This extravagant itinerary covers a vast area of China. It's a mouth-watering list of some of China's most iconic endemics, with a smattering of wintering delights, before we end up in the treasure trove of Yunnan, where a whole raft of Himalayan and Sino-Himalayan species are at our finger tips as we utilise the immense hide system that has been set-up by ex-poachers who have used their skills to now show us all the best birds of Yunnan.

The list of species is exhaustive, but simply put, the showcase birds include: Siberian Accentor, Pallas's Rosefinch, Siberian, Hooded and White-naped Cranes, Swan Goose, Oriental Stork, Baer's Pochard, Scaly-sided Merganser, Yellow-browed Bunting, Hainan endemics, Nonggang Babbler, Brown-winged Parrotbill, Grey Peacock-Pheasant, Red-tailed, Moustached, Biet's, Spot-breasted Laughingthrushes, White-cheeked Partridge, Grey-bellied Wren Babbler, and ending with Yunnan Nuthatch. It is a truly special itinerary with meticulously planned, and also avoids as much overlap as possible with other China tours, so you can be rest assured of never a dull moment here!

Day 1:
Arrivals into Beijing Capitol International Airport (PEK) or Beijing Daxing International Airport (PXK). Night in Beijing.

‍Day 2:
Day spent around Beijing parks, Yangtaishan or Linggshan, depending on current weather conditions, which greatly affect what is found within Beijing, and also dramatically affects what is possible to see, and do, at Linggshan –primary targets include Siberian Accentor, Pallas's, Chinese Long-tailed and Chinese Beautiful Rosefinches, Red-throated Thrush, Naumann's Thrush, and other wintering migrants, which could also include White-winged Redstart, though Asian Rosy Finch is likely inaccessible. Resident species usually present include David's Laughingthrush, Hill Pigeon, Oriental Magpie, Silver-throated Tit, Beijing Babbler and Godlewski's Bunting. Night west side of Beijing.

‍Day 3:
Much of the morning birding around Beijing (or visit Yangtaishan). Afternoon flight to Jingdezhen.Night at Jingdezhen.

‍Day 4:
After a short, pre-dawn drive to Wuyuan, we have the day in the area. Our main target here is Scaly-sided Merganser, a regular winter visitor to the area, along the river that flows through Wuyuan. Other possibilities here include Mandarin Duck, Pied Falconet, Brown Crake, Huet’s Fulvetta, Grey-sided Scimitar Babbler, Grey-backed Thrush, Chestnut Bulbul and Yellow-browed Bunting, with slimmer chances of Short-tailed Parrotbill and Moustached Laughingthrush. Night at Wuyuan.

‍Day 5:
Either early morning around Wuyuan once again, otherwise head over to the southeast side of Poyang Lake, enjoying the huge number of waterbirds across this vast wetland. Our main targets among the throng of waterbirds include Siberian Crane (along with Hooded and White-naped Cranes, both of which could be present), Swan Goose, Oriental Stork, Brown Crake and chances of Marsh Grassbird, Rustic, Black-faced and Chestnut-eared Buntings. Night at Wucheng.

Day 6:
Full day along the western shoreline of Poyang Lake, enjoying the huge number of waterbirds across this vast wetland. Our main targets among the throng of waterbirds include Siberian Crane (along with Hooded and White-naped Cranes, both of which could be present), Swan Goose, Oriental Stork, Brown Crake, Chinese Bamboo Partridge, and chances of Marsh Grassbird, ChinesePenduline-tit, Rustic, Ochre-rumped and Yellow-browed Buntings with slim chances of Baer’s Pochard and Lesser White-fronted Goose. Night at Wucheng.
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‍Day 7:
Morning in the Poyang Lake area, or visit Juijiang if Baer’s Pochard are wintering at their regular lake. Following lunch, transfer to Nanchang Changbei International Airport. Here, we take a flight to Nanning Wuxu. Night at Nanning.

‍Day 8:
Departing early morning, we have much of the day inside Nonggang NNR in search of Nonggang Babbler, a species only described in 2008, known from just here and the surrounding limestone karst forest bordering Vietnam. Birding here is otherwise surprisingly quiet, other species can include White-winged Magpie, Limestone Leaf Warbler, Blue-rumped Pitta, Indochinese Green Magpie, David’sFulvetta, Streaked Wren Babbler and Buff-breasted Babbler, all of which are possible from a feeding hide. Night at Nonggang NNR.

