will be time for one last excursion in the morning before you make your way back to the Grand Dragon Hotel in Leh for some well-deserved relaxation. By now you will have hopefully seen all that you came to see and today will be the perfect opportunity to sit down and collate all the magical pictures you are sure to have taken.

1 night’s accommodation at the Grand Dragon Hotel with breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

On the morning of day 12 you will transfer to the airport for your included flight back to Delhi, where you will check into the Holiday Inn Premiere Aerocity hotel again for the final night of your itinerary. The rest of the day will be at your leisure, and the following morning a transfer will be provided back to the airport for your onward or homeward flights.