2026 Red Pandas of Nepal
Workshop Information Packet

Contents:

I.  General Information

II.  To Do Checklist

III. Daily Itinerary

IV.  FAQs

2026 Red Pandas of Nepal
General Information 

Welcome!

Thanks again for joining our 2026 Red Pandas of Nepal workshop! We know you’re excited to begin your wildlife photography adventure, but first a bit of planning is necessary to ensure everything goes smoothly. This document contains important information to help you plan and prepare for your trip. Please take some time to carefully review it and don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions:

Workshop Dates:   March 31 – April 6th, 2026            

Workshop Overview

The Red Pandas of Nepal workshop begins when our representative greets you upon your arrival at Indira Gandhi International Airport (airport code: DEL) in New Delhi, India on March 31, 2026 and ends upon our arrival at the same airport on April 6, 2026 to catch your homeward flight.

In between, we’ll journey to the remote village of Jaubari, Nepal perched in the mountains along the India–Nepal border. Jaubari will be our base to explore the rich biodiversity of Singalila National Park, home to the rare and elusive Red Panda and other creatures that reside in this high-altitude cloud forest habitat.

Our expert trackers begin very early each morning scouting for signs of movement. When a Red Panda is located, we’ll be guided to the site for a respectful and well-positioned photographic opportunity. If we are lucky, we may also encounter Himalayan Black Bears, Clouded Leopards, and a diverse array of birdlife unique to the region. In the afternoons, our focus will shift to the local people, culture and landscapes. A sunrise shot of Mount Everest is a possibility ff the weather cooperates.

The terrain is rugged and the elevations high, but the rewards are immense—both in terms of experience and images.

Our small group of just five participants ensures an intimate, immersive experience and ample one-on-one time with your workshop leader/instructor, Leighton Lum

Take a look at the Daily Itinerary in this packet or on the Red Pandas workshop page of our website for a full breakdown of each day’s activities, locations, and what you can expect to see and photograph on this high-elevation wildlife adventure.

Balance of Fees

The balance of your workshop fees is due as follows:

• Payment #2: $3000 due July 15, 2025

• Remaining balance: due by Nov 15, 2025 - the exact amount depends on options selected such as single lodging and extra hotel nights.

You will receive an invoice by email after registration that contains all charges, payments and due dates related to this workshop. Click the link in the invoice to access your Customer Portal where you can make payments, view or download statements, receipts and more at your convenience. 

Health/Medical

Immunizations – there are no specific immunization requirements to enter India, or Nepal but you should consult with your doctor or travel clinic about any recommended vaccinations. Malaria prophylaxis may be recommended. The U.S. CDC website also contains general information which may be useful.

Prescription Medications – pack an adequate supply of any prescription medications (and supplements) you take, as they may not be available in Nepal. You might consider carrying a course of antibiotics when, just in case. You can request a prescription for ‘traveler’s diarrhea’ from your health provider or travel clinic. 

Allergies – please let us know about any allergies you have AND the severity of your reactions. It is your responsibility to carry appropriate medications (e.g. Epi Pen) in case of accidental exposure.

Travel Logistics & Documents

International Flights

Inbound – Book your flights to arrive in Delhi (DEL) by 2pm on March 31, 2026.

Outbound – Book your homeward flight from DEL for after 10pm on April 6, 2026. Most US-bound flights depart in the late evening.

Extra hotel nights
If you are arriving early or wish to overnight in Delhi before beginning your homeward travels, just let us know your itinerary specifics and we can book the additional hotel nights for you. The cost is $210/night including breakfast.

Passport
Now is the time to double-check the expiration date of your passport. India and Nepal both require your passport be valid for at least six months past the date you intend to depart the country.

Visas

India
U.S. Passport holders – a visa is required to enter India. The easiest way to obtain your visa is to apply for an online for an eVisa (aka ETA).

Don’t apply too early!  -  the application window for visas is no more than 30 days before your arrival date. We will provide links and details about how to apply for your India visa in a separate pre-trip email. Typical processing time is about 3 days.

Other Nationalities – Please check here to determine if a visa is required

Nepal
All Travelers must obtain a visa to enter Nepal.

Visa on arrival -  we will obtain our visas on arrival at India-Nepal land border crossing on Day 2. The cost of the visa is included in your workshop fee. Please bring a passport-sized photo.

Travel Insurance – is mandatory for workshop participants. Please forward us a copy of your travel insurance policy (just the summary page is fine).

The primary purpose of this requirement is in case of medical emergency, cost should not be a consideration in getting you quality medical care including immediate transport home if necessary. Policies that cover medical evacuation as well as other things like trip cancellation, travel delays, lost luggage, theft/loss, etc. are widely available at a reasonable price.

