DAY 1 : ARRIVAL DELHI
Today you will arrive at Delhi International Airport. You will be met and greeted by our representative and transferred to your hotel near Airport. Room will be ready for immediate check in upon arrival.
DAY 2 : DELHI – LEH
Packed breakfast and early transfer to the airport to board flight for Leh
Upon Arrival at Leh Airport (11400 ft) you are met by David Sonam and transferred to Stok. Check into the Stok Palace /Chuli Bagh. The rest of the day is at leisure as here will be no activity on your day of arrival as it is medically mandated that undergo minimal exertion to enable you to acclimatize to the rarefied oxygen levels at this high altitude.
Late afternoon, you may take a stroll through the peaceful village of Stok and engage with the joyous local community.
Welcome Dinner with Ladakhi Folk Dances at the Stok Palace
DAY 3 : LEH
Spend the day exploring the town of Leh at a relaxed pace. Walk through the labyrinth of winding streets and quaint bazaars. Visit the Leh Palace and the white -domed Buddhist Shanti Stupa.
Later you will visit the Snow Leopard Conservancy, here you will meet with staff from the Snow Leopard Conservancy for a briefing on the history of snow leopard conservation in Ladakh with insight given into the current threats to snow leopards and the strategy’s adopted to combat these threats.
DAY 4 : LEH
Today after breakfast, set out for an extraordinary drive eastwards towards the Taglang La pass and the villages of Gya, Lhato and Meru. The drive is spectacular taking you away from the valley of the Indus, up a subsidiary valley, to an extraordinary area that marks the line where the Indian mainland collided with and drove under the Asian landmass. The scenery is dramatic, and you have a chance to spot wildlife including blue sheep, golden eagles and bearded vultures. You will carry a packed lunch. On the return visit there may be time to visit the Thikse monastery and receive special blessing from the monks to ensure good sightings!
DAY 5 : LEH - ULLEY
Today’s road journey of approximately three hours takes you travelling westward on the road to Kargil and Srinagar. Following the Indus River, you will pass through the small town of Nimmu – one of the most important settlements of Ladakh, where the Zanskar River meets the Indus. After a little over an hour you will head north on a road to Likir – one of Ladakh’s famous Buddhist monasteries. This is all snow leopard country. The landscape here is expansive until you turn off onto a dirt road, winding up a narrow valley, following a stream called the Ulley Chhu. Smaller valleys intersect this area and your guides will have their heads craned at all times, scanning the hillsides and skyline for any silhouettes. This is also excellent ibex country and there are few more evocative sights than a magnificently horned male ibex standing vigil on an impossibly narrow outcropping, a few thousand feet over a plunging cliff.
Ulley village, west of Leh, is an area that is only recently being developed for snow leopard viewing. But it is in the centre of three interlocking valleys that support approximately 12 snow leopards according to last census.
Check into Snow Leopard Lodge. The Lodge is located at an altitude of about 13,000 feet. With 6 – room lodge, simply furnished with 3 bathrooms and dining and sitting rooms looking out over the valley and the surrounding hills. The setup is basic but has comfortable beds, toilets and washing facilities.
Accommodation: Snow Leopard Lodge
DAY 6 – 9 : | ULLEY
You will be based in Ulley over five nights and the advantage of Ulley is that it is relatively free of tourism and from here you will explore three valleys, which, apart from snow leopards, are great for finding Urial, Ibex, Wolf, Fox and an array of birds that survive the harsh winter landscape. Over the days you will have the opportunity to venture into the area on foot and by 4WD vehicle, with David and his team of expert trackers. They will interact closely with the local people and use their network of local intelligence to narrow down the likely sites. In the process, there will also be plenty of opportunity for you to gain insight into the region’s folklore, customs and traditions.
DAY 10 : ULLEY - LEH
This morning drive back to Leh (60kms/37mi – 3 hrs) via the 11th century Alchi Monastry, one of the two oldest monatries in Ladakh.
The wooden sculptures, stucco images and Indo-Tibetian art are exclusive, and the style is not to be found in any other monastery in Ladakh. After your visit you will continue onwards to Leh.
Check into Hotel Grand Dragon
DAY 11 : LEH - DELHI
This morning, we say goodbye to David Sonam and board our flight to Delhi for connecting international flight.
