Snow Leopard safari in Ladakh, India

Planet

Each safari provides a real wildlife viewing and conservation experience. By opting for a safari with us safari guests are already helping to contribute towards our conservation work. A minimum of 10% of our pre tax profit goes to support wildlife conservation and research projects including the ingwe Research Program which was founded by Will and Carol in 2007.

By opting for a safari with us safari guests are already helping to contribute towards our conservation work. A minimum of 10% of our pre tax profit goes to support wildlife conservation and research projects including the ingwe Research Program which was founded by Will and Carol in 2007.

In an effort to reduce single use plastics, we issue our guests with a metal water bottle at the start of each safari, which can be refilled as required and saves the use of plastic bottle.

In Ladakh the Snow Leopard Conservancy India (SLC India), promotes snow leopard conservation tourism, which it sees as a key factor in incentivising local communities to protect rather than persecute a mega carnivore that can cause havoc to livestock. The Ulley Valley had been identified early on as a prime habitat for wildlife and the SLC which was fundamental in creating Snow Leopard Lodge. The Snow Leopard Lodge was created in partnership with local villagers Nilza and her son Otsal.

Snow Leopard Lodges work in association with the Snow Leopard Conservancy, directing client donations towards them in order to further the important work they do in the areas of research and mitigation of predator-human conflict.

People

While on safari we recommend that visitors buy locally produced goods and support local artisans. In this way, visitors are able to help sustain the local community, contribute towards conservation and enrich their own lives. During each safari there will be opportunities to purchase goods from local artists, market stalls and restaurants in keeping with the ideals of fair trade.

Our guides will advise on a ‘fair price’ if requested, however it is worth noting that a relatively small sum can make a huge difference to peoples lives and guests are asked to consider this when bargaining with market stallholders.

Safari staff are all recruited locally and encouraged to develop local tourism and in this way assist in reducing human conflict issues with leopards. Where applicable local staff produce conservation based items for sale (100% of the proceeds going to the originator). Local rangers and guides are employed at all levels. This safari also supports community education programs via our local partners.

Snow leopard Lodge contributes to a fund that they have established with the Rizong Gompa – main monastery donating a fixed sum per guest to the Gompa for which separate accounts are maintained. These funds are then used for the community benefit at the discretion of the monastery management but full transparency is maintained in the accounts. This fund is used from charity for needy families to capital works as per the requirement of the associated villages.