Track the Himalayan brown bear & snow leopard on a once-in-a-lifetime trip
Strap on your boots for a truly thrilling chase above the timberline on the trail of two of the world's most elusive and bewitching mammals: the Himalayan Brown Bear and the Snow Leopard.
Join a select group of like-minded wildlife enthusiasts and keen-eyed naturalists on a once-in-a-lifetime expedition through India's mystic rooftop of Ladakh in search of these magnificent - yet reclusive - guardians of a still-pristine environment of lonesome peaks, high, dry valleys, and specialised wildlife.
Traversing the stunning Indus Valley to heights of 4,500m (14,750ft), the tour takes more twists and turns than a Himalayan road to tempt you with not only the kings of the high frontier, such as the Golden Eagle, Ibex, Wolf, Lynx, Pallas Cat, Brown Bear, and near-mythic snow leopard, but also living traces of indigenous Buddhist culture in the form of solitary monasteries and Himalayan village life.
Eat local, wander centuries-old ruins on the world’s most hotly-contested border, and end your day’s discovery in lodge comfort. Best of all, be skillfully guided to what could be the encounter of a lifetime with an ursine giant of the slopes, and a ghost cat that evaded capture on film until 1970.
Note: we can only take a maximum of two single rooms in the accommodation we use in Drass and Ulley.
Nimmu Village - Leh - Ulley - Kargil - Hunderman - Drass Valley - Zojila Pass - Srinagar
Arrive in spectacular fashion on a scenic flight into Ladakh’s capital, Leh. After exiting the airport, you will be met by our Travel The Unknown representative who will escort you to your accommodation in Nimmu village, about 30 mins from Leh. The rest of the day is at leisure so you can start to acclimatise to (altitude approx. 3,000m).
Overnight in Nimmu House, Nimmu Village
Meal plan: Dinner
Breakfast at your hotel. At this altitude, it is vital to let your body acclimate to an expedition which will reach heights of 4,500m. Spend the day at leisure, and depending on how you are feeling, you might want to take a short walk around the scenic local village.
Overnight in Nimmu House, Nimmu Village
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
After breakfast, take an escorted tour to Leh and en-route visit a titan of local religious architecture: the Thiksey Monastery. Learn about this 15th century Buddhist monastery and then head to central Leh where you will be taken on a heritage walk through the old town, noting sites of significance, such as the Central Asian Museum.
Return to your accommodation in Nimmu village and rest for the evening in readiness for tomorrow’s start of the search for the ghost cat of the Himalaya, the beautiful and enigmatic snow leopard.
Overnight in Nimmu House, Nimmu Village
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Leave Nimmu village after breakfast on a panoramic road trip to Ulley, arriving early afternoon. Ulley is a conservation village lying in the heart of leopard country at a dizzying 4,360m (14,300ft) at the head of the Ulley Valley. Check into your lodge before reconnoitering the village, mingling with the local people, and scanning the surrounding landscape. This will be our base for the next six days, as we pursue sightings of this most alluring of big cats.
Evening back at your lodge.
Overnight in Snow Leopard Lodge , Ulley
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
The next 4 days are dedicated to tracking a big cat with an even bigger range. A typical day out in the field will commence with a 7am wake-up call and a hearty breakfast around 8.30am. Our trackers, having already done some valuable forward reconnaissance, will brief us on the most likely spots to study these ridge-prowling cats. For the more committed among you, you may accompany our trackers at sunrise on the trail to locate feline movement in this immense landscape.
Based on intel from our big cat trackers, logistics will be devised on an impromptu basis. Vehicles will be deployed, coupled with short treks to strategic vantage points to follow up on potential sightings. Hikes to these observation posts may be challenging for some. Therefore mules and porters can be arranged in advance.
Hot lunch will be served either on the trail or back at the lodge, depending wholly on conditions on the ground. In other words, if chances are high of sightings yet far from base, we dine in the mountains. If not, we return to the lodge, continuing our tracking in the afternoon.
At sundown, return to the lodge for debriefing, documentary footage with naturalists, and finally dinner.
Overnight in Snow Leopard Lodge , Ulley
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Days 5 through 8 are dedicated purely to following the elusive trail of the snow leopard on the slopes and high ridgelines of Ulley.
Begin and end your wilderness experience at your high-alititude lodge.
See day 5 for further details.
Overnight in Snow Leopard Lodge , Ulley
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Days 5 through 8 are dedicated purely to following the elusive trail of the snow leopard on the slopes and high ridgelines of Ulley.
Begin and end your wilderness experience at your high-alititude lodge.
See day 5 for further details.
Overnight in Snow Leopard Lodge , Ulley
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Days 5 through 8 are dedicated purely to following the elusive trail of the snow leopard on the slopes and high ridgelines of Ulley.
Begin and end your wilderness experience at your high-alititude lodge.
See day 5 for further details.
Overnight in Snow Leopard Lodge , Ulley
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Check out of your lodge and set off for Kargil in western Ladakh. The drive will be punctuated with frequent stops to capture some of the incredible scenery you will see on your journey. Arrive at your hotel and have the evening to relax.
