Ghost of the Himalayas - Winter Edition
- Ladakh
- 2026 Departures
Come forth into the light of things let nature be your teacher
– William Wordsworth
Situated over 3,000 meters above sea level, the cold desert in ladakh is one the highest deserts in the world, offering breathtaking landscapes.
430
species of birds
477
Snow Leopards
1500
Ladakh Uriel
Tranquility descends over Ladakh like a peace treaty the Buddhist monks must have negotiated eons ago, and chastens everyone who comes in contact with it.The arterial roads criss-crossing Ladakh are motorable, flanking the meandering Indus which meets the Zanskar in Ladakh. This confluence heads further to Pakistan. At places, the river is frozen, with sludge protecting its delicate periphery.
The Ladakhi people are friendly, and tend to anthropomorphize and venerate the snow leopard like its human; which explains why they track it so well. They brave out the cold and head out early in the morning with their sophisticated scopes, to track the Ghost of the Himalayas. Distances are not very far, a maximum of 20-25 minutes to get to the 3-4 locations where the leopard is usually spotted.
Tracking the Ghost
Ladakh is at an approx. elevation of 11,500 feet, while Uley- the land of snow leopards- is at an even higher elevation of approx. 13000 feet. More often than not, the snow leopard, once spotted, tends to stay at one location (usually a jagged hill or snow capped mountain) for quite some time, maybe hours.
Potpourri Of Wildlife
Apart from snow leopards, Uley is great for spotting the Ladakh Urial, Asiatic Ibex, Tibetan Wolf and Tibetan Red Fox, Vultures, Eagles, smaller rodents and many bird species. Featured here in wicked splendour is the Bearded Vulture, the only known vertebrate whose diet consists of 85–90% bones of dead animals
Beyond Wildlife
Immerse yourself in Ladakh’s rich culture through
visits to local villages, monasteries, and interactions with warm-hearted
Ladakhi people.
Savour Ladakhi and international cuisine crafted from fresh, organic ingredients, offering a gastronomic journey that reflects the
essence of the region
Private Transfers
Wildlife viewing excursions in & around Leh in dedicated SUVs
Expert Trackers
Highly experienced spotters & trackers with decades of expertise in spotting and tracking wildlife
Emergency Services
Oxygen cylinders to combat low oxygen levels & fresh air systems with humidifiers to infuse fresh air and moisture in rooms
Professional Scopes
Shared Swarvoski & Zeiss scopes and binoculars to spot wildlife at a distance
Day 1
New Delhi
- Transfer departs Delhi International airport
- Transfer arrives The Imperial
- Arrival at Delhi International airport, meet & greet by service representative.
Day 2
The Grand Dragon Ladakh
- Check Out from The Imperial New Delhi
- Transfer departs Leh Airport
- Transfer arrives Grand Dragon
- Grand Dragon is approx. a 15-minute drive from Leh Airport
- 6:50 AM - Flight AI 445 departs Delhi (Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport)
- 8:10 AM - Flight AI 445 arrives Leh (Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport)
- Check In at The Grand Dragon Ladakh
- Room Type: Premier Heritage Room with Mountain View
- Basis of Stay: Breakfast Included
Day 3
Spituk Festival
- Spituk Festival
- Overnight at The Grand Dragon Ladakh
Day 4 - Day 8
Explore near by valleys and villages
- Check Out from The Grand Dragon Ladakh
- Transfer departs Grand Dragon
- Transfer arrives Snow Leopard Lodge
- Check In at Snow Leopard Lodge - Ulley
- Room Type: Suite
- Basis of Stay: Full Board
- Explore near by valleys and villages
Day 9
Snow Leopard Lodge
- Transfer departs Snow Leopard Lodge
- Transfer arrives Grand Dragon
- Check Out from Snow Leopard Lodge - Ulley
- Check In at The Grand Dragon Ladakh
- Room Type: Premier Heritage Room with Mountain View
- Basis of Stay: Breakfast Included
Day 10
The Imperial New Delhi
- Check Out from The Grand Dragon Ladakh
- Transfer departs Grand Dragon
- Transfer arrives Leh Airport
- 12:00 PM - Flight AI 446 departs Leh (Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport)
- 1:30 PM - Flight AI 446 arrives Delhi (Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport)
- Transfer departs Delhi Airport
- Transfer arrives The Imperial
- Check In at The Imperial New Delhi
- Room Type: Heritage Room
- Basis of Stay: Breakfast Included
Day 11
End of itinerary
- Check Out from The Imperial New Delhi
Inclusions
- 2 nights at Imperial in New Delhi on a bed and breakfast basis
- Internal flights: New Delhi - Leh - New Delhi
- Meet & assist on arrival inside New Delhi airport on arrival at international terminal
- All internal ground transfers
- All guide fee/ monument fee
- 3 nights at the Grand Dragon in Leh on a bed and breakfast basis
- 5 nights at the Snow Leopard Lodge on a full-board basis
- Tour Leader at Leh & Uley for 8 nights
- Resident naturalist at Uley
- All permits and local fee
- Transportation in and around Uley for wildlife sighting (throughout the stay).
