Winter snow leopard watch at Ulley

Ulley is a tiny hamlet at the head of a side valley in the Sham region, at around 4,000 m. In winter, when snow pushes wild sheep down from the high pastures, snow leopards follow, and the slopes around Ulley become one of the best places in Ladakh to look for them outside Hemis National Park. Few visitors come here. The landscape is open and wide, and the light is clear.

Days start before dawn, with spotters already out on the ridges. When a cat is found, often far away, you watch through scopes and long lenses, sometimes walking to a closer vantage point. Ulley also holds bharal, Ladakh urial, red fox and golden eagles, and Tibetan wolves are seen in some winters. Patience is essential. The spotters are local villagers who know the slopes intimately. Lunch is served in the field with hot tea.

Lodges and homestays in Ulley are simple but warm, with wood or dung stoves. Temperatures fall to −20 °C at night. We combine two or three nights here with nights in Hemis National Park to maximise sightings. Sightings are never guaranteed. Bring clothing rated to −25 °C, insulated boots and spare camera batteries kept warm inside your jacket. Hot water bottles and thick quilts are provided. Nights in Leh break the stay.