Overnight in Hotel The Kargil, Kargil
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Check out of your hotel and we will make our way to the Munshi Aziz Bhat Museum. The family museum contains a fascinating collection of artifacts, relics and photos dating back to the days when Kargil stood at the crossroads of the old Silk Road in India. We will walk through the local bazaar to see from outside what is left of the old caravanserai (entry may not be permitted due to the precarious condition of the building).
Afterwards, we will visit the abandoned village of Hunderman, located in the rugged valley close to the Line of Control with Pakistan. Local people have opened a small museum in one of the homes documenting the lives of border families.
In the afternoon, we will drive approx 1.5 hours to the Drass Valley for the start of our second field project: tracking the Himalayan Brown Bear. Our destination is the first dedicated wildlife lodge in India’s snow kingdom: the Drenmo Lodge. This will be your home for the next few days as you scour this tremendous wilderness landscape for the chance to see the endangered Himalayan brown bear.
Enjoy the evening to relax and have dinner. Attend a briefing from your guide and spotter.
Overnight in Drenmo Lodge , Drass Valley
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Somewhat similar to snow leopard tracking, the next four days will be dedicated to finding and observing - from a safe distance - the signature brown bear in its Himalayan habitat. For the chance to see this giant of the slopes, wake before dawn to reach the Mushkow Valley by vehicle. Once there, follow the river on foot. Besides the very real prospect of spotting bears, on a good day you’ll see over 25 varieties of resident and migratory birds.
Back to the Drenmo for lunch. Bears venture out at either end of the day, so enjoy an afternoon’s exploration with visits to the nearby Shina villages. Aside from commingling with rural communities in the valley, the Drass also lays claim to an array of other wildlife: from Marmots to Ibex; Fox to Wolves.
Enthuse about the day's wildlife watching over dinner back at the lodge.
Overnight in Drenmo Lodge , Drass Valley
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Wake before dawn to scale the adjacent hillside for optimal vantage points of bears foraging early. The feasibility of the climb will depend in large part on snow cover. If sightings are scarce in our base valley, the neighbouring valleys of Umba La, Pandrass, Matayen, Shimsha Kharbu are great options for bear-spotting.
As evening falls, return to Drenmo to relax, dine and perhaps reflect on the day.
Overnight in Drenmo Lodge , Drass Valley
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Spend the day in the wilderness areas around the lodge, tracking more bears and exploring your natural surroundings. You can also enjoy some of the day relaxing at the lodge where there are also good chances of spotting bears.
Overnight in Drenmo Lodge , Drass Valley
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Check out of the lodge after breakfast. Embark on a sinuous, and visually arresting journey via the Zojila Pass to Srinagar. Stop at a local restaurant in Srinagar for lunch then continue to the airport for your flight back to Delhi and onward flight connection.
Alternatively, we can organise extension options in and around Srinagar. Please contact us for more information.
Meal plan: Breakfast & lunch
All accommodation subject to availability. Final accommodation choices will be confirmed after booking.
Nimmu House is a charming eco-resort nestled at 10,000 feet in the traditional village of Nimmu. It is situated 45 minutes from Leh, the capital of Ladakh, and is an excellent base to explore some of the local villages and Himalayan landscapes. The property is sustainably run with fresh produce grown on site and sourced from nearby farmers. It has also retained its Buddhist architectural heritage. It is a wonderful place to kick back and relax, whilst you reconnect with nature and recharge your batteries.
The Snow Leopard Lodge is located high in the beautiful village of Ulley in the Sham region of central Ladakh, north of the Indus River, at an altitude of about 13,000 feet. It is 2–3 hours driving distance west from Leh. The lodge consists of 8 en-suite rooms and two rooms sharing one bathroom. Please note: Because of constant freezing temperatures, there is no running water. Hot and cold water is constantly available in buckets. Toilets are western style with ‘bucket flush’. Over the past 10 years this area has gained a reputation not just for its snow leopards, but as one of the best areas to see Ibex, Urial, Wolf, Himalayan Fox, Bearded and Himalayan Griffon Vultures and Golden Eagles.
Located next to Hussaini Park and the Suru River, The Kargil offers a comfortable, modern stay. The hotel's 33 rooms and suites feature a stylish decor, en-suite bathrooms, mountain views, and all modern amenities including a free laptop rental service. Guests may enjoy buffet dining in the hotel restaurant, or spend time exploring the town or surrounding landscape, which is as beautiful as it is rugged.
Drenmo Lodge is the first ever exclusive lodge in western Ladakh dedicated to the majestic Himalayan Brown Bear. Located in the remote Holiyal village in Mushkow valley - a prime brown bear country, it is undoubtedly the best location in India for sighting this magnificent mammal. The region of Drass had been facing a serious issue of human-Himalayan brown bear conflict and locals viewed these bears as a burden. The owners' vision was to change this negative perception of the local community towards the mammal by bringing them economic benefits through tourism.
