Birding Tour Rajasthan
Duration: 19 Nights / 20 Days
Places to See : Delhi - Corbett - Nainital - Mukteshwar - Delhi - Ranthambhore
- Bharatpur - Agra - Umaria (Bandhavgarh) - Kanha - Jabalpur - Delhi
Day 01: Delhi
Company representatives will receive you on arrival at the international airport
in Delhi late in the night or midnight. Transfer to your hotel. Relax.
DELHI, the capital of kingdoms and empires is now a sprawling metropolis with
a fascinating blend of the past and the present. It is a perfect introduction
to the composite culture of an ancient land. A window to the kaleidoscope -
that is India.
Overnight will be at Delhi.
Day 02: Delhi - Corbett
Breakfast will be at hotel.
Drive to CORBETT National Park.
On the way we will stop at Ramnagar and look for the fabulous IBISBILL amongst
the riverside boulders.
Check in at the resort and relax. Proceed for an afternoon to KOSI riverbanks
and look for CRESTED KINGFISHER, PLUMBOUS REDSTART & LITTLE FORKTAIL. The
resort you will stay in is surrounded by excellent forest with many birds including
the delightful VELVET FRONTED NUTHATCH.
Relax in the evening at the resort restaurant. Overnight will be at resort.
Day 03: Corbett
Enjoy a full day birding along the riverbanks and in the nearby green area.
Overnight will be at the resort.
Day 04: Corbett National Park
After breakfast drive inside the forest and full day BIRDING in the park.
Corbett National Park protects a large tract of forest and savanna in the Himalayan
foothills, and was India's first National Park. In winter is quite cold in these
areas and birds descend from the higher levels of the Himalayas to add to the
park's bird riches. The variety of birds in this area is fantastic and moreover
the area has its own population of tigers. The lodge inside the park is BASIC
but with private facilities and the location is great!!!
Overnight will be inside the forest at rest house in DHIKALA.
Day 05: Corbett National Park
Enjoy full day BIRDING in the park. Overnight will be inside the forest at rest
house in DHIKALA.
Day 06: Corbett National Park - Nainital
Breakfast will be at the guest house.
Drive to Nainital. The road is uphill and the scenery spectacular. Nainital
lies beside a glacial lake and is backed by a crater like ridge with snowcapped
peaks beyond rising to over 2600 m. The area is a mixture of pinewoods, open
country and small lakes, and the views from some of the hills behind the town
are simply fantastic.
Here LAMMERGEIERS and HIMALAYAN GRIFON VULTURES soar overhead.
Reach by late afternoon and enjoy the evening birding around the resort.
Overnight will be in Nainital.
Day 07: Nainital
Breakfast will be at the resort.
Enjoy full day birding in and around Nainital. Walk among the area's forests
and fields in search of resident and migrant mountain birds. Including RED FLANKED
BLUETAIL, STREAKED LAUGHING THRUSH, ALTAI ACCENTOR AND GOLDEN BUSH ROBIN for
some spectacular birding.
Overnight will be in Nainital.
Day 08: Nainital - Mukteshwar
Breakfast will be in the resort.
Proceed to Mukteshwar - 52 km from Nainital and 6 km from the resort. It is
at the height of 2286 m and famous for IVRI campus, thickly wooded forests and
majestic view of the Himalaya, near by in the stone hole of Chauli ki Jali dedicated
to Lord Shiva where people come to pray for children. The Lohakot at Mukteshwar
is an extension of Gagar mountain range. Mukteshwar's wild life sanctuary is
a division of Corbett National park. From Mukteshwar Himalaya ranging can be
seen.
Enjoy some beautiful birding for the rest of the day.
Birds included will be as per list attached (birds around Mukteshwar) and time
will pass fast.
Overnight will be in a small but beautiful mountain resort.
Day 09: Mukteshwar - Delhi
Early morning birding will be around the resort.
Proceed for Delhi after breakfast.
This will be a long drive and you will need to relax on reaching Delhi.
Overnight will be in Delhi.
Day 10: Delhi - Ranthambhore
Transfer to the station for train to SAWAI MADHOPUR after breakfast.
Reach and transfer to the resort. Evening free at the resort and you can relax
or watch some slides on the tiger.
The lakes abound with aquatic vegetation including duck weeds, lilies and lotus.
A haven for a multitude of wild animals, the Park boasts of playing host to
tigers, leopards, the elusive caracals, hyenas, sloth bears, wild boars, crocodiles
and so on. Besides, there are over 300 species of birds, from the majestic Crested
Serpent Eagle to the exotic Golden Oriole. Asian Paradise Flycatcher is also
found here.
Overnight will be in Ranthambhore.
Day 11: Ranthambhore
Enjoy the TIGER SAFARIS & BIRDING inside the jungle.
Overnight will be at the resort.
Day 12: Ranthambhore - Bharatpur
Proceed to Bharatpur after breakfast.
