Our story
A Family. A Village. A Life Shaped by the Mountains.
A Story Rooted in Uley
A Home in Snow Leopard Country
Set in the quiet village of Uley, high above the Indus River, Shan at Uley is more than a lodge. It is our home.
Surrounded by rugged mountains, open valleys, and star-filled skies, the lodge was born from our family’s deep love for Ladakh’s wild landscape. Every trail, field, ridge, and valley around us carries a story — of village life, wildlife, patience, and generations of living close to nature.
At Shan at Uley, we welcome guests into this story.
The Norboo Family
From Our Family to Yours
For generations, our family has lived with the rhythm of Uley — its seasons, fields, livestock, wildlife, and mountains.
What began as a simple life in a remote Ladakhi village has grown into a family-run lodge rooted in warmth, local knowledge, conservation, and personal hospitality.
We do not want guests to simply visit Uley. We want them to feel connected to it.
Tsewang Norboo
The Man Who Reads the Mountains
Our story begins with Tsewang Norboo, founder of Shan at Uley and one of Ladakh’s most respected snow leopard spotters. Born and raised in Uley, Norboo grew up as a shepherd, farmer, horseman, and builder. Long before tourism reached the village, he knew these mountains through daily life — the ridgelines, animal trails, weather patterns, and quiet signs of wildlife movement. Over the years, his patience, instinct, and deep field knowledge made him one of the most trusted names in snow leopard tracking. Today, his understanding of the land forms the heart of Shan at Uley’s winter expeditions.
Morup & The Next Generation
Carrying the Story Forward
Shan at Uley is now carried forward by the next generation of the family.
Morup Namgail, an award-winning wildlife photographer and naturalist from Uley, brings together the family’s deep mountain knowledge with his own passion for wildlife, photography, conservation, and storytelling.
Through Shan at Uley, Morup helps create experiences that are personal, meaningful, and rooted in the landscape — from winter snow leopard journeys to summer stays filled with village walks, cycling, stargazing, wildlife walks, and slow days in Uley.
Winter & Summer
Two Seasons. One Landscape.
In winter, Uley becomes one of Ladakh’s finest snow leopard habitats. Guests spend their days with experienced local spotters, scanning ridges, following signs, and learning the quiet patience of the mountains.
In summer, Uley reveals a softer side. Clear skies, village fields, cycling routes, wildlife walks, short treks, outdoor meals, and stargazing create a slower and more intimate way to experience Ladakh.
Whether covered in snow or glowing under summer light, Uley always invites you to slow down.
Conservation & Community
Travel That Supports the Land
Our work is closely connected to the people, wildlife, and landscape of Uley.
We believe responsible tourism should support local communities and protect the wildlife that makes this region so special. By involving local spotters, guides, families, and village experiences, we hope to create meaningful livelihoods while keeping conservation at the heart of what we do.
For us, conservation is not separate from daily life. It is part of how we host, how we guide, and how we move through the mountains.
Our Team
The People Behind Shan at Uley
Shan at Uley is shaped by a small and dedicated team — family members, local spotters, guides, cooks, drivers, and hospitality staff who know this land deeply.
Together, we create warm, personal, and thoughtful experiences for every guest who comes to Uley.
The team that enhances your experience
More Than a Lodge
Shan at Uley is more than a place to stay.
It is our home, our village, and our way of sharing Ladakh with the world. Built on family knowledge, wildlife experience, and a deep respect for the land, Shan at Uley welcomes travellers who want to experience the Himalayas with meaning, patience, and heart.
Your story with the Himalayas begins here.