Big Cats of India

Arrive in India’s vibrant capital, where centuries-old heritage meets the energy of a modern metropolis. Settle into your hotel, meet your expedition team, and prepare for an extraordinary journey across some of India’s most remarkable wildlife landscapes.

Take a domestic flight from Delhi to Leh, gateway to the high-altitude wilderness of Ladakh. On arrival, transfer to your hotel and begin acclimatising to the altitude. The remainder of the day is at leisure, allowing you to rest and adjust to your new surroundings.

A minimum of 48 hours in Leh is strongly recommended before venturing into the mountains in search of snow leopards. Spend another leisurely day acclimatising, with the opportunity for gentle excursions around Leh. Explore its ancient monasteries, vibrant markets and historic streets, discovering the cultural heart of this extraordinary Himalayan capital.

After an early breakfast, depart Leh in comfortable vehicles and journey deeper into the mountains towards your remote camp, set within prime snow leopard habitat. On arrival, the camp team will welcome you, brief you on the days ahead and introduce you to your surroundings.

Spend five full days exploring the rugged valleys and high ridgelines of Ladakh in search of the elusive snow leopard. Our expert spotters will patiently scan the landscape for movement, tracks and other signs of these remarkable cats. When a snow leopard is located, you will be escorted to a suitable vantage point for observation and photography. Hot breakfast and lunch will be served in the field, allowing you to make the most of every daylight hour. Return to camp as the mountains fall into the evening light.

Depart camp early and travel back to Leh Airport for your flight to Delhi. On arrival, continue overland to Ranthambhore, where you will check into your lodge and settle in for the next chapter of your journey.

Over four days, explore different zones of Ranthambhore National Park in search of tigers and the diverse wildlife that shares their domain. Few tiger habitats are as evocative as Ranthambhore. Ancient ruins and monumental structures dating back centuries rise from the landscape, remnants of the historic fort complex woven into forests, lakes and open grasslands. The setting offers a remarkable sense of wilderness shaped by both nature and history. Each day includes two safaris, offering ample time to explore the park and follow the lives of its wildlife.

Continue overland to Jawai, a striking landscape of volcanic granite, open pastures and scattered scrub, where leopards have adapted to life alongside the region’s pastoral communities. As you travel west, the landscape changes dramatically – from the forests of Ranthambhore to expansive agricultural country punctuated by enormous granite outcrops. This is a very different India, and one of the most unusual habitats in which to encounter a leopard.

Spend two full days exploring Jawai in search of its celebrated leopards. The region’s open terrain and dramatic granite formations offer exceptional opportunities for both observation and photography. Set out on morning and afternoon safaris, watching for leopards emerging from their rocky dens and moving across the boulder-strewn landscape. Between safaris, return to the lodge for meals and time to relax. As evening descends, the granite hills glow in shades of pink and amber, creating an atmospheric backdrop to one of India’s most distinctive wildlife experiences.

Continue to the final destination of the expedition. Depart Jawai and drive to Jodhpur Airport for your flight to Diu. On arrival, continue by road for approximately two hours to Gir, home to the last wild population of the Asiatic lion.

Explore Gir, the last refuge of the Asiatic lion and the only place on Earth where this extraordinary big cat can be seen in the wild. Across teak forests, dry deciduous woodland and open scrub, search for lions moving through their ancestral range, along with the rich diversity of wildlife that inhabits this remarkable ecosystem. As with Ranthambhore and Jawai, each day includes two safaris, allowing you to experience Gir at its most active – through the coolness of the early morning and the softer light of late afternoon.

Your journey concludes with a flight back to Delhi. From the high valleys of Ladakh to the forests of Ranthambhore, the granite hills of Jawai and the dry woodlands of Gir, you leave with memories of four extraordinary landscapes – and encounters with four of India’s most iconic big-cat realms.