China is a vast country, the third largest on earth, with a dazzling array of landscapes and environments. A good number of the nation’s 1,385 or so bird species are endemic or nearly endemic, and many are poorly known. On this new tour we’ll explore parts of the fantastic Qinghai-Tibetan plateau, the “Roof of the World,” in search of the many ornithological delights of one of the world’s most isolated regions.
The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is effectively a high-altitude desert, home to an impressive array of charismatic species. While we won’t see any wild Yak and are extremely unlikely to encounter a Snow Leopard, the wildlife we expect to see includes majestic Black-necked Cranes, Tibetan and Pallas’s Sandgrouse, the elusive Kessler’s Thrush, the stunningly patterned White-winged and possibly Ala Shan Redstarts, six species of snowfinch, numerous larks, engaging White-browed Tits, and the enigmatic Henderson’s Ground Jay. Just off the Plateau, we’ll visit Huzhu Beishan, an area only recently opened to foreigners and one that harbors an impressive remnant of ancient forest thronged with Phylloscopus warblers, redstarts, and buntings, as well as many other regional specialties.
Our ultimate goal is Lhasa, the Tibetan region’s historic capital, long isolated from the outside world. A visit to this remote town will be a thrilling climax to the tour, and we’ll take time to soak up the atmosphere of this place and the magic of its Buddhist culture. This tour is guaranteed to be a real adventure that will show you birds and places seen by very few.
Day 1: The tour begins this evening in Beijing. Night in Beijing.
Day 2: We’ll connect with the group arriving this morning from London and transfer to a flight to Xining, the ancient capital of western China’s Qinghai Province. Time permitting we’ll drive to a hill overlooking the city where we’ll search for Daurian Partridge, Plain Laughingthrush, Hume’s Warbler, and Godlewski’s Bunting. Night in Xining.
Days 3-4: Today we’ll drive to Huzhu Beishan, an impressive forested reserve on the border of Qinghai and Gansu provinces. One of the numerous birding stops en route will be near the summit of the Huzhu pass, where we’ll search the mountain slopes for Tibetan Snowcock and Rosy Pipit and the roadside bushes for White-browed Tit-warbler; we expect to arrive in the forested sections of the sanctuary before lunch. Huzhu Beishan has only recently become accessible to foreigners, and we’ll be one of only a handful of groups to have visited this amazing site. Lush grassy pastures in the valley bottoms, conifer forests on the lower and middle slopes, and stands of gnarled junipers at higher elevations all support their unique avifauna. Conspicuous species here include Hodgson’s and White-throated Redstarts and White-winged Grosbeak, but it is the more difficult species that are Huzhu’s primary attraction. Pheasants are high on everyone’s list of difficult birds to see, and there are several species here; Common (Ring-necked) Pheasant should not be too difficult, but Blue Eared and Blood Pheasants, as well as Chinese Grouse, will require more effort. The forests abound with bird song, much of it from the many species of Phylloscopus warblers, nine of which make Huzhu their summer home. We’ll spend the days birding at Huzhu, but will return to Xining to spend the nights.
Day 5: Leaving Xining we’ll drive west, climb up onto the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau, and head for spectacular Qinghai Hu (Lake Koko Nur) some 3,200 meters above sea level. Spending the next six days on the plateau, we’ll visit as many different habitats as our time permits. We’ll be seeing the rolling alpine grasslands at their very best, and the fields will be alive with the blossoms of buttercups, forget-me-nots, gentians, and poppies. Combine this with a backdrop of dramatic snow-capped peaks and Koko Nur (or “Blue Sea Lake,” as it’s known in both Chinese and Mongolian), and what better place could you imagine to go birding! Looking at the stunning pristine landscape, it will be difficult to believe that we’re still in the world’s most populous nations. On the shores of Lake Koko Nur, post-breeding Bar-headed Geese and both Pallas’s and Brown-headed Gulls will vie for our attention. We’ll also search for, and expect to see, the rare Black-necked Crane and possibly even the endangered Pallas’s Fish Eagle. In the neighboring grasslands, among the domesticated yaks and horses and scattered Tibetan tents, we should find species such as Tibetan and Mongolian Larks, six of the world’s seven species of snowfinch—White-winged, Tibetan, White-rumped, Small, Rufous-necked, and Plain-backed—plus comical Hume’s Ground Jays. We’ll spend this and the following night in a comfortable hotel near Bird Island.
Day 6: Another full day at the western end of Koko Nur will give us ample time to search for more of the region’s specialties. Pikas are common throughout the grasslands and constitute an important food source for the often numerous Upland Buzzards and Saker Falcons. We’ll also expect to encounter large numbers of migrant waterfowl and a few waders.
