Himalayan Brown Bear Wildlife Photography Masterclass Workshop

Overview

Embark on a 6 nights and 7 days Wildlife Photography Masterclass Expedition to Mushkoh Valley, Drass, Kargil in Ladakh, dedicated to tracking and photographing the elusive Himalayan Brown Bear in its spectacular high-altitude habitat. This immersive expedition offers rare wildlife encounters, dramatic mountain landscapes, and expert-led field training, making it an unmissable experience for passionate wildlife photographers and nature enthusiasts.

DCP Experts

DCP Safety

Images Review

Meals

Post Event

Stay

About The Tour

With the onset of winter in Ladakh, the elusive Himalayan Brown Bears begin descending from the higher altitudes into the inhabited regions of Drass, offering one of the best opportunities to observe and photograph them in the wild. This 6 nights and 7 days wildlife photography expedition to Mushkoh Valley takes you deep into the dramatic Himalayan landscape in search of this rare and powerful predator.

Guided by expert mentors, this expedition is designed for wildlife photographers eager to capture the Himalayan Brown Bear in its natural habitat, along with other rare high-altitude species that thrive in these rugged mountains. From breathtaking vistas to intimate wildlife moments, every frame tells a story of survival and adaptation in one of the planet’s most extreme environments.

Target Species: Himalayan Brown Bear, Red Fox, Tibetan Wolf, Himalayan Marmot, Lammergeier (Bearded Vulture), Golden Eagle, Himalayan Snowcock, and other high-altitude birdlife and mammals that make Mushkoh Valley a biodiversity hotspot.

Quick Information

Route:

Leh - Drass - Leh

Start Point:

Leh

Duration:

6 nights 7 days

End Point:

Leh

Inclusions

Incredible landscapes of the Himalayas at Drass
Maximizing opportunity to photograph a Himalayan Brown Bear
Opportunity to photography many other rare Himalayan wildlife
Spotting guide and assistant with spotting scope
All necessary permits and ecology fee
All accommodation and meals
Airport transfer and local logistics

Experts

Kane Lew

Masterclass Mentor And Head - Creative Photography

Kane Lew, one of the finest artists in the DCP panel of experts. He is an arts graduate from Sir J.J. Institute of Applied Arts, Mumbai, and is a commercial photographer. Kane is an experienced photographer and has travelled extensively across Indian geography for several years. He has brilliant photography skills and technical knowledge in all genres of photography with a special interest in wildlife photography. He is known for his innovations and his capability of giving shape to imaginations. He has a great teaching acumen. Apart from his love for art, sculpture and music, he is a skilled trainer, trekker and a biodiversity expert. He is a Masterclass Mentor in the panel and Head of Creative Photography Division, Team DCP.

We recommend to reach Leh by flight and then rest for acclimatization. Most of the flights reach Leh by mid-morning.

Not applicable

Not recommended

Getting Ready

Things to carry:

Telephoto lenses – preferably above 500 mm.
Carry fully charged batteries for your camera / flash.
Carry backup memory cards / HDD storage drives, Laptop.
It is advisable to carry basic first aid along with you.
Carry extra pack of camera batteries.
Carry a pair of good binoculars.
Down jacket or winter jacket preferably waterproof/water resistant.
Thermal inners, top and bottom, gloves

Do not worry if you don’t own a super-telephoto lens as we now have an equipment support division. Equipment is available on rental - please mail us at rentals@dcpexpeditions.com.

Note :

Health precautions:

One needs to be medically fit for this trip. We insist that you declare your correct health condition in the indemnity form provided. If someone goes through bad health condition during the tour and needs to return to lower ground, we won't be able to issue any refund. The cost of transportation will be borne by us till the closest hospital and further expense will have to be borne by the individual. If the person needs to head back to the closest town or city or return to the home town, then the expenses will be borne by the individual.

Natural disaster and cancellations

Natural disasters or unforeseen climate change are commonly faced when travelling to Drass. In case the tour has to be cancelled midway due to natural disaster like landslide or events out of control of a normal road trip, we won't be able to issue any refund.
In case of such cancellation of tour midway due to natural disaster, if participants are stuck, we will try our best to find stay options. If there are enough remaining days and home stay is available, we will try to arrange the stay but if there is no availability of home stay, we won't be able to issue any refund.

