Snow Leopard Expedition - Grey Ghosts Of Spiti Valley

Spiti valley of Himachal Pradesh which literally translates to an abode of snow is located in trans-Himalayan ranges, the outermost range of the Himalayas. Spiti is a place frozen in space and time with vast valleys, glaciers, interesting geological features and towering trans-Himalayan peaks.

World’s most elusive cats, the Snow Leopards or the Grey Ghosts of the mountains, have found a safe heaven in Spiti where residents are protecting it and have learned to live with it. The elusive and rarely sighted snow leopard is now frequently being spotted in snow-bound Spiti valley of Himachal Pradesh. What will delight wildlife lovers even more is the tendency of the endangered species to be seen in pairs, and sometimes along with their cubs. The success rate of snow leopard sightings in Spiti is over 50% which is the highest in the world. Elsewhere, wildlife lovers spend years searching for this elusive animal. The extreme environmental events like avalanches, snowstorms, landslides, and rock falls are common at this part of Himachal Pradesh state. The Snow Leopards has adapted their body to survive under such extreme climatic conditions.

WWE has designed this expedition exclusively for Wildlife Photographers and Wildlife Enthusiasts who want to explore the high altitude realm of Spiti valley in winter for experiencing and photographing rare wildlife species. Due to the small group size, beginners as well as serious photographers benefit through our personalized guidance to photography details. Non photographers interested in exploring wildlife of Winter Spiti are also welcome.

Winters in Spiti are the best time to sight the most sought after Himalayan species, the Snow Leopard. Snow leopard being on top of the list, the region is also a great place for many other Himalayan wildlife which normally can be sighted during the winters. Himalayan Blue Sheep commonly known as Bharal, Asiatic Ibex, Red Fox, Tibetan Wolf, Himalayan Lynx, Pika, Tibetan Wild Ass, Tibetal Woolly Hare are among a few which also roams in these terrains. Among the avian species Lammergeier or the Bearded Vulture, Golden Eagle, European Goldfinches, common Rose Finches, Tibetan Snowcock are on top of the list.

 Day 1: Snow Leopard Photography Expedition begins on Day 1 from Chandigarh in the morning. Arrive early at Chandigarh. On arrival you will have to get to the pre-decided meeting point where we will be greeted by our representative. Thereafter we drive to our destination of the day Rampur/Matiana, via Shimla. The drive would take approximately 8 hours with lunch and tea breaks. Rampur has an average elevation of 4500 feet and is a perfect stop to acclimatize with altitude and cold, before we head to Spiti valley.

 Day 2: We start early around 7:30am after breakfast and drive towards Tabo which is at 10,500 feet. Today we enter the region of the Trans-Himalayas. You will experience a change in topography and landscape from forested belt to rocky and barren mountains and also a major change in the temperature. We will halt for lunch and tea on the way. Driving along the Satluj and Spiti rivers, we enter Tabo. Our stay will be at a homestay today.

 Day 3: We will do some sightseeing today. After a traditional morning breakfast, we head out to visit the oldest Monastery of the valley and one of the oldest in the country ‘TaboChos-Khor Monastery’. After a brief visit, we also explore the famous meditation caves in the village. Thereafter we drive to Kaza, the largest township and commercial centre of Spiti. On the way we might step out to take photographs of the beautiful trans-Himalayan landscape. After spending some time at Kaza, we head to our Snow Leopard sighting destination Chicham located at 14,000 feet. This will be our base for the next 6 nights. Lunch on the way or after we arrive at Chicham. Meanwhile our trackers/spotters would have started tracking the Snow Leopard today, so we have high chances of spotting the Grey Ghost of the mountains early tomorrow.

 Day 4: Today is the D-Day! In the early hours, our trackers/spotters will head out to various spots to search and track ‘The Ghost Cat’. Our trackers are well trained locals equipped with walky-talky to communicate among themselves. This highly increases the chances of sightings and also helps keep track on their movements from one location to the other. Once the Snow Leopard is sighted, our team at the base will be informed, on which we head out with our guide and porters to the spot to meet up with our trackers who would help us set up our positions along with our camera gears to get amazing shots of the elusive and rarely sighted cat. Note that we might have to walk uphill or downhill or to a different location based on the movement of the Snow leopard. Our trackers and porters will be always with us for any assistance. Packed lunch will be served at the sight. Evening will be spent in leisure discussing what we captured and planning for the next day.

 Day 5, 6, 7 & 8: Pretty much same as Day 4. The entire day would be spent for Snow Leopard sighting. If we are lucky in getting good images on the first 2 days we can think of targeting and moving to a different spot to photograph other species like the Red Fox, Tibetan Wolf or the Himalayan Lynx. Asiatic Ibex and Blue Sheep can be sighted at the same spot where Snow Leopards can be seen as they are the primary prey for the cats.

 Day 9: Early in the morning, after breakfast, we start for descend and transfer to Rampur. The drive would be long and would take approximately 10 hours. The early we start the better for us. Lunch on the way.

 Day 10: Early morning, after breakfast, departure from Rampur to Chandigarh. Our expedition ends at Chandigarh around 2pm and we catch our respective flights to reach home.

Please note: Please book your flights keeping in mind the trip start time on Day 1 and end time on Day 10. In case you have to stay an extra day at Chandigarh before or after the trip, the hotel booking has to be made by you.

To register for this photography tour you may send us your query/information through the ‘Contact Us’ tab or directly write to us at info@wildwondersexpeditions.com. We will revert soon with further details and the mode of payment. You may also give us a call at the below numbers.

+91 9874847774 / +91 7439705797