Good Cat Juju
Yes, I took these photos! (Sony, RX 10) Yes, we were incredibly lucky for such an up-close sighting! No, a snow leopard trek is nothing like a safari. Yes, it’s cold. No, don’t expect great photos, unless you have good juju and a killer zoom. Yes, it’s thrilling to see these elusive, glorious creatures!
We flew from Delhi up to Leh, only a little over an hour flight. It’s flat and then the mighty Himalayan range appears for a stunningly beautiful, snowy view. The Silk Road ran through Ladakh, so this northernmost region of India is quite rich with history. Leh is predominantly Buddhist and feels more like Nepal to me than other areas of India. You will also find lots of shopping opportunities in this city while you climatize. Ladakh is considered the best place on earth to view the elusive snow leopard.
You’ll spend 3 nights acclimating to the altitude of 11,843′ in Leh. First afternoon is spent unpacking, napping and eating. Day two we went to the Matho Nagrang Monastery where said name, colorful festival was happening. It occurs every year sometime in February which is also snow leopard mating season. I recommend you ask Royal Expeditions to plan your trek around those dates so that you can attend this festival for a glimpse into local culture.
The next day we went looking for birds and blue sheep when our guides got the call about a snow leopard sighting at the Hemya Monastery so we took off in the opposite direction in search of. Clearly we found it! We sat out in the cold for almost 4 hours waiting for him/her to move which it did several times. There was a kill we couldn’t see – the snow leopard had blood on its face which confirmed the locals’ account. (And yes, these are my photos.)
We stayed at the charming, boutique Chospa Hotel in Leh which I loved. Rooms are spacious, bathroom floors are heated making for a warm experience. The manager and staff are attentive and remember you upon your return. Food is a mix of Indian and a few items like pizza and lamb burgers. Obviously eating as a vegetarian, which I am, in India is never an issue.
The drive up to Ulley in Western Lakakh is partly on a highway and then on winding, S-curve, hairpin roads, seemingly one-lane to us but two-lane roads to the locals. Yikes!
We stayed for six nights at the mid-range, Above and Beyond Homestay with shared bathrooms that did have flush toilets. The showers freeze so a bucket of hot water with pouring cup is brought to you for bathing. I mostly used Wilderness Wipes for nightly and morning cleaning. I found the bedrooms cold as the radiator barely emitted heat. I slept in thermal underwear and beds have multiple warm blankets and with hot water bottles, sleeping was comfortable. The lounge / dining room is heated by a wood stove and will be the warmest spot in the lodge. Food is basic and plentiful with different kinds of dal, rice, vegetables, Indian breads, soya dishes and chicken for non-vegetarians. There were a few pasta dishes, a pizza night and french fries for a couple of meals. One day we drove 1 1/2 hours to another valley for snow leopard sightings and our lodge crew showed up with a hot lunch! Totally unexpected and much appreciated. On our last night, the kitchen crew baked a cake with a snow leopard pug mark…without an oven. Quite impressive. Altitude at the lodge is around 13,450′ and you really feel it.
There is a strong spotter network throughout several valleys as that is a major source of income for men in the winter when farming and construction come to a halt due to the freezing temperatures. When snow leopards are spotted, the call goes out to all the guides so you will find the same people at all the sightings, including those for Tibetan wolves. One thing I did not expect was the amount of time you spend sitting and waiting around, up to 5 hours, waiting on snow leopards to move or mate. Guess what? They are as lazy as every other big cat – lions, tigers, and leopards.
Sightings are more often than not through one of your guides’ spotting scopes. Due to camouflage, sometimes the guides have to take a phone photo to show you were to spot the kitties through the scope! Yes, snow leopards are still majestic through the scope once you find them! We had 2 more snow leopard sightings – 2 siblings hanging out together and a mating pair I did not see mate. Your guide will also take a photo through the scope with your iPhone – photos might often look like this.
