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 Wedged amidst the jagged contours of the Himalayas,
between India and Tibet, lies the timeless Kingdom of Bhutan. Immersed in tradition, folklore, and deep-seated
Buddhist beliefs, Bhutan has in recent years opened up and taught the world a
few lessons on almost every aspect of conservation. Its legacy, endless
tracts of Himalayan forest carpeting the foothills of snow-capped ranges,
transcends reverence and respect for all things natural. Top quality target birds like the enigmatic Ibisbill,
dazzling Himalayan Monal, outrageous Satyr Tragopan, localized Ward's Trogon,
remarkable Rufous-necked Hornbill, Blyth’s Kingfisher, Yellow-rumped
Honeyguide, Beautiful Nuthatch and the breathtaking Fire-tailed Myzornis await
the few devoted souls that venture into this rich kingdom. One of Bhutan’s
greatest appeals is that it has retained much of its traditional practices and
beliefs, and remains a country virtually uninfluenced by the west, making it
not only a great birding destination, but also culturally fascinating. If you
have not yet been to Bhutan, don’t panic, because it’s as near to timeless as a
place can get.
Day 1: Guwahati to Samdrup Jongkhar.
We will meet at the Guwahati airport and transfer to Samdrup Jongkar,
the first town inside Bhutan, keeping an eye out for Greater Adjutant
and other plains birds en route.
Day 2: Samdrup Jongkhar to Narphung la.
Birding around Sandrup in the morning will yield a variety of low
elevation specialties that we won’t see again, before we move up
to the subtropical Himalayan forest around Narphung in the afternoon.
Day 3: Mongar-Narphung to Lingmethang road.
Birding around our camp at Narphung may bring in the tiny Pied
Falconet, hulking Wreathed Hornbill, superb Silver-breasted Broadbill
along with parrotbills and immaculate forktails. En route to
Lingmethang, we will stop at Kori la, searching for stunning
Short-billed Minivets, Chestnut-bellied Nuthatches, Rufous-necked
Laughingthrushes, and a brace of cool babblers, Rusty-cheeked
Scimitar-Babbler and Hoary-throated Barwing.
Days 4-6: Yongko la and Lingmethang road.
Today we hit Bhutan‘s wet subtropical forests and one of the
finest birding areas in the Himalayas. Over the next four days we will
be combing the lush forested valleys in order to track down awesome
Rufous-necked Hornbills, shy Blue-naped Pittas, Golden-throated
Barbets, mixed parrotbill flocks, Collared Treepies, strange
Slender-billed Scimitar-babblers, Black-headed Shrike-babblers,
gorgeous Golden-breasted Fulvettas, and vermillion Scarlet Finches, to
name just a few of the varied and staggering possibilities in this
wonderfully rich area.
Day 7: Yongko la to Sengor.
After a final morning on the Lingmethang road, we will head into the
beautiful Sengor area. We will stop along the way scouring the
roadsides for mixed flocks of warblers, parrotbills, babbalers and
sunbirds. We will check carefully around camp for Long-billed and
Plain-backed Thrushes.
Day 8: Sengor to Jakar.
The dense conifers of the Ura Valley hold gems like Mrs. Gould‘s
Sunbirds, Orange-gorgeted Flycatchers, Bar-winged Wren-babblers, and
Red-headed Bullfinches. Thrumsing la is prime country for Blood
Pheasants, and also holds Red-flanked Bluetails, Spotted Nutcrackers,
and ghostly Snow Pigeons. We will visit the beautiful temple
Jakar Dzong for a relaxing afternoon.
Day 9: Jakar to Trongsa.
An early start at Yotung la could yield Darjeeling Woodpecker,
Chestnut-tailed Minla, the localized Gold-naped Finch, and the unusual
Great Parrotbill. In the afternoon we descend to Trongsa, where
we will visit another stunning temple, the Trongsa Dzong.
 Days 10-13: Trongsa to Shemgang road to Tingtibi.
We drop in elevation as we head towards Tingtibi, birding several
forested valleys on the way, searching for the impressive Rufous-necked
Hornbill, Blue-bearded Bee-eater, Rusty-fronted Barwing, and Yellow-
throated Fulvetta. We‘ll base ourselves at Tingbiti and target
the low elevation forests for tiny Speckled Piculets, and a whole host
of cool laughingthrushes such as Rufous-chinned and Blue-winged. Right
near our mountain camp we‘ll seek out massive Great Hornbills,
Pin-tailed Green Pigeons, Lesser Yellownapes, and incandescent flocks
of Scarlet Minivets, Sultan Tits, and Orange-bellied Leafbirds. A brace
of cool woodpeckers are also on the long list of possibilities,
including a real ‘cutey ‘ in the form of the
diminutive, pink-breasted White-browed Piculet and the scarce
Pale-headed Woodpecker. This is also our best chance for the impressive
golden leaf monkey.
Day 14: Trongsa to Gangtey Gompa (Probjikha Valley).
