Description
White-bellied Heron Tour 15days
The tour crosses six districts, six mountain-passes, four regions that speak different languages and goes up to an altitude of 3,800m from 250m at the eastern border town.
Besides offering a first hand opportunity to see the country in all its natural ruggedness the tour also combines visit to ancient monasteries and temples and the interior towns and villages.
The main mode of travel is by road with accommodation in hotels at designated spots and at campsites.
Details Itinerary
Day 1 : ~ Arrive Paro
On arrival a you will receive by Bhutan Bokar Tours at Paro airport and escort you to your hotel.
In the afternoon birding along the Pachhu river, you will sight waterbirds like; Ibisbill, Brown Dipper, White-capped Water Redstart, River Lapwing, Plumbeous Water Redstart, etc.
Overnight stay at hotel, Paro.
Day 2 : ~ Birding in Paro
Early in the morning you drive to Chele La pass for pheasants: Kalij Pheasant, Satyr Tragopan, Blood Pheasant and Himalayan Monal. There is also chance of sighting the Fire-tailed Myzornis.
Overnight stay at hotel, Paro.
Day 3 : ~ Paro – Punakha 125km/approx. 4hours drive
Today you will drive to Punakha en route stop over Dochu La pass at 3,050 meters. The snow-capped eastern Himalayan range can be seen on a clear day. You could also circumambulate the 108 stupas of the Druk Wangyal Chorten. The birds found in Punakha and Wangduephodrang valleys are Himalayan Cutia, Yellow-billed Blue Magpie, Collared Grosbeak, Red Crossbill, Golden-breasted Fulvetta, White-browed Fulvetta, Fire-tailed Myzornis, Plain Mountain Finch, Mrs Gould’s Sunbird, Green-tailed Sunbird, Black-throated Parrotbill, Himalayan Bluetail, White-browed Bush Robin, Rufous-breasted Bush Robin, Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher, Ultramarine Flycatcher, Brown Bullfinch, Red-headed Bullfinch, Chestnut-tailed Minla (Bar-throated Siva) , Dark-breasted Rosefinch, Little Bunting, White-bellied Heron, Common Kingfisher, White-throated Kingfisher, Crested Kingfisher, Grey Treepie, Spotted Nutcracker, Speckled Wood Pigeon, Slaty-backed Forktail, Spotted Forktail, Eurasian Jay, Ultramarine Flycatcher, Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler,etc.
Overnight stay at hotel, Punakha.
Day 4 & 5 : ~ Birding in Punakha – Gasa stretch
In this stretch you will sight Jungle Owlet, Asian-barred Owlet, Osprey, White-bellied Heron, Pallas’s Fish Eagle, Lesser Fish Eagle, Great Cormorant, Black-throated Sunbird, Green-tailed Sunbird, Black-throated Yuhina, Striped-throated Yuhina, Whiskered Yuhina, Straited Yuhina, Scarlet Minivet, Long-tailed Minivet, Grey-chinned Minivet, Barred Cuckoo Dove, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker, Darjeeling Woodpecker, Bay Woodpecker, Chestnut-headed Tesia, Slaty-bellied Tesia, Grey-bellied Tesia, White-gorgeted Flycatcher, Large Niltava, Small Niltava, Rufous-bellied Niltava, Great Barbet, Blue-throated Barbet, Golden-throated Barbet, Asian Koel, Grey-hooded Warbler, Golden-spectacled Warbler, Tickell’s Leaf Warbler, Lemon-rumped Warbler, Buff-barred Warbler, Slaty-backed Forktail, Spotted Forktail, Black-backed Forktail, Yellow-bellied Fantail, White-throated Fantail, Rusty-fronted Barwing, Hoary-throated Barwing, Blue-fronted Robin, Lesser Shortwing, Himalayan Cutia, Green Shrike-babbler, Rufous-winged Fulvetta, Yellow-throated Fulvetta, Black-eared Shrike-babbler, Spotted Wren Babbler, Pygmy Wren Babbler, Speckled Piculet, Orange-bellied Leafbird, White-tailed Nuthatch, Maroon Oriole, Scarlet Finch, Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon.
Overnight stay at hotel, Punakha.
Day 6 : ~ Punakha – Phobjikha 87km/ approx. 4hours drive
From Punakha you will drive eastward toward Phobjikha through the black mountain region. Phobjikha valley is one of the most important wildlife preserves in the country and it serves as the nesting grounds for the endangered Black-necked Crane in winter. The bird species found in this valley are Yellow-rumped Honeyguide, Blue-capped Rock Thrush,Fire-tailed Myzornis, Great Parrotbill, Alpine Accentor, Green-tailed Sunbird, Fire-tailed Sunbird, Rufous-vented Yuhina, Whiskered Yuhina, Scaly Thrush, Tickell’s Thrush, Fire-capped Tit, Amur falcon, Ward’s Trogon, Blue Rock Thrush, Black-faced Laughingthrush, Spotted Laughingthrush, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker, Red-headed Bullfinch, Scarlet Finch, White-tailed Nuthatch, etc.
Overnight stay at hotel, Phobjikha.
