India - west:
The Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat (Forest Owlet and Asiatic Lion extensions) [IN_WI001_PRG]
A 16-day, small group birding tour through India's arid western region, exploring the rich birdlife and mammal diversity of desert, savannah grassland and seasonal wetlands.
Our comprehensive tour takes us through an extensive tract of western India, a fascinating arid region that supports a remarkable diversity of species. We begin in the Punjab, exploring extensive wetlands at the base of the Western Himalayas before travelling south into the states of Rajasthan and Gujarat, first into tropical savannah and thorn scrub and then through historic citadels and rugged hills to the edges of the Thar Desert. Although seemingly inhospitable in places, this region hosts an incredible richness of desert and grassland birds, augmented by often incongruous gatherings of waterbirds in seasonal wetlands. Birding on foot and from open jeeps we'll look for scarce subcontinent endemics and regional specialities such as Spotted Creeper, Yellow-eyed Pigeon, Green Avadavat, White-naped Tit, White-browed (Stoliczka's) Bushchat, Grey Hypocolius, Indian and Cream-coloured Coursers, Sociable Plover, MacQueen's Bustard and the unequivocal highlight Great Indian Bustard, accompanied throughout by vast numbers of cranes, flamingos, pelicans and storks and a fine selection of mammals.
We offer two optional extension to this tour: our short pre-tour extension looks for the recently rediscovered endemic Forest Owlet, while our post-tour extension explores deciduous woodland and tropical grasslands for Asiatic Lion, Striped Hyaena, Indian Wolf and one of the world's largest harrier roosts.
Day 1-2: Amritsar & Harike
Arrivals into Amritsar international airport in the morning of day 1. This leaves us the remainder of the afternoon and day 2 to explore Harike, an extensive area of productive marshes formed around an irrigation barrage below the confluence of the Rivers Sutlej and Beas an hour south of the city. Among the rich variety of waterbirds, raptors and widespread north Indian birds here our key range-restricted target at Harike is Rufous-vented Grass-babbler, accompanied by Jerdon’s and Striated Babblers, Sind Sparrow, Black-breasted Weaver, White-tailed Stonechat, Sand Lark and a host of wintering species such as Moustached Warbler, Mountain Chiffchaff, Brooks’s Leaf-warbler and the scarce White-crowned Penduline Tit.
Day 3-4: Tal Chhapar Wildlife Sanctuary
On day 3 we will undertake a full day drive south into Rajasthan to Tal Chhapar Wildlife Sanctuary, birding along the journey. On day 4 we will explore the tropical savannah and thorn scrub of Tal Chhapar in search of specialities of grassland and acacia. In this valuable remnant of a once widespread habitat we will look for Indian Courser, Southern Grey Shrike, Variable, Isabelline and Desert Wheatears, Greater Short-toed and Bimaculated Larks, abundant birds of prey with highlights including Laggar and Red-necked Falcons, Montagu’s and Pallid Harriers, our main target the localised endemic Indian Spotted Creeper, and the distinctive Blackbuck.
Day 5: Bikaner to Khichan and Jaisalmer
A pre-dawn start this morning takes us northwest to the outskirts of Bikaner to search the area around Jorbeer rubbish dump for flocks of declining and localised Yellow-eyed Pigeon which winters here in good numbers. We will also encounter a selection of Aquila eagles dominated by Steppe Eagle, together with the ubiquitous Black Kites, Egyptian Vulture, and a good selection of dryland birds. Later we head southwest to Khichan, to enjoy the extraordinary spectacle of up to 8,000 Demoiselle Cranes congregating to feed on grain provided by the village. Continue on to the desert town of Jaisalmer, close to India’s border with Pakistan, for a three-night stay.
Days 6-7: Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer will be our base for exploring this eastern corner of the Thar Desert in Desert National Park. We will encounter an exciting selection of desert species here, possibilities including Cream-coloured Courser, White-browed (Stoliczka’s) Bushchat, Greater Hoopoe and Desert Larks, Black-crowned Finch-lark, Rufous-fronted Prinia and Trumpeter Finch, as well as Eastern Imperial Eagle and up to five species of vulture, however our priority will be finding the magnificent Great Indian Bustard, which so sadly faces imminent extinction, in its final stronghold.
Day 8-9: Siana
Today we make our way south to the village of Siana for a two-night stay, with time to look again for the bustard should we need to before we depart. At Siana, the Thar Desert begins to give way to the rugged Aravalli Hills and during our stay we will explore the mosaic of plains, sand dunes, scrub jungle and rocky outcrops of this arid zone by jeep for Sirkeer Malkoha, the scarce and nomadic White-bellied Minivet, Striolated Bunting, Yellow-legged and Barred Buttonquails, Rock Bush-quail, Painted Sandgrouse, Rock Eagle-Owl and critically endangered Indian Vulture with the chance of Leopard, as filmed here for David Attenborough’s ‘Life of Mammals’.
