Rare predator caught on camera: Snow leopard casually strolls past stunned tourists in Spiti Valley
During a road trip in Spiti Valley, tourists filmed a rare sighting of a snow leopard.
A group of tourists on a road trip through Himachal Pradesh’s Spiti Valley had a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with one of nature’s most elusive predators, a snow leopard.
Posting a video of the thrilling sight, the group shared that they followed the animal while driving from Kaza to Nako. In the clip, the leopard is seen calmly walking along the road as the travellers followed behind.
Filming from inside their car, the group captured the majestic big cat gracefully pacing along the roadside. The snow leopard's white coat blended into the snowy and rugged terrain, making it nearly invisible a true ghost of the mountains.
Check out the video here:
The travellers' stunned reactions were recorded in the video. "Wo bhaag rahi hai hamse” (She is trying to run away from us)," said one of them. "Bhagegi hi, dekhna bagal mei zyada lagana mat sheesha tod sakti hai” (Of course she will run. Don’t get too close, she can easily break the side window)," warned another tourist as they continued to follow at a safe distance.
Even as the group followed the leopard, it walked on, mostly unbothered, sparing only a few glances toward them.
“On 5th May 2025, between 6 to 7 PM, while travelling from Kaza to Nako, around 8–10 km after crossing Tabo, we witnessed something unforgettable – a snow leopard on the road! These rare creatures are hardly ever seen, especially in May. It stood there calmly, blending into the rocky Spiti landscape. Truly a magical moment of our journey," wrote Jatin Gupta, who shared the video.
The clip impressed many online and left others in awe of the majestic predator. Viewers called the travellers incredibly lucky, noting that even professional wildlife photographers wait months to catch a glimpse. "You guys are damn lucky! To witness ghost of mountains on road and that too for so long! Wish I had a chance to see this beauty like this," said one user.
Meanwhile, others warned that such videos with specific location details could inadvertently help poachers locate the snow leopard.
