February 9-20, 2025
An expedition to the Himalayas in search of the mysterious and elusive snow leopard, a 12-day tour organized and designed by the Just Explorers team, led by photographer Jonathan Giovannini.
HOW TO BOOK?
Scroll to the bottom of the page and fill out the contact form, asking for more information on the event or confirming your participation. You will be quickly contacted on Whatsapp.
COST: €6490 €5990
OTHER SIMILAR EVENTS:
DESTINATION:
Spiti Valley is a land that at first glance may appear arid and desolate, but it hides an infinity of wonders . Its rocky valleys, frozen rivers and high-altitude villages offer breathtaking views and countless photographic opportunities. Here, the snow leopard , with its elusive presence, adds an additional element of charm and mystery to this land.
Light is a magical element in this valley. In the early morning hours, it floods the mountain ridges, outlining their contours with golden tones and casting long shadows that create a fascinating play of contrasts. At sunset, the entire valley is tinged with pastel shades, giving life to a spectacle of rapidly changing colors, a gift for every photographer eager to capture the beauty of these moments.
But it is not only the light that makes Spiti Valley a fascinating photographic subject. Its people , with their traditional clothes and faces marked by time and the elements, also offer portraits of great emotional intensity. The charm of these people who live in symbiosis with such an extreme environment adds further depth and context to your images.
ABOUT THE TOUR:
The Kibber area , in Spiti Valley, is the main area where the snow leopard moves. Here, with the help of expert local guides, you can reach pristine places and observe unique things. In particular, in this period, because, in the heart of winter, temperatures drop and with them the snow leopards lower their altitude, making sightings much more frequent.
The snow leopard, also nicknamed “the ghost of the mountains” for its mysterious aura, has always been recognized as the king of these environments. Their ideal habitat, above 3000 meters, however, offers the ideal conditions for a biodiversity that goes far beyond the elusive feline.
Among the most emblematic animals of the region, we find the Asiatic ibex , the Himalayan blue sheep, or bharal, red foxes, eagles, bearded vultures, hares and, with great luck, the Tibetan wolf . In this valley also lives the Pallas’s Cat, but it is practically considered a ghost!
From our arrival in Kibber , we will have daily photographic activities following this routine:
07:00 – The day begins with the group waking up, as the guides and spotters venture out into the wild to track down the snow leopard .
08:00 – 08:30 – Breakfast at our cozy Home Stay , where you can enjoy delicious local dishes and get ready for today’s adventure.
09:00 – After receiving the latest news from our guides on the possible locations of the leopard, we will set off, using jeeps where necessary, towards the designated location for the photo session. The transfer time can vary from 10 minutes to 1.30 hours, depending on the distance of the last report.
During the exploration, lunch will be provided in the form of a packed lunch, allowing you to stay immersed in nature without interruptions. The photography day will extend from 09:00 to 17:00 , providing ample opportunities to capture breathtaking images of the snow leopard in its natural habitat.
At the end of the day, we will return to our Home Stay to rest and share the emotions and shots collected during the adventure.
Each photographer will be accompanied by a local assistant, who will take care of transporting everything necessary .
4
Our journey will be long and will include several stops to reach the final destination, allowing us to avoid excessive tiredness and to better manage the altitude . During the journey, we will always stop in accommodation facilities of the highest level for the context.
We will have all the necessary comforts at our disposal: even in Kibber, where we will spend the night at over 4000 meters above sea level, we will have heating, electric blankets, electricity and a fast internet connection, thus ensuring that we will never feel too isolated.
The first structures will be real hotels, complete with restaurant, while the last stages in the Spiti Valley include homestay accommodation, where the services will be shared and the atmosphere more authentic .
These places, in addition to the magic of the snow leopard, preserve ancient cultural aspects, offering an adventure rich in history and nature.
RECOMMENDED PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT:
Snow leopard sightings can vary. With a bit of luck, you can see these animals at 50/70 meters.
You have to be very lucky for a closer sighting, but it is not impossible.
For this reason we recommend a minimum lens of 600mm. If you have teleconverters and cameras with a small sensor (DX/APS-C) they can be useful in case of need.
If you are interested in renting the equipment, contact us, the organization is available for any other questions.
Recommended clothing:
Temperatures can be very cold, even below -20°C . For this reason we recommend adequate technical clothing, starting with a thermal layer (tights and shirt), socks, trousers and heavy jackets. Long walks are not planned, so heavy clothing will not limit movements too much.
It will be very important to have gloves , a woolen hat, a balaclava or neck warmer and sunglasses, preferably with anti-glare side protection.
All the more precise instructions and advice will be provided after registration.
DAY BY DAY PROGRAM:
The program may be subject to changes agreed with the group. Any variation will be decided based on the weather and the activity of the animals in order to improve the experience.
- Day 1 :
- Scheduled flight to New Delhi. Arrival and completion of bureaucratic formalities. Welcome by the Team’s professional photographer.
