A 16 day tour of eastern Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and the Himalayan foothills of the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, incorporating visits to Ranthambhore National Park, Keoladeo Ghana National Park (Bharatpur), the Chambal River, the Taj Mahal at Agra, Sattal and Pangot in Nainital district and Corbett National Park.

Species highlights:  Indian Courser, Sarus Crane, Indian Skimmer, Cheer Pheasant, Himalayan Rubythroat, Golden Bush-robin, Slaty-backed Forktail, Ibisbill, Wallcreeper, Collared Falconet, Long-billed Ground-thrush, a host of laughingthrushes, flycatchers, and warblers, plus Tiger, Asian Elephant, Ganges River Dolphin, and Gharial.

Best season to visit:  November to April

2009-10 scheduled tour dates:  Monday 8th February - Tuesday 23rd February 2010

Tour price:  on request - please contact us for availability & prices

North India is an incredible area for birds. The close proximity of lowland regions to higher altitudes as the foothills of the western Himalayas rise sharply out of the plains ensures that distinct communities of species can be found almost side by side. The endurance of these species is further aided here by the protection of many of the most ecologically fundamental areas in a comprehensive network of sanctuaries. Our itinerary takes us through a cross section of environments, from the rugged terrain of western India’s semi-desert, through the irrigated plains of India's agricultural heartland, into the foothills of the Western Himalayas, and finally to the Terai - the forest interspersed with savannah grassland that flanks the Himalayas to the south. A host of resident species and regional specialities are accompanied throughout by Palaearctic migrants, with excellent opportunities for large mammal, in particular Tiger, viewing in some of India’s most famed reserves.

Day 1:  Delhi

Arrive in Delhi. Local birding at Delhi ridge before departing on an overnight train.

Days 2-3:  Ranthambhore

Arrive at Sawai Madhopur in the early hours of day 2, transferring to Ranthambhore National Park to spend the morning birding on foot in surrounding scrub, followed by an afternoon safari within the park. As the westernmost site included in our itinerary, Ranthambhore is distinctly arid, situated in a region of semi-desert interspersed with rocky outcrops, sheer cliff and grasslands, dissected by jungle-filled ravines.  The birdlife of this former hunting preserve is rich and varied, with an interesting combination of desert species and the more general of Northern India’s forest birds.  Key species include Sulphur-bellied Warbler, Painted Spurfowl, Painted Sandgrouse, Sirkeer Malkoha, and Indian Courser. The park is also home to one of India’s most significant Tiger populations, amongst an abundance of smaller mammals that gather around the park’s five perennial lakes in the dry winter months.  We will spend the morning of day 3 on a further drive within the park, departing after breakfast for Bharatpur (6hrs), arriving by evening.

Days 4-5:  Bharatpur and Bund Baretha

The artificial marshes of Bharatpur are undoubtedly India’s most famous bird sanctuary.  In recent years the successive and prolonged regional droughts that have placed the wetlands under threat for the past decade have reduced in severity and birdlife is increasingly reminiscent of its former glory.  We have the whole of day 4 to explore Bharatpur’s wetlands and the mosaic of habitats that surrounds them, where we should see an impressive number of species, even though densities can at times appear low.  Some of the more sought after species that can be found here in the winter months include Black-necked Stork, Sarus Crane, Eurasian Spoonbill, Glossy and Black-headed Ibis, Indian Spot-billed and Comb Ducks, Greater Painted-snipe, Black Bittern, and White-tailed Lapwing, with numerous passerines in the intricate mosaic of mature woodland, sandy acacia scrub, and open grassland surrounding the wetlands.  We will spend the morning of day 5 scanning the expansive reservoir of nearby Bund Baretha, along with its islands and sand banks, home to a numerous waterfowl and raptors and often a few additional species to those found at Bharatpur.  The journey will take us through country roads, allowing us to searching for crakes and rails in the marshy pools along the boundaries of irrigated fields.  After lunch we will depart Bharatpur for the drive to Jarar village (2hrs).

Day 6:  Chambal River and Taj Mahal

Jarar village lies at the heart of the agricultural region sustained by the perennial Chambal River, and during the early hours we may find Indian Grey Hornbill and Brown Hawk Owl in the fields and open woodland here before heading to the Nandgaon Ghat on the banks of the river for a boat safari. A 400km stretch of the Chambal River is protected, primarily to support Ganges River Dolphin and a re-introduced population of Gharial. It is also home to a diverse avifauna that includes Indian Skimmer, our target here, alongside Black-bellied Tern, River Lapwing, Brown Crake, Indian Black Ibis, and Great Thick-knee with Egyptian Vulture, Crested Bunting, Sand Lark, and Desert Wheatear along the shore in adjacent scrub and mud ravines. Spend the afternoon at the Taj Mahal in nearby Agra, before departing on an overnight train to Lal Kuan at the base of the Himalayas.

