Leh Residency
Hotel
Days 1, 2, 6
Hemis Snow Leopard — 7 days (Leh, Zingchen, Husing, Rumbak & Tarbung)
Seven days in winter Ladakh, two full days on the ridges. Seven days with two full spotting days, two local spotters per group of six and a naturalist, plus full winter kit on loan.
The Monsoon Ledger
Runs this trip
Wildlife & birdwatching
Seven days in winter Ladakh, two full days on the ridges
Group Tour
Join a fixed-date departure with other travellers
Top Highlights
Leh Main BazaarLeh in January runs to −20 °C at night. Thiksey MonasteryTwo nights at Leh before going higher, exactly as in summer, except the margins are thinner in the cold. Hemis National ParkRumbak sits at 4,000 m inside the park and is the base for snow leopard spotting. Tarbung valleyThe spotters are Rumbak villagers who know every ridge. Rumbak valleyTwo full days is the minimum that makes a sighting realistic, and even then it is roughly even odds. ZingchenBack in Leh for a heated room and the first shower in four days.
Itinerary
Leh in January runs to −20 °C at night. Most guesthouses shut; the ones that stay open have Bukhari stoves and thick walls.
LehHow the day runs
- Fly in and do nothing. It is 3,500 m and it is winter.
- MealsDinner
- AccommodationLeh Residency
Included Activities
- Airport pickup
- Heated guesthouse night
- Down jacket and boots on loan
LANDMARKS Leh Main Bazaar Frozen Indus Start point Leh, Leh, Ladakh 06:00 - 12:00Two nights at Leh before going higher, exactly as in summer, except the margins are thinner in the cold.
LehHow the day runs
- 3 hrs10:00 AM — Thiksey and Shey in the cold light
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationLeh Residency
Included Activities
- Guesthouse night
- Monastery entries
- Kit check
LANDMARKS Thiksey Monastery Shey Frozen Indus Rumbak sits at 4,000 m inside the park and is the base for snow leopard spotting. The homestays are village houses with a stove in one room.
Leh, Zingchen, Husing, RumbakHow the day runs
- 1 hrs8:00 AM — down the Indus to the park road head
- 4 hrs9:30 AM — up the frozen gorge to the village
- MealsBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- AccommodationRumbak House
Included Activities
- Park permit
- Homestay at Rumbak
- All meals
- Spotting scope
LANDMARKS Hemis National Park Husing gorge Rumbak The spotters are Rumbak villagers who know every ridge. You find blue sheep first; the leopard follows the sheep.
Rumbak, TarbungHow the day runs
- 3 hrs7:00 AM — up the side valley with the spotters
- 3 hrs3:00 PM — back down before the light goes
- MealsBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- AccommodationRumbak House
Included Activities
- Local spotters
- Homestay night
- All meals
LANDMARKS Tarbung valley Blue sheep herds Snow leopard territory Two full days is the minimum that makes a sighting realistic, and even then it is roughly even odds.
RumbakHow the day runs
- 8 hrsDawn to dusk on the ridges, wherever the spotters say
- MealsBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- AccommodationRumbak House
Included Activities
- Local spotters
- Homestay night
- All meals
LANDMARKS Rumbak valley Stok Kangri from the ridge Back in Leh for a heated room and the first shower in four days.
Rumbak, Zingchen, LehHow the day runs
- 3 hrs9:00 AM — back down the gorge
- 1 hrs1:00 PM — to Leh
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationLeh Residency
Included Activities
- Guesthouse night at Leh
LANDMARKS Zingchen Leh Winter flights out of Leh cancel for weather and cold. Keep a spare day at the end.
Leh, HemisHow the day runs
- 2 hrs8:00 AM — out to the monastery the park is named after
- MealsBreakfast
- AccommodationNot included — onward travel
Included Activities
- Hemis entry
- Airport drop
LANDMARKS Hemis Monastery Leh airport
- Day 1Airport pickup
- Day 1Heated guesthouse night
- Day 1Down jacket and boots on loan
- Day 2Guesthouse night
- Day 2Monastery entries
- Day 2Kit check
- Day 3Park permit
- Day 3Homestay at Rumbak
- Day 3All meals
- Day 3Spotting scope
- Day 4Local spotters
- Day 4Homestay night
- Day 6Guesthouse night at Leh
- Day 7Hemis entry
- Day 7Airport drop
- Day 1 · 2 nightsLeh Residency
- Day 3 · 3 nightsRumbak House
- Day 6 · 1 nightLeh Residency
- Day 2Leh to Leh10:00 AM — Thiksey and Shey in the cold light
- Day 3Leh to Zingchen8:00 AM — down the Indus to the park road head
- Day 6Zingchen to Leh1:00 PM — to Leh
- Day 7Leh to Hemis8:00 AM — out to the monastery the park is named after
Where you'll stay
All accommodations are subject to change
Rumbak House
Hotel
Days 3–5
What you'll eat
6 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 6 dinners across 7 days, at the lodges you sleep in. It opens with dinner on day 1 and closes with breakfast on day 7.
- DinnerServed on days 1–6
- BreakfastServed on days 2–7
- LunchServed on days 3–5
15 meal services named in the itinerary. Vegetarian and vegan covered; Jain, gluten-free and allergies on notice at booking
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Customer reviews
Overall rating
4.6/5
Based on 20 reviews
Review summary
Food4.6/5
Guide4.3/5
Itinerary4.2/5
Transport4.1/5
Accommodation4.2/5
Tour operator4.2/5
Sort by:Recommended
5
A
Ananya Gupta – Chennai2026-07-02 · Verified booking
Ladakh was quieter than I expected and the camp was comfortable. Hotels were clean and central, which saved a lot of time. Worth every rupee.
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5
D
Divya Reddy – Kochi2026-07-02 · Verified booking
Ladakh was quieter than I expected and the camp was comfortable. No complaints about any of the hotels — all of them well placed. The lead was calm and knew when to slow the group down. Recommended.
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5
P
Priya Nair – Nagpur2026-07-02 · Verified booking
Excellent sightings and the guides clearly knew the area. Hotels were clean and central, which saved a lot of time. Would send friends their way.
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5
S
Sameer Khan – Chennai2026-07-02 · Verified booking
Excellent sightings and the guides clearly knew the area. Hotels were clean and central, which saved a lot of time. Never went hungry, and the tea appeared exactly when it was needed. No hesitation recommending them.
Reply from The Monsoon Ledger
Appreciate the honest feedback; we're looking at the pacing on that section.
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5
M
Manav Sethi – Indore2025-12-26 · Verified booking
Early starts, but that's where the wildlife is. Well run. Accommodation was a notch better than the price suggested. Guides answered every question, including the daft ones. No hesitation recommending them.
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5
P
Priya Nair – Bengaluru2025-12-26 · Verified booking
Early starts, but that's where the wildlife is. Well run. Rooms were comfortable and the locations meant we could walk most evenings. Guides answered every question, including the daft ones. Would book with them again.
Reply from The Monsoon Ledger
Thank you for travelling with us — glad the route worked out.
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5
S
Sofia Marchetti – Singapore2025-12-26 · Verified booking
Excellent sightings and the guides clearly knew the area. Food was plentiful and hot, which counts for a lot at altitude.
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5
D
Daniel Okafor – Stockholm2025-12-26 · Verified booking
Excellent sightings and the guides clearly knew the area. Rooms were comfortable and the locations meant we could walk most evenings. The cooking was a genuine surprise — better than most places we'd have picked ourselves. No hesitation recommending them.
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Questions people ask
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