Duration : 09 Days / 08 Nights
Destinations Covered : Pangot (Nainital), Saatal
Mukteshwar & Corbett National Park ( Best Season October to June )
Day
01 : Delhi - Pangot (Meals : Lunch & Dinner )
Drive in the morning to Pangot (8 hours), a journey that takes you on one
of the world's more spectacular mountain roads as we climb up into the
Kumaon Hills on our way to this delightful "lake city". Afternoon
birding with a guide near the lodge. One can stop along the way to look for
birds that may include blue whistling thrush, red-billed blue magpie,
blue-capped redstart, rusty-tailed flycatcher, grey-backed shrike,
yellow-breasted green finch etc. Overnight stay at Jungle Lore Birding
Lodge.
Day 02 : Pangot (Meals : Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner )
Birding at Pangot, Baggar, Timla Pani, Cheena Peak & Nainital. One can
see slaty-headed & red-breasted parakeet, grey bushchat, long-tailed &
grey-backed shrike, common kestrel, besra, chestnut-bellied rock thrush etc.
Streaked laughing thrush is a common garden bird here.
Day 03 : Saatal day excursion (Meals : Breakfast, Packed
Lunch & Dinner )
Drive in the morning to Saatal (2 hours). The habitat offers species such
as white-crested laughingthrush, rufous-gorgeted flycatcher, red-billed
leothrix, Siberian rubythroat, rock bunting etc. This scattered and
deliberately undeveloped area is one of the most pleasant destinations. Look
for rufous-chinned & white crested laughing thrush, rufous-breasted
accentor, greater yellow-naped flameback, speckled piculet etc. Proceed to
Mukteshwar. . Enroute witness the glorious sun set behind the mountains as
you approach 7500 ft. ASL Overnight stay at Mukteshwar - Mountain Trail
Resort (45 KMs , 1.5 Hours ).
Day
04 : Mukteshwar – Mountain Trail Boutique Resort (Meals : Dinner )
Arrive Mukteshwar , atop a ridge 7500 ft. ASL exudes a charm unrivalled by
another place in the Kumaon hills . A Tranquil Hamlet providing one of the
widest , most panoramic views of the Great Himalayan Ranges which fills the
entire horizon from West to East . Eve .at leisure Enjoy the Bon – Fire
over a Intra Birding Update .
Day 05 : Mukteshwar – Mountain Trail Boutique Resort - (Meals
: Bed Tea, Breakfast, Packed Lunch & Dinner )
Birding in the Mukteshwar Forests , Fiest your eyes with the Lammergeier ,
Himalayan Griffon , Crested Serpent Eagle , Common Buzard , Steppe Eagle ,
Mountain Hawk Eagle , Common Kestrel , Kalij Pheasant , Oriental Turtle Dove
, Slaty Headed Parakeet , Asian Barred Owlet , Himalayan Swiftlet , White
Rumped Needletail , Common Hoopoe , Grey Headed woodpecker , White Throated
Fantail , Eurasian Jay , Green Treepie , Long Taled Minivet , Chestnut
bellied Rockthrush , Grey Winged Black Bird , Little Pied Flycatcher ,
Golden Bush Robbin , Blue-capped Redstart , Black-backed Forktail ,
Brownish-flanked Bush Warbler , Black-throated Tit , Common Stonechat ,
Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch, Spotted Creeper , Plain Martin , Himalayan Bulbul
etc.
Day 06 : Pangot-Corbett National Park (Meals : Breakfast &
Dinner )
Drive to Corbett National Park in the morning stopping en route for birding
at Mongoli Valley. Corbett Tiger reserve has a spectacular avifauna
diversity. Great hornbill, Pallas's fish eagle, grey-headed & lesser
fish eagle, red-collared falconet etc. are some of the rare birds that are
found in Corbett. More birds include jungle owlet, scaly-bellied woodpecker,
red-breasted parakeet, Himalayan swiftlet, stork-billed & crested
kingfisher and white-tailed & Siberian rubythroat. Tiger Camp makes an
ideal base for birding.
Day
07 : Dhikala Forest Lodge (Corbett National Park) (Meals: Breakfast &
Dinner)
Drive early morning to Dhikala tourism zone. Arrive at the main tourist
complex in the afternoon. Afternoon visit to the grasslands for birding.
Overnight stay at Dhikala Forest Lodge. Birding in the lower jungle track
along the Ramganga river is very rewarding for water birds such as river
lapwings, waders, mergansers and other waterfowl. While relaxing at the
lodge or visiting the grasslands one can see long-tailed nightjar, jungle
owlet, spot-bellied owl, common stonechat, black francolin, purple and
crimson sunbird, golden-fronted & orange-bellied leafbird,
black-shouldered kite, hen harrier, changeable hawk-eagle, chestnut-tailed
starling etc.
Day 08 : Corbett National Park (Meals : Breakfast, Lunch &
Dinner)
Morning elephant safari through the grasslands and dense forests. This is
the best mode of transport for tiger-tracking. Return for Breakfast and then
spend time till Lunch on a watchtower overlooking a water hole. Drive to
Tiger Camp stopping en route for birding. Some of the best birding areas of
Dhikala are Sambhar Road and Khinanauli. One can expect to see great slaty
woodpecker, great hornbill, puff-throated babbler, white-rumped shama,
pallas's fish eagle etc. Arrive Tiger Camp for Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 09 : Corbett National Park - Delhi (Meals : Breakfast )
You will explore the river edge at Kumeria for tawny & brown fish owl,
Asian barred owlet, plumbeous redstart, brown dipper and the three species
of forktails. Other species that are possible in the forest are crested tree
swift, spangled drongo, blue bearded bee-eater etc. Drive back to Delhi at
noon. Arrive Delhi in the evening (6-hour drive).
• Bird sightings depend greatly on season, timing,
and patience.
• Sightings mentioned in the itinerary are only a guide and cannot be
guaranteed.
