Bhutan

Satyr Tragopan © David Wolf

A spellbinding trip to a seldom visited Himalayan mountain kingdom, featuring the pinnacle of Himalayan birding, enchanting primeval forest, glorious mountain scenery, and rich Buddhist culture.

Bhutan is truly paradise on earth. Untouched, primeval forests extend as far as the eye can see, and the birding is fantastic beyond anyone’s dreams. Each year we locate more and more little-known, spectacular, and rarely seen species, including some of the rarest and most desirable on our planet. The Bhutanese people have one of the most fascinating and least disturbed cultures in the world. It is a rich Buddhist culture that respects all forms of life, resulting in an avifauna that is not only marvelously diverse, but remarkably visible and approachable. Some of the species we hope to encounter include the incomparably beautiful Ward’s Trogon; the endangered Rufous-necked Hornbill; a fascinating assemblage of babblers, including several globally little-known species; Fire-tailed Myzornis and a galaxy of enthusiastic laughingthrushes; and breathtaking encounters with male Satyr Tragopans and Himalayan Monal, in addition to the incomparable Beautiful Nuthatch and maybe even the critically endangered White-bellied Heron.

Our tours also encounter a remarkable array of mammals. Past tours have recorded as many as 26 species including an extraordinary incident when a pack of dhole (Asian wild dogs) brought down and killed an adult Sambar deer right in front of our breakfast camp; rare daytime views of the exquisitely marked Leopard Cat; Yellow-throated Marten; exceptional nighttime views of the amazing Bhutan Giant Flying Squirrel; and large numbers of the lovely Golden Langur. We also take time to look at reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, and an exciting array of Himalayan flowering plants. Add to this the discovery of many new species to the kingdom’s known avifauna, as well as recording a plethora of other gorgeous and little-known Himalayan species, and you have all the ingredients of an extraordinary tour. The Himalayas are made up of the world’s highest mountains, pristine and majestic. Satin skies are pierced by rugged, snow-encrusted peaks, their slopes blanketed in untold birders’ dreams. Imagine birding among woodlands clothed in a rhododendron and magnolia mist, the haunting calls of cosmic Satyr Tragopans, glowing sunbirds, dapper grosbeaks, and subtle rosefinches—all to the accompanying delicate bouquet of flowering daphnia. Primulas carpet every spare patch of open ground, and azaleas and terrestrial orchids cling to the steeper inclines.

Recently, the little-explored and untouched forests of western Bhutan have come to birders' attention; however, few tour companies have yet visited this region. We are privileged to have expert local guides who know this area well, including a newly upgraded road through virgin forest covering a huge range of elevations; this promises to be an exciting new birding experience in Bhutan. From the immense grassy flood plains and duars of the northern edge of the great Brahmaputra, we will ascend in stages through mighty lowland Sal forests, super-rich subtropical forests, and temperate deciduous and evergreen forests, eventually reaching a pass with an elevation of 13,000 feet.

A mix of excellent hotel, traditional guesthouse-style accommodations and comfortable walk-in tented camps with cots; elevations from 600 to 13,000 feet; good mix of walking and easy-paced bus drives (in a superb bus driven by a world-class driver); wide mix of weather conditions from hot and sunny to occasionally cool or even cold (at night) and overcast, with some rain possible, and rarely snow at high elevations.

Punakha Dzong © Steve Hilty