Blue sheep watching between Kambachen and Lhonak

Between Kambachen and Lhonak the valley opens into grassy slopes and scree, with the river braided across a wide gravel floor. This is good ground for blue sheep, or bharal, which graze in herds and blend into the rock until they move. In autumn the males carry thick, curved horns and the herds are often large. They are surprisingly relaxed around the trail if you stay quiet and keep your distance.

We walk this section slowly, stopping to scan the slopes with binoculars. Our guide explains how the blue sheep fit into the food chain of the high Himalaya as the main prey of the snow leopard, and points out signs such as tracks, scrapes and droppings on the trail. You may also see marmots in summer, pikas darting between stones, and the feeding marks left by herds on the alpine grass.

Snow leopards are almost never seen, but knowing they share the valley changes how you look at it. Lammergeiers and Himalayan griffons often ride the air above, and choughs gather around the lodges. We do not use calls, bait or drones, and we never follow animals off the trail. The aim is simply to walk slowly, look carefully, and enjoy a valley where wild animals still outnumber people.