Natural history forms the primary focus of our tours, with itineraries designed to concentrate on distinct regions, in particular India’s four centres of endemism – the rainforest of the Western Ghats, the floodplain of the Brahmaputra in Assam, the montane rainforest of the Eastern Himalayas, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands – incorporating the most productive sites within each.

We offer a selection of fixed departure birding tours, as well as a comprehensive range of ‘anytime’ bird, mammal and butterfly itineraries, and are adept at creating custom-designed tours where our experience enables us to plan bird and wildlife focused travel in consultation with our clients, many of whom are repeat travellers.

Our meticulous tour planning optimizes opportunities for bird and wildlife sightings while our tours are enhanced through a combination of small group sizes, knowledgeable and experienced tour leaders and guides, carefully selected accommodation and a relaxed on-tour atmosphere.  And while we do not compromise on the quality of your experience and offer the highest standards of service, guiding, expertise and wildlife encounters we are certain that you will find our tours competitively priced.

FIXED DEPARTURE BIRDING TOURS 

Our fixed departure birding tours follow a set itinerary and operate to scheduled dates.  If you choose to join a fixed departure tour you will be travelling as part of a small group accompanied by a professional tour leader for the duration of the tour.   

These tours are scheduled at the most favourable time of year in terms of species movement, ease of sightings and climatic conditions to optimise sightings.  The tour itinerary places particular emphasis on endemic and endangered species and other specialities of the tour region, while also providing opportunities to view many other forms of wildlife.  Fixed departure tours are professionally led by knowledgeable and experienced tour leaders, together with additional local guides as and where appropriate.  With a maximum group size of just 10 participants these tours are designed to be as non-intrusive as possible, while the small group size also contributes to a relaxed and friendly on-tour atmosphere and ensures quality birding experiences at a highly competitive price.

ANYTIME ITINERARIES, CUSTOM TOURS and TOUR EXTENSIONS

In addition to our programme of fixed departure tours we also organise custom-designed tours and tour extensions - in fact most of the trips we organise have been customised in some way, perhaps a fixed departure adapted by a group of friends, or are tailor-made tours created specifically to meet a client's needs. 

Custom tours are inherently flexible, and by choosing to travel in this way (as an individual, couple, or group of family or friends) you have the opportunity to decide when and where you travel and with whom, with the tour itinerary and ground arrangements tailored to your specifications.  Furthermore the tour pace can be adjusted so that whatever your age, ability and aspirations we will create a memorable itinerary that is productive and enjoyable.

Our custom tours are ideal for those who prefer to travel alone, have specific target species, wish to concentrate on wildlife photography or incorporate other supplementary interests, or have work or other commitments that prevent travel on a fixed departure tour.  The cost of a custom tour is often comparable to the cost of our fixed departure tours, and you may be surprised at how inexpensive personalised travel can be, particularly if you can put together a small group of friends or family.

Begin by sending us your thoughts - we will be happy to offer our suggestions.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS…

Who can participate in a tour?

Our fixed departure tours are suitable for expert and beginner alike – your tour leader will always be on hand to assist so enthusiasm is more important than your knowledge, although you will find that a small amount of preparatory study will enhance your enjoyment.  The early morning starts inherent in bird/wildlife watching together with long journeys in places can make our tours tiring at times but we always try to set aside some time to relax.  Apart from those places where the potential danger of large mammals necessitates birding in open jeeps or canter (open lorry-bus) birding will be mostly on foot, however walks will assume a relaxed pace suitable for birding, often with our vehicle(s) following the group.  Most of our tour therefore do not have specific health requirements and unless indicated in individual tour itineraries there is no need to worry about your fitness as long as you are reasonably healthy and take simple precautions befitting of a visit to rural India.  If you choose a custom tour the tour pace can be adjusted to your need during the planning stage.  Likewise the pace at which you follow your outline itinerary each day is entirely up to you; it is for this reason that we tend not to include the cost of items such as sanctuary and monument entry fees in our custom tour quotes – you can then choose to take some time out or make minor changes to the schedule without being charged to components you do not use.

