12 Day Himalayan Birding and Tiger Tour

Overview

Day by day itinerary

1. 1Into the Himalayas⌄

   We meet in Dehradun and begin our journey into the Garhwal Himalayas. As the road climbs into the mountains, the landscape gradually changes from the Himalayan foothills to temperate forest. Today is primarily a travel day, with no scheduled birding. We arrive in Mandal and settle in for the start of our Himalayan birding.

   Meals: Lunch · Dinner

   Overnight: Overnight at Mandal

2. 2Birding the Forests of Mandal⌄

   Our first full day in the field is spent exploring the forests around Mandal. These mixed Himalayan forests support an excellent variety of birds and give us a gentle introduction to birding at this elevation. We will look for species such as Scarlet Finch, Spot-winged Grosbeak, Yellow-billed Blue Magpie, Yellow-breasted Greenfinch, Golden Bush Robin and several species of woodpeckers, along with the many mixed feeding flocks that move through these forests.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

   Overnight: Night at Mandal

3. 3In Search of the Himalayan Monal⌄

   Today we move higher towards Chopta in search of one of the most sought-after birds of the Himalayas, the spectacular Himalayan Monal. The higher elevations also give us opportunities for Snow Pigeon and mountain woodpeckers, while the open skies can produce impressive raptors including Himalayan Griffon and Lammergeier. We spend the day exploring different elevations according to bird activity and weather conditions.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

   Overnight: Overnight at Mandal

4. 4Birding towards Tungnath⌄

   Subject to weather and trail conditions, we head towards Tungnath for our highest-altitude birding of the expedition. Our main targets here include Snow Partridge, Snow Pigeon and several species of accentors, together with other birds of the high Himalayan slopes. The Tungnath excursion is weather dependent. Snow and trail conditions can change quickly in the Himalayas, particularly during the January departure, and an alternative high-altitude birding plan will be used if necessary.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

   Overnight: Overnight at Mandal

5. 5Birding the Makku Region⌄

   We explore the forests and valleys around Makku, with particular attention to one of the region's more unusual Himalayan specialities, the Yellow-rumped Honeyguide. The surrounding forests can also be productive for a wide variety of Himalayan birds, and we will adjust our route according to recent sightings and activity in the field.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

   Overnight: Overnight at Mandal

6. 6Morning Birding & Journey to Sattal⌄

   We have a final morning birding session around Mandal before leaving for Sattal. The drive takes us through a changing Himalayan landscape as we move towards the lower-elevation forests and lakes that will form the next part of our expedition.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

   Overnight: Overnight at Sattal

7. 7Hide Photography, Forest Trails & Chanfi⌄

   We begin early with our first dedicated photography hide session. The hides around Sattal can offer close views of a variety of forest birds and provide excellent opportunities for photography. After the hide session, we explore some of Sattal's forest trails. Later in the afternoon we move towards the Chanfi river area, where riverine habitat adds a completely different set of possibilities. As evening approaches, we will also keep an eye and ear out for owls and other birds that become active towards dusk.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

   Overnight: Overnight at Sattal

8. 8Birding the Ranikhet Hills⌄

   Today we make a day excursion towards Ranikhet, exploring its pine, oak and mixed forest habitats for a different selection of Himalayan birds. After birding through the day, we return to Sattal in time for an evening session around the local forest and lake areas if conditions allow.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

   Overnight: Overnight at Sattal

9. 9A Second Hide & the Forests of Sattal⌄

   Our second hide session gives us another opportunity for close bird photography, often with different activity and light from our first morning. We then spend the rest of the day birding the forest trails and lake areas around Sattal, allowing time to revisit productive locations and search for species we may have missed earlier.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

   Overnight: Overnight at Sattal

10. 10From Birding Country to Tiger Country⌄

    We begin with a final birding session close to our Sattal base before leaving for Corbett. After arriving and settling in, we head into the national park for our first afternoon safari. The focus now changes from Himalayan birding to the forests, grasslands and wildlife of tiger country.

    Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

    Overnight: Overnight at Ramnagar

11. 11A Full Day in Tiger Country⌄

    Today is devoted entirely to wildlife, with both morning and afternoon safari drives. Tiger is naturally one of our main hopes, but Corbett offers much more. Asian Elephant, deer, primates, raptors, hornbills and a remarkable diversity of forest wildlife all form part of the safari experience. Travellers interested in exploring more safari experiences across India can also see our India Wildlife Tours . Between the two drives we return to our lodge for breakfast, lunch and some rest before heading back into the forest.

    Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

    Overnight: Overnight at Ramnagar

12. 12Final Safari & Departure⌄

    We have one final early-morning safari, our fourth drive in Corbett and our last field session of the expedition. After returning to the lodge and breakfast, we transfer to Pantnagar Airport for onward travel.

    Meals: Breakfast