overview

Snow Leopard
The Snow Leopard, locally known as Shan, is one of the rarest large cat species found anywhere in the world. It is so difficult to see largely because of the tough and rugged terrain it is found in. It is a large cat species primarily found in the high mountain ranges of Central and South Asia and it is an endangered species as listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The Hemis National Park and Ule region in Ladakh are 2 of the finest places to see this elusive animal.

The timing of this trip is crucial because in the bitter cold months of January, February and March Blue Sheep, the primary prey of Snow Leopard, descend down to the lower valleys and the Snow Leopard too follows it prey down. The lower valleys have human inhabitants as well and livestock is also easy prey for Snow Leopard at this time. Apart from this rare animal Ladakh is also home to other lesser known species like the Red Fox, Tibetan Wolf, Eurasian Lynx, Argali (Great Tibetan Sheep), Bharal (Blue Sheep), Shapu (Ladakhi Urial), the Ibex and several others that with a bit of luck could be seen on this trip.

Spiti Valley:
The Spiti Valley is a cold desert mountain valley located high in the Himalaya mountains in the north-eastern part of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The name “Spiti” means “The Middle Land”, i.e. the land between Tibet and India. Local population follow Vajrayana Buddhism similar to that found in the nearby Tibet Autonomous Region and the Ladakh region of India. The valley and surrounding region is one of the least populated regions in India and is the gateway to the northern most reaches of the nation. Along the northern route from Manali, Himachal Pradesh or Keylong via the Rohtang Pass or Kunzum Pass respectively, the valley lies in the North East of the Indian hill state of Himachal Pradesh, and forms part of the Lahaul and Spiti district. The subdivisional headquarters (capital) is Kaza, Himachal Pradesh which is situated along the Spiti River at an elevation of about 12,500 feet (3,800 m) above mean sea level. World within world as Rudyard Kipling described it, Spiti Valley is known to be one of the most beautiful and picturesque locations in the world. In Winters valley gets cut off from the rest of the world due to thick snow coverand roat to spiti in winters is known to be among most treacherous roads in the world.Spiti’s border start at Samdo [74 km from Kaza] which is quite near to India-China border. In summer it can be reached via Manali through Rohtang pass and Kunzum pass. Manali is 201 km away from Kaza headquarter of Spiti subdivision. Due to high elevation one is likely to feel altitude sickness in Spiti. The upper reaches of the Spiti Mountains are home to the most elusive big cat in the world the snow leopard. The beautiful, regal animal, identifiable by its thick fur and long, fluffy tail lives in solitude in caves and dens for the majority of the year. Lucky for us, this endangered feline can be spotted in the Kibber National Park during winter months, when they come out of their habitats for the warmth of the sunlight.