Day 10: Mount Abu
After a morning at Siana we leave the desert behind us to climb to 1220m in the Aravalli Hills to Mount Abu for an overnight stay. This afternoon we will search open fields and scrub jungle for the localised subcontinent endemic Green Avadavat. These hills contrast starkly with the arid lands we have passed through and we can expect several new birds, possibly Indian Scimitar-babbler, Tawny-bellied and Yellow-eyed Babblers, Sulphur-bellied Warbler, White-capped and Crested Buntings, Red Spurfowl and Grey Junglefowl.
Day 11-12: Dasada, Little Rann of Kutch
We will leave Mount Abu by mid-morning on day 11, making our way southwest to Dasada for a two-night stay. On the fringes of the Little Rann of Kutch, this will be our base for exploring an immense region of saline flats by open jeep, where birds are concentrated in salt-free ‘islands’ of higher ground, peripheral scrub and vast seasonal wetlands that simply teem with waterbirds in winter. Among our targets here are wintering MacQueen’s Bustard, Eastern Orphean Warbler, Pallid Scops Owl, White-tailed Lapwing, Collared, Oriental and Small Pratincoles, Painted, Woolly-necked, White and Black Storks, Asian Openbill, Black-headed, Red-naped and Glossy Ibis, Bar-headed Goose, spectacular numbers of Sarus and Common Cranes, Lesser and Greater Flamingos, Great White, Dalmatian and Spot-billed Pelicans, and huge congregations of various waterfowl. In the Rann itself, we will also encounter groups of Asiatic Wild Ass, with Jungle and Desert Cats and Desert Fox all possible here.
Day 13-15: Moti Virani, Kutch
Today, we make our way west, across the Gulf of Kutch to Moti Virani, close to the town of Bhuj in Kutch district for a three-night stay. On the edge of the salt flats of the Great Rann, this area comprises vast grasslands, sun-baked alluvial flats and shallow seasonal wetlands, punctuated by rocky outcrops and dry thorn scrub. We will explore these varied habitats on foot and by jeep, looking for a handful of rare, restricted range specialities. Our targets here include the monotypic Grey Hypocolius, Red-tailed Wheatear, Marshall’s Iora, White-naped Tit, Sykes’s Nightjar and the small numbers of Sociable Plover that overwinter in this region. Grasslands host Asian Desert Warbler, Desert Whitethroat, Grey-necked Bunting, and up to four species of sandgrouse, and further afield we will scan sandy beaches and mudflats along the coast for the striking Crab Plover, Lesser Sand Plover and Terek Sandpiper. We also have a further (slim) chance of Great Indian Bustard nearby if it eluded us in Jaisalmer.
Day 16: Depart Bhuj
Departures from Bhuj airport this morning or continue with post-tour extension.
Pre-tour extension: Forest Owlet
Day 1-2: Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary
Arrivals into Mumbai (Bombay) international airport in the morning of day 1, followed by a drive east out of the city to Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary. We will spend the reminder of the afternoon and day 2 in search of the recently re-discovered and critically endangered endemic Forest Owlet. While we search for the diurnal owlet, we will encounter a diverse selection of species in the extensive Teak, Sal and broadleaf woodlands here in the northern ranges of the Western Ghats. In this new habitat most of these will be distinct to those available on the main tour, including species such as White-eyed Buzzard, Black Eagle, White-naped Woodpecker, Malabar Whistling-thrush, Tickell’s Thrush, Black-hooded Oriole and the regional endemics Malabar Trogon and Vigors’s Sunbird.
Day 3: Tansa to Mumbai and Amritsar
Return to Mumbai this morning and fly to Amritsar to continue with main tour (day 1 of main tour)
Post-tour extension: Asiatic Lion, Blackbuck & Harriers
Day 1: Bhuj to Gir
Spend the day driving from Bhuj to Gir National Park in the southern part of Gujarat’s Kathiawar peninsular for a two-night stay. The scrub of Kutch will gradually develop into one of the world’s largest tracts of dry deciduous woodland as the terrain becomes increasingly undulating, and some en-route birding will turn up some new species for the tour (day 16 of main tour).
Day 2: Gir National Park
Spend the day exploring Gir National Park, the final refuge of the highly endangered Asiatic Lion which we will target during morning and afternoon safaris. The park also hosts a high concentration of Leopard and an abundance of herbivores including Chinkara (Indian Gazelle) and Chousingha (Four-horned Antelope). The forests are interspersed with grasslands and dissected by rivers, with the varied terrain supporting a diverse avifauna. Many of the species we see at Gir will not have been seen on the main tour, key among them including Mottled Wood-owl, Crested Hawk-eagle, Brown Fish-owl, Asian Paradise Flycatcher and Black-headed Cuckooshrike.
