Upcoming Tours

The Gujarat coast is one of the richest areas for wintering waterbirds in India and we start in Jamnagar where sites such as Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary will show us thousands of flamingos and hopefully large flocks of one of our main targets here, Crab Plover.

Gir National Park is the only site remaining in India for the Asiatic Lion. The local population is currently doing well with an estimated 600 lions, and we also have a reasonable chance of seeing a Leopard. Birds include Mottled Wood Owl, Brown Fish Owl, Painted Sandgrouse, Indian Pitta, Red-headed Vulture, and Barred Buttonquail.

Velavadar National Park protects a large remaining area of grassland, a habitat very much threatened elsewhere, with a spectacular evening harrier roost. It is famous for its Blackbucks, Wolf and Striped Hyena. Birds include Common Crane, Dalmatian Pelican, Eastern Imperial Eagle, and Painted Francolin, as well as the rare Stoliczka’s Bushchat.

This special tour focusses on one main bird that, sadly, could well be extinct in our lifetimes. As well as the spectacular Great Indian Bustard, the Thar Desert of Rajasthan provides some wonderful birding in one of India’s richest cultural regions.

First, we will spend time at India’s most famous bird reserve, the Keoladeo National Park, or Bharatpur. From there we will enjoy one of India’s avian spectacles at close quarters, the wintering flock of thousands of Demoiselle Cranes at Khichan. Other key birds include Spotted and Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Yellow-eyed Pigeon, Stoliczka’s Bushchat, and a fine assortment of cranes, raptors, larks, wheatears and buntings.

This tour is specially arranged so that you can take just one week off work or school – Spring half-term in February is the perfect time of year for Rajasthan – and be back in the office (or school) on Monday morning to regale your colleagues!

Is there a better introduction to India, its scenery, wildlife and birds, than this classic tour from Delhi? For the first-time visitor it is perfect, and the enormous variety of birds throughout means it is always a thrill, even for the regular birder.

We start with big cats, with an afternoon safari at Jhalana giving a good chance of seeing a Leopard, and then to Ranthambore National Park, where Tigers here have been reputed to be fearless of human presence and are often seen during the daytime, so it is one of the best places to see wild tigers anywhere in the world.

Keoladeo National Park, better known as Bharatpur, is well-known to birders as one of the most outstanding wetland reserves in Asia, attracting large numbers of wildfowl, herons, storks, cranes, waders, owls and raptors. A boat on the river at the nearby Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary should give us superb views of Indian Skimmers and Black-bellied Terns, with the fish-eating Gharial crocodile and, if we’re lucky, a Gangetic River Dolphin.

After seeing the Taj Mahal, we move to Corbett National Park, a scenic reserve with a bird species list approximately the same as Britain and Ireland! Some of the more interesting include Pallas’s and Lesser Fish Eagles, Tawny Fish Owl, Great Slaty Woodpecker, Ibisbill, Wallcreeper, Hodgson’s Bushchat, Rosy Minivet and Himalayan Rubythroat.

Just three hours’ drive away and the habitat, and birdlife, changes drastically as we get our first views of the mighty Himalayas. 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, Bearded Vulture, Upland Pipit and Grey-crowned Prinia.

Chopta in the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary provides some excellent winter and spring birding, and fantastic landscapes. A mix of pine and deodar forest with rhododendrons, amidst lush ‘bugyals’ or grassy meadows, it is probably the best and most easily accessible place in India to see the stunning ‘nine-coloured’ state bird of Uttarakhand, the Himalayan Monal. That alone would be worth the long drive, but the area has much more to offer.

The Eastern Himalaya region teems with biodiversity, including some very special birds and mammals. Manas National Park is a tiger reserve on the Bhutan border, and part of an important elephant corridor. It has a fantastic selection of mammals including the gorgeous Golden Langur. For birds it is a prime site for the critically endangered Bengal Florican, and may also produce Black-tailed Crake, Pied Harrier, Wreathed Hornbill, Red-headed Trogon, Indian Grassbird, Hodgson’s Bushchat and Rufous-vented Laughingthrush.

