Snow leopards of Spiti trekking holiday, India
Description of Snow leopards of Spiti trekking holiday, India
Track one of the world’s most elusive animals through the rocky gullies and snowy ridges of the high Himalayas. Snow leopards might be people-shy, but our tour places you in the right spot at the right time: the Spiti Valley in winter. As blue sheep move down to escape the heaviest snows, snow leopards are right on their hooves.
Spiti is a cold desert mountain valley in Himachal Pradesh, so this trip is best suited to travellers who are comfortable with trekking at 4,000m-plus altitude in subzero temperatures – and who have a solid sense of adventure. Instead of watching big cats from a jeep in a busy national park, you’ll track snowy prints, scan remote ridgelines and learn how to read the landscape with guides who know it best.
Our local team are key. They understand snow leopard behaviour, including the valleys and vantage points where sightings are most likely. They’ll also help you spot a cast of other wildlife, including red foxes, Tibetan wolves, ibex and eagles. Sightings can never be guaranteed – but the unknowns are all part of the excitement.
You’ll stay in homestays warmed by wood-fired heaters: basic, comfortable rooms with attached bathrooms and bucket water for washing. Staying locally supports the Spiti Valley during its quietest, harshest months, bringing income to people who share space with snow leopards – and who are vital to their conservation.
Essentials:
> Comprehensive packing lists included
> Easy to moderate trekking involved – vehicles drive to the last motorable location
> Requirements: good physical fitness, no heart ailments/diseases, and no breathing related conditions, e.g. asthma
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Planet
Given the immense scale of the climate change and rapidly diminishing habitat, there is a danger of many species suffering or going extinct. The Snow Leopard is one of them, with fewer than 10,000 mature leopards worldwide. It is one of the most majestic of big cats and its conservation is our priority.In India, the Snow Leopard is residing in the Himalayan Ecosystem, which is the source of several majestic rivers that bring water security to a large part of the country. Using the Snow Leopard as the keystone species, conservation efforts have been able to protect the entire Himalayan landscape, which is a huge lifeline for wildlife and people alike.
Snow leopard habitats are usually top tourist and trekking destinations, with sustainable numbers visiting annually. We are careful to ensure that our tours are single use plastic free and the resources consumed in these habitats are minimized. We only use locally owned homestays which in turn have reduced their dependence on livestock which has helped to restore the habitat for wildlife. Without economically empowering local communities, sustainable action for snow leopard conservation and climate change mitigation isn't possible
People
The state forest department and NGO’s like the Snow Leopard Conservancy, in addition to implementing a number of community-based conservation initiatives such as predator-proofed corral construction for livestock and education, have also introducted alternative livelihoods like handicrafts, livestock insurance, and home-stays for visitors, and snow leopard trekking.During the winter months when it is the toughest for the locals, snow leopard tourism gives them a alternative livelihood for survival which in returns help them to protect the habitat for the leopards for they survival
This cat's habitats are also home to diverse cultural groups who have long survived in these extreme environments. They have much to offer visitors - stunning landscapes, unique cultures and biodiversity. With improvements in road and transportation networks and rising incomes, international as well as domestic tourism to these areas is on the rise.
If managed effectively, tourism in snow leopard habitats presents an opportunity to provide a great visitor experience while enhancing local livelihoods and supporting snow leopard and biodiversity conservation.
It allows people to experience the uniqueness of these high mountain ecosystems while potentially building public support for and contributing to their conservation.
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