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Guide: Duan Biggs and local guide
Day 1 Delhi:
After arrival, we will explore the ancient and fascinating city of Delhi and start gaining familiarity with Indian Birds around the Ochla Sanctuary. Exciting species include Ruddy Shelduck, Bar-headed Goose, White-tailed Lapwing and impressive Great White Pelican. The habitat around the wetlands is home to the range-restricted White-tailed Stonechat, the colourful Red Adavat and the scarce Striated Babbler. If time permits, we will visit the historic Red Fort.
Day 2: Delhi to Ranthambore
We catch an early morning train on India’s legendary rail system to a Tiger mecca – Ranthambore National Park. We arrive at Ranthambore in time for our first Tiger tracking adventure. Overnight Ranthambore Safari Lodge.
Day 3: Ranthambore
Today we continue our search for the King of the Asian jungle. Ranthambore is a mix of dry deciduous woodland and grassland and our time there will also offer a further introduction to India’s awesome birdlife.
Day 4: Ranthambore to Bund Baretha
An early rise in Ranthambore will see us make our way towards the waterfowl haven of Bund Beretha. On route we hope to find Common Rosefinch, Red-headed Bunting and the colourful Plum-headed Parakeet. Bare patches of open ground may produce Greater Short-toed Lark and Ashy-crowned Sparrowlark and Tawny Pipit. The wetland vegetation at Bund Beretha is home to Yellow-eyed Babbler and in winter, the migratory Bluethroat. We will spend a good few hours at the reservoir where species include: Bronze-winged and Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Asian Openbill, Red-crested and Ferruginous Pochard, Black-tailed Godwit, Eurasian Wigeon, Gadwall, Common Teal, Northern Pintail, Great, Indian and Little Cormorant and Whiskered Tern. The tall woodland at the far end of the reservoir holds the petite Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher, Olive-backed Pipit whilst we will search the cliffs above for Dusky Crag Martin. The sacred and beautiful Hanuman Langur can be seen here together with its more primate relative, the Rhesus Macaque. Dry country birding in the later afternoon hours may produce Painted Sandgrouse and White-capped Bunting. Overnight in Bharaptur.
Day 5 Bharaptur and Fatephur Sikri
Keoladeo National Park is India’s most famous birding reserve, and has been dubbed ‘one of the finest birding reserves in the world’. It hosts a wide variety of wetland species including Oriental Darter, Asian Openbill, Painted Stork, Cotton Pygmy Goose, the impressive Pheasant-tailed and Bronze-winged Jacana, Bar-headed Goose, Lesser Whistling Duck and the sizeable Sarus Crane. We will enjoy a range of these species as we search for the less common types such as Ferruginous and Red-crested Pochards. The acacia savannas and thickets hold Yellow-footed Green Pigeon, Black-rumped Flameback, Indian Hornbill, Coppersmith Barbet, and White-ailed Eagle. Mammalian attractions include the enigmatic Blue Bull or Nilgai, Sambar, Black Buck, Wild Pig and Indian Grey Mongoose.
We will also search for the nocturnal Collared Scops Owl and Dusky Horned Owl. We will spend the afternoon at the wondrous Moghul fort of Fathepur Sikri. The fort was built by the empire Akhbar and abondaned in 1585, only 14 years after being built. The thornveld habitat around the hilltop fort will provide us with some birding between the ‘forting’.
Day 6: Bharaptur and the Chambal Sanctuary
After some further birding in Keoladeo National Park we will make our way to the Chambal Sanctuary. In and around the grounds of the picturesque Chambal Safari Lodge we will search for Yellow-wattled Lapwing, Brown-headed Barbet, and Brown Hawk Owl in the evening. Overnight at the Chambal Lodge.
Day 7: Chambal River and the Taj Mahal
Today will be the highlight for many birders. We start shortly after dawn aboard a boat on the Chambal river. As the sun rises over the Gangetic plains we will search for Indian Skimmer, Lesser Whistling Duck, Black-bellied Tern, the exquisite River Lapwing, River Tern, the skulking Brown Crake and the impressive Great Thick-knee. With luck, we may find the Gangetic Dolphin, whereas the unique fish-eating Gharial can be seen up close. After a scrumptious lunch at Chambal we travel to that icon of India – the Taj Mahal. The The Taj Mahal was completed in 1648 and is said to be the world’s finest example of Moghul architecture. This architectural masterpiece was described by the poet Rabindranath Tagore as ‘the tear on the face of eternity’. We will spend most of the rest of the day enjoying the various pavilions, forts and other attractions of the Taj Mahal, with your guide keeping a constant lookout for any by-passing birds of interest. In the evening we get on a sleeper coach train towards Kathgodan , our access point to Sat Tal in the Himalayan foothills.
