Kathmandu- Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve-Parsa Wildlife Reserve-Chitwan National Park-Royal Bardia National Park –Royal Sukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve
27 nights – 28 days
Home to nearly 900 bird species (almost 10% of the world’s entire species) including the Giant Hornbill and Bengal Florican, Nepal is indeed a birding paradise. The following itinerary provides you with a snap shot of what you will be venturing into during your birding trip in Nepal with Makalu Adventure.
Day 01: Arrive Kathmandu, transfer to hotel
Day 02: Sightseeing of Kathmandu and Patan, back to Kathmandu, welcome dinner in the evening overnight hotel
Day 03: Drive to Fulchowki (15km southeast of Kathmandu and the most popular bird watching spot in the valley with 265 of recorded bird species) and hike to Godawari at the foot of Fulchowki (Royal Botanical Garden, Godawari records over 100 species of birds including lesser Rackettailed drongo, Tibetan siskin and the spotted forktail. Overnight at resort, Godawari
Day 04: After breakfast, drive to Dakshinkali and hike to Chovar through Pharping enjoying the nature and many a historical and culture sites including Chobhar Buddhist Monastery, Sculpture Garden, Chobhar, Gorge created by Goddess Manjushree, Taudaha Lake which harbours- 120 varieties bird species and Shesh Narayan - beautiful shrine richly endowed with history and art, overnight at resort.
Day 05: Early morning excursion of the inns of Chovar, breakfast and then drive to Kakani ( two hours north-west of Kathmandu and you arrive at the scenic spot of Kakani (2073m) with views of Ganesh Himal, the Annapurnas and the Dhaulagiri range. Stop over for light snacks, tea and some refreshment and commence the most pleasurable hike to Shivapuri Eco village through the Kathmandu valley rim and Shivapuri National Park, overnight at Shivapuri Ecotourism and conservation farm (24 kilometers] north of Kathmandu- featured by National Geographic Traveler in the list of “50 Top Wellness Destinations” around the world).
Day 06 -07: Full day bird watching activities plus daily dose of yoga / meditation session and nature / culture hikes in and around this amazingly tranquil eco- tour destination.
Day 08: After breakfast, drive back to Kathmandu and fly to Biratnagar and drive to Koshi Tappu (Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve is Nepal's only Ramsar Site and must surely be one of the best wetlands in Asia for birds. Over 460 species have been recorded, including 16 globally threatened species. Visitors can expect to see minimum 100 types of birds in a day. Rest and relax for some time and set out for bird, butterfly & dolphin watching in the evening, overnight at luxury tent.
Day 09- 10: Full day bird, butterfly & dolphin exploring activities on foot and in boats in Koshi Tappu, overnight luxury tent.
Day 11: Set out early in the morning for a visit to Patnali Forest, near Dharan, overnight at hotel in Dharan.
Day 12: Drive back to Koshi Tappu (2 hours) early in the morning and engage in full day jungle activities; visit the Koshi Barage (for viewing numerous waterbirds including Grey-headed Lapwing) in the late afternoon, back to Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, overnight at luxury tent.
Day 13: After an early morning breakfast drive to Hetauda (4-5 hours), afternoon free for you to explore the city and surrounding on your own. Overnight at Orchid Resort, Hetauda, Samsiri River near Hetauda.
Day 14: Drive to Parsa Wildlife Reserve just half an hour's drive away from Hetauda, a reserve which has been almost totally neglected by birders. Here you can see a good variety of lowland forest birds. After lunch drive to Chitwan (justifiably a popular destination for visiting birdwatchers. Its wide range of forest, wetland and grassland habitats, hills and lowlands support a greater variety of bird species than is found in the rest of Nepal's protected areas. Around 530 species have been recorded to date here. The park has a mix of forest, grassland and wetland habitats. Highlights included Slender-billed Babbler (Chitwan is the only Nepal site for this species) and Grey-crowned Prinia and Pale-footed Bush Warbler which are rare in Nepal outside Chitwan, Overnight at hotel / resort.
