3 cats of LADAKH 2027
Snow leopard, Eurasian lynx, Pallas's cat
Three rare and endangered big cats
Three spectacular Himalayan locations
Tibetan wolf and other elusive species
No trekking
One unforgettable adventure!​
21 February - 10 March 2027​
£12,490 sharing
£440 single supplement
First impressions of Ladakh from the air
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"This is a very special experience...
I’m almost tempted to leave it there, as words can’t do it justice.
On the surface this is a photographic expedition based around three rare and elusive big cats - enough of a temptation in itself - but so much more than that, it is a challenging encounter with Ladakh’s brutally beautiful landscape; it is becoming an intrinsic part of a grass-roots conservation movement initiated by our remarkable, ground-breaking and dedicated Ladakhi team; and it is a warm embrace into the culture of the high Himalayas.
It is a raw and unpredictable experience that humbles and inspires.
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And you’re likely to get some incredible photographs along the way."
Trai Anfield, tour director
Highlights of Ladakh include
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Snow leopard
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Eurasian lynx
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Pallas's cat
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Tibetan wolf
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Tibetan wild ass
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Tibetan gazelle
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Asiatic ibex, Urial, Argali, Blue sheep
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Golden eagle, lammergeier, upland buzzard, saker falcon, kestrel, eagle owl, little owl
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Woolly hare, Ladakh pika
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Wild yak
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Spectacular Himalayan landscapes
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Grass roots conservation participation
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Why come on this Ladakh specialist photography expedition?
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Ladakhi naturalists & film makers co-lead expedition - exclusive access to their prime locations
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Expedition timed for optimum access to big cats and their most interesting behaviour
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All lodgings in optimum locations for photography
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Dedicated chef travels with our group - dietary requirements catered for
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Cultural experiences as well as photographic opportunities
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Expert 1-2-1 tuition in wildlife & landscape photography
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Expert film making options available
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Photography-focussed group of just 4 - 6 like-minded travellers: no clash of agendas
Location 1 - Leh
Acclimatise with an introduction to Ladakhi culture and searching for snow leopards.
Taking a couple of days to acclimatise to the ultra-high altitude may not sound like much fun, but here in Leh it sure is! Gentle visits to monasteries, getting to know your Ladakhi guiding team over a cuppa in town, and heading into the nearby valleys for your first snow leopard sightings are all relaxing and thoroughly enjoyable ways to get used to being up so high in the Himalayas.
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As Leh is the gateway to Ladakh, sightings of cats in this area tend to be well-publicised, attracting a good many photographers, but are good practice for spotting and some great shots can be had - the atmospheric image below was taken in one of the valleys near Leh.
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"It is an honour to co-lead this expedition with a team of film-makers from Ladakh itself. They know these challenging locations and the cats' behaviour better than anyone, and grant us exclusive access to areas that other photography groups cannot reach, while embracing us into Ladaki culture."
Trai Anfield, tour director
Location 2 - Tangyar
Exclusive sightings and breaking new ground in community led conservation.
This is where we break away from the crowds, travelling up, over and beyond the Warila Pass - the13th highest mountain pass in the world at 17, 429 feet above sea level - which forms a natural barrier to most other groups. This is because there is only one lodge currently on this side of the pass, recently opened by our group leaders and their family. With this accommodation as our base, and scouts and spotters throughout all of the neighbouring villages, the sightings we have here are exclusive, and the images unique. For now. Inevitably, the success of this lodge will lead to others, so the clock is ticking on exclusive access, and I recommend coming here sooner rather than later.
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Tangyar was the location for our most intimate encounter with a cat. Local farmers reported a snow leopard had attacked and killed a young yak.
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Warila is also prime habitat for Eurasian lynx, with plenty of prey in the form of Himalayan woolly hare. We were treated to a male repeatedly hunting and then being distracted by a female lynx: we choose to be here in prime mating time for all three cats and although this year we didn't have the usual cover of snow which brings the cats lower down, so these particular cats remained at greater distance than usual, we did also witness them mating.
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However the cats do not have the mountains to themselves: on this year's trip we also had a pack of twelve wolves for company for an entire day.​
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"Snow Leopard and lynx in this pristine and untouched part of Ladakh is not a trip to put off, as it will surely not remain beyond the radar of major agents, hotels and an influx of tourists for much longer."
Trai Anfield, tour director
Location 3 - Hanle
High altitude desert with Pallas's cat, endemic ungulates, stargazing & nomads
The journey to Hanle is worth the trip on its own, following the tortuous course of the Indus River as it twists through mountains and valleys that seem impossible to pass...until we do.
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We ascend to a series of enormous high altitude desert plateaux, scoured raw by glaciers, which are home to hardy nomad families and rare and endemic Himalayan species such as Tibetan wild ass, Tibetan gazelles and Argali. Pallas's cat is a big draw here, too, and this year we were fortunate to witness these cats coming together to hunt and to mate: our team has got the timing absolutely right for all three cats. Below is a light-hearted short film following a male Pallas's cat as he attempts to find a mate.
There can be no guarantees of exactly what you may or may
not encounter, or at what distance, because this is a truly untamed, uncharted, rugged and unpredictable paradise.
But I do promise that each day will bring an extraordinary adventure, and an utterly incomparable experience.
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Trai Anfield, tour director
Varied landscapes are perfect for creative experimentation
Ladakh combines perfectly with
Tigers in Bandhavgarh / Ranthambore
Leopards in Bera
Asiatic Lions in Gir
One-horned Rhino in Kaziranga
Ask Trai about arranging an extension of your choice
BOOKING LADAKH 2027
DATES & RATES
Scheduled Departure:
21 February - 10 March 2027
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Rates:
£12,490 based on sharing twin or double
£440 single supplement
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Cost includes
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Domestic flights between Delhi & Leh with standard 25 Kg hold baggage and 7 kg hand luggage)
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Accommodation on twin sharing bases
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All meals included
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All transfers and transportation within Ladakh
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Expert indigenous naturalists & film makers
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Expert photography & film making tuition
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Extensive network of spotters
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Access to digital photography & videography through spotting scopes
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Wildlife protection fee.
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Village community fee
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First aid provision including oxygen cylinders
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Cost Does Not Include:
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International flights
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Personal Items
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Alcohol
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Tips, Insurance, Laundry
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Additional Optional Tours
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Anything not specifically mentioned under “Services included”
Introducing Your Expedition Leaders
This expedition is not just guided by experts— alongside Trai is a team that has shaped the very narrative of wildlife conservation in Ladakh.
Led by Imran, this indigenous group are pioneers in Himalayan wildlife conservation, photography, and filmmaking. With over 15 years of experience navigating Ladakh’s harshest terrains, Imran has led numerous high-altitude expeditions and dedicated his life to documenting and protecting the region’s most endangered species.
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His team was the first in India to film the Eurasian Lynx in its natural habitat, investing five years of patient tracking, research, and filming. Their work on lynx behaviour, habitat, and elusive movement patterns has set a new benchmark in the study and conservation of this rare cat.
Imran spent seven years following a single female Snow Leopard and her three successive generations of cubs—capturing an emotional and powerful story of motherhood, survival, and the coexistence of humans and wildlife in one of Earth’s harshest environments. The result was a first-of-its-kind wildlife documentary from Ladakh—“Shan: Spirit of the High Mountains”—a landmark film that opened the doors for indigenous voices in wildlife filmmaking across India and globally.
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On this Ladakh photography expedition you couldn't be in more knowledgeable and accomplished hands.