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Search for the elusive snow leopard and attend a monastic festival with a true expert of the Himalaya
Search for the elusive snow leopard and attend a monastic festival with a true expert of the Himalaya
Snow leopards are one of the most elusive mammals in the world but in winter they descend from the High Himalaya in search of food. As they inhabit some of the most remote and mountainous regions of Central Asia, the mission to see this enigmatic cat is really more of a pilgrimage. Other rare high-altitude wildlife and isolated Himalayan Buddhist communities only add to this quest’s allure. The itinerary varies slightly by departure date to fit in the different festivals. All departures are led by specialist Himalaya trekking guide Valerie Parkinson. Valerie was born by the seaside in Blackpool, UK, and spent much of her younger days walking with her parents in the Lake District. After finishing her studies, Valerie worked in Germany and Switzerland, until 1984 when she took a break that would change her life forever. She travelled to India for a three-week trek through Kashmir and Ladakh and found her spiritual home in the High Himalaya. She has spent the rest of her life leading treks (and bike trips) in the Himalayan region and her knowledge of the local culture, religion, art and wildlife is second to none. Her enthusiasm for trekking developed into climbing. In 2008, she became the first British woman to summit the 26,781ft (8,163m) tall Mount Manaslu without the use of supplementary oxygen and she attempted Everest in 2009. Over the years, Valerie has been instrumental in setting up and running Himalayan Community Projects, which now operates through the Exodus Travels Foundation.
Ladakh in winter is very cold. From January to March, the days can be sunny but there is a chill in the air. January is the coldest month. By March, the days can be up to 7C (45F). The early mornings, evenings and nights are extremely cold. You must be prepared for temperatures well below freezing. Daytime temperatures in Leh and on trek are approximately -10C to 6C (14F to 43F). It is a very dry cold in Ladakh and we can expect sunny weather with a windchill. Nightly temperatures can be -10C to -25C (14F to -13F).
There is usually snow around from January to March. You must be adequately equipped and prepared to deal with the cold on this trip. Please read the equipment section thoroughly.
In Delhi, the weather is mild and pleasant in February with daytime temperatures up to 25C (77F), rising to 30C (86F) in March.
This trip is rated Activity Level 3 (Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings please visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us.
It is an adventurous tour and you need to be flexible in your approach. It takes place in winter when Ladakh is cut off from the rest of the world by road and temperatures drop well below freezing point. The hotel in Leh is simple but comfortable and has central heating. Out of Leh, conditions are more basic. Five nights are spent at a base camp, which consists of two-person tents, a dining tent with tables, chairs, lights and heaters, and local long-drop toilets. There is a full camp crew and cooks, who look after us. One night is spent in a Ladakhi house, which is heated with a wood-burning stove. While out spotting, we have professional wildlife spotters to guide us and one spotting scope for every five clients.
The tour is designed to maximise the chance of spotting a snow leopard and means you need to be flexible. We may need to adjust or change the itinerary at short notice should snow conditions or other adverse or local conditions deem it wise to do so.
What makes this trip challenging is the weather conditions in Ladakh at this time of year. The walking distances each day are moderate. Most of the walking is optional dependent on your enthusiasm for tracking animals each day.
Internal flights to Leh are operated throughout winter when the weather is clear. Delays and cancellations cannot be ruled out.
If you are prepared to be flexible and patient and have a spirit of adventure then this is a magnificent trip into one of the world’s best-kept secrets.
The leader for all departures is Valerie Parkinson, a woman with a real spirit for adventure and a great love for the wilderness of Ladakh.
Ved skriftlig aksept av vårt tilbud bekrefter du/dere at våre betingelser er både lest og forstått og at evt kansellerings gebyrer kan tilkomme ved en evt. avbestilling av reisen.
| sdsd TILGJENGELIGE DATOER | PRIS (1 VOKSEN) | PRIS (1 BARN) | Enkeltromstillegg | STATUS REISE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| lør, 28 feb 2026 / fre, 13 mar 2026 | NOK 45 750 | På forespørsel | NOK 7 630 | Tilgjengelige |
| TILGJENGELIGE DATOER | PRIS (1 VOKSEN) | PRIS (1 BARN) | ENKELTROMSTILLEGG | STATUS REISE | |
| lør, 28 feb 2026 / fre, 13 mar 2026 | NOK 45 750 | På forespørsel | NOK 7 630 | På forespørsel |
Vi vil komme tilbake til deg med et tilbud på den forespurte reisen/pakken I løpet av 48 timer. Alle tilbud er uforpliktende og er vanligvis gyldige i 7 dager. Vi gjør oppmerksom på at reserverte tjenester kan bli kansellert innenfor disse 7 dagene og at pris kan endres inntil en endelig bestilling er mottatt.
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