Birds and Mammals in Himalayas Tour (14 Days )
13 Nights
INDIA
ALL YEAR
This tour takes you to the best birding and wildlife sites of North India, including the Corbett National Park, Pangot, Sat Tal, Chopta and Doon Valley.
Corbett National Park, one of India’s premier wildlife destinations, and the western Himalayan foothills. Your life list will be able to get a major boost with the abundant wildlife and relatively easy birding. Not only will jungle safaris in Corbett help you see iconic Indian mammals like Tiger and Asian Elephant, but with the help of your guide you will get great pictures and sightings of birds like Brown and Tawny Fish Owls, Kalij, Koklass and Cheer Pheasants, Greater and Lesser Yellownapes, Brown Wood Owl, Himalayan and Black Bulbuls.
Established as the Hailey National Park in 1936, Corbett is India’s oldest national park and tiger reserve. Located in the western Himalayan foothills, Corbett is one of India’s premier wildlife destinations. Apart from a healthy population of Tiger, Leopard, Asian Elephant, Indian Muntjac, Sambar Deer, Chital, and more, Corbett is also home to a wide variety of birds. One may expect to see birds like Lesser Fish Eagle, Cinereous Vulture, Pallas’s Fish Eagle, Tawny Fish and Spot-bellied Eagle-Owls, Great Slaty Woodpecker, Ibisbill, Wallcreeper, Golden-headed Cisticola, Rosy Minivet and Himalayan Rubythroat to name a few. The park is home to a wide variety of habitats, from riverine belts, marshlands, and lakes, to forests and grasslands, adding to both its natural beauty and biodiversity
Located about 15km from Nainital, in the state of Uttarakhand, Pangot is a quiet hamlet surrounded by the Himalayas. Lush forests surround this Kumaoni hamlet, making it the perfect place for the birds of the region to thrive. One can see a variety of Himalayan species such as Himalayan Vulture, Blue-winged Minla, Spotted & Slaty-backed Forktail, Rufous-bellied Woodpecker, Rufous-bellied Niltava, Kalij Pheasant, a variety of thrushes, and more. Almost 150 bird species have been recorded at Pangot and the surrounding areas.
Apart from being India’s oldest birding lodge, and one of the earliest resorts in Pangot, Jungle Lore Birding Lodge is also at the forefront of the Zero Waste Pangot project, a project that aims to reduce waste by adopting responsible waste and water management practices, and teaching them to other lodges in Pangot. Through village walks, Jungle Lore also showcases local rural village life, while activities like cooking classes help traditional practices endure and spread.
Sat Tal, the land of Seven freshwater lakes connected mysteriously, is a beautiful haven, an abode set amid the Himalayan landscape, criss-crossed with lush meadows and tall trees. With a rich diversity of mammals, birds (both migratory and resident), and butterflies, the natural diversity of Sat Tal is truly awe-inspiring.
Birding in Sat Tal is a special experience as the area plays host to many birds from higher altitudes who migrate down for the winter. With the help of a Sat Tal birding guide, you will be able to find species like Green-tailed Sunbird, Griffon Vulture, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Red-billed Blue Magpie, Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker, and many more.
Chopta, in the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, provides some excellent winter and spring birding, and fantastic landscapes. A variety of montane habitats, from pine forests to alpine meadows, results in a rich diversity of birds. It is famous among photographers and birders for being the best and most easily accessible place in India to see the Himalayan Monal, as well as other pheasants, woodpeckers, laughingthrushes, rosefinches, and more. That alone would be worth the long drive, but the area has much more to offer.
ITINERARY
Day 01: Arrive Delhi
Meals: On Own
Accommodation: Hotel Shanti Palace or similar
Arrive Delhi, you will be met and transferred to the hotel. Arrive at your hotel, check in at the hotel. Rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight stay.
Day 02: Delhi to Corbett National Park
Day 03: Corbett National Park
Day 04: Corbett National Park to Pangot
Day 05: Pangot
Day 06: Pangot
Day 07: Pangot to Sat Tal
Day 08: Sat Tal
Day 09: Sat Tal to Gwaldam
Day 10: Gwaldam to Chopta
Day 11: Chopta
Day 12: Chopta
Day 13: Chopta to Doon Valley
Day 14: Doon Valley to Delhi and Departure