Nestled in the high-altitude belts of northeast Himachal, the Spiti valley is a cold desert mountain valley and is home to some of the most exotic high-altitude wildlife of India. The presence of prey in the form of ibex and blue sheep and the snow-capped mountains and rocky terrains make Spiti home to one of India's most iconic cats - the snow leopard. In the cold winter months of December to March, these elusive cats descend to lower altitudes in search of prey and this makes Spiti a snow leopard hotspot for photographers and wildlife lovers.
In addition to the snow leopard, the area is teaming with wildlife like the red fox, Tibetan wolves, lammergeier, golden eagle, Himalayan snow cocks, chukars, and some breath-taking landscapes which are ideal for photography in day and night. With the mountains reverberating with the peaceful Buddhist chants being showered from the towering monasteries in the Key and Kibber village, the culture and people of Spiti touch your soul and the landscape does call you back every time you bid farewell to the mountain gods.
The Nature Wanderers snow leopard expedition aims to maximize your chances of snow leopards as our team of multiple scanners would be working throughout to help you see and photograph the grey ghost of the Himalayas. Living comfort becomes imperative in such harsh environments and our homestays would be fully furnished with all amenities to ensure you have a comfortable stay.
Expedition at a glance :
- 9 nights 10 days all-inclusive Chandigarh to Chandigarh
- Multiple scanners on the field for maximizing sighting probabilities
- Comfortable homestays with heating facilities and double sharing accommodation
- 24x7 vehicle support so that you can reach sighting locations on time
- Personal porters and all trekking gears would be provided
DAY BY DAY
DAY 1
Chandigarh – Rampur
Early morning pickup from Hotel Ramada Plaza, Chandigarh (Around 8AM) and drive to Rampur in Himachal Pradesh (Approx 250 km / 7-8 hrs drive). Overnight stay in Rampur.
(L, D)
DAY 2
Rampur – Kaza
Early morning check-out from hotel and drive to kaza (Approx 300 km / 8 hrs). This will be your acclimatization phase of the expedition. Overnight stay at Home Stay, Kaza.
(B, L, D)
DAY 3
Kaza – Kibber (Visit to Key Monastery)
Post breakfast visit to the key monastery, which was established in 11th century and is studded with some extraordinary paintings and artwork from that era. Drive to Kibber village in the Spiti valley. The homestay in Kibber will be our base camp for the next 5 nights at an altitude of 14,500 feet. Overnight stay in Home Stay, Kibber.
(B, L, D)
DAY 4-8
05 Nights stay in Kibber (Snow leopard expedition, wildlife and culture photography)
Our trained team of scanners and trackers armed with their wireless sets would be scanning various areas on a daily basis for snow leopards. While the team is at work you will be working with the Nature Wanderers team photographing at various locations and scouting for species like the Ibex, Red fox, Blue sheep and landscapes. As and when we receive any news of the snow leopard sightings, we would be making use of our 4x4 vehicle along with yaks to ensure that you reach the designated sighting location well on time. The treks have been made extremely comfortable for you as you would be provided with gear like walking poles, camping chairs, and tents in case you wish to rest.
(B, L, D)
DAY 9
Kibber – Rampur
Early morning departure from Kibber towards Rampur (Approx 330 km / 9 hrs drive). Arrival at Rampur by evening. Overnight stay at Rampur.
(B, L, D)
DAY 10
Rampur – Chandigarh
Early morning departure from Rampur for Chandigarh post breakfast (Approx 250 km / 7-8 hrs drive). Drop at Chandigarh airport in the evening for outbound flight.
(B only)
What will be the key take-away for me from a Nature Wanderers Snow Leopard Expedition?
A snow leopard expedition involves tremendous amount of logistical arrangements as planning a high altitude photography trip requires skill, experience and expertise. Nature Wanderers has been working in the Spiti landscape for years and along with our excellent ground team, we have the desired experience and skill sets to help you photograph the elusive grey ghost of the Himalayas. Photographing in high altitudes requires a certain skill set and the experience of your photo guide comes in handy. The hands-on field guidance and the understanding of the animal behaviour helps you to plan your images better and that becomes a major differentiator. The support of the on-ground team in such tough terrains is vital and what they can do for you cannot be expressed in words. You need to be there onsite to live the experience!
Where do I get to stay in such extreme conditions?
Your stay would be in a home stay which is fully furnished with all facilities. Room heaters, fire-place, electric blankets, dry and wet toilets and delicious food and of course a warm family and their team to host you. The home stay is also equipped with basic medical equipment’s. A 4x4 vehicle would be available all the time not only for wildlife and landscape photography purpose but also for emergency use.
