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The Nepal Bird Watching Annapurna Trek and Jungle Safari is a unique combination of bird watching and exploring Nepal on foot. After arriving in Kathmandu, you will travel with your private bird-watching guide to Pokhara at the foot of the Annapurna mountain range.
In the Annapurna Conservation Area, you can easily start a week-long trek through the mountains, passing through small villages, along rivers, and through ancient forests. With your private bird watching and trekking guide, you can search for endangered species such as the White-rumped Vulture and Wood Snipe, as well as near-threatened species like Satyr Tragopan, Cinereous and Red-headed Vultures. And there are many more.
After exploring the mountains, you go back to Pokhara to relax. It is the perfect place to enjoy the comfort of your hotel, with many surrounding restaurants and shops. Or, you can explore the area for more bird watching by the lake.
Next, you hop on a scenic bus down south to Chitwan National Park, where a comfortable jungle resort is ready to welcome you. Here, you can easily spend two days exploring the diverse birdlife of the Terai region with your private jungle guide. Surrounded by lush jungles and stunning scenery, this adventure introduces you to a variety of bird species, including some of the area’s most fascinating residents.
By traveling through the 3 landscapes of Nepal, you have the opportunity to spot a diverse range of unique birds in the country. This journey takes you through the hills in the middle of the country, the high mountains in the north, and the flat, tropical landscape in the south. It’s the ultimate way to embark on an unforgettable journey in a peaceful manner.
The bird watching trek in the Annapurna region is 7 days. And the bird watching safari in Chitwan is 2 days. However, we’d be happy to customize this itinerary for you.
The trek and safari together make an exciting adventure. You’ll walk along the high Himalayan mountain range and through lush jungles, meet friendly locals, and discover the beautiful birds across Nepal.
The best part? You’re away from everyday life, watching unique birds in a stunning landscape. Here, you can explore new places and bird species every day and just take in the natural surroundings.
Absolutely! We even encourage you to do so. Because it would make this trip unique and truly YOURS! Obviously, you don’t need to figure it all out by yourself. We are here for you. Do you want to speed up and make it more challenging? Or, take it easy and slow? Or perhaps visit different places? Just contact us, and let us know your preferences.
We are looking forward to hearing from you.
– Govinda & Lilly
Welcome to Nepal! We will pick you up at the international airport in Kathmandu, and bring you to your hotel in the travelers area of Thamel.
airport transfer – hotel
After a good night of sleep and hopefully beating the jetlag, we will meet again for our pre-trip meeting. You will be introduced to your private bird watching guide and we will discuss the itinerary. If you have any questions or requests, please let us know.
What’s next? You can use this day to adjust to the different timezone, altitude and climate. Also, you can prepare yourself for your trip and do some last shoppings at one of the many outdoor gear shops around your hotel.
breakfast – hotel
Early morning, your private guide picks you up from your hotel. Together, you take the bus from Kathmandu to Pokhara. This takes about 7 hours.
breakfast – bus park transfer – bus – hotel
Option: To save time, you can opt for a 30-minute flight to Pokhara, instead of taking the bus. This would give you the opportunity to explore this peaceful city by the lake. Contact us for more details.
Today is the beginning of the bird watching trek! We drive to Nayapul (1,070 m / 3,510 ft), the starting point of the trek. The walk to Tikedungha (1,570 m / 5,150 ft) today is steady, with fairly gentle climbing through terraced fields and scrubby woodland. There is thicker, dry forest on the steeper slopes.
breakfast – private vehicle – lunch & dinner – mountain lodge
Today, the day starts with a very steep climb using stone steps up to the village of Ulleri at 2,050 meters (6,725 ft). From this point, the path gradually ascends through beautiful forests of oaks and rhododendrons to Ghorepani at 2,840 meters (9,317 ft), where we spend the night.
In Ghorepani, the early morning walk to Poon Hill is a must. Most people go there for sunrise. However, it’s worth considering leaving Poon Hill after 8:00 when the noisy crowds have already left. This is the time to explore the alpine forest around the ridge. This slope becomes really birdy once the sun warms it up. Using a telescope, you can spot finches and similar birds coming up to warm themselves. At the top, you might find the Crimson-browed Finch, and in the grassy tufts, you’ll encounter the noisy little Grey-sided Bush-Warblers. They are quite mischievous, by the way!
breakfast, lunch & dinner – mountain lodge
Today, in the morning, we’ll hike for about an hour to Poon Hill (3,210 m / 10,530 ft). It’s a great spot for a beautiful view of the Annapurna mountain range. From this viewpoint, you get a breathtaking panorama of the sunrise over the high Himalayas. We’ll stay here for about an hour before heading back to Ghorepani for breakfast.
