BHUTAN - Speyside Wildlife · with a myriad of birds and we hope to encounter beautiful species...
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www.speysidewildlife.co.uk enquiries@speysidewildlife.co.uk | 01479 812498 BHUTAN 1-2 Overnight flight to Delhi and transfer to our airport hotel. 3 We take a morning flight to Guwahati then drive to Samdrup Jongkhar in Bhutan, watching for Lesser Adjutant, Asian Openbill and White-throated Kingfisher as we travel. Birding round the hotel is superb and if time allows, we shall search for Jungle Babbler, Asian Pied Starling, Black-hooded Oriole, Green Bee-eater and many more. 4 Travelling west, we explore the tropical forests of these lower altitudes. These forests teem with a myriad of birds and we hope to encounter beautiful species such as Ruby-cheeked Sunbird, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Coppersmith Barbet, Violet Cuckoo and the stunning Hooded Pitta, as well as enormous Wreathed Hornbill. We won’t know where to look! Spectacular Himalayan mountain scenery, pristine forests and wonderful hospitality Dzongs, monasteries and temples including the remarkable Tiger’s Nest Himalayan specialities: Ward’s Trogon, Satyr Tragopan and Rufous-necked Hornbill The very beautiful and near endemic Golden Langur Beautiful Nuthatch, Fire-tailed Myzornis and Bhutan Laughingthrush Raptors including Himalayan Griffon, Lammergeier, Steppe and Pallas’s Fish Eagle A dizzying array of birds, butterflies, orchids and ancient Buddhist culture Secluded Bhutan, high in the Eastern Himalayas, is teeming with birds. This culturally rich and friendly country will astound us with its wealth of wildlife. 5 We make an early start, birding the Morong Valley and Orong and Kharung La hoping for a big list before breakfast, with chances of Red-tailed and Blue-winged Minlas, Red-headed Trogon, Chestnut-breasted Partridge and Beautiful Nuthatch.We continue through spectacular scenery to Trashigang at higher altitude, with many more birds - Yellow-billed Blue Magpie, Long-billed Thrush, Ultramarine Flycatcher, Striated Laughingthrush and elegant Spotted Forktail. 6 Starting early, our journey will take us up the exciting Yadi Loops, a series of 10 hairpin bends in just 10Km! At Kore La we work the forest road in search of Brown Bullfinch, Hill Partridge, Grey-sided Laughing Thrush and Scarlet Finch. Descending into cool broadleaved forest, full of ferns and flowering rhododendrons, birds may include Bhutan Laughingthrush, Fire-capped Tit, Dates Sat 26 Feb - Tue 15 Mar 2022 Price £6,750 Deposit £1,300 Single Supp £500 Leaders Julian Sykes plus local guide Flights British Airways, scheduled Outbound: Overnight, Heathrow-Delhi Inbound: Morning, Delhi-Heathrow Local airlines, Delhi-Guwahati, Paro-Delhi Weather Generally dry and cool, there may be some rain. It will be cold in the early mornings, evenings and at altitude (0-25°C) Walking A reasonable level of fitness is required. Most of the walks are comfortable and the majority of birding is done roadside. The walk to Tiger’s Nest Monastery is on uneven forest trails, with 740m of ascent. All walking at a relaxed pace, as at altitude. Average altitude is 2,400m, some mountain passes at 4,000m Meals All included from lunch on Day 2 to breakfast on Day 18. Most breafasts and all lunches are hot picnic style, taken in the field Insects May encounter mosquitoes, bring repellent Accom Twin and single rooms all ensuite. Hotels of mixed quality, some very nice, others basic but chosen because of location Visa E-visa required for India, additional £110. We shall arrange your Bhutan visa Group 10 Just some of what we hope to see: White-bellied Heron Pallas’s Fish Eagle Himalayan Monal Satyr Tragopan Ibisbill Snow Pigeon Tawny Fish Owl Ward’s Trogon Rufous-necked Hornbill Greater Flameback Black-headed Shrike Babbler Beautiful Nuthatch Golden-breasted Fulvetta Yellow-throated Fulvetta Himalayan Cutia Bhutan Laughingthrush Red-faced Liocichla Fire-tailed Sunbird Himalayan White-browed Rosefinch Golden Langur “For such a small country the birdlife is astonishing and this tour takes in the best Bhutan has to offer. There will be some wow birds such as Fire-tailed Myzornis, Blue-fronted Redstart, Yellow-billed Blue Magpie and many others. Choosing a magic moment is going to be impossible!” Julian Sykes
Transcript of BHUTAN - Speyside Wildlife · with a myriad of birds and we hope to encounter beautiful species...
[email protected] | 01479 812498
BHUTAN
1-2 Overnight flight to Delhi and transfer to our airport hotel.
