Ladakh Destination

Ladakh

Land of the High Passes
and the domain of the Grey Ghost

Ladakh, the Indian trans-Himalaya, is one of the last bastions of Tibetan Buddhism in the 21st century. With its richness of history, culture and landscapes, it has become a happy hunting ground for visitors of every stripe – from tourists ticking off exotic destinations, seekers of spiritual bliss, thrill seekers aboard motorcycles or rubber rafts, adventurers, walkers – and finally the eternal optimists questing after the Holy Grail of montane wildlife – the Snow Leopard.
The Trans-Himalaya is the high, forbidding mountain region that lies north of the spine – and in the rain shadow – of the Great Himalayas. It is essentially a high altitude desert and, like all deserts, harbours a deceptive richness of life. The landscape is stark, precipitous, deeply fissured, studded with unexpected plateaus and interwoven with sparkling streams edged with lush vegetation – all set against the sublime backdrop of snow-capped peaks and glaciers. The sheer tortured grandeur of this landscape reflects the giant, seismic forces resulting from the collision of the Indian tectonic plate with that of Eurasia, that lead to its formation.

The Wilderness of Ladakh

Ladakh is a union territory of India (over 70,000 sqr km), situated at an average altitude of 12000 feet. The sparse population is settled along habitable river valleys in agrarian communities ranging from tiny hamlets to substantial villages and small towns often dominated by a picturesque monastery. Nomadic herders roam the high eastern plateau with their flocks of sheep and Pashmina goats. With a population density of less than 3 people per square kilometer, (most settled in the capital – Leh) Ladakh is essentially a large nature reserve. It is home to over 40 mammal species, 400 bird species, 50-60 butterflies and even a few reptiles. Such a high faunal diversity can only be supported by a diverse flora, seen in full bloom during the summer. The Snow Leopard is the apex predator of this ecosystem with an array of wild prey like Bharal, Urial and the Asiatic Ibex. In 1987, Ladakh’s first national park – Hemis High Altitude National Park was established in the Zanskar Range between the Indus and Markha rivers.

FINDING THE BIG CAT

Snow Leopard tracking is one of the most unique wilderness experiences on the planet. It is nearly impossible to even find signs of a cat by one’s own efforts, let alone finding them. The unforgiving alien terrain, the vast territories held by the cats and their camouflage makes the task even more difficult. No wonder they are known as the ‘Grey Ghost of the Himalaya’.

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“If you want to know the truth of who you are, walk until not a person knows your name. Travel is the great leveler, the great teacher, bitter as medicine, crueler than mirror-glass. A long stretch of road will teach you more about yourself than a hundred years of quiet.”
― Patrick Rothfuss

Conservation and Tourism

It is a universally recognized fact that long term wildlife conservation rests upon the goodwill of local people. The benefits from wildlife should outweigh the costs of having predators as neighbours and their wild prey competing with your livestock for fodder. Conservation tourism is the worldwide tool to achieve this goal. This was realized early by the late Rinchen Wangchuk, the founding Director of the Snow Leopard Conservancy (SLC) India Trust.

Rare Cats

In the summer months, further areas like the Changthang Plateau, known for its blue waters and rich avifauna, turned into wildlife hotspots focusing on rare cats like the Pallas’s Cat and charismatic birds like the Black-necked Cranes, Saker Falcons and Tibetan Sandgrouse. Herds of Tibetan Wild Ass, packs of Himalayan Wolves and even the rare Tibetan Sand Fox roam the rolling hills of this plateau.

Spreading the message of Conservation Tourism across Ladakh

Ladakh is deceptively rich in its richness of wildlife and experiences across all seasons. The success of the Snow Leopard Tourism model in Rumbak quickly spread to other regions of Ladakhi influencing a plethora of communities and wildlife populations. Ulley, Mangyu, Stok and even parts of Nubra came under the umbrella of conservation tourism focused on wildlife. Snow Leopard and other wildlife sightings were not restricted to the limits of the National Park anymore.

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There is a lot to see and experience in every corner of Ladakh

Even a casual drive through the countryside can bring about encounters with the curious Marmots who burrow by the roadsides, skittish Pikas and Weasels that reside among rock walls and scree slopes, to a wandering Red Fox searching for an easy meal. Even the mountains of Dras play host to a very secretive large carnivore, in fact the largest land carnivore in the country. The spring months, the time of snow melt, awaken the hibernating Himalayan Brown Bears from their winter retreats. The area around Drass, almost across the entire region of Western Ladakh, sees a sudden explosion in the Brown Bear numbers from April. The bears move far and wide across the mountains in the following months in search of food before returning to their dens with full bellies with the onset of winter.
Such is the incredible diversity and the scope of wildlife experiences in this vast cold desert landscape of the Indian Trans-Himalaya.

