9 Days Snow Leopard trek with homestay

Hemis National Park is situated in the eastern part of Ladakh with a general elevation over 3000 meters. It covers an area of 600sq.kms in the valleys of Markha and Rumbak. This high altitude protected area was created in 1981 for the conservation and protection of its unique flora and fauna. The terrain surrounding the Park is generally rocky with thin soil cover supporting a poor vegetation growth.

Streams and Rivers have laid a thick deposit of sand along their banks. The climate of the area is sub-arctic to arctic with less rainfall during summers and heavy snowfall during winters and temperature dropping much below freezing point. Summers are short and mild. There are many rare and endangered animal species found in this cold desert, amongst these are the elusive Snow Leopard, Ibex, Tibetan Antelope, Blue Sheep, Shapo, Marmot, Tibetan Hare etc. Among the avi fauna population found are the Snow Patridge, Golden Oriole, Lynx, Snow Cock, Golden Eagle, Horned Lark, Red Billed Chuff etc.

Day 01 Delhi to Leh

Arrival at Leh airport, to be received by our representative and transferred to the Hotel. Check in to the hotel for a Complete day of rest wherein welcome tea and coffee will be served by the Hotel. Lunch will be served at 2.00 PM, after lunch visit Leh Market, Leh Palace, Hall of Fame and Shanti Stupa. Overnight Hotel

Day 02 Full day visit to monasteries (104 Kms).

After breakfast, drive for full day of sight seeing to the Shey Palace, Thiksey, Hemis monasteries and Stok Palace Museum. Packed or Hot Lunch will be provided. Return to Leh in the evening. Overnight Hotel.

Day 03 Leh to Zingchen to Rumbak 5 hrs.

After breakfast drive to Zingchen. . Enroute one can see snow leopard signs along the valley bottom of the side valleys if you are trekking during winter or early spring/fall. Arrive Rumbak by evening. Overnight Homestay.

Day 04-07: Wildlife Viewing

Proceed for fullday of tracking Snow Leopard and its wildlife prey. Hemis National Park is home to blue sheep, argali (a large horned sheep),numerous mountain and migratory birds,as well as an occasional Tibetan wolf. You are likely to see signs of Snow Leopard as winter is the time that they descend to lower elevations. If lucky, you’ll actually see one perched high in the rocks or balanced on a near vertical ridge. Return to camp for some hot servings and warming tea and share tales of the day. Overnight Homestay

Day 08 Rumbak to Stok to Leh 8 hrs.

Make an early start for your trek up the Stok La pass (4900mts) for 3 hours. Follow the path on the extreme left along the south facing hillside. After one hour the path gets slower as you start climbing up to the pass. From the pass you can get great views of the Indus valley. Descend all the way down to the village of Stok. Optional visit to Stok Palace museum. Drive to Leh. Overnight Hotel.

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Day 08 Rumbak to Zingchen to Leh  5 hrs

Say goodbye to your hosts and hike down-valley past familiar Snow Leopard haunts and piles of carved Tibetan prayer stones to the road head at Zingchen; 5 hrs. Drive to Leh, and check into a hotel for your first real bed in a week! Overnight in a hotel. 

Day 09 Leh to Delhi.

Transfer to airport and fly back to Delhi with Sweet Memories of Ladakh.