SNOW LEOPARDS IN INDIA t

THE Trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh, nicknamed Little Tibet, is a high-altitude oasis for some of the rarest wildlife on the planet.

This 12-day photographic expedition, on foot and in 4x4 vehicles, takes guests into the wind-scoured landscape in search of the magnificent snow leopards – predators so elusive they’re known as ‘grey mountain ghosts’.

While winter temperatures plummet to -15C (5F), and as wolves pad through the snow and golden eagles wheel overhead, guests are led by an expert guide as local spotters help secure heart-pounding sightings.

And when that moment comes, witnessing a snow leopard stalk a herd of blue sheep or a mother guiding her cubs across boulders and ravines, is truly a oncein-a-lifetime experience.

Why so special? Ladakh has been hailed as one of the last frontiers for wildlife tourism, and Ulley village, where you’ll stay with a local family, has only recently been developed for snow leopard viewing. This means it’s completely free of crowds, so you will likely be the only visitors in the mountains. What else can I see? The valleys of Ladakh are great for spotting urials (wild sheep), Himalayan fox and ibex, which can climb and perch on virtually vertical cliffs.

Dates from December 1. Eleven nights from £5,860pp, including meals, internal flights and activities (andbeyond.com).