Snow Leopard Trail: Himalayan Catwalk or Himalayan Saunter

OVERVIEW

Encounter The Ghost of the Mountains:

For big-cat enthusiasts, sighting a wild snow leopard in its native habitat makes for an unforgettable achievement. Such occasions usually transpire from a combination of luck, timing, and a host of conditions that need to come together.

This exquisite feline—with its creamy-grey coat speckled with dark rosettes and spots, all of which allow it to blend in with the surrounding outcrops and snowy slopes—was designed by nature to evade detection.

If you are interested in not just observing a wild snow leopard from close quarters but also fully understanding its place in Nepal’s mountain ecosystem and its relationship with the mountain folk of Manang, join us on our snow leopard trail.

Your best months for sighting snow leopards would be between December and March, with peak season between February to March, during the cats’ mating period. As you set on the trail with our knowledgeable, experienced guides, they will bring alive for you the myths and magical elements of the Edenic mountain valleys and tracks you will be traversing as you seek the ‘Ghost of the Mountains’.

The wild snow leopard population is estimated at 3,500 to 7,000, and they are classified as vulnerable by the IUCN. These cats prefer to prey on blue sheep and other wild animals such as the Himalayan tahr, but today, owing to habitat loss and climate-induced treeline movement, the leopards often resort to preying on villagers’ livestock.

Many villagers thus regard the snow leopard as both a divine animal and a scourge on their livelihood. In the past, there have been many reports of villagers’ retaliating in response to the leopards’ making off with their sheep and other livestock. Today, however, owing to the growth in demand for snow-leopard sighting tours, the villagers are finding ways to both ensure their livestocks’ safety while also being involved in the tours revolving around the leopards.

EXPERTS

Embark on The Snow Leopard Trail, a collaboration between California's top snow leopard experts and Nepalese wildlife professionals, including renowned observer Tashi R. Ghale from Manang. Featured in National Geographic and Disney documentaries, Tashi & team founded the Third Pole Conservancy.

Join us in unveiling the legendary world of the Snow Leopard and actively participating in its conservation through a unique life and travel experience, guided by experts like Tashi.