Day 8: Sat Tal
Birding in the Himalayan foothills is of the best on planet earth. Our guides never cease to be amazed by the diversity and numbers of spectacular birds. Great Barbet, Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush, Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler, Speckled Piculet, Gray Treepie the gaudy Red-billed Leothrix, Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch, Coral-billed Blue MagpieChestnut-headed Tesia, and Siberian Rubythroat to name just a few… Overnight at the Sat Tal Birding Camp.
Days 9 – 10: Nainital
After some more morning birding on day 9, we travel past Nainital, a unique Himalayan mountain town to a birding lodge nearby. Provided it is clear, we will get our first vistas of the high Himalayas during this journey. The Jungle Lore Birding Lodge is at higher altitude and a host exciting species await us here: Altai Accentor, Koklass and Cheer Pheasant, Rufous-bellied Woodpecker, Pink-browed Rosefinch, Black-tailed Jay, Black-throated Tit and the spectacular Spotted Forktail. This area is Laughing-thrush paradise with numerous species represented including Chestnut-crowned, Streaked and White-throated.
Day 11: Nainital to Corbett National Park
Today we will travel on some impressive mountain roads to Corbett National Park. On route we will search for the remarkable Ibisbill as well as the widespread but difficult to locate Wallcreeper and other species we can locate along the fast-flowing Kosi River. We will spend the night at the aptly-named Tiger Camp.
Days 12 and 13: Corbett National Park
This reserve is also known as the Corbett Tiger Reserve, and the tour includes one Elephant ride in search of this beast of beasts. The altitude in this reserve varies from 400m to 1100m above sea level and contains a variety of habitats from mature jungle to open grasslands and broad river valleys. An extensive range of species can be found in the different habitats including the spectacular Great Hornbill, the peculiar Chestnut-headed Tesia, Himalayan Flameback, Brown Dipper, Little Forktail, Spotted and Slaty-backed Forktail. Other potential species include Jungle Owlet, White-tailed Rubythroat and the striking Velvet-fronted Nuthatch.
Day 14: Kumeria and return to Delhi
An early start will see us birding the Kumeria area in search of birds of prey in the form of both Tawny and Brown Fish Owl, Mountain Hawk Eagle and Pallas’s Fish Eagle. Other species may include the Yellow-bellied Fantail, Crested Treeswift as well as another chance at the Forktails and Brown Dipper. After relishing our last birding session we will return to where the adventure began back in Delhi.
The timeless Taj Mahal (Duan Biggs)
Day 15: Transfer to Airport and departure
There may be a bit of time for some morning birding, sight-seeing, or shopping, before your transfer to the airport for your flight home.
SEE OUR TRIP REPORTS FROM PAST TOURS
29 December 2007 to 12 Janaury 2008
21 February - 10 March 2009
Your Guide: Duan Biggs
Duan Biggs was born in Windhoek, Namibia and spent many of the weekends of his young days in this vast and wild country chasing down Pale Chanting Goshawks and other birds of prey his parents (both ecologists) were studying. At the age of 10 Duan moved with his family to the Kruger National Park in South Africa, where his interest in birds turned into a lifelong passion. He started guiding at the age of 17, initially in South Africa, from where he expanded to other African destinations. He has led birding expeditions in the Antipodeans and started guiding in Asia in 2007. When not sharing his birding fervor on birding tours Duan spends his time writing scientific papers and popular articles and presenting talks at conferences on ecotourism, development and conservation. In coming years, he plans to expand his knowledge of Asian countries and the Pacific, and engage in more serious explorations of South and Central America.
Tour Notes:
Please note that the itinerary is subject to change. In addition, we sometimes have to use a different international guide to the one advertised due to tour scheduling.
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Itinerary:
Duration: 15 days
Limit: 4-6
Date: 3 January 2013
Start: New Delhi
End: Delhi
Price:
US$4775 per person sharing
Single supplement: US$665
Price_Includes:
All Accommodation
Transport on Tour
Meals
Park
Monument Entry Fees
Price_Excludes:
Alcoholic beverages
Drinks and bottled water
Camera and video camera permits for National Parks
Additional services such as Elephant-back Safaris not included in itinerary
Additional Airport transfers
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