Ladakh is set to introduce India’s first high-altitude wildlife safari, following approval from Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena for guided safaris across the Union Territory’s snow leopard and bird-watching landscapes. The initiative is aimed at strengthening eco-tourism while providing visitors with a structured way to experience Ladakh’s distinctive high-altitude wildlife and Himalayan biodiversity.
The guided safari programme will cover popular wildlife and nature trails across Hemis National Park, Changthang and the Karakoram Wildlife Sanctuary, along with landscapes including Nubra, Zanskar, Sham, Kargil and Drass. The initiative will focus particularly on snow leopard and bird-watching experiences, allowing visitors to explore these habitats through organised and regulated tourism activities.
The safari experience is planned around specially designed open-back vehicles and trained local drivers and guides. The guided format is intended to discourage illegal off-roading and minimise disturbances to wildlife, while ensuring that tourism activities remain aligned with conservation and responsible-travel principles.
The initiative was approved during the first governing body meeting of the newly established Snow Leopard & High-Altitude Nature Conservation Society (SHAN Conservation Society). The programme is expected to create a more organised wildlife tourism framework for Ladakh while opening opportunities for local communities to participate in tourism through guiding and other visitor services.
Ladakh is home to one of India’s most important snow leopard habitats and offers a diverse range of high-altitude ecosystems. By introducing guided wildlife safaris, the administration aims to combine conservation with tourism development and provide visitors with responsible opportunities to experience the region’s wildlife without compromising its fragile mountain environment.
The move marks a new direction for Ladakh’s tourism sector, with wildlife and nature-based experiences being developed alongside the Union Territory’s established adventure and cultural tourism offerings. The initiative is expected to strengthen sustainable tourism while bringing greater focus to Ladakh’s unique biodiversity and high-altitude landscapes.
