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Birding Tour India
Birding Travel India
Birding Travel India
Places
to See : Delhi - Corbett - Nainital - Mukteshwar - Delhi - Ranthambhore
- Bharatpur - Agra - Umaria (Bandhavgarh) - Kanha - Jabalpur - Delhi
Duration : 19
Nights / 20 Days
Day 1 : Arive Delhi Company representatives will receive you
on arrival at the international airport in Delhi late in the night or
midnight. Transfer to your hotel. Relax. DELHI, the capital of kingdoms and
empires is now a sprawling metropolis with a fascinating blend of the past
and the present. It is a perfect introduction to the composite culture of an
ancient land. A window to the kaleidoscope - that is India. Overnight will
be at Delhi.
Day 2 : Delhi - Corbett Breakfast
will be at hotel.
Drive to CORBETT National Park. On the way we will
stop at Ramnagar and look for the fabulous IBISBILL amongst the riverside
boulders.
JIM CORBETT National Park - One of the greatest National
Parks of Asia. Corbett is five hundred and twenty acres of forests, hills
and grasslands, fed by a frisky river - A bio-diversity that is rich, rare
and precious. This Park is the perfect habitat for the tiger, elephant, hog
deer, birds and other wildlife species that is fast vanishing from the
earth.
Check in at the resort and relax. Proceed for an afternoon to
KOSI riverbanks and look for CRESTED KINGFISHER, PLUMBOUS REDSTART &
LITTLE FORKTAIL. The resort you will stay in is surrounded by excellent
forest with many birds including the delightful VELVET FRONTED NUTHATCH.
Relax in the evening at the resort restaurant. Overnight will be at
resort.
Day 3 : Corbett Enjoy a full day birding
along the riverbanks and in the nearby green area. Overnight will be at the
resort.
Day 4 : Corbett National Park After breakfast drive inside the
forest and full day BIRDING in the park. Corbett National Park protects a
large tract of forest and savanna in the Himalayan foothills, and was
India's first National Park. In winter is quite cold in these areas and
birds descend from the higher levels of the Himalayas to add to the park's
bird riches. The variety of birds in this area is fantastic and moreover the
area has its own population of tigers. The lodge inside the park is BASIC
but with private facilities and the location is great!!! Overnight will be
inside the forest at rest house in DHIKALA.
Day 5: Corbett
National Park Enjoy full day BIRDING in the park. Overnight will be
inside the forest at rest house in DHIKALA.
Day 6: Corbett
National Park - Nainital Breakfast will be at the guest house.
Drive to Nainital. The road is uphill and the scenery spectacular. Nainital
lies beside a glacial lake and is backed by a crater like ridge with
snowcapped peaks beyond rising to over 2600 m. The area is a mixture of
pinewoods, open country and small lakes, and the views from some of the
hills behind the town are simply fantastic. Here LAMMERGEIERS and HIMALAYAN
GRIFON VULTURES soar overhead. Reach by late afternoon and enjoy the evening
birding around the resort. Overnight will be in Nainital.
Day 7: Nainital Breakfast will be at the resort. Enjoy full day
birding in and around Nainital. Walk among the area's forests and fields in
search of resident and migrant mountain birds. Including RED FLANKED
BLUETAIL, STREAKED LAUGHING THRUSH, ALTAI ACCENTOR AND GOLDEN BUSH ROBIN for
some spectacular birding. Overnight will be in Nainital.
Day
8: Nainital - Mukteshwar Breakfast will be in the resort. Proceed
to Mukteshwar - 52 km from Nainital and 6 km from the resort. It is at the
height of 2286 m and famous for IVRI campus, thickly wooded forests and
majestic view of the Himalaya, near by in the stone hole of Chauli ki Jali
dedicated to Lord Shiva where people come to pray for children. The Lohakot
at Mukteshwar is an extension of Gagar mountain range. Mukteshwar's wild
life sanctuary is a division of Corbett National park. From Mukteshwar
Himalaya ranging can be seen. Enjoy some beautiful birding for the rest of
the day. Birds included will be as per list attached (birds around
Mukteshwar) and time will pass fast. Overnight will be in a small but
beautiful mountain resort.
Day 9: Mukteshwar - Delhi
Early morning birding will be around the resort. Proceed for Delhi after
breakfast. This will be a long drive and you will need to relax on reaching
Delhi. Overnight will be in Delhi.
Day 10: Delhi -
Ranthambhore Transfer to the station for train to SAWAI MADHOPUR
after breakfast. Reach and transfer to the resort. Evening free at the
resort and you can relax or watch some slides on the tiger. Ranthambhore
Tiger Reserve, at the junction of the Aravalis and the Vindhyas, is a unique
example of natural and historical richness, standing out conspicuously in
the vast, arid and denuded tract of eastern Rajasthan, barely 14 kilometers
from Sawai Madhopur. Get in tune with nature for a luxury holiday in the
heart of the jungle. Ranthambhore - perhaps the best place in the world to
sight a tiger in the wild. The Ranthambhore National Park has had more Tiger
sightings than any other National Park in the country. It has come to be
known as "The land of the Tiger", where most of the documented
footage of this majestic beast has been recorded. The lakes abound with
aquatic vegetation including duck weeds, lilies and lotus. A haven for a
multitude of wild animals, the Park boasts of playing host to tigers,
leopards, the elusive caracals, hyenas, sloth bears, wild boars, crocodiles
and so on. Besides, there are over 300 species of birds, from the majestic
Crested Serpent Eagle to the exotic Golden Oriole. Asian Paradise Flycatcher
is also found here. Overnight will be in Ranthambhore.
