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Day 1: Arrive to delhi. On arrival, we transfer to a hotel
for the rest of the night.
Day 2: Today is spent birding around Delhi where we will see
our first Indian birds. The River Yamuna supports a wide variety of
wildfowl, including Ruddy Shelduck and Ferruginous Duck while
shorebirds are usually in evidence with White-tailed Lapwing likely.
Reedbeds are home to the localised White-tailed Stonechat and
Striated Grassbird. Marshy edges attract Citrine Wagtails and
Bluethroat, whilst Ashy Prinia, Common Tailorbird and Green
Bee-eater are likely to be amongst a wide variety of other birds. In
the evening we take an overnight air-conditioned sleeper train to
Jodhpur.
Day 3: We arrive at Jodhpur in the morning and transfer to
Jaisalmer, pausing at Kheechan for the famous congregation of
wintering Demoiselle Cranes. Thousands of cranes are usually present
and they can be seen at very close range as the villagers feed them
each day. We continue to Jaisalmer where we can do some local
birding while the permits needed to visit Desert National Park are
processed. Overnight stay in Jaisalmer.
Days 4-5: We have two days exploring the desert habitats of
Desert National Park. Here we search for the magnificent endemic
Great Indian Bustard, a species that is declining throughout much of
its range, but remains here in reasonable numbers. We also look for
another endemic, the rare White-browed (Stoliczka’s) Bushchat. Other
species we might find in this desert area include Cream-coloured
Courser, Hoopoe Lark, Plain Leaf Warbler and Trumpeter Finch.
Raptors are a feature of the park with Lesser-spotted, Bonelli’s,
Short-toed and Eastern Imperial Eagles being possible. We spend the
night in a desert camp situated in the sand dunes of Sam and return
to Jaisalmer on Day 5.
Day 6: Leaving Jaisalmer we have a long drive to Dasada. We
pass through an interesting landscape of cattle graveyards where
White-rumped, Egyptian and Griffon Vultures can be seen and small
wetlands where we may encounter a variety of species. We arrive at
an eco-friendly resort designed using local materials and having
extensive grounds. Red-necked Falcon, Shikra, Rose-coloured
Starling, Black Ibis and Great White Pelican are among a variety of
species present around the resort. After a late lunch, we depart for
an afternoon drive through a sanctuary for the Indian Wild Ass. An
ancient seabed turned by geological forces into saline desert
plains, the Little Rann of Kutch has grassy patches that offer good
bird-watching. A wide selection of larks includes Bimaculated,
Crested and endemic Sykes, Oriental Skylark, Singing and Indian
Bushlarks and Ashy-crowned and Black-crowned Sparrow-larks. Desert
and Variable Wheatears and Southern Grey and Isabelline Shrike are
also likely, whilst we search for wintering Asian Desert Warbler.
Other birds that we might find include Chestnut-bellied and Spotted Sandgrouse and the delightful Indian Courser. At sunset, it is
possible to watch Marsh, Montagu’s and Pallid Harriers, and a
variety of other raptors heading for their roosting sites. Among the
mammals of the Rann other than the wild ass, there are chances of
seeing Nilgai, Chinkara and White-footed Desert and Indian
Day 7: We spend the first half of the day driving amongst the
bets, elevated patches in the Rann covered with scrub and grass. In
winter, this is an area where MacQueen's Bustard may be found.
Raptors such as Long-legged and White-eyed Buzzard, Booted,
Bonelli's and Short-toed Eagle are often observed here and, with
luck, we may find the endangered Sociable Lapwing. Later we visit
Nawa Talao, a lake where Demoiselle and Common Cranes congregate in
large flocks during the winter months. Greater and Lesser Flamingo
also occur, while stork species may include Painted, Woolly-necked,
White or Black-necked. A wide variety of wildfowl include
Spot-billed Duck, Garganey, Cotton Pygmy-goose, and Comb Duck.