Day 15- 16: Full fledged jungle activities: Bird watching, Elephant Safari (especially good for sighting grassland birds), Jungle Walk / Nature walk with Boat ride, / Elephant Safari / Jungle walk, Crocodile walk, Canoe ride (a really pleasant ride for sighting waterbirds including Brown Crake and Cinnamon Bittern), a 45 minutes’ walk through grassland and forest upstream of the Narayani River. Boat Excursion to Amattari Ghat followed by a full day Nature Trek to the Churia Hills (rewarding hike for hill birds, such as Red-headed Trogon) and the bicycle tour to Bish Hazar (20 thousand) lakes lying within the jungle of Royal Chitwan National Park. The lake is very attractive for the bird lovers and serves as an important bird watching centre.
Day 17: Final and free day at Chitwan and you are absolutely free to do the things or undertaking activities of your choice. We shall only catch up with you during the post dinner Tharu Culture Program.
Day 18: After breakfast drive to Royal Bardia National Park (the park preserves the magnificent flora and fauna of the subtropical woodlands of the Indian subcontinent that have been so tragically depleted by human population pressures. Royal Bardia is the lesser known treasure beckoning to those who don't mind a longer excursion if it means they'll have a better chance of actually seeing a tiger. But you'll return with an appreciation for the parks' sheer sub-tropical richness -- the sounds of the forest birds and insects, the powerful girth of the hardwood trees, the rampant vines. Overnight at hotel / resort or luxury tent.
Day 19 – 21: Full day Jungle activities, highlights includes: Bengal Florican which can easily be seen in the park's grasslands, a flock of six Great Slaty Woodpeckers (a species which is fairly common), and Sulphur-bellied and Western Crowned Warblers and Blyth's Pipit that are passage migrants as well as two exciting elephant rides that could prove very productive for grassland birds. Species included White-tailed Stonechat and Tawny-bellied Babbler. Raft trips on the river are rewarding for waterbirds in winter.
Day 22: After breakfast drive to Royal Sukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve (situated in far west Nepal, Royal Sukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve remains the most remote of the country's lowland protected areas. It is well worth a visit and is relatively easy to reach nowadays, being just four hours by road from Nepalganj, from where there are daily flights to Kathmandu). Within its relatively small area, the reserve has diverse types of habitat. A large tract of grassland, the Shukla Phanta, is the main habitat of 1500 to 2000 swamp deer, or 'barhasingha'. The park contains many other small to moderate-sized grasslands.
Day 23-24: Full day jungle activities and bird watching (Grassland birds are the specialties of this reserve with good numbers of Bengal Florican, Bright-headed Cisticola, Rufous-rumped Grassbird, Bristled Grassbird and Finn's Weaver- all on the main grassland. Hodgsons' Bushchat can easily be seen at Sukila Phanta in winter and there is a small population of Jerdon's Bushchat Saxicola jerdoni. We can also find a variety of wetland birds on two small lakes in the reserve including Jerdon's Babbler and Black Bittern.
Day 25: Early morning drive to Nepalganj and then fly to Kathmandu, overnight hotel
Day 26: Half day sightseeing of Bhaktapur and then drive to Nagarkot for overnight, hotel / resort
Day 27: Early morning sunrise view / Himalayan panorama, breakfast and then drive to Kathmandu, half day touring of the Narayanhity Palace Museum -the seat of the former Royal family of Nepal. Overnight at hotel
Day 28: Early morning Mt. Flight, (this one hour flight takes you within the camera range of some of the highest peaks in the world. Cruising closely through the majestic mountains and awe-inspiring massifs of rock and ice, this is going to be an out-of-this world experience. Back to hotel, free day, farewell dinner in the evening with typical Nepalese culture show, overnight hotel.
Day 29: Final departure
Trekking in Nepal
Expeditions In Nepal
Rafting in Nepal
Tours in Nepal