Snow Leopard. Travelers and scientists have spent months or even years searching the high Himalayas for the Grey Ghost without catching so much as a glimpse of this famously elusive predator.
In recent years, a team of Ladhaki trackers and wildlife biologists have found a region in the rugged Himalayas of northwestern India that has a high density of the big cat, or Shan as it is known in the local language. These deep valleys are populated with high densities of Blue Sheep, the Snow Leopard’s favored prey. Indeed, a week spent within the steep Rumbak valley and surrounding area at the proper time of year now offers a reasonably high chance of an encounter with Snow Leopard.
Our upcoming Snow Leopard tour is carefully timed to be at the very best time of year for spotting one of these majestic cats and we have good chances at success. By camping for several nights within the home range of several of the big cats, we dramatically increase our odds of a sighting.
On a previous Rockjumper Wildlife Tour to this area, our group led by Adam Riley had the ultimate thrill when they became the first group ever to witness a successful Snow Leopard hunt and captured the first images of a kill. You can read all about it on Adam’s blog post.
In addition to the clear focus of the trip, we can expect to encounter a good variety of other wildlife in this remote and stark region. Good possibilities include Blue Sheep, Mountain Weasel, Red Fox, Large-eared Pika, Ibisbill and Lammergeir. With luck and diligent scanning we can dream of seeing Wolf, Eurasian Lynx and Argali. The Ladhaki hospitality and culture are another highlight of the trip, while the scenery is beyond breathtaking.
