Snow Leopard Trek with Homestay

Snow leopard trek with homestay will give you an opportunity to get better and closer glimpses on the village lifestyle by spending your night at the homestay. This trek is inclusive of transportation, guide, ponies and homestay charges. Since the snow leopard lives at great heights, it is mostly visible on the peak season of winter. On the first day of your arrival you shall take a full day rest to adjust with the changing weather. Not only will you chase the sight of snow leopard and its prey you will also explore the places in and around Leh.

Itinerary

Day	Location/Route	Overnight	Hotel/Camp
01	Arrive Leh.Afternoon halfday sighteeing of Leh Palace,Shanti Stupa,Hall of Fame & Leh Market.	01 Night Leh	Mahay Retreat & Similar
02	Full day Sightseeing of Shey,Thiksay,Hemis Monastery & Stok Palace	01 Night Leh	Mahay Retreat & Similar
03	Leh to Zingchen to Rumbak 5 hrs	01 Night Rumbak	Village Homestay
04	04-07: Wildlife Viewing	04 Nights Rumbak	Village Homestay
08	Rumbak to Stok to Leh 8 hrs.OR
08	Rumbak to Zingchen to Leh 5 hrs	01 Night Leh	Mahay Retreat & Similar

Day 01

Delhi to Leh

Day Summary	On your arrival at Leh Airport you will 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, Visit to Leh Palace, Known as “Lachen Palkhar” which was built at the beginning of 17th century AD, you will also visit Shanti Stupa at Changspa, famously known as Japan Gompa, located on the hilltop giving you the bird eye view of entire Leh town. And also visit Hall of Museum, which was built as a tribute to the Kargil warrior. For the night you will stay at the hotel.

Day Summary

On your arrival at Leh Airport you will 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, Visit to Leh Palace, Known as “Lachen Palkhar” which was built at the beginning of 17th century AD, you will also visit Shanti Stupa at Changspa, famously known as Japan Gompa, located on the hilltop giving you the bird eye view of entire Leh town. And also visit Hall of Museum, which was built as a tribute to the Kargil warrior. For the night you will stay at the hotel.

Day 02

Full day visit to monasteries (104 Kms)

Day Summary	After having your breakfast, drive to full day sightseeing by visiting Shey Palace, which means ‘looking glass’ as it got its name due to the reflection of the palace seen on the lake situated below the palace. Also you will visit Thiksey monastery situated 17kms south of Leh, it is one of the most beautiful of all the monasteries in Leh and you will also visit Hemis monastery, it is the largest monastery of Ladakh situated 45kms south of Leh. You will also visit Stok Palace museum and Sindhu Ghat. Expense your knowledge on Buddhism whilst visiting those monasteries and local livelihood by talking to a monk or local people. Packed or hot lunch will be provided, in the evening drive back to Leh. You will drive back to your hotel at Leh. Your night is at hotel.

Day Summary

After having your breakfast, drive to full day sightseeing by visiting Shey Palace, which means ‘looking glass’ as it got its name due to the reflection of the palace seen on the lake situated below the palace. Also you will visit Thiksey monastery situated 17kms south of Leh, it is one of the most beautiful of all the monasteries in Leh and you will also visit Hemis monastery, it is the largest monastery of Ladakh situated 45kms south of Leh. You will also visit Stok Palace museum and Sindhu Ghat. Expense your knowledge on Buddhism whilst visiting those monasteries and local livelihood by talking to a monk or local people. Packed or hot lunch will be provided, in the evening drive back to Leh. You will drive back to your hotel at Leh. Your night is at hotel.

Day 03

Leh to Zingchen to Rumbak 5 hrs

Day Summary	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. You will reach Rumbak by the evening. Spend your night at cozy homestay at Rumbak, there you will get opportunity to know more and get closer glimpses on their livestock herding practices and winter pastimes activities such as (spinning, weaving and turning a tale).

Day Summary

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. You will reach Rumbak by the evening. Spend your night at cozy homestay at Rumbak, there you will get opportunity to know more and get closer glimpses on their livestock herding practices and winter pastimes activities such as (spinning, weaving and turning a tale).

Day 04-07

Wildlife Viewing

Day Summary	Proceed for full day 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 Summary

Proceed for full day 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.

Day Summary	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. You could pay optional visit to Stok Palace and museum which was built in the year 1525. After that head back to Leh and spend night at the hotel.

