For the best birding tours in Northern India. Corbett Tiger Reserve and surrounding areas are highly acclaimed birding areas. North India is home to wintering species that arrive in large numbers. The hilly topography, extensive wetlands and forest type at varying heights gives rise to impressive biodiversity. Due to this migratory ones prefer North Indian habitats for their winter quarters.
The tour is organized by India Footprints and conducted by expert bird guides. They are experienced birder and assist in making your birding trip a huge success.
At Bharatpur three days are spent treking on foot and cycle rickshaws in the fields and inside the Keoladeo National Park or Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary. At this park birders can checklist about one hundred fifty plus avian on a two day tour. Birds seen are sandpipers, shanks, herons, and egrets, Ruddy breasted crake, brown crake, Sarus cranes, Common cranes, Jacanas, chats, Baillon's crake, Long tailed shrike, Little heron, Yellow Bittern, Black Bittern, Grey Hornbills, Thrushes, Great white pelican, Reed warbler and Yellow-browed Warbler, species of Munias, migratory Lark and vast range of teals and duck species that arrive in cold season. The wintering migrants especially teals and ducks are seen in thousands and form a grand spectacle. Raptors overhanging in the sky make a dive at the prey species which can be an enthralling sight during the ornithological tours.
Birding at Bharatpur or Keoladeo National Park is usually done of foot. This can lead to extensive and tiring hours but the reward is great sightings of different avian speces. The help of a naturalist or bird guide is immense and invaluable they are trained to spot and identify the species at one go. They can be hired at the entrance gate for a daily charge along with peddle rickshaw to reach the Center Point in the park. For those seeking less tiring tours can hire cycles at the gate. A good days trip would entail at least eight hours of walk with a lunch recess thrown in at the Center Point.
One morning we visit large water body of Bund Baretha for some species usually not seen at Keoladeo, skimmers, species storks, terns, pelicans, blue rock chat, Oriental sky lark, egrets, and other waterfowl. We leave for Agra after lunch and stop at Fatehpur Sikri enroute. Over night stay at Hotel in Agra. On the way between you can see vultures on rocky outcrops like Indian, Egyptian and Himalayan Vultures.
Enjoy the fabulous river boat tour to see bar headed geese, ruddy shelducks, Indian skimmers; Black bellied river terns, Sarus and Common Crane, Buzzards, little Pratincole, Great thick-Knee, Wheatears, Black-winged stilts and migratory water bird species. Spot 8 species of Turtles, Gavial, river dolphin and Crocodile. Drive to Agra for Taj Mahal post lunch. Further move to New Delhi for night hotel accommodation.
At Sattal birding is unique much different from plains species like Nilatavas, pheasants, Griffons, Bearded Vulture. Forktails, Thrush, Blue throated barbet, Great barbet. Also see long tailed broadbill, Blue winged Minla, Streaked laughing thrush, white throated laughing thrush, collared owlet, Black Bulbul, Jays, Dark-throated Sunbird and Green tailed sunbirds.Sattal or Sat Tal is fourteen kilometers from Nainital Hill Resort and seven hours from New Delhi the capital city of India. The terrain is hilly with coniferous forests that form a picturesque spectacle with Himalayan Ranges as backdrop. Seven fresh water biomes or lakes are the highlight of this destination and the surrounding forests are ideal for ornithological surveys in North India.
Greater and Lesser Yellow napes, Spectacled warblers. Winter wrens, Speckled Piculet, Eurasian Doves, bar winged flycatcher shrike, Grey Bush chats and Russet Sparrows. Sight Cuckoos - Indian, Oriental, Large-hawk and Eurasian Cuckoo. Set your eyes on Grey Tree pies, Olive backed pipits, Maroon Oriole, Black winged Cuckoo Shrike, Scaly wren, Himalayan parakeets, Spot winged tits also Black-lored tit and Green-backed tit. You should be prepared for hilly treks and snow laden roads which can chill. Long treks yield best results although you can use private vehicles to reach the hot spots if you wish to avod long walks.
Birding at amidst Pine, Cedar, Oak trees and Rhododendron and Juniper bushes at great heights is a unique experience.Sight plenty of Striated Prinias, Siberian bush chat, Nuthatches and Tree creepers. Discover large species of Woodpeckers. Chir pheasant is found here in Pangot along with Koklass pheasant. This hotspot is at a greater height than Sattal with chain of bare high rise mountains surrounded by forest laden peaks in the neighbourhood. Pangot can be very cold and recieve heavy snowfall so please be well eqquiped our bird guide will provde you with full information about the weather and tour characteristics. Tourists with disability in breathing should avoid this destination.
Discover more and more Himalayan avifauna amidst the perennial and seasonal creeks. While birding meet a Leopard, Civets and Yellow-throated Martin, Goral and Muntjac. With luck spot Crested Serpent Eagle and Hawk Eagles, Accentors, Peregrine Falcons, Redstarts and Streaked and Laughing Thrushes, Yuhinas and Upland Pipit.
Your last chance to spot lammergeyer on way down. Visit Mohan, Laldhang, Sita Vani and Kumeria – See Crimson Sunbird, Blue throat, Wall creepers and Brown Dippers. Watch White eared, Whiskered and Red vented Bulbuls, Brown Fish Owl, Little Yellow-bellied fantails, White-browed fantails, Thrushes, Black hooded orioles, and Red breasted Parakeets and rosy Minivet. Overnight hotel accommodation.
Birding is now combined with tiger safari for added thrill other animals seen are Wild Elephants, Muntjac, Hog deer, Sambar deer, Spotted Deer and Sloth bear with luck. Also Golden Jackal, Wild Boar, Civet, Common Mongoose, Wild dogs Rhesus Macaque and Hanuman monkey. The banks of Ramganga River are good for Palas fishing eagle, lesser fishing eagles, Ibisbill, dippers, River Lapwing and Kingfishers. In forested zones watch Nightjars, Jungle and Spotted owlet, Grass Owl, Whitetailed Stonechat, Jungle fowl, Sunbirds and Eagles.
Overnight at Dhikala Forest Lodge.
This destnation is also a tiger reserve hence you can watch interesting mammals along with the avian species on ornithological surveys. Elephant back ride subject to availability. Visit on jeep safari Sambhar Road and Khinanauli before breakfast for tiger sighting and excited birding. Expect - Great Hornbill, Fishing eagles, Red Billed leothrix, Babblers, Black hooded and Maroon Orioles. Siberian ruby throat and Hodgons stone chat delight the most. Overnight stay at Hotel.
Ramganga river offers the best in riverine birds species from Great kingfisher, Stork billed kingfisher, Lapwings, Pallas fishing Eagle, Honey Buzzard, Black necked stork, Little Forktail, Green Magpie, River Lapwings, Brown dipper, Redstarts, Flamebacks, Fly Catchers and many more interesting species.
Morning at Corbett NP and then move to New Delhi. Overnight at hotel in Delhi.
Transfer to International airport.
Other places of interest in North India are Bhimtal, Chopta, Mukteshwar, Mahesh Khan and Bimsar. Some of the most visted Northern States are Laddakh, J&K, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. There are many hotspots in these states for ornithological surveys.