Tajikistan and Pakistan

Where the Himalaya and Karakorum collide

31st May - 16th June 2025

Leader: Rob Hutchinson

This exciting addition to our tours sees us combine Tajikistan and Pakistan in search of some of the regions least-known species. Visiting three of the most spectacular mountain ranges on earth – Himalaya, Karakorum and Pamir  –  to bring together dramatic scenery, rare wildlife, pretty alpine flowers and some of the most exciting birds in Asia. The tour is focused around four species in particular, Large-billed Reed Warbler, White-cheeked Bushtit, Orange Bullfinch and Long-billed Grasshopper Warbler, the latter virtually unknown in recent history until we found the species on our scouting trip in 2022. A mouth-watering array of ‘supporting species’ include Blyth’s Rosefinch, White-throated Bushtit, Kashmir Nutcracker, Brooks’s Leaf Warbler, Lanceolated Jay, Mountain Chiffchaff, and one of the world’s most formidable ungulates, Markhor!

‍Day 1:
Arrivals into Dushanbe International Airport, Tajikistan. Afternoon at Tigrovaya Balka Reserve in search of Yellow-eyed Dove, White-winged Woodpecker and Eastern OlivaceousWarbler. Overnight at Bokhtar.
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Day 2:
Today we head east, stopping at Kulob Botanical Gardens for some birding with a chance of migrants, before continuing to Dashtijum, an idyllically-located village on the edge of the Pamir mountains. From here we take the Landcruisers off-road, and into the mountains, to our starting point of our walk. Walk to camp, with mountainsides beginning to bloom with the onset of summer. During the walk, we are likely to encounter Red-headed, White-capped and Rock Buntings, Hume’sWhitethroat, chance of a few vultures, along with several recently-arrived migrant passerines, hopefully including Plain Leaf Warbler which is right on the edge of its range here. Camping.

Day 3:
We wake early to scan for Markhor, in an area where both male and females are present – we’ll be hoping to obtain good scope views of huge, corkscrew-horned males. Birding wise, we can expect White-capped, Red-headed and Rock Buntings,Hume’s Whitethroat, White-winged Woodpecker, Indian Golden Oriole and Chukar during the morning. After hiking back down, we make our way along the Panj River with Afghanistan just across the border. Stops along the way could produce breeding Indian Paradise-flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher and BlueWhistling-thrush. Surrounding habitat, could yield a few additional species, including Variable Wheatear, Eastern Rock Nuthatch, Eastern Orphean Warbler, Upcher’s Warbler and White-throated Robin. When we reach areas of lush, riparian vegetation by the river we will stop to look for the enigmatic Large-billed Reed Warbler. A species known only from a single specimen collected in 1867 before being sensationally rediscovered in a mist-net in central Thailand in 2006. Subsequently, it was discovered here along the Panj River, and in neighbouring Afghanistan. Meanwhile, revisiting museum specimens of the extremely similar Blyth’s Reed Warbler, further specimens were found from Afghanistan, Myanmar, India and Pakistan. Overnight at either Vamar or Khorog.

Day 4:
We have more chances to look for Large-billed Reed Warbler this morning,Tajikistan being the only accessible area to reliably see the species. Birding the tamarisk-dominated riparian habitat, we can also expect Eurasian Nightingale, Cetti’s Warbler, Streaked Laughingthrush, Indian Golden Oriole and a ‘Lesser Whitethroat’ that was thought to be Hume’s, but is likely another taxa. From here we continue to eastwards along the Gunt River towards Bulunkul, stopping along the way to scan for Himalayan Snowcock in suitable habitat. In the afternoon we have first chances to look for Tibetan Sandgrouse at Bulunkul. Night in Yurts near Bulunkul Hotsprings.
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Day 5:
Morning birding near Bulunkul again, primarily in search of Tibetan Sandgrouse, with further chances of Himalayan Snowcock. We then retrace our route to Khorog for an overnight stay in Khorog.

‍Day 6:
A day birding along the Panj River, with chances to enjoy Large-billed Reed Warbler again. As well as birding here, if we are successful early on, we can spend some time in the surrounding hillsides, which is still little-known, buthas the chances of several interesting species. We have all day along the Panj as our next accommodation will be along the river at Kalai-Khumb.

‍Day 7:
Today we head back to Dushanbe, with stops along the way. We plan to arrive in Dushanbe in time to soak in some of the cultural highlights that are dotted around the city. Night at Dushane.
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‍Days 8:
A travel day as we head to Islamabad (ISB) in Pakistan via Dubai or Abu Dhabi. Night at Islamabad.

