This 12-day spring departure takes the lower two-thirds of Nepal: three nights in the eastern hills of Koshi Province for Satyr Tragopan, three nights on the Koshi floodplain for Swamp Francolin and the waterbirds, and three nights at Chitwan for hornbills, laughingthrushes and sal-forest birds. An optional nine-day extension goes west to Lumbini for Sarus Crane and to Sudur-Paschim for Bengal Florican. Led by Lobsang.
Pheasants: Satyr Tragopan / Himalayan Monal / Blood Pheasant / Kalij Pheasant.
Snowcocks / Cranes: Tibetan Snowcock / Himalayan Snowcock / Sarus Crane.
Babblers: Nepal Cupwing / Scaly-breasted Cupwing / Spotted Elachura.
Others: Black-headed Shrike-Babbler / Himalayan Cutia / Red-headed Trogon / Fire-tailed Myzornis / Beautiful Nuthatch / Fire-tailed Sunbird / Yellow-rumped Honeyguide / Golden-naped Finch / Scarlet Finch.
Extension Option to Lumbini and Sudur-Paschim Provinces (10-Days)
Pricing: US$6,500 / Deposit: US$2,000 / Single Supplement: US$800
(i) Guiding Fees (ii) Ground Transportation (iii) Domestic Flights (iv) Accommodation (v) Meals (vi) Entrance Fees (vii) Hide Fees.
(i) International Flights (ii) VISA Fees (iii) Travel Insurance (iv) Tips for Local Guide (v) Items of a Personal Nature.
Pricing is based on 2-4 participants. Solo travellers, i.e. tours with 1-PAX only, are subject to an additional Single Participant Surcharge.
Days 1-2 Bagmati Province, Kathmandu Town [1N, 0D, 1S]. Arrive Tribhuvan International Airport and transfer to hotel.
Days 2-5 Koshi Province [3N, 2D, 5S]. Domestic Flight to Chandragadi Airport, Drive 7-hours, 80-km to Koshi Province. Photographic Targets: Satyr Tragopan / Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon / Hill Partridge / Green-tailed Sunbird / Yellow-billed Blue Magpie.
Days 5-8 Koshi Province [3N, 2D, 5S]. Drive 7-hours, 160-km to second bird photography location in Koshi Province. Photographic Targets: Swamp Francolin / Striated Babbler / Cotton Pygmy Goose / Striated Babbler / Pheasant-tailed Jacana / Lesser Adjutant / Bar-headed Goose / Indian Stone-curlew / Indian Courser / Yellow-wattled Lapwing / Himalayan Vulture / Steppe Eagle / Crested Serpent Eagle.
Days 8-11 Bagmati Province, Chitwan National Park [3N, 2D, 5S]. Drive 9-hours, 380-km to Bagmati Province. Photographic Targets: Great Hornbill / Oriental Pied Hornbill / Indian Peafowl / Orange-breasted Green Pigeon / Asian Woolly-necked Stork / Black-hooded Oriole / Himalayan Woodpecker / Black-rumped Flameback / Rufous-necked Laughingthrush / White Crested Laughingthrush / Greater Necklaced laughingthrush / Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush.
Days 11-12 Bagmati Province, Kathmandu Town [1N, 0D, 1S]. Transfer to Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu for international departures [END].
Extension Option
Days 1-3 Lumbini Province, Lumbini [2N, 2D, 5S]. Drive 6-hours, 170-km to Lumbini. Photographic Targets: Sarus Crane.
Days 3-6 Lumbini Province [3N, 2D, 5S]. Drive 7-hours, 290-km to second bird photography location in Lumbini Province. Photographic Targets: Great Slaty Woodpecker / Himalayan Flameback / Greater Flameback / Black-rumped Flameback / Indian Grey Hornbill / Jungle Prinia / Yellow-bellied Prinia / Indian Nuthatch / Tawny Fish Owl / Spot-bellied Eagle Owl / Changeable Hawk Eagle.
Days 6-9 Sudur-Paschim Province [3N, 2D, 5S]. Drive 4-hours, 150-km to Sudur-Paschim Province. Photographic Targets: White-throated Bushchat / Jerdon’s Bushchat / Bengal Florican / White-rumped Vulture.
Days 9-10 Bagmati Province, Kathmandu Town [1N, 0D, 0S]. Domestic Flight from Dhangadhi to Tribhuvan International Airport [END].
[Key: N: Night / D: Full Day / S: Session / Half-Day]
Lobsang is an experienced guide with a first-class understanding of the needs of the bird photographer. One of India's top bird guides and currently serving as President of the Arunachal Pradesh Bird Club, Lobsang has a wealth of bird photography experience throughout India, particularly the bird-rich Himalayan region, growing up in Dirang and living not far away today in the mountains surrounding the Tenga Valley. Appointed as a Director and Shareholder of Bird-Photo-Tours Asia, Lobsang is 'India Managing Director' with particular responsibility for both India inbound and outbound Bird-Photo-Tours.
(i) The guesthouses are all in close proximity to the bird photography locations (ii) Walking is at a light pace (iii) There is some requirement to hike (iv) Some of the locations are at altitude at 3000-4000m (v) None of the locations requires camping. Summary: as some of the locations are at altitude, it is for these reason that this trip has been graded as 'Medium'.
