Best of Bird Watching Nepal

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Duration: 12 Days

Trip Grade:

Best of Bird Watching Nepal 12 day tour combines the most significant bird spotting areas in country from midhills to wetland plains. Over time Nepal has grown to be one of the most popular South Asian destinations for bird lovers and photographers.

The mixed habitat with high alpine regions over 8000 metres to the lowland terai plains at 70 metres make it a unique environment for birdlife to flourish. Among those species, 32 are endangered.

Journey begins from Kathmandu Valley home to estimated 500 bird species, travels on to Koshi Tappu Reserve to view some of the 485 recorded species, continues to Chitwan National Park home to 543 species and finally to the man made Jagdishpur lake.

D1 : Arrival at Kathmandu 1340 metres
Arrive in Kathmandu, a relaxed afternoon with a briefing and refreshment session to go over the activities ahead.  Stay at Resort close to Shivapuri National Park.

D2 : Kathmandu to visit Shivapuri National Park 2800 metres

From the hotel is it a short drive to the Shivapuri National Park entrance, hike through this densely wooded area interspersed with open spaces, this area serves as a watershed for the city.  Look out for Asian Koel, Black Kite, Blue-Throated Barbet, Great Barbet, Himalayan Bulbul, Lesser Yellownape, Greater Yellownape, Red Billed Blue Magpie, Rusty Cheeked Scimitar Babbler, Chestnut Bellied Nuthatch, Long Tailed Minivet, Scarlet Minivet, Small Niltava, Oriental Turtle Dove, White Crested Laughingthrush, among many others. The park is home to around 318 bird species.  Return to the Resort.

D3 : Kathmandu – visit to Phulchowki 2795 metres

Today we visit Phulchowki Hills and Godawari Botanical garden 1520 metres, two locations with thriving flora and fauna. It is one of the highest hills surrounding Kathmandu valley located 18 km southeast from the city and has a good view of the valley. It has recorded approximately 300 species and the rich bird life is attributed to it being a natural migratory path north to south.

Starting at the base of Godavari Botanical Garden slowly make way up to the summit of Phulchowki hill. Keep a keen eye for Nepal's only endemic bird - the Spiny Babbler. The Blue-naped Pitta is also a rare bird found in this area. With the Spectacled Finch, an occasional passing visitor.

Other birds include Yellow – Throated Minivet, Tibetan Siskin and Mrs. Gould’s Sunbird, Chestnut-winged Cuckoo, Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo, Crested Goshawk,  Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher, Rufous-bellied Niltava, Yellow-browed Tit, Chestnut-headed Tesia, Red-billed Leiothrix, Whiskered Yuhina, Besra, Bronzed and Racket-tailed Drongos, Greater Yellownape, Grey-headed Woodpecker, Nepal Cutia, Ultramarine Flycatcher and Black-winged Cuckooshrike. There are raptors and scavangers such as White-rumped Vulture, Slender-billed Vulture and Cinereous Vulture.

D4 / 5 : Kathmandu – Biratnagar flight – Koshi Tappu birding 75 metres

We take a flight to the south east city of Biratnagar and drive to Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve encompassing a large area of 17,500 hectares with diverse habitat that include grasslands or phantas, riparian vegetation, ox-bow lakes, marshes and sparse forests.

To its south is the Koshi Barrage area, a seven kilometer by five kilometer strip of land, more than half of which is covered in water. This habitat is perfect for migratory birds to Nepal. In 1987 it became the first protected wetland in Nepal under the Ramsar Convention.

We shall observe bird not only on ground but also canoeing on the Sapta Koshi river. A big list of waders, migrants and residents await the avid bird watchers on this delightfull trip.

Spend two exciting days bird watching in this excellent environment. Besides the avifauna; one will most likely see herds of "Arna" an endangered species of wild water buffalo.

Look out for Swamp Francolin, a globally endangered species which has its highest numbers here. This area is habitat for 13 of Nepal’s 22 near-threatened bird species.

A single day’s bird count conducted in February of 2003 recorded an astonishing 9,800 birds. The total bird species in the area add up to 485. The Baer’s and Ferruginous Pochards, Bengal and Lesser Floricans, Black-bellied Tern, Indian Skimmer, Pallas’s and Grey-headed Fish Eagles, White-tailed, Indian Spotted, Greater Spotted and Imperial Eagles, four species of vultures, Pallid Harrier, Lesser Kestrel, Laggar Falcon, Darter, Black-headed Ibis, Black-necked Stork, Greater and Lesser Adjutants, Spot-bellied Pelican, Hodgson’s Bushchat, Bristled Grassbird and Yellow-vented Warbler are a few names on the area’s bird roster.