Day
11: Ranthambhore Enjoy the TIGER SAFARIS & BIRDING inside the
jungle. Overnight will be at the resort.
Day 12: Ranthambhore - Bharatpur Proceed to Bharatpur after
breakfast. Just 176 km from Delhi is a very special wilderness - the
Keoladeo Ghana National Park, one of the finest water-bird sanctuaries in
the world. The Maharaja of Bharatpur artificially created the lake and
wetland in the 19th century. By building small dykes and dams and diverting
water from an irrigation canal, he converted this low-lying area into a fine
wild fowl shooting preserve. In a few years, the new wetland surrounded by
marginal forests was able to support thousands of water birds. Commonly
referred to as Bharatpur, the Park is a delight for bird watchers. Over 375
species of birds are found here and raised paths, camouflaged by babul trees
and undergrowth make viewing easy. A quiet ride by boat in the early hours
of the morning is also unforgettable experience. The cacophony is
unbelievable as painted storks, open bills, spoonbills, egrets, cormorants,
white ibis and multitudes of others, tend their young. Jacanas with their
iridescent colors and elegant tail feathers and purple moorhen can be seen
delicately treading over the floating vegetation. Every year Bharatpur waits
with bated breath for the arrival of the Siberian cranes. There are only two
wintering places for this rare species one in Iran and the other Bharatpur
and these beautiful birds with their distinctive red beaks and facial
patches, fly over 6400 km from their summer retreats. Colorful kingfishers,
graceful pelicans rare Siberian cranes and Trans- continental fliers - the
migratory water - fowl are amongst the 375 species of birds found in the
Keoladeo National Park. The most spectacular nesting is that of the egrets,
storks, herons and cormorants, which make over 10,000 nests every year. This
makes outstanding bird havens of the world. The park covers an area of
28.73km. The story of Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is incomplete without an
account of the migratory waterfowl. The most prominent waterfowl coming to
this park are bareheaded and greylag geese. Ducks also create a lot of
fluttering in the lakes. The ducks usually found here are pintail, widgeon,
common shelduck, shoveler, garganey, teal, etc. Attracted by the influx of
the waterfowl the predatory birds-tawny eagles, spotted eagles short-toed
eagles imperial eagles and fishing eagle also arrive. They all form the apex
of the biological pyramid of the sanctuary and complete the avian food chain
of the ecosystem. There are large herds of the nilgai, chital, wild boar and
fear cows in addition to a few herds of sambar. Reach and check in at the
hotel. Proceed on RICKSHAW for viewing the birds. RICKSHAW PULLERS have been
trained by the forest department in bird watching and are knowledgeable.
Return to the lodge in the evening and relax. Overnight will be at
Bharatpur.
Day 13: Bharatpur - Agra Proceed for the early morning RICKSHAW
RIDE at the Bird Park. Breakfast will be at hotel. Enjoy the second round of
BIRDING IN BHARATPUR. Proceed to Agra in the evening. AGRA: Two great Mughal
monarchs, Akbar and Shah Jahan, transformed the little village of Agra into
a befitting second capital of the Mughal Empire - giving it the name
Dar-ul-Khilafat {seat of the Emperor}. Today a visitor to Agra is caught up
in a world of contrasting edifices, of red sandstone and white marble,
narrow galleys and quaint buggies, and that irresistible charm that this
favorite city of the Mughals still retains. It is not surprising, that
modern Agra still reflects its Mughal heritage most conspicuously. A walk
down the narrow bustling streets of the city will introduce the visitor to
the wafting aroma of Mughlai cuisine. Reach Agra. Check in at hotel.
Overnight will be at Agra.
Day 14: Agra - Umaria
(Bandhavgarh) Proceed to visit Taj after breakfast. Enjoy battery
van ride to the Taj. TAJ MAHAL: Little needs to be said about this
architectural wonder which is always the soul raison-de-etre for every
tourist's visit to Agra. Built by Shah Jahan, the Taj is a white marble
memorial to his beautiful wife Mumtaz Mahal. This monument took 22 years to
be completed and was designed, and planned by Persian architect Ustad Isa.
Apart from its stunning design balance and perfect symmetry, the Taj is also
noted particularly for its elegant domes, intricately carved screens and
some of the best inlay work ever seen. Proceed for sight-seeing to the AGRA
FORT - Built by the famed Mughal emperor Akbar in 1565 AD, the fort is
predominantly of red sandstone. Ensconced within is the picture perfect
Pearl Mosque, which is a major tourist attraction. Visit Itmadullah's Tomb
built by Empress NOOR JEHAN in memory of her father (The interiors of which
are considered better than the Taj). Proceed to station for train to UMARIA.
