Severtzov’s Tit Warbler is a prize on the Central Asia tour Photo: Steve Rooke
The Silk Road, Samarkand and Bukhara—the names conjure up images of fierce Mongol horsemen storming out of the east, dusty camel trains and crowded bazaars where travelers from far-off lands trade exotic jewels and spices. Stretching from the Caspian Sea to the Tien Shan Mountains, the Central Asian states of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are indeed richly endowed with history and culture, whose flavor we’ll sample on this exciting tour.
The varied traditions and customs of this fascinating region are matched by a wide variety of habitats. We’ll follow the route of the ancient Silk Road, from the splendor of the snow-capped Tien Shan Mountains, home to Himalayan Snowcock and Göldenstadt’s Redstart, to the drifting sand dunes of the Kyzyl Kum Desert, where we’ll look for Pander’s Ground-Jay. In between we’ll experience the enormous skies and wormwood-scented breezes of the Kazakhstan steppes, alive with White-winged and Black Larks, and visit ancient woodlands where Yellow-eyed Stock-Dove and Saxaul Sparrow still breed.
Although this region has developed substantially since the breakup of the old Soviet Union, it is still almost completely overlooked by Western birdwatchers. This is a great pity as, full of species that fire the imagination and possessing a unique cultural heritage, it presents a truly memorable birdwatching experience.
Day 1: The tour begins in London with a direct flight to Tashkent arriving in the early morning of Day 2.
Day 2: After arrival we’ll drive to our delightful hotel in the wooded Chimgan Hills. Here our introduction to the birds of Central Asia will begin with Hume’s Lesser Whitethroat, Yellow-breasted and Rufous-naped Tits, and White-capped and Rock Buntings, all of which are common around our hotel, as are Red-rumped Swallows which nest under our balconies. Overhead there will be a constant procession of Eurasian Griffons; other raptors could include Honey Buzzard, Hobby or Peregrine Falcon. Night in Chimgan Hills.
Day 3: The calls of Golden Oriole will entice us out for a pre-breakfast walk around the hotel grounds where we may also be able to locate a roosting Tawny Owl or a skulking Hawfinch. After breakfast we’ll begin our journey along the Silk Road by driving to the fabled city of Samarkand. There will be stops along the way to look at nesting White Storks and Pied and Variable Wheatears, and we should arrive in Samarkand in time to see some of the sights of this remarkable city such as the awesome Registan. Night in Samarkand
Day 4: To the south of the town lie a range of low hills where we’ll stroll along a delightful valley alive with Red-headed Buntings. White-throated Robin and Eastern Orphean and Upcher’s Warblers breed among the bushes and the little-known Hume’s Short-toed Lark feed among the rocky outcrops. Isabelline and Lesser Gray Shrikes and Eastern Rock Nuthatch also breed along with a few pairs of European Bee-eaters. With luck we may encounter a striking Asian Paradise Flycatcher and those interested in plants or butterflies will find much to occupy them. In the afternoon we’ll return to the city to explore its treasures further including the local bazaar. Night in Samarkand.
Day 5: After an early morning visit to local pools where we should see Eastern Olivaceous Warbler and White-crowned Penduline Tit among other species, we’ll continue along the Silk Road to Bukhara, a city even more richly endowed with historic sites than Samarkand. The true splendor of this magical place has to be seen to be believed: the turquoise blue domes, towering minarets and covered bazaars, bustling with numerous shops selling spices, jewellery and famous Bukhara rugs, are guaranteed to transport you back to the days when this was one of the most important cities on the Silk Road. Night in Bukhara.
Day 6: Within easy reach of Bukhara are extensive wetlands surrounded by rich desert. Blue-cheeked Bee-eater is abundant and we are certain to get wonderful views of this colorful bird as it shares the roadside wires with Pied Bushchat and Long-tailed Shrike. The bushes below are home to the rama race of Booted Warbler, generally considered a separate species, Sykes’s Warbler, as well as Finsch’s Wheatear, Rufous Bush Robin and a few pairs of the shy Ménétries Warbler.
At the wetlands we’ll explore reedbeds that are home to Clamorous and Savi’s Warblers as well as the Caspian race of Reed Warbler and Bearded Tit. White-tailed Plovers, all in smart breeding plumage, are common here and Marbled Duck and Caspian Gulls can usually be found with ease. Flights of Pygmy Cormorants skim the water, Collared Pratincoles nest on the lake shore, and Oriental Skylarks sing overhead. Night in Bukhara
Day 7: We’ll venture deep into the dry Kyzyl-Kum desert to search for the handsome Pander’s Ground Jay, one of the really special birds of Central Asia. Although birds are not numerous in this landscape, we can also expect to see the local race of Little Owl, Streaked Scrub Warbler and a variety of migrants in little woodlot oases. We’ll return to Bukhara in the afternoon with time for more sightseeing or last minute shopping before our afternoon flight back to Tashkent. Night in Tashkent.
Days 8-9: We’ll take an early morning flight to Almaty in Kazakhstan and continue on by road to the east. The scenery in this part of Kazakhstan is truly inspiring with endless desert plains backed by low hills, dramatic gorges and distant snow-capped mountains. These habitats, open plains and low hills, are home to Lesser Kestrel, Desert Warbler, Rock Sparrow and hopefully Mongolian and Crimson-winged Finches. Other raptors could include the mighty Saker, now very scarce due to human predation, and Golden, Imperial and Steppe Eagles. We’ll visit a small breeding colony of Himalayan Griffons and are sure to see at least a few massive Black Vultures while nearby we should find a fine male Pine Bunting. Nights in lakeside camp.