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RECOMMENDED

Itineraries

JUNE 6/2021 | WILDLIFE

Ladakh’s Spectacular Landscapes

Ladakh, the land of high passes, is a region in the northernmost stretches of India with blurred boundaries of culture and traditions between neighbouring countries like Tibet and China. In the past, the region’s strategic location at the crossroads of several trade routes was a lifeline for its people, which tourism today provides. Ladakh’s tranquil, turquoise lakes, adventure sports like river rafting and trekking, and the numerous Buddhist monasteries, high altitude wildlife, make it among the most unique destinations in India.

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JUNE 6/2019 | CULTURE

Ladakh – Mountains, Monasteries and Monks

In a country of a billion and half and still counting, Ladakh is one of those rare places where people are few and far between. While high passes and spectacular mountains dominate the region, it is also a place that speaks of the thousands of years that travelers, craftsmen, preachers and nomads have come upon. A jewel in the crown of India, Ladakh not just amazes with its landscape and people, but also hides unique wildlife. While many passes make up Ladakh’s stunning landscape yet experiencing a place like this is bound to leave every traveler breathless both spiritually and by altitude.

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RECOMMENDED

Stays

Sentinels of frontier lands, accommodation partners of WATCH are beyond being just hotels, lodges and retreats. They are showcases of the authentic and invaluable, ensuring their propagation and celebration. World class hospitality is a natural derivative of this pride in their heritage and legacy.

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CONSCIOUS LUXURY

Leh’s only star-rated hotel, the Grand Dragon is a luxury hotel a short distance away from the main markets. The Grand Dragon is centrally heated, solar powered, with state-of-the-art amenities from lounges to restaurants, an indoor gym and conference space – making it a great all-year-round accommodation.

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WILDERNESS

Ladakh’s only dedicated, all-year-round wildlife lodge, the Snow Leopard Lodge is one among a handful of wood and stone cottages in the Ulley village. It was started as a homestay to harness tourism revenue for the local community and was then taken over to promote the exclusive snow leopard experience.

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UNDERSTATED LUXURY

The LUNGMĀR emphasises exclusivity and an intimate approach to the wilderness. They have ten tents in two styles for adventurous travellers looking for the grey ghost.The SHAN SUITE Suite and the IRBIS SUITE are two large geodesic dome tents with en-suite bathrooms. Six Quonset-style KURKHANG Tents provide a traditional take on the remote bush camp. They provide a warm and well-furnished bedroom in the main tent and also separate showers and toilets.

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CONSCIOUS LUXURY

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WILDERNESS

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UNDERSTATED LUXURY

The LUNGMAR emphasises exclusivity and an intimate approach to the wilderness. They have ten tents in two styles for adventurous travellers looking for the grey ghost.The SHAN SUITE Suite and the IRBIS SUITE are two large geodesic dome tents with en-suite bathrooms. Six Quonset-style KURKHANG Tents provide a traditional take on the remote bush camp. They provide a warm and well-furnished bedroom in the main tent and also separate showers and toilets.

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TESTIMONIALS

Words from our Guests

Here are few inspiring words that drive us to veer off the beaten track to look for the beyond. Exploring and sharing the hidden wonders of this awe-inspiring land for that acknowledging nod, a simple smile, a few kind words is in a nutshell our raison d’être.

Now for the trip: …drum roll please. Of the various trips we have done with you this was definitely the best one. Of all the travel we have done Africa was our favorite, but this was a close second. A wonderful blend of different areas and people. Great variety of activities. Some of the hotels were the most spectacular we have and probably will ever stay at. Service was the best we received anywhere in the world. India like Africa speaks for itself, it was like going to a different world. The guides were truly exceptional. Each one injected energy and passion into their presentation. Our driver we had for the whole trip was remarkable person who always worked to make every day fun. My new knee was swollen and painful throughout much of the trip but I was enjoying myself too much to notice .

DANIELA & THOMAS

United States of America

Travel Scope did an excellent job in coordinating our tour and will definitely contact you for future clients. All your guides are knowledgeable and kept it interesting. What I liked most of all is their ability to adjust. As you very well know, travelers are not all the same - some would like a lengthy explanation and others, like us, would rather have the time to appreciate the place without information overload. Also, I like that we were not brought to any store in the guise of showing us “artisans” like our guides in Nepal & Dubai. It is a major turnoff that many of today's tours incorporate commercialism into their venture. Unless specifically requested by the guests, I think shops should be avoided at all cost as it is a waste of precious time .

