Introduction

Exactly 2 years ago, I was on my way to Kibber in hope to find a snow leopard in the wild. In this article, I am going to describe my experience. It was a dream to see a snow leopard, the day I saw it on television. My first introduction to snow leopard was through some documentary sometime around 2010. At that time I came to know about this elusive species who lives in the Himalayas.

I consider myself super lucky to witness a snow leopard in the wild. Snow leopard expeditions in the trans Himalayas has been beyond just snow leopard. Sheer beauty of landscape, amazing hospitality of the locals and the company of other wildlife photographers makes it even more special.

Journey

The journey itself is good to get to Kibber. We started the trip from Ambala. It takes approximately three days to reach Kibber. Our route was Chandigarh, Rampur Bushahr, Tabo, Kibber. We started for the plains and ended up at 4200 meters above sea level at Kibber. Going by road also makes it easier to acclimatize to a higher altitude. It is highly recommended to rest for a day or two to get used to the low oxygen levels.

The scene keeps changing as you move towards the destination. The lower Himalayas are lush green with a lot of tree cover. As you move up, it starts to get a bit rocky and desert-like terrain. One of the reasons why people also sometimes refer to it is moon land. Winter makes it even more interesting. After a point, everything is snow-covered and it makes the landscape very different. Visiting Spiti in winter just to witness the scapes is an experience.

Another important factor is landslides. It is also possible to get stuck on the road due to landslides or some other issue. Such occurances can happen in the Himalayan region. So a bit of luck is always needed to reach Kibber on time. I am a bit unsure but Atal tunnel may make it easier to reach Spiti in winter and can save a decent amount of time.

Griffon Vulture in flight captured near Shimla

Great Barbet captured in Rampur

Chicham Village - Spiti

Key Gompa - Spiti

Key Gompa - Spiti

Challenges

When we (Me and my friend Bhavya) started to prepare this trip, we were aware that this is not a piece of cake. The expedition is not going to be easy and for sure it is going to push our boundaries. Subzero tempretures, lower oxygen levels and hiking around to get a glimpse of the snow leopard makes it very challenging.

Subzero temperatures bring a different set of challenges. Layered clothing, dry toilets and rooms without heaters makes it even more difficult. Especially for the people who are not used to cold have to push themselves a lot.

Kibber Village - Spiti

Photographing Snow Leopard

The Process

We were lucky enough to spot the snow leopard before even reaching our homestay. We got a news in Kaza and we went to the sanctuary directly. We packed our camera gears and went straight to the point where sighting was happening. Usually homestays provide a camping stool so it is easier to sit in the snow. But since we went directly to the sanctuary, we did not had thing to sit on. So we sat in the snow for some time waiting for the action.

When we reached the spot, snow leopard was lying and it took us decent amount of time to spot it. They are very well camouflaged and it takes a bit of time for your eyes to get used to the conditions. So at one end of the gorge, a bunch of photographers sitting and waiting for some action to happend and the snow leopard is on the other side.

So the process is a bit different as compared to traditional big cat photography when you wake up early, get ready and then drive across the jungle in a safari vehicle. For snow leopard expedition, the most difficult part is carried out by the local guides. Based on my knowledge, forest departments and institutions like snow leopard trust provide training to local guides who not only participates in tracking the animal, but they are also involved in various conservation efforts. They go out early in the morning around the Kibber village while we get ready and have a breakfast. As soon as the snow leopard(s) are located, they will inform us through walkie talkie.

After that the photographer will head towards that spot. Snow leopards, once spotted then can remain around the same spot throughout the day. They are active mostly during the dawn and the dusk for hunting. At a safe distance, photographers will wait for the action to happen.

Himalayan Ibex

Himalayan Ibex

Snow Leopard

Snow Leopard

Meeting friends

We met Vipulbhai and Catherine at Kibber. They are leading snow leopard expedition for about 4 years now. Vipulbhai has some of the finest snow leopard images. During our stay at Kibber, we were invited at their homestay for dinner and celebrating the sightings. It was an amazing experience having local cuisine with the homestay owner and the wildark team. We talked most of the time around individual’s wildlife stories and their experiences. Overall a very good evening spent with friends.

People

I was told before the expedition is that, people in spiti are as special as the snow leopard. In all the cases it is accurate. It is very difficult to find such hospitable and kind people. It is very difficult to even imagine living life in such harsh climate. Despite all that, people are very happy and always happy to help in the best possible way. The way women keep them selves busy in such harsh climate is an important thing to learn for everyone. My travel expereinces has for sure taught me that people make a place special. Place with right set of people can make all the difference.

Conclusion

After staying in Spiti for about 7 days, we headed back to the lower Himalayas. We had a train to catch from Delhi and we were planning to go back to Shimla. But at the last minute the plan was changed and we ended up going to Manali. We had a really good time roaming around Manali in late February. After spending a couple of days in Manali, we concluded out trip.

Snow leopard sighting was one thing that I wanted to do in my life. I was unsure whether it was possible or not, but somehow everything just happened. I am very happy for it. This experience is very close to my heart and even after 2 years, the memories are still very fresh. I really hope to go back again with some more time and get a better glimpse of the grey ghost.