Day 1: Bagdogra to Selep
Arrivals into India's Bagdogra airport this morning. Once our group has assembled, we’ll set out on the drive north into Sikkim to the sleepy village of Selep for a two-night stay. We will no doubt stop for some roadside birding as we climb into the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas and will arrive in time for some initial exploration of the area. Wedged between Nepal and Bhutan, with the Tibetan plateau to the north, Sikkim hosts the most humid tract of the Himalayan chain, and this is reflected in the richness of its forest habitats, particularly here in the mid-altitudes. At 1,980m we will already be seeing our first Himalayan species around Selep, perhaps Blue Whistling-Thrush, Himalayan Bluetail, Blue-fronted Redstart, Red-billed Leiothrix, Streaked and White-throated Laughingthrushes, Rufous-bellied Niltava, Rufous Sibia, Fire-tailed and Green-tailed Sunbirds, Scarlet Finch, Yellow-breasted Greenfinch, and Grey Treepie. At night, we will listen out for Himalayan Owl and the incessant tooting of Collared Owlet. Night in Selep.
Day 2: Maenam Wildlife Sanctuary
We will spend the day birding within Maenam Wildlife Sanctuary in forests of oak, chestnut and Bhutan Fir, and in the open scrub in surrounding villages. This mosaic provides ideal habitat for a good selection of species, and we hope to encounter a variety of birds such as Red-faced Liocichla, Striated Laughingthrush, Black-eared Shrike-Babbler, Red-tailed, Chestnut-tailed and Blue-winged Minlas, Rusty-fronted Barwing, Grey-chinned Minivet, Blue-throated and Great Barbets, Black-throated Sunbird, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker, Sultan Tit, Yellow-throated and Nepal Fulvettas, Rufous-vented, White-naped and Whiskered Yuhinas, Sapphire, Rufous-gorgeted and Snowy-browed Flycatchers, Dark-breasted and Pink-browed Rosefinches, Crimson-breasted Woodpecker, the delightful White-browed Piculet, White-tailed Nuthatch, and Sikkim Treecreeper. At this time of year, many birds associate in fast-moving mixed flocks, and we’ll have some exciting encounters with yuhinas, fulvettas, tits including Black-throated, Green-backed and Yellow-browed, and a large selection of colourful warblers including Grey-hooded, Chestnut-crowned, Buff-barred, Lemon-rumped, Yellow-bellied and Black-faced as they sweep through the forest. Throughout the day we’ll keep our eyes open for some of the more elusive residents of the area in the dense understorey, including Grey-throated, Rufous-capped and Golden Babblers, diminutive Pygmy Cupwing, the monotypic Spotted Elachura, Lesser and Rusty-bellied Shortwings, and White-tailed Robin, as well as Rufous-throated and Hill Partridges, which we are more likely to hear than see. Mammals are difficult to see here given the density of the forest, but if we are lucky, we may come across Hoary-bellied and Orange-bellied Himalayan Squirrels, Particoloured Flying Squirrel, Yellow-throated marten, Himalayan Goral, Assam Macaque, and even Red Panda. Night in Selep.
Day 3: Selep to Okhrey
This morning we will set out early on the drive into Sikkim’s southwest corner to Okhrey for a three-night stay near the Indo-Nepal border. We will spend much of the day birding as we travel, looking for some of this region’s more widespread species, such as Himalayan and Striated Bulbuls, Olive-backed and Rosy Pipits, Grey Bushchat, Grey-backed Shrike, Common Green-Magpie, Yellow-billed Blue-Magpie, Rufous-breasted and Maroon-backed Accentors, Nepal House Martin, White-throated Needletail, and birds of prey such as Crested Honey-buzzard, Black Eagle and Mountain Hawk-Eagle. We will also stop to scan mountain streams for Slaty-backed and Spotted Forktails. Night in Okhrey.