Day 3-4: Velavadar National Park
After a final morning safari at Gir we leave to drive northeast to Velavadar National Park, spending the afternoon and following day exploring the park’s extensive tropical savannah grasslands. Besides a good population of the distinctive endemic Blackbuck, Velavadar hosts a variety of mammals including Nilgai, Jungle Cat, Indian Wolf and elusive Striped Hyaena. This is also home to one of the world’s largest harrier roosts, and we will enjoy large numbers of Eurasian Marsh, Pallid, Montagu’s and smaller numbers of Hen Harriers as they congregate at dusk. We will also have a second chance here to enjoy some of the grassland specialities we should have already seen during the main tour, in particular White-browed (Stoliczka’s) Bushchat, various wheatears and Sykes’s Lark.
Day 5: Depart Ahmedabad
Drive to Ahmedabad this morning with departures from Ahmedabad international airport this afternoon.
12 January - 27 January 2022
with Lokesh Kumar
Extn - Forest Owlet: 10-12 January
Extn - Asiatic Lion: 27 January - 31 January
Duration: 16 days + optional 2/4 day extensions
Group size: min. 6 / max. 8 with 1 leader
2022: ₹ 241000
$ 3245 / £ 2335 / € 2685
(Amritsar/Bhuj)
Single room supplement: ₹ 42000
$ 565 / £ 410 / € 470
Deposit: $ 650 / £ 470 / € 540
Extn - Forest Owlet: ₹ 47000
$ 635 / £ 460 / € 525
Single room supplement: ₹ 5000
$ 70 / £ 50 / € 60
Extn - Asiatic Lion: ₹ 95000
$ 1280 / £ 920 / € 1060
Single room supplement: ₹ 17000
$ 230 / £ 165 / € 190
The tour is priced in Indian Rupees (₹). Amounts shown in other currencies are indicative.
The tour price includes:
-
Accommodation
-
All meals and drinking water
-
Ground transportation
-
Services of a guide throughout
-
All birding and wildlife activities
-
Reserve entry fees
-
Tour info, pre-travel notes and checklists
Estimated flight costs: $ 900 / £ 650 / € 755
Estimated visa costs: $ 25 / £ 18 / € 21
More information on what's included
Read about our small group surcharges
Custom tours
Best time: November to February
2022: from ₹ 330000 / $ 4440 / £ 3200 / € 3680
(Price per person based on 2 people travelling together; costs for other group sizes on request)
Tour grading: Easy to Moderate. Some birding will be on foot along quiet, paved roads or well marked trails, some from open-topped jeeps; the tour is intensive in terms of time spent in the field.
Accommodation: Comfortable good to medium standard hotels and wildlife lodges throughout, all with private facilities.
Birds: 300+
Mammals: 10-15
Photography: Excellent
Key species: Great Indian Bustard, Macqueen's Bustard, Indian and Cream-coloured Coursers, Sociable Plover, White-tailed Lapwing, White-browed (Stoliczka's) Bushchat, White-tailed Stonechat, Grey Hypocolius, Red-tailed, Variable, Isabelline and Desert Wheatears, Asian Desert Warbler, Desert Whitethroat, Brooks's Leaf-warbler, White-bellied Minivet, Marshall's Iora, Rufous-fronted Prinia, White-crowned Penduline Tit, White-naped Tit, Green Avadavat, Striolated, Crested, White-capped and Grey-necked Buntings, Trumpeter Finch, Sind Sparrow, Black-crowned and Ashy-crowned Sparrow-Larks, Sand, Desert, Bimaculated, Rufous-tailed and Greater Hoopoe Larks, Rufous-vented Grass-babbler, Jerdon's, Striated, Tawny-bellied and Yellow-eyed Babblers, Indian Spotted Creeper, Yellow-eyed Pigeon, Painted and Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Red Spurfowl, Grey Junglefowl, Crab Plover, Collared, Oriental and Small Pratincoles, Demoiselle, Common and Sarus Cranes, Lesser and Greater Flamingos, Great White, Dalmatian and Spot-billed Pelicans, Painted, Woolly-necked, White and Black Storks, Asian Openbill, Black-headed, Red-naped and Glossy Ibis, Laggar and Red-necked Falcons, Eastern Imperial Eagle, Indian and Egyptian Vultures, Rock Eagle-owl, Pallid Scops-owl, Sykes's Nightjar, Leopard, Blackbuck, Asiatic Wild Ass, Desert Cat, Jungle Cat, Desert Fox, Desert Jird.
Extension (pre): Forest Owlet, Malabar Trogon, White-naped Woodpecker, Vigors's Sunbird, Indian Paradise Flycatcher, Tickell's Thrush, Malabar Whistling-thrush, Black-hooded Oriole, Black Eagle.
Extension (post): Mottled Wood-owl, Brown Fish-Owl, Crested Hawk-eagle, Pallid, Montagu's, Hen and Eurasian Marsh Harriers, Asiatic Lion, Blackbuck, Striped Hyaena, Indian Wolf, Jungle Cat, Nilgai, Chital.











