Our Bhutan birding tour starts from Guwahati in the state of Assam, India. We leave Guwahati along the busy roads packed with cars, Rikshaws and street hawkers crossing Brahmaputra River and continue across the plain of Assam. Keeping the eyes on Little Cormorants, Egrets, Indian Pond Heron, Red-wattled Lapwings, and Ashy Drongos in roadside wetlands with possible sightings of Small Pratincole, Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Citrine Wagtail, Rusty-rumped Warbler, and Striated Grassbird. We enter Bhutan, complete immigration process and enter the town of samdrup Jongkhar where we spend the night. Overnight in Samdrup Jongkhar.

We spend the morning spending time in the lowlands between Samdrupjongkhar and Dewathang where the forest is remarkably rich in habitat and diverse. The targeted species here include the rare Dark-rumped Swift, Pied Falconet, Jungle Babbler, Large Hawk Cuckoo, Pin-tailed Green Pigeon, Wreathed and Great Hornbill and Puff-throated Babbler.

In the afternoon, we will start climbing from the foothill where we can see Long-tailed Sibia. Mountain Imperial Pigeon, Orange-bellied Leafbird, Blue-winged Laughingthrush, Common Green Magpie, Silver-eared Mesia, and several species of Cuckoo. In the evening, we will look for one of the main target species in Bhutan, Beautiful Nuthatch. Overnight in Morong Campsite about 1700m.

We will have a before breakfast outing back to the location of the Beautiful Nuthatch if we didn’t fiind it yesterday. After breakfast we make our way to Trashigang stopping along the way for birding looking for Rufous-necked Hornbill, Long-tailed Broadbill, and Grey-sided Laughingthrush with other possibilities such as illusive bird and the most targeted Wards Trogon, Black Eagle, Mountain Hawk Eagle, Yellow-rumped Honeyguide and species of Yuhinas. Overnight in Trashigang.

En route to Yongkola, we stop at Korila. The forest here is rich in lichens and mosses making the habitat suitable for Streak-breasted Scimitar-Babbler, Grey-winged Blackbird, Hoary-throated Barwing, Long-tailed and Short-billed Minivets, Bhutan Laughingthrush, Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch, Brownish-flanked Bush Warbler and Spotted Wren Babbler.

In the afternoon, we will reach Bhutan’s wet subtropical forest and one of the finest birding in Himalayas indeed in Asia. We stay here for three nights birding these lush forested areas looking for Wards Trogon, Shortwings, Black-headed Shrike Babbler, Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler, Barbets, Yellow-rumped Honeyguide, Golden Bush Robin, Chestnut-breasted Partridge and other rare species including Little forktail, Large Niltava, Russet Bush Warbler, Violet Cuckoo and Rufous-faced Warbler. Overnight in Yongkola Campsite/hotel according to availability of hotel.

We spend two full days birding in this incredible area which ranked amongst the ten top birding sites in the world, with waterfalls and Rivers appearing around every bend. We will look for the area specialists such as Wedge-billed Wren Babbler, Rufous-throated Wren Babbler, Spotted Wren Babbler, Rufous-necked Hornbill, Coral-billed Scimitar Babbler, Parrotbills, Golden-breasted Fulvetta, Beautiful Nuthatch, Himalayan Cutia, Scarlet Finch, Black-tailed Crake, Slaty-bellied Tesia, Lesser and White-browed Shortwings, and many other species like warblers, Yuhinas, Prinias and Babblers. Overnight at the campsite of Yongkola.

We start early to Sengor through the rich habitat of Wards Trogon, Bullfinches and Fire-tailed Myzornis and Green-tailed Sunbird. Moving uphill is the place of Satyr Tragopan, the bird that draws many birders to Bhutan, Blood Pheasant and Kalij Pheasant. The dense coniferous forest hosts many good species like Mrs Gould’s Sunbird, Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher, Himalayan Bluetail, Bar-winged Wren Babbler, Red-headed Bullfinch, Rusty-fronted Barwing, Gold-naped Finch, and Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler. Our campsite in Sengor is a good place to look for Thrushes. Overnight in Sengor (campsite), 3,000m.

Today’s program starts early morning crossing one of the highest passes in Bhutan, Thrumshing La, 3,800m. Thrumshing La is the prime habitat for Blood Pheasant and Satyr Tragopan and also holds other alpine birds including Snow Pigeon, Orange-flanked Bush Robin/Himalayan Bluetail, Spotted Nutcracker, Red-billed Chough, Fire-tailed Sunbird, Great Parrotbill, Stripe-throated Yuhina, Grey-crested Tit, Coal Tit, and White-browed Fulvetta.