3 We take a morning flight to Guwahati then drive to Samdrup Jongkhar in Bhutan,
watching for Lesser Adjutant, Asian Openbill and White-throated Kingfisher as we travel. Birding round the hotel is superb and if time allows, we shall search for Jungle Babbler, Asian Pied Starling, Black-hooded Oriole, Green Bee-eater and many more.
4 Travelling west, we explore the tropical forests of these lower altitudes. These forests teem
with a myriad of birds and we hope to encounter beautiful species such as Ruby-cheeked Sunbird, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Coppersmith Barbet, Violet Cuckoo and the stunning Hooded Pitta, as well as enormous Wreathed Hornbill. We won’t know where to look!
Spectacular Himalayan mountain scenery, pristine forests and wonderful hospitality
Dzongs, monasteries and temples including the remarkable Tiger’s Nest
Himalayan specialities: Ward’s Trogon, Satyr Tragopan and Rufous-necked Hornbill
The very beautiful and near endemic Golden Langur
Beautiful Nuthatch, Fire-tailed Myzornis and Bhutan Laughingthrush
Raptors including Himalayan Griffon, Lammergeier, Steppe and Pallas’s Fish Eagle
A dizzying array of birds, butterflies, orchids and ancient Buddhist culture
Secluded Bhutan, high in the Eastern Himalayas, is teeming with birds. This culturally rich and friendly country will astound us with its wealth of wildlife.
5 We make an early start, birding the Morong Valley and Orong and Kharung La hoping
for a big list before breakfast, with chances of Red-tailed and Blue-winged Minlas, Red-headed Trogon, Chestnut-breasted Partridge and Beautiful Nuthatch. We continue through spectacular scenery to Trashigang at higher altitude, with many more birds - Yellow-billed Blue Magpie, Long-billed Thrush, Ultramarine Flycatcher, Striated Laughingthrush and elegant Spotted Forktail.
6 Starting early, our journey will take us up the exciting Yadi Loops, a series of 10
hairpin bends in just 10Km! At Kore La we work the forest road in search of Brown Bullfinch, Hill Partridge, Grey-sided Laughing Thrush and Scarlet Finch. Descending into cool broadleaved forest, full of ferns and flowering rhododendrons, birds may include Bhutan Laughingthrush, Fire-capped Tit,
Dates Sat 26 Feb - Tue 15 Mar 2022
Price £6,750
Deposit £1,300 Single Supp £500
Leaders Julian Sykes plus local guide
Flights British Airways, scheduled Outbound: Overnight, Heathrow-Delhi Inbound: Morning, Delhi-Heathrow Local airlines, Delhi-Guwahati, Paro-Delhi
Weather Generally dry and cool, there may be some rain. It will be cold in the early mornings, evenings and at altitude (0-25°C)
Walking A reasonable level of fitness is required. Most of the walks are comfortable and the majority of birding is done roadside. The walk to Tiger’s Nest Monastery is on uneven forest trails, with 740m of ascent. All walking at a relaxed pace, as at altitude. Average altitude is 2,400m, some mountain passes at 4,000m
Meals All included from lunch on Day 2 to breakfast on Day 18. Most breafasts and all lunches are hot picnic style, taken in the field
Insects May encounter mosquitoes, bring repellent
Accom Twin and single rooms all ensuite. Hotels of mixed quality, some very nice, others basic but chosen because of location
Visa E-visa required for India, additional £110. We shall arrange your Bhutan visa
Group 10
Just some of what we hope to see:
White-bellied HeronPallas’s Fish EagleHimalayan MonalSatyr TragopanIbisbillSnow PigeonTawny Fish OwlWard’s TrogonRufous-necked HornbillGreater FlamebackBlack-headed Shrike Babbler
Beautiful NuthatchGolden-breasted FulvettaYellow-throated FulvettaHimalayan CutiaBhutan LaughingthrushRed-faced LiocichlaFire-tailed SunbirdHimalayan White-browed RosefinchGolden Langur
“For such a small country the birdlife is astonishing and this tour takes in the best Bhutan
has to offer. There will be some wow birds such as Fire-tailed
Myzornis, Blue-fronted Redstart, Yellow-billed Blue Magpie and
many others. Choosing a magic moment is going to be impossible!”
Julian Sykes
01479 812498 | [email protected]
Asian Barred Owlet, Maroon Oriole, Golden-naped Finch and Kalij Pheasant. Our journey continues to Yongkola and our base for the next four nights.
7-9 We have three full days to explore the forests of Thrumshing La National
Park, home to some of Bhutan’s most sought-after birds such as Ward’s Trogon, Blue-naped Pitta and impressive Rufous-necked Hornbill. The ancient trees are festooned with orchids, adding a riot of colour as we search for some of the region’s rarest birds - Blue-fronted Robin, Golden-breasted and Yellow-throated Fulvettas and strange Blackish-breasted Babbler. The list of birds is fabulous, with many beautiful species of woodpeckers, grosbeaks, redstarts, fantails, minivets, barbets, babblers, flycatchers, yuhinas and warblers too numerous to list!
