Day 1: Arrive Delhi - Leh

Arrival at Delhi Airport in the early hours of the morning. Be received by our representatives and transferred to a nearby hotel to freshen up. You will be briefed here and handed over the documents and your tickets. After light snacks you leave for the Airport to catch your flight to Leh. Remember to have your cameras handy for the flight. Arrive at Leh and be met by our representative. Transfer to hotel and check in. After brunch and a briefing of the tour, the remainder of the day is free for your leisure. Overnight stay at Leh. 

Day 2: Leh

After breakfast, the morning is free for your leisure. In the afternoon we take a tour of Leh, visiting the bazaars and the shops. Standing above the town, dominating the landscape stands the 16^th century, eight storeyed magnificent Leh Palace.  In the evening the members of the Snow Leopard Conservancy Trust will give a presentation of their work. Overnight stay at Leh.

Day 3: Leh

After breakfast we visit the Thiksey and Shey monasteries nearby. Shey monastery, once the summer capital of the Kings of Ladakh is about 10 miles from Leh. Later we visit Thiksey, about 12 miles from Leh, for its Ladakhi architecture. Later return to Leh. Overnight stay at Leh.

Day 4: Leh - Latho –Spituk - Rumbak (Camping)

After breakfast we drive to Spituk via Latho. We arrive at Spituk and leave our vehicles. Your beautiful trek begins now, along the river and through deep gorges. Arrive at the camp site. After lunch go for a short walk to familiarise yourself of the environment. After dinner retire to your tents for the night.

Day 5 – 10: Camping & Home stays

For the next 7 days, you will trek into the surrounding valleys to search for the snow leopard - a few hours first to acclimatise, before stopping to set up the viewing scopes to scan the horizons. There will be periods spent stationary looking for wildlife so it is important you have warm clothes, but lunch and hot drinks are provided. 

Your daily movement will depend basically on the movement of the wildlife. Alongwith the wildlife you will also be spotting for the blue sheep, as it happens to be the main prey of the beautiful elusive cat.The binoculars and spotting scopes come handy here, as the more people spotting, the better. The movement of the wildlife may make you climb ridges, scramble and even walk on frozen streams.

You will have to get ready in the early morning hours as the sightings usually take place early in the mornings or in the late evenings. So you will have to move out after a early breakfast. Look for fresh signs of the snow Leopard along the trekking trail especially at the junctions.

Our search for the snow leopard begins now where we will be camping in the open in the surrounding valleys for these 7 days. We start by acclimatising to the weather here.

The movement of the group each day will depend very much on the movement of the wildlife and you may find yourself climbing short ridges, scrambling up ridges or crossing frozen streams. You will also keep a look out for your first blue sheep, which are the main source of prey for the elusive cats. Our guides will have spotting scopes, but it is also essential that you bring your own binoculars – and spotting scopes if you have them – as the more people looking, the better the chance of sightings.

It is important to look for fresh signs of snow leopard along the trail usually at junctions where two side valleys meet - a good place for sighting snow leopards, but always with tantalising views of the snow capped peaks in the distance. Most sightings take place early in the morning or late in the evening, so you should expect early starts at sunrise and after a quick breakfast and wash, you head out into the valleys. You can expect to explore the numerous narrow gorges in the area, which open out into wide valleys, offering spectacular mountain views in the distance, following frozen streams and waterfalls in the shade of poplar trees, along trails and valleys empty except for the occasional pack horse, taking supplies to the remote villages, or monks returning from prayer.

Depending on snow leopard sightings, there is also an optional stay at a local home, where you are welcomed overnight in family run homestay in the tiny village of Rumbak, nestled deep in the mountain valleys. This offers a wonderful chance for you to spend time with the families who live in the region and understand a little of their culture and the challenges they face in today’s modern India.

After a tour of the village, visiting the prayer wheel and local monastery, with plenty of stops for yak butter-tea and homemade biscuits (and the occasional shot of rum) you settle into the small kitchen and living area as dinner is prepared. This is usually a hearty vegetarian broth with fresh flat breads cooked on the open fire, which you will be sitting around to warm yourselves as night falls outside. Your guide is very much there to act as an interpreter as your hosts will be as interested in you as you are in them and after an evening with the family, you retire to your private room – usually the largest and most comfortable in the home, specially reserved for guests. A clean mattress, bedding and thick blankets are provided, with hot water and tea provided in the morning. This is also a nice alternative from the camping, but make sure you listen out for wolves that are found in the valley below... 

Day 11: Rumbak – Spituk -Leh

In the morning after breakfast we leave for Leh. We trek back to Spituk from where we drive to Leh. Arrive and drive to hotel. Check in. Overnight stay at Leh.

Day 12: Leh - Delhi

After breakfast we leave for the Airport for our flight to Delhi. Be met by our representatives at the  Delhi Airport and transfer to the hotel. Rest of the day free. Overnight stay at Delhi.

Day 13: Delhi

Day free at your leisure. Overnight stay at Delhi.

Day 14: Delhi - Onward Destination

A day at leisure in Delhi today with the use of a day room, before being transferred to the airport for your flight home.