Overnights at Resort.

D6 / 7 / 8 : Koshi Tappu – Chitwan National Park 110 to 850 metres

We bid goodbye to the Koshi experience and travel by vehicle to our next destination the Chitwan National Park.

It was established as the country’s first national park in 1973; a valley with an area of 972 sq kms located in the country’s central lowland Terai.  Its mixed habitat of riverine forests, oxbox lakes, hard wood forests and open grasslands make it an ideal bird spotting area.

Chitwan hosts over half of bird species found in Nepal, numbering 540. It includes about two-thirds of the country’s globally threatened bird species. Several of these are only found here. The open grassland is the prime habitat of the Bengal Florican a resident bird.  As are Grey-crowned Prinia, Slender-billed Babbler and Lesser Adjutant also grassland dwellers. The Slender-Billed Babbler is only found here and hosts the largest population of the species in the Indian sub-continent. By virtue of its importance, in 1983 the Chitwan National Park was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

On arrival, refreshment will be served and staffs will brief about lodge facilities and discuss the afternoon program.

Birdlife seen here include Indian Spotted Eagle, an endangered species which breeds in Chitwan. Others to be found here are : Ferruginous Pochard, Great Hornbill, Black-bellied Tern, Grey-headed and Lesser Fish Eagles, White-tailed Eagle, Cinereous and Red-headed Vultures, Pallid Harrier, Laggar Falcon, Darter, Painted and Black-necked Storks, Paradise Flycatcher, Rufous-rumped Grassbird, Giant Hornbill and Yellow-breasted Bunting, Sarus Crane, Indian Skimmer, Pallas’s Fish Eagle, Jerdon’s Babbler and curlews. The Bar-headed Goose, a trans-Himalayan migrant, is seen near the Narayani river.

Overnights in Resort.

D9 / 10 : Chitwan National Park – Jagdishpur Lumbini 197 metres

After spending splendid birding days in Chitwan, we travel further west by vehicle to Lumbini and visit the man-made Jagdishpur lake spread over an area of 157 hectares. Built for irrigating farmlands it now plays an excellent host to myriads of bird species. Every winter, birds migrate from China, Russia, Mongolia, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan and stay until February.

On arrival, refreshment will be served and staffs will brief about resort facilities and discuss the afternoon program.

After lunch, explore the habitat around and take an introductory walk. One may spot the Grey Hornbill, Asian Koel, Lesser Goldenback, and Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpeckers, Spotted Owlet, Common Babbler, Indian Spotted Eagle, Sarus Crane among others. Time permitting we may also do a short walk through the cultivated fields.

From the hotel it is a drive of 1.30hrs to Jagdishpur Lake approximately 40km and bird watch along the way. This reserviour is one of the most important wetlands of Nepal. During mid-January, as many as 20,000 waterbirds congregate in the Jagadishpur lake.

Look out for the Purple Swamphen, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Cotton Pygmy Goose, Black Ibis, Lesser Adjutant Stork, Black-breasted Weaver, Ferruginous Duck, Saurus Crane, Lesser Coucal, Smoky Warblers, White-rumped,   Himalayan Vultures, Eurasian Griffon, Thick-billed Flowerpecker, Hume’s and Greenish Warblers, Steppe Eagle and Egyptian Vulture, Asian Openbills, Asian Woollyneck. Indian Spot-billed Ducks, White-tailed Lapwings, Grey-headed Lapwing, Red-naped Ibis, Purple Herons to name some of the birds seen here.

Overnights in Resort.

D11 : Bhairahawa Gautam Buddha International airport – Kathmandu flight

Before departure, visit Maya Devi temple commemorating where The Buddha was born. The impressive Ashoka pillar stands testimony of this site as being the birthplace of the Prince of Peace. The Sacred Pond and Peepul tree and many chaityas are legacies to this important pilgrimage place.

Transfer to Gautam Buddha International airport for flight to Kathmandu.

Check – in to hotel and enjoy a farewell dinner to celebrate a most amazing bird watching tour.

D12 : Kathmandu departure

Transfer to Tribhuvan International airport for onward flight.

Bon Voyage!

Our Local Bird Watching Leader with experience and knowledge will accompany this trip.

Book Best Bird Watching of Nepal and experience an incomparable twitchers' delight!

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