Our standard birding tour to Bhutan covers many of the best birding sites in the country. In addition to birding, Bhutan is a culturally fascinating country, especially the School of Arts and Crafts and several museums in Thimphu, the elaborately decorated Punakha Dzong, and the many stupas or chortens found throughout the country in towns and in mountain passes. Many of the mountain passes are adorned with banners and prayer flags as well in this deeply religious country. The topography of Bhutan offers majestic scenery in the foothills of the Himalayas, sometimes challenging roads that can be quite narrow on steep mountainsides in places, and of course superb birding from the lowlands near the southern border with India, subtropical foest in the foothills, temperate forest at middle altitudes, and alpine meadows in high elevation passes through the mountains. In 2021 Bhutan increased its sustainable development tax to $200/day for each person visiting the country, making tours quite expensive. However, the tax was temporarily reduced in 2023 to $100/day, and this reduction has been extended now through 2027, so the best time to visit this fascinating country is soon. Finally, we can honestly say that our prices for birding tours to Bhutan are much better than most competing tour operators because we rely on expert buides in Bhutan and do not have to pay the sustainable development tax and other expenses for a foreign guide to lead the tour.

Our tour begins with international arrival at the airport in Paro on the morning of the first day of our tour followed by transfer to the capital city of Thimphu. We recommend flying to Paro from Bangkok on days when early morning flights are available. Upon arrival, we have a good chance to seeing the unique Ibisbill along the river not far from the airport. From there we transfer to Thimphu, about an hour's drive. We'll have the afternoon to visit the extraordinary School of Arts and Crafts in Thimphu. The following morning we'll drive north to Jigme Dorji National Park to bird that section of the park followed by an afternoon visiting several cultural sites in Thimphu. From Thimphu we'll drive over Dochu La (Pass) to Punakha with birding en route. In the afternoon we'll visit the famous Punakha Dzong, a site not be be missed. We then head south to Damphu in the Tsirang District, an area of superb birding in temperate forest. En route we'll stop to look for the critically endangered White-bellied Heron at a site where it is known to nest. After an overnight stay in Damphu, we'll retrace our steps back north and then eastward to Trongsa for an overnight stay there. From there we drive south for an overnight stay in Tingtibi, located in the northern-most extent of Royal Manas Natonal Park. We continue back north to the highlands beyond Trongsa to the Bumthag Valley, stopping at the Tharpaling Monastery to view Himalayan Monals. Then continue eastward birding the highlands around Sengor and Namling, eventually reaching our lodge in the highlands above Yongko La. We'll spend the following two full days birding that area before retracing our steps back to Chumey. From Chumey we'll drive back west past to Trongsa to the Phobjikha Valley for an overnight stay. The next morning we'll bird the old road at Pele La before driving back to Paro. Once in Paro we'll devote one day to hiking up to the famous Tiger's Nest Monastery and the following day birding the highlads of Chele La and wetlands outside Paro. The tour ends at the airport in Paro after a final overnight stay at our hotel there.

 

 

ADDITIONAL INFO
(Not on Menu Above)

• Country Map
• Accommodations
• Photos from Past Tours
• Travel Information

BIRDING LOCALES

• Bumthang
• Chele La Pass
• Dochu La
• Jigme Dorji National Park
• Mangde Chhu River Forest
• Pele La Pass
• Phobjikha Valley
• Punakha
• Tharpaling Monastery
• Tingtibi Area
• Trongsa Area
• Tsirang
• Yongko La
• Yotong La