What is the tour focus?

Our fixed departure tours focus primarily on birds, in particular on the endemics and specialities of the tour region, creating a successful balance between a good number of species and good views of these species for all group members.  Although these itineraries are specifically designed for birding they often provide us with the opportunity to view a host of other forms of wildlife for which we make time as far as possible without compromising our main pursuit.  Similarly our mammal and butterfly itineraries have a primary focus which is supplemented by additional aspects of natural history, and you should choose your tour according to your principal interest.

What are the minimum and maximum group sizes?

Our fixed departure tours operate with a maximum of 10 participants excluding leader(s), however where the last vacant place on a tour is booked by a couple we reserve the right to include both of them in the tour group.  The minimum group size at the published tour price is 6 participants, and the operation of any tour is dependent on reaching this number.  We will however operate a tour with a group size of 4 or 5 participants providing each group member agrees to pay an additional small group surcharge (usually less than 10% of the tour price) to cover the costs that running a tour for such a small group entails.  We can accommodate within reason any number of participants in a custom tour, however if you are planning a tour for a large group we advise booking well in advance of the tour in order for us to make the necessary arrangements towards accommodation your group.

Can additional interests be incorporated into a tour?

We can to some extent incorporate additional interests into our fixed departure tours providing that they do not interfere with the progression of the tour itinerary.  If you would like to dedicate more time to your other interests you may prefer an anytime tour or custom itinerary formulated accordingly – as a small company we have the inherent flexibility to accommodate individual interests, photography, research projects and film-making.

What about photography?

There is excellent scope for photography within our fixed departure tours, and although these are not dedicated photography tours we can usually allow some degree of additional time for this providing it does not interfere with the progression of the itinerary.  If you choose an anytime or custom tour you will be able to build in additional time for photography, and once on tour will have the flexibility to follow the daily outline at a pace that suits you and allows adequate time for the photographic opportunities you discover.

Are sightings guaranteed?

Wildlife sightings should be treated as a privilege, respecting the inherent wildness of India’s wilderness areas.  Based on our long experience we encourage realistic expectations of the tour and its outcomes – this does not mean that we do not make every effort to locate the species we are hoping to see, in particular regional specialities, but that we inform all of our tour participants of the likelihood of sightings of all potential species based on previous tour records, which are consistently impressive.

When is the best time to visit?

This depends to some extent on the tour region and is indicated in individual our itineraries.  In general the best time for a bird/wildlife focused visit to India is between October and May during the dry season.  Many national parks and wildlife sanctuaries close for the duration of the monsoon (June to September) and more remote regions may become difficult to access at this time.  Our fixed departure tours are scheduled at the most favourable time of year in terms of species movement, ease of sightings, and climatic conditions.

What travel permissions are necessary for a visit to India?

Almost all foreign nationals require a visa to enter India, which must be obtained from your nearest Indian embassy in advance of the tour.  An additional Restricted Area Permit (or equivalent Inner Line Permit for Indian nationals) is required for entry to some regions, which we will usually secure these on your behalf.  All tour participants will be supplied with information regarding these matters in advance of the tour to help with the visa application process and advise on any additional requirements for any necessary permits.

What is the standard of services?

All hotels, wildlife and birding lodges and camps have been chosen for their service, location, comfort and character.  Where possible they are small, privately and locally owned/operated, have a degree of environmental awareness built into their operations and highlight the natural character inherent in their location without compromising on comfort.  Meals are usually served as a buffet and special dietary needs can be accommodated given prior intimation.  All ground transport is in modern and comfortable cars, jeeps or minibuses as group size or local conditions dictate, with 4WD and air-conditioning where appropriate.  More tour-specific information is given in individual tour itineraries and pre-tour information.

What do tour prices include?

