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Snow Leopard (Scientific name : Panthera uncia) is the king of Snow capped Mountains in Himalayas. It is listed as endangered by IUCN. It is one of the most solitary, elusive, rare and endangered predator in the world and few resorts say that only a few hundred are left in wild. This spirit of mountains has adapted himself to survive in the harsh climate of Himalayas and hence casual sightings are extremely rare.
Snow leopards in heavy snowfall tends to move downwards where it can prey on local animals and hence chances of sighting one becomes more in month of Feb to April. Later in summers you will find them at the highest peaks in the snows, and hence tracking becomes difficult. We at Mumbai Travellers will be exploring Snow Leopard territory with the local experts who help in tracking down the snow leopards for various video documentaries that we see on Television and internet. The group will also be escorted by a resource person from our wildlife division, so that sighting this solitary animal becomes easier.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT SNOW LEOPARDS :
Snow leopards are slightly smaller than the other big cats but, like them, exhibit a range of sizes,generally weighing between 27 and 55 kg (60 and 121 lb), with an occasional large male reaching 75 kg (165 lb) and small female of under 25 kg (55 lb).They have a relatively short body, measuring in length from the head to the base of the tail 75 to 130 cm (30 to 50 in). However, the tail is quite long, at 80 to 100 cm (31 to 39 in), with only the domestic-cat-sized marbled cat being relatively longer-tailed. They are stocky and short-legged big cats, standing about 60 cm (24 in) at the shoulder.
Snow leopards have long, thick fur, and their base color varies from smoky gray to yellowish tan, with whitish underparts. They have dark grey to black open rosettes on their bodies, with small spots of the same color on their heads and larger spots on their legs and tails. Unusually among cats, their eyes are pale green or grey in color.
Snow leopards show several adaptations for living in a cold, mountainous environment. Their bodies are stocky, their fur is thick, and their ears are small and rounded, all of which help to minimize heat loss. Their paws are wide, which distributes their weight better for walking on snow, and have fur on their undersides to increase their grip on steep and unstable surfaces; it also helps to minimize heat loss. Snow leopards’ tails are long and flexible, helping them to maintain their balance, which is very important in the rocky terrain they inhabit. Their tails are also very thick due to storage of fat and are very thickly covered with fur which allows them to be used like a blanket to protect their faces when asleep. ( Info source: Wikipedia )
Tour Plan
Day 1- Shimla – Rampur
Arrival in Capital City of Himachal Pradesh- Shimla. After a small briefing, transfers to Rampur. (Driving time – 5 hours, 4 travellers sharing a vehicle). Reach Rampur by late evening, Check in Hotel Bushahr Regency Dinner & Night stay at Rampur.
Day 2- Rampur -Kaza
Early morning Check out and drive down to Kaza by 6.00 AM. The 8 hour drive, take you through amazing landscape of Himalayan Mountain range. Enroute we shall stop for smaller breaks for meals. On arrival at Kaza, check in home stay and Night stay. Kaza is a major town in Spiti.
Day 3 – Kaza – Kibber
Early morning checkout, Breakfast. Post Breakfast spend some time in nearby mountains in search of Himalayan wildlife, continue drive to Kibber. Kibber is just an hour away driving distance and best for acclimatization to higher altitudes. Our Stay in Kibber will be in basic homestay which will be serving traditionally cooked meals. On arrival at homestay, we shall have a small orientation session and how the next few days would look like and in general information on Snow Leopard tracking.
Day 4 – Day 9 – Quest of Snow Leopard
The next six days are dedicated to trekking around fields of Kibber, Spiti Valley in Quest of snow leopard. Besides, Snow Leopard you can also spot Blue sheep, Argali, various migratory birds and also Tibetan Wolf. Snow Leopards are usually easy to sight in winters compared to other months, as they descend to lower elevations. Be alert, as it is difficult to spot them. We will be scanning all part of the cliffs and below the rocks where they normally rest, it is a tough task to spot them and this is where the experience of our seasoned spotters comes in to the picture. Stay alert and enjoy the view of the wildlife Later, after returning to the camp, hot tea will be served with some great experience of the day to share and cherish. Overnight at home stay at home stay.
Day 10 – Kibber to Rampur
It’s time to head back home, Early morning checkout and depart for Rampur, enroute stop for breakfast and lunch. Overnight Rest at Rampur.
Day 11 – Rampur To Shimla
Post Breakfast, check out and drive to Shimla. On arrival in Shimla proceed for the respective home town.