Day 10: Grey-necked Buntings nest right by our camp and further afield we’ll visit a small pool for another of the region’s specialities, Pallas’s Sandgrouse, as they come to drink, and visit a breeding colony for Pale Martins before heading back to Almaty. Night in Almaty.
Days 11-12: We’ll travel north into the wild heart of Kazakhstan to spend two nights camping in the Taukum Desert, a vast area of undulating hills and wormwood covered grasslands. We’ll stop along the way at a small lake where we can marvel at a colony of around 5000 pairs of Rose-colored Starling, and as we continue north, Long-legged Buzzard, European Roller and Lesser Grey Shrike will line the roadside wires. Our camp is near an artesian well that acts as a magnet for local breeding birds and migrants. There is a constant stream of larks coming to drink — Calandra and Bimaculated are the most obvious but Greater, Lesser and Asian Short-toed Larks are also frequent visitors. Other birds we can expect include flocks of Black-bellied Sandgrouse and perhaps some of the scarce resident Greater Sandplovers or handsome Caspian Plovers in full breeding plumage. This open desert is also home to McQueen’s (Houbara) Bustard and we stand a good chance of finding a pair close to our camp. Further north lies the delta of the Ili River, a strange area of sand dunes interspersed with marshy pools and stands of turanga trees, and it is here that some of the region’s very special birds are easy to see; Yellow-eyed Stock Dove, White-winged Woodpecker, Azure and Turkestan Tits and the beautiful Saxaul Sparrow. Nights in a desert camp.
Day 13: We’ll spend the morning exploring the areas around our camp. Small stands of trees act as magnets for migrants among which we are sure to find Oriental Turtle Doves, Yellow-browed, Barred and Blyth’s Reed Warblers, Black-throated Thrushes, and perhaps a Little Crake or the pale sarudnyi race of European Nightjar. Later we’ll drive south to the Tamgaly-Tas petroglyphs, an ancient collection of bizarre rock carvings, where we’ll search the surrounding hills for Chukars and Desert Finch before reaching the comfort of our hotel in Almaty. Night in Almaty.
Day 14: We’ll take an early morning flight to Astana, the new thriving capital city and after checking into our hotel, drive out into the surrounding steppe. Close to the town are rich wetlands alive with clouds of White-winged Black Terns and displaying Marsh Sandpiper, while Paddyfield Warbler and Little Crake and Great Bittern creep around the reedbeds and monotone Booted Warbler and the showy Bluethroat sings from the bush tops. We’ll visit a lake that holds Slavonian, Black-necked and Red-necked Grebes, as well as White-headed Duck, Little Gull and a good selection of passage waders. Night in Astana.
Day 15: We’ll enter the ancient steppe with its vast grasslands and lakes of fresh and salt water where bird song fills the air and the sense of space is exhilarating. We’ll search for Dalmatian Pelican, Pallid Harrier, Red-footed Falcon, Demoiselle Crane, Great Black-headed, Baraba and Slender-billed Gulls, and a range of waders including breeding Black-winged Pratincole, Sociable Plover, hordes of migrant Red-necked Phalarope, and handsome Ruff in full breeding plumage. Passerines should include Citrine Wagtail, Pine Bunting and two splendid larks - White-winged and Black - steppe birds par excellence. In the evening we’ll fly back to Almaty. Night in Almaty.
Days 16-17: The beautiful city of Almaty nestles below the dramatic snow-capped backdrop of the Zailiysky Alatau mountains. It is to these mountains that we next travel, climbing steadily through pristine spruce forests. We’ll pause at a deep valley lake and scan the stony shoreline for Ibisbills, which regularly nest here, although our attention will undoubtedly be drawn to the tinkling song and striking plumage of numerous Red-fronted Serins.
Once we clear the tree line we’ll find ourselves in a crystal clear landscape of dense juniper bushes, flower-strewn alpine meadows, and snow-capped peaks. We’ll be staying in the Almaty Astronomical Observatory and after lunch we’ll drive even higher to a breathtaking pass where handsome Göldenstadt’s Redstart nests and both Red-billed and Alpine Choughs wheel overhead. We’ll also be looking for the mighty Lammergeier and dainty Altai Accentor that inhabit this mountain wilderness. Night in the Observatory.
At these altitudes the weather can be fickle so we’ll allow plenty of time to fully explore this wonderful habitat. As the first rays of sun hit the mountain tops the eerie calls of Himalayan Snowcock echoes around the valley and careful searching should reveal these impressive birds. The juniper will be alive with the song of Himalayan Rubythroat, Hume’s Leaf Warbler, Brown and Black-throated Accentors, Red-mantled and Common Rosefinches, Plain Mountain Finch and Spot-winged Grosbeak. The beautifully marked Severtzov’s Tit-Warbler can also be found in this habitat, along with the skulking Sulphur-bellied Warbler. Night in the Observatory.
Day 18: We’ll return to Almaty, taking all day to wander down through dense spruce forest where we should find Nutcracker, Three-toed Woodpecker, Songar Tit, and Eversmann’s and Blue-capped Redstarts while the numerous mountain streams are home to Blue Whistling Thrush and both Brown and White-bellied Dippers. We’ll end the tour with a traditional Kazak meal in one of Almaty’s fine restaurants. Night in Almaty.
Day 19: We take an early morning flight from Almaty back to London, arriving later the same day.
Updated: 01 August 2007
Prices
- 2008 price about $7,460
- Single Occupancy Supplement $330
Notes
This tour is limited to 14 participants with two leaders.
We strongly recommend starting the tour in London. Participants who prefer to meet the group in Almaty should contact the WINGS office. Both leaders will accompany the tour regardless of group size.
This tour is organized by our British company, Sunbird.