Fixed departure tour prices are inclusive of accommodation, dedicated ground transport including airport transfers on arrival and departure, domestic flights where included in the tour itinerary, all meals and bottled drinking water, wildlife safaris and all birding activities, sanctuary and monument entry fee, the cost of any additional permit applicable to the tour region, accompaniment throughout the tour by a professional tour leader/bird guide, comprehensive pre-tour information and species checklist and all currently applicable taxes, i.e. almost all of the expenses you will incur throughout the tour with the exception of international airfare and applicable departure taxes, passport and Indian visa fees, personal travel insurance, drinks other than drinking water, snacks, sanctuary and monument camera fees where applicable, laundry, telephone bills, tips to porters, restaurants, park guides, drivers, and local guides, all other expenses of a personal nature and charges incurred while making the payment (bank transfer/cheque processing fees).  The cost of custom tours can be formulated to include as much or as little as you like, and some components, such as accommodation, can be adapted to suit your budget.  We do not usually include the cost of daily expenses such as meals and entry fees, and this bestows a greater degree of flexibility and allows you to make minor changes to the daily schedule or take some time out without being charged for components you do not use.

Can children be accommodated?

We are especially delighted to accommodate families with children of any age in a custom tour and will formulate your itinerary with your children in mind. 

Can single travellers join a fixed departure tour?

If you are travelling alone and choose not to share a room (or in the event that a suitable room-mate cannot be found) a single room supplement will be applicable.  We try not to penalise the single traveller and charge all single room supplements at cost price.

What is the booking/payment procedure?

It is preferable to book your custom tour or place(s) on a fixed departure tour as far in advance as possible so that all arrangements can be confirmed.  For some tours this is imperative due to the time required to secure the required regional permits.  To book a place on a fixed departure tour please contact us regarding the status of your chosen tour, since we will not ask for any deposit until operation of the tour is confirmed, i.e. until the minimum number of tour participants has been reached.  Once it is certain that the tour will run we will forward by email a booking form to be completed and returned to us along with a deposit of 20% of the total tour cost.  If you would prefer a custom tour please contact us to discuss your requirements and we will perfect your itinerary prior to booking – once your itinerary is finalised and our quoted price accepted we will email a booking form to be completed and returned to us along with a deposit of 20% of the total tour cost.  Our tour prices are quoted in Indian Rupees (INR) but you may also pay the equivalent in any other foreign currency as calculated at the time of payment using the prevailing exchange rate.  Both deposit and balance payments (due 10 weeks before the tour start date) can be made by bank transfer, for which we will provide full details, or alternatively by cheque or cash.

What information is provided in advance of the tour?

Comprehensive pre-departure information and a blank species checklist are provided to all tour participants by email in advance of the tour.  If you choose a custom tour you will also receive logistical support – accommodation vouchers, domestic flight tickets, and information to help you throughout your tour.  Our pre-departure information provides further details on the tour region, climate and accommodation, as well as complete information on important points such as visa requirements, health considerations, travel insurance, what to bring, and our recommendations for reference guides.

Who leads the tours?

Fixed departure tours are accompanied by a tour leader who may, in recognition of the importance of local knowledge based on continued reconnaissance of species movement in a given area, be joined by additional local birding guides in places, as appropriate.  Custom tours are usually escorted by a birding guide local to the tour region, or alternatively make use of lodge naturalists to accompany wildlife activities – this is a key consideration while planning your tour, considering your own knowledge, previous travel experience, group size and budget.  Our tour leaders and guides are professional, knowledgeable, friendly and competent, and above all birders and wildlife enthusiasts themselves who spend most of their time in the field and whose awareness of the natural world means that you will not miss the smaller treasures of the Indian wilds while focusing on the major attractions. 

Booking through a foreign tour operator what else will I receive that India Nature does not provide?

Depending on the operator you may receive your international flights as part of the tour package, and a tour leader who will accompany your group from the time you depart your home country.  Our tours include ground arrangements only, and although we are not able to book your international flights we can advise on the most convenient international flights.  Your tour leader/guide will meet you on arrival in India and accompany you until your departure.