Day 8: After some final birding around Dasada, we depart for
Jamnagar. Our drive takes us through agricultural country with
scattered lakes. Birds of open-country like Indian Roller and
Black-shouldered Kite are likely to be encountered. We arrive at the
Hotel President in time for lunch and in the afternoon visit the
Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary where there is a reasonable chance of
seeing the declining Indian Skimmer. Two-night stay at the Hotel
President.
Day 9: Today we visit the coastal areas along the Gulf of
Kutch, one of the finest birding stretches along the Indian
coastline. We will see a wide variety of shorebirds, with a good
chance of finding the distinctive and sought after Crab Plover.
Other possibilities include Kentish Plover, Broad-billed and Curlew
Sandpipers. Flocks of gulls and terns may include Great Black-headed
Gull, Lesser-crested, Black-bellied and Whiskered Terns.
Day 10: After some final birding around Jamnagar, we depart
for Gir National Park where we stay for three nights.
Days 11-12: Gir National park comprises a mosaic of dry
deciduous forests, acacia scrub and grassland, fed by rivers and
reservoirs. Gir is the last home of the Asiatic Lion and we hope to
see this impressive cat. The park also has a thriving population of
Leopard, although we need some luck to encounter one. Other mammals
such as Sambar, Chital, Chousingha and Chinkara (Indian Gazelle) are
also present. Among the many birds that we can hope to find here are
Changeable Hawk-eagle, Laggar Falcon, Painted Sandgrouse,
Black-hooded and Indian Golden Orioles, the endemic Marshall's Iora,
Yellow-crowned and Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpeckers, Blue-cheeked
Bee-eaters, Plum-headed Parakeet, Large Cuckooshrike, Small Minivet,
Tawny-bellied and Yellow-eyed Babbler, Rufous-fronted and Jungle
Prinia and Booted and Eastern Orphean Warbler.
Day 13: We leave Gir and travel to Bhavnagar where we stay at
Narayani Heritage, a family-run heritage hotel.
Day 14: An early morning departure for Velavadar National
Park with packed breakfast and picnic lunch. Known for its large
population of Blackbuck, Velavadar is also one of the few places
where the wolf is proliferating in India, although they are rarely
encountered in daylight. Jackal and Jungle Cat are more likely to be
seen and Indian Fox is also possible. Birds include Sirkeer Malkoha,
Painted Francolin, Chestnut-bellied and Spotted Sandgrouse, Rufous-tailed
Lark, and Desert and Variable Wheatears. Raptors are a major feature
of this area with Eastern Imperial, Steppe, Tawny, Greater and
Indian Spotted Eagles, Laggar Falcon, Red-necked Falcon and
Long-legged Buzzard all possible. In the evening, we wait to see the
roost of Montagu's, Pallid and Marsh Harriers, probably the largest
concentration of harriers in the world. Later, we drive to Ahmedabad
where we catch the overnight train to Bhuj.
Day 15: We arrive at Bhuj in the morning and transfer to
Nakhtrana. Later we visit a site for Grey Hypocolius, a species
recently found to winter here in small numbers.
Day 16: Today we visit the Lala Bustard Sanctuary and Jakhau
Mangroves where we have another chance to see Great Indian Bustards,
Stolitczka’s Bushchat, Indian Courser and a variety of other
shorebirds. Overnight stay at Bhuj.
Day 17: Today we visit some tropical thorn forest at Chaduva.
Here, we hope to find the very rare and infrequently seen White-naped
Tit, whilst Marshall's Iora and White-bellied Minivet are two other
quality species we might find amongst the commoner birds. We have an
overnight train journey to Ahmedabad.
Day 18: Arriving in Ahmedabad early in the morning, we have a
chance to wash and change before taking a flight to Delhi where we
have a chance to do some final birding. In the evening we transfer
to the airport to catch our flight home, which arrives in the UK
early the next morning.
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