The Ladakh Astrohunt
with Vikram Virulkar

June 29th to July 7th 2024

August 31st to September 8th

September 28th to October 6th

Exclusive batches, Limited only to 10 participants per batch.

Call me on +919892622583 if you want to talk about any specific regarding this trip

An exclusive tour crafted for the Astrophiles among you

Ladakh has one of the best skies in the world, a moisture poor, high altitude desert that is also on the Tibetan plateau.

Add to it the relative lack of light makes it the ideal place where photographers can go and take full advantage of all the perfect conditions to shoot the heavens.

This tour as you may have imagined is crafted for those among you, who are partial to Astrophotography and as such we shall take our time to shoot the heavens. I will also make sure that you have post processing support with instructions in Lightroom and Photoshop to give justice to your images.

Detailed itinenary

(tentative)

Day1- LEh

Arrival at Leh and compulsory rest as per regulations and introduction/ice breaking session (Stay at Borgo villa or Similar)

Day 2- Local Sightseeing

During our acclimatization we will spend the day by doing some local sightseeing across Leh, one of the most interesting cities in India. We will visit some of the most famous destinations like Leh palace, Magnetic hill, Pathar sahib gurudwara, Sangam point etc(May change depending on the day)

Day 3- Leh to Pangong Tso - 175 kms

Today we depart for Merak, an offbeat destination on the bank of the Pangong Tso, after a day of travelling and taking in the sights of the Ladakhi Landscape, we start by setting up our cameras to capture the night skies.

Day 4- Stay at Pangong Tso

We stay back at Merak and discuss the photographs from the night before and relax before another session of night photography.

Day 5- Pangong Tso to Hanle- 143 kms

We depart for the first Dark sky reserve in India. At a high altitude with little to no rain makes for the perfect destination for the beauty of the night sky to shine through, probably one of the best places for Astrophotography in the world. (Stay at Padma Home stay or Similar)

Day 6- Hanle to Tsokar

After spending the Night at Hanle and experiencing the HDSR, we now depart to Tso Kar (One Stop Camp or similar), a lesser known destination in the Photography circuit for an amazing night out which would give us truly amazing vistas

Day 7- stay at Tso Kar - 145 kms

Day at leisure, night shooting at the white lake

Day 8 - Tso Kar to Leh - 153 kms

Local sightseeing along the way to the capital of Ladakh and one final day of catching up and reflecting on the trip. Evening at Leh market or spend time resting.

Day 9- Leh to home destination

We finally depart from Leh back to our respective cities with a wonderful memories and a lifetime of amazing photographs.

Minimum

requirements

Gear-

DSLR/Mirrorless camera

* While we don't recommend mobile phone cameras, if you insist that it works fine for you, it is entirely your decision. Please do remember we wont be able to swap it out mid-tour

Good tripod

Wide angle Lens

Prime lens(recommended but not required)

Star Tracker(recommended but not required)

Extra batteries, Charegers and Powerbanks as required

Clothing-

Warm jacket + Hoodie/sweater

Inner thermals

Handwarmers(optional)

Gloves

Secure bags for all your gear

Health requirements-

Must be in relative good health.

Medications for Asthma/ BP/Insulin/ Epilepsy or any other essential medication that is essential to you. there is a good chance that we will not encounter any medical shops during our trip.

Any complications will result in an immediate suspension of your trip. Your health and your life is more important than the trip.

Your mentor for the Ladakh Astrohunt

Hi, I'm Vikram Virulkar

I started on my journey to capture the night skies because I needed good photographs to show people how my stargazing sessions work. Little did I know that it would in turn spark a insatiable desire to take amazing pictures of the night sky. Just like my passion for the stars resulted in me taking sessions for Stargazing across India, I realized I also want to share my knowledge and my passion for Astrophotography.

I shall help you take better overall pictures and teach you to not commit the same mistakes I did on my journey which I believe to the most important takeaway for an instructor, to make sure his participants learn from his mistake.

I look forward to meeting you and going on this amazing adventure with you. Drop a message if you would like to speak about something related to this tour.

Instagram Profile

Limited Portfolio

Cost
Rs. 44,999* Per person

If you dont want to share your room,

Add Rs.10,000 for personal room.

Seat confirmed only after full payment is received from you via bank transfer.

Since there are only 10 seats per batch so the earlier you book, the better.

-Inclusions-

Stay on double sharing basis
2 meals in a day
Airport transfers
Welcome tea
Ladakh environmental fee
Ladakh inner line permit
Transport in tempo traveler
Personalized mentoring for Astrophotography
Post processing support for Lightroom and Photoshop

-Exclusions-

Any travel to and from Leh to your home
Any Camera equipment, rentals or camera accessories
Any porter expenses incurred
1 meal a day(Lunch/Dinner )
Cold drinks, Juices etc

-Cancellation policy-

40 days prior to arrival: 40% refund given.

30 days prior to arrival: 25% refund given.