Overnight will be on train.
Day 15: Arrive at Bandhavgarh Reach UMARIA and transfer to
Bandhavgarh. Reach and enjoy breakfast. Bandhavgarh is a new National Park
with a very long history. Set among the Vindhya hills of Madhya Pradesh with
an area of 168sq miles (437sq km) it contains a wide variety of habitats and
a high density of game, including a large number of Tigers. This is also the
White tiger country. These have been found in the old state of Rewa for Many
years. Maharaja Martand Singh captured the last known in 1951. This white
Tiger, Mohun is now stuffed and on display in the Palace of Maharaja of
Rewa. Prior to becoming a National Park, the forests around Bandhavgarh had
long been maintained as a Shikargah, or game preserve of the Maharaja of
Rewa. The Maharaja and his guests carried out hunting - otherwise the
wildlife was well protected. It was considered a good omen for Maharaja of
Rewa to shoot 109 tigers. His Highness Maharaja Venkat Raman Singh shot 111
Tigers by 1914. Where birds are concerned, keep a look out for white browed
fantails, steppe eagles, green pigeons, grey malabar hornbills, black and
white malabar hornbills (quite a rare sighting), blossom headed parakeets,
parakeets, blue bearded bee eaters, green bee eaters, white bellied drongos,
owls, Jerdon's and gold fronted leaf birds, minivets, woodshrikes and the
lovely paradise flycatchers. Enjoy a full day of birding inside the jungle.
(Two safaris).
Day 16: Bandhavgarh Enjoy birding
inside the jungle and on the periphery. (Two safaris) Trip to the
Bandhavgarh Fort: The oldest fort in India - considered to be more than 2500
years. One-hour trek up the fort is worth the effort. The charm of this trek
lies in discovering these monuments in the jungle, unspoiled and unexplored.
Some of the statues lie off the main path and so it is best to take a guide.
Apart from the avatars, well worth seeing are three small temples of around
the 12th century. These temples are deserted but the fort is still used as a
place of worship. Kabir Das, the celebrated 16th century saint, once lived
and preached here. The natural ramparts of the fort give breathtaking view
of the surrounding countryside. The fort still belongs to the Maharaja of
Rewa and permission is required to visit it. However permission is available
locally and no trip to Bandhavgarh is complete without making an effort to
climb up the fort. The staff of the resort carries your lunch while you are
busy negotiating the trek to the fort. Overnight will be at the resort.
Day 17: Bandhavgarh - Kanha After breakfast drive
to Kanha. This is the place that has been described by RUDYARD KIPLING in
his great book "The Jungle Book". Located in the Mandla district
of Madhya Pradesh, Kanha National Park is a tiger reserve that extends over
an area of over 940 square km. A horseshoe shaped valley bounded by the
spurs of the Mekal presents an interesting topography. Steep rocky
escarpments along the edges offer breathtaking views of the valley.
Realizing the danger on the Tiger population in the country, the Government
started the "Project Tiger" at Kanha and in 1974 the area was
declared a Tiger reserve.
The
park is also the habitat of the high ground Barasingha. In 1930s, the Kanha
area was divided into two sanctuaries - Hallon and Banjar of 250kms to
300kms each. Though one of these was subsequently disbanded .The area
remained a protected one until 1947. Depletion of the tiger population in
the year that followed led to the area being made an absolute sanctuary in
1952. Patient watching should reward the visitor, with a sight of Indian
Fox, Sloth bear, Striped hyena, Jungle cut, Leopard, Mouse Deer, Chausingha
or four horned antelope, Nilgai, Ratel and Porcupine Kanha has some 200
species of birds. Watchers should station themselves in the hills, where the
mixed and bamboo forests harbour many species and in the grassy forest
clearings. Water birds can be seen near the park's many rivulets and at
Sarvantal, a pool that is frequented by water birds and the area in front of
the museum. The birds comprise of Racket Tailed Drongo, Crested Hawk Eagle,
Crested Serpent Eagle, Peacock, Golden Oriole, Treepie, Whitenecked Stork,
Shikra, White-eyed Buzzard, Roseringed Parakeet, Shama, Red Munia, Large
Green Barbet, Crimson Breasted Barbet, Lesser Golden Backed Woodpecker, Hair
Crested Drongo, Common Teal, Pintail Duck, etc. Reach in the afternoon and
relax at the resort. Overnight will be at the resort.
Day
18: Kanha Enjoy a full day game viewing inside the jungle. (Two
safaris) There would be a lot of birding today as we would take roads around
the forest to places not frequented by people and in the bushes. Overnight
will be at the resort.
Day 19: Kanha - Jabalpur - Delhi
Proceed for the morning safari and birding into forest. Proceed to JABALPUR
after lunch. Reach and board overnight train to Delhi.
Day
20: Delhi Reach and check into hotel for the day. Visit to
SULTANPUR BIRD SANCTUARY for some afternoon birding with packed lunch.
Return to Delhi in the evening and after a FAREWELL DINNER proceed to the
airport in time for flight home.
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