Search for Snow Leopards with Valerie Parkinson

13 nights from £3349

13 nights

Search for Snow Leopards with Valerie Parkinson

A rare chance to see the elusive snow leopard and attend a monastic festival

£3349 pp excluding flights £258 per night
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Snow leopards are one of the most elusive mammals in the world but in winter they descend from the High Himalaya in search of food. As they inhabit some of the most remote and mountainous regions of Central Asia, the mission to see this enigmatic cat is really more of a pilgrimage. Other rare high-altitude wildlife and isolated Himalayan Buddhist communities only add to this quest’s allure. The itinerary varies slightly by departure date to fit in the different festivals. All departures are led by specialist Himalaya trekking guide Valerie Parkinson.



Valerie won Best Tour Leader 2021 in the prestigious Wanderlust World Guide Awards.







Valerie was born by the seaside in Blackpool, UK, and spent much of her younger days walking with her parents in the Lake District. After finishing her studies, Valerie worked in Germany and Switzerland, until 1984 when she took a break that would change her life forever. She travelled to India for a three-week trek through Kashmir and Ladakh and found her spiritual home in the High Himalaya. She has spent the rest of her life leading treks (and bike trips) in the Himalayan region and her knowledge of the local culture, religion, art and wildlife is second to none. Her enthusiasm for trekking developed into climbing. In 2008, she became the first British woman to summit the 26,781ft (8,163m) tall Mount Manaslu without the use of supplementary oxygen and she attempted Everest in 2009. Over the years, Valerie has been instrumental in setting up and running Himalayan Community Projects, which now operates through the Exodus Travels Foundation.
  • Chance to see the rare, elusive snow leopard
  • Wonderful winter walking in mountainous Ladakh, when it is cut off from the rest of the world
  • Visit ancient monasteries and attend a colourful monastic festival with masked dancers
  • Enjoy a homestay night and traditional meal with a friendly Ladakhi family
  • Look for lynx, blue sheep, wolves, bearded vultures, red foxes, Himalayan griffin vultures and golden eagles

In Delhi, we use a hotel with air-conditioned rooms. In Leh, we stay in a hotel close to the local market and town centre. There is wifi in Leh; however, there is no mobile coverage for international phones in Ladakh.



The trek itself is on a full-service camping basis, meaning our camp staff put up and dismantle the tents, cook, and do all the camp chores. You need only carry your backpack for the day. We use two-person tents, which have enough room inside for your kitbags and include a mattress, sheet, pillow, blanket, and a hot water bottle at night. We also have a dining tent with table, folding chairs and a heater for use during the evenings. No running water is available while camping. The camp staff collect stream water or melt snow to provide bowls of warm water (to wash with).



We spend one night in Rumbak village, where we stay in a traditional Ladakhi house. The dining room and bedrooms have a small wood-burning stoves, and a generator is normally available at the homestay to charge your electronic devices.



For both the homestay and camping, there will be a basic local long-drop toilet and dining room available.



If you require a single room in Delhi and Leh and a single tent while camping there is a single supplement. Please note, single rooms are not available in the homestay.



Worth knowing



At the homestay you may be sleeping on a mattress on the floor. The bedrooms have thick mattresses and you can take your sleeping bag from the camp.

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