This extraordinary expedition is for those who want a full authentic snow leopard experience deep in the Himalayas at one of the highest villages (14,500ft), known to have the best and highest percentage of sightings! This is where you might find yourself sitting next to the National Geographic film crew as we did on our last expedition. Our last expedition exceeded my expectations on every level and beyond the commercial experience in Ladakh!
Nestled in the high-altitude belts of northeast Himachal Pradesh (north India), the Spiti Valley is home to some of India’s most exotic high-altitude wildlife. The presence of prey in the form of ibex and blue sheep throughout the snow-capped rocky terrain makes Spiti home to one of India’s most iconic cats – the snow leopard; referred to with great admiration as, “The Phantom of the Himalayas”. This iconic cat’s habitat is one of the most beautiful environments in the world. In the cold winter months of December to March, these elusive cats descend to lower altitudes in search of prey, making Spiti a snow leopard hotspot for photographers and wildlife lovers alike. Surrounded by the breathtaking Himalayas landscape, we will also find the red fox, Tibetan wolves, and many birds, such as the golden eagle, lammergeier, Himalayan snowcocks, and chukars.
We aim to maximize your chances of seeing snow leopards by expanding our team of 4 scanners with three additional scanners working day in and day out with their wireless sets to help you see and photograph the grey ghost of the Himalayas. At times, you will be surprised by how close we will be to the vehicles. However, even moderate hiking at elevations between 11,000 and 14,000 feet can be taxing, so each photographer will have a personal porter/guide to assist them with their gear. These guides are some of the best I have worked with anywhere in the world.
Shivang Mehta, our photographic expedition leader, is one of India’s top wildlife photographers and the author of “A Decade With Tigers.” He specializes in big cats. He has led snow leopard expeditions to this area for over a decade.
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