Snow Leopard -Ghost of the Himalayas-
The Snow Leopard, Panthera Uncia is a large cat native to the mountain ranges of Central & South Asia. It is listed as endangered on the IUCN. The size of the global wild population is estimated at less than 5,000 individuals. Snow leopards inhabit alpine and sub-alpine zones at elevations from 3,000 to 4,500 m and within India, the region of Ladakh is the best place to see them. In the winter months (Jan, Feb & Mar), the weather in this area gets bitterly cold the prey of the Snow Leopard comes down to lower valleys and the Snow Leopard too follows in the quest of food. Join Reni Pani’s exclusive Popup Expedition to be one of few on our planet to have seen this rare species like the Red Fox, Tibetan Wolf, Eurasian Lynx, Argali (Great Tibetan Sheep), Bharal (Blue Sheep), Shapu (Ladakhi Urial), the Ibex and several others that with a bit of luck could be seen on this trip.
TOUR INCLUDES:
Accommodation on twin / double sharing basis
– 4 Nts in Grand Dragon Ladakh,
– 5 Nts stay in home stay in Rumbak
– 2 Nts stay in home stay in Uley
Meals as mentioned in the itinerary
Service of an expert naturalist and spotter for the group
Surface transfer as per plan
Inner liner permits(if required), monastery fees & wildlife permits for entire trip
1 still camera fee per person for entire trip
Tour Excludes
International and/or domestic flights and airport taxes
Visas
Porterage, tipping and gratuities to staff and guides
Drinks, laundry, telephones and all other personal extras
Any sightseeing not mentioned on the itinerary
Extra meals and visits quoted separately
International travel and medical insurance
Taxes
Alcoholic Beverages
Anything not mentioned above
Gratuities are discretionary. We recommend 10% for guides and drivers if you feel the service you have received is fulfilled your expectations
Gratuity, Airfare & Insurance fee
Any sudden increase in price due to steep hike in park Entry Fee, steep hike in fuel cost or due to any unforeseen circumstance like extreme climate conditions, natural calamities, riots etc.
Tour Notes:
Rates are correct at the time of sending, but in case of any increase imposed by the Government on any services included in the program; we will have the right to increase its rates accordingly.
Check-in and check-out times are per international regulations.
Above is only an offer, need your acceptance to proceed with the reservation, subject to availability.
Cost based on 6 pax travelling together
Disclaimer:
Guests must be aware that due to the climatic and altitudinal conditions in Ladakh, the schedule and itinerary may change at short notice.
Based on the sightings we may also make the schedule flexible so as to maximize chance of seeing the Snow Leopard or other wildlife that participants are expecting to see
Due to the elusive nature of almost every animal in Ladakh guests must know that we do not give any guarantee of viewing and you will need a good deal of luck to see the snow leopard apart from the obvious skills of the tracking team
Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is a common occurrence in Ladakh and we recommend to all guests to visit their general physician before signing up for this program. Medicines like Diamox can be taken for pre-relief from this condition but only after consultation with your physician. Out team will not recommend any medication or line of treatment in situations where guests are suffering from AMS. However, we will do our best in quick relief management and Ensuring that guests can reach the closest professional medical
assistance.
Temperatures can plummet to -25 C and it is recommended that guests carry suitable equipment including sleeping bags suited for sub-zero temperatures.
Guests are required to obtain a valid travel insurance which also covers adventure travel. This will be mandatory before signing up for the program.
Aly Rashid – 1 February to 12 February 2020
Wildlife and the wilderness has been a passion for Aly ever since childhood. This passion for wildlife inspired him to work with his family to set up and run Reni Pani Jungle Lodge, one of the finest wilderness camps in India. At Reni Pani Aly has been heading the naturalist team for over 7 years and in this time his passion for wildlife has been instilled in the ethos of the lodge atmosphere. A trained naturalist and ornithologist, he has travelled across the country and has been involved with wildlife in various localities. His deep involvement with Satpura since his childhood has been a motivation to protect and conserve wildlife in this landscape. Aly inspired Reni Pani’s camera trap studies in the reserve forest area outside the park that revealed breeding population of several large carnivores like leopards, wild dogs and sloth bear and also the presence of a young male tiger. His passion for research and conservation has also taken him to Panna National Park where he worked with renowned small cat expert and scientist Shekhar Kolipaka for the Caracal Research and Conservation Project in 2014. Aly is also involved in leading wildlife expeditions both within India and abroad.
Erwin D’rose 13 February to 24 February 2020
Erwin’s dedication, passion and commitment to all things wild make him one of the better naturalists in Satpura. His knack for sightings especially for big cats makes him an absolute asset to have when on safari.Before joining us at Reni Pani 2 years ago, Erwin has spent have spent 5 Years in Kanha National Park studying and understanding tiger behavior. His passion for wildlife started early in life as he grew up in Jabalpur which is the entry point to many famous national parks like Kanha and Bandhavgarh. It was his childhood dream to be a naturalist and expedition guide and now he has achieved what he dreamed about as a kid. Erwin spent considerable time in the wilderness ever since he was young, this brought him close to photography as well. His passion for photography enabled him to work with various filming teams in Kanha to make documentaries, this also helped him understand the flora and fauna of Central India better.