Cherrapunjee is famous for being one of the wettest places in the world. For birders though, the Tawny-breasted Wren-babbler is one key reason to visit: a poorly known endemic species that is almost entirely restricted to Meghalaya.

Northeast India is one of the most bird-rich regions in the world. The dense forests are home to various species of skulking babblers and similarly plumaged warblers, but also beautiful pheasants and other stunners including the recently discovered Bugun Liocichla.

We start this tour with a visit to lowland Nameri National Park on the Jia Bhoreli river, which has a wide variety of species including Pied Falconet, Oriental Hobby and White-winged Duck. Dirang is our next stop, the base for exploring the Sangti Valley, Mandala Road and, weather-permitting, the high-altitude Sela Pass. At 4,200m, there are birds here that are extremely difficult to find elsewhere in Arunachal and we will hope to connect with Himalayan Monal, Blood Pheasant, Solitary Snipe and Grandala.

Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary needs little introduction to birdwatchers. Unusually for Arunachal Pradesh, this montane forest has the advantage of easy access to a wide altitudinal range thanks to a jeep track which cuts through its heart from Eaglenest Pass at 2800 m down to the flood plains of Assam at 100 m. Eaglenest gained fame when Bugun Liocichla was described, new to science, in 2006. As well as that, we will hope to see many other excellent birds, including Blyth’s and Temminck’s Tragopans, Rufous-necked Hornbill, Ward’s Trogon, Blackish-breasted Babbler (Sikkim Wedge-billed Babbler), Long-billed Wren-babbler, Beautiful Nuthatch, and many more.

Kaziranga National Park is our final stop, with its Indian Rhinoceros, Wild Water Buffalo, Asian Elephant, and a chance of Tiger. Several localised and endangered birds such as Bengal Florican and Greater Adjutant will be amongst our many targets.

The Mishmi Hills is the main focus of this tour, but the lowland wet forest at Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuaryhas some fantastic birding as well, including the rare Brown Hornbill and White-winged Duck, and we will also visit Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, a patchwork of seasonally flooded forests, beels (shallow ponds), and grassy pockets between the arms of the rivers Dibru and the Brahmaputra. Excellent grassland supports a range of rare and specialised birds including the threatened Marsh Babbler, Jerdon’s Babbler, Black-breasted Parrotbill, Swamp Grass-Babbler, and this is the best place in India to see Jerdon’s Bushchat .

The Mishmi Hills of northeastern Arunachal Pradesh has become popular in recent years as travel restrictions in the state have eased. The area covers a large altitudinal range over a relatively short ground distance which means bird diversity is excellent. The highlight species is the localised Mishmi, or Rusty-throated, Wren-babbler which, after being described from one specimen collected in 1947, was not seen again until 2004. Other superb birds include Blyth’s Tragopan, Sclater’s Monal, Himalayan Owl, Chevron-breasted Babbler (Cachar Wedge-billed Babbler), Gould’s Shortwing, and Purple and Green Cochoas. One highlight will be a stay at the bizarre Mayodia Coffee House where we can guarantee that you certainly won’t get good coffee!

This is a specialist birding trip in the spectacular Great Himalayan National Park, focussed on the stunning, enigmatic and very seldom seen Western Tragopan. Find yourself in the midst of this pristine landscape of the mighty Himalayas, enjoying some fantastic birding and hopefully one of the least observed birds in India! As well as the tragopan we hope to see Cheer and Koklass Pheasants, Himalayan Monal, Bearded Vulture, White-cheeked Nuthatch, Spotted Nutcracker, Pink-browed Rosefinch, Collared Grosbeaks and more.

This tour is specially arranged so that you can take just one week off work or school – Summer half-term in May is the perfect time of year for Tragopans – and be back in the office (or school) on Monday morning to regale your colleagues (or school friends, if they’re interested!) with stories of an unforgettable week!

Kashmir and Ladakh, across the Himalayas, offer a stark contrast to the rest of the country, in landscape and culture as well as birds and wildlife. We will be mainly concentrating on localised breeding species on this tour, such as Black-necked Crane, Ibisbill, Kashmir Nuthatch, and Kashmir Flycatcher.