We can start in the dark like most people to witness the sunrise from Poon Hill. Or, we can leave a bit later when most people have already left making the area more quiet. As we slowly walk back from Poon Hill, we can birdwatch along the way.
After Poon Hill, we’ll spend the day birdwatching in the Ghorepani valley. Besides birding in the forest along the path, it’s worth spending time on the grazed slopes just before the village. The White-collared Blackbird sings strongly here at dusk. Look for Nepal Wren-Babblers in an open, rocky streambed or Phyllos in the meadows and bushy edges.
breakfast, lunch & dinner – mountain lodge
After breakfast, we pack our bags again and start climbing along ridges and through pine and rhododendron forests towards Tadapani (2,710 m / 8,890 ft).
Just when Poon Hill wasn’t enough, this part of the walk is truly beautiful, offering the chance to explore the trail of the bush-robin and parrotbill. The ridge here has many bamboo forests, providing a hiding place for Great Parrotbills, but spotting bush-robins might be easier. Meanwhile, Annapurna keeps peeping at you through openings in the canopy as you wait for the birds to appear. You might also hear tragopans here and perhaps encounter a pheasant crossing your path.
Next, you walk through an amazing gorge, where you can see singing Phyllos and noisy Scaly-breasted Wren-Babblers. Also, the Black-throated and Fulvous Parrotbills, Satyr Tragopan, Himalayan Monals and Gharals.
breakfast, lunch & dinner – mountain lodge
From Tadapani, we follow the descending trail through the forests to Ghandruk (2,012 m / 6,601 ft).
The forests here are a bit different from the ones at the higher ridge and gorge between Deurali and Bhaisi Khaika. They are more humid and greener, with fewer rhododendrons as it starts to feel more sub-tropical. Just like everywhere else, there are plenty of birds and creatures that enjoy the damp shade. For example, you can spot the Scaly Thrush, Woodcock, and Snowy-browed Flycatcher here. And even the Brown Bullfinch.
Ghandruk is a village of the Gurung people, an ethnic group of Nepal. The Gurungs have their own dialect, culture, costume and life style. In addition to that, Ghandruk is also home to many Gurkha soldiers. It is a famous trekking destination as it is known for its beautiful mountain views.
In the afternoon we can visit the Annapurna Conservation Office and explore this charming village.
breakfast, lunch & dinner – mountain lodge
The scrubby thickets and new growth around and above Ghandruk are often filled with birds, including flycatchers and Pygmy Wren-Babblers. It’s a good idea to wake up early in the morning and look at the tall trees around the fields to find Tickell’s Thrush. It shouldn’t be too hard to locate by its song.
Today, an easy descent awaits, from Ghandruk to Nayapul. Pay extra attention to the fields around Kimche for the Yellow-breasted Greenfinch, Upland Pipits, and Crested Bunting. Perhaps you can even spot a flock of Nepal House Martins here.
From the finish point of our trek, we will drive you back to the hotel in Pokhara.
breakfast, lunch – drive – hotel
Even in Pokhara, you can go out and explore the area to spot birds. For example, spend the morning in the forest at and behind Fishtail Lodge, or visit the nearby Damside Park for birdwatching at the edge of the forest. Here, you might find egrets and occasionally a wader, as well as the Khalij Pheasant. The latter is easy to spot early in the morning along the lake shore.
The main bird you’ll see in Pokhara is the White-rumped Vulture, often appearing over the city in the morning thermals. Additionally, you can spot the Peregrine Falcon, another notable bird, here downtown Pokhara.
breakfast – hotel
Today, you hop on the bus heading to the flat and warm south, to Chitwan. The journey takes about 6 hours, and afterward, you can relax at a comfortable jungle resort.
breakfast – bus – dinner – jungle resort
breakfast, lunch & dinner – jungle resort
breakfast, lunch & dinner – jungle resort
breakfast – 2x airport transfer – flight – hotel
If it’s the final day of your holiday in Nepal, we will bring you back to the international airport. We hope you had a wonderful time in Nepal with us, and that we will meet each other again in the future. Goodbye friends!
breakfast – airport transfer
Together, we set a goal and we'll do everything we can to make it happen!
Govinda & Lilly tailor these sample trips to your preferences and budget.
With memories that last a lifetime!
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