Venture by 4x4, horseback and on foot to track and spot one of the planet’s most elusive and beautiful animals: the snow leopard. On our specially tailored 10-day expedition, you’ll work with local park rangers to travel between remote camp locations in Sarychat Reserve. There are more snow leopards per square mile in Sarychat than anywhere else in the world, so the chances of seeing a snow leopard are excellent. Aside from snow leopards, there's an extremely high chance of seeing wolves, bears, argalies, ibex, vultures and golden eagles. You'll meet conservation champions from organisations to individuals who have dedicated their lives to protecting the species.
Be warned, this tour is not for the faint hearted. You'll need to be physically fit and robust enough to tackle one of the most extreme environments in the world. You'll be well looked after by our expert team, but be prepared for high altitudes, journeying on horseback over tough terrain and some dicey temperatures. We promise you it'll be an adventure of a lifetime.
Arrive in Bishkek - you'll meet everyone on the expedition and get briefed on the journey ahead. We’ll conduct kit checks and safety briefs.
Day
2
You'll travel 500km into the park to Ak-Shirak, a small isolated village at the foothills of the park. You'll experience Kyrgyz hospitality at its best and stay overnight.
Day
3
Snow leopard spotting begins. You'll be taken by 4x4 to a valley frequented by snow leopards and other wildlife. You'll learn about snow leopard behaviour, how to use spotting scopes effectively and how we'll be working as a team to track and spot them.
Day
4-9
You'll travel further into the park by 4x4 and to our expedition base camp. There are no roads from this point so you’ll be travelling by horseback and on foot to surrounding valleys and ridges. You'll be working in teams with rangers to track, spot and identify wildlife.
We have several locations you may visit depending on the time of year, weather and previous sightings. Some of our locations are extremely remote and there’s a good chance you’ll spot other wildlife like wolves, argali, ibex and golden eagles.
Day
10
After an epic adventure, you'll help to pack up camp before returning to Bishkek for onward travel.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Accommodation
Bishkek – twin or triple rooms, same gender where possible (unless you have paid the single person supplement for your own room). Ak-Shirak – this will depending on who will be hosting us, but you’ll likely be sharing with other participants, and possibly host families too. In the park – mixed gendered in expedition-grade tents or ranger cabins. You'll be sleeping on mats or raised camp beds. You can bring your own tent if you’d prefer to be alone, but it must be a 4 season tent.
Food
Veggies and vegans catered for. However, meat is an essential part of Central Asian cuisine. Meat is locally produced and often reared in small villages. If you are a flexible veggie or vegan, we recommend you take this approach. Vegans in particular can expect a lack of variety on the expedition itself, but also in major cities and towns.
All allergies are taken very seriously and we'll make sure you'll be catered for.
Transport
You'll be in a mixture of transport from regular taxis to rugged 4x4s, as well as on horse back. Horse riding experience is not necessary and those less confident on horseback can be tethered to a ranger's horse for additional safety.
BOOKING INFORMATION
2nd - 11th October
6 / 6 places remaining
£4,750 per person
16th - 25th October
6 / 6 places remaining
£4,750 per person
Additional optional costs:
Single room in Bishkek on arrival and before departure: +£60pp Airport transfers for arrival and departure: +£40pp Optional costs can be purchased at any time, but at least 60 days before the deperature date.
In order to secure your booking, we require acceptance of our Terms and Conditions and a 20% deposit.
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