Notify Banks & Credit Cards – notify your financial institutions about your travel plans to prevent problems using credit cards or ATM’s while traveling.

Phone Carrier – look into your phone carrier’s international roaming policies and rates BEFORE leaving home or you may return to an extremely expensive bill. You may want to pre-purchase a data plan from your carrier.

WhatsApp – is a free communications app that is used widely in Asia. We will be using this for inter group communications. Please download & install WhatsApp and create an account before arriving in India. You may also want your loved ones at home to install the app for easy communication.

Health/Medical

Prescription Medications – remember to pack an adequate supply of any prescription medications (also supplements, sleep aids, non-prescription pain relievers, etc.) you take, as they may not be available in Nepal.

Allergies – please let us know about any allergies you have AND the severity of your reactions. It is your responsibility to carry appropriate medications (e.g. Epi Pen) in case of accidental exposure.

What to Pack

Weather Notes

In general, expect cool, crisp autumn-like temperatures. Typical daytime temperatures range between 46–59°F, with colder mornings and evenings. Layering is essential to stay comfortable throughout the day. Overnight temperatures can dip into the 30’s or below.

Also, remember, we are in the mountains, which means weather can be wildly variable. Rain or even snow is a possible – be prepared.

Clothing & Personal Items

The following are essential items we suggest bringing to ensure comfort in the mountains. It is not meant to be a complete packing list.

• Base Layers: Moisture-wicking thermal tops and bottoms.

• Warm socks: wool or synthetic but avoid cotton

• Insulating Layers: Wool, fleece or lightweight down jackets or vests are good choices

• Outer Layer: Truly waterproof (not water resistant) jacket AND pants.

• Trekking Pants: Comfortable, quick-drying, and breathable.

• Long-Sleeve Shirts: For warmth and protection from sun, insects and vegetation.

• Warm Hat

• Gloves: a thin pair that allows you to operate camera controls without removing them is ideal. For those whose hands get cold easily, consider bringing a second pair of gloves or mittens.

• Neck Gaiter or Buff: Versatile for warmth and dust protection.

• Sunglasses

• Sun Hat: Wide-brimmed for daytime sun protection.

• Hiking Boots/shoes: waterproof with good traction in muddy/slippery conditions

• Sandals or Camp Shoes: Comfortable footwear for evenings at the homestay.

• Reusable Water Bottle:

• Sunscreen and Lip Balm:

• Personal Hygiene Items: Biodegradable soap, wet wipes, and hand sanitizer.

Laundry services are limited in remote areas. Pack enough clothing to last the duration of the trip and consider quick-drying fabrics for ease of washing and drying.

Photo Gear – it’s tempting to bring everything you own, but that usually works against you. If you decide to bring the kitchen sink, we strongly recommend bringing a smaller camera bag/daypack that you are comfortable carrying all day as well. You can safely leave extra items in our vehicle while we are out trekking.  We’re happy to provide more specific brand/model recommendations for individual items. Just ask.

Camera Body – 1 or 2 camera bodies. Mirrorless cameras, especially models that have animal eye tracking are truly game changer for wildlife photography – highly recommended. Bring a paper or electronic copy of your camera’s operating manual. Your smartphone is also a great camera – don’t forget it.

• Lenses:

  • your longest telephoto will be the workhorse of this trip. We recommend a lens that reaches 400mm minimum (300mm for crop sensor cameras) before adding teleconverters.

  • A medium telephoto like a 70-200mm zoom will also be useful

  • A ‘walk around zoom’ (e.g. 24-105 or your phone) is is handy when you want to show the environment and for portraits and landscapes.

• Tripod and/or Monopod (optional) – there are some landscape photo opportunities on this trip and a monopod can double as a walking stick

• Filters – a polarizer can be nice to have at times

• Extra Batteries and Memory cards – you will be shooting a lot, maybe more than you ever have, easily in the thousands of images and hundreds of gigabytes total. Bring PLENTY of memory cards and batteries. You should NOT erase/overwrite any memory cards until you get home, even if you have downloaded the images to your laptop or hard drive.

• Battery Charger – don’t forget this critical item!

• Accessories – headlamp, tripod plate(s), allen wrenches, cleaning kit, etc.

Other Gear

• Laptop or tablet –highly recommended. Your photography will improve if you review your images daily. Doing preliminary selects and ratings also makes the mountain of images more manageable when you get home. We will also have several sessions on post processing and image management in Adobe Lightroom.

• Portable hard drive - ideal for image storage/backup. We recommend SSD drives, with 1TB capacity minimum, 2TB is better.

• Power adapters – Nepal and India both run on 230-volt electricity with Type C, D or M outlets. A ‘universal’ adapter like one of these will cover your needs in India.

