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Birding Tour India

Duration - 19 Nights & 20 Days.
Places to See - Delhi - Corbett - Nainital - Mukteshwar - Delhi - Ranthambhore - Bharatpur - Agra - Umaria (Bandhavgarh) - Kanha - Jabalpur - Delhi

Day 1 : Arive Delhi
Company representatives will receive you on arrival at the international airport in Delhi late in the night or midnight. Transfer to your hotel. Relax. DELHI, the capital of kingdoms and empires is now a sprawling metropolis with a fascinating blend of the past and the present. It is a perfect introduction to the composite culture of an ancient land. A window to the kaleidoscope - that is India. Overnight will be at Delhi.

Day 2 : Delhi - Corbett
Breakfast will be at hotel.
Drive to CORBETT National Park. On the way we will stop at Ramnagar and look for the fabulous IBISBILL amongst the riverside boulders.
JIM CORBETT National Park - One of the greatest National Parks of Asia. Corbett is five hundred and twenty acres of forests, hills and grasslands, fed by a frisky river - A bio-diversity that is rich, rare and precious. This Park is the perfect habitat for the tiger, elephant, hog deer, birds and other wildlife species that is fast vanishing from the earth.
Check in at the resort and relax. Proceed for an afternoon to KOSI riverbanks and look for CRESTED KINGFISHER, PLUMBOUS REDSTART & LITTLE FORKTAIL. The resort you will stay in is surrounded by excellent forest with many birds including the delightful VELVET FRONTED NUTHATCH.
Relax in the evening at the resort restaurant. Overnight will be at resort.

Day 3 : Corbett
Enjoy a full day birding along the riverbanks and in the nearby green area. Overnight will be at the resort.

Day 4 : Corbett National Park
After breakfast drive inside the forest and full day BIRDING in the park. Corbett National Park protects a large tract of forest and savanna in the Himalayan foothills, and was India's first National Park. In winter is quite cold in these areas and birds descend from the higher levels of the Himalayas to add to the park's bird riches. The variety of birds in this area is fantastic and moreover the area has its own population of tigers. The lodge inside the park is BASIC but with private facilities and the location is great!!! Overnight will be inside the forest at rest house in DHIKALA.

Day 5: Corbett National Park
Enjoy full day BIRDING in the park. Overnight will be inside the forest at rest house in DHIKALA.

Day 6: Corbett National Park - Nainital
Breakfast will be at the guest house. Drive to Nainital. The road is uphill and the scenery spectacular. Nainital lies beside a glacial lake and is backed by a crater like ridge with snowcapped peaks beyond rising to over 2600 m. The area is a mixture of pinewoods, open country and small lakes, and the views from some of the hills behind the town are simply fantastic. Here LAMMERGEIERS and HIMALAYAN GRIFON VULTURES soar overhead. Reach by late afternoon and enjoy the evening birding around the resort. Overnight will be in Nainital.

Day 7: Nainital
Breakfast will be at the resort. Enjoy full day birding in and around Nainital. Walk among the area's forests and fields in search of resident and migrant mountain birds. Including RED FLANKED BLUETAIL, STREAKED LAUGHING THRUSH, ALTAI ACCENTOR AND GOLDEN BUSH ROBIN for some spectacular birding. Overnight will be in Nainital.

Day 8: Nainital - Mukteshwar
Breakfast will be in the resort. Proceed to Mukteshwar - 52 km from Nainital and 6 km from the resort. It is at the height of 2286 m and famous for IVRI campus, thickly wooded forests and majestic view of the Himalaya, near by in the stone hole of Chauli ki Jali dedicated to Lord Shiva where people come to pray for children. The Lohakot at Mukteshwar is an extension of Gagar mountain range. Mukteshwar's wild life sanctuary is a division of Corbett National park. From Mukteshwar Himalaya ranging can be seen. Enjoy some beautiful birding for the rest of the day. Birds included will be as per list attached (birds around Mukteshwar) and time will pass fast. Overnight will be in a small but beautiful mountain resort.

Day 9: Mukteshwar - Delhi
Early morning birding will be around the resort. Proceed for Delhi after breakfast. This will be a long drive and you will need to relax on reaching Delhi. Overnight will be in Delhi.

Day 10: Delhi - Ranthambhore
Transfer to the station for train to SAWAI MADHOPUR after breakfast. Reach and transfer to the resort. Evening free at the resort and you can relax or watch some slides on the tiger. Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve, at the junction of the Aravalis and the Vindhyas, is a unique example of natural and historical richness, standing out conspicuously in the vast, arid and denuded tract of eastern Rajasthan, barely 14 kilometers from Sawai Madhopur. Get in tune with nature for a luxury holiday in the heart of the jungle. Ranthambhore - perhaps the best place in the world to sight a tiger in the wild. The Ranthambhore National Park has had more Tiger sightings than any other National Park in the country. It has come to be known as "The land of the Tiger", where most of the documented footage of this majestic beast has been recorded. The lakes abound with aquatic vegetation including duck weeds, lilies and lotus. A haven for a multitude of wild animals, the Park boasts of playing host to tigers, leopards, the elusive caracals, hyenas, sloth bears, wild boars, crocodiles and so on. Besides, there are over 300 species of birds, from the majestic Crested Serpent Eagle to the exotic Golden Oriole. Asian Paradise Flycatcher is also found here. Overnight will be in Ranthambhore.

