The snow leopard is a species of big cat adapted for high-altitude regions of India and eleven other countries. In the last few years, India has become a center for snow leopard tourism because of improved sightings of this big cat in the Indian Himalayas. They inhabit the trans-Himalayan zone and high-altitude zones of the Himalayas in India and are found in the Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh states. Ladakh has the highest population of snow leopards as per the last census, followed by Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh with very big differences in numbers.
Only two states in India are operating snow leopard tourism, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh, and because most of the areas where snow leopards are found are remote and inaccessible and without any human population, the sightings of snow leopards happen even outside the protected areas.
In Ladakh, Ulley (Hemis National Park) is the place where one can see the snow leopards outside the protected areas. In Himachal Pradesh, Kibber and Spiti are at the same location, in which Kibber is the wildlife sanctuary while Spiti is part of it. One can see snow leopards in the Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary, where locally it is called Shin.
Why Jan–Mar is the only viable window
This question comes to the mind of everyone who is planning for a snow leopard expedition in India. Why are the sightings of snow leopards possible only when there is peak winter in India? During winter most areas in the high Himalayas are inaccessible due to heavy snowfall, but still that is the best time for snow leopard sightings because in the higher reaches, which are almost inaccessible for a normal person and the land is covered with thick snow, then the prey of the snow leopard comes down to find food, and in search of prey, snow leopards also come down.
This is the area that is around 4000-4500 meters ASL, and most of the sightings happened at this height. Access to this height is better for a healthy individual. Even the road network is better at this height at most places.
Habitat differences in Kibber vs. Hemis
Basically, both are the protected areas based in the trans-Himalayan region of India. Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in Himachal Pradesh, and Hemis National Park is in Ladakh. Most of the parts of both the protected areas are above the tree line, which is the perfect habitat of snow leopards in winter as well as summers.
What a “sighting” actually looks like at 4,500 m
Snow leopards are generally like places where human disturbance is less or where they are safe from the village dogs and any other kind of danger, mostly at the non-accessible portion of the mountains. Spotted by several spotters, snow leopards are mostly away from the main road, avoiding the vehicular movement, but sometimes people see them crossing the road. When they are spotted amid the snow on a cliff or steep slopes, they are mostly very far from the nearest spots from where people can see them.
In one of the encounters with snow leopards, we spotted two cubs quite far from the road, and then we tracked for almost half a kilometer, and then we saw them using our spotting scopes. Most of the snow leopards are spotted using a spotting scope. The terrain inhabited by them is mostly open, and there is no vegetation. Away from humans, you can spot them quite far, and it’s good. When you see them far away, you will be able to observe their natural behavior.
Though this distance is not good for a normal camera, for the conservation of them, it is necessary to keep them away from humans. Once you spot them, you can see them for a longer period; sometimes you even spend a day with them. Also, if there is only one spot where a snow leopard is spotted, guests from all other lodges and homestays gather at one place only.
Acclimatization protocol and altitude sickness
The biggest challenge at this height is not the extreme cold because you can manage that by keeping yourself close to fire and wearing good numbers of thermals but the height itself, because air is thin and to cope with lower oxygen levels, you have to rest for at least a day depending upon your fitness level.
This complete rest will help you to acclimatize easily to the climate. Also drink lots of warm water and avoid daytime sleeping. Avoiding daytime sleeping helps you to sleep peacefully at night; otherwise, the brain signals keep you awake at night, which worsens the acclimatization process. Once you feel acclimatized, even then it is not recommended to do strenuous physical activity.
Specialist tracker vs general wildlife guide—why this is decisive
The trackers specialize in tracking the snow leopards and other high-altitude mountain fauna. They are locals, physically fit, can navigate tough mountain terrain, know every nook and corner of the area, and exactly know the previous location of the snow leopard from where they start tracking them.
Because they are locals and have good connections in the villages, they get information about the movement of snow leopards from the villagers as well. A general wildlife guide is good in explaining about the species but is not a good tracker.
Physical fitness required—the honest assessment
A person with normal physical fitness can do this expedition easily provided he follows all the instructions about acclimatization. Before this trip you can train yourself for physical fitness, and you can ask your doctor if you are suffering from any disease that affects your ability to walk or to acclimatize.
Gear for -20°C: layering, boots, optics
You need to buy clothing that can work well at least at minus 25 degrees Celsius. Any good adventure sports shop can offer everything you need.
Even if you are coming to India, during your spare time in Delhi or Mumbai you can visit stores like Decathlon and can buy all the gear, which includes snow boots/tracking boots, jackets, thermals, eyewear (to prevent your eyes from the bright sun rays when reflected from the snow), and warmers.
Inner line permits for restricted zones
Some areas in snow leopard habitat require an inner line permit to be issued for a foreign visitor. Check it online and you will get details, but you can apply for that only after getting a visa. If you book a tour with a tour operator, then he will buy the inner line permit for you.
Can you combine a snow leopard and tiger safari in one India trip?
Yes, definitely. You can combine any tour in India except tours dependent on certain seasons with a snow leopard expedition in India. Tiger safari tours in India are best operated during the winter months when tigers are very vocal and active.
This is the time when their mating season is at its peak and they keep moving in search of a mate. For a wildlife photographer, a snow leopard tour combined with a tiger safari is the best option in which he can spot three big cats of India.
If a tour to see Asiatic lions is added, then four big cats of India. Another option apart from the tiger and lion would be the red panda tour to the eastern Himalayas, which is again a 5-6 night tour.
Mr. Vibhav Srivastava is a trained wildlife expert and ecotourism specialist. He has more than 20 years of experience in wildlife research, forest management, conservation education, and sustainable tourism in India.
He works at Tiger Safari India, where he plans exciting wildlife tours, helps spread conservation messages, and creates simple educational programs.
He has worked in all major wildlife areas across Central, Northern, Eastern, and Southern India. His key work includes tiger monitoring across the country with the Wildlife Institute of India, community conservation projects, and training forest staff and nature guides.
He has worked with many groups like RARE India, New Delhi Zoo, Le Passage to India, and Tiger Protection Group. He also served as Chief Naturalist at Kanha National Park.
He is a good teacher and speaker. He has given more than 30 talks at top universities like Delhi University, BHU, Amity University, and IITTM on wildlife protection, ecotourism, and sustainability.
He has written books and scientific papers, and has spoken at national conferences. His focus is always on connecting real science with local communities and responsible tourism.
He has a Master’s degree in Botany and special training from the Wildlife Institute of India. He was also chosen as one of the top five naturalists in India for the TOFT Best Naturalist Award.
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