A few days based in Srinagar (staying on a houseboat on the edge of Dal Lake) will be spent exploring surrounding forests and valleys, including Dachigam National Park, where we may see Kashmir Nutcracker, Kashmir and Rusty-tailed Flycatchers, and Black-and-yellow Grosbeak. There is also a chance of two amazing finches, Spectacled Finch and the very local Orange Bullfinch.

We travel overland from Kashmir to Ladakh and into the Nubra Valley where two key species are White-browed Tit Warbler and, recently discovered in India, Pale Rosefinch. We then head east to our base at the Tso Kar lake and plains, at over 4,500 m. Black-necked Crane breeds here and we could also see Tibetan Snowcock, Tibetan Partridge, Upland Buzzard, Ground-Tit, Brown Accentor, Güldenstädt’s Redstart, and Mongolian Finch. Tibetan Wild Ass (Kiang) is common here, and we might also find ‘Shanku’, the Tibetan Wolf.

Kashmir and Ladakh, across the Himalayas, offer a stark contrast to the rest of the country, in landscape and culture as well as birds and wildlife. We will be mainly concentrating on localised breeding species on this tour, such as Black-necked Crane, Ibisbill, Kashmir Nuthatch, and Kashmir Flycatcher.

A few days based in Srinagar (staying on a houseboat on the edge of Dal Lake) will be spent exploring surrounding forests and valleys, including Dachigam National Park, where we may see Kashmir Nutcracker, Kashmir and Rusty-tailed Flycatchers, and Black-and-yellow Grosbeak. There is also a chance of two amazing finches, Spectacled Finch and the very local Orange Bullfinch.

We travel overland from Kashmir to Ladakh and into the Nubra Valley where two key species are White-browed Tit Warbler and, recently discovered in India, Pale Rosefinch. We then head east to our base at the Tso Kar lake and plains, at over 4,500 m. Black-necked Crane breeds here and we could also see Tibetan Snowcock, Tibetan Partridge, Upland Buzzard, Ground-Tit, Brown Accentor, Güldenstädt’s Redstart, and Mongolian Finch. Tibetan Wild Ass (Kiang) is common here, and we might also find ‘Shanku’, the Tibetan Wolf.

Among the rugged mountain landscapes of Ladakh, lives possibly the most elusive of the big cats: the Snow Leopard. As pioneers of this specially designed trip, Asian Adventures have tweaked it over 15 years to give us the optimum chance of spotting one of these beautiful creatures. Our trained guides and local trackers almost always ensure at least a glimpse of this magnificent predator in its natural habitat. We will also enjoy the other unique wildlife of this high-altitude habitat, including Asiatic Ibex, Bharal (Blue Sheep), Argali, and Tibetan Wolf.

Ladakh also supports some local and specialised birds. Expect to see Golden Eagle, Himalayan Vulture, Himalayan Snowcock, Ibisbill, Brown Dipper, Yellow-billed Chough, Sulphur-bellied Warbler, Robin Accentor, Red-fronted Serin and Black-winged (Tibetan) Snowfinch.

This is a pioneering short extension to our Ladakh Snow Leopard expedition in search of another awe-inspiring large mammal, the ‘Dren-mo’, or Himalayan Brown Bear. In recent years sightings have been fairly regular around the town of Dras, 3,280m in the Kargil district of Ladakh, otherwise noted for being possibly the coldest inhabited place in India!

As well as Brown Bear and the stunning scenery of this seldom-visited region, there will be plenty wildlife to see. Although it is a short tour specially concentrating on Brown Bear, we will of course manage to see several good birds at the same time. Expect to see Bearded Vulture, Ibisbill, Wallcreeper, Himalayan Rubythroat and Robin Accentor. Keen birders amongst us will be searching for Long-billed Bush Warbler, a species only once reported since 1933!

The Neora Valley National Park provides fantastic birding and a great introduction to the Eastern Himalayas, with birds more confiding than in the Northeast for example. Coupled with the magnificent Singalila National Park, where there is a very good chance of seeing the cutest of mammals, the Red Panda, this is a marvellous wildlife tour.