IMEE

United States of America

Mohan - You gave me the experience of a lifetime. My heart and soul have been deeply moved by the trip. Your organization was so excellent and kind we could not have asked for anything more except more time.

SHEILA

United States of America

Thank you for coming to meet us at the hotel in Delhi tonight. I think you heard clearly from the clients what a great tour you have put together and how much they enjoyed Avi. You have a world class team.

BROD

Australia

Thank you again for all your efforts in getting us home. The effort you and your people put in went well above and beyond. The people at the airport were the icing on the cake in that they just made us feel like rock stars. Mary and I are looking forward to next year when we can return to Incredible India for our sixth visit, I hope you and your people have a speedy return to normal business.

STEVEN AND MARY

United States of America

Thank you both for organizing such a dreamlike trip to India for our group. We could not have been happier! I thought this is a perfect time to share with you about our fabulous experience, knowing how much time and effort you have put into planning & implementing this trip for our group. In short, your mission is accomplished and my hats off to you both as my husband and I rate this trip as one of the very best in the past 4 decades of traveling; we just can compare it to our trip to Africa which was already our most favorite.

FARIBA & HORMOZ

United States of America

“I’ve had the privilege of travelling to India on numerous occasions and I list the country as probably my favourite on the planet. Having visited more than 100 countries, I don’t make this claim lightly. On each occasion, I’ve travelled with Travel Scope – for my personal travels and with my tour groups. Travel Scope’s itineraries, knowledge, care-factor, understanding of our needs and their attention to detail, make them an outstanding ground operator. Regardless of which region I visited, Travel Scope managed these adventures seamlessly and showed me the best on offer. I have learned that India is many different cultures within the one border. It is very difficult to name a favourite experiences but I have two stand-outs; The Snow Leopards of Ladakh and the wildlife of Central India. Both are on my list of the best things I’ve done in my life! And both are thanks to the outstanding team at Travel Scope! I can’t recommend them highly enough” .

Blue Dot Travel

Exceptional service standards at the Tiger lodges. Wonderful wildlife viewing opportunities. The safaris across the different parks gave the group a great variety of landscapes to see the full breadth of the wildlife. The guides were skilled at tracking the Tigers through the alarm calls of the deers and monkeys, creating a great level of suspense. Delicious food served with warmth and attention to detail at all locations.

Blue Dot

I have had the privilege over many years, during my travels throughout India, both on personal trips and with my TIKKA TOURS guests, to explore all the natural wonders that India has to offer. All of my experiences have been curated by Travel Scope India and its founder Mohan Narayanaswamy , whom I have spent many hours with, bouncing around in jeeps on our search for all things wild in the forests and jungles learning from Travel Scope’s expert handpicked guides and seeing everything from the abundant birdlife, to sloth bears and their babies being carried on their mothers backs, watching the playful and mischievous monkeys and of course seeing the breathtaking big cats – the Tiger and leopards, and even the Asiatic Lions! It’s because of Mohan’s passion and commitment in offering more than just the standard ‘’tiger tourism’’ experiences, that I have been able to explore the diversity and more ‘’óff piste’’ wildlife destinations, which have made me fall in love not just with India and its people, cultures and traditions, but also its treasure trove of nature that never ceases to amaze me. Thank you Travel Scope for your dedication to put WILD INDIA on the map!

Claudia wolf

Founder TIKKA TOURS Australia

“Travel Scope has become one of ATJ’s most trusted partners over the past two decades and one of the finest travel providers we’ve had the pleasure of working with over 3 decades plus of being in the business. Their ability to deliver top notch travel experiences is unmatched in India and South Asia. Unlike other travel companies, Travel Scope never rests on past achievements and successes nor assume that every visitor to South Asia is looking for the same type of experience. They understand that the itineraries we plan for our travelers are as unique as the clients themselves. Travel Scope tirelessly searches out and recommends destinations and experiences that most others companies simply aren’t aware of. Ultimately, Travel Scope always delivers flawless and expertly executed itineraries whether the focus is wildlife, art, culture, culinary, history or all of these areas combined.”

Eric Kareus

Director of Travel + Co-Owner

ATJ Travel, Boulder, CO USA

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Culture

Ladakh – Land of the High Passes and the domain of the Grey Ghost

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