Snow Leopard Expedition

Ladakh, part of Jammu & Kashmir is home to exceptional wildlife. This diversity is a result of the unique landscape and the weather conditions in the region.

Snow Leopard – elusive and enchanting

Snow leopards have evolved to live in some of the harshest conditions on Earth. Their white-grey coat spotted with large black rosettes blends in perfectly with the steep and rocky mountains of Central Asia.

The snow leopard’s powerful build allows it to scale great steep slopes with ease. Its hind legs give the snow leopard the ability to leap six times the length of its body. A long tail provides balance and agility and also wraps around the resting snow leopard as protection from the cold.
For millennia, this magnificent cat was the king of the mountains. The mountains were rich with their prey such as blue sheep, Argali wild sheep, ibex, marmots, pikas and hares. Snow leopards are found in 12 countries—including China, Bhutan, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russia, and Mongolia—but their population is dropping; there are estimated to be less than 7000 of them left in the wild.

Wildlife in the Upper Himalayas

For such an arid area, Ladakh has a great diversity of birds – a total of 225 species have been recorded. Many species of finches, robins, redstarts and the hoopoe are common in summer. Resident water-birds include the Brahminy duck and the bar-headed goose. The black-necked crane, a rare species found scattered in the Tibetan plateau, is also found in parts of Ladakh. The lammergeyer and the golden eagle are common raptors here.

Key wildlife to look for on this winter experience:
Mammals: Snow Leopard, Eurasian Lynx, Pallas Cat, Himalayan Wolf, Himalayan Fox, Ibex, Ladakh Uriel, Blue Sheep, Weasel, Marmot and the Woolly Hare.

Birds: Golden Eagle, Lammergeier, Yellow-billed Chough, Red-billed Chough, Eurasian Magpie, Himalayan Snowcock, Chukar Partridge, White-capped Redstart, Horned Lark, Alpine Accentor, Robin Accentor and Ibisbill.