Day 7 : ~ Phobjikha – Trongsa 80kms/ approx. 3 hours drive
Drive for three hours through dense evergreen forests of oak, rhododendron, horse chestnut, laurel, maple, fir, spruce, larch, hemlock and juniper to the central district of Trongsa crossing Pele La (pass) at 3390m. The species found in this area includes Spotted Laughingthrush, Crested Serpent Eagle, Mountain Hawk Eagle, Common Kestrel, Himalayan Griffon, Himalayan Swiftlet, Asian House Martin, Nepal House Martin, Common Rosefinch, Beatiful Rosefinch, White-browed Rosefinch, Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler, Streaked-breasted Scimitar Babbler, Brown Parrotbill, Scaly-breasted Wren Babbler, and Speckled Wood Pigeon.
Overnight stay at hotel, Trongsa.
Day 8 : ~ Trongsa – Zhemgang – Tingtibi 130km/ approx. 4.5hours drive
Depart for Zhemgang and Tingtibi following the Mangde Chhu River. Species found in this area are Pin-tailed Green Pigeons, Red-headed Trogon, Blue-bearded Bee-eater, Chestnut-breasted Partridge, Hill Partridge, Coral-billed Scimitar Babbler, Rufous-necked Hornbill, Great Hornbill, White-browed Piculet, Speckled Piculet, Bay Woodpecker, White-tailed Robin, White-browed Scimitar Babbler, Black-faced laughing thrush, Grey-headed parrotbill, White-throated Needletail, Mountain Scops Owl, Collard Scops Owl, Pygmy-blue Flycatcher. There is a chance of spotting the highly endangered White -bellied Heron as well as the Collared Treepie, Beautiful Nuthatch and Lesser Rufous-headed Parrotbill, Greater Rufous-headed Parrotbill, Lesser-necklaced Laughingthrush, Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush.
Overnight stay in tented camp.
Day 9, 10, & 11 : ~ Birding in Tingtibi and Manas
Explore Tingtibi where you can spot the Great Hornbill, Rufous-necked Hornbill, Wreated Hornbill, Lesser Yellownape, Scarlet Minivet, Sultan Tit, Black-eared Shrike-babbler, White-bellied Erpornis, Long-tailed Sibia, Silver-eared Mesia, Red-billed Leiothrix, Bar-throated Siva, Blue-winged Siva, Red-tailed Minla, Red-faced Liocichla, Rufous-necked Laughingthrush, Rufous-chinned Laughingthrush, Straited Laughingthrush, White-crested Laughingthrush, Jungle Babbler, Golden Babbler, Grey-throated Babbler, Pin-striped Tit Babbler, Long-billed Wren Babbler, Eye-browed Wren Babler, Scaly Wren Babbler, Pygmy Wren Babbler, Puff-throated Babbler, Abbott’s Babbler, Chestnut-crowned Warbler, Grey-cheeked Warbler, Whistler’s Warbler, Rufous-faced Warbler, Black-faced Warbler, Mountain Tailorbird, Common Tailorbird, Rufescent Prinia, Straited Prinia, Mountain Bulbul, Red-whiskered Bulbul, Black-crested Bulbul, Common Green Magpie, Black-hooded Oriole, Maroon Oriole, Slender-billed Oriole, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo, Spangled Drongo, Common Iora, Black-winged Cuckooshrike, Large Cuckooshrike, Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike, Large Woodshrike, Long-tailed Broadbill, Silver-eared Broadbill, Himalayan Goldenback, Greater Goldenback, Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker, Rufous-bellied Woodpecker, Rufous Woodpecker, Grey-headed Woodpecker, Eurasian Wryneck, Blue-bearded Bee-eater, Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, Green Bee-eater, Dollarbird, Chestnut-winged Cuckoo, Emerald Dove, Ashy Woodswallow, Lesser Coucal, Greater Coucal, Green-billed Malkoha,Green Emperial Pigeon, White-rumped Shama, Siberean Rubythroat, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, White-hooded Babbler, and many species of other Woodpeckers, Blyth’s kingfisher, and chances of sighting Hodgson’s Frogmouth. Collared Falconet, Pied Falconet, etc.
Overnight stay in tented camp.
Day 12 : ~ Tingtibi – Bumthang
In the morning before heading to Bumthang you will try to spot the Beautiful Nuthatch and the sapphire flycatcher. Then drive to Bumthang crossing over Yotong La pass 3,400m. En route spot the Chestnut-tailed Minla, Brown Parrotbill, Black-faced Laughingthrush, Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush and Gold-naped Finch. Evening, walk along the Chamkhar Chu River in Bumthang valley to spot the Little Bunting, Red-billed Chough, Blyth’s pipit and Common Sandpiper.
Overnight stay at hotel, Trongsa.
Day 13 : ~ Bumthang
Today you will sight pheasants if missed in the previous days. Visit Tharparling monastery for magnificent Himalayan Monal and Satyr Tragopan. Besides, you will sight Spot-winged Grosbeak, Daurian Redstart, Olive-backed Pipit, Oriental Skylark, Black-billed Magpie, etc.
Overnight stay at hotel, Trongsa.
Day 14 : ~ Bumthang – Thimphu/Paro
Optional: You will drive or You will fly to Paro and on arrival check in hotel. Later in afternoon you will hike to Tiger’s nest. Evening freely stroll in Paro town.
Overnight stay at hotel, Thimphu/Paro.
Day 15 : ~ Departure
After early breakfast you will drive to Paro airport for departure.