15 days prior to arrival: No refund given under any circumstances

Disclaimers

Astrophotography is dependent on nature and the movement of the clouds. If we get cloudy weather, there is absolutely nothing we can do about it. We will enjoy the trip as much as we can.
Gear failures may happen, its not the end of the world
Decision of Trip leader and local staff is final and binding, if we say something is unsafe, it is. Please do not debate with us
Itinerary provided is a general idea of how the tour will go, if there are other factors which may affect eh trip, the itinerary will change.
Refund cannot be given because you missed a flight or a connection, please realize that this trip planned much in advance
If at any point you find your health declining, DO NOT HESITATE to tell your trip leader, your health is of the paramount importance and if you need to rest, you need to rest. Its as simple as that.
Participants younger than 18 are not allowed on the trip unless accompanied by a parent and we do not have separate rates for the accompanying parent , Participants younger than 12 are not currently accepted
This trip is focused on photography and specifically Astrophotography. While we will try to accommodate some places of popular tourist interest, we may not be able to cover all of them because of the nature of our tour. This is why we have a fixed itinerary, changes to the itinerary will not be possible if you want to visit a certain location because of your interest during the tour.
Prepaid connections do not work in Ladakh, please use only postpaid connections
Prices are fixed and non-negotiable
Leaving the tour mid way for any reason will not qualify for a refund full or partial.
We will not be responsible in case of any Force majeure events like Flooding, Earthquake, train/flight cancellations, loss or theft of property.

FAQ

Q-I have never shot Astro before, Can I attend?

A-Yes, I will teach you how to setup and shoot but you must have a working knowledge of how your camera works.

Q- What lenses/ accessories do you recommend for this trip?

A- If you are beginning, even a 18-55mm kit lens will work, however a wide angle prime or a lens with a minimum aperture of f/2.8 or lower will be highly useful, for shooting Star trails or timelapses, I highly recommend an intervalometer, before buying, please check if your camera has one inbuilt. I also highly recommend a good tripod to keep the camera steady and not have it fall down with a gust of wind.

Q- How are the stay arrangements ?

A-Due to the remote locations that we will be touring, high end hotels are not available but we have made sure the conditions are hygienic maintained and sanitary . Non Veg food also may not be available at all locations but depending on preference, we shall try.

Q- What if there are clouds?

A- When you go on Safari, you hope for a tremendous tiger spotting, however if the Tiger doesn't show itself, its not the fault of the jungle is it? in the same vein, we hope to have a fruitful session. Ladakh is an high altitude desert with hardly any precipitation, however if it gets clouded out, then its something which is beyond anyone's control but that doesn't mean the trip is a waste, we shall still have fun capturing unique landscapes not found anywhere else!

Q-I have found something cheaper

A-Great, I hope you have an amazing session wherever you choose ! The cost of this trip remains the same though.

Q- I have problems with high altitude, is it safe for me?

A-In case of established medical conditions. It will be best to consult with a Doctor regarding your voyage

The Ladakh Astrohunt with Vikram Virulkar

An exclusive tour crafted for the Astrophiles among you

Your mentor for the Ladakh Astrohunt

Cost Rs. 44,999* Per person

If you dont want to share your room,

Add Rs.10,000 for personal room.

​

Seat confirmed only after full payment is received from you via bank transfer.

Since there are only 10 seats per batch so the earlier you book, the better. -Inclusions-

Stay on double sharing basis

2 meals in a day

Airport transfers

Welcome tea

Ladakh environmental fee

Ladakh inner line permit

Transport in tempo traveler

Personalized mentoring for Astrophotography

Post processing support for Lightroom and Photoshop

-Exclusions-

​

Any travel to and from Leh to your home

Any Camera equipment, rentals or camera accessories

Any porter expenses incurred

1 meal a day(Lunch/Dinner )

Cold drinks, Juices etc

​

-Cancellation policy-

40 days prior to arrival: 40% refund given.

30 days prior to arrival: 25% refund given.

15 days prior to arrival: No refund given under any circumstances

​

​

Disclaimers

Astrophotography is dependent on nature and the movement of the clouds. If we get cloudy weather, there is absolutely nothing we can do about it. We will enjoy the trip as much as we can.

Gear failures may happen, its not the end of the world

Decision of Trip leader and local staff is final and binding, if we say something is unsafe, it is. Please do not debate with us

Itinerary provided is a general idea of how the tour will go, if there are other factors which may affect eh trip, the itinerary will change.

Refund cannot be given because you missed a flight or a connection, please realize that this trip planned much in advance

If at any point you find your health declining, DO NOT HESITATE to tell your trip leader, your health is of the paramount importance and if you need to rest, you need to rest. Its as simple as that.

Participants younger than 18 are not allowed on the trip unless accompanied by a parent and we do not have separate rates for the accompanying parent , Participants younger than 12 are not currently accepted

Prepaid connections do not work in Ladakh, please use only postpaid connections

Prices are fixed and non-negotiable

Leaving the tour mid way for any reason will not qualify for a refund full or partial.

We will not be responsible in case of any Force majeure events like Flooding, Earthquake, train/flight cancellations, loss or theft of property.

FAQ

Register for the event

The Ladakh Astrohunt
with Vikram Virulkar

Cost
Rs. 44,999* Per person

Since there are only 10 seats per batch so the earlier you book, the better.

-Inclusions-