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 British Raj era, 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. Lammergeiers 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. The area also has several feeding stations that offer great photo ops and chances to see rarer species. 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 Kumeria

This morning we make our way to the edge of the famed Corbett NP, founded by the early conservationist Jim Corbett. We will overnight just outside the park at Kumeria, with lush grounds and photographable birds in the backyard.

 

Day 7: Corbett NP

Corbett is a top birding area and the mixed-species flocks are superb. The tracks around here may reveal Kalij Pheasant, Chestnut-headed Tesia, or Nepal Wren-Babbler, which was just recently discovered in India. We will need to be opportunistic with the cameras as the mixed-species bird flocks pass through quickly. Mammals like Sambar, Asian Elephant, and Macaques, are much more cooperative. We even have a chance to see Tiger, though it’s much more difficult here than on the extension. We will spend the night at the simple Dhikala Camp within the park.

 

Day 8: Corbett NP and Kumeria

The rushing Kosi River near our Kumeria resort holds Little Forktail, Brown Dipper, Crested Kingfisher, and the spectacular Wallcreeper and scarce Ibisbill. Once these megas are located we will spend a little time trying to get keeper shots of them. We’ll spend one more night in Kumeria.

 

Day 9: Kumeria to Delhi

After a last morning in the Himalayan foothills we return to Delhi for another 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 three nights in Bharatpur.

 

Days 11-12: Bharatpur area

Bharatpur was formerly a hunting reserve for the Maharajas (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 edges. Waterfowl abound, and we often see Bar-headed Goose, Lesser Whistling-Duck, Cotton Pygmy-Goose, and the odd 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. Depending on water-levels we will split our time between here and the nearby Bund Baretha. This area will be a boon for photography and we can expect many full memory cards each day.

 

Day 13: Dholpur

Leaving Bharatpur, we explore the dry reaches of the Dholpur district, hoping for Rufous-fronted Prinia, Variable Wheatear, and many other arid-country species. We enjoy the first of two river cruises on this trip in an area that has become much more reliable for the scarce and declining Indian Skimmer.

 

Day 14: Dholpur to Agra

We head to Agra to visit the mystical Taj Mahal. The Mogul emperor Shah Jahan built this mausoleum of ethereal beauty in memory of his wife Mumtaz. 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, Sand Lark, and Black-bellied Tern. We should also find the bizarre Gharial and its cousin the Mugger Crocodile. With luck we might even encounter the critically endangered Ganges River Dolphin. Photo opportunities abound on the river. After lunch, those finishing today will head back to Delhi for evening flights, while those joining the Tiger extension jump on the overnight train from Agra to Umaria.