Scattered bamboo stands provide refuge for several cute parrotbills,
and roadside scrub holds Stripe-throated Yuhina and Rusty-tailed
Flycatcher. After visiting the sacred wintering grounds of the
Black-becked Crane, we visit the Gangtey Gompa monastery for another
experience of Bhutanese culture.
Days 15-17: Probjikha Valley to Punakha (Mo Chhu Valley).
The atmospheric oak woods of Gangtey la hold another top target in the
form of Yellow-rumped Honeyguide, and will also give us a shot at
Blue-winged Minla, Whiskered Yuhina, Rufous Sibia, and the wonderful
Ward ‘s Trogon. We also hit the summit at Pele la, where
Kalij Pheasant, Spotted Forktail, White-browed Rosefinches, and
White-winged Grosbeaks occur. Later, we descend to the small town
of Punakha and visit its impressive Dzong, before heading to Jigme
Dorji NP. Over the next two days we should be rewarded with Black
Eagles, Red-headed Trogons, cute Slaty-bellied Tesias, Small Niltavas,
Black-chinned Yuhinas, a trio of forktails, and several furtive
wren-babblers. One afternoon will be devoted to visiting the
remarkable Punakha Dzong and searching the nearby rivers for the rare
Pallas‘s Fish Eagle or even rarer White-bellied Heron.
Day 18: Punakha to Thimphu.
We will concentrate our efforts at 10,000 feet on the western slopes of
Dochu la, soaking up breathtaking views of the Central-Eastern
Himalayan range. These pristine mixed forests of hemlock, fir, oak, and
rhododendron hold a spectacular set of target species, any of which
will leave us breathless and craving for more. Among these we‘ll
search for the vivid scarlet shape of a male Satyr Tragopan, one of the
unbelievable horned pheasants that draw many birders to the Himalayas.
Other cool stuff up here includes remarkable Gold-billed Magpies,
gorgeous Golden Bush Robins, immaculate Cutias, and the scintillating
Fire-tailed Myzornis. In the evening we will descend into
Bhutan’s beautiful capital.
Day 19: Thimpu and Cheri Valley.
En route to Jigme Dorji NP along the exquisite Cheri Valley, we should
bump into Rufous-bellied Woodpecker, Brown Dipper, White-collared
Blackbird and Hodgson‘s and Blue-fronted Redstarts. In the
afternoon we visit the magnificent Trashi Chhoe Dzong temple and spend
time around the capital.
Day 20: Thimphu to Paro.
Dawn sees us on the cool alpine meadows of Cheli la searching for the
iridescent Himalayan Monal, a bird so colorful that the Nepalese have
nicknamed it the “bird of nine colors”. We‘ll also
sift through flocks of pink rosefinches and chunky grosbeaks. In the
thicker forests below we hope to track down Spotted and Black-faced
Laughingthrushes.
Day 21: Departure or continue with optional extension.
We will spend a final morning birding around Paro, looking for birds
like Black-tailed Crake and River Lapwing and with an excellent chance
for the wonderful Ibisbill.
Kaziranga NP extension (5 days)
The
grasslands of Kaziranga teem with great birds, but the most sought
after include the Bengal Florican with its extravagant dancing display,
the strange Swamp Francolin, skulking Striated Grassbird, exquisite
Chestnut-capped and Yellow-eyed Babblers, and localised Finn’s
Weaver. Carcasses draw in the critically endangered White-rumped,
Red-headed, and Slender-billed Vultures. The impressive swamp forests
harbor Pallas’s and Gray-headed Fish-Eagles, while at night we
may find Brown Fish-Owl. Loquacious Great Hornbills congregate on
fruiting trees, while thickets hold Large Scimitar-Babbler and the
vibrant Blue-naped Pitta. The large pans and rivers are frequented by
Bar-headed Goose, Lesser Whistling Duck, Indian Spot-billed Duck, and
Cotton Pygmy-goose while flotillas of Spot-billed Pelicans fish in the
shallows. Greater and Lesser Adjutants, Black-necked Stork, Watercock,
and Bronze-winged and Pheasant-tailed Jacanas patrol by the
water’s edge. Kaziranga is also one of the best places in the
world to view the endangered One-horned Asian Rhino. Large herds of
Asian Elephants thrive here alongside Asian Water Buffalo, the
endangered Swamp Deer, and a gamut of other ungulates including
Barking, Sambar, and Hog-nosed Deer. A highlight for anyone interested
in primates are the troops of Hoolock Gibbon present at Paamvari
Forest, whose howling can be heard for miles.
Trip
info:
CLIMATE: Mostly cool to cold. Generally dry during the
day except at the passes where rain, sleet, fog, and even snow can appear.
Warmer and humid beyond Lingmethang. Most of the tour is spent between
6,500-9850 ft. (2000-3000 m.), with occasional visits to mountain passes over
13,000 ft. (4000 m.).
DIFFICULTY: Moderate. There are a few optional strenuous
hikes and several very early starts.
ACCOMMODATION: Basic to moderate. For much of the tour tented
camps are used. Bhutan is an underdeveloped country, lacking the extensive
tourist infrastructure of some of its neighboring countries.
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