The Ghost of the Himalayas. A creature near mythical in legend, an absolute icon in the world of large felines. Many have travelled the to middle of the mighty Himalayas to track this cat down, even if only for a small glimpse of it. It will leave clues behind reminding you that it is in fact real. A neat set of tracks in fresh snowfall. A recently used territorially-marked rock where it sprayed fresh scent for other cats to find. The alarm call of blue sheep in the distance. A recently eaten carcass wedged into a rocky crevasse within the mountainside.
These are all clues left behind, signs of a cat that does exist. But only those who go beyond and dedicate hours of every day to the quest, the task at hand. Scour every corner, look at every detail, use spotting scopes, trackers, follow up on rumours. These are the ones who will get to lay eyes on the grey ghost. Well, maybe…
Every nature lover should see the snow leopard in their lifetime. Even though the description above fits this cat perfectly, we’ve had tremendous success on our Snow Leopard expeditions, with 11 great sightings over the past two tours. How, you might wonder? How is this possible, and would the same come true for you, should you join one of my tours.
Great question!
It’s all about location, and the team on your side. That’s the key!
The team I use is incredibly experienced. I mean, they really are the best of the best! We use a tracking team of at least six spotters at a time, and they are out pretty much all hours of the day looking for cats during the tour. They will start early every morning, well before you’ve had your first cup of steaming coffee. They head out to various points across the area, and set up their spotting scopes. Now, it’s important to understand that not all spotting scopes are made equal. When you are studying every detail that comes into view, you need quality and clarity. Our team is equipped with only the best, as they all use high-end Swarovski scopes that allow them to look for cats at great distances, not missing a single detail, movement, or cat-shaped object. These trackers are so good, that I’ve seen them track down a snow leopard by following the footprints it left behind in the snow, using a spotting scope! Yes, that’s crazy! The majority of us could not track down a cat like this if you were right up on the tracks, and these guys do it from a kilometer away, through a spotting scope Our tracking team is at the core of our success. Their passion, dedication, and sense of duty, this is what allows us to enjoy near-daily sightings of the cats.
So, you now see and understand the importance of a great tracking team. They really are the most important part of this experience, no doubt about that. We have the best and most experienced trackers looking for cats, and this puts massive odds on your side!
Another key factor is location. We use a part of Hemis National Park that consistently produces sightings of these magnificent cats. The habitat is perfect and very well-suited for snow leopards. There’s a high density of prey species, specifically blue sheep, their favourite. The terrain also really suits them. There are great hunting spots, goo for ambush and opportunities to stalk up close to prey. There are also many great spots to raise their cubs, good den sites protected from the elements and hidden from the eyes of potential danger.
Importantly, there are not many villages or settlements. Conflict between humans and snow leopards is all too common and often does not bode well for the cats. Where we operate, the cats are not persecuted and live in relative harmony with the small villages.
Our lodge is also located in prime snow leopard habitat, a very important aspect to consider.
So, coupled with the best tracking team, and one of the very best location to track and watch snow leopards, you know you are on the right track for a successful experience.
Why do we visit in the heart of winter, you might ask?
For snow leopard viewing, it’s by far the best time of year. When there’s a lot of snow, the mountains will be covered, with the most snow found right at the top. When there’s deep snowfall at the top of the mountains, animals like blue sheep move lower down towards the valleys where they find it easier to access food not hidden by the snow. As you can imagine, the cats will follow the food. This is where our timing works out real well. We visit in winter because it brings the cats down lower and closer to us. It’s also easier to spot them when they are out in the white snow.
During the warmer months, it’s almost impossible to spot a snow leopard on the mountainside. They are the same color as the sand and rocks, and spotting them becomes very tough, even for an experienced team.
So considering this, you can understand how visiting in winter when snow is at a high, is the best time of year for these special animals.
Our expedition itinerary
It’s good to understand the itinerary in more detail.
We start off in Leh, a large city with a rich history. Leh was for centuries an important stopover on trade routes along the Indus Valley between Tibet, Kashmir, India and China. Many events date back as far as 1300 years ago, and likely even more. Some of the temples you’ll get to see during your visit are 1200 years old! That’s simply incredible, hard to fathom and fully understand.
