Big Cats Photo Tour in India

Day 1

We arrive in one of India’s megacities– the capital, New Delhi. Check into your hotel, and the rest of the day is free for you to explore. If you arrive a day earlier, you can opt for a tour through Old or New Delhi.
Overnight: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast only

Day 2

After breakfast, we will be taken to the domestic airport, from where we fly to Leh. Arriving in Leh, the capital of Ladakh, is an exciting experience. The flight from Delhi to Leh offers breathtaking views of the Himalayan region. Since Leh is located at a high altitude (over 3,500 meters), it is important to take time for acclimatization. We will take it easy on the first day and explore the city. If you’re interested, you can visit the Leh Palace, an architectural beauty with a magnificent view of the city. The palace offers insights into the local history and culture.
Overnight: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast only

Day 3

Today, we will visit some of the most important monasteries in Leh, including Shey Monastery, Thiksey Monastery, and Hemis Monastery.
Thiksey Monastery is one of the largest monasteries in Ladakh. It is built on a hill and hosts an impressive statue of Maitreya Buddha. Hemis Monastery is famous for its annual festival, and it is also an important religious center that offers fascinating insights into Buddhist life.
Overnight: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast only

Day 4

This day is the start of our snow leopard adventure. We will drive to the Ulley Valley, a remote area about 4 hours from Leh. At an altitude of almost 4,000 meters above sea level, we will settle into our accommodation at the Snow Leopard Lodge for the next few days. The Snow Leopard Lodge is the only lodge in Ladakh from which snow leopards can be observed in the surrounding area. Our experienced trackers and spotters know a great deal about the habits and movements of these rare snow leopards, and they will try to organize sightings every day. Nevertheless, the snow leopard is very shy, and we may have to walk some distances to get closer to the animals.
Overnight: Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Day 5-10

The next few days will be spent at the lodge and in its surroundings. Potential sightings of snow leopards and other animals will shape our daily activities. We will accompany our guides and spotters to the vantage points and try to interpret and understand the signs of wildlife presence. Always ready to capture the action with our cameras.
Overnight: Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Day 11

Today marks the end of our time with the snow leopards. Hopefully, we have managed to capture some images of these very rare big cats in the past few days. We will drive back to Leh and check into our hotel. Over a delicious dinner, we will reflect on the first part of the trip and prepare for the second part.
Overnight: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast only

Day 12

Today we fly from Delhi to Udaipur in Rajasthan. We’ll need time for a new acclimatization phase. The cold has been replaced with pleasant warmth, and we are back at an altitude of 500 meters above sea level. After checking into our hotel by Lake Pichola, depending on the arrival time, there may still be some time for a short walk along the lake. Udaipur is known for its magnificent palaces and artificially constructed lakes.
Overnight: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast only

Day 13

After breakfast, we will drive about four hours from Udaipur to Jawai. After checking into our hotel and having lunch, we will head out for our first leopard safari. The Jawai Bandh Leopard Sanctuary is located in the Aravalli Mountains. It is famous for having over 50 leopards living alongside other animals such as crocodiles, deer, sloths, hyenas, bears, wolves, chinkaras, jackals, and various bird species like Sarus cranes and flamingos. This park is renowned for leopards freely roaming the granite hills without posing a threat to the local people. The Jawai Hills have the highest density of leopards in India. This is a great opportunity for us to capture stunning images of these wild animals.
Overnight: Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Day 14-15

The next two days offer us the chance to make wonderful shots of wildlife in the Jawai Bandh Leopard Sanctuary with morning and evening safaris.
Overnight: Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Day 16

Today, we will have our final safari in the Jawai Leopard Sanctuary. It’s time to say goodbye to the leopards. In the afternoon, we will drive back to Udaipur, where we will check into the hotel by Lake Pichola again.
Overnight: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast only

Day 17

We will take the morning train to Sawai Madhopur, the journey takes 5-7 hours. Our destination is the Ranthambore National Park, one of India’s most famous national parks. It is a major wildlife tourist attraction and the perfect place to search for the elusive Bengal tiger. The park covers an area of 1,350 square kilometers, and at its center lies the large Ranthambore Fort from the 10th century, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. The national park is home to over 80 tigers, as well as a natural habitat for jungle cats, desert cats, leopards, and a wealth of animals such as deer, wild boars, nilgai, hyenas, jackals, and monkeys. In the afternoon, we will embark on our first tiger safari.
Overnight: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Day 18-19

On morning and afternoon safaris, we will have more opportunities to photograph Bengal tigers and other wildlife.
Overnight: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Day 20

This morning, we will check out early and drive to Sawai Madhopur station to board the train to New Delhi. We will arrive at New Delhi station in the afternoon. Upon arrival, we will be greeted by our representative and transferred to the hotel. We will conclude the tour with a farewell dinner in the city.
Overnight: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast only

Day 21

After breakfast, we will be taken to the airport in Delhi for our international flight home.
Meals: Breakfast