Classic North India Birds & Wildlife with Pilibhit Tiger Reserve

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Delhi

You will be met and transferred to the hotel.

Depending on your arrival time, we can arrange some birding in the Delhi area, most likely at Okhla Bird Sanctuary. Despite the pressures of an urban population approaching 20 million people, this small sanctuary on the banks of the polluted Yamuna River offers some excellent birding, with a good chance of the resident Striated Grassbird, Striated Babbler and possibly White-tailed Stonechat.

Day 2: Delhi to Bharatpur via Sultanpur

After enjoying breakfast, check out from your hotel in Delhi at 7:30 AM. Embark on a scenic drive to Sultanpur National Park, which takes approximately an hour. Spend the morning birdwatching at Sultanpur National Park, an ideal start to your tour. In the early afternoon, proceed to Bharatpur. Arrive in Bharatpur by evening, check in to your hotel, and unwind. Enjoy dinner at the hotel, followed by an overnight stay

Day 3: Bharatpur

Keoladeo National Park, better known as Bharatpur, has a history of large-scale hunting, but became a World Heritage Site in 1985. One of the most outstanding wetland reserves in Asia, it attracts large numbers of wildfowl, herons, storks, cranes, waders, owls and raptors, after the monsoon has refilled the shallow ‘jheels’. A full day birding in the park could well produce 150 species of birds. There is so much to see that we probably won’t leave for lunch, but will get a hot lunch delivered directly to us to enjoy the best of food and birding combined!

Day 4: National Chambal Gharial Wildlife Sanctuary

We will head south from Bharatpur for the day to visit Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary, with its unique wildlife. A boat trip on the river should give us superb views of Indian Skimmers and Black-bellied Terns, with both Marsh Mugger crocodiles and the fish-eating Gharial and, if we’re lucky, a Gangetic River Dolphin.

Day 5: Bharatpur to Noida via Agra and Taj Mahal

Rather than entering the park again today we will spend some time in the morning birding in the mostly agricultural areas around. Even though we’re concentrating on the birds, a trip to this part of India would seem incomplete without a visit to one of the most iconic manmade structures in the world, the Taj Mahal, which we shall do on our route back through Delhi.

Day 6: Noida to Haiderpur to Pilibhit Tiger Reserve

After an early breakfast, we drive to Haiderpur, a fabulous wetland area with a wide variety of birds like Bharatpur, but with extensive grassland areas that will bring us several new species. These could include Black-breasted and Streaked Weavers, Striated Babbler, Striated Grassbird, Indian Grassbird, Yellow-bellied Prinia, White-tailed Stonechat, and Moustached Warbler. We’ll spend the morning here before continuing the drive to Pilibhit.

Days 7-8: Pilibhit

We have two days dedicated to exploring the wonders of Pilibhit Tiger Reserve. Each day, we will embark on both morning and afternoon safaris, and witness the park’s diverse wildlife and stunning landscapes at different times of the day. Obviously seeing a Tiger could well be the main highlight, and Leopard and Sloth Bear are also possible, with herds of Swamp and Hog Deer in the open areas. Birds will include a variety of forest and grassland birds, such as Red Junglefowl, Rufous Turtle Dove, Black-hooded Oriole, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, and Chestnut-capped Babbler, and raptors and vultures should be well represented. There are several rarely encountered birds that have been recorded here in recent years. Top of the list are Jerdon’s Bushchat (beers on Mike in the evening if we find one!) and Bengal Florican, but others that would be especially pleasing to find include Swamp Francolin, Pied Harrier, Spot-bellied Eagle Owl, Great Hornbill, Grey-headed Lapwing, Golden-headed Cisticola, Hodgson’s Bushchat, and West Himalayan Bush Warbler.

Day 9: Pilibhit to Pangot, Nainital

After a morning birdwatching session outside the park, we will drive to Pangot, making stops along the way for additional birding opportunities. Arrive in Pangot by evening.

Days 10-11: Pangot

Pangot is a small hamlet in Uttarakhand near Nainital, and we will stay at Jungle Lore, India’s first and foremost birding lodge. The oak, pine and rhododendron forests here have excellent birding, including such desirable targets as Cheer and Koklass Pheasants, Upland Pipit and Grey-crowned Prinia, with a fine supporting cast including Bearded Vulture, Mountain Hawk-Eagle, Red-billed Blue Magpie, Himalayan and Rufous-bellied Woodpeckers, Siberian Rubythroat, Himalayan Bluetail, Blue-capped Redstart, Rufous-bellied Niltava, Blue-winged Minla, White-throated and White-crested Laughingthrushes etc.

Day 12: Pangot to Sattal

Following a morning birdwatching session, we drive to Sattal, with a packed lunch stop for convenience and roadside birding! Along the way, make stops to enjoy more birdwatching opportunities, and spend the rest of the day birding in the scenic area of Sattal.

Day 13: Sattal

Sattal is bounded by lush green hills and freshwater lakes, with similar bird life to Pangot and excellent photographic opportunities. Expect to see Green-tailed Sunbird, Eurasian Griffon, Red-billed Blue Magpie, Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker, Lesser Yellownape, Blue-throated and Golden-throated Barbets, Slaty-headed Parakeet, Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher, Red-billed Leothrix, Rufous-chinned Laughingthrush and Golden Bush Robin for example.

Day 14: Sattal to Delhi

After a morning’s birding, we make our way back to Delhi and the madness of the city’s outskirts after a peaceful spell away!

Day 15: Depart, or join Central India Tigers extension

Depending on flight time, it will be breakfast and a transfer to nearby Delhi airport for your flight out. But why not join the rest of us who head on for our fabulous Central India Tigers extension in the wonderful jungles of Kanha and Bandhavgarh?

Important information

As with all Bubo Birding tours, your booking is handled by Asian Adventures.

All our tours are guided by experienced local birding guides, with the support of Mike Prince in the planning, plus post-trip if you are struggling to identify some species from your photos! Mike also leads a few of these trips himself, and this will be made clear to you in the initial planning.

• Prices quoted are per person, assuming a group of 4 or more people.
• International flights are excluded.
• All travellers will require valid visas. Please apply via https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/. Most travellers will be able to apply for an eVisa, and we recommend doing this 6-8 weeks in advance of your trip, although they are usually issued in a few days.
• We may change the itinerary described due to various reasons such as latest birding information, availability of accommodation, state of the roads, and other unexpected factors that, this being India, do pop up from time to time!
• The price includes most meals, except typically where there are options at different prices and it makes sense for guests to decide for themselves at the time. See Asian Adventures for details.
• The final price and itinerary will be confirmed before booking and depending on your expected arrival and departure plans.

See Asian Adventures for full tour details, including accommodation, meal plans, what's included, other exclusions, prices for different group sizes, single room supplements, cancellation policy, and booking process.