Day 7-10:  Kumaon Himalaya – Sattal and Pangot

Four full days birding in the foothills of the western Himalayas at altitudes of up to 2610m, a region that contrasts starkly with the plains in terms of topography, climate, vegetation, and birdlife. To enable us to thoroughly explore the range of elevations, accompanying habitat types, and their associated species, we will spend two nights at mid-altitude in Sattal (1450m), before climbing into the higher hills to Pangot, where we will notice the presence of more altitude-dependant montane specialities.  Birding is exhilarating, with mixed flocks and a high density of birds, particularly at bird-rich mid-altitudes and in the winter months when resident species are joined by migrants from higher altitudes. A mix of temperate forests, mature Oak woodland, Rhododendron, conifers, lakeside scrub, grassy slopes, and cultivation provide habitat to an astonishing variety of species and Himalayan specialities, including White-crested, White-throated, and Striated Laughingthrushes, Long-billed Ground-thrush, Black-chinned Babbler, Nepal Wren-babbler, Himalayan Pied Woodpecker, Rufous-bellied Niltava, Blue-winged Minla, Golden Bush-robin, Himalayan Greenfinch, Black-throated, Rufous-breasted, and Altai Accentors, Pink-browed Rosefinch, Spot-winged Grosbeak, Himalayan and Siberian Rubythroats, and Koklass and Cheer Pheasants.  Exposed peaks are a good place to find Himalayan and Bearded Vultures as they take advantage of morning thermals, while the entire region is dissected by shallow mountain streams home to some distinctive riverine species including White-capped River-chat, Plumbeous Water-redstart, Himalayan Pied Kingfisher, and three species of forktail – Spotted, Little, and Slaty-backed.

Day 11-15:  Corbett

Descend through the foothills to Corbett National Park (4hrs), to spend four full days birding in this uniquely picturesque wilderness, nestled against the foothills in the terai region of Uttarakhand, where the avifauna of the Himalayas merges with that of the Indo-Gangetic plains.  This location, combined with the great diversity of habitats – from deciduous forest to vast savannah grasslands – makes Corbett one of the richest birding areas in Asia, with specialities including Great Pied Hornbill, Great Slaty Woodpecker, Common Green Magpie, White-throated Bushchat, and 50 species of raptor, including Grey-headed, Lesser, and Pallas’s Fish-eagles, and Collared Falconet.  One great advantage of Corbett is the persistence of many exceptional woodland areas outside the park boundaries that can be explored on foot for the more skulking of Corbett’s birds, such as Chestnut-headed and Yellow-browed Tesias.  We also have the chance of Ibisbill - an irregular winter visitor to the boulder-strewn banks of the Kosi River, alongside Himalayan Pied Kingfisher, White-capped River-chat, and Wallcreeper.  We will spend one night within the western ranges of the park in a forest rest house overlooking the floodplain of the Ramganga reservoir, allowing us maximum time birding in wilderness areas, and also allowing us to see some of the park’s 50+ species of mammal, including Asian Elephants, and with luck Tiger.  Drive to Delhi in the afternoon of day 15 (6hrs).

Day 16:  Depart

Depart Delhi on your onward journey.

ACCOMMODATION

We will use comfortable hotels and wildlife lodges, a comfortable permanent tented birding camp at Sattal, and a basic but comfortable forest rest house at Corbett (one night only), all with private en-suite facilities. 

TRANSPORT

We will use two overnight train journeys to take us from Delhi to Ranthambhore and from Agra to Lal Kuan (A/C compartments).  We will use jeeps, cars, or minibus to travel, 4x4 jeeps for game drives at Corbett, and jeeps or canter at Ranthambhore.  At Bharatpur, Sattal, and Pangot most of our birding will be on foot.

CLIMATE          

Lowland sites are expected to be warm to hot by day, with cooler nights and early mornings.  The Himalayan foothills will be cool to cold, depending upon altitude and prevailing weather conditions.  Precipitation should be anticipated in the hills, in the form of rain, hail, or even snow. 

For more detailed information or to book a place on this tour please contact us.