Tour Destinations

Srinagar (5200 feet above sea level)

Founded in the 6th century, Srinagar is the second-largest city in the Himalayas after Kathmandu, and is well known for its traditional Kashmiri handicrafts, including peshmina and cashmere wool shawls, and other items too. Set in the Kashmir Valley, wedged between Dal Lake and Anchar Lake, one sees a landscape featuring orchards, gardens, hill forest, and wetlands. The combination makes for some great birding, and while based here for three nights we’ll visit spots like Shankaracharya Forest, several lakes, and the Hokersar Wetland. As we move through the various sites in the area, we hope to connect with birds like Scaly-bellied Woodpecker, Brown-fronted Woodpecker, Yellow-billed Blue-Magpie, Kashmir Nutcracker, Streaked & Variegated Laughingthrushes, Orange Bullfinch, Tytler’s Leaf-Warbler, Lemon-rumped Warbler, White-cheeked Nuthatch, Kashmir Nuthatch, Kashmir Flycatcher, Tibetan Blackbird, and up to 5 species of redstarts. Exploring around Dachigam National park we have a chance at seeing the Hangul, or Kashmir Stag, a critically endangered subspecies of Tarim Red Deer. With only just over 300 total individuals, this is the state animal and the big males may have antler racks with up to 16 points

Leh & the Indus Valley (11,500 - 17428 feet)

The atmospheric city of Leh is the cultural hub of Ladakh, and served as an important hub on the Himalayan branch of the Silk Road. Known for its scenic beauty, an ethereal ambience, and its access to wilderness areas, it is a fascinating place to explore and a good jumping off point for birding. Nearby are brilliant blue and green lakes, and otherworldly lunar landscapes. We’ll see the Lachen Palkar Palace and Shanti Stupa, a gorgeous Buddhist peace pagoda, and take time to see Leh's ancient Silk Route markets embedded in the heart of town. Outside of town, we plan to visit sites like Spituk Marshes, Wari La Pass (17,428 feet asl), and Thiksey Monastery. As we go we’ll keep our eyes skyward for raptors like Himalayan Buzzard, Himalayan Griffon, Bearded Vulture (a.k.a. Lammergeier), and Golden Eagle. Bubbling mountain creeks could hold Solitary Snipe or Ibisbill, and surrounding hillsides and cliffs are good for Hill Pigeon, Sulphur-bellied Warbler, Rock Bunting, and Mongolian Finch. Up high at Wari La we will keep an eye out for Eurasian Lynx, Black-headed Mountain Finch, and Mountain Weasel.

Ulley & The Snow Leopard Lodge (13,123 feet)

Ulley lies high in the Sham region, north of the Indus, firmly within Ibex and Snow Leopard country. The Snow Leopard Lodge, born from a simple homestay created by a local tracker with guidance from conservationist Rinchen Wangchuk, has become both a comfortable base and a hub for community-led conservation. Wildlife tracking is a part of daily life here, and every visit directly supports local livelihoods and the protection of Ladakh's iconic cats and mountain habitat. This will be our best chance to find the Grey Ghost, or the “Shan” as it is known locally, the Snow Leopard. We will need luck to connect with a sighting, but we will do what we can to stack the deck in our favor. Typically sightings of this most enigmatic big cat are of distant animals, often employing the use of a spotting scope. We’ll have local trackers and spotters working with us who know the animals well, and while our chances are quite good, of course, nothing is guaranteed. Luckily there is much else to see here, at this season. Often there are Tibetan Wolves around, and several sheep/goat species including Ibex, Bharal (Blue Sheep), and Urial, and for birds there are Red-billed and Yellow-billed Choughs, and Accentors that may include Alpine, Robin, and Brown, both White-throated and Brown Dipper, Tibetan Partridge, and Himalayan Snowcock.

Hanle & Vast Valleys (15,000 feet) 

The town of Hanle lies south and east of Leh (~160 miles), and is on the Hanle River, which forks off of the Indus. Hanle is a remote village of scientific and ecological importance, home to India's highest observatory and the country's first Dark Sky Reserve, and it is a hotspot for wildlife. The area is part of the Changthang Conservation Region, a high-altitude cold desert plateau, with the great lakes of Tso Moriri and Pangong Tso. These provide excellent birding. Working the areas surrounding the lakes we will hope for birds such as Tibetan Saandgrouse, Black-necked Crane, Tibetan Snowcock, Tibetan Partridge, Saker Falcon, White-winged Redstart, Hume's Lark, Tibetan Lark Mongolian Finch, and the bizarre Ground Tit. The latter is a species that confounded scientists for years, and prior to genetic work it was called a ground jay or a groundpecker, but research has shown it is indeed in the chickadee family, with perhaps the Great Tit being its closest relative. This is also a good area for the Pallas’ Cat, a.k.a. the Manul. We work with locals who study and track these animals and so we will hope that chance favors us. 

Dras & Kargil (10,000 feel, 8800 feet)

Dras is known as the Gateway to Ladakh. Kargil is the second-largest urban centre in Ladakh after Leh. With a stop in each we give ourselves time to explore the Suru Valley, a scenic area with alpine scrublands and stands of riverine willow. Dras is set amid dramatic high altitude terrain along the Dras River and is known for its stark beauty, cold climate, and opportunities for Himalayan Brown Bear tracking, among other wildlife. We’ll put in some time seeking Brown Bears, and the birding is great too. While the area is known among birders for the enigmatic and seldom-seen Long-billed Bush Warbler, we would need incredible luck to encounter that. Yet there is much else to see and we’ll set our sites on finding birds such as Gray-crowned Goldfinch, Himalayan Rubythroat, Fire-capped Tit, and Little Forktail, Mountain Chiffchaff, and White-browed Tit Warbler

Mammals 

Our best guess at the odds for target species

Estimated 60%+ chance of seeing:

* Asiatic Black Bear 

* Himalayan Brown Bear

* Himalayan Wolf 

* Himalayan Red Fox

* Pallas's Cat 

* Mountain Weasel 

* Various Pikas and Voles 

* Long-tailed Marmot 

* Himalayan Marmot 

* Woolly Hare

* Asiatic Ibex

* Ladakh Urial 

* Bharal or Blue Sheep

* Kiang/Tibetan Wild Ass  

* Tibetan Gazelle   

* Chamba Sacred Langur