Snow Leopard Expedition – 15 Days/14 Nights – March 2026

A Scheduled Trip to India

Highlights

The Mountain Kingdom of the Snow Leopard
In the Himalayas, our safari will take place on the otherworldly Ladakh Plateau, and we will focus our efforts on the Snow Leopard, Pallas Cat and the Siberian Lynx. With some luck, we’ll also see other Himalayan specialities like the Tibetan Wolf, Blue Sheep, Ladakh Urial, Red Fox, Mountain Weasel, and Large-eared Pika.

Scheduled group tour from
February 17, 2026 - March 3, 2026

Starting from
USD 8,740
per person sharing

Duration
15 days / 14 nights

Transport
Fly-in Safari

Accommodation
Hotel or Lodge

Exploring
Hanle, Hemis National Park, Ladakh, Leh, Rumbak

About this Safari

THE HIGH HIMALAYAS – INDIA’S INCREDIBLE WILDLIFE

We fly from Delhi to Leh, the ancient capital of the Ladakhi Kingdom, situated at a height of 3,500 m 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 set off eastward toward the village of Hanle, which serves as the base for exploring the marshlands and the expansive Tibetan plateau within the Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary. The rugged rocky outcrops here offer ideal vantage points for spotting one of the world’s smallest wild cats, the elusive Pallas’s cat, along with a wide variety of bird and mammal species that inhabit this area.

Later, we drive to Hemis National Park in our quest for the Snow Leopard. Since Snow Leopards are generally found at elevations between 3 350 and 4,500 m, 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 innate training to detect the minutest evidence, such as pugmarks, scrapes, and scats, to track this elusive cat are unmatched. While we search for the cat, we will also explore these mountains for other unique mammals found here, including 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 our time in 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, a two-hour 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.

SANGEETA SAHAYA

Snow Leopards, Tigers, Red Pandas & More

You’ve heard that old adage “Once Bitten Twice Shy?” Well, that’s not our motto at all.

Anytime we get bitten (by the wildlife bug) that only makes us Twice As Curious, and ever more eager to explore our natural world.

This is the spirit in which we have designed this unique 3-pronged safari that will hopefully bring us into proximity with several of the most elusive animals of the Indian sub-continent.

Section 1: The Mountain Kingdom of the Snow Leopard In the Himalayas, our safari will take place on the other-worldly Ladakh Plateau, and we will focus our efforts on the Snow Leopard, Pallas Cat and the Siberian Lynx. With some luck, we’ll also see other Himalayan specialties like the Tibetan Wolf, Blue Sheep, Ladakh Urial, Red Fox, Mountain Weasel, and Large-eared Pika.

Section 2: The Jungle Kingdom of the Bengal Tiger In the dappled jungles of Central India, we’ll shift our focus onto the Royal Bengal Tiger, whilst also keeping a sharp eye out for the Sloth Bear, Indian Wild Dogs (dholes) and Leopards, Jungle Cat, Golden Jackal, Striped Hyena all manner of herbivores, including the majestic (and enormous) Indian Gaur.

Section 3: The Misty Mountains of the Red Panda & Sipping Tea in Darjeeling The last wildlife leg of this epic trip will take us on a Red Panda quest to the eastern part of the great Himalayan Range, where in addition to this unique Aluridae, we also hope to see yellow-throated marten, Blood Pheasant, Kalij Pheasant, Satyr Tragopan, and on clear days, four of the world’s five highest peaks, including Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and Kangchenjunga. This trip has been designed in such a way that you can join us for any of Sections 1, 2 and 3 – or do the whole trifecta, if you have the time. Each leg has been priced separately.

I can’t wait to go on this one myself! Join me if you can. – Sangeeta

Dates: February 17 to March 03, 2026
Price: The 15-day Snow Leopard Expedition on a twin-sharing room basis costs USD 8740 per person.

Request for the Full Itinerary

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