Welcome to Birdquest

NORTHERN INDIA

Birdquest's Northern India tour is a classic birdwatching trip that samples all the major habitats of northwestern India, from the Himalayas at Naini Tal south through the foothills and the piedmont at Corbett to famous Bharatpur in the Gangetic plains and the dry, Tiger-haunted thorn-forest of Rajasthan. Our Northern India tour features a large bird list, some splendid mammals, great scenery and the incomparable Taj Mahal.

Saturday 23rd November - Saturday 7th December 2013
(15 days)

Ranthambhore Post-Tour Extension to Wednesday 11th December (4 days)

Leader: Simon Harrap

Group Size Limit: 10

Tour Category: Easy for the most part, occasionally Moderate

Northern India provides a wonderful all round birding experience with a large variety of habitats and species. Among the more localized and difficult species we will be hoping to see, is the large and impressive Tawny Fish-Owl (Craig Robson)

There is something indefinable about India which makes many westerners who have been there long to return. Perhaps it is the vastness of the country and its timeless quality, perhaps it is the strange mixture of a multiplicity of peoples and cultures which strikes a hidden chord in us, for whom it seems so alien and yet so fascinating, or perhaps it is the way that man and nature are so closely linked, co-existing in a way that seems intrinsically impossible. Here one sees tiny ponds on the edge of a crowded village thronged with herons, storks and other waterbirds, all unmolested and unconcerned by the stream of people coming to wash clothes or water their animals. In any event this has always been a favourite country of ours – constantly appearing in ‘do you remember...’ reminiscences during conversations about birds and travel.

Northern India offers some of the finest birding in the world amongst superb scenery. Not only is the local avifauna extremely rich but the birding here is probably unsurpassed in terms of the sheer number of rather tame and approachable birds that one encounters. The interest for birdwatchers is enhanced still further by the large number of winter visitors from northern Asia, many of which are only rare vagrants in Europe.

This classic journey, which is distilled from decades of personal experience in the region, will take you through a cross-section of the environments of Northern India from the fertile plains of the Ganges, that most Indian of all the country’s regions, to the Himalayas, the ornithological treasure house of the subcontinent, and to the arid landscapes of Rajasthan. Northern India and the adjacent Himalayas are generally considered to offer some of the best birding in the Oriental region, offering both a remarkable number of species and much easier and more diverse birding than more forest-orientated tours elsewhere in tropical Asia. As well as providing some wonderful birding and the opportunity to see some exciting mammals, our travels will show us something of the ‘real’ India and an age-old way of life that is only just beginning to come to terms with the modern world.

From Delhi we will travel across the densely populated Gangetic Plain to the base of the Himalayas and the forests and grasslands of Corbett National Park, the richest place for birds and mammals in northern India. The park is a haunt of Pallas’s and Lesser Fish Eagles, Slaty-headed Parakeet, Tawny Fish Owl, Hodgson’s Bushchat, Nepal Wren-Babbler and Black-chinned Babbler amongst others, not to mention a wide selection of mammals including Asian Elephant and, with a bit of luck, the magnificent Tiger.

Then, after checking for Ibisbills along one of the rivers, we will wind our way up into the beautiful mid-Himalayas to explore the surroundings of the hill station of Naini Tal, home to Himalayan and Rufous-bellied Woodpeckers, White-tailed Rubythroat, Spot-winged Tit, Black-headed Jay, Pink-browed Rosefinch and many other interesting birds, even including Cheer Pheasant.

From the Himalayas we will travel southwards to the Agra region of Uttar Pradesh to explore the wonderful National Chambal Sanctuary, a little-known reserve on the Chambal River that is the haunt of Gangetic River Dolphins, two species of crocodile (including the long-snouted Gharial), Indian Skimmers, Red-naped Ibises, Great Thick-knees and Black-bellied Terns. We will also have the opportunity to see the ethereal Taj Mahal, that pinnacle of human achievement.

Eventually we head westwards to the remarkable wetland reserve at Bharatpur, one of the ornithological wonders of the world. Here we will be looking for everything from Black-necked Stork, Painted Stork and the huge Sarus Crane to Indian Thick-knee, Dusky Eagle-Owl, the localized Marshall’s Iora and Brooks’s Leaf Warbler.

All in all, this combination of superb localities makes for the ultimate northern Indian birding experience.

During the optional extension, penetrating further into the dry landscapes of Rajasthan, we will explore the rugged, jungle-clad hills of the famous Ranthambhore Sanctuary, overlooked by a brooding Rajput fortress, home to the endangered Tiger and some exciting birds, including Painted Spurfowl, Jungle and Rock Bush Quails, Painted Sandgrouse and White-naped Woodpecker, while the surrounding arid country and wetlands attract Painted Sandgrouse, Demoiselle Crane and Indian Courser.

Birdquest has operated tours to northern India since 1982.

(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/lodges are of normal Birdquest standard almost throughout. The lodge at Dhikala in Corbett National Park (where we spend two nights) is very simple, but all rooms have private bathrooms. Road transport is by small coach. Roads are variable but average mediocre.

Walking: The walking effort is mostly easy, but there are a few moderate uphill walks in the Himalayas.

Climate: Typically it will be pleasantly warm, dry and sunny in the lowlands, but early mornings are typically cool or even cold (and it can be misty). In the Himalayas at Naini Tal it is generally cool or cold. Although overcast weather is not infrequent, rain is uncommon at this season.

Bird/Mammal Photography: Opportunities are good.

Tour Price: (provisional): $4130 Delhi/Delhi. Post-Tour Extension: $1170. 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): $635. Post-Tour Extension: $214.

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.

Waterbirds are a feature of the tour though sadly wetlands such as Bharatpur seem to be a shadow of their former selves. This is a theme throughout the subcontinent, and as a result, species such as Black-necked Stork, are now considered to be globally threatened (Pat Wileman)

There are also some great mammals to be seen in Northern India. These rare Indian Wolves were found on our 2006 tour and we will be hoping for a repeat performance in the future! (Craig Robson)

View Map Download Detailed Itinerary 626kb

Report From November 2010/December 2010 Report From December 2009 81 photos View Gallery Photos From NORTHERN INDIA

Northern India is often a great tour for owls. Brown Fish-Owl, can often be found at its daytime roost (Pat Wileman)

Jungle Owlet is generally active at day (Craig Robson)

... whilst sharp-eyed local guides often know of roosting nightjars such as this Large-tailed Nightjar (Craig Robson)

Indian Peafowl is well-known to most as a domestic species, but seeing a male in its natural setting is something special (Pat Wileman)

The rare Lesser Fish-Eagle is often seen well on this tour (Craig Robson)

The localized White-naped Flameback is often seen well (Craig Robson)

Black-headed Jay is a localized speciality from the Himalayas (Craig Robson)

... where we will also find more widespread species such as the spectacular Great Barbet (Craig Robson)

... and with luck, we will also find the rare Cheer Pheasant, a species that is hard to see, let alone photograph! (Craig Robson)

Birdquest LLC, 3721 Executive Center Drive, Suite 268, Austin, TX 78731

Ph: 512-343-1700, Fax: 512-343-1701

Website crafted by the Accent Design Group.