Day 4-5: Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary, Hilley and Okhrey
Okhrey sits at 2,745m, and we can expect to encounter an exciting selection of higher elevation Himalayan species in these sub-alpine habitats. We have two full days to explore the atmospheric moss-draped forests, rhododendrons, bamboo and ferns of Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary at elevations of around 3000m. The list of potential birds includes some of the Eastern Himalayas’ most sought after, and we will be looking for gems such as Ferruginous, Pygmy and White-gorgeted Flycatchers, Rufous-winged and Golden-breasted Fulvettas, Black-browed, Rufous-vented and Grey-crested Tits, Hodgson’s Treecreeper, Pin-tailed and Wedge-tailed Green-Pigeons, Speckled Woodpigeon, Brown Bullfinch, Black-headed and Green Shrike-Babblers, Grey-bellied Tesia, Abbott’s Babbler, Rufous-breasted Bush-Robin, Rusty-cheeked Scimitar-Babbler, and a cacophony of vocal laughingthrushes that include Black-faced, Blue-winged and Scaly. We will also encounter a diverse selection of warblers here, perhaps Ashy-throated, Green-crowned, Grey-cheeked, Broad-billed, Yellow-vented and Whistler’s Warblers, Blyth’s, Tickell’s and Large-billed Leaf-Warblers, and Aberrant, Grey-sided, Brownish-flanked, Russet and Hume’s Bush Warblers. This is perhaps the prime site in Sikkim for the star-studded Himalayan pheasant Satyr Tragopan, although it is notoriously difficult to locate in winter months. Kalij Pheasant is less elusive, and we may also come across brightly coloured Rufous-throated Partridge moving through the undergrowth. Nearby Hilley lies in the buffer zone of Barsey and holds some good stands of high elevation bamboo. Here, we will look for many Eastern Himalayan highlights, including Himalayan Shortwing, Rufous-throated Wren Babbler, the distinctive Slender-billed Scimitar-Babbler and Eastern Himalayan endemic Black-crowned Scimitar-Babbler, as well as all four parrotbills that occur in Sikkim, including Fulvous and Black-throated. Surrounding areas of cultivation provide important foraging grounds for many birds and we will spend time in these open habitats too, looking for Black-throated Prinia, Gold-naped Finch, Dark-rumped Rosefinch, White-collared and Grey-winged Blackbirds, and Long-billed Thrush. Although the rhododendrons that drape these hills in a riot of red, white and pink in late spring will not be in bloom, the clear winter skies will allow spectacular views towards the snow-capped peaks of the Kanchendzonga range as a backdrop to our birding. Nights in Okhrey.
Day 6: Okhrey to Latpanchar
This morning we drop back into the low hills of West Bengal for a two-night stay at Latpanchar, a small village on the edge of Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary at an elevation of 1,525m. We will spend the rest of the day in search of foothill species in secondary forests, such as Rufous-necked and Oriental Pied Hornbills, Green-billed Malkoha, Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo, Red-headed Trogon, Long-tailed Broadbill, Sultan Tit, Orange-bellied Leafbird, White-throated Bulbul, and Collared Falconet. At night, we will look for some of the night birds that inhabit these forests, including Asian Barred Owlet, Oriental and Collared Scops Owls, Brown Boobook, Brown Wood-Owl, and Hodgson’s Frogmouth. Night in Latpanchar.
Day 7: Latpanchar and Tiger Hill
We have a full day to spend around Latpanchar, perhaps adding Indian Blue Robin, Scaly Thrush, the bamboo specialist Pale-headed Woodpecker, Pin-striped Tit-Babbler, Rufous-necked, Greater Necklaced and Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrushes, Indian Paradise Flycatcher, Yellow-bellied Fairy-Fantail, Ashy-headed Green-Pigeon and Red Junglefowl. We may visit Tiger Hill in Senchal Wildlife Sanctuary on the outskirts of Darjeeling, where we will have another chance to look for parrotbills, a selection of laughingthrushes including Grey-sided, as well as Rufous-bellied and Darjeeling Woodpeckers, Silver-eared Mesia, Thick-billed and Yellow-footed Green-Pigeons, Ashy Woodpigeon, Black Baza and Hill Partridge. Night in Latpanchar.
Day 8: Latpanchar to Phuetsholing, Bhutan
This morning, we will need an early start to begin the drive east to Jaigaon, our entry point into Bhutan. The journey will take us across the Dooars, the alluvial floodplains that extend south of the outer foothills of the Himalayas, and there will be time for some birding along the way as we pass through grasslands and across several large rivers. At Jaigaon, we’ll cross over the Indo-Bhutan border and make our way to Phuentsholing for the night. This afternoon we will focus on lowland species such as Asian Fairy Bluebird, Dollarbird, Red-breasted and Alexandrine Parakeets, Crimson Sunbird, Little Spiderhunter, Yellow-vented Flowerpecker and Common Iora. Night in Phuentsholing.
Day 9: Phuentsholing to Thimphu
This morning we’ll begin our Bhutan birding in earnest, heading up into the Bhutan Himalayas as we make our way to Thimpu, the capital of Bhutan, for the night. Throughout the journey, we will pass through a wide range of habitats, including sub-tropical forests, cool broadleaved and warm broadleaved forests, as we climb through the elevations from 150m to 2,400m. Although this highway can be busy, we may still spot some interesting birds, such as Great Hornbill, Mountain Imperial-Pigeon, Rufescent Prinia, Black-naped Monarch, Black-crested and Black Bulbuls, Golden-fronted Leafbird, Indian Pied and Chestnut-tailed Starlings, and White-rumped Shama. We will also look for Black-backed Forktail, White-capped and Plumbeous Redstarts, and Brown Dipper in boulder-strewn mountain streams. Night in Thimphu.
