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SICHUAN

The Heart of China

Birdquest's Sichuan birding tour explores the richest part of this fascinating country in terms of endemic birds and other Chinese special birds. Our Sichuan tour offers comprehensive coverage and an unsurpassed number of specialities, not to mention fantastic scenery and wonderful Sichuan cuisine.

Wednesday 8th May - Wednesday 29th May 2013
(22 days)

Leader: Hannu Jännes

Group Size Limit: 9

Tour Category: Easy to Demanding, but mostly Moderate

The stunning Black-necked Crane is a real highlight of the Tibetan Plateau wetlands (Pat & David Wileman)

China is a vast and enigmatic land that has long fascinated outsiders. For naturalists it has been China’s wealth of endemic birds and mammals, epitomized by the Giant Panda and the rare pheasants and other birds that inhabit the mountains along the eastern rim of the Tibetan Plateau, which have exerted an almost irresistible attraction. As with so many other remote areas, the difficulties associated with getting there, whether natural hazards or man-made obstacles, merely added to the fascination. Even now, with access possible at long last, only relatively few western birdwatchers have had the opportunity to see for themselves the marvellous endemic birds of China.

The diversity of birdlife is somewhat limited in parts of the heavily populated east (although even here there are some superb areas for birding) but, in complete contrast, vast tracts of the north, west and centre of China are sparsely populated and this enormous region offers some of the finest birding in Asia. For those with a particular interest in Asian birds, or indeed for anyone who loves to travel far from the beaten track, a visit to interior China offers something uniquely rewarding.

During this exciting tour we shall visit Sichuan, a region in the very heart of China that best reflects the astonishing avian diversity of this huge country (which has an avifauna of over 1300 species). Sichuan lies at the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau and this superb province has the richest concentration of Chinese specialities, holding around two-thirds of the country’s endemic birds! Not only does Sichuan offer the best opportunities for seeing China’s prime specialities, but due to the great diversity of its habitats, ranging from the subtropical lowlands of the Red Basin and rich evergreen foothill forests to cool temperate zone forests, alpine meadows, dramatic snow-capped mountain peaks and vast grasslands at the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, the province has a remarkable wealth of birds in general. Without a doubt Sichuan is the very best of China!

This ‘Ultimate Chinese Endemics’ tour (the most comprehensive itinerary available, producing more of the speciality birds of Sichuan than any other) is a fabulous adventure, with incredible scenery as well as wonderful, rarely observed birds. Dramatic improvements in the standard of accommodation and in the condition of the roads in Sichuan in recent years (they are now often good or even very good), combined with the discovery of new areas with easier access for birding, mean that this is no longer such a tough tour as it once was. A bonus is some of the best food we encounter on any Birdquest tour!

We start our journey in Chengdu, the provincial capital, and from here we shall travel southwards to Wawu Shan (or Rooftile Mountain) in central Sichuan, a peak of over 3000m situated not far from famous Emei Shan. Here we can see Emei’s special birds, including Emei Shan Liocichla and Grey-hooded Parrotbill, as well as somewhat more widespread species such as Lady Amherst’s Pheasant, Emei Spectacled Warbler, Claudia’s Leaf Warbler, Emei Shan Leaf Warbler, Klossi’s Leaf Warbler, Sichuan Leaf Warbler and Red-winged Laughingthrush, while staying in comfort and exerting far less physical effort!

Next, already sated with China’s avian riches, we head deep into the mountains to the famous reserve at Wolong, site of the World Wildlife Fund’s Giant Panda research project, where we shall search for some of China’s most exciting specialities (including some superb pheasants, such as Temminck’s Tragopan, White Eared Pheasant and Chinese Monal, and the stunning Firethroat) amidst dramatic mountain scenery.

After a thorough exploration of Wolong we shall continue our journey, climbing over high, spruce-clad passes, haunted by Verreaux’s Monal Partridges, Przevalski’s Nuthatches and Sichuan Jays, until we come to the high grasslands of the Tibetan Plateau where the rare Black-necked Crane breeds in the remote marshes and where swarthy Tibetan herders tend yaks and ponies.

Eventually we drop down from a high pass at the head of the turbulent Min River to Jiuzhaigou, another of China’s Giant Panda reserves that is situated close to the meeting point of Sichuan, Qinghai and Gansu provinces. The incomparable alpine valleys of the area, with their rich forests, turquoise lakes and waterfalls, inhabited by ethnic Tibetans, have an extremely rich avifauna (including such species as Blue Eared Pheasant, Rufous-headed Robin and Sukatschev’s Laughingthrush which are amongst the least known in Asia) and are undoubtedly one of the most scenically spectacular places we have ever visited.

