Ladakh, Snow Leopards & Buddhist Festivals 2026
Geraldine Westrupp, 24. April 2026
February 2026 saw Martin and myself take a jaw-dropping flight over the Himalayas to the Buddhist Kingdom of Ladakh. We touched down in Leh situated high in the Himalayas at a truly breathtaking altitude of 3500 metres! Our flight coincided with the arrival of a rather venerable Buddhist Rinpoche who duly blessed me and many other devotees; could this possibly bode well for our Snow Leopard expedition? Also known as the ‘Grey Ghost’, the Snow Leopard roams freely through the wild terrain of Ladakh and has become the holy grail for many wildlife photographers. Our excited group of 11 guests arrived a few days after us and together we embarked upon what was for some the trip of a lifetime. For myself this winter visit was the culmination of a wish that I have cherished since leading my first trek in Ladakh Summer 1991.
In all we were lucky enough to see seven different Snow Leopards including a mother and her cub. We were also lucky enough to spend a few hours watching an Eurasian Lynx and many of the usual, more common suspects including Ibex, Argali, Urial and Bharal (Blue Sheep). All of these four species retreat to lower altitudes in the winter in search of food and of course the Snow Leopard will be not too far behind! My friend & fellow guide Valerie Parkinson led a Snow Leopard trek the following week from us based in the same location as ourselves. They were lucky enough to sight a couple of Snow Leopards mating plus a large number of Tibetan Wolves. During the tour as a whole we also explored the very best locations that this Buddhist area can offer the adventure travel photographer including the exceptionally vibrant Stok Buddhist festival, ancient palaces, Gompas clinging tenuously to jagged cliffs, abandoned forts, busy Tibetan bazaars and we visited many homes of local people. I believe that the enclosed gallery of pictures paints a better picture of our experiences than my words can ever do.
Our Ladakhi Team
A massive thank you to our Ladakhi Team, Chosphal owner/guide at Venture Ladakh who organise all our ground operations, our long time trusted local guide Jigmet, Wangial, guide and remarkable wildlife spotter, our drivers and friends Tsewang (the boss), Dorje, Padma, Jigmet & Tashi. Morup, exceptional wildlife photographer and his family, together they own Shan Lodge in Ullay. Big thanks also to the villagers/spotters of Rumbak Village who hosted our group for three nights. Last but not least thanks to Ramesh Wattal owner of Welcome Travels Delhi, and our friend Ashish Chaudhary a totally reliable and lovely ‘Welcome’ representative. All the above mentioned are totally dedicated to ensuring that our WPH guests are looked after royally and have quite simply the best experiences whilst visiting Ladakh – Julley and see you all soon!
2027 Departure
Our next Ladakh, Indian Himalayas – Snow Leopards & Buddhist Festivals tour will run 7 – 21 Feb 2027.