‍Day 9:
We begin our Pakistan birding at the Margalla Hills on the outskirts of Islamabad, with morning and afternoon sessions concentrating on finding White-cheeked Bushtit, a near-endemics shared only with a small area of Afghanistan. Walking a wide track through the low-canopy forest, at around 1,500m we can also expectGrey-hooded Warbler, White-throated Fantail, Indian White-eye, Blue-throated Blue Flycatcher and Rusty-cheeked Scimitar-babbler to be common while we search for the low-density, unobtrusive bushtit. There is a small stream that is an absolute magnet for birds coming to drink and bath between mid-morning and mid-afternoon, should it be hot enough. On a previous visit, large numbers ofIndian Paradise-flycatcher, Speckled Piculet, Grey-winged Blackbird,Black-chinned Babbler, Blue-throated Barbet, Crested Bunting, Kalij Pheasant,Orange-headed Thrush, Ashy Drongo, and a variety of bulbuls were a constant presence, offering views down to just a few metres as they were unconcerned by our presence. Birding the higher hills, where conifer is the dominant tree, there’s a good chance of both Lanceolated (Black-headed) Jay and Himalayan Parakeet – we bird here only once our time is done lower down with the bushtit! Night at Islamabad.
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‍Day 10:
A flexible morning depending on our success the previous day, but we do plan formornings birding somewhere around Margalla Hills once again, before we head north into the Himalaya. An excellent new motorway takes us much of the way before we suddenly hit narrow, windy roads as we enter the Kaghan valley for the last third of the journey, for two nights. There are no birding opportunities on the way, so we’ll make the most of our time either around Islamabad, or have some afternoon birding at Shogran. Night at Shogran.

‍Day 11:
‍We have a day and a half birding the gorgeous Kaghan Valley, our primary target here is Orange Bullfinch that breeds in small numbers along the treeline. In the early morning we take hard-seated, local jeeps up a dusty track to the treeline. The early to mid-morning here is alive with birds, where we bird open glades and the treeline to see what comes our way. Regional breeding endemics including White-cheekedNuthatch, Black-and-yellow Grosbeak, Pink-browed Rosefinch, Rufous-naped Tit, GoldenBush Robin and Tytler's Leaf Warbler all likely, as is White-throated Bushtit, a species we rarely see in India, though Spectacled Finch is unlikely to be seen. During late morning and afternoon we can bird the forest itself, to see if we can find Kashmir Nuthatch too. Night at Shogran.

‍Day 12:
We revisit the treeline once more during the early morning, hopefully with further Orange Bullfinch action, before heading back down to the hotel for breakfast in the garden. By late morning we take the winding road north, through the Kaghan Valley, depending on our time will make us decide what to do, but we have plenty of time to be flexible as we head to our accommodation (85km / 3 hours + stops). If time, and willingness, a detour from our route takes us to a large tract of forest where Kashmir Nuthatch is likely, along with other species such as Chestnut-eared Bunting, Yellow-breasted Greenfinch and other western Himalayan species. Night at Mansehra. 

‍Day 13:
Today is a travel day. However, it’s quite a spectacular one. We’ll depart at the crack of dawn, as we head out of the Kaghan Valley, steeply up-and-over the Babusar Pass, with few birding opportunities. The 4,173m pass at Babusar is likely where we’ll have breakfast at the restaurant just shy of the top. There are surprisingly few birds up here, though being here early morning should mean we avoid the crowds so we could have a wander close to the road. Though it’s relatively unknown what occurs here, it’s worth keeping an eye out for Tibetan Blackbird, Brandt’s Mountain Finch, Altai Accentor, Sulphur-bellied Warbler, Horned Lark, both chough species, and Snow Pigeon. We should even listen out for Himalayan Snowcock on any distant craggy areas. After descending down the other side of the pass, we enter Gilgit-Baltistan province, where we will likely have to show passports and sign-in at a military checkpoint.

The habitat changes markedly here, with vegetation disappearing as the mighty Karakorum mountain range comes into view as we hit the Indus River, with some of the most dramatic scenery on earth as we head north along the fabled Karakorum Highway towards Gilgit. Hume’s and Variable Wheatears area possible in this dry-zone, though birds are few-and-far between along this narrow highway. Continuing north, flanking theIndus, with the stupendous Karakorum all around us, we eventually reach the historical trading town of Gilgit for a late lunch, situated along the Gilgit River, whereby we then switch rivers once again, and follow the Hunza River north, along one of the fabled Silk Road trading routes. Eventually we turnoff, and head up into a remote valley, Naltar Valley, to our guesthouses for the night. Night at Naltar Valley.
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‍Days 14-15:
‍We have two full days birding the Naltar Valley where in June 2022, James rediscovered Long-billed GrasshopperWarbler, a species that has only been seen on some five occasions since the1930s. Obviously this is the purpose of our visit here, and we will spend the time required to search for it in what little habitat remains – the chief reason for its decline. The rest of our time will be spent birding the scrub and coniferous forest. In the scrub, Mountain Chiffchaff, Himalayan Rubythroat, Hume’s Whitethroat, Rock Bunting and Black Redstart are common, while we have a good chance of finding the seldom-seen Blyth’s Rosefinch.

Higher up the valley, along a slow, bumpy road, birding in the conifer zone we can expect to find KashmirNutcracker, Brooks’s and Tytler’s Leaf Warblers, White-cheeked Nuthatch, Rufous-naped Tit, Dark-sided Flycatcher, while we also have a further chances of Blyth’s Rosefinch. In the upper conifer zones lies the Naltar Snow Leopard Sanctuary, which houses an orphaned female Snow Leopard named ‘Lovely’. The valley does still have Snow Leopards on the highest peaks, along with Himalayan Ibex, though we’re unlikely to find either at this time of year.
If time allows, we’ll venture to the furthest point of the road, at the scenic Blue Lake – this area is ornithologically very little-known, so we could well add a few species to the checklist should we reach this far. Nights at Naltar Valley.
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‍Day 16:
‍Fly back from Gilgit Airport to Islamabad to connect with international departures from Islamabad International Airport (ISB).