We spend 2 nights in Leh for good reason. First and foremost, it’s to get used to being at altitude. Leh sits at 3500 meters above sea level, about 11,500 feet. It’s important for us to start out here at an easy pace, allowing your body to adjust. But, Leh is also an amazing city to explore, especially given the history I just mentioned above. We visit some monastaries, temples, markets and more. It gives you insight into the culture and the lives of the people who live here. It’s not a touristic time of year, so the city operates at a slower pace than usual. This is great, allowing you the chance to see it during the “off season”.
After 2 nights in Leh, we hit the road and leave for our lodge, the Snow Leopard Camp. It’s less than 2 hours away from Leh, but you’ll truly find yourself in the middle of pure wilderness! The camp is just perfect. It’s hard to find real luxury in Ladakh. The majority of other operators and camps offer very basic accommodations and services. Not the Snow Leopard Lodge. They offer the finest experience possible, considering how challenging the location is. Beautiful rooms, great food, wonderful staff and service, well-prepared meals, warm showers and warm rooms, 24-hour electricity, and much more. You might take these for granted when travelling to other destinations, but let me assure you, pretty much all of the items I mentioned here, are rarely seen & offered luxuries in these remote regions.
When you travel to destinations that are as remote as this, you really do want some luxuries at camp. You spend a great deal of time out in the elements while looking for and photographing snow leopards. The very last thing you want to do, is have a hard time when you get back to the lodge. It genuinely is a problem with the majority of operations in the region, and its the reason we use the more expensive Snow Leopard Camp. In addition to this, it is also of the highest importance to have access to their experiences tracking team and quality vehicle fleet for transfer purposes.
I genuinely love meeting the people of the land. On so many safaris and expeditions, it’s all about the wildlife, which is great, don’t get me wrong. It’s why we travel so far and wide, right? But in addition to the wildlife you’ll see and experience here in the Himalayas, you’ll also get to interact with the people who live here.
I remember an amazing experience we had earlier in 2024. We found 2 snow leopards resting on the side of a rocky ledge. They were sleeping and we were very close to a village. We decided to visit as our lodge had an ongoing project there, helping them to protect their livestock by creating stronger sleeping pens for the animals, where snow leopards can’t access at night. While looking at the structure that was built for the farmer, I noticed a pretty young girl. She was the daughter of the farmer. She lived in Leh, but was visiting as she had time off from the university. She was dressed in normal clothes but I could not help but think how amazing she’d look in traditional clothing. I asked if she would wear some of her traditional wear for a few photos, and with a big smile she said yes! What followed was a series of authentic photos of a Ladhaki girl at home, and happy to be photographed. I love that! I am not a big fan of images that are too staged and manufactured, as is the case in many images involving people and culture. This “shoot” came about in a very natural way, and the guests just loved the experience!
The people living in these remote locations are tough, yet incredibly inviting. You have to be tough to live here, it’s not easy. The terrain is harsh, the conditions are challenging. In summer you live in a hot desert, and in winter the very same desert is white and freezing. But again, it’s how friendly everyone is towards us that just blows me away, so humble and inviting. We often share tea and biscuits with locals, as they invite us into their homes to show us around, and to show us hospitality. It’s beautiful to see and something you’ll never forget! Not only do you connect with the animals of the and, but you also get to share in moments with the people who call the Himalayas home!
Yes, the Snow Leopards are the highlight, make no mistake. But, with that said, you’ll end up enjoying the people here just as much, if not more.
As you can see, this experience to the Himalayas is about more than just the wildlife. The goal at the end of the day, is to track down and find the grey ghost of the mountains, the Snow Leopard. But at the very same time, you’ll find yourself completely enthralled by the people, the culture, the history and so much more. This is more than just a normal safari or expedition. It’s a journey where you discover more about yourself, a journey that awakens the senses and the wanderlust to travel and explore.
I know you won’t regret joining me on this adventure. It’s one for the books, it’s one to remember!
