Of Meadows, Mountains & Bears The Trans-Himalaya of Ladakh slowly transforms from a cold dry desert in the east dotted with plateaus and barren hills, turning greener beyond Namika La towards Kargil and Drass. The Zoji La (3500m) pass is the dramatic divide between the forested hills of Kashmir to the west and the trans-Himalaya to the east. Known as ‘The Gateway to Ladakh’, the picturesque valley of Drass is situated at the cusp of this great divide making it a unique landscape. To explore and discover the flora and fauna here is like unfolding a miracle. One can see Sirens, Accentors, Rose finches, Choughs, Golden Eagles and Lammergeiers soar in the skies and its grassy slopes are home to specials like the Musk Deer, Himalayan Grey Wolf, Himalayan Fox, Pika, Long Tailed Marmot, Asiatic Ibex and the largest land carnivore in India - the Himalayan Brown Bear. Regarded as the “Second coldest inhabited place in the world” - Drass is an alpine terrain situated in western Ladakh at an average elevation of 3000m with winter temperatures plummeting to below 40 degree celsius and an average snowfall of about 4 to 5 feet. As the summer months arrive (between May to September) the mountain slopes bloom into meadows of wildflowers when the temperatures become a pleasant 20-30 degree celsius. This unique microclimate of Drass nurtures over 50 varieties of high altitude plants with a majority of them having medicinal properties, and over 30 varieties of resident and migratory avifauna. Ethnically, the region is inhabited by the “Shina” tribe. Primarily of the muslim faith they are said to have come from the neighboring region of Gilgit (now in Pakistan) and is one of six different ethnicities settled in the Kargil district of Ladakh. Joyful and full of life, their distinct Indo-Aryan (Dardic) culture is reflected through their language, traditions, attire and food. DRASS - Land of the Dards “dren-mo” (Purigi/Ladakhi) - Bear Drenmo Lodge is the first ever exclusive lodge in western Ladakh dedicated to the majestic Himalayan Brown Bear. Located in the remote Holiyal village in Mushkow valley - a prime brown bear country, it is undoubtedly the best location in India for sighting this magnificent mammal. Started back in 2016 as a small operation out of a few homestays owned by local residents, our vision with this project was to introduce wildlife and experiential tourism in Drass, a rather unknown concept in this part of Ladakh at the time. The region of Drass has been facing a serious issue of human-Himalayan brown bear conflict and the locals view these bears as a burden. Our vision is to change this negative perception of the local community towards the mammal by bringing them economic benefits through tourism. We have come a long way since and can proudly call ourselves the pioneers of brown bear tourism. Today, we work with a network of local community members who are engaged with us in not only promoting tourism but also in our conflict mitigation and conservation efforts. DRENMO LODGE Realizing the potential of the region for experiences beyond wildlife, our aim with the lodge is to create a base not only for wildlife lovers but also for people who love to engage with nature and the outdoors. While one can enjoy watching wildlife here, there are plenty of other activities to experience during different times of the year ranging from village and nature walks, hiking, birding, fishing, local food experiences, to glamping. Our lodge is established in an existing home owned by a local which we have refurbished with modern amenities and thoughtful touches of traditional architecture. The warm and cosy rooms are the perfect place to come back to after spending long hours in the outdoors viewing bears and other wildlife. Six twin/double sharing rooms with views of the mountains and valley (Ensuite Bathrooms) Dining area with an outdoor deck overlooking the valley where you can enjoy your morning breakfast, afternoon brunch or your evening beverage. Dining area with an outdoor deck overlooking the valley where you can enjoy your morning breakfast, afternoon brunch or your evening beverage. Dining area with an outdoor deck overlooking the valley where you can enjoy your morning breakfast, afternoon brunch or your evening beverage. D i n i n g a r e a w i t h a n outdoor deck overlooking the valley where you can e n j o y y o u r m o r n i n g Comfortable lounge space to sit, relax, read and watch some interesting films A dedicated kitchen team to prepare tailored meals whether you are dining at the lodge or in the outdoors Private outdoor picnics by the river while bear watching In-house naturalist/host to take care of all your needs both inside and outside the lodge. In-house naturalist/host to take care of all your needs both inside and outside the lodge. Facilities at Drenmo Lodge • Six Rooms: 2 Mountain view rooms with attached bath, 4 Valley View rooms with attached bath ( Please note that the rooms vary in size. Only Mountain view rooms can accommodate 3 persons with an additional bed) • Dining area with an outdoor deck • Lounge space with a TV for film screenings and a small library of reference books and fiction • Rooms are heated with heaters or bukharis during April, May, October, November • Running hot/Cold water in bathroom in Summer (May to October). Hot/Cold water provided in bucket in April and November • 24 hour power supply with generator backup • Food: Mix of Indian / Continental / Ladakhi. Set Menus • In- house host with knowledge of the cultural and natural heritage of the region and fluent in Ladakhi, Hindi and English • Vehicles / guides / spotters at disposal • Binoculars available on request • Tea / Coffee & cookies available all day in the dining / lounge area • RO Drinking water provided • Packed lunches / tea coffee provided when in the field • No credit card facility – nearest ATM in Drass/Kargil • Nearest Hospital in Drass/Kargil (approx.15 min/1 hour drive) Period of Operation: April to November Minimum stay at the Lodge: 3 nights (suggested is 4 nights) ACCESS Drive from Drass Town - 5 Kms / 20 mins Drive from Kargil - 60 Kms / 1 hour Drive from Leh Airport - 280 Kms / 5-6 hours Drive from Srinagar Airport - 150 Kms / 4 hours (Open only after March) Nearest Airports : Leh and Srinagar. THE EXPERIENCE: A typical day at the lodge A regular day at the lodge involves early morning and evening bear sightings on foot or in our vehicles. During the day, we do wildlife excursions to other valleys by vehicles or we also recommend doing hikes and village walks, fishing or cultural sightseeing (based on your fitness level, interest and season) or you can choose to spend your time at leisure at the lodge itself. Like most wildlife, bears are active during the early morning and evening hours. Each morning our local wildlife spotters brave the cold temperatures and head out to the different locations to scan for bears. In the meantime, guests would wake up, have their morning tea/coffee and be ready for a signal from our spotters. Once the team spots something, we will head out to the location. The plan for the rest of the day will be based on the sightings and interest of the guest. Meals and snacks will be brought to the outdoor location as and when required. If photographing bears is your primary focus then we would recommend visiting during the months of April-May and October-December. While sightings are possible throughout the summer, the spring and autumn months provide better chances of closer sightings as the wildlife tend to come closer to habitations looking for food sources on account of pre and post hibernation.