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India
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Join us on a fabulous tour to India's Eastern Himalaya, as we ride on elephant back through tall elephant-grass by the mighty Brahmaputra river, birdwatch around a Sikkim monastery below the massive peak of Kangchenjungha, and savour the delights of staying at some old hill-stations in colonial-style hotels: experiences that will seem all the more special as we should encounter few other western tourists in this superb corner of India.
Darjeeling, Sikkim, Assam... Browse through almost any book dealing with Himalayan wildlife and these names keep appearing in the texts, demonstrating the rich diversity of life in the eastern Himalaya. This great chain of mountains runs from Afghanistan in the west to Burma in the east, dividing two very different faunal regions. To many the Himalayas are great jagged peaks of snow and ice - but although such visions are of breathtaking beauty, it is the forests and jungles lower down that support ninety-five percent of their wildlife.
We begin our travels in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), with a gentle introduction to the birds of the Indian plains, before flying on to Assam, in the far north-east of India. Here we will visit one of India's finest National Parks - Kaziranga - famed for its populations of rare Indian Rhinoceros, Wild Water Buffalo and Asian Elephant, plus an exciting array of birds. Spot-billed Pelican, Greater Adjutant and Pallas's Fish Eagle occur, along with grassland specialities from the little-known Jerdon's Babbler to the spectacular Bengal Florican. Next we explore the forests of the middle Himalaya, near Kalimpong and Darjeeling. We will walk through ancient woodlands in search of parties of fulvettas, yuhinas and laughingthrushes, which work through trees festooned with lichens and ferns. As recently as 1975, Sikkim was a mysterious mountain kingdom that had existed for centuries with little contact with the outside world. Now annexed to India, it retains a mystical quality all of its own. |
Price: £ 3,495
The price is per person, and is fully inclusive of scheduled tourist class flights with Emirates, London-Kolkata return; domestic flights Kolkata-Jorhat, Guwahati-Bagdogra, and Bagdogra-Kolkata; all accommodation and meals; surface transport by coach, jeep and elephant-back; excursions as described and entry fees to reserves; tips, airport taxes, bird and mammal checklist, and services of the leaders,
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Our tour has been designed to show you both the beauty of the mountains and their fascinating wildlife, without the discomforts of trekking or 'roughing it'. We will ride on elephant-back through tall elephant-grass by the mighty Brahmaputra river, hope to view the massive peak of Kanchenjunga, and experience the delights of staying at some old hill-stations in colonial-style hotels. Experiences that will seem all the more special as we should encounter few other western tourists in this corner of India.
In spring, migrants will be heading north across the mountains and higher altitude species will still be at lower elevations where they have wintered, whilst others will be arriving from southern India to breed in the forests. Resident birds will be in song and some species of epiphytic orchid will already be in flower. Those who have travelled to India before will find that the great majority of the birds will be new to them. Peter Kennerley is passionate about Indian birds and wildlife. He has travelled extensively throughout the Subcontinent, having made twenty or so previous visits there. Accommodation: Comfortable hotels and lodges of a good standard throughout; all rooms en suite. At Pemayangste, Kalimpong and Darjeeling, hotels are attractive in their quaint, old-fashioned Colonial-style services. Wild Grass Lodge at Kaziranga is comfortable but more simple and rustic. Meals: All included in the price. Breakfasts, dinners and some lunches will be at our hotels; there will be some picnic lunches. Walking: Easy (1-4 kms on forest trails). Due to presence of large mammals, limited walking is possible at Kaziranga, except for a few stop-off points or escorted walks. At Pemayangtse and Darjeeling we will be walking at an elevation of around 2000m; the trails are not steep and, where possible, we will drive up and walk back downhill, where our vehicle will pick us up again. Bring comfy walking shoes or boots with a sturdy corrugated sole for grip, plus a lightweight spare pair to change into afterwards. Ground Transport: We travel by small coach, jeep - and elephant!
Click here for a full, printable itinerary |
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