Day 11: Ranthambhore
Enjoy the TIGER SAFARIS & BIRDING inside the jungle. Overnight will be at the resort.

Day 12: Ranthambhore - Bharatpur
Proceed to Bharatpur after breakfast. Just 176 km from Delhi is a very special wilderness - the Keoladeo Ghana National Park, one of the finest water-bird sanctuaries in the world. The Maharaja of Bharatpur artificially created the lake and wetland in the 19th century. By building small dykes and dams and diverting water from an irrigation canal, he converted this low-lying area into a fine wild fowl shooting preserve. In a few years, the new wetland surrounded by marginal forests was able to support thousands of water birds. Commonly referred to as Bharatpur, the Park is a delight for bird watchers. Over 375 species of birds are found here and raised paths, camouflaged by babul trees and undergrowth make viewing easy. A quiet ride by boat in the early hours of the morning is also unforgettable experience. The cacophony is unbelievable as painted storks, open bills, spoonbills, egrets, cormorants, white ibis and multitudes of others, tend their young. Jacanas with their iridescent colors and elegant tail feathers and purple moorhen can be seen delicately treading over the floating vegetation. Every year Bharatpur waits with bated breath for the arrival of the Siberian cranes. There are only two wintering places for this rare species one in Iran and the other Bharatpur and these beautiful birds with their distinctive red beaks and facial patches, fly over 6400 km from their summer retreats. Colorful kingfishers, graceful pelicans rare Siberian cranes and Trans- continental fliers - the migratory water - fowl are amongst the 375 species of birds found in the Keoladeo National Park. The most spectacular nesting is that of the egrets, storks, herons and cormorants, which make over 10,000 nests every year. This makes outstanding bird havens of the world. The park covers an area of 28.73km. The story of Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is incomplete without an account of the migratory waterfowl. The most prominent waterfowl coming to this park are bareheaded and greylag geese. Ducks also create a lot of fluttering in the lakes. The ducks usually found here are pintail, widgeon, common shelduck, shoveler, garganey, teal, etc. Attracted by the influx of the waterfowl the predatory birds-tawny eagles, spotted eagles short-toed eagles imperial eagles and fishing eagle also arrive. They all form the apex of the biological pyramid of the sanctuary and complete the avian food chain of the ecosystem. There are large herds of the nilgai, chital, wild boar and fear cows in addition to a few herds of sambar. Reach and check in at the hotel. Proceed on RICKSHAW for viewing the birds. RICKSHAW PULLERS have been trained by the forest department in bird watching and are knowledgeable. Return to the lodge in the evening and relax. Overnight will be at Bharatpur.

Day 13: Bharatpur - Agra
Proceed for the early morning RICKSHAW RIDE at the Bird Park. Breakfast will be at hotel. Enjoy the second round of BIRDING IN BHARATPUR. Proceed to Agra in the evening. AGRA: Two great Mughal monarchs, Akbar and Shah Jahan, transformed the little village of Agra into a befitting second capital of the Mughal Empire - giving it the name Dar-ul-Khilafat {seat of the Emperor}. Today a visitor to Agra is caught up in a world of contrasting edifices, of red sandstone and white marble, narrow galleys and quaint buggies, and that irresistible charm that this favorite city of the Mughals still retains. It is not surprising, that modern Agra still reflects its Mughal heritage most conspicuously. A walk down the narrow bustling streets of the city will introduce the visitor to the wafting aroma of Mughlai cuisine. Reach Agra. Check in at hotel. Overnight will be at Agra.

Day 14: Agra - Umaria (Bandhavgarh)
Proceed to visit Taj after breakfast. Enjoy battery van ride to the Taj. TAJ MAHAL: Little needs to be said about this architectural wonder which is always the soul raison-de-etre for every tourist's visit to Agra. Built by Shah Jahan, the Taj is a white marble memorial to his beautiful wife Mumtaz Mahal. This monument took 22 years to be completed and was designed, and planned by Persian architect Ustad Isa. Apart from its stunning design balance and perfect symmetry, the Taj is also noted particularly for its elegant domes, intricately carved screens and some of the best inlay work ever seen. Proceed for sight-seeing to the AGRA FORT - Built by the famed Mughal emperor Akbar in 1565 AD, the fort is predominantly of red sandstone. Ensconced within is the picture perfect Pearl Mosque, which is a major tourist attraction. Visit Itmadullah's Tomb built by Empress NOOR JEHAN in memory of her father (The interiors of which are considered better than the Taj). Proceed to station for train to UMARIA. Overnight will be on train.

