Ward’s Trogon is one of the most sought-after birds on our tour Photo: James Ownby
Druk Yul, or “Land of the Thunder Dragon,” is the remote Himalayan kingdom we know as Bhutan. Isolated from the rest of the world by some of the highest mountain ranges on earth, Bhutan has retained much of its fascinating culture and is still poorly known by the West. Although most of it is now open to foreigners, tourist quotas are severely restricted, and few travelers and even fewer birdwatchers have had first-hand experience of this unique and diverse country.
On this tour we’re sure to see birds in abundance. Over 70 percent of the land surface is forested, only a small fraction is cultivated and much of the remainder is above the treeline. Over 600 species have so far been recorded in Bhutan and a significant number, such as Satyr Tragopan, Blood Pheasant, Wedge-billed, Long-billed and Bar-winged Wren-Babblers, Yellow-throated Fulvetta and Fire-tailed Myzornis, are far easier to see here than anywhere else on earth. And Bhutan is virtually the only accessible place to see several others such as Ward’s Trogon, Beautiful Nuthatch, and Blue-fronted Robin.
It is difficult to distill Bhutan’s attractions into a short account: there is stunning mountain scenery; incredible geographic and ecological diversity with tropical rainforest along the country’s southern border and forests of oak, rhododendron and conifer across the higher, more northerly slopes; and there are the Bhutanese people themselves, whose ancient traditions still form an integral part of everyday life—their beautiful monasteries, dzongs and fluttering prayer flags; their colorful clothes, bizarre archery contests and personable natures. Bhutan fires the enthusiasm of all who have visited it, leaving them with a sense of privilege and a longing to return.
Day 1: The tour starts in London with a flight to Delhi, where we’ll spend the night.
Day 2: We’ll catch an early-morning flight to Paro, Bhutan’s only airport. Our route parallels the mighty Himalayan mountain chain, and if the weather is good we should see Mount Everest. After clearing immigration we’ll drive east through an enchanting valley with its gaily decorated shingle-roofed houses and willow-fringed river. Red-billed Choughs are quite common in this valley, and as we head east we’ll stop to search for Ibisbill and Brown Dipper. With luck we might encounter a regional specialty such as Rufous-fronted Tit. We’ll spend the night in Thimpu, Bhutan’s delightful capital.
Day 3: We’ll head east out of Thimpu and up onto the western slopes of the Dochu La, the first of a series of high-altitude road passes that we’ll explore. Entering the pristine mixed forests of hemlock, fir, oak, blossoming magnolias, and rhododendrons, we should see a wealth of birds, including some species-rich feeding flocks. Quarrelsome Nutcrackers are common, and past highlights have included a skulking Hill Partridge, a Satyr Tragopan, a Golden Bush Robin, an immaculate Cutia, a Brown Parrotbill, and even the gorgeous Fire-tailed Myzornis. Most of our birding on this tour is from the roads, which are well paved and almost lacking in traffic. Today, however, we’ll venture offroad onto a trail that enables us to explore the forest more thoroughly. On several recent tours we’ve even managed to have excellent views of Ward’s Trogon, one of Bhutan’s premier avian prizes. Night near Punakha.
Day 4: From our base at a splendid traditionally decorated hotel near Punakha, the former capital of Bhutan, we’ll explore the braided channels of the Mo Chhu River and its bird-rich subtropical forests. Our route will take us past the spectacular Punakha Dzong. We should see an impressive array of species here, and on two occasions in the past these have included a White-bellied Heron, one of Bhutan’s rarest birds. We’re sure to encounter several parties of brightly colored minivets and noisy Striated Laughingthrushes, and we may also see more Ibisbills. A whole host of forest species such as Bay Woodpecker, Red-headed Trogon, and Wedge-tailed Pigeon wait to be discovered. Fire-capped Tit breeds here, as do White-gorgeted Flycatcher and the rare Yellow-vented Warbler. We’ll also search for a variety of skulkers including Lesser Shortwing, Spotted and Pygmy Wren-Babblers, and two of Bhutan’s three species of tesia. In the afternoon we hope to be able to go inside Punakha Dzong, a fabulous fortified monastery that’s still home to many hundred monks. Night again near Punakha.
Day 5: Continuing east, past the smaller Wangdi Dzong (another monastery and fortress combined), we’ll make a series of brief stops to scan the braided river channel. In the past we’ve seen Pallas’s Gull and Pallas’s Fishing Eagle here and added a number of other species to the Bhutanese list. We’ll also check forest edges and explore some of the small patches of cultivation. We’ll enter productive forest near the end of our journey, where we’ll stop o look for species such as Blood Pheasant, Satyr Tragopan, and the majestic Himalayan Monal. Spotted Laughingthrush, Yellowish-bellied Bush-Warbler, Rusty-flanked Treecreeper, White-browed Bush Robin, and White-winged Grosbeak also occur here. Night in Gangtey, in the heart of the Phobjika Valley.
Day 6: Leaving Gangtey we’ll follow the twisting road up over the Pele La pass and into “Central Bhutan.” A stand of ringal bamboo extends for about three miles below the pass, and we’ll search here for specialties such as Great and Brown Parrotbills and Golden-breasted Fulvetta, surely one of the world’s most attractive passerines. Night in Trongsa.