- All the transfers to/from and around Leh
- Highly experienced spotters/trackers with over a decade of expertise in wildlife spotting and tracking in the region
- Shared scopes and binoculars
Exclusions
- Tipping and Gratuities
- Any Travel / Medical Insurance -It is recommended that guests purchase their own travel and medical insurance
- Alcoholic beverages
- Medical expenses or emergency evacuation
- Excess baggage allowance on internal flights. This can be paid directly at the airline counter at the time of check in.
- Any damages or losses incurred to the Snow Leopard Lodge in property or equipment during your stay, which will be charged at replacement or repair cost
Payment Terms
- Total per person based on 1 guest in shared accommodation: TBD
- Trip Cost: $7,000 per person
- Single Supplement: $2,000
- Early Booking Offer: Save $500 per person when you book by February 26, 2025
Notes
- 'Wilderness Uncut' reserves the right to amend tour pricing due to any fluctuations in exchange rates, change in park fees structure and any unforeseen circumstances not in our control.
- Trip extensions to other National Parks in India or Cultural extensions to Taj, Khajuraho or any other places of interest can be organised on request.
- Valid Passport copy needs to be provided on booking. This is needed to secure park permits.
- Safari permits for all parks in Central India open 120 days in advance. All permits are subject to availability at the time of booking.
- Parks remain closed on Wednesday Evening
- It is important that all travelers have adequate Travel & Cancellation Insurance.
Tour Price
$ 7,000 USD
Per Person
$2,000 USD– Single Supplement applicable.
Early Booking Offer: Save $500 per person when you book by February 26, 2025
Bespoke
Let us curate an unforgettable trip of your lifetime where every aspect of your journey from itinerary to accommodations, is meticulously crafted with unique experiences.
Privately Guided
Indulge in an intimate and personalised exploration with our best in the park, seasoned guides who will lead you with interesting insights, undivided attention and tailored experience to your interest and pace.
85% of our guests
book a safari with us again
We were actually quite late to plan our journey to bandhavghar this year but Jason made sure we had a fantastic trip by quickly sorting our park tickets and accommodation options. The king’s lodge turned out to be a fabulous place to stay and Jason was always on call to get tips and recommend good safari guides. The icing on the cake was seeing 8 tigers including adorable cubs, sloth bears, a gorgeous leopard and numerous flora and fauna of India that we had never seen. What a superb experience and one that will remain with us for years to come. Thanks Jason and we will be back soon, especially with our kiddo! Cheers
Another great safari holiday arranged by Wilderness Uncut! Jason came up trumps again for us with a fantastic tiger safari involving 2 overnight stays in Delhi, internal flights to/from Jabalpur, transfers to/between/from Kanha and Bandhavgarh National Parks and safari stays in the Tuli Tiger Resort, Kanha (at our request) and the amazing Samode Safari Lodge, Bandhavgarh (on Jason's impeccable advice). It all went without a hitch and what a great time we had ... so much beautiful wildlife - 2 tigers at Kanha and 12 at Bandhavgarh, plus sloth bear, leopard, jungle cat, golden jackals, wild boar, gaur (Indian bison), mongoose, Indian monitor lizard, barking deer, Indian black-naped hare, flying squirrels and too many wonderful birds to mention! Big thank you to Jason and Wilderness Uncut - can thoroughly recommend and hope to do it again soon!
Had a great time on safari with Wilderness uncut in India. Everything was well organized. Jason knows the habits of the tigers and the best places to see them. The accommodations and food were also great.
I just came back from a 2 weeks custom safari in India. Jason did an excellent job. Everything was perfectly organized. The hotel in delhi was fantastic. The transfers were perfect. The safari itself exceeded my expectations. The level of service was exceptional and I had some of the best naturalists in the industry. I know what a great safari is, and this one blew me away. I will book with Jason again as the whole experience was sublime! Give it a try, you will have a trip of a lifetime. Thank you Jason and team!
