(A 31 day visit to Assam and Western Arunachal covering three National Parks (NP), two Wild Life Sanctuaries (WLS), some remote high altitude Eastern Himalayan unprotected areas and an exclusive Greater Adjutant site with a natural lake (Proposed Bird Sanctuary)

Day 01: Guwahati-Orang NP (04 hr):

Our tour manager will welcome you on your arrival at Guwahati airport. Later  transfer to Orang National Park. Overnight at Forest Rest House/Tourist Lodge.

With an area of 78.80 sq.km, Orang is the last refuge of the Great Indian one horned rhinos on the northern side of the Brahmaputra river.

Sixty percent of the park is grassland. The area is a flat land with few depressions. Numerous streams running north to south drain the area which ultimately join the Brahmaputra. The habitat is composed of Eastern Seasonal Swamp Forests, Eastern Himalayan Moist Deciduous Forests, Eastern wet Alluvial Grassland & Khair-Sisoo Forests.

Interesting Species: Bengal Florican, Swamp Francolin, Jerdon’s Bushchat, Pallas’s Fish Eagle, Greater Spotted Eagle, Black-necked Stork, Kalij Pheasant, Greater & Lesser Adjutants, Pied Harrier, Great Hornbill, Thick-billed Warbler, White-Cheeked Partridge, King Vulture, Ferruginous Pochard, Finn’s Weaver, Spot-billed Pelican etc.

Day 02: Orang NP:

Full day at Orang.

Day 03: Orang NP-Dirang (06-07 hr):

Birding till 9 am at Orang. Later transfer to Dirang. Overnight at hotel Pemaling.

The high altitude area of Western Arunachal that we are going to cover, spreading over two districts of Tawang and West Kameng , is not part of any protected forest area. Birding is done in the forests on the motorable roads, trekking routes passing through tiny hamlets & also trekking routes leading to monasteries especially in Tawang district where monasteries  are traditionally located on the highest points of a particular area. The area having an altitude  of 1500-4500 m  has a vegetation of dry inner valleys, cultivation, temperate broad-leaved and conifer forests, scrub and alpine meadows.
 

Interesting Species  : Alpine Accentor, Black-necked Crane , Blood Pheasant, Monal Pheasant, Satyr and Temminck's Tragopans, Long-billed Plover, Ward's Trogon, Eyebrowed Thrush, White-throated Redstart, Slender-billed Scimitar-babbler, Brown-throated Tit-Babbler/Fulvetta, Coal Tit, Rufous-bellied Tit, Rufous-fronted Tit, Eurasian Treecreeper, Fire-tailed Sunbird, Beavan's Bullfinch, Brown Bullfinch, White-winged Grosbeak, Red-billed Chough etc.

Day 04: Dirang-Tawang (05-06 hr):

Transfer to Tawang. Overnight at hotel Buddha or similar.

Day 05: Tawang:

Full day at Tawang.

Day 06: Tawang-Zemithang (04-05 hr):

Transfer to Zemithang.En route trek to Shakti gompa. Overnight at IB/Camps.

Day 07: Zemithang-Jang (04-05 hrs):

           Transfer to Jang.En route trek to Gispu gompa. Overnight at IB/Camps.

Day 08: Jang: Full day at Jang.

Day 09: Jang-Dirang (04-05 hr):

Transfer to Dirang. Overnight at hotel Pemaling.

Day 10: Dirang-Sangtey Valley:Trek. Overnight at IB/Camps.

Day 11: Sangtey Valley-Khalibok:Trek. Overnight at camps.

Day 12: Khalibok-Namshu:Trek. Overnight at camps/local house.

Day 13: Namshu-Thembang: Trek. Overnight at IB/Camps.

Day 14: Thembang-Munna Camp: Trek. Later drive to Bomdila. Overnight at hotel Siphiangphong/Tourist Lodge.

Day 15:Bomdila-Rupa-Jigaon: Transfer to Rupa. Later trek to Jigaon. Overnight at IB/Camps.

Day 16:Jigaon-Shergaon: Trek. Overnight at IB/Camps.

Day 17:Shergaon-Morsing: Trek. Overnight at IB/Camps.

Day 18:Morsing-Eaglenest(04-05 hr):

Transfer to Eaglenest.Overnight at Sundarview camp.