What is the pre-trip preparation for this tour?
A snow leopard expedition needs a lot of pre-trip preparation. We have a long list of travel advisory which we would be sending once you register for the tour. However just to clear your basic ideas about this expedition here are some pointers:
- Physical Fitness - You need basic physical fitness for this expedition as some days may be tiring despite the services we provide in terms of vehicle and porter support. The fitter you are the better it is for you as a photographer. So just start working on your fitness before your trip just to make the experience better for yourself. Mental strength is the key. Determination can move mountains and this is just an expedition!
- Field Temperatures can vary from -10 degrees to -25 degree Celsius. However, your stays in the homestay is cozy and comfortable. How to prepare for such climates? We can send you the details once you register for the program.
- Tipping information shall also be a part of our travel advisory
- For international travellers some additional documentation would be needed for certain permits (Passport, Visa, photograph)
- Equipment - You need 600-800mm focal lengths for shooting snow leopards typically. In case you don’t have that reach you can rent out the lenses for this expedition. Tripod is a must. Shorter focal lengths and wide angles should be kept handy as well.
What is the cancellation policy in case I want to back out from a trip?
Cancellation for an event will be considered via a written mail to info@naturewanderers.com. The date of the mail would be considered for calculation of the cancellation fee.
Price per person : INR 80,000 (5% GST to be Applicable)
Please Note: Cost for Foreign Nationals - INR 85,000/- (5% GST to be Applicable)
Payment Terms:
- 30% of the registration fee would be the booking amount. This booking amount is non-refundable
- Remaining 70% of the registration fee should be paid 120 days prior to the tour date.
Inclusions:
- Chandigarh - Kibber - Chandigarh transit cost.
- Transit accommodation- 2 nights in Rampur and 1 night in homestay in Kaza.
- 6 night accommodation and meals in Kibber.
- personal porter for every person in the group.
- experienced scanners who would be scanning snow leopards and have worked with us for a decade.
- Vehicle support on field to reach the nearest sighting locations.
- camping and hiking equipment.
Exclusions:
- Camera fee & village development fee paid on actuals at the time of the visit.
- Yak can be procured on the spot and payments can be made on actuals.
- Other than oxygen or basic medical facilities which can be provided in Kibber, any medical expenses for which the client has to be taken too far off locations. The cost has to be borne by the client.
- Emergency travel due to any other personal or professional reason not listed above.
- Check-in and out timing is 11 am for all the resorts and hotels.
- It does not include any kind of alcoholic or soft beverage.
- It does not include any tips & gratuities for the driver, guides, and the resort staff.
- It does not include International Flight Travel to INDIA or Visa cost.
- Does not include International Flight Travel to INDIA or Visa cost.
- Change in the itinerary will be charged etc. once booked.
- Does not include Medical / Travel insurance
- It does not include that are not mentioned above.
- Any extra cost due to any unforeseen conditions, such as delay/cancellation of flight, natural calamity, political unrest, etc. Nature Wanderers would not be responsible for the cancellation of the tour.
Refund policy:
- 50% will be refunded if cancellation is done 90 days prior to the event. (Please note – Refund will be calculated after deducting the Non-refundable 30%)
- No refund if cancellation is done under 0-89 days.
Please note:
- Our homestay has a bukhari (a heating station in the room) and is equipped with electric blankets and room heater. The homestay has a generator but during heavy snowfall and power cuts the generator may not run for long hours so using the Bukhari is the best way to keep the room warm .
- jio network works best in Kibber nowadays. Except for scenarios when it snows heavily and there are power cuts (probably is 10%).
- A detailed travel advisory pertaining to clothing and camera equipment will be sent to you separately
- The cost includes snow leopard sightings in and around Kibber village. There are occasions when snow leopard sightings happen in villages away from Kibber (we normally target such locations depending on sighting reports). In such cases the villages charge a nominal Village Development Fee which will be collected in cash.
- Any changes in the itinerary due to act of nature (snowfall, landslides, weather) may incur additional costs which will be payable additionally
- We have 1 dry toilet and 1 wet toilet in the homestay. In a mixed gender group, we normally reserve the wet toilet for the ladies and gents use the dry toilet. Both toilets are equipped with toiletries (wipes, wet wipes, tissues, incense sticks). We are currently in the process of making a second wet toilet which hopefully will be done this year.
- You can proceed with the deposit of the fee to confirm your booking.
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