Every year Bharatpur waits with bated breath for the arrival of the Siberian
cranes. There are only two wintering places for this rare species one in Iran
and the other Bharatpur and these beautiful birds with their distinctive red
beaks and facial patches, fly over 6400 km from their summer retreats.
Colorful kingfishers, graceful pelicans rare Siberian cranes and Trans- continental
fliers - the migratory water - fowl are amongst the 375 species of birds found
in the Keoladeo National Park. The most spectacular nesting is that of the egrets,
storks, herons and cormorants, which make over 10,000 nests every year. This
makes outstanding bird havens of the world. The park covers an area of 28.73km.
Reach and check in at the hotel. Proceed on RICKSHAW for viewing the birds.
RICKSHAW PULLERS have been trained by the forest department in bird watching
and are knowledgeable.
Return to the lodge in the evening and relax.
Overnight will be at Bharatpur.
Day 13: Bharatpur - Agra
Proceed for the early morning RICKSHAW RIDE at the Bird Park.
Breakfast will be at hotel.
Enjoy the second round of BIRDING IN BHARATPUR.
Proceed to Agra in the evening.
AGRA: Two great Mughal monarchs, Akbar and Shah Jahan, transformed the little
village of Agra into a befitting second capital of the Mughal Empire - giving
it the name Dar-ul-Khilafat {seat of the Emperor}. Today a visitor to Agra is
caught up in a world of contrasting edifices, of red sandstone and white marble,
narrow galleys and quaint buggies, and that irresistible charm that this favorite
city of the Mughals still retains. It is not surprising, that modern Agra still
reflects its Mughal heritage most conspicuously. A walk down the narrow bustling
streets of the city will introduce the visitor to the wafting aroma of Mughlai
cuisine.
Reach Agra. Check in at hotel.
Overnight will be at Agra.
Day 14: Agra - Umaria (Bandhavgarh)
Proceed to visit Taj after breakfast. Enjoy battery van ride to the Taj.
TAJ MAHAL: Little needs to be said about this architectural wonder which is
always the soul raison-de-etre for every tourist's visit to Agra. Built by Shah
Jahan, the Taj is a white marble memorial to his beautiful wife Mumtaz Mahal.
This monument took 22 years to be completed and was designed, and planned by
Persian architect Ustad Isa. Apart from its stunning design balance and perfect
symmetry, the Taj is also noted particularly for its elegant domes, intricately
carved screens and some of the best inlay work ever seen.
Proceed to station for train to UMARIA. Overnight will be on train.
Day 15: Arrive at Bandhavgarh
Reach UMARIA and transfer to Bandhavgarh. Reach and enjoy breakfast.
Bandhavgarh is a new National Park with a very long history. Set among the Vindhya
hills of Madhya Pradesh with an area of 168sq miles (437sq km) it contains a
wide variety of habitats and a high density of game, including a large number
of Tigers. This is also the White tiger country. These have been found in the
old state of Rewa for Many years. Maharaja Martand Singh captured the last known
in 1951.
Enjoy a full day of birding inside the jungle. (Two safaris).
Day 16: Bandhavgarh
Enjoy birding inside the jungle and on the periphery. (Two safaris)
Trip to the Bandhavgarh Fort: The oldest fort in India - considered to be more
than 2500 years. One-hour trek up the fort is worth the effort. The charm of
this trek lies in discovering these monuments in the jungle, unspoiled and unexplored.
Some of the statues lie off the main path and so it is best to take a guide.
Apart from the avatars, well worth seeing are three small temples of around
the 12th century. These temples are deserted but the fort is still used as a
place of worship. Kabir Das, the celebrated 16th century saint, once lived and
preached here.
Overnight will be at the resort.
Day 17: Bandhavgarh - Kanha
After breakfast drive to Kanha.
In 1930s, the Kanha area was divided into two sanctuaries - Hallon and Banjar
of 250kms to 300kms each. Though one of these was subsequently disbanded .The
area remained a protected one until 1947. Depletion of the tiger population
in the year that followed led to the area being made an absolute sanctuary in
1952.
Reach in the afternoon and relax at the resort.
Overnight will be at the resort.
Day 18: Kanha
Enjoy a full day game viewing inside the jungle. (Two safaris) There would be
a lot of birding today as we would take roads around the forest to places not
frequented by people and in the bushes.
Overnight will be at the resort.
Day 19: Kanha - Jabalpur - Delhi
Proceed for the morning safari and birding into forest.
Proceed to JABALPUR after lunch. Reach and board overnight train to Delhi.
Day 20: Delhi
Reach and check into hotel for the day.
Visit to SULTANPUR BIRD SANCTUARY for some afternoon birding with packed lunch.
Return to Delhi in the evening and after a FAREWELL DINNER proceed to the airport
in time for flight home.
Click here
For Reservation/More Information
