NEPAL 2010: The Gosainkunda Trek

10 days

(Exploration Tour)

Birding Ecotours offers you the opportunity to participate in its very first trekking expedition into the high Himalayas of Nepal. This trek starts in the Himalayan foothills at the mountain village of Dunche. We ascend through the Sal, oak, spruce and hemlock forests into scrubby alpine pastures and ultimately to the enthralling landscapes around the Gosainkunda Lake at 4300 metres above sea level. We have a good chance at finding a variety of Himalayan specials, including the sought after Satyr Tragopan.

The tour runs similar to all of our other tours. The only difference is that it is also our guide’s first trip to the area. We still expect to see the vast majority of specials that occur on this itinerary as the guide will conduct extensive pre-tour research.

The guide for this tour is Namibian-born Duan Biggs, who has birded extensively on all the continents except Antarctica. Duan started leading tours around Southern Africa in the late 1990s and has since expanded to other African destinations, the Indian subcontinent and the Antipodeans. Duan is currently based in Australia where he is completing a PhD.

Itinerary

Day 1: After arrival at the airport in Kathmandu we will spend the first day exploring this remarkable 2000 year old city. Depending on flight arrival times we will climb the steep stairway up to the Swayambhunath Temple, one of the most sacred Buddhist sites in Nepal. The temple offers spectacular views of this extraordinary city. Depending on time and energy levels we may visit other famous Kathmandu landmarks before retreating to our hotel room. We will schedule time around dinner for you to do some shopping for outdoor gear for our trek into the mountains. Kathmandu offers some of the best value shopping for outdoor and mountaineering clothing in the world.

Day 2: After a hearty breakfast we leave the ancient city of Kathmandu and take the road that heads north towards the high Himalayas. We pass through the age old terraced fields of the Kathmandu valley. After crossing our first of many mountains we descend down to a small town called Trisuli Bazaar where we will enjoy lunch. From here our route takes us higher towards the settlement of Dunche. As we approach Dunche we will pass through an attractive patch of forest. Here we will get our first taste of Himalayan forest birding. Colourful Grey-hooded Warblers flit about in the mid-stratum and we will start getting to grips with the myriad of Phylloscopus Warblers that frequent these forests in the Northern winter including the Greenish, Blyth’s Leaf and Buff-barred varieties. In the stands of Sal (Shora robusta), the localised Spot-winged Starling can be seen. Dunche is where we will overnight. Other species that we will search for in the Dunche area include the striking Spotted Forktail and its smaller relative, the Little Forktail. Flashes of colour along mountain streams could be either Plumbeous or White-capped Water Redstarts, both exquisite species. Groups of charismatic, babbly Streaked and Chestnut-crowned Laughing-thrushes are sure to be one of the highlights of any birders experience in these Himalayan foothills.

Day 3: A wake up call with an early cup of coffee will see us starting our first day of trekking. Our porters assemble our luggage and pack their loads while we have our breakfast. We then set off towards Thuloshyabru, our next destination, which lies at an altitude of 2230m. The trek starts along a dirt road before we reach our walking trail. Our trail starts through light forest where we will search for Verditer, Snowy-browed and Slaty Blue Flycatchers. As we walk we are likely to see and hear the Himalayan Bulbul, which has the most amazing forward-bending crest. The Black Bulbul by comparison presents an impressive combination of grey, black and red. Both Red-headed and Brown Bullfinches occur. As we ascend snow capped peaks will be visible in the distance providing an idyllic background for the carefully maintained and ancient terraced fields. While we stop to break for lunch, we may be treated to views of the dazzling Green-tailed Sunbird, Yellow-breasted Greenfinch and the most colourful of all the Fantails in the Himalayas – the Yellow-bellied. Our second night of trekking is spent in Thuloshyabru.