Day Summary

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. You could pay optional visit to Stok Palace and museum which was built in the year 1525. After that head back to Leh and spend night at the hotel.

Or

Day 08

Rumbak to Zingchen to Leh 5 hrs

Day Summary	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 your hotel. Enjoy your last night at the hotel.

Day 09

Leh to Delhi

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

Tour Cost per person in INR

1 Pax	2 Pax	3 Pax	4 Pax	5 Pax	6 Pax	Single Supplimentary
1,11,184	74,324	65,903	61,877	59,314	55,958	5,314

Supplementary Other Charges net:

Cultural Program Rs. 7000 per program.
Sleeping Bags Rs 200 Per Day
1 Liter Package Water Bottle: INR 30 per Bottle.
Oxygen Cylinder Rs. 500-700 per day in Leh.

Cost Includes

Accommodation on Twin Sharing basis with all meals in A Class Hotel
All meals in Homestays
All transportation Qualis,Scorpio & Tempo Traveller
Guide services throughout the tour in Ladakh
National Park entrance fees
Snow Leopard Foundation Fees
Ponies for luggage
Homestay charges
Spoting Scope and walkie talkie during the trek.

What is not included in above cost?

Flight tickets from Delhi-Leh-Delhi
Sleeping Bags, trekking shoes and clothing.
Any Kind of Personal Expenses, Personal binocular or Optional Tours / Extra Meals Ordered
Anything not specifically mentioned under the head “Prices Included”.
Tips, Insurance, Laundry, Phone Calls.
Any Kind of Drinks (Alcoholic, Mineral, Aerated)
Cost incidental to any change in the itinerary/ stay on account of flight cancellation due to bad weather, ill health, roadblocks and/or any factors beyond control.

Terms & Conditions

Prices valid from 01 January 2019 to 31 March 2019.
10% cancellation charges if the trekking is cancelled within 30 days before the tour.
20% cancellation charges if the tour and trek is cancelled within a one week before the tour.
No refund if the trek or tour is cancelled after starting or middle of the trek or tour.

Dos and Don’ts

On arrival please rest for 24 hrs, as you are traveling to high Altitude from Low, due to low oxygen.
Have plenty of drinking water or any kind of liquid (except alcohol)
Please cooperate with the localities, potters, guide, cook and driver as they of more helpful during trek.
Transits between two destinations depend upon weather and road conditions.
Ladakh is a polythene free region; make sure not to use any polythene when not necessary.
Do not contaminate the area by not disposing the waste properly.
Leave your denims behind – these are ill suited for treks. Snacks, colas, alcohol and personal food – No need to overburden yourself with food
Don’t get any equipment. We would carry Alpine tents and other equipment required for such treks.
Medicines of all kinds are usually available in local pharmacies with no prescription necessary. Check expiration dates.

Things you must carry

Clothing (Heavy Warm Feather Jacket, Warm philes jacket, woolen and wind prof gloves , Warm hat, woolen Socks, Warm Wind prove Touser, Sweaters etc)
Trekking shoes (Water proof).
Sun glass with UV Protection
Torch with extra batteries.
Sun Screen lotion and cold cream.
Sleeping bag for – 25.
Light towel (should be thin, quick drying kind).
Chapstick or lip balm
Water bottles. The insulated water bottles are good but even normal water bottles will suffice.
Camera, memory-cards, batteries etc (carry enough spare batteries. Electricity is not available on the slopes)
Personal toiletries/wind cheater/Tissue rolls.
If available than Pair of walking sticks.
An identification card (like Passport,driving license, voters ID card etc), along with a photocopy

Medicines

Avomine-Vomiting
D cold-Illness/combilflame-Body ache
Vicks balm
Diamox (250mg) – for high altitude/high pressure.
Saridone-Headache.
Personal Medicines.
Glucon D/ Electral powder and camphor.
Also consult your local doctor for any other medicines.

Avoid Acute Mountain Sickness

Acute mountain sickness can occur to anyone at an altitude above 10,000 feet’s from the sea level. The most common symptoms of the acute mountain sickness are headache disturbed sleep, loss of appetite, nausea, coughing, irregular breathing, breathlessness, lassitude and lack of concentration, Since Leh Town is situated at an attitude of 11,500ft.above sea level, it is advisable to take the following precaution, so as to acclimatize your body properly.