Drenmo, 'bear' in the local Purigi and Ladakhi dialect, has come a long way, and can proudly call itself the pioneers of brown bear tourism in Western Ladakh. Today, the lodge works hand in hand with a network of local community members who are engaged not only promoting tourism but also in the lodge's conservation and conflict mitigation efforts.
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Track the Himalayan brown bear & snow leopard on a once-in-a-lifetime trip
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Once in 12 years - the largest gathering of humanity on earth
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Hazel Fairall , Tribes of North East India, IndiaThanks for organising such a great trip to NE India Rahul - everything went seamlessly! We loved the fact that we could book an individual tour but still have flexibility with our itinerary once we were there, enabling us to take in the Si Donyi Festival at Daporijo and also be the first guests to stay overnight in a local village hut with our hosts in Papi, which was fantastic. Our guide was super. He had a wealth of knowledge and a great sense of humour! It’s hard to pick a highlight as the whole trip was both fascinating and at times, humbling. We’ll never forget the amazing people, scenery & culture we experienced whilst there and are glad we had the opportunity to visit such an intriguing part of the world. We would certainly consider travelling with you again in the future.
Dewi Evans , Tailormade North East IndiaI`m very pleased with the way the trip was arranged for me, it was well organised and went very well. The itinerary was just the right pace to enjoy everything without rushing too much. It was never going to be cheap for 1 person travelling alone but I thought it was very reasonably priced.
Nigel & Margaret Turner , Tailormade India Wildlife & Birding tourThis trip was very well put together and ticked all the boxes that we had requested. The accommodation throughout the tour was of a high standard and our experiences in the national parks was wonderful spotting many different animals including tigers, leopards, sloth bears, lions, jungle cat plus countless number of birds. Thank you Rahul for tailoring this trip to our requirements.
Rachel , Spirit of South India, IndiaWe went on the Spirit of South India Tour and had a great time on our honeymoon. There was a good variety of places visited and the hotels, drivers and guides were all very good. We would definitely recommend this tour.
Tracey & Gary , Tailormade IndiaI would highly recommend Travel the Unknown to anyone visiting India. The service we received both prior to, during and following our travels was always timely and excellent. We were able to customize our trip to our liking and to enjoy a wide variety of activities. The guides in every location were outstanding! Honestly. Having travelled through much of the world I can truly say that we have never been more impressed with the quality of the guides arranged for us in each location, as well as the service we received. Similarly, the hotels were excellent and allowed us to live very comfortably while, at the same time, enjoy an authentic Indian experience. If you haven`t already booked your trip with Travel the Unknown, then either do so now....or at least give them a chance to show you what they can offer.
Keith Lewis , Monks, Tribes & Rhinos, IndiaThis was my first experience of using Travel the Unknown having enjoyed small group adventure holidays for many years. I was attracted to the company because it seeks out the more unusual and lesser known areas of a country and I was not disappointed by my visit to Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. There is a clear contrast between the people and the scenery of these two regions and we saw very few western tourists particularly in Arunachal Pradesh. The tour was well organised with plenty to see and do.
Richard Williams , Monks, Tribes & Rhinos, IndiaThis was a very varied and interesting trip to a forgotten part of India. If you like off the beaten track travel it is definitely worth the effort but go with an open mind and keep a smile on your face.
Vik , Kerala Calling, IndiaThank you for organising our holiday in Kerala. I certainly wouldn`t have had the time or the knowledge to put together such a trip. Munnar was my favourite and the accommodation throughout was excellent.
Ann Holgate , Tailormade IndiaA really well planned trip. We experienced life in Northeast India in just the way we wanted to. We loved the game reserves and saw a rock python which thrilled our guides as it is even rarer than the tiger! We visited villages and were able to interact with local people and loved the busy markets in Delhi and Calcutta. A special highlight was the Hornbill Festival in Nagaland; shown to us by our very own Naga guide Kezo. Kezo accompanied us for 15 days of our trip and ensured that we had many very special experiences - even taking us to the home of one of his Aunts where we spent a couple of hours sitting by the bonfire chatting.
Penelope Smith , Assam & Nagaland Hornbill Festival, IndiaWhat an excellent service! Rahul adapted, extended and improved our trip so many times without a qualm and we ended up with the trip of a lifetime. The destinations are unusual and interesting but everything has been checked out by the team and works brilliantly. I can`t wait to do another trip.
Elaine & Neil Smith , Delicacies of North India, IndiaThe tour was an amazing experience for our first visit to India. The country, its people and its cuisine were friendly,delightful, colourful and exceeded all our expectations. Travel the Unknown have put together a superb unique package that we have no hesitation in recommending to anyone with an interest in food and culture.
Andrew Martin , Tailormade North East IndiaI`m sure I could not have found a better operator for the type of complicated Indian tour I wanted to undertake on a limited budget. India is an intimidating country to visit, and I suspect that some operators look down on the first time visitor, or disparage their requirements. Travel the Unknown, by contrast, helped me all the way, and their local guides were superb.