Destination:Delhi-Mandawa-Bikaner-Jaisalmer-Jodhpur-Delhi

Duration:7 Nights / 8 Days

Itinerary duration 13 days
Starting on 04 February'05
Ending on 16 th February'05 extension till 20th February'05

Destinations: Delhi - Udaipur - Kumbalgarh - Siana - Jodhpur - Khichan - Jaisalmer - Gajner - Harike - Delhi
Extension: Harike -Nainital - Delhi

Description:

Day 1 : 04 Feb'05
Morning fly from London to Delhi

Day 2: 05 Feb'05
Early morning arrive Delhi and board connecting flight to Udaipur(9W 3401; 0545:0810 daily). Met on arrival and transferred to your hotel where you will check in for 01 night. After freshening up in the hotel you will enjoy a morning bird watching session with your guide.
Later in the day you will have a sightseeing tour through the city of Udaipur with further chance to catch up with some birds that you might have missed in the morning. Overnight you will be in the hotel.

Day 3: 06 Feb'05
Early morning you will go for a guided bird watching in the outskirts of Udaipur. Later you will be transferred by surface to Kumbalgarh (85 kms; 2 hrs15 mins). On arrival check in to your hotel for 02 nights.

Day 4: 07 Feb'05
Morning you will explore the fort of Kumbalgarh which is at a commanding height on the Aravalli hills offering spectacular views of the adjoining forest sanctuary and the plains. Later you will go for a jeep safari to the nearby wildlife sanctuary.

Day 5: 08 Feb '05
After a morning session of birding in Kumbalgarh you will drive to Siana where you will stay overnight to explore the possibilities of an encounter with the rare and elusive leopard.

Day 6: 09 Feb'05
Morning you will be transferred to Jodhpur where you will stay for 1 night. On your way to the hotel you will get a very good chance to explore the wetlands and water bodies of Jodhpur and the impressive Mehrangarh fort. Later you will proceed to Dechu for your night stay.

Day 7: 10 Feb'05
Early morning you will drive to Khichan to be witness to the amazing spectacle of thousands of Demoiselle cranes living in close proximity to people. From here you will drive on to Jaisalmer and on arrival to Jaisalmer you will check in to your hotel for 03 nights.

Day 8&9: 11 Feb &12 Feb'05
Early morning and throughout the day you will explore the Desert National Park. You will also visit the local water bodies to check for the water birds and the waders.

Day 10: 13 Feb'05
Morning after a session of birding you will proceed to Gajner for 01night. Here you will get a good view of a high number of waders, water birds and grass birds in the adjoining lake and grass patch.

Day 11: 14 Feb'05
Morning you will be transferred to Harike in Punjab State for 03 nights.

Day 12 & 13: 13th & 14th Feb'05
You will be exploring the Harike lake where you have a good chance to see the Indian Skimmer and a lot more. One afternoon you will go for a tour of the Golden Temple in Amritsar the sanctum sanctorum of the 'Sikhs'.

Day 14: 16th Feb'05
After a final morning birding in Harike you will be transferred to a nearby hotel airport for lobby use & facilities in Delhi.

Day 15 : 17th Feb'05
Early morning you will board your flight to London.

Extension:

Day 14: 16th Feb'05
Early morning you will be transferred to Nainital for 03 nights. Here you will try to explore the Western Himalayan avifauna. Nainital lies at 1940mm and there are surrounding peaks to 2600mm. You will see birds like Black Headed Jay, Red Billed Blue Magpie and Chestnut Crowned Laughing Thrush within the city itself.
Our initial explorations will concentrate on the northern and western side of the town. Blue Whistling Thrushes can be seen all over. White Tailed Nuthatch, Blue Fronted Redstarts, Bartailed Treecreeper are some bird you can expect here. Later you will explore the higher areas of the town to look for Himalayan Giffrons and Lammergeier.
Also you might see the Himalayan and Rufousbellied Woodpeckers, Altai Accentors, Collared Grossbeaks.

Day 15 & 16: 17th & 18th Feb'05
You will be trekking to Mongoli Valley(12 kms; 30 minutes) and Sattal over these two days not necessarily in that order. Mongoli valley is open woodland forest and offers good possibilities of Scarlet Finch, Small and Rufous Nilatava, Chest Headed Tesia, some Bush warblers, Spotted and Slaty- backed Forktail. Also expected are the Crested Goshawk, Long Legged Buzzard, Mountain hawk Eagle, Black Francolin, Eurasian Crag and Nepal House Martins, Red billed Leothrix, Blue Winged Minla, Hill Prinia, Fire breasted Flowerpecker.
Sat Tal(17 Kms, 40 minutes) is good for Rusty cheeked Scimitar Babbler, Slaty Blue Flycatcher, Tickell's Leaf Warbler, Pink Browed Rosefinch, Lesser and greater Yellownape, Scaly Breasted Wren Babbler, Scaly Thrush and Vinaceous Rosefinch.
You will also explore the lakes like Sukhatal and Bimatal for waterbirds.

Day 17: 19 th Feb'05
After a final morning sessions birding in Nainital you will proceed to Kathgodam for you journey back to Delhi (2045:0445). On arrival you will be transferred to a hotel nearby to the airport for freshening up.

Day 18: 20 th Feb'05
Early in the morning you will fly to London.

Extension 2:

Day 14: 16th Feb'05
Early morning you will be transferred to Amritsar to board the train to Ambala. On reaching Ambal you will be transferred to Kullu where you will stay for 03 nights. Here you will try to explore the Western Himalayan avifauna. Kullu valley lies along the upper Beas river with may tributaries flowing from the surrounding mountains. The town of Kullu is in Himachal Pradesh and the best place for birding here is in the Great Himalayan National Park. The altitude here varies between 1700 mm and 5800 mm .You will see birds like Black Headed Jay, Red Billed Blue Magpie and Chestnut Crowned Laughing Thrush within the town itself.
Initial explorations will concentrate on the town itself. You will se Plum Headed Parakeet, House Swift, Great barbet, Yellow-billed Blue Magpie, Whiskerd Yuhina, Asian paradise Flycatcher here. Later you will go higher up to find Himalayan Giffron, Black Francolin, Slaty headed Parakeet, Asain Barred Owlett, Scaly Bellied Woodpecker. White Cheeked Nuthatch, Yellow Breasted Greenfinch.

Day 15 & 16: 17th & 18th Feb'05
You will trek and hike along the river valleys in GHNP and in particular the Sainj Valley area for rare birds like the Western Tragopan, Koklass Pheasant and White Throated Tit. Other species expected here are the Golden and Black eagle, Hen harrier, Eurasian Hobby, Snow Partridge, Himalayan Snowcock, Chukar, Himalayan Monal, Wedge Tailed Green Pigeon, Speckled Wood Pigeon, Pied, Indian, Eurasian, Oriental and Large Hawk Cuckoos, Mountain Scops Owl, Collared Grey Nightjar, Himalayan Swiftlet, Whitethroated Needletail, Rusty Tailed Rufous Gorgetted Little Pied and Ultramarine Flycatchers, Fire capped Rufous naped Spot Winged Rufous Vented Tits, White winged and Spot winged Grossbeaks

Day 17: 19 th Feb'05
After a final morning sessions birding in Kullu you will proceed to Bhuntar for your flight back to Delhi (JA 222;1020:1210). On arrival you will be transferred to a hotel nearby to the airport where you will relax after the hectic travelling.

Day 18: 20 th Feb'05
Early in the morning you will fly to London.