India’s Incredible Wildlife: From the High Himalayas to Tiger Territory with Sangeeta

A Scheduled Trip to India

Highlights

This epic adventure will take us from the icy domain of the high Himalayas to the lush Tiger reserves of Central India in search of India’s incredibly diverse wildlife. The predators we hope to see include tigers, leopards, snow leopards, Tibetan wolves, Indian wild dogs, sloth bears, red foxes, lynx and the smallest feline found in the country—the rusty‑spotted cat. Other notable species could include gaur, blue sheep, Ladakh urial, Siberian ibex and a wide array of birds. While the tour focuses on wildlife, we will also visit some of Ladakh's Buddhist monasteries and ancient bazaars.

We will also visit some villages around the reserves and interact with the locals to understand how people have coexisted peacefully alongside wild animals for centuries.

Scheduled group tour from
February 19, 2026 - March 11, 2026

Starting from
USD 7,795
per person sharing

Duration
21 days / 20 nights

Transport
Fly-in Safari

Accommodation
Lodge or Hotel

Exploring
Hemis National Park, Leh, Pench Tiger Reserve, Rumbak, Tadoba Tiger Reserve

About this Safari

Our quest for this top predator of the Himalayas would take us to the remote Rumbak Valley in Hemis National Park, Ladakh, also referred to as the Snow Leopard capital of the world. Given the spate of sightings over the past two decades, the area around the Rumbak catchment has proved itself as one of the best places in the world to try to sight this near‑mythical creature. Since 2009, we have operated over thirty five successful tours here and can claim to have seen more cats in the area than any other operator.

We fly from Delhi to Leh ‑ the ancient capital of the Ladakhi Kingdom, situated at a height of 3500m with a stunning 16th‑century palace in the background. The drastic altitudinal gain from Delhi requires complete acclimatisation to adapt to the new height.

After acclimatising in Leh for two nights with limited activity, we drive to Hemis National Park in our quest for the Snow Leopard. Since Snow Leopards are generally found
at elevations between 3350 and 4500m, this epic adventure takes us through stunning Himalayan alpine and sub‑alpine zones with sparse vegetation and extreme temperatures. Accompanying us are expert local guides whose expertise in this terrain and their intrinsic training to look for the minutest evidence, like pugmarks, scrapes, and scats, to track this elusive cat are unmatched. While we are looking for the cat, we will probe these mountains for other unique mammals found here, which include the Tibetan Wolf, Blue Sheep, Ladakh Urial, Red Fox, Siberian Lynx, Mountain Weasel and Large‑eared Pika. Birdlife is scarce in this harsh environment. The common raptors you can expect to see soaring in the sky are the Golden Eagle, Lammergeier, and Himalayan Griffon.

After exploring Hemis National Park, we return to Leh for a two‑night stay, during which we make a day trip to Wari‑La Pass in search of Lynx and other wildlife, its two hours drive one way. Situated at 5312m, it is a high‑altitude mountain pass connecting Leh to the renowned Nubra Valley. This is a fantastic Lynx habitat.

After exploring the Himalayas, we fly next to Nagpur to start our Wildlife Safari in Central India from Tadoba Tiger Reserve. The park has emerged as one of the finest habitats to see the
Tiger in recent years and is also a excellent site for the Sloth Bear, Indian Wild Dogs and Leopards, including a bold Black Panther (melanistic). Other predators include the Jungle Cat, Golden Jackal, Striped Hyena and the highly nocturnal Honey Badger. The rich prey base comprises Spotted Deer, Sambar, Wild Boar, Nilgai, Munjtac, Chousingha four ‑ horned antelope and Gaur.

Driving across the state border to Madhya Pradesh, our next stop is the scenic Pench Tiger Reserve. Pench holds a significant place in the natural history of Central India, including Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book, which vividly describes this region’s rich fauna. The reserve provides an idyllic habitat for mammals like Sloth Bears, Leopards, Tigers, Indian Wild Dogs, and Gaurs. We will also make a night drive in the park’s buffer to look for the smallest wild feline in India – Rusty‑spotted Cat.

While looking for the tiger, you should get some birds on your checklist. Notable
species include Mottled Wood Owl, Grey headed Fish Eagle, Lesser Adjutant Stork, Painted
Spurfowl, Jungle Bush Quail, Brown Fish Owl, Orange‑headed Thrush, Greater Racket‑tailed
Drongo, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Indian Scops Owl, Crested tree Swift, Sirkeer Malkoha, Scarlet Minivet, White‑rumped Shama, Indian Nightjar and Indian Thick knee.

Request for the Full Itinerary

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