10 Our destination today is the Bumthang area. We breakfast in habitat suitable for
spectacular Satyr Tragopan before continuing our journey to Thrumshing La at 3,799 metres, with breathtaking views of the eastern Himalayas. We will look for Himalayan Monal and Blood Pheasant among the hemlock, spruce and larch, with Himalayan Buzzard and Mountain Hawk-eagle above us, Himalayan Bluetail, Kessler’s Thrush and White-winged Grosbeak.
11 At beautiful Tharpaling Monastery we hope for close views of spectacular Himalayan
Monal plus Snow Pigeon, White-throated Redstart and more. After breakfast we explore the high mountain pass at Yotong La, where rhododendron forests hold Great and Brown Parrotbills, Himalayan Cutia, Large Niltava and Black-eared Shrike Babbler.
12-13 We explore the Punakha, Chendibji and the Pele La road
with more rhododendron and fir forest with views to Mt. Kangbum and Jichu Drake from Pele La pass. Brown Dipper, Crested Kingfisher and Slaty-backed Forktail frequent the streams, with Speckled Piculet, White-browed Shrike and Collared Scops Owl among many species in the forests. In the Jigme Dorji NP we hope for Red-headed Trogon, Mountain Bulbul, Whiskered Yuhina and Pallas’s Fish Eagle. We’ll also see the magnificent Punakha Dzong - an astonishing building!
14 We travel through the Royal Botanical Park at Lampelri, birding the mixed conifer,
sub-alpine and temperate rainforest, where we may chance upon mammals such as Musk Deer or, with exceptional luck, Tiger or Red Panda. We shall also look for rare Black-tailed Crake nearby. From roads festooned with prayer flags, views will be spectacular!
15-16 From our base in Paro we drive high mountain passes of dwarf
scrub and alpine meadows (up to 4,000m), with views to the highest peaks in Bhutan, with a myriad of species to enjoy. We have the chance to make the optional five hour walk to one of the most spectacular monasteries in Bhutan - The Tiger’s Nest - surely one of the most beautiful locations on Earth. Over two days we hope to encounter Ibisbill, Crested Goshawk, Himalayan White-browed Rosefinch, Rosy Pipit and both White-capped and Plumbeous Water Redstarts.
17-18 We say farewell to Bhutan returning to Delhi for an overnight
stay and travel back to the UK on Day 18.
“Rufous-necked Hornbill, the mighty White-bellied Heron, Ward’s and Red-headed Trogons, Beautiful Nuthatch, Tawny Fish Owl, Hoary-throated Barwing, Mrs Gould’s Sunbird, Himalayan Monal. Just some of the 328 species of bird encountered on our last trip along with some superb mammals, including Takin, a glorious array of butterflies, breathtaking views at every corner, impressive dzongs and monasteries and all of this in one of the friendliest countries. You’ll love it!“ Julian Sykes
Days 1-2 Overnight flight Heathrow to Delhi 1 night Lemon Tree Hotel Delhi AirportDay 3 Fly Delhi to Guwahati and drive to Samdrup Jongkhar 1 night Hotel Tashi Gasel (300m)Day 4 Birding tropical forests and on to Deothang. 1 night Dungsam Trashiling Resort (800m)Day 5 Deothang to Trashigang, birding along Morong, Orong and Kharung La 1 night Druk Deothjung Resort (1,100m)Days 6-9 Trashigang to Yongkola, birding Kore La, Lingmethang Valley, Yongkola, Namling and Thrumshing National Park 4 nights Trogon Villa (1,700m)Day 10 Yongkola to Bumthang, birding along Sengor and Thrumshing La Pass 1 night Kailas Guesthouse (2,600m)Day 11 Early morning to Tharpaling Monastery and continue to Trongsa 1 night Yangkhil Resort (2,200m)Days 12-13 Trongsa to Punakha, birding along Chendibji and Old Pele La road. Jigme Dorji NP and Punakha Dzong 2 nights Zhingkham Resort (1,300m)Days 14-16 Punakha to Paro, birding the Royal Botanical Park at Lampelri, hike to Tiger’s Nest Monastery 3 nights Hotel Olathang (2,300m)Days 17-18 Fly Paro to Delhi, overnight in Delhi, arrive UK on Day 18 1 night Lemon Tree Hotel Delhi Airport
Outline Itinerary
Chubzang Tangbi: Fire-tailed Myzornis, Satyr Tragopan, Rufous-necked Hornbill, Punakha Dzong, Ward’s Trogon, Himalayan Monal
