【ラダック】写真家秋山知伸さんと行く雪豹ツアー。出発と雪豹、リンクス観察【パート1】

【ラダック】写真家秋山知伸さんと行く雪豹ツアー。出発と雪豹、リンクス観察【パート1】

Part 1: A Journey to Ladakh in Northern India to See Snow Leopards ( Please also refer to the chapter list in the description). Snow Leopard Tour by Xiyou Travel . This trip was organized by Xiyou Travel. It was a 15-day tour accompanied by animal photographer Tomonobu Akiyama. The tour was solely for the purpose of seeing snow leopards in the wild. Incidentally, next year’s 2026 tour will include a tour to see three other species of cat: snow leopards, Pallas’s cats, and Eurasian lynxes. On this tour, we were able to observe snow leopards during the first half of the trip. Heavy snowfall prevented us from seeing any during the second half. Therefore, we made a video documenting the days when we were able to see snow leopards during the first few days of our trip. While we didn’t see any during the second half, we continued to explore various places, so we might make a second video if we have time. He speaks slowly, so you can understand him even at double speed. Day 0: Overnight stay before Narita (February 18, 2025) I took the airport bus from Ginza to Narita Airport. While there are fewer buses than from Tokyo Station, lining up early ensures a seat. I arrived at Terminal 2 and watched planes from the observation deck. From Narita Airport, I took the hotel shuttle to the Marroad International Hotel Narita. The shuttle from the airport to the hotel took about 10 minutes . My room was on the runway side. I could see the planes taking off from my window. Dinner was a buffet. The tempura was freshly fried. It was all served in bite-sized portions. There was also sashimi. The gym and large public bath are available for an additional fee. There’s also a pool in the summer. Day 0, done. Good night. There’s also a hotel introduction video, so please take a look if you’d like. Day 1: Narita to Delhi (February 19, 2025) Breakfast was a buffet at the same restaurant as dinner. I could see the rising sun. Since it was morning, the portion size was smaller than in the evening. It was too early, so no flights were taking off. I took the hotel shuttle bus to Narita Airport. I arrived at Terminal 2. I went to the meeting point for Saiyu Travel and received a bag containing various items. I claimed my luggage at JALabc. I ended up bringing a lot of unnecessary supplies. I gave some away to others and left a lot of things at the destination. I gave snacks and other items to the local staff and drivers every day. I arrived dressed for a freezing cold snowy mountain camp, but it wasn’t as cold as I expected. There was a long line. I boarded AI307. While waiting in line, I was given an Air India luggage tag. It was time to depart! I headed to the Japan Food Hall. I used my Priority Pass, which was about to expire . I chose okonomiyaki from the Priority Pass menu at Teppanyaki Dotonbori Kurita . It also came with takoyaki and dorayaki. It was time to meet Saiyu Travel. I met up again at the gate waiting area and boarded the plane. Economy Class. This is a window seat. When I booked with Saiyou Travel, I requested a window seat as an option. Both the touchscreen and the remote were broken, so I couldn’t see anything. The remote would occasionally pop out automatically. However, the automated voice message still played. There were three rows of seats, but only one in the middle was intact. We took off around 12:30 PM. The flight was about 10 hours. The woman sitting next to me said she was going to Rishikesh, a yoga mecca in India. I said I was going to Ladakh to see snow leopards. We exchanged tour brochures and chatted, and had a great time. This is the restroom. There was even a diaper changing station. Around 1 PM, we could see Mt. Fuji. There was an announcement in English that Mt. Fuji was visible. Since we were almost directly below the plane, it was difficult to see. Around 2 PM, we had our first meal. Although it was daytime, the lights had been turned off, so it was a bit dark. I ordered vegetarian curry. Two types of curry and marinated vegetables. Bread and chocolate mousse. Breakfast was a buffet, followed by okonomiyaki at the airport, so I was already full. The window gradually darkened. I think this was after-dinner tea. The screen was motionless. The window also darkened, like night. It was daytime, but this was enough to get me to sleep. I could occasionally see my current location. Around 8 PM, we had our second meal. It was a Japanese-style Baumkuchen and something like a cold burrito. It was delicious, with lots of jalapeños, but some people found it too spicy. I enjoyed it. Since it was my second lunch, it was a bit tough. It had really spicy jalapeños . It