Himalayan Brown Bear sighting:

Please take a note that sighting of a Himalayan Brown Bear and / or a good photography opportunity to capture it in an ideal frame is a matter of luck. Though we will try our best for good sighting but it can never be guaranteed in the wild. Due to the nature of this trip and the uncertainty of the path a Himalayan Brown Bear may take on any particular day, the day to day itinerary must remain flexible. The group should move according to the information of the staff and the local community informants gather on the sign of movements of the snow leopard. The itinerary remains subject to alteration in the field as information and opportunities become available. The number of trekking wildlife days will remain the same, barring weather or other unusual circumstances that require a change.

Itinerary

Day 1

Most of the flights reach Leh by mid-morning and we straight away head to the comfort of our hotel and freshen up. Post lunch we rest our body letting it acclimatize for the high altitude. Evening can be spent exploring the Leh market followed by dinner and discussion on the next 7 days plan. We retire early for the bed so that we are all set for next day’s session. Dinner and overnight at Tsokar Retreat, Leh.

Day 2

After breakfast, we will drive to Drass. We will stop at Lamayuru, Mulbekh and Kargil on the way. We will have lunch at Drass. We will proceed for the evening session of Brown Bear sighting in Mushko Valley. Dinner and overnight at The Meadows, Drass.

Day 3 to 5

Starting today, the next 3 days will be dedicated for sighting brown bear in Mushko Valley and the surrounding valleys (depending on actual sightings reports received at the time of the tour). A typical day of Himalayan Brown Bear sighting starts as early as 05:00 a.m. with a cup of coffee / tea at the Hotel and then move out with packed breakfast to the site. After the morning session, at around 10:30 a.m. we would return to the hotel, take rest and have lunch at the hotel, unless there is very special sighting. In such case we might extend the morning session till everyone is satisfied to return to the accommodation. The evening session starts around 03:00 p.m. till dusk with tea / coffee and snacks at the site of spotting. Return to Hotel with great experience of sighting Himalayan Brown Bear and if lucky, with great crispy photos. Dinner and overnight at The Meadows, Drass for all nights.

Day 6

After breakfast, we will drive back to Leh. Check into Hotel at Leh. Dinner and overnight at Tsokar Retreat, Leh.

Day 7

Have breakfast. Our tour ends here. Depart for Leh airport.

Field Learnings

On field learning from the experts is said to be one of the best methods of improving your skillsets. Our Wildlife Photography Expert will hand hold you at every possible step for a better understanding of perspectives, camera controls and how to make use of the best opportunities to get better images. The training will focus on the following

How to approach Wildlife in the field
Different modes of shooting (Av / A, Tv / S, M and P)
Exposure control in field under difficult light conditions
Mastering metering techniques (Spot, partial, center weighted, evaluative)
Mastering auto focus, focusing points, AF locking and focus tracking
How to get sharp images of moving subjects
Framing and composition in the field
Ethics in Wildlife Photography

Package Cost

Indian nationals:
Twin sharing: INR 97,000 per person inclusive of all taxes
Single occupancy: INR 1,17,000 per person inclusive of all taxes

Foreign nationals:
Twin sharing: US$ 1495 per person inclusive of all taxes
Single occupancy: US$ 1800 per person inclusive of all taxes

Gold members - Upto 5% off
Silver members - Upto 3% off

WhatsApp to ask for a payment link / QR code to pay.

[Save upto 2.5% of tour cost by opting to pay via NEFT / RTGS / UPI]

Cost includes

Photography sessions, on-field assistance, image reviews on all days
Accommodation for 2 nights at Leh and 4 nights at Drass on twin sharing
Spotting guide and assistant with spotting scope
Pick and drop from airport in SUVs / Innovas
All necessary permits and ecology fee
All meals during the stay.
All Taxes and service charges.

Cost does not include:

Travel to and from Leh
Mineral Water, Soft Drinks, Laundry Charges, Phone Calls, Tips etc.
Any kind of insurance, Medical or/and Emergency Charges.
Any extra meals not included in the above itinerary.

Map

Drass

Policies

Cancellation policy

All cancellations before 30 days of the event date - 100% credit
All cancellations between 20 - 30 days of the event date - 50% credit
All cancellations within 20 days of the event date - No credit possible

FAQ's

Can I get a single occupany accomodation?

Yes. Please write to us on info@dcpexpeditions.com as it is subject to availability.

Can a non photographer join the tour?

Yes you are welcome. However, the cost remains same for non photographers.

Design Your Custom Tour

Himalayan Brown Bear – Wildlife Photography Masterclass Expedition, April 2026

₹ 97,000₹ 125,000

₹97,000₹ 125,000