We start in the foothills of the Himalayas, between the Teesta and Mahananda rivers, at Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary, ascend to the town of Lava and the nearby Neora Valley National Park. where we will explore several birding trails in both upper and lower ridges of the Neora Valley, and the famous Lava to Algarah road. Birds could include Himalayan Cutia, Red-headed Trogon, Rufous-throated Wren Babbler, Rufous-necked Laughingthrush, Rusty-bellied Shortwing, Black-throated Parrotbill and Blue-fronted Robin.

From Neora Valley we will spend time in Darjeeling, including a birding visit to the extensive bamboo forest around Tiger Hill, for Spotted Laughingthrush, Slender-billed Scimitar-Babbler, Golden-breasted Fulvetta, Gould’s Shortwing, and Brown Parrotbills.

After Darjeeling we head to Singalila National Park on the India – Nepal border. Its mix of temperate and alpine vegetation, with beautiful flora including rhododendrons, magnolia and many orchids, is home to the elusive Red Panda, and this is by far the best place in India to find them. We will look for them each day, with the help of local trackers, but not exclusively, for this is a wonderful birding location too.

The Eastern Himalaya region teems with biodiversity, including some very special birds and mammals. Manas National Park is a tiger reserve on the Bhutan border, and part of an important elephant corridor. It has a fantastic selection of mammals including the gorgeous Golden Langur. For birds it is a prime site for the critically endangered Bengal Florican, and may also produce Black-tailed Crake, Pied Harrier, Wreathed Hornbill, Red-headed Trogon, Indian Grassbird, Hodgson’s Bushchat and Rufous-vented Laughingthrush.

Cherrapunjee is famous for being one of the wettest places in the world. For birders though, the Tawny-breasted Wren-babbler is one key reason to visit: a poorly known endemic species that is almost entirely restricted to Meghalaya.

Northeast India is one of the most bird-rich regions in the world. The dense forests are home to various species of skulking babblers and similarly plumaged warblers, but also beautiful pheasants and other stunners including the recently discovered Bugun Liocichla.

We start this tour with a visit to lowland Nameri National Park on the Jia Bhoreli river, which has a wide variety of species including Pied Falconet, Oriental Hobby and White-winged Duck. Dirang is our next stop, the base for exploring the Sangti Valley, Mandala Road and, weather-permitting, the high-altitude Sela Pass. At 4,200m, there are birds here that are extremely difficult to find elsewhere in Arunachal and we will hope to connect with Himalayan Monal, Blood Pheasant, Solitary Snipe and Grandala.

Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary needs little introduction to birdwatchers. Unusually for Arunachal Pradesh, this montane forest has the advantage of easy access to a wide altitudinal range thanks to a jeep track which cuts through its heart from Eaglenest Pass at 2800 m down to the flood plains of Assam at 100 m. Eaglenest gained fame when Bugun Liocichla was described, new to science, in 2006. As well as that, we will hope to see many other excellent birds, including Blyth’s and Temminck’s Tragopans, Rufous-necked Hornbill, Ward’s Trogon, Blackish-breasted Babbler (Sikkim Wedge-billed Babbler), Long-billed Wren-babbler, Beautiful Nuthatch, and many more.

Kaziranga National Park is our final stop, with its Indian Rhinoceros, Wild Water Buffalo, Asian Elephant, and a chance of Tiger. Several localised and endangered birds such as Bengal Florican and Greater Adjutant will be amongst our many targets.

India is blessed with countless wildlife experiences, from the jungles, to the deserts, and everything in between. This tour to Central India is the perfect itinerary to enjoy India’s birds whilst giving yourself the best possible chance of seeing wild Tigers! We cover two reserves, Bandhavgarh and Kanha National Parks, with excellent populations and reliable sightings of tigers.

We start with India’s most famous bird reserve, Keoladeo National Park, more commonly known as Bharatpur, which guarantees spectacular wetland birding. A boat ride along the Chambal river, the best place in India to see the fish-eating crocodile Gharial, Ganges River Dolphin, and highly threatened birds including Indian Skimmer. It’s not just wildlife on this tour either, for from Agra we include two Indian must-dos: a visit to the majestic Taj Mahal, followed by the Indian Railways experience with an overnight sleeper train.