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Everyone
knows that India is mystical; a land of
striking contrasts with a fabulously rich
heritage, welcoming people, and delicious
food. India also offers an
intoxicating mixture of awesome birds,
haunting vistas, mist-cloaked herds of
deer, and the entrancing Tiger. Our
exploration begins as we head north to the
foothills of the Himalayas, the highest
mountains in the world. Here we seek
barbets, laughingthrushes,
whistling-thrushes, sibias, and pheasants
in the oak, rhododendron, and Sal forests.
After a visit to Corbett NP we head to
Bharatpur, a
wetland
attracting over 350 bird species. Next we
nip by the magnificent Taj Mahal; it’s
symmetrical beauty and otherworldly
serenity are legendary. And for those who
can’t leave India without seeing the
world’s most attractive and charismatic
large cat, we have an extension to
Bandhavgahr. The birding here is also
excellent and we have a chance at many
localized species including White-naped
Woodpecker and Mottled Wood-Owl.
Day
1: Delhi. After arrival we'll enjoy some
birding and the sights of Old Delhi. We
stay the first night in the city.
Day 2: Delhi to Naini Tal. From Delhi we drive to Gajraula, a small town close
to the Ganges River. In the afternoon we
visit a bridge over this sacred river to
look for Great Black-headed Gull, River
Tern, and the highly-localized
White-tailed Stonechat. Later
we drive to Naini Tal, leaving behind the
Indian plains and climbing up through the
Himalayan foothills. We spend the next
four nights at a quaint colonial retreat
in the mountains.
Days 3-5: Naini Tal. An attractive reminder of the era of the British Raj, this hill station
is at an elevation of 6,600 ft.
(2,000 m.). Surrounding peaks tower
above , and on clear days, there are
spectacular views of snowy Himalayan
giants that lie less than 50 mi. (80 km.)
away. Bearded Vultures and Himalayan
Griffons soar majestically overhead while
we bird a mixture of open country and
forest patches for fantastic birds like
Great Barbet, Speckled Piculet,
Black-headed Jay, Blue Magpie, Gray
Treepie, and Rusty-cheeked
Scimitar-Babbler. Working the Sat Tal area
and the Mongoli valley should reveal an
assortment of six laughingthrushes, Rufous
Sibia, Himalayan Rubythroat, Spotted
Forktail, and flocks of tits, nuthatches,
and treecreepers. We will also spend time
at higher altitudes, and with luck we
ought to find some mega birds such as
Altai Accentor, Koklass Pheasant,
Rufous-bellied Woodpecker, and Pink-browed
Rosefinch.
Day 6: Naini Tal to Corbett NP. This morning we make our way to this famed reserve,
founded by the early conservationist Jim
Corbett.
Days 7-8: Corbett NP and Kumeria. Corbett is a top birding
area and the mixed species flocks are
superb. The tracks around Kumeria may
reveal Kalij Pheasant, Chestnut-headed
Tesia, or Nepal Wren-Babbler, which was
only recently discovered in India. The
rushing Kosi River holds Little Forktail,
Brown Dipper, Crested Kingfisher, and the
spectacular Wallcreeper.
Day 9: Kumeria to Delhi. After a last morning in
the foothills we return to Delhi for the
night.
Day 10: Delhi to Bharatpur. On the journey to Bharatpur, we traverse the
heartland of Hindu India. Rural scenes of
huts, mango groves, and mustard fields are
interspersed with urban areas where cows
hold sacred sway next to lines of cycle
rickshaws and
noisy trucks. We stay
the next four nights in Bharatpur.
Days
11-13:
Bharatpur.
Bharatpur was formerly
an
ancient hunting reserve for the Maharaja
(Hindu royalty).
In years of good rainfall, productive
marshes, bushy savanna,
and
acacia thickets
sprawl
to
the horizon.
Bharatpur supports an incredible diversity
of waterbirds including Oriental Darter,
Painted Stork, and Asian Openbill. The
shallow food-rich lakes support stalking
Pheasant-tailed and Bronze-winged Jacanas,
while Black-necked Storks and stately
Sarus Cranes work the muddy edges.
Waterfowl abound, and we can expect to see
Bar-headed Goose, Lesser Whistling-Duck,
Cotton Pygmy-goose, and Comb Duck. In the
woodlands, we could encounter Gray
Francolin, Yellow-footed Green-Pigeon,
Indian Gray Hornbill, and Black-rumped
Flameback. Bharatpur
is home to many raptors, and the skies are
rarely devoid of birds
of prey.
Opportunities for seeing mammals are also
excellent, with the
huge Blue Bull, Sambar, Boar,
Golden Jackal, and
others roaming the reserve.
Day
14: Bharatpur to Chambal. Leaving
Bharatpur, we visit the Mogul city of
Fatepur Sikri before arriving in Agra to visit
the mystical Taj
Mahal. The Mogul emperor Shah Jahan built
this mausoleum of ethereal beauty in
memory of his wife Mumtaz. Some birding is
possible right from the Taj itself, where
the holy Yamuna River supports River
Lapwing and Indian Chat. In the
afternoon we head for the Chambal Safari
Lodge.
Day
15: Chambal River to Delhi. Early
this morning we’ll take a cruise on one
of the wide-open stony-bedded tributaries
of the mighty Ganges River. This area has
several specialty birds including the
Great Thick-knee, Desert Wheatear, Sand
Lark, Black-bellied Tern, and the
extremely localized Indian Skimmer. We
should also find the bizarre Gharial and
its cousin the Mugger Crocodile. With luck
we might encounter the critically
endangered Ganges River Dolphin. After
lunch, those finishing today will head
back to Delhi to catch their evening
flights, while those joining the Tiger
extension head for the overnight train
from Agra to Umaria.
Bandhavgarh
NP Tiger extension
We
arrive in Umaria and drive to our lodge
in
Bandhavgarh. This diverse park boasts
110,000 acres (44,000 ha.) of Sal
forest, woodland, bamboo, and grassland.
The near-daily tracking of tigers has
allowed the mahouts (elephant riders) to
become accustomed to each animal’s
preferred habits. The chances of seeing
this great feline are better here than
anywhere else in the world. The Sal also
harbors some great birds, like White-naped
Woodpecker, Sirkeer Malkoha, Greater
Racket-tailed Drongo, Indian
Scimitar-Babbler, and Golden-fronted
Leafbird, Malabar Pied-Hornbill,
White-eyed Buzzard, and Jungle Bush-Quail.
Bandhavgarh is also endowed with several
pans and waterholes, which become magnets
for mammals in the dry season. Chital,
Sambar,
Barking Deer, Golden Jackal, Wild Boar,
Rhesus Macaque, and Hanuman Langur are all
regular. However, we’d need more luck to
see Leopard, Indian Wild Dog, Striped
Hyena, or Sloth Bear. After four full days
here we return to Delhi on an overnight
train.
Tour
info:
CLIMATE: Ranges from hot and dry in the north to chilly and damp in the Himalayan foothills.
DIFFICULTY: Mostly easy to moderate. A few of the hikes are strenuous. The overnight train ride (extension only) is at least 16 hours, and some people find it very exhausting.
ACCOMMODATION: Ranges from basic to moderate, with private bathrooms
throughout, except on overnight trains.
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