Wintertime Quest for the Snow… (trip)
Wintertime Quest for the Snow Leopard in Ladakh, India
- Delhi, India
- Active & Adventure
| from £3,715* per room | 16 Days | October-February |
| Boutique accommodations | Exertion level: 4 | |
| Operator: Karma Quest | 15 people max | |
KarmaQuest’s award winning trip “Wintertime Quest for the Snow Leopard in Ladakh” soared to new heights in last year with a dramatic snow leopard sighting. On this Outside Magazine Trip of a Lifetime, the group of eight members, led by Dr. Jackson, observed a snow leopard on a kill for more than an hour and got some greatphotographs.
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Locations visited/nearby
India, Asia, Ladakh
Special information
- This is a custom departure, meaning this trip is offered on dates that you arrange privately with the provider. Additionally, you need to form your own private group for this trip. The itinerary and price here is just a sample. Contact the provider for detailed pricing, minimum group size, and scheduling information. For most providers, the larger the group you are traveling with, the lower the per-person cost will be.
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive in Delhi,transfer to hotel
Day 2 Fly to Leh
(11,500 ft), explore Leh and acclimatize: A trip briefing, and welcome dinner with the Snow Leopard Conservancy staff. Hotel accommodations.
Day 3 Full day at your leisure to explore Leh Market:
Leh is full of small lanes with hidden treasures – take the time to explore, or rest up as you are still acclimatizing to the elevation. Overnight in the hotel.
Day 4 Walking Tour of Leh:
A guided walking tour of Leh Palace, Victory Peak, the old quarter, LEDeG gift shop and offices (a local conservation organization). Hotel accommodations.
Day 5 Leh to Phey, Trek to Camp:
Leh to Phey, trek to camp. Hike along the Indus River gorge, a dramatic entry to Hemis National Park. Camp at wildlife study camp, 12,400’.
Day 6 Wildlife Viewing:
A full day of tracking snow leopard and its wildlife prey. Hemis National Park is home to blue sheep, argali (a large horned sheep), numerous mountain and migratory birds, as well as an occasional Tibetan wolf. You are likely to see sign of snow leopard as winter is the time that they descend to lower elevations. Camp.
Day 7 Wildlife Viewing:
Spend another day with Dr. Jackson and trained naturalists on the look-out for snow leopard and its prey. The views of this stark landscape, the sky pierced by upward tilted strata and – on snow-free days -- the ground adorned with hardy alpine plants, provides constant fascination. Camp.
Days 8 to 13: Wildlife Viewing, Visit Villages and Homestays:
Trek to nearby sites where snow leopard may have been sighted recently. Visit neighboring villages, and experience a home-stay. Homestay hosts have been trained in hospitality and are members of a community conservation effort to conserve the endangered snow leopard. Spend one night in a traditional home and otherwise camp. Village elevation: 13,500’
Day 14: Trek to Zingchen, and Return to Leh:
Free time to explore Leh and do some souvenir shopping for handicrafts. Hotel accommodations.
Day 15: Leh to Delhi:
Early morning transfer to airport for flight to Delhi. Arrive in Delhi transfer to hotel. Rest or explore your own in Delhi.
Day 16: Extra day in case of flight cancellation:
Due to mountain weather conditions, flights to and from Leh are occasionally cancelled. For this reason, we have built one extra day into the trip. If the Leh-Delhi flight is cancelled, this day will be spent in Leh. If the flight goes as planned, this day will be spent in Delhi on your own. Overnight in a hotel. Transfer to airport for homeward flight.
More information from Karma Quest:
- View trip on provider's website
www.karmaquests.com/winterquest2010.htm… - Company profile, experience, and history
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