Great Himalayan Birding Tour
Highlight Species
- Himalayan Monal
- Koklass Pheasant
- Cheer Pheasant
- Ibisbill
- Bar Winged Flycatcher Shrike
- Black Headed Jay
- Great Slaty Woodpecker
- Wallcreeper
- Long Tailed Minivet
- Bearded Vulture
Tour Overview - Great Himalayan Birding Tour
Over many lifetimes, the peaks of the colossal Himalayan range have nestled the Indian subcontinent to give rise to a splendid assemblage of diversity. A quest through these montane forests will leave any bird enthusiast in a spell of enchantment as they navigate through the higher reaches of the Himalayan foothills, walking through a veil of clouds, concealing some of the most fascinating species to grace the land. Our explorations will take us to some of the finest places in the state of Uttarakhand, which are considered as ideal birding hotspots.
In addition to the avifauna that we seek, the tour also serves as an excellent opportunity to see the magnificent Tiger, the colossal Indian Elephant, and the fearless Yellow-Throated Marten.
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Detailed Itinerary - Great Himalayan Birding Tour
On arrival, you will be met by our representative, from there you will transfer to the hotel in Delhi for a day of rest.
Sultanpur National Park is an outstanding birder hub; it’s a refuge for many residents as well as scores of migratory birds. It is located on the fringe of New Delhi in the state of Harayana that encompasses semi-arid areas as well as wetlands. Our morning here is a perfect way to start our journey across northern India as you will encounter a wide array of species such as the Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintails, Red Crested and Common Pochards, Grey Headed Swamphen, Red-naped Ibis, White-Tailed Lapwing, Bar Headed Goose, Painted and Black-Necked Storks and the Greater Flamingos. Around the wetlands, you have a well-wooded area where one can spot the Spotted Owlets, Yellow Crowned Woodpecker, Purple Sunbird’s, Eastern Orphean Warbler, Bluethroat, Red Breasted Flycatcher, Eurasian Hoopoe and even the Red Avadavat. Raptors too grace the land, with the likes of Marsh Harriers, Indian Spotted Eagles and Osprey looking to catch a meal. The park also has its fair share of mammals such as Nilgai (the Bluebull), Golden Jackals, Jungle Cats and Indian fox. Post Lunch, we will depart for Okhla Bird Sanctuary. Here, there’s a chance of finding the yellow-bellied Prinia and the Striated Babbler. There’s also a good chance of seeing many of the species that we have seen in the morning. After experiencing the abundance Delhi has to offer, we return to the hotel to call it a day.
After breakfast, we will leave for Corbett National Park. On Reaching, we will check into in the Forest Rest House, which is located in the heart of the National Park, better known as Dhikala. Post Lunch, we will head out on our drive. The forest here has grasslands, woodlands and a river flowing through it. This attracts species such as the Western Osprey, Hen Harrier, Black Francolin, Green and Wood Sandpipers, Lesser Coucal, Plum Headed Parakeets, Crested Kingfisher, Barn and Red-rumped Swallows, Greyback Shrikes and Golden Headed Cisticola. The National Park is also teeming with wildlife such as the Rhesus Macaque, the Indian Elephant, the Grey Langur, Wild Pig, Spotted Deer, Yellow-Throated Martens, the Barking Deer and the elusive striped known as the Tiger. Post our evening drive, we will return to the rest house for supper and some rest.
We will continue to bird and look for mammals during our morning jeep safari. In terms of our prime focus which is to bird, the park also has Blue Bearded Bee Eaters, Blue Throated Barbet, White-bellied Drongo, and Jungle Mynas. Around the Forest Rest House, there is a good chance of seeing Kalij Pheasants, Ashy Bulbul, the Black-Throated Thrush, Himalayan Rubythroat, Yellow-eyed Babblers and Yellow Breasted Greenfinch. In the evening, post-lunch, we will head out for the evening safari drive to try and see some of the species that we may have missed out on.
In the morning we will make our departure for the Kosi River. It is here that you will find many different species. The clear mountain streams inhabit birds such as the Crested Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, the Brown Dipper. The river banks also support species as the spectacular Ibisbill and the Wallcreeper. The jungle in this area host species like the Blue Bearded Bee Eater, The Great Hornbill, Common Green Magpie, Black-chinned babbler and the Slaty Woodpecker. Our trails here also support the Brown-Headed Barbet, Grey Capped Pygmy, Streak Throated, Grey Headed and Fulvous Breasted Woodpecker, Golden Fronted Leafbird, Red-breasted Parakeet, Bar Winged Flycatcher Shrike, the Long Tailed Minivet, White-Throated Fantail and the Velvet Fronted Nuthatch. We head back to our accommodation for dinner and rest.
At Nainital, we have ample time to explore the avifauna of this jaw-dropping region in the Himalayas. We will seek out birds such as the Cheer and Koklass Pheasants around the village of Pangot. Apart from that, there are several other birds in the area that include Himalayan Bluetail, Streaked Laughing Thrush, Yellow Browed Tit, Eurasian Crag Martin, Striated Prinia, Himalayan Bluetail, Streaked Laughing Thrush. We also have the chance of seeing the Himalayan Goral which is a species of the mountain goat. In the coniferous forests, we will search for the Rufous Sibia; Green Backed Tit, India White Eye, Oriental Turtle Dove, Nepal House Martin and the Yellow-Bellied Fantail. The forest also hosts species such as Blue Throated Barbets, Speckled Piculet, Mountain and Himalayan Bulbuls, Tickell’s Thrush, Maroon Oriole, the Bar-Tailed Creeper and the Fire Breasted Flycatcher.
Raptors too can be seen overhead, flying along the ridges. There is a chance of seeing the Cinereous Vultures and the Bearded Vultures. Post birding, we will return to our accommodation for dinner and rest.
After a morning of birding and breakfast, we will depart for New Delhi. On arrival, we will check in to the hotel for a night’s rest.
This is where we conclude the tour. The morning is free for leisure activities and later we will transfer to International airport to board a flight back home or to an onward destination.