Days 7-8: From Trongsa we’ll head south to our first campsite near Zhemgang. Our main target at the start of our journey is the rare and little-known Yellow-rumped Honeyguide, but we should also see a number of other species, perhaps including Fire-capped Tit, Large Niltava, and Russet Bush Warbler. The entire length of this spectacularly forested valley is also a good area for the endangered Golden Langur monkey. We’ve seen Beautiful Nuthatch at a couple of sites on this road and will spend time searching for this magnificent bird. Our campsite, right in the heart of some superb forest, is at one of the lowest altitudes that we will visit in Bhutan, and species encountered here on recent tours include Chestnut-breasted Partridge, Violet Cuckoo, Pin-tailed Green Pigeon, Rufous-necked Hornbill, and Cutia. Rufous-faced Warbler is also quite common here. We also stand a further chance of encountering the rare White-bellied Heron and, as in April 2003, Collared Treepie. We’ll spend two nights here camping in modern and spacious walk-in tents, sleeping on comfortable camp beds set up for us by our Bhutanese crew.
Day 9: Retracing our route, we’ll head back north through Trongsa before climbing over a bamboo-thronged pass into the first of the four Bumthang Valleys. The scenery suddenly changes to broad grassy valleys and rolling hillsides covered in spruce and fir, and the avifauna changes equally abruptly. Nutcrackers can be common, though we’ll have to spend a little more time searching for the region’s real specialties, which include Slender-billed Scimitar-Babbler, White-browed and Rufous-breasted Bush Robins, Dark-rumped Rosefinch, and Fulvous, Brown, and Great Parrotbills. Night in Bumthang.
Day 10: We’ll start early today, continuing our circuit east and searching for pheasants, which could include Monal, Satyr Tragopan, and Blood Pheasant. We will climb, and eventually cross, the Thrumsing La, which at 12,465ft is Bhutan’s highest road pass. The road then plunges dramatically into rich semi-tropical rainforest, and we find ourselves on the Lingmethang road, perhaps Asia’s premier birding road. Many of Bhutan’s most sought-after birds can be found here, including Chestnut-breasted Partridge, Ward’s Trogon, the majestic Rufous-necked Hornbill, Blue-naped Pitta, Blue-fronted Robin, and Sikkim Wedge-billed, Long-billed, and Bar-winged Wren-Babblers. Accommodation nearby is spartan, so we’ve opted to camp again, spending four more nights under canvas. Our first night will be near Sengor.
Days 11-13: We’ll spend these days exploring the fabulously lush primary forests near Lingnmethang in search of the area’s specialties. We’re sure to see many new birds, and while not all of them are rare, many, such as Slender-billed and Coral-billed Scimitar-Babblers, Scaly and Blue-winged Laughingthrushes, Greater Rufous-headed Parrotbill, Broad-billed Warbler, White-naped Yuhina, and Rufous-throated Wren-Babbler are poorly known and unfamiliar to most birders. Nights under canvas.
Day 14: Leaving our campsite, we’ll continue our journey east to near Trashigang, a small town in northeastern Bhutan. We’ll spend the night camping at a site where we’ve regularly seen Black-tailed Crake.
Day 15: We’ll wind our way south en route to our next base in southeastern Bhutan. Our journey takes us through a series of villages, and we’ll stop to view an ornate Buddhist temple before continuing over several forest-covered passes and down equally spectacular river valleys. Easternmost Bhutan is poorly known ornithologically, and we’ll make several exploratory birding stops amid superb forests near Narphung before we reach our camp. In the past we’ve seen rarities such Gray-sided Laughingthrush and Ward’s Trogon on this journey.
Day 16: Our campsite near Narphung is in the heart of prime mid-altitude forest and provides us with opportunities to study the birds of this rich habitat. We’ll spend the entire day birding in the forests between Worong and Dewothang, with breakfast and lunch in the field. We expect to arrive at Samdrup Jongkhar, our base for the following two nights, in the early evening. Today’s target species will include Mountain Imperial Pigeon, Dark-rumped Swift, Long-tailed Broadbill, and Rufous-necked Laughingthrush, and we stand another chance of encountering the enigmatic Beautiful Nuthatch.
Day 17: We’ll explore the forested slopes around Samdrup Jongkhar, a bustling border town at the junction of the Himalayas and the Brahmaputra flood plain. Here we may find species such as Gray Peacock Pheasant, Jerdon’s Baza, Pied Falconet, Dark-rumped Swift, Wreathed Hornbill, Whistling Hawk-Cuckoo, Pin-tailed Green-Pigeon, Violet Cuckoo, and Sultan Tit. Night at Samdrup Jongkhar.
Day 18: Reluctantly leaving Bhutan, early this morning we’ll drive south in to Assam and on to Gauhati. We make several brief stops on the way to this, the logistical hub of northeastern India. En route to the airport to catch our flight back to Delhi, we’re sure to see several Lesser Adjutants and possibly Greater Adjutant. Other highlights could include Small Pratincole, Indian Spotted Eagle, Pied Harrier, Citrine Wagtail, and Striated Grassbird. Once in Delhi we’ll transfer to an airport hotel to freshen up, then enjoy a leisurely dinner before transferring to the airport for our flight to London, where the tour concludes on Day 19.
Updated: 29 April 2008
Prices
- 2009 price not yet available
- (2008 price $9250)
Notes
This tour is limited to 10 participants and one leader. We strongly recommend starting the tour in London. Participants who prefer to meet the group in Delhi should contact the WINGS office. This tour is organized by our British company, Sunbird.