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Kumaon Area of North India is one
of the best areas for Birding and below is an itinerary that involves minimum
travel and maximum coverage in terms of areas around Kumaon.
| Day
01 | Delhi-Pangot Meals:
lunch & dinner | Drive
in the morning to Pangot (8 hours), a journey that takes you on one of the world's
more spectacular mountain roads as we climb up into the Kumaon Hills on our way
to this delightful "lake city". Afternoon birding with a guide near
the lodge. One can stop along the way to look for birds that may include blue
whistling thrush, red-billed blue magpie, blue-capped redstart, rusty-tailed flycatcher,
grey-backed shrike, yellow-breasted green finch etc. Overnight stay at Jungle
Lore Birding Lodge. | | Day
02 | Pangot Meals:
breakfast, lunch & dinner | Birding
at Pangot, Baggar, Timla Pani, Cheena Peak & Nainital. One can see slaty-headed
& red-breasted parakeet, grey bushchat, long-tailed & grey-backed shrike,
common kestrel, besra, chestnut-bellied rock thrush etc. Streaked laughing thrush
is a common garden bird here. | | Day
03 | Saatal
day excursion Meals: breakfast, packed
lunch & dinner | Drive
in the morning to Saatal (2 hours). The habitat offers species such as white-crested
laughingthrush, rufous-gorgeted flycatcher, red-billed leothrix, Siberian rubythroat,
rock bunting etc. This scattered and deliberately undeveloped area is one of the
most pleasant destinations. Look for rufous-chinned & white crested laughing
thrush, rufous-breasted accentor, greater yellow-naped flameback, speckled piculet
etc. Proceed to Mukteshwar. . Enroute witness the glorious sun set behind the
mountains as you approach 7500 ft. ASL Overnight stay at Mukteshwar - Mountain
Trail Resort (45 KMs , 1.5 Hours ). |
| Day 04 |
Mukteshwar – Mountain Trail Boutique Resort Meals
: Dinner | Arrive
Mukteshwar , atop a ridge 7500 ft. ASL exudes a charm unrivalled by another place
in the Kumaon hills . A Tranquil Hamlet providing one of the widest , most panoramic
views of the Great Himalayan Ranges which fills the entire horizon from West to
East . Eve .at leisure Enjoy the Bon – Fire over a Intra Birding Update . |
| Day
05 | Mukteshwar
– Mountain Trail Boutique Resort Meals
: Bed Tea , Breakfast , Packed Lunch & Dinner |
Birding in the Mukteshwar Forests
, Fiest your eyes with the Lammergeier , Himalayan Griffon , Crested Serpent Eagle
, Common Buzard , Steppe Eagle , Mountain Hawk Eagle , Common Kestrel , Kalij
Pheasant , Oriental Turtle Dove , Slaty Headed Parakeet , Asian Barred Owlet ,
Himalayan Swiftlet , White Rumped Needletail , Common Hoopoe , Grey Headed woodpecker
, White Throated Fantail , Eurasian Jay , Green Treepie , Long Taled Minivet ,
Chestnut bellied Rockthrush , Grey Winged Black Bird , Little Pied Flycatcher
, Golden Bush Robbin , Blue-capped Redstart , Black-backed Forktail , Brownish-flanked
Bush Warbler , Black-throated Tit , Common Stonechat , Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch,
Spotted Creeper , Plain Martin , Himalayan Bulbul etc. |
| Day 06 |
Pangot-Corbett National Park Meals:
breakfast & dinner | Drive
to Corbett National Park in the morning stopping en route for birding at Mongoli
Valley. Corbett Tiger reserve has a spectacular avifauna diversity. Great hornbill,
Pallas's fish eagle, grey-headed & lesser fish eagle, red-collared falconet
etc. are some of the rare birds that are found in Corbett. More birds include
jungle owlet, scaly-bellied woodpecker, red-breasted parakeet, Himalayan swiftlet,
stork-billed & crested kingfisher and white-tailed & Siberian rubythroat.
Tiger Camp makes an ideal base for birding. |
| Day 07 |
Dhikala Forest Lodge (Corbett National Park)
Meals: breakfast & dinner |
Drive early morning to Dhikala
tourism zone. Arrive at the main tourist complex in the afternoon. Afternoon visit
to the grasslands for birding. Overnight stay at Dhikala Forest Lodge. Birding
in the lower jungle track along the Ramganga river is very rewarding for water
birds such as river lapwings, waders, mergansers and other waterfowl. While relaxing
at the lodge or visiting the grasslands one can see long-tailed nightjar, jungle
owlet, spot-bellied owl, common stonechat, black francolin, purple and crimson
sunbird, golden-fronted & orange-bellied leafbird, black-shouldered kite,
hen harrier, changeable hawk-eagle, chestnut-tailed starling etc. |
| Day
08 | Corbett
National Park Meals: breakfast, lunch &
dinner | Morning
elephant safari through the grasslands and dense forests. This is the best mode
of transport for tiger-tracking. Return for breakfast and then spend time till
lunch on a watchtower overlooking a water hole. Drive to Tiger Camp stopping en
route for birding. Some of the best birding areas of Dhikala are Sambhar Road
and Khinanauli. One can expect to see great slaty woodpecker, great hornbill,
puff-throated babbler, white-rumped shama, pallas's fish eagle etc. Arrive Tiger
Camp for dinner and overnight stay. |
| Day 09 |
Corbett National Park-Delhi Meals:
breakfast | You will
explore the river edge at Kumeria for tawny & brown fish owl, Asian barred
owlet, plumbeous redstart, brown dipper and the three species of forktails. Other
species that are possible in the forest are crested tree swift, spangled drongo,
blue bearded bee-eater etc. Drive back to Delhi at noon. Arrive Delhi in the evening
(6-hour drive). | •
Bird sightings depend greatly on season, timing, and patience.
• Sightings
mentioned in the itinerary are only a guide and cannot be guaranteed. Cost
Estimate : On Request Accommodation
on twin sharing basis
Cost Estimate to Include
• Meals as per the itinerary
• Birding
with a guide at all places
• Jungle visits in Corbett National Park in a jeep,
elephant back and on foot, as per
the itinerary
• Park
entrance fees in Corbett National Park
• All surface transfers
Cost Estimate not to include:
• Optional tours/excursions Personal
& incidental expenses
• Tips, laundry, phone calls, bottled water, alcohol,
camera fee etc.
• Meals unless specified and meals in transit.
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- Section Contains Photographs taken by Nivalink Team.