A magnificent wild life sanctuary, Eaglenest is located in the West Kameng district of Western Arunachal with an area of 218 sq.km &  altitudinal variation of 500 m-3200 m from South to North. It is accessible up to its highest point though the motorable road stresses up to 2800 metres. This wild life sanctuary is accessible in the monsoons as well due to its location.

The vegetation consists of   lowland evergreen forest, broad-leaved forest, bamboo, conifers, roadside scrub and farmland.

Interesting Species: Ashy Wood-pigeon, Bay Woodpecker ,Beautiful Nuthatch, Black-faced Laughing-thrush ,Blue-fronted Robin,  Beavan's Bullfinch, Brown Bullfinch, Brown-throated Treecreeper, Common Hill-partridge, Coral-billed Scimitar-babbler, Crimson-breasted Pied-woodpecker, Eye-browed Thrush, Golden Bush-robin,  Grey-chinned Minivet ,Little Forktail, Pied Falconet, Pale-headed Woodpecker, Rufous-bellied Hawk-eagle,  Rufous-necked Hornbill, Rufous-bellied Bulbul,  Rufous-breasted Bush-robin, Scaly Laughing-thrush, Sultan Tit, Temminck's Tragopan,  Wallcreeper, Chestnut-headed, Grey-bellied and Slaty-bellied Tesias etc.

Day 19:Eaglenest:Trek: Sundarview –Bompu.Overnight at camps.

Day 20:Eaglenest:Trek:Bompu-Sissni.Overnight at camps.

Day 21: Eaglenest: Trek: Sissni-Beyond Khellong-Later back to Khellong. Overnight at Forest IB/Camps.

Day 22: Eaglenest (Khellong)-Nameri NP (06 hr):

Transfer to Nameri National park in Assam. Overnight at Eco Camp. 

Covering an area of 200 sq km, Nameri National Park, located at the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas, is the best place to see the very rare & elusive White-winged Wood Duck. Nameri is a project tiger. The sparkling river Jia Bharali, which is ideal for rafting and angling, flows down by the National Park adding a unique charm to it. The habitat of the park consists of tropical evergreen, semi evergreen, moist deciduous forests with cane and bamboo brakes and narrow strips of open grassland along rivers. Nameri along with adjacent Pakke & neighbouring  Eaglenest Wild Life Sanctuaries of Western Arunachal protects about 1300 sq.km of great bio-diversity.  

Interesting Species: Black-breasted Thrush, Collared Falconet, Ibisbill, Long-billed Plover, Giant, Rufous-necked & Wreathed Hornbills, Ruddy Kingfisher, White-winged Wood Duck, Wallcreeper, Kalij Pheasant, Green Cochoa, King Vulture, Pallas’s Fish Eagle etc.

Day 23: Nameri NP:Trek: Full day at Nameri National Park.

Day 24: Nameri-Pakke (Pakhui) WLS (02-03 hr):

Transfer to Pakke WLS in the East Kameng district of Arunachal.Overnight  at Seijosa Forest IB/Camps.

Pakke Project Tiger is a magnificent Wild Life Sanctuary in Western Arunachal. With an area of 862 sq.km & altitudinal variation of 100-2000m (accessible up to 300 m), it is contiguous with Eagle Nest WLS of Western Arunachal and  Nameri National Park of Assam.

Low land evergreen forest, shingle banks, farmland, & plantations form the vegetation of Pakke.

Interesting Species: : Blue-naped Pitta, Crow-billed Drongo, Daurian Redstart, Emerald Cuckoo,  Grey Peacock-pheasant,  Ibisbill , Jerdon's Baza ,Lesser Shortwing, Leschenault's Forktail, Lesser Necklaced Laughing-thrush, Maroon Oriole, Pied Falconet , Ruby-cheeked Sunbird,  Red-headed Trogon, Sultan Tit, White-bellied Yuhina, White-browed Shortwing , White-cheeked Hill-partridge, Wreathed and Great Hornbills, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher-warbler etc.

Day 25: :Pakke:Trek:Seijosa-Khari .Overnight at Camps.

Day 26: Pakke: Trek: Khari-Seijosa. Overnight at Forest IB/Camps.