- Free meals in New Delhi.
- Day 2 – New Delhi – Chandigarh 800 m
- Domestic flight New Delhi Chandigarh. Arrival, welcome by the guide and transfer to the hotel.
- Meals included
- Overnight stay at the hotel
- Hot water, electricity, Wi-Fi and all amenities are present.
- Day 3 :
- Breakfast welcome by the photographer and the guide guides and departure for Rampur. Arrival in the small town and accommodation in the Hotel. Here we could already find the first fauna with the characteristic Macaques that live in this area.
- Meals included
- Overnight stay at the hotel
- Hot water, electricity, Wi-fi and all services are present
- Day 4 Tabo 3600 m:
- Breakfast welcome by the photographer and the guide guides and departure for Tabo. Here we will finally enter the Spiti Valley. Not yet at the final destination but already in an area populated by the Snow Leopard.
- Meals included
- Overnight stay in Home Stay
- Heated blankets, sheets, towels, electricity and hot meals are present in the homestays
- Running and hot water is not guaranteed
- From day 5 to day 10 Kibber 4.270m:
- Breakfast and departure for the photographic activity. 1 guide and 2 expert local observers, will be committed to search for the presence of the snow leopard in the incredible Spiti Valley.
- Using our vehicles we will get as close as possible to the spotting point, then we will have to walk on foot. Depending on the location, you can walk from 10 minutes to 3 hours. 1 porter per photographer will help us transport the photographic equipment. In Spiti Valley the percentage of sightings of the snow leopard is very high.
- Overnight stay in Home Stay
- Heated blankets, sheets, towels, electricity and hot meals are present in the homestays
- Running and hot water is not guaranteed
- A porter and helper will always be with you to help you with the photographic equipment
- NB In case of particular weather conditions it may be necessary to spend the last night in Tabo, to avoid getting stuck in Kibber.
- Day 11 :
- Our return journey begins. This time, there will be no need to stop in Tabo for acclimatization and after the last breakfast in Kibber we will leave for Rampur.
- Meals included
- Overnight stay at the hotel
- Hot water, electricity, Wi-Fi and all amenities are present.
- Day 12:
- Breakfast, welcome by the photographer and departure for Chandigarh airport.
- Once we arrive at Chandigarh airport we will board the domestic flight to New Delhi. All in the same day.
- From here, in the evening we can board our intercontinental flight to Italy or your final destination.
flight information:
For all the part related to the purchase of flights , you will be assisted by our team after booking. In these itineraries, it is essential to avoid any purchase errors.
For this reason, we will be at your complete disposal to help you locate and purchase the right flights , ensuring safe and smooth planning.
INCLUDED
- all private transfers round trip Chandigar
- all breakfasts, lunches and dinners
- 1 night in hotel in Chandigarh (double room with facilities)
- 1 carrier for carrying photographic equipment
- professional drivers, petrol and toll booths
- 1 night in hotel in Rampur (double room with facilities)
- 4×4 jeep for moving around Kibber
- the presence of a professional photographer
- 1 night in Home Stay in Tabo Spiti Valley (double room with shared facilities)
- 7/8 days of photographic activity in Kibber
- all park fees for entry to the villages and the park at KIbber
- 6 nights in Home Stay in Kibber, Spiti Valley (double room shared facilities)
- water, soft drinks and hot drinks
- Oxygen cylinder and basic first aid kit in Kibber
NOT INCLUDED
- internal flight
- Health insurance (strongly recommended)
- intercontinental flight
- everything not expressly indicated in “the price includes”
- Single room supplement
- Tips to guides, trackers and porters
- entry visa
- alcoholic beverages
Cost: €6490 €5990
Available places: 1
HOW TO BOOK?
Request more information or confirm your registration by sending your phone number and email in the box below
You will be contacted on Whatsapp
Terms and Conditions:
By booking by paying the deposit to the organizers , you accept the following clauses:
- Price changes : As this is a pre-registration, the organizer undertakes to promptly communicate any changes in the price of the tour. An annual cost fluctuation of approximately 5% is likely if the booking is made more than a year in advance, due to variations in the costs of ground services (such as electricity, fuel and other factors).
- Payment Methods : The workshop price will be paid through the options offered by the organizer (bank transfer, PayPal, credit card or cash), following the established procedures and deadlines, including any transaction costs.
- Cancellation by the organizer : In case of cancellation of the tour by the organizer, the entire amount paid will be refunded.
- Personal cancellation : For cancellations caused by personal reasons, not attributable to the organizer, the deposit and any registration fees will be retained as reimbursement of expenses.
- Cancellations within 60 days of departure : In case of personal cancellation within 60 days of the departure date, payment of the entire balance of the tour will be required.
By registering, paying the deposit and sending your personal data, you confirm your acceptance of clauses 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 .
BISON EXPEDITION POLAND DECEMBER 2025