On our way back to Chengdu we will pause to explore Qingcheng Shan in the foothills at the edge of the Red Basin. Qingcheng Shan has been partly protected from deforestation by religious sentiment, for the mountain has been a centre of Buddhism and Taoism for almost 2000 years, and is a good spot for a number of lower altitude species including the endemic Northern Grey-cheeked Fulvetta, the breeding-endemic Swinhoe’s Minivet and the arboreal Forest Wagtail. At the end of our visit to this ornithological Mecca we shall reluctantly head for home, taking back memories of many marvellous birds and an endless panoply of scenic splendour.

Birdquest pioneered birding tours to Sichuan as far back as 1984.

(Note: The above is a summary of the tour. For more information please download the detailed, day-by-day itinerary. The button is at the top right of the page.)

Accommodation & Road Transport: The hotels are mostly of normal Birdquest standard. The hotels or guesthouses at the upper level of Wawu Shan, at Maerkang and at Hongyuan are fairly simple, but all rooms have private bathrooms. At Wawu Shan there may be the option to spend one night in a basic hotel at the top of the mountain, with basic bathroom facilities. Anyone not wanting to do this can spend the night at a hotel lower down and rejoin the group next morning once the cable car starts to operate. At Wolong we will try to spend one of our six nights at a basic research camp in the mountains, with several people in each room and basic bathroom facilities, as this makes visiting one of the reserve areas significantly easier. If this cannot be arranged (e.g. should researchers be staying there), we will spend all six nights in hotels. Road transport is by small coach or minibus and roads are mostly good.

Walking: The walking effort is often easy or moderate, but sometimes it is strenuous as one has to contend with hiking in the mountains, sometimes on steep trails or off-trail, at moderate to high altitudes (up to 4500m, although the walking is mostly on roads above 3100m).

Climate: Rather variable. At lower altitudes it is generally warm or hot (and often rather humid), whilst at higher altitudes temperatures range from cool to decidedly cold. At this season sunny periods alternate with rainy, overcast weather (and it may even snow at high altitudes).

Bird Photography: Opportunities are worthwhile.

Tour Price: (provisional): $6930 Chengdu/Chengdu. Price includes all transportation, all accommodations, all meals, bottled water, some drinks, all excursions, all entrance fees, all tips for local drivers/guides and for accommodations/restaurants, leader services.

Single Room Supplement: (provisional): $782.

Deposit: 10% of the tour price (excluding any single supplement).

Air Travel To & From The Tour: Our in-house IATA ticket agency can arrange your air travel in connection with the tour from a departure point anywhere in the world, or you may arrange your own air travel if you prefer. We can tailor-make your itinerary to your personal requirements, so if you would like to travel in advance of the tour (and spend a night in an hotel so you will feel fresh when the tour starts), or return later than the end of the tour, or make a side trip to some other destination, or travel business class rather than economy, we will be happy to assist. Please contact us about your air travel requirements.

We can arrange internal flights inside China for anyone needing only those flights.

A smart Tibetan Snowcock at Balang Shan (Mark Van Beirs)

The wonderfully scenic Balang Shan (Mark Van Beirs)

View Map Download Detailed Itinerary 894kb

Report From May 2010 Report From May 2007 21 photos View Gallery Photos From SICHUAN

Rosefinches are a real feature of this tour, and we encounter some real stunners such as this male Chinese White-browed Rosefinch (Pat & David Wileman)

... and the rare Three-banded Rosefinch – this fine male was photographed in Jiuzhaigou National Park (Pat & David Wileman)

A number of migrant species make their way up to the southern edge of the Tibetan plateau, such as the declining Tiger Shrike. This fine male was photographed near to Rilong (Pat & David Wileman)

Grey-backed (or Tibetan) Shrikes are common in the right habitat (Pat & David Wileman)

Some fine thrushes can be seen on this tour, including the attractive Chestnut Thrush (Pat & David Wileman)

... and the high-altitude specialist, the very smart Kessler's Thrush, photographed here at Shaumalukou (Pat & David Wileman)

Some great redstarts occur, including the localized Hodgson's Redstart (Pat & David Wileman)

Another high-altitude speciality is the hard-to-come-by Red-fronted Rosefinch (Pat & David Wileman)

The group pheasant-spotting at Balang Shan - it doesn't have to be hard work! (Pat & David Wileman)

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