LungMar Camp

a very serious and focused wildlife experience

Set in a remote mountain valley around 40 km to the southeast of the town of Leh in Ladakh, LungMar Camp is a relatively simple but elegant property, the best location in the world for snow leopards.

LungMar Camp is the first permanent camp anywhere in the world to be set up deep inside the snow leopard areas and is, unusually accessible by vehicle, albeit along a pretty endless rough track up into the high valleys.

The camp is centred on a simple stonework mess building, containing the main lounge and dining areas, tastefully decorated with local fabrics. Although the camp is way off the beaten track, almost completely cut off from the outside, there is solar power and satellite wifi connectivity.

Given that snow leopard season coincides with the winter here in Ladakh, temperatures (which can drop below -40C/-40F) are a major issue, so heating is a really important element of the camp design.

Rooms

Guest accommodation at LungMar Camp is in six tents and four larger suites.

These tents benefit from a special insulation system and are nice and snug at night, even when the outside temperatures drop off the scale.

Kurkhang Tents : x6 : It is important to note that these rooms do not have private bathrooms, but share a cluster of separate, heated showers and environmentally-friendly toilets.

Predator Suites : x4 : These four rooms are contained within one substantial stone and wood building, with broad south-facing mountain views, each with a private bathroom.

Shan Suite : x1 : A larger suite with a separate living room, which can be converted to a single room, to make a unit for three people, with each bedroom having a separate bathroom.

Activities

LungMar Camp is primarily focused on tracking snow leopards by vehicle and on foot, in the company of a highly skilled group of expert guides and advanced spotters.

It is also possible to descend back down into the main valley to interact with local people and visit various villages and monasteries.

The remote Ladakh province is reached by air from Delhi. The usual duration of a snow leopard trip is 7-10 nights.

Seasonality

The best time for snow leopards in Hemis is during the Nov-Mar winter season, when heavy snow at high altitudes forces the cats down into the valleys, making them a good deal more accessible.

This contradicts the best time of year for general travel in the Ladakh area is usually considered to be during Apr-Oct, which is the summer season.

There is a widespread misconception that Feb-Mar is the strongest part of the season for sightings, but years of records show that the true season is Dec-Mar, with guests at LungMar Camp enjoying a 100% success rate. November and April are also possible, but the chances of sightings are significantly reduced.

During Nov-Mar the daytime temperatures struggle up to around 4C/39F, whilst the nighttime low temperatures plunge to around -12C/10F. Precipitation is usually very occasionally and usually falls as snow. Sunshine is around 6 hours per day (around 55% of daylight hours), meaning that skies are often overcast.

Getting there

The only viable option for most international travellers heading for Ladakh is to fly from Delhi to Leh (IXL). There are regular (usually daily) flights.

On the way to visit Hemis it is to stay at least two nights in the Leh area, in order to habituate to altitude. From there it is a drive of around 2.5 hours to Hemis and on to the camp.

the recommended stay to ensure sightings is 6-8 nights