was a little after 9 PM, and we were flying over India. On the first day, we arrived in Delhi at night and stayed at a hotel near the airport. Since we had to get up early the next morning, we just slept and skipped dinner and breakfast. It was almost time to land. We arrived in Delhi at 10 PM. The tour group gathered and headed to the hotel. We were taken to the hotel by private bus. The hotel is located in Aerocity, a commercial area adjacent to the airport. It’s also home to shopping facilities, so it’s a place I’d like to visit if I have time. Apparently there’s a ramen restaurant there, which I wanted to try. They even serve katsudon (pork cutlet rice bowls). It’s conveniently located, making it the perfect transit accommodation. The hotel was just a few minutes from the airport. We arrived at Pride Plaza Hotel Aerocity just before midnight Japan time. We gathered in the lobby, confirmed the meeting time for the next day, and then headed to our rooms. The room was spacious and clean enough for a single person. Since the meeting time the next morning was at 4:00, I took a quick soak in the bathtub and went straight to bed. Day 1 is over. There’s also a hotel introduction video, so please take a look if you’d like. Good night! Day 2: Delhi to Leh (February 20, 2025) On day 2, we depart Delhi early in the morning and arrive in Leh by noon. It’s recommended that you spend some quiet time at the hotel to acclimatize to the high altitude. Well, I did venture out into town, though. I woke up at 3:30. We gathered in the lobby at 4:00. Since we wanted to take photos of the exterior, we went down to the first floor even earlier. I also wanted to try the breakfast buffet. We departed for the airport at 4:05. Baggage inspection is very strict when boarding a flight to Leh. I brought a lot of batteries, so I had to show everything in my bag. However, with Saiyou Travel’s tour, there was a radiator, so I only needed the bare minimum of batteries and it was no problem. We arrived at the airport. For a few thousand yen, I was upgraded to business class. It was early in the morning, but the plane was crowded. It was a hectic immigration process and boarding. We boarded at 5:50 and were scheduled to take off at 6:50. Mount Fuji and a stamp. We had two rows of seats. We took off around 7:00. The journey from Delhi, 300 meters above sea level, to Leh, 3,500 meters above sea level, took about an hour and a half. Baggage inspection at Leh Airport was also strict, and all of my luggage was completely open. I had a DSLR camera, a telephoto lens, a digital camera, an action camera, chargers, lots of batteries, and lots of cables. They may have thought I was suspicious, but when they asked me what the Montbell mini lantern was, I answered that it was a lantern, and they made me demonstrate it. They looked surprised. Around 7:30, breakfast was served. It was a vegetarian plate. Seasoned naan, fried rice noodles, and curry. Fruit…butter and strawberry jam. This plate also had eggs and meatballs. I think this was coffee. Photography is prohibited at Leh Airport, including in the air, so this video shows us leaving the airport and heading to the hotel. Today, we’re basically staying in a hotel to acclimatize to the high altitude. We’re staying at The Grand Dragon Ladakh. There’s also a video introducing the hotel, so please take a look if you’d like. We were given a white stole called a “kata,” which is a lucky charm symbolizing respect, welcome, and good fortune in Tibetan Buddhist culture. We received our room keys and headed to our rooms. After that, we had lunch at the hotel restaurant. We all ordered what we wanted for lunch. It was similar to the restaurant at Fujiya Hotel. I had penne all’arrabbiata. Starting tomorrow, it will be prepared by the Nepalese chef who will be accompanying us. This is a peach. After lunch, we went for a little walk. Ideally, we’d stay in our rooms to acclimatize to the high altitude. However, three of us, including myself, decided to venture out to the town of Leh. Like Delhi, there are many stray dogs, but there are also stray cows. Female cows are kept for their milk, but males are left as strays. It’s below freezing at night. I wonder how the dogs and cows spend their time. Leh’s tourist season runs from June to September. Around this time in February, most shops are closed. There are a few hotels along the way, but there don’t seem to be many tourists. This supermarket had some items that would make good souvenirs. However, they weren’t priced, so I couldn’t buy them . There were few people walking around. This is Old Leh Road. Turning here, a little further ahead, is Leh’s main bazaar. This is the main bazaar. There are a few