But two people who’ve spent decades on these mountains say it’s built for the plains, not the Himalayas. They’re not against tourism; they’re against rushing it. One is a former IAS officer who wrote India’s wildlife law; the other, a local operator who’s logged 33 snow leopard sightings in one winter. Both warn: more jeeps = more disturbance = fewer birds, more feral dogs, and maybe no snow leopards in a few years. The real problem? The plan skips the people who already make it work; local spotters, village guides, and conservationists who’ve kept this ecology intact. Instead of new infrastructure, they say, enforce simple rules: limit vehicles, fine offenders, protect breeding lakes. Ladakh doesn’t need a safari model from Ranthambore. It needs respect for the quiet, slow system that’s already there; before it’s too late. This isn’t about stopping tourism. It’s about listening before building.