China Snow Leopard Expedition
Suggested Length
8 days
€2996 euros per person
Price From
LIMITED TO 10 GUESTS
Group Size
Season
October - May
In the remote highlands of the Tibetan Plateau, near the border of Tibet, lies the Sanjiangyuan region, this sacred land is one of the world’s most snow leopard–dense regions, a true wildlife wonderland. Guided by our local specialists featured in National Geographic and Frozen Planet, you will find snow leopards, Pallas’s cats, blue sheep, white-lipped deer, wild yaks, Tibetan foxes, Tibetan antelopes, wolves, and bearded vultures.
Beyond the wildlife, the region is also rich in Tibetan culture, stroll through peaceful Tibetan towns, visit surreal Monastery, and share a cup of butter tea in a local herder’s home.
Highlights of the Journey
Daily wildlife tracking powered by our three observation zones and herder monitoring network
Home to the world’s largest snow leopard population
Experience the purest Buddhist faith and authentic Tibetan lifestyle in this hidden gem
Your Guide:
Your Wildlife Guide Renqing
Renqing is a Kham Tibetan wildlife expert with over 10 years of experience tracking animals across the Sanjiangyuan region. He has encountered snow leopards more than 100 times and knows their every footprint and behaviour. His deep connection with these elusive creatures holds stories waiting to be uncovered. He was mentored by Xi Zhinong, one of China’s most renowned wildlife conservationists.
Renqing has served as the local producer and chief consultant for major documentaries by National Geographic, Disney, and others. With him, you'll step into the wild habitats featured in Frozen Planet and The Snow Leopard Queen.
Fluent in Chinese, English, French, and Tibetan, Renqing’s rich life experiences shape his calm, reliable, and professional guiding style—ensuring not only safety but also a truly unforgettable journey.
Your Wildlife Guide Dongzhou
Fluent in Tibetan, Chinese, and English, Dongzhou has more than 20 years of experience in translation and guiding. After working as a trilingual translator for NGOs, he joined Gesaer Travel in 2015 as a cultural and wildlife guide.
He has since collaborated on internationally acclaimed documentaries such as Born in China, Frozen Planet II, The Third Pole, and Animal Kingdom, where he specialized in wildlife tracking, field assistance, and cross-cultural communication. With a deep knowledge of the Tibetan Plateau’s wildlife and culture, Dongzhou is dedicated to leading travelers and film crews into some of the region’s most remote and remarkable landscapes.
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Begin in Yushu, the cultural heart of the Tibetan Plateau and gateway to Sanjiangyuan National Park. Meet your trip leader in the hotel lobby for a visit to the Yushu Prefecture Museum, where you’ll be introduced to the region’s wildlife and Khampa heritage, followed by a detailed introduction to the upcoming expedition before gathering for a welcome dinner with fellow travelers.
Dinner included
Elevation: 3689m -
Begin your wildlife adventure in Juela, deep in Nangqian - the snow leopard heartland of Qinghai. Guided by real-time updates from our Snow Leopard Information Network, today’s route adapts to maximize wildlife encounters across high-altitude valleys. Expect sightings of Eurasian lynx, Pallas’s cat, blue sheep, and soaring Himalayan vultures. As dusk falls, continue tracking until night before settling into Juela Camp surrounded by the wild silence of the plateau.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner included
Elevation: 3600m -
Begin before sunrise, heading deep into the mountains to search for snow leopards. By afternoon, arrive at Longbao Wetland, one of the most important bird sanctuaries on the plateau. Known as the “hometown of the black-necked crane,” it teems with life—bar-headed geese, ruddy shelducks, and countless migratory species thriving in its glittering wetlands. Continue onward to Haxiu, a renowned snow leopard observation site, where you’ll settle into Local herders' home for the night and begin your multi-day watch for the elusive “spirit of the mountains.”
Breakfast, lunch and dinner included
Elevation: 4500m -
Our wildlife specialists will already be out scanning for wildlife from the deck of the lodge and will call you if and when anything of note appears on the mountainside surrounding the lodge. Depending on updates from our local herder observation network, we may spend the day quietly waiting near camp to watch for snow leopards until dusk, or drive to nearby valleys where vultures have been reported circling. Several snow leopard families live in this area, offering excellent chances for sightings. In the evening, enjoy dinner at a herder’s home and stay overnight with the family.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner included
Elevation: 4500m -
After breakfast, following the guide’s information, we will seize the last opportunity to go out in search of the wild snow leopard until nightfall then we will drive back to Yushu city and stay in the hotel.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner included
Elevation: 3689m -
The guide will bid you farewell at the hotel and see you off to your vehicle for the transfer to the airport, marking the end of our unforgettable wildlife journey.
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Interested in a similar itinerary but want to Travel Privately?
Our Travel Experts are here to craft your perfect tailor-made holiday.
Featured Stays
Accommodation options in this area are limited, but we’ve selected the best local hotel for your comfort.
Most hotels are equipped with oxygen machines to help you acclimate and reduce symptoms of altitude sickness.
Please note that during the snow leopard observation at the herder’s home, the accommodation is quite basic. Private rooms cannot be guaranteed, and the toilet facilities are simple pit toilets.
Day 1, 7: Vienna International Hotel in Yushu. The best hotel in Yushu city, with in-room oxygen supply and laundry facilities.
Day 2-6: Herder's Home. Stay with warm and hospitable Tibetan nomads and experience authentic local traditions. However, accommodation is basic, private rooms cannot be guaranteed, and toilet facilities are simple pit toilets.
Vienna International Hotel
Herder's Home
Vienna International Hotel
Species you might spot
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Snow Leopard
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Palla's Cat
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Male Blue Sheep
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White-lipped Deer
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Wild Yak
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Tibetan Foxes
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Tibetan Gazelle
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Female Blue Sheep
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Himalayan Marmot
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Red Fox
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Wolly Hare
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Himalayan Vulture
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Bearded Vulture
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Wolf
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Bar-headed Goose
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Upland Buzzard
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Plateau Pika
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Saker Falcon
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Black-necked Crane
What’s Included:
Accommodation: The trip includes 6 nights of hotel stays as described in the itinerary.
Meals: The package covers 6 breakfasts, 5 lunches, and 6 dinners.
Service Team: All services provided by the professional team mentioned in the itinerary.
Outdoor Highlights: Includes all the outdoor activities and wildlife observation experiences described in the itinerary.
Cultural Highlights:
Guided visit to the Yushu Prefecture Museum with a wildlife photographer’s presentation
Installation and retrieval of infrared camera traps (with review of footage and reinstallation)
Guiding Arrangement:
For 2–3 participants: a driver-guide will be arranged
For groups of 4 or more: a full-time outdoor expedition leader will accompany the group throughout the trip
What’s Excluded:
Airport transportations from your city to Yushu.
Entrance fees to attractions or sites not explicitly mentioned in the itinerary (including any minor or optional entrance tickets).
All alcoholic beverages and drinks, except those specifically included by certain restaurants, guesthouses, or provided during picnics.
All personal expenses incurred during free activity periods.
Any items not specifically listed as included, such as 2 lunches, 1 dinner, and other miscellaneous personal expenses.
Trip Costs: €2199 euros / $2510 USD per person
Group tour with fewer than 10 people. Private tour available upon request.
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