tourists, but many shops are closed. I found a shop selling magnets. I bought three snow leopard magnets. After that, I just wandered around the town. There was a temple. Then, we headed back to the hotel. Stray cows drinking water. Apparently, without bulls, no calves are born, so stray cows are also well-respected. We arrived at the hotel. After a short rest in our room, we had dinner buffet. It was delicious. There was a live kitchen, and some dishes were delicious but hard to pronounce. Jerk Papuri? Day 2, done. There’s also a video introducing the hotel, so please take a look if you’d like. Day 3: Snow Leopards near Leh (February 21, 2025) Breakfast at The Grand Dragon Ladakh Hotel. It was a buffet, but I ate too much last night, so I ate a small breakfast. From this evening, we’ll be staying in a private lodging or tent. We’ll return to this hotel the day before returning to Delhi. We left the hotel at 7:00 a.m. We heard that a snow leopard had been in the area for a few days after killing a livestock cow, so we headed to the farm where the leopard had been staying. We continued through the city. There were many shops along the street. The weather was excellent, so Japanese winter clothing was fine. I could see many poplar trees from the plane. Poplars are primarily used as building materials for houses and furniture, and also as firewood, making them an essential tree for life in Ladakh. In Ladakh , where annual rainfall is only 100mm, willows are also planted. By comparison, Japan’s annual rainfall is 1,700mm. I think this was a tributary of the Indus River. The road turned to gravel and we entered the mountains. The trees were gone, and the mountains were diverse in shape, from rocky to sandy, with a kaleidoscope of colors. The meandering river was frozen white, and the snowfall on the mountains created flowing patterns that matched the mountainside. I never got bored of looking at the scenery. We arrived at the farmhouse a little after 8:00. It was a gentle uphill climb to the high ground where we could observe, but being so high up in the mountains, I was quite out of breath. We observed here. There was a dead cow, but the snow leopard didn’t seem to be nearby. After waiting for a while, we decided to move to a mountain called Warila, 4,500 meters above sea level. The mountain resembles a washboard. Along the way, we encountered a herd of blue sheep. The actual distance felt like this. We parked the car and observed them from the road. They were grazing. Little by little, they climbed higher. On our way to Warila, we received a call from the farm we’d first visited, informing us that the snow leopard had returned. We returned to the farm. We observed again from the farm’s elevated position. Next to us, the staff were preparing lunch. The snow leopard was in this area. This photo was taken by holding my smartphone up against the scope the staff had prepared. I think the snow leopard was about 200 meters away, but it would have been difficult to see with the naked eye. Since I was holding it down myself, the shot wasn’t very good, but it was my first time seeing a wild snow leopard. By the way, this is all I could get with my 75-300mm telephoto lens. I only managed to take blurry photos, but I tried making a time-lapse video with them . Sorry for the ugly footage, as they’re out of sync and blurry. It was a little after 1:00 PM, lunchtime. A Nepalese cook accompanied us on this tour. The cook used the kitchen at the homestay to prepare the food, and staff brought it to the observation site around noon. The meal began with soup , followed by the main course and side dishes. A cute neighborhood dog was sitting near the table. There were several other side dishes and fruit with the meal, but I didn’t have any footage. After lunch, we continued observing. I gave up on my camera and borrowed a scope to observe . After lunch , I was able to observe from the chair I used during lunch. I held my smartphone up to the scope to take a photo. A snow leopard licking a cow’s face. It was snack time at 3:30 PM. We had chai and cookies . Snack time is once or twice a day. Hearing news of a snow leopard’s appearance, the gallery gradually grew. It was time to pack up. We were very lucky to see a snow leopard on our first day. There were four cars in total. There were roughly equal numbers of tour guests and staff. At 4:30 PM, we got in the car and headed to our homestay. In Ladakh , the stone walls are stacked very neatly. They remind me of Japanese castles. But the guardrails are sparse and a bit scary. A mountain like a wash rock, vertical. A mountain like a wash rock, slanted. It looked like Anpanman’s slide. Probably the Indus River. A hairpin curve. We