  • A small power strip is also handy for charging multiple devices simultaneously but make sure it is specifically designed for travel or rated for 230+ volts. Here’s one we like with multiple AC and USB sockets.

  • Chargers for phones/tablets, laptops, camera batteries and other electronics have built in voltage transformers and work just fine with a simple adapter.

  • Check higher power devices like hair dryers and shavers to make sure they are compatible with 230-volt power.  Here is a link to a good article on travel adapters if you need more info.

• Chargers and cables for your mobile phone and other electronics

• Power bank – extremely handy when traveling. You can even use it to charge a camera battery in a pinch (USB battery charger required)

• Phone Leash  (optional)

HOW TO PACK

Checked baggage
Aim for one soft-sided duffel or similar (no hard suitcases, please!) weighing no more than 20kg (44lbs) for your clothing, personal items and non-photo gear.

Carry On (Camera bag/backpack)
The official weight limit for carry-ons on domestic flights in India is 7 kg (15 pounds) but carry-ons are rarely actually weighed.

Don’t worry too much if your luggage is slightly over the above limits, but you are responsible for any overweight fees incurred.

MISC

A Word About Gratuities – Like many service businesses, our guides and drivers rely on gratuities for a substantial portion of their income. I think you will find our local guide & drivers/trackers in Nepal to be outstanding at what they do. If you feel you’ve received good service, a gratuity is greatly appreciated. The amount you choose to tip is entirely up to you, but since we’re always asked for guidance:

Drivers, Hotel Staff, Trackers $150-$200 total per guest

Naturalist Guide: $50 per guest

Tipping at hotels and restaurants is not expected, but small gratuities are appreciated.

If there’s anything we’ve missed or you have questions, contact us by email or we can schedule a phone call.

See you in Delhi!

Leighton Lum
Red Pandas of Nepal Workshop Leader
+1-808-398-7689 mobile/WhatsApp

Ken Lee
Owner
Art of Seeing Photography Adventures
+1-949-282-9660 mobile/WhatsApp

Red Pandas of Nepal
To-Do Checklist 

___     Send us a copy/photo of your passport picture page (a cell phone snap is all we need)

___     Book your flights to/from New Delhi (DEL) and forward a copy of your flight itinerary to us.

___     Let us know if you need any extra hotel nights pre/post workshop

___     Purchase Travel Insurance and forward copy of your policy

___     Notify Banks & Credit Cards of your travel plans to prevent problmes using your credit/debit cards while traveling.

___     Check mobile phone carrier’s international roaming policies and consider pre-purchasing  data plan.

___     Apply for India eTourist Visa (wait until 30 days before arrival to apply)

___     Make personal packing checklist (click here for a downloadable Photo Trip Packing List template you can customize to your own needs)

Daily Itinerary

Note: This itinerary is our general plan but is subject to change without notice due to weather, logistical considerations or other reasons.

Red Pandas FAQ’s

Q: How should I book my flights?
A: Book your international flights to arrive and depart from Indira Gandhi International Airport (airport code: DEL)  in New Dehi, INDIA. Additional information to help you book flights and prepare for your trip will be provided to guests after registration.

Q: Do I need a visa to visit India or Nepal?
A: Yes, a visa is required for U.S. passport holders to visit both India and Nepal. More information about how to obtain your visas will be provided to guest after registration.

Q: What are the physical fitness requirements?
A: This trip is rated as Difficult, and a solid level of fitness is essential. We will be in the mountains at ~10,000 ft elevation. Typical hikes are 2-4 miles per day in steep terrain on less that perfectly maintained trails. Off trail hiking is also often required. If you have any questions about whether this trip is right for you, please contact us before signing up.

Q: Are porters available?
A: Yes, porters are included to assist with carrying your gear during treks.

Q: What are the accommodations like?
A: Homestays offer basic, but comfortable amenities (see photos in workshop gallery) . Expect occasional power outages, limited hot water, and chilly temperatures (39–44°F). Each room has a private bathroom with a western toilet and shower. Rooms are double occupancy by default. If you don’t have a travel partner, a same gender roommate will be assigned.

Q: Are  private rooms available?
A: Yes, a very limited number of private rooms are available for an additional charge (Single Supplement fee details on registration form).

Q: What is the food like?
A: Meals in Nepal are simple and typically consist of rice, chicken, and vegetables. Food variety is limited, especially in remote areas. If you have specific dietary needs or restrictions, please contact us in advance so we can check if they can accommodate.

Q: Are domestic flights included?
A: Yes, your round-trip airfare from Delhi to Bagdogra is included in the cost of the workshop.

Q: Can my non-photographer friend/partner attend?
A: Yes, travel partners who may not share your passion for image making are welcome. However, the experience centers around photography (early wake-ups, long days), and there are no alternate activities or discounted rates for non-photographers.