We may be lucky to encounter one of the most colorful pheasants which we even call it as Rainbow-colored bird, the Himalayan Monal for the first time in our trip. We continue through the valley of Bumthang looking for Eurassian Magpie, White-collared Blackbird crossing another high pass Yotongla (3,500m), looking for Hill Partridge, Chestnut-tailed Minla, Brown Parrotbill, Chestnut-crowned and Black-faced Laughingthrushes, Darjeeling Woodpecker and Gold-naped Finch. We then head to Trongsa, the seat of former power. Overnight in Trongsa.

Today our drive to Zhemgang, we will have several stops on the way in the forested valleys. We have chances for Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler, Grey-billed Tesia, Crested Bunting, Long-tailed Shrike, Prinias, Rufous Woodpecker, Blue-bearded Bee-eater, Spot-winged Starling, Common Green Magpie, Rufous-bellied Eagle, Mountain Hawk Eagle, Common Kestrel and Minivets. This is also our best chance for the Golden langur, a rare monkey endemic to Bhutan and discovered in 1950’s. Overnight in Zhemgang.

Today we will explore an unexplored valley with variety of habitats along Zhemgang to Tingtibi. Habitats vary from mossy forests to streamside lowland forest which is another chance to see the Golden langur. This is also a habitat for Rufous-necked Hornbill and Great Hornbill, Pin-tailed Green Pigeon, Cutia, White-browed Shrike Babbler, Scarlet Minivet, species of Laughingthrushes, Woodpeckers, Chestnut-headed Tesia, Grey-headed Tesia, Spotted Wren Babbler, and another Chance to look for Beautiful Nuthatch. Overnight in Zhemgang.

We head back to Trongsa looking for species that we may have missed the other day. In Trongsa, we will make our first cultural visit, the magnificent Trongsa Dzong. This dzong is the ancestral home for the Royal family of Bhutan. The first King of Bhutan was the governor of this Dzong and even now there is a tradition that any future king of Bhutan must receive the title of governor of Trongsa. After a fairly long drive, we reach Phobjikha valley, wintering ground for Black-necked Crane. Overnight in Phobjikha.

After an early breakfast, we drive to the Pelela pass (4,000m) and spend the morning hours birding along the old road at pelela looking for high altitude species like Himalayan Monal, Spotted Laughingthrush, Himalayan Griffon, Brown Parrotbill, and various Finches and Bush Warblers. Later we drive to Punakha crossing the rich habitat valley of Wangdue Phodrang district looking for Wards Trogon, Yellow-rumped Honeyguide and mixed species flocks.

In the evening we move along the Phochu River looking for one of the top target species of Bhutan, the White-bellied Heron which is the rarest birds in the world with the population of fewer than 200. Other birds we might see include Common and Crested Kingfishers, Ruddy Shelduck, Great and Little Cormorants and Ibisbill. Overnight in Punakha.

We spend the Morning birding entering the Jigme Dorji wangchuk National Park and along the Phochu River. There are possibilities to see Red-headed Trogon, Slaty-bellied and Chestnut-bellied Tesias, Small and Rufous-bellied Niltavas, Black-chinned Yuhinas and a Trio of Forktails, Wren Babblers, Woodpeckers, Laughingthrushes, and with luck of Pallas’s Fish Eagle.

After lunch, we visit majestic Punakha DZong, the winter residence of the monk body of the country. There is often a Tawny Fish owl roosting in the big trees on the river side. We then proceed to Thimphu, the capital city of Bhutan via Dochula Pass where all the eastern Himalayan ranges is visible. On the way is the habitat of Common Myna, Yellow-rumped  Honeyguide, Wards Trogon and many other species. Overnight in Thimphu.

In the early morning, we will visit the local sewage pond for Ibisbill, Black-tailed Crake, Ruddy-breasted Crake. After breakfast, we drive the north of Thimphu to hike Chari monastery. On the way we will look for Spotted, Chestnut-crowned and White-throated Laughingthrushes, Rufous-bellied Woodpecker, Wallcreeper, Brown Dipper, and White-collared Blackbird. Himalayan Goral (Mountain Goat) occur around the monastery. We then return to Thimphu for lunch and continue to Paro. Overnight in Paro.

We have a full day in paro valley. There is an option for a strenuous hike up to the Tigers nest monastery perched on the sheer rock cliff above the paro valley, for those who are feeling up to the challenge. If it sounds too ambitious, we will spend our time birding along the Paro River in the morning to see Ibisbill, Red-capped water Redstart, Great Cormorant, Little Cormorant, Ruddy Shelduck and some other species of water birds.

Excursion to Chelela Pass (highest motorable pass of Bhutan, (3,988m) is also an option to see three types of Pheasants, Kalij Pheasant, Blood Pheasant and Himalayan Monal. After lunch, stroll around Paro town. Overnight in Paro.

Your Bhutan birding tour ends this morning as you leave this incredible country and catch you flights home. As we bid farewell, we hope to see you again with us.