returned to town. We could see Chemre Gompa across the river. Our homestay was on the opposite bank. We arrived at our homestay around 6 PM. The homestay provided us with the room where the family usually lives. At night, the family sleeps in the hallway or elsewhere. They were sleeping here near the entrance. First, we rested in the living room. At night, this room also becomes a sleeping area for tour guests. Dinner is coming up soon, but we have tea and sweets and chai. Next, we chose our rooms. The boys slept in this living room. The girls played rock-paper-scissors to choose their favorite room. Some people stayed in other houses nearby, so we all looked around the rooms. Each room had its own bed and futon, but we slept in sleeping bags prepared by the staff. I won mine by playing rock-paper-scissors, so I got this fancy and luxurious room. Oh, the staff are still preparing. Before dinner, we still had time, so we took photos with the grandmother of the house. We also watched the staff making peaches. Since we ate too many peach vegetable soup rice cookies, we only had a little rice. Melon and tomato. Finally, grapes and orange. The green chilies were very spicy. The Ladakhis munched on them with gusto. It was time to go to bed. This is my daughter’s room. We used the double sleeping bags used by the military. Blankets were provided, but the sleeping bags alone were warm enough. No heating was a problem. The starry sky was beautiful, but we went to sleep. Apologies for the stars not capturing the action camera. Good night. Day 3, done. Day 4: Lynx Observation in Warila (February 22, 2025) . It’s already the morning of the fourth day. The staff members are sleeping in sleeping bags on mattresses laid out in this concrete entrance hall. The toilet is outside here. Even in private lodgings with indoor toilets, the lights often don’t work at night. A neck light is convenient for going to the bathroom. Since the lights don’t work at night, it’s a good idea to have a stand-alone light, but a low-intensity neck light is sufficient. I brought all my camping gear from home—large and small stand-alone lanterns, a penlight, a neck light, and a headlamp—but it was a waste. A neck light and two small stand-alone lights are enough. I stayed in the daughter’s room. I slept well. Since we were leaving early, just after 6:00, I quickly ate the cookies and chai that had been prepared for breakfast. Grandma was filling a tank with water from the Indus River. Water supply has been restored in Ladakh, but since the pipes freeze in winter, they use river water. Is this a water heater? When I asked the old lady if I wanted to take a photo, she posed with an empty tank. Now, we’re off to Warila. The staff members communicate with each other about animal sightings and decide where to go that day. Sometimes the advance team goes out to inspect the area with a scope. The morning sun makes the mountains look stunning. The scenery is so amazing, I really feel like riding an open-top bus. Today, we’re going to see the lynx, or lynx. They’re even rarer than snow leopards. Unlike yesterday’s mountain path, the road is paved. It’s easy to get there by car, but it’s still high in the mountains. Three of us, including myself, got sick. However, I recovered after a short rest in the car. On this day, we parked the car on the side of the road and watched the lynx from nearby. We continued watching until evening. We arrived. The staff were searching for animals. Once the staff finds an animal, they use that spot as a base and set up their camera tripods. If you brought your own scope, the staff can help you set it up and focus it. Video enthusiasts are free to film as they please. It’s sunrise. Since we didn’t find any animals here, we moved further up the mountain. A lynx was spotted at our next location. It was around here. We all observed the lynx. My telephoto lens was no good at this distance. I borrowed a staff member’s scope. The focus was adjusted, but even though it was visible to the naked eye, it was difficult to photograph it. There seems to be a device to secure your smartphone to the scope, but without it, it’s quite difficult to hold it in your hand and take a photo. Even if you manage to capture a photo, you might not know where the lynx is… In that case, it’s a good idea to take a still image of the screen and ask a staff member to point out where it is. Hearing about the lynx’s appearance, other tours began to gather. My smartphone was secured to the scope. The staff member was focusing and fixing it. Meanwhile, the gallery continues to grow. Ah, it looks like they’ve set it up. Scopes are expensive, but maybe you can buy a smartphone adapter. Here’s a video of