Compare Snow Leopards—Snow Mountains Fundraising Trek by Hidden Places Travel
Compare details and see what other travelers are saying.
| Trip |
5 | Excellent
|
| Duration | 17 days |
| Price From | $ 3,560 |
| Price Per Day | $ 209 |
| Highlights |
|
| Trip Style | Group tour |
| Lodging Level | Basic |
| Physical Level |
|
| Travel Themes |
|
| Countries Visited | |
| Cities and Attractions |
|
| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included |
| Activities |
|
| Meals Included | N/A |
| Description |
Our 17-day snow leopard adventure begins in New Delhi, from where we travel by train and road to the beautiful hill station of Munsiari, in Uttarakhand state. From here, we set off on an astonishing twelve-day trek, traversing the land of the snow leopard against a backdrop of awe inspiring Himalayan mountains including Nanda Devi East, Nanda Kot and Panchachuli. We walk in the company of shepherds and yak herders, learning about their way of life in this remote corner of the world, and their relationship — at times fraught — with the magnificent big cats known as ‘ghosts of mist.’ With luck, they help us spot one of these elusive creatures. Although snow leopards are usually solitary animals, with a range of about 40 square miles each, in some of the valleys we trek through as many as three have been seen together. So our chances are good! We also sight Himalayan Thar, a goat-antelope cross, and Bharal, the Himalayan blue sheep, both preyed on by the snow leopard, as well as an array of mountain birds, including griffons and lammergeyers. |
Day 1
We meet in Delhi and take the night train (sleeper) to Kathgodam.
Day 2
A long drive through a beautiful landscape to the hill station of Munsiari. 2300 m.
Day 3
A free day to rest and acclimate to the altitude. 2300 m.
Day 4
After a 14 km jeep ride, we meet our porters for a warm up trek to our first campsite. 4 km, 1976 m.
Day 5
We ascend the locally named ‘stairway to heaven’ to a ridge at 2,796 m. Have cameras ready for breath-taking views of the river valley and griffons and lammergeyers flying way below us. From here we descend a forested slope towards the spectacular Gori River gorge. 17 km, 2450 m.
Day 6
A steady upwards trek through the gorge, above the steeply cascading Gori River, then onto a wide valley to our campsite. 15 km, 3388 m
Day 7
A day to rest or take acclimatization walks in the valley. 3388 m.
Day 8
A gradual ascent through splendidly coloured birch and sorbus forests, towards the high mountains of Nanda Devi and Nand Kot. We camp on a wide gentle alpine meadow. From here onwards, the sighting of Bharal sheep is common. They are the staple prey of the snow leopard – so keep a sharp lookout! 10 km, 4225 m.
Day 9
A short trek, keeping an eye out for signs of snow leopards. We arrive at one of the most beautiful shepherds’ camps in the area, with spectacular views of Nanda Devi East and Nanda Kot. This also serves as the base camp for climbing expeditions to these high mountains. 4 km, 4225 m.
Day 10
A relaxing day as we spend two nights at this spectacular camp. We have time to do a circuit trek or set camera traps, etc.
Day 11
A long but gentle descent to a village where we camp for the night. 14 km, 3360 m.
Day 12
A short trek, giving us time to take in the stunning landscape and interact with people in the village where we camp for the night. 7 km, 3600 m.
Day 13
A challenging trek, over a high pass, but with huge rewards: breath-taking views of a host of snow capped mountains including four over 7,000 meters high. 12 km, over a 4666 m pass. Camping at 3438 m.
Day 14
A day of changing landscapes: along grassy ridges, through thick oak and maple forests, and across two rivers by simple bridges to reach an impressive rock overhang, the traditional camp ground of shepherds and our stop for the night. 20km, 3000 m.
Day 15
We traverse the eastern slopes of a valley to a summer village and cross splendid alpine meadows. Oaks give way to fir trees and vegetation such as sorbus and cotoneaster as we make our descent to the last permanently inhabited village of this valley. 18 km, 3648 m.
Day 16
A relatively short trek to reach the road head, where we say farewell to our porters. A jeep takes us to our final homestay near Munsiari, for a celebration of amazing adventure and its crucial purpose! 8 km, 2300 m.
Day 17
Say farewell to Munsiari and drive to Kathgodam. (10 hrs)
Board the night train (sleeper) for Delhi.
Day 18
Arrive in Delhi early in the morning. End of trip.