Day 7: We’ll continue west from Qinghai Hu, stopping to spend the morning in a ravine. It’s a moderately steep walk to the top, but we’ll move slowly, our steps perhaps enlivened by encounters with a Tibetan Partridge, Wallcreeper, Kessler’s Thrush, Blue-fronted Redstart, glistening gem-like White-browed Tit Warblers, Eurasian Eagle Owl, or Lammergeier. In the afternoon we’ll drive over a pass to Chaka, a bizarre area rich in mineral salt deposits and yet with tracts of intensive and surprisingly lush agriculture. As we approach town, we’ll be looking particularly for Pallas’s Sandgrouse and Mongolian Ground Jay. In autumn 2006, we were also fortunate enough to encounter several parties of the enigmatic Tibetan Sandgrouse here. Night in Chaka.
Day 8: We’ll leave early for a dry wash east of Chaka where, in the early morning light, we’ll look for Rusty-necklaced (Przevalski’s) Partridge, Pallas’s Sandgrouse, Desert Wheatear, Mongolian Finch, and perhaps Great Rosefinch. Later we’ll visit a shallow canyon that is home to another excellent selection of exciting birds, including Pink-tailed Bunting, White-browed Tit and, with luck, both White-winged and Ala Shan Redstarts. In the afternoon we’ll head back east, retracing our route past Qinghai Lake before turning south to Gonghe, where we’ll spend the following two nights.
Day 9: Traveling south of Gonghe, we’ll face the most strenuous day of the tour. Our destination will be the Er La Pass, which at a mighty 4,500 meters is easily the highest road pass on the tour. The pass is a regular site for White-winged Redstart and both Plain and Brandt’s Mountain Finches. Moreover, the Er La Pass is one of only a handful of reliable sites for the little-known Tibetan Rosefinch. As well as pottering around the road, if weather permits we plan to walk another 300 meters up to the summit of one of the nearby mountains. Tibetan Snowcocks breed here but are elusive, as is our primary quarry, Tibetan Sandgrouse. These beautiful birds are incredibly shy and retiring, and much of the day will be spent slowly exploring the mountainside in our quest to see the sandgrouse before returning to Gonghe for the night.
Day 10: After a final morning searching for species such as Rusty-necklaced Partridge, Amur Falcon, Margelanic Whitethroat, and Mongolian Finch around Gonghe, we’ll head back to Xining for the night.
Day 11: Taking a morning flight from Xining, we’ll head southwest to Lhasa, the heart and soul of the Tibetan Autonomous Region. Sitting on the roof the world, Tibet has lost little of its mystery. Locked away for centuries right in the heart of the mighty Himalayas, this hermit kingdom has really been open to foreigners for only the last quarter of a century. Surely one of the planet’s most enigmatic cities, Lhasa is the focal point and spiritual heart of this deeply religious region. Buddhism still permeates all facets of Tibetan daily life, and the name Lhasa means “God’s Land” or “Place of the Deity” in Tibetan. We’re sure to be impressed by all that this fascinating historic city has to offer—in spite of significant recent changes and a strongly modernizing Chinese influence, Lhasa retains much of its charm. Now a sprawling city of almost a quarter of a million inhabitants, Lhasa remains a popular pilgrimage destination for Buddhists the world over and also continues to enchant even the most wearied of foreign travelers!
Days 12-13: Spending two full days around Lhasa, we’ll have time to combine the best of both worlds, spending one day sightseeing and the other birding. We aim to visit the Potala, the vast white-and-ocher fortress that soars over the flat valley bottom and dominates the city’s skyline. The former residence of Dalai Lamas, the Potala was built in the seventeenth century and replaced an older fortress that stood on the same spot. Once the Holy Grail of Asian explorers, Lhasa City provides lots to do and see, and we plan to visit Barkhor Square and the neighboring Jokhang right in the heart of the old Tibetan quarter. On our other day, we’ll venture an hour and a half out of Lhasa to a quiet mountain nunnery, where many of the area’s birds have been protected for centuries and become remarkably tame. The main species we’ll be looking for is the magnificent Tibetan Eared Pheasant, and although they roam widely, they should give themselves away by their harsh, husky barked cries. Other species here include Tibetan Blackbird, Giant Babax, and Streaked Rosefinch, and we have yet another chance of encountering Tibetan Snowcock.
Day 14: Today we’ll fly from Lhasa back to Beijing. Night in Beijing.
Day 15: The tour concludes this morning in Beijing.
Updated: 18 March 2008
Prices
- The 2009 price is not yet available.
Notes
This tour is limited to 10 participants.
Please note that the dates may change depending on flight schedules. This trip is organized by our British company, Sunbird.