them setting it up. There are two baby lynx on a magnified rock. Even though they’re using a scope to search for animals, it’s amazing how the staff can find them, blending in with the rocks and hiding them miles away. One of them went down. The other one also went down. The mother lynx was a little distance away, calling out to her kids, “Let’s go home now.” The mother was also taking a break. I can’t see her anymore either. I took this photo myself, using my smartphone on the scope without an adapter. I apologize for the blurry zoom. The staff member advised me to place my index finger on the edge of the scope and rest the smartphone on the palm of my hand to make it easier to stabilize. Even so, I’m still pretty bad at it. Maybe it’s because of the altitude, but I started to get a bit of a headache, so I took a break in the car, but I was able to see the lynx well enough. They seemed to move to the rocks towards the end, but I couldn’t find them. As for food for the day, we had snacks at 9:30. Lunch was just after 11:00. Tables were set up on a flat surface. Other tour companies were also preparing. The water seemed freshly boiled. Soup. Insulated food containers filled with side dishes. Stir-fried vegetables, curry, rice, chapatis, and garlic-fried cauliflower. Fried chicken. And fruit. The food was always delicious. The peak time was around lunchtime, with more than 10 cars parked there. Even while taking a rest in the car in the afternoon, they brought snacks. It was on the opposite slope of the mountain, so it was quite far away. The close-up shots I took with my smartphone through the scope came out quite blurry, but they were much clearer with the naked eye. I wonder if it was peeing? The shots were shaky and not very good, but it looked like it might have been hunting a rabbit. A deer? A baby lynx? There were several scopes, but we shared them. Some were good, others not. Share yours with others and let others borrow one. My photos are blurry or out of focus because of my skill. The kids are taking a while to arrive, so this mother wanders around. We pack up at 5pm. We had planned to camp in tents from today onwards. However, three of us, including myself, started feeling a little unwell, and there were other people who wanted to stay in their rooms for health reasons, so we decided to stay in a private lodging. The staff had already set up their tents, but we stayed at a house that had a tent pitched in the garden. A stray cow running. Not a wild horse, but a wild cow. Is this a new residential area? There are new houses lined up. Huh? Is that the wild cow from earlier? It’s past 6pm and completely dark. We drop one of the guests off at the private lodging we stayed at yesterday, and head to the private lodging where we’ll be staying. We arrived at the homestay a little after 7 PM. Both the rooms and the dining area were on the second floor. We were informed that everyone would be staying in their rooms and were given an explanation of our room assignments. This was a single room. This was a double room. There were five girls, so we split into triple and double rooms. Just like yesterday, we all had our sleeping bags on our beds. Dinner was a little after 8 PM. Soup. This spicy, crispy dish was delicious. Something like stir-fried horenso. A peach that felt like a chicken curry udon roll. I think it was yogurt. A baked banana with a creamy bean curry . We also had salad. Everything was delicious today. Good night. Day 4 is over. For details on Day 5 and beyond, please wait until the next video is up. By the way, this starry sky can be seen from the garden of this homestay. Preview for Days 5 and Beyond . From Day 5 to Day 9, we were able to see snow leopards and lynxes. This was the closest we’ve seen snow leopards to previous days. We also tried camping in tents for a day. I plan to show you the journey up to the point where heavy snow falls and they move to Tagmatic village. The journey of the Ladakh snow leopards will likely be a trilogy. The next video may take a little while, so please wait. Thank you for watching until the end. Please come and see us again. Until next time! Traveling Snow Leopards

2025年冬の、西遊旅行さんの雪豹ツアーに行ってきました。
15日間のツアーを、3つに分けて紹介します。
これはパート1です。
◆西遊旅行公式サイト
https://www.saiyu.co.jp/
◆インド再生リスト

00:00 はじまり
00:24 西遊旅行の雪豹ツアー
02:02 0日目、成田前泊
03:57 1日目、成田→デリー
12:47 2日目：デリー→レー
22:27 3日目：レー近郊で雪豹観察
35:26 4日目：warilaでリンクス観察
49:48 5日目以降予告

#ラダック
#雪豹
#西遊旅行

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・Amenoshita3：https://youtu.be/l6NyuABPHfs
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猫メーカー２
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キラキラ、虹、カウントダウン他
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