Our Northwest India birding tour covers the less traveled, endemic rich region of northwestern India from Punjab through Rajasthan to Guharat. Much of this part of the country is quite arid, with vast salt flats, desert, arid scrublands, and dry forest. It's quite different from other parts of India and hence has many birds not present elsewhere in India. We'll be looking for the critically endangered Indian Bustard, the poorly known Forest Owlet, and many other specialties during this tour. The best time for this tour is November to February before it becomes oppressively hot and while wintering migrants are still present. We stay in comfortable hotels and lodges throughout this tour.

 

 

 

The tour begins in Amritsar, a major cultural center of the Sikh religion. Before departing the city we'll stop by the extraordary Golden Temple and Akal Takht. The first two days of the tour will be devoted to exploring the wetlands around Harike for some regional specialties. We then have a long drive south to Rajasthan, where we'll visit Tal Chhapar Wildlife Sanctuary followed by stops at Jorbeer and the Khichan Demooiselle Feeding Station on our way to Jaisalmer. There we have two full days birding the fringes of the vast Thar Desert looking for the Indian Bustard and other specialties of this arid landscape After that, we move south to the town of Siyana for birding arid scrub habitats followed by an overnight stay at nearby Mount Abu where we'll seek out the poorly known Green Avadavat. Following transfer to Bajana, we have a full day to bird the vast salt plains of the Little Kann of Kutch. The tour continues on to Moti Virani in Gujarat Province for two full days of birding the Great Rann of Kutch. Finally, we take a short flight south to Mumbai where we'll spend an afternoon and following morning seeking out the diurnal, poorly known Forest Owlet in Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary. The tour ends at the airport in Mumbai.

 

 

ADDITIONAL INFO
(Not on Menu Above)

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

BIRDING LOCALES

• Great Rann of Kutch
• Harike Bird Sanctuary
• Jorbeer Vulture Conservation Center
• Little Rann of Kutch-Bajana Creek
• Moti Virani
• Mount Abu
• Siyana Area
• Tal Chhapar Sanctuary
• Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary
• Thar Desert