To manage expectations, don’t expect to get awesome photos unless you are a professional photographer with big lenses and a tripod, or have good juju. Again, we were so very lucky to see our first snow leopard as close as we did – the guesstimate was approximately 120 yards or so. We did have 3 Tibetan wolf sightings, 2 of them resulted in decent photos. The Ibex we saw were through the scope weren’t particularly photogenic although the Urial sightings (below) were close enough for decent photos – they’re beautiful! A few of the birds we saw were golden eagle, brown dipper, snow cocks, griffon vulture, lamagaer, and chukars. A snow leopard trek is different from my other wildlife experiences in India, Nepal and Africa.
Guides: Our two guides were Morup and Jigmet, both had eagle-eyes and worked very hard every day. Their day started at 6:30am scoping and communicating with the spotters around the valleys. Our drivers were Dorjay and another Jigmet who expertly navigated those crazy curvy roads in nice Toyota SUVs. They also had scopes and helped spot wildlife. Everyone helped you up and down hills – one day we climbed straight up a 300′ hill for better view of the mating pair. They know you’re there to see the elusive beauties and take great pride in making that happen if at all possible. Remember, it’s a wildlife experience and totally unpredictable. Guides and local spotters do know patterns of behavior, follow pug marks and use that knowledge to narrow down possible locations.
After leaving Ulley or the other valleys, you will spend 1 more night in Leh, hopefully at Chospa Hotel where you will enjoy a hot shower, and comfortable bed with electric heating pad!
Upon arriving back in Delhi, I had the pleasure of staying at The Leela Palace for another great shower, rest and delicious dinner before the long flight home.
Interesting Facts:
1. When a snow leopard is injured, locals call the wildlife authorities who come dart the animal, veterinarians treat it, then release back into the wild.
2. Snow leopards have huge paws that act as natural snowshoes for walking on deep snow.
3. Snow leopard tails are longer than the cat is tall. The super long, muscular tail helps with balance and keeping warm as cats use that beautiful tail as a blanket. Apparently they love carrying their tails in their mouths and biting them!
4. Snow leopards are more closely related to a tiger than a leopard.
5. Their longer hind legs help them jump up to 30 feet.
6. Snow leopards are well camouflaged and difficult to spot, hence their “ghost of the mountains” moniker.
Language: Apparently the one word you should know in Ladakh is ‘julley / jullay’ which can mean, hello, how are you, good bye, thank you, please, etc., depending upon the context. I said it frequently with a big smile. Easy! Guides, drivers, hotel staff, speak good English in Leh.
Tips:
1. Wear snow boots and not hiking boots. I took the boots I submitted Kilimanjaro in thinking that would suffice. When we walked and climbed hills, my feet were fine. Sitting around for hours, my feet were very cold.
2. Layers, layers, layers. Temperatures ranged from -5F to 30F during the day but the wind could drop the temps by 20-30 degrees in minutes.
3. Wilderness Wipes for cleaning pits & privates.
4. Small washcloth for hot water bucket bathing.
5. Tripod. Even with my point and shoot, Sony RX10, I could have used the tripod….hanging in my garage. Due to the altitude, I found it challenging to hold my breath when fully zoomed out.
6. Moisturizer – heavy duty as it’s extremely dry.
7. Sunscreen – I used a 50 and had no issues other than wind.
Royal Expeditions was founded by the Princess of Jodhpur, former Parliament member and Minister of Culture. Vishal Singh, Partner and Managing Director, helped found TOFTigers and is very involved with wildlife conservation. From tigers to snow leopards, the Royal Expeditions team knows the best places for wildlife, the best guides and can plan your wildlife experiences along with all the many cultural and iconic monuments scattered throughout this vast and fascinating country.
Snow leopard treks are for adventurous souls who want to see one of the world’s rarest cats in stunning, snowy mountain terrain…for those who enjoy unique adventures that very few people get to experience!
kiki paris / march, 2024