‍Day 9:
After a morning in Nonggang NNR we return to Nanning, for our flight to Sanya Phoenix International Airport (SYX), on the island of Hainan. Despite arriving late, we need to head over to our accommodation on the edge of Jianfengling NNR this evening to make the most of the following day. Night at Jianfengling.
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‍Days 10-11:
Two full days in-and-around Jianfengling National Nature Reserve. Our targets here include the Hainan endemics; Hainan Leaf Warbler and ‘Swinhoe’s/Hainan Laughingthrush’ – likely split from Black-throated, in addition to the endemics, we look for Chinese Barbet (itself a potential split from the mainland China race), Rufous-cheeked Laughingthrush, Yellow-billed Nuthatch and the Hainan races of Pale Blue Flycatcher, White-winged Magpie and Fork-tailed Sunbird, all of which are quite distinct. If still available, we also spend a day inside a hide overlooking a feeding area for Hainan Peacock Pheasant and Hainan Partridge, both of which are exceedingly unlikely otherwise. In addition, wintering species in the area could include Hartert’s Leaf Warbler and Asian Stubtail are possible, while at night, Mountain Scops Owl is also possible. Nights at Jianfengling.

‍Day 12:
Transfer back to Sanya Phoenix InternationalAirport and take two flights, Sanya – Kunming, then Kunming –Tengchong (TCZ). Night at Tengchong.
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‍Day 13:
Depending on the previous days flight will dictate how we spend the day. Either way, we drive to Hongbengche. If time available, we visit Yinjiang Wetland Park, for a stroll along the boardwalk, where Collared Myna is possible. In the afternoon we visit one of the lowland hides at Hornbill Valley, where the primary target will be White-cheeked Partridge. Each hide changes each season with the possibilities, but we also aim for Rufous-headed Parrotbill, White-hooded Babbler, Red-billed Scimitar Babbler and Collared Treepie this afternoon. Night at Hongbengche.

‍Days 14-15:
Full day and a morning at the hides and surrounding of Yingjiang Valley, Hongbenche. Main targets include Blue-naped and Rusty-naped Pitta, Grey Peacock-pheasant and Spot-breasted and Red-tailed Laughingthrushes. However, it’s not just the main targets that are of interest, it’s the insane number of other species that descend upon the arenas that have been setup by the local communities, and using photographic hides, gives us non-stop birding action through the day as we watch the variety of woodpeckers, babblers, scimitar-babbler, laughingthrushes (including Red-tailed, Black-throated, Grey-sided and Blue-winged), potentially both Rusty-naped and Blue-naped Pittas, fulvettas, bulbuls, White-hooded Babbler, Rufous-headed and Black-browed Parrotbill, Common Green Magpie, drongos, sunbirds, barbets, forktails, flycatchers, thrushes (with Dark-sided possible), Grey Peacock Pheasant and Kalij Pheasant – just the sheer variety of species, while we wait for the main targets makes for a really fun couple days here. Nights at Hongbengche.
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‍Days 16:
Drive to Baihualing, to the northeast, with likely birding on the way, or afternoon at Baihualing hide, depending on our previous days successes. Night at Baihualing.

‍Day 17-18:
Two full days in the hides at Baihualing – Red-tailed, Scaly, Blue-winged and Moustached Laughingthrush, Mrs Hume’s Pheasant, Black-breasted Thrush, Rufous-throated Partridge, and a variety of montane species, with a species composition slightly different from Yingjiang, with it being a higher altitude. Currently, there is no access to areas away from the hides, meaning chances of Grey-bellied Wren-babbler is extremely difficult, frustratingly – however, should it be possible, we will of course change our plans to fit this species into the itinerary. Nights at Baihualing.

Day 19:
Early morning drive north to Lijiang County. Birding for Yunnan Nuthatch, Moupinia/Rufous-tailed Babbler, Black-browed Bushtit and Eye-ringed Parrotbill (split from Brown-winged) on the way. Night at Liju.
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‍Day 20:
We have the morning, in a remote valley for Biet’s (White-speckled) Laughingthrush. Other species visiting could include several fulvetta and other laughingthrush species. Further up the valley, Rufous-tailedBabbler / Moupinia, Black-faced and Elliot’s Laughingthrush, Crested Finchbill, Brown-breasted Bulbul, Black-streaked Scimitar Babbler, Black-browed Bushtit and Spectacled, White-browed and Manipur Fulvettas will also be possible.Following birding here, we head to Lijiang, arriving at Lijiang International Airport (LJG) for departures.

Extensions
Please note: we will be offering the following extension, cost and confirmation depends on number of participants, please indicate to us if either are of interest:

‍Relict Gull
Day 1 of the tour would be devoted to visiting coastal mudflats a few hours from Beijing solely for this species. Departure would be pre-dawn, so either directly from airport, or you can arrive the previous evening.

Brown Eared Pheasant
Arriving two days earlier means that visiting the Brown Eared Pheasants near Taiyuan Airport, outside of Beijing is possible. Do let us know if it's of interest.