Day 27: Pakke-Kaziranga NP (03-04 hr):

Birding till 9 am at Pakke. Later transfer to Kaziranga NP. On arrival we check in at hotel Wild Grass Resort/Bonhabi Resort/Aranya Lodge and have lunch. Later, we go out birding on the road outside Panbari reserve and also in tea gardens.

Home to the Great Indian one horned rhinoceros, Kaziranga National Park is one of the best parks in the world. With an area of 860 sq.km (after recent additions) of low lying grasslands, shallow waterbodies & woodlands this is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Assam. Kaziranga is excellent for mammal viewing. The park recently celebrated 100 years of its protected area status.

Kaziranga was brought under the Project Tiger recently. There are 86 Royal Bengal Tigers as per 2000 Census. Kaziranga has 70% of the world population of Eastern Swamp Deer and Asiatic Water Buffalos. Out of 2006 rhinoceros found in Assam 1855 could be found in Kaziranga as per 2006 Census.

Till now 490 species of birds(25 of  them globally threatened) have been recorded at Kaziranga so far & an ardent birder is likely to find more. Kaziranga is the most visited birding area in NE India & for a birder it has been a memorable experience where one comes across innumerable species within a few hours of birding.

Interesting species:   Bengal Florican, Swamp Francolin, White-bellied Heron, Black-necked Stork, Pallas’s & Grey-headed Fish Eagles, Pied Harrier, Spot-winged Starling, Chestnut-capped Babbler, Slender-billed Babbler, Streak-throated, Pale-headed  and Himalayan Flameback woodpeckers, Asian Fairy Bluebird, Black-crested Bulbul, Abbott’s and Puff-throated Babblers, Pale-chinned Flycatcher, Oriental and Great Hornbills, Banded Bay and Drongo Cuckoos, Grey Peacock Pheasant, Kalij Pheasant, Pale-capped Pigeon, Silver-breasted Broadbill, Golden-crested Myna, White-hooded Babbler, Lesser Shortwing, Black-breasted Thrush, Blyth’s Pipits, Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Ashy Woodswallow, Common Green Magpie, Thick-billed Warbler, Greater Necklaced and Rufous-necked Laughingthrushes, White-Cheeked Partridge, Blue-naped Pitta etc.

Day 28:Kaziranga NP: Central & Western Ranges: Birding in Jeeps.

Day 29: Kaziranga NP: Eastern & Western Ranges: Birding in Jeeps.

Day 30: Kaziranga NP-Guwahati (04 Hrs):

Half day birding by trek in the Panbari reserve. Later after lunch transfer to Guwahati. Overnight at hotel Pragati Manor/Ambarish or similar.

Day 31: Guwahati-Deeporbeel Lake-Airport:

Early morning we check out of the hotel and visit a Greater Adjutant area. The Greater Adjutant Stork is a highly endangered species. The world population is about 5000, out of which probably about 75% of the birds are found in Assam. Guwahati & its surroundings have about 2000 and more of this species and it is the best place to have a closer look of this bird from among hundreds in a flock.

Later transfer to Deepor Beel Lake on the outskirt of the city near Assam Engineering College not far away from the airport. It is a vast wetland with fluctuating depth of about 04 metres in the monsoons to about 01 metre in the winter. The lake with an area of 40sq. Km. is the only Ramsar site in Assam. It was declared a Ramsar site (Wetland of international importance) in 2002. 4.14 Sq. Km. area of the lake has water.

We shall look for Bengal Bushlark, Ashy Woodswallow, Striated Grassbird, Bluethroat, Richard’s and Blyth’s Pipits etc. in the surrounding agricultural fields. We shall use the fishermen’s boats to move on the lake and we are likely to come across interesting species like the wintering Ferruginous Pochard and Grey-headed Lapwing and the resident Watercock, Cinnamon Bittern, Fulvous Whistling-duck, Greater Painted Snipe, Greater and Lesser Adjutants amongst a host of other species.

Over our heads we have chances of raptors such as Brahminy Kite, Pallas’s Fish Eagle, White-backed and Long-billed Vultures, Himalayan Griffon, Marsh and Pied Harriers, Steppe, Booted, Spotted and Black Eagles.

Later transfer to the airport on time to catch your departure flight.

The tour ends here.

Season of Visit : October - April

Prices quoted valid until April, 2009

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