The sole purpose of this expedition is to seek out the range-restricted, rare Western Tragopan, inside the stunning Great Himalayan National Park. A bird few birders have searched for. We were incredibly successful in 2022 and 2023 (skipping 2024), and hopefully our luck will continue!
In addition, some other range-restricted species are also possible - Nepal Cupping, White-cheeked Nuthatch, White-throated Bushtit, Spot-winged Starling, Black-and-yellow Grosbeak and Cheer Pheasant are all possible.
Day 1:
International arrivals into Delhi International Airport, and on to Chandigarh via a short internal flight. Night in Chandigarh.
Day 2:
Early morning birding in the Himalayan foothills, specifically to search for Spot-winged Starling. Continuing on, winding our way up through the Himalayan foothills will give us chance to search for some species not possible elsewhere on the tour, including Black-headed (Lanceolated) Jay. Night in Mandi.
Days 3-8:
We have six days inside Great Himalayan National Park with our primary aim to find a regal male Western Tragopan in the moss-drenched forest. We will be trekking and birding throughout, and camping each night, so a good level of fitness will be required. In addition, other Central Himalaya species will be possible, including White-throated Bushtit, Black-and-yellow Grosbeak, Nepal Cupwing, Pink-browed Rosefinch, Red-headed Bullfinch, Golden Bush Robin, Koklass Pheasant, Himalayan Monal and White-cheeked Nuthatch. In addition, Kalij Pheasant, Crested Kingfisher, Himalayan Bulbul, Grey-hooded, Whistler’s, Ashy-throated, Blyth’s Leaf Warblers, Brown Dipper, Grey-crested Tit, Little and Spotted Forktails, Dark-sided Flycatcher, Himalayan and Scaly-bellied Woodpeckers, Black-chinned Babbler, Streaked Laughingthrush, Lammergeier, Yellow-breasted Greenfinch, Rufous Sibia, Scaly-breasted Cupwing and Indian Blue Robin.
Day 9:
Morning in search of Cheer Pheasant, or other open country Himalayan species, including Upland Pipit. In the mid-morning we drive out of the Himalaya, down the foothills and back into the flatlands, arriving in Punjab state in the evening.
Day 10:
Early morning at Harike Wetlands for some casual birding, most likely in the rain! Rufous-vented Grass-babbler is possible however, as is White-tailed Stonechat, though whether we can access areas for Jerdon’s Babbler will depend on the recent rains, but we were able to without problem on our 2022 tour.
Afternoon flight back to Delhi to connect with international flights.
Note: for those not requiring to visit Harike, there is the option to fly back earlier to Delhi, with a cost reduction..
Day 11:
Departure from Delhi International Airport.
Deposit: £ 600 or $ 800
Single room supplement:
£ 185 / $ 230
Maximum group size: 6
Tour cost includes: all accommodation, main meals, internal flights as stated in itinerary, overland transport, entrance fees, drinking water, tips to local drivers and guides, and guide fees.
Tour cost excludes: International flights and departure taxes, visa, travel insurance, drinks, tips to tour guides, and other items of a personal nature.
Accommodation: comfortable twin-bed, and single rooms, all with private facilities outside of Great Himalayan National Park.
In Great Himalayan National Park it will be simple tented camps, with porters carrying our equipment.
Walking difficulty: fairly strenuous hiking in/out of Great Himalayan National Park on two days, with moderate walking in-between, up to 3,400m.
Expected number of species:
Fewer than 200 species.
Number of endemics and range-restricted species: the focus is on Western Tragopan in Great Himalayan National Park, along with other Central Himalayan specialities.
Our latest tour reports from the region
Photos of species from the country, and during the tour