Day 10: Thimphu to Punakha via Dochu La
This morning we set out eastwards towards Punakha for a two-night stay. Our journey will take us along Bhutan’s Lateral Road and over our first high pass, Dochu La at 3,150m. Against spectacular views of the Eastern Himalayan ranges we can expect to encounter several high elevation species here in lush mixed forests of hemlock, fir, oak and rhododendron, perhaps Fire-tailed Myzornis, White-browed Fulvetta, Stripe-throated Yuhina, Himalayan Beautiful Rosefinch, Scaly-breasted Cupwing and Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush. We will spend the remainder of the day at Punakha, beginning at Lamperi Botanical Gardens where we will be looking for Streak-breasted Scimitar-babbler, Chestnut-capped Babbler, Hoary-throated Barwing, Hodgson's Redstart, Rufous-bellied Woodpecker and Eurasian Jay, among others, and we’ll have a further chance of enigmatic Brown Parrotbill and Grey-sided Laughingthrush here. We will also focus on finding the critically endangered White-bellied Heron along the Pho Chu River, alongside River Lapwing, Pin-tailed Snipe, Crested Kingfisher, Ruddy Shelduck, Common Merganser, Bar-headed Goose and Pallas’s Fish-eagle. We may also find time to make a brief visit to Punakha's impressive Dzong, one of the most beautiful in the country, which stands at the confluence of the Pho Chu and Mo Chu Rivers. Night in Punakha.
Day 11: Punakha and Jigme Dorji National Park
We have a full day to spend around Punakha, exploring Jigme Dorji National Park and the forests along the Mo Chu River. Among our possibilities here are Wallcreeper, Red-headed Trogon, Small and Large Niltavas, Pale Blue Flycatcher, Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher, Black-chinned Yuhina, Short-billed and Long-tailed Minivets, Ashy and Mountain Bulbuls, Golden-throated Barbet, Bay Woodpecker, Greater Yellownape, Crested Bunting, Alpine Accentor, Rufous Turtle Dove, Grey-backed Shrike, Hair-crested and Ashy Drongos, Little and Slaty-backed Forktails, and Mountain Scops Owl. We’ll also look for skulkers including Chestnut-headed Tesia, Spotted Elachura, Pygmy Cupwing, and the near-endemic Bhutan Laughingthrush, with Blyth’s Swift, Himalayan Swiftlet, Large-billed Crow, Himalayan Buzzard and Rufous-bellied Eagle all possible overhead. Night in Punakha.
Day 12: Punakha to the Phobjikha Valley via Nobding
Early this morning we will set out on the journey southeast toward the Phobjikha Valley for a two-night stay. Midway through our journey we’ll ascend into a magnificent tract of moss-laden broadleaved forests at Nobding, where we will look for some much-desired forest birds. We will make a special effort to find Ward’s Trogon, Himalayan Cutia and Fire-tailed Myzornis, and Yellow-rumped Honeyguide around cliffside colonies of Rock Bees, among a longer list of species such as Black-faced Laughingthrush, White-browed Shrike-Babbler, Rusty-flanked Treecreeper, Mrs. Gould’s Sunbird, Barred Cuckoo-Dove and Alpine Thrush. We’ll then cross another high pass, Lawa La, and as the vegetation changes to dwarf bamboo we will search for Spotted Laughingthrush, Spotted Nutcracker and Great Parrotbill. Later this afternoon we will descend into the Phobjikha Valley where we will find one of the rarest cranes in the world, Black-necked Crane, overwintering in good numbers. Night in Phobjikha.
Day 13: Phobjikha and Pele La
An early start this morning takes us back to the Lateral Road and up to 3,420m at Pele La, where we will spend an enjoyable morning birding in the alpine zone along the abandoned old road which promises a rich selection of high elevation specialities. Open meadows and rhododendron forests offer ideal habitat for several laughingthrushes, Himalayan Thrush, White-winged and Collared Grosbeaks, Black-throated Parrotbill, White-throated Redstart, White-browed and Golden Bush-Robins, Himalayan White-browed Rosefinch, Red-headed and Grey-headed Bullfinches, and roving tit flocks, with a chance of Beautiful Nuthatch at the edge of its range, and Himalayan Griffon and Bearded Vulture overhead. This is prime pheasant habitat, with the chance to see Blood Pheasant and the rainbow-coloured Himalayan Monal, although the stunning star-studded Satyr Tragopan that is regular here in spring is more elusive in winter months. Later this afternoon we'll return to Phobjikha to explore the vast glacial valley’s mosaic of grass, scrub and farmsteads that supports a good number of species including Red-throated and Black-throated Thrushes, Himalayan Prinia, Plain Mountain Finch, Russet Sparrow, Red-billed and Alpine Choughs, and Snow Pigeon.
Day 14: Phobjikha to Paro
Today we will retrace our journey back to Thimphu and continue west to Paro for a two-night stay. We will make multiple stops along the way, looking for species we may have missed on our eastward journey, pausing for second looks at highlights at Nobding and Dochu La, and looking for waterfowl and waders along the Punatsangchhu river. In the evening, we’ll spend some time along the Paro River looking for Ibisbill and Black-tailed Crake. Night in Paro.
Day 15: Chele La
The final day of the tour will take us to Chele La, at 3,890m the highest pass accessible by road in Bhutan. Ascending above the treeline into the alpine meadow we can expect to encounter a final selection of high-altitude specialities, in particular a further chance to see Himalayan Monal, Blood Pheasant and Kalij Pheasant. Night in Paro.
Day 16: Depart Paro
Departures from Paro international airport today.
