Detail Itinerary
[spoiler title=’Day 1 : Arrive Paro (2200m) ‘]
You will be received and welcomed by our tour guide. Thereafter you will escort from the airport to your hotel.
Afternoon you will visit Rinpung Dzong (fortress on heap of jewels) built in 1646 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the founder of Bhutan, and Ta Dzong. Ta Dzong was once a watchtower for the defense of the Paro Rinpung Dzong. It was turned into a museum of natural history in 1967. Evening freely stroll along the Paro river to for birding.
Overnight stay at hotel, Paro.
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[spoiler title=’Day2:Paro-CheleLa.2.5hrs.drive.(3890m)’]
Today after breakfast you will drive to Chele la pass (3890m) for birding and evening drive behind the Drugyel Dzong the ruin fortress. The species found in this area are Himalayan Monal, Blood Pheasant, Satyr Tragopan, Kalij Pheasant, Ibisbill, Common Sandpiper, Crested Kingfisher, Eurasian Sparrow hawk, Common Hoopoe, Nepal House Martin, Grey Wagtail, White Wagtail, Yellow-billed Blue Magpie, Spotted Nutcracker, Yellow-browed Tit, Grey-crested Tit, Rufous-fronted Tit, Black-throated Tit, Plumbeous Water Redstart, Brown Dipper, White-capped Water Redstart, Crested Serpent Eagle, Black Eagle, Himalayan Buzzard, etc.
Overnight stay at Thimphu
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[spoiler title=’Day3: Birding in Thimphu (65km) 1.5hrs.drive. (2300) ‘]
In capital city Thimphu biridng’s best is Motithang (upper Thimphu) and Cheri to the northern end. The species found in this area are Ibisbill, Common Sandpiper, Crested kingfisher, Brown Dipper, Eurasian Sparrow hawk, Shikra, Rufous-bellied Woodpecker, Darjeeling Woodpecker, Common Hoopoe, Nepal House Martin, Long-tailed Minivet, Scarlet Minivet, Grey wagtail, Yellow-billed Blue Magpie, Spotted Nutcracker, Red-billed Chough, Yellow-browed Tit, Upland Buzzard, Himalayan Buzzard, Common Buzzard, Wallcreeper, Rufous-fronted Tit, Black-throated Tit, Black-tailed Crake, Ruddy-breasted Crake, Solitary Snipe, Plumbeous Water Redstart, Northern Goshawk, Black eagle, etc. In the evening you will visit Trashichhoedzong built in 1641, the king’s throne room and house of Jekhenpo the chief abbot.
Overnight stay at hotel, Thimphu.
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[spoiler title=’Day 3: Thimphu – Punakha 4hrs drive. (1350m)’]
You will drive to Punakha, Bhutan’s old capital; you will take through some of the kingdom’s fertile agricultural land and most dramatic river valleys. The first stop at 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 Blue tail, 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, Streaked-breasted Scimitar Babbler, etc.
Overnight stay at hotel, Punakha.
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[spoiler title=’Day4:Punakha–Gasa (2900m)’]
In this Punakha to Gasa 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, 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, Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon.
Overnight stay at hotel, Punakha.
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[spoiler title=’Day 5: Birding in Punakha –Phochu side white bellied heron area (1350m).’]
Explore Punakha valley, along the Phochu river side looking for one of the main target bird, White-bellied Heron One of the rarest birds in the world with a population of less than 60 worldwide. Other birds we might see Pallas Fish Eagle, White-throated and Crested Kingfisher, Ibis bill, River Lapwing, and few species of Ducks.
Overnight stay at hotel, Punakha.
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[spoiler title=’Day6:Punakha–Paro4hrs.drive.(2300m).’]
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 Blue tail, 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, 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, Paro.
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[spoiler title=’Day7:Paro(2300m) ‘]
Today you will drive early morning to Paro for birding. You will sight Ibisbill, Brown Dipper, River Lapwing, Hodgson’s Redstart, Blue-fronted Redstart, Russet Sparrow, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Common Kestrel, Common Stonechat, Red-vented Bulbul, Green-backed Tit, White-capped Water Redstart, and some of the migratory ducks and waders. Optional evening you can hike to Tiger’s Nest about 3 hours uphill.
Overnight stay at hotel, Paro.
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[spoiler title=’Day 8: Departure’]
After breakfast in the hotel, then drive to the airport for flight to onward destination.
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Tashi Delek