Day 15: Arrive at Bandhavgarh
Reach UMARIA and transfer to Bandhavgarh. Reach and enjoy breakfast. Bandhavgarh is a new National Park with a very long history. Set among the Vindhya hills of Madhya Pradesh with an area of 168sq miles (437sq km) it contains a wide variety of habitats and a high density of game, including a large number of Tigers. This is also the White tiger country. These have been found in the old state of Rewa for Many years. Maharaja Martand Singh captured the last known in 1951. This white Tiger, Mohun is now stuffed and on display in the Palace of Maharaja of Rewa. Prior to becoming a National Park, the forests around Bandhavgarh had long been maintained as a Shikargah, or game preserve of the Maharaja of Rewa. The Maharaja and his guests carried out hunting - otherwise the wildlife was well protected. It was considered a good omen for Maharaja of Rewa to shoot 109 tigers. His Highness Maharaja Venkat Raman Singh shot 111 Tigers by 1914. Where birds are concerned, keep a look out for white browed fantails, steppe eagles, green pigeons, grey malabar hornbills, black and white malabar hornbills (quite a rare sighting), blossom headed parakeets, parakeets, blue bearded bee eaters, green bee eaters, white bellied drongos, owls, Jerdon's and gold fronted leaf birds, minivets, woodshrikes and the lovely paradise flycatchers. Enjoy a full day of birding inside the jungle. (Two safaris).

Day 16: Bandhavgarh
Enjoy birding inside the jungle and on the periphery. (Two safaris) Trip to the Bandhavgarh Fort: The oldest fort in India - considered to be more than 2500 years. One-hour trek up the fort is worth the effort. The charm of this trek lies in discovering these monuments in the jungle, unspoiled and unexplored. Some of the statues lie off the main path and so it is best to take a guide. Apart from the avatars, well worth seeing are three small temples of around the 12th century. These temples are deserted but the fort is still used as a place of worship. Kabir Das, the celebrated 16th century saint, once lived and preached here. The natural ramparts of the fort give breathtaking view of the surrounding countryside. The fort still belongs to the Maharaja of Rewa and permission is required to visit it. However permission is available locally and no trip to Bandhavgarh is complete without making an effort to climb up the fort. The staff of the resort carries your lunch while you are busy negotiating the trek to the fort. Overnight will be at the resort.

Day 17: Bandhavgarh - Kanha
After breakfast drive to Kanha. This is the place that has been described by RUDYARD KIPLING in his great book "The Jungle Book". Located in the Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh, Kanha National Park is a tiger reserve that extends over an area of over 940 square km. A horseshoe shaped valley bounded by the spurs of the Mekal presents an interesting topography. Steep rocky escarpments along the edges offer breathtaking views of the valley. Realizing the danger on the Tiger population in the country, the Government started the "Project Tiger" at Kanha and in 1974 the area was declared a Tiger reserve. The park is also the habitat of the high ground Barasingha. In 1930s, the Kanha area was divided into two sanctuaries - Hallon and Banjar of 250kms to 300kms each. Though one of these was subsequently disbanded .The area remained a protected one until 1947. Depletion of the tiger population in the year that followed led to the area being made an absolute sanctuary in 1952. Patient watching should reward the visitor, with a sight of Indian Fox, Sloth bear, Striped hyena, Jungle cut, Leopard, Mouse Deer, Chausingha or four horned antelope, Nilgai, Ratel and Porcupine Kanha has some 200 species of birds. Watchers should station themselves in the hills, where the mixed and bamboo forests harbour many species and in the grassy forest clearings. Water birds can be seen near the park's many rivulets and at Sarvantal, a pool that is frequented by water birds and the area in front of the museum. The birds comprise of Racket Tailed Drongo, Crested Hawk Eagle, Crested Serpent Eagle, Peacock, Golden Oriole, Treepie, Whitenecked Stork, Shikra, White-eyed Buzzard, Roseringed Parakeet, Shama, Red Munia, Large Green Barbet, Crimson Breasted Barbet, Lesser Golden Backed Woodpecker, Hair Crested Drongo, Common Teal, Pintail Duck, etc. Reach in the afternoon and relax at the resort. Overnight will be at the resort.

Day 18: Kanha
Enjoy a full day game viewing inside the jungle. (Two safaris) There would be a lot of birding today as we would take roads around the forest to places not frequented by people and in the bushes. Overnight will be at the resort.

Day 19: Kanha - Jabalpur - Delhi
Proceed for the morning safari and birding into forest. Proceed to JABALPUR after lunch. Reach and board overnight train to Delhi.

Day 20: Delhi
Reach and check into hotel for the day. Visit to SULTANPUR BIRD SANCTUARY for some afternoon birding with packed lunch. Return to Delhi in the evening and after a FAREWELL DINNER proceed to the airport in time for flight home.

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