Day 4: We start our day’s trek after a hearty mountain breakfast. Today we may encounter both Red-billed and Yellow-billed Blue Magpies as well as the charming Grey Treepie. The Grosbeaks up here are superb, and we have a chance at both the Collared and White-winged variety. We should keep our eyes open for any gaps in the canopy as we may spot an Asian Black Eagle soaring above. Lunch will be taken in a forest clearing. After lunch our trail levels out and we walk through pristine oak, rhododendron and hemlock forest. Here we will search for White-tailed Nuthatch, Scaly-bellied Woodpecker and the captivating White-browed Fulvetta. Forest edges and clearings provide habitat for the Grey Bushchat. This area is also a good spot for one of the high Himalayas most sought-after species - the Satyr Tragopan. We will overnight at Sin Gompa, which is situated at 3000 metres above sea level. Those warm jackets you bought in Kathmandu at the start of the tour may come in useful here!

Day 5: The walk today is a short one so that we can spend a lot of time looking out for things on the way and making stops. The early morning will be spent searching for the illustrious Tragopan. We will stop at Cholangpati for lunch and explore the nearby forest and shrubs. Species that we may encounter here include Whiskered and Stripe-throated Yuhina and both Black-faced and Variegated Laughingthrush. The Orange-flanked Bush Robin is a cracker of a bird that lives in the forest undergrowth. Nepal House Martin and Rufous-breasted Accentor both occur. If luck is on our side we may find the impressive Himalayan Monal – a type of Pheasant. We overnight in Lauribinayak which lies beyond the forest in scrubby rhododendron heathland.

Day 6: Today we make the trek to the legendary and spectacular Gosainkunda lake at 4300m above sea level. The lake is surrounded by the high Himalayas to the north and east and is sacred to adherents of both Hindu and Buddhist faiths. Here we are in Accentor country, both Altai and Alpine Accentor occur; we also stand a chance at the stunning Blue Grandala. Above we will scan the skies for Lammergeier and Himalayan Griffon. At this altitude, the beautifully marked Snow Partridge, the aptly named Snow Pigeon and Red-fronted Rosefinch all occur. We return to Lauribinayak to overnight.

Day 7: We make our way back towards Sin Gompa, taking our time to enjoy the Himalayan scenery as we descend. We overnight in Sangompa.

Day 8: We descend back down to Dunche via a different trail that passes through beautiful stands of montane forest. On our way down we search for for Green and White-browed Shrike Babbler, Hoary-throated Barwing, Rufous-bellied Niltava and Blue-fronted Redstart and any other species we may have missed on the way up. Overnight in Dunche.

Day 9:   Today we say good bye to our porter friends in Dunche and drive back to Kathmandu after breakfast.

Day 10: Departure from Kathmandu. 

Tour notes

Severity of Trek

This trek is designed to enable participants to enjoy the birds, plants and animals of the higher Himalayas. The trek is not strenuous, but does require 5 to 7 hours of slow walking per day. This trek reaches an altitude of 4300m at Gosainkunda, but as we start walking lower down a number of days earlier, there is time to acclimatize to the altitude.

Clothing & Gear requirements

Warm clothing will be important at Sing-gompa, Laureybinayak and Gosainkunda as it cold up in the high mountains. You will need a good sleeping bag, a warm fleece jacket, gloves and of course a hat to protect against the mountain sun. Waterproof gear is recommended as the weather can be unpredictable. As it may also be sunny and warm, warm weather clothes such as shorts and t-shirts are also important. Electricity in Dunche & Thulosyabru can be uncertain so do not rely on getting batteries or electronic equipment charged whilst on the trek. Kathmandu offers good quality outdoor gear at very good prices so there is no need to lug everything with you before you start. You can buy all of the above upon arrival in Kathmandu.

Food

Lunch and Dinner will be a blend of Nepalese, Chinese and continental. Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options are available. Meals are served in the lodge restaurants. Breakfast will consist of Porridge and cereal, toast, eggs, juice and coffee. The majority of the meals will be freshly cooked.

Accomodation

Lodge or Tea house accommodation consists of basic clean rooms with beds and linen. It is advisable to bring your own sleeping bag for extra warmth, although one can be arranged upon request.

Please note: Itinerary is subject to change based on local accommodation availability and conditions

Departures are dependent on securing a minimum number of participants

The 2009 tour is exploratory, 2010 (similar dates) will be a proper departure.