Fixed Departure Date:
Group 1: 1 to 12 Feb 2019; 1 to 12 Feb 2020
Group 2: 13 to 24 Feb 2019, 13 to 24 Feb 2020
Tour Program
Take the early morning flight to Leh from New Delhi. Upon arrival, transfer to the Grand Dragon Ladakh located near Leh market. Complete rest of the day is highly recommended as it eases the process of acclimatization .Also sipping hot tea while stretching your legs in the lap of Himalayas is definitely not a bad way to start your trip. Alternatively you can also choose to visit the local market in the evening for a bit of last moment shopping required for the expedition. Dinner and overnight stay in Leh.
Post breakfast departure for full day drive to Gya and Lato area close to the town of Leh for some viewing of Blue Sheep and trans-Himalayan birds like Bearded Vulture, Golden Eagles, Chukar Partridge, Tibetan Partridge, Great Rose finch and others. These areas lie in the same valley as Leh and in similar altitude giving guests a good chance of acclimatizing and seeing wildlife at the same time. We will stop and have a picnic lunch at a scenic spot in the valley. Post lunch we will make our way towards the Indus River and a walk around the river bank for some Himalayan birds like the rare Ibis bill and Solitary Snip. In the evening guests will be taken back to the hotel for dinner, overnight in Leh.
Early morning after breakfast we depart for Uley and reach by post lunch time. On route we will halt at Indus – Zanskar confluence & do short 30 minute walk on frozen river Zanskar which is a 2 hours drive from Leh.
After lunch and some rest we will depart for Uley which is one of the best places in the world to see snow leopard. On route to Uley keep a look out for Urial, Agrali, Tibetan Antelope and Wolf. Upon arrival in Uley we will reach in to a quaint home stay. Dinner and overnight stay in Uley.
After breakfast we shall explore more of Uley by walking and scanning the ridges for the Snow Leopard and Himalayan Ibes. Hot lunch will arrive depending on where we are. Late evening we will make our way back to the home stay, Dinner & overnight stay in Uley.
After breakfast we will explore Uley a little more, this will help us increase our chances of seeing the snow leopard and some other wild life in and around the area. We will make our way back to the home stay for lunch and post lunch depart to Leh. This drive will take us approximately 5 hours possibilities of seeing some wildlife on the way Overnight in Leh.
This is the part that we have been building up to. Post breakfast we make our way to the Hemis National Park. From Phey, bridge onward we start along-side Indus towards the Zingche Gorge. We continue up the Gorge and soon enough lay our eyes on the high altitude Hemis National Park the home of Snow Leopard. Keep your senses sharp and look out amidst the cliffs and at the base of rocks where they mark their turf. We spend our night in the Rumbak home stay and it is our 1st night in the stunning Hemis wilderness. Overnight at Rumbak.
Over the next 4 days we trek around Hemis National Park tracking the snow leopard and its wildlife prey. Hemis National Park is a home to blue sheep, Argali (a large horned sheep). Numerous mountain and migratory birds,as well as the occasional Tibetan Wolf, one of the most prolific hunters of the region. You are likely to see sights of Snow Leopard,as winters is the time that they descend to lower elevations. If lucky you see one perched high in the rocks or balanced on a vertical ridge. Usually we will have breakfast at the home stay and set out for the day in search for high altitude wildlife. Hot lunch will be served at the location where we are searching. After the day’s wildlife viewing we will return to our
home stay and have dinner. Overnight at Rumbak
Snow leopards naturally predate on Wild Bharal (blue sheep) or Himalayan Ibex (mountain goats) but they are also known to kill domestic animals like Yak and Zho, this is the reason both Uley and Rumbak, although village areas, are one of the best places in the world to see the otherwise extremely elusive Snow Leopard.
Today we will explore Urutse (13500ft) and Gandala pass base which is known for its Ibex, Eurasian Lynx and Tibetan Wolf. We will trek up valley scanning the mountains for snow leopards with packed lunch. Expect to reach Urutse at lunch time.
Post our arrival in Urutse we rest for a while, have lunch, scan for some wildlife on the high passes and then start making our way back to Rumbak. Overnight at Rumbak.
After an early breakfast we walk down the valley past familiar towards Zingchen, which is the entry point of Hemis National Park. This walk is mostly down-hill and we will take it slow and keep on our search for Snow Leopard and other Himalayan wildlife. As we arrive Zinchen we will have hot lunch at the entry point and the move towards Leh. After a much needed and deserved showers it is time to relax, grab a drink and enjoy the last of the gorgeous and peaceful Himalayan scenery. Farewell dinner and overnight in Leh.
After breakfast transfer to Leh airport for flight to Delhi.
Leave a Reply