Date Cost Availability Deposit Single Supp	04 Apr - 23 Apr 2027 £8495.00 11 Spaces £1695.00 £500.00 Book Now

Leaders	Julian Sykes plus local guide
Flights	British Airways or Virgin, scheduled Outbound: Overnight, Heathrow-Delhi Inbound: Morning, Delhi-Heathrow Local airlines, Delhi-Guwahati, Paro-Delhi

Days 1-2	Overnight flight Heathrow to Delhi - 1 night Lemon Tree Hotel Delhi Airport.
Days 3-4	Fly Delhi to Guwahati and drive to Samdrup Jongkhar - 2 nights Hotel Norbu Khangsa (300m).
Day 5	Deothang to Trashigang - 1 night: Lingkhar Lodge (1,100m).
Days 6-8	Trashigang to Yongkola - 3 nights Trogon Villa (1,700m).
Day 9	Yongkola to Bumthang - 1 night Hotel Ugyenling (2,600m).
Day 10	Tharpaling Monastery then to Trongsa - 1 night Tendrel Resort. (2,200m).
Days 11-12	To Tingtibi, stopping at Kuenga Rubten Palace, birding Shemgang Road Palace - 2 nights Berti Eco Lodge (700m).
Day 13	Return to Trongsa via Shemgang Road - 1 night Tendrel Resort (2,200m).
Day 14	Trongsa to Phobjikha - 1 night Gakiling Guesthouse(2,700m).
Day 15	Phobjikha to Punakha, birding Jigme Dorji NP, visit to Punakha Dzong - 1 night Meri Puensum Resort (1,300m).
Days 16-18	Punakha to Paro, birding up to Chele La pass and hike to Tiger’s Nest Monastery - 3 nights Hotel Olathang (2,300m).
Days 19-20	Fly Paro to Delhi, overnight in Delhi, then arrive in UK on Day 20 - 1 night Lemon Tree Hotel Delhi Airport.

Weather	Generally dry and cool, there may be some rain. It will be cold in the early mornings, evenings and at altitude (0-25°C).
Walking	Reasonable level of fitness required. Most walks are comfortable and the majority of birding is done roadside. The walk to Tiger’s Nest Monastery is on uneven forest trails, with 740m of ascent. All walking at a relaxed pace, as at altitude. Average altitude is 2,400m, some mountain passes at 4,000m.
Meals	All included from lunch on Day 2 to breakfast on Day 20. Most breakfasts and all lunches are hot picnic style, taken in the field.
Insects	May encounter mosquitoes, bring repellent.
Accom	Twin and single rooms all ensuite. Hotels of mixed quality, some very nice, others more basic but chosen for location.
Visa	E-visa required for India, additional £60. We shall arrange your Bhutan visa.
Group	12

Secluded Bhutan, high in the Eastern Himalayas is teeming with wildlife. This culturally rich and friendly country will astound us with its diversity of species.

	*   Spectacular Himalayan mountain scenery, pristine forests and wonderful hospitality
	*   Dzongs, monasteries and temples including the remarkable Tiger’s Nest
	*   Himalayan specialities: Ward’s Trogon, Satyr Tragopan and Rufous-necked Hornbill
	*   The very beautiful and near endemic Golden Langur
	*   Beautiful Nuthatch, Fire-tailed Myzornis and Bhutan Laughingthrush
	*   Raptors including Himalayan Griffon, Lammergeier, Mountain Hawk, Pallas’s Fish Eagle
	*   A dizzying array of birds, butterflies, orchids and ancient Buddhist culture

Days 1-2	Following an overnight flight to Delhi we transfer to our airport hotel.
Days 3-4	We take a morning flight to Guwahati then drive to Samdrup Jongkhar in Bhutan, watching for the massive Greater and Lesser Adjutant Storks, plus the commoner northern Indian wildlife as we travel. Even an introduction to birding around the hotel can be superb. We explore the tropical forests between Samdrup Jongkhar and Deothang. These forests teem with a myriad of species such as Ruby-cheeked Sunbird, Coppersmith Barbet, Violet Cuckoo and the stunning Hooded Pitta.
Days 5-8	An early start takes us to the Morong Valley and Kharung La, hoping for a big list before breakfast, with chances of Blue-winged Minla, Red-headed Trogon and Beautiful Nuthatch. We continue through spectacular scenery to Trashigang, with many more birds - Yellow-billed Blue Magpie and Ultramarine Flycatcher. We wind our way up to the Kore La Pass, where we work the forest road in search of specialties such as Brown Bullfinch, Hill Partridge and the stunning Scarlet Finch. Descending into cool broadleaved forest, full of ferns and flowering rhododendrons, birds may include Asian Barred Owlet, Maroon Oriole and Kalij Pheasant, before we continue to Yongkola. We have two full days to explore the forests of Thrumshing La NP, home to some of Bhutan’s most sought-after birds such as Ward’s Trogon, Blue-naped Pitta and Rufous-necked Hornbill. The ancient trees are festooned with orchids, adding a riot of colour as we search for some of the region’s rarest birds - Blue-fronted Robin, Golden-breasted and Yellow-throated Fulvettas and strange, Blackish-breasted Babbler. The list of birds is fabulous, with many beautiful species of woodpeckers, grosbeaks, redstarts, fantails, minivets, barbets, babblers, flycatchers, yuhinas and warblers too numerous to list!
Days 9-10	We start our day in habitat suitable for spectacular Satyr Tragopan, before continuing to the Thrumshing La Pass, with breathtaking views of the eastern Himalayas. We continue looking for Himalayan Monal and Blood Pheasant, with chances of Himalayan Buzzard and Mountain Hawk-eagle. Late in the afternoon we continue to Bumthang, driving through the pine forests, before taking a short detour to Tharpaling Monastery, where we look for Himalayan Monal. After this it’s on to Yotong La Pass, where we shall slowly descend through mixed rhododendron forest, looking for Chestnut-headed Tesia, Fire-tailed Myzornis and Rufous-vented Yuhina.
Days 11-12	We start along the famous Shemgang Road for Pale Blue Flycatcher and Large Niltava amongst lots more species. We continue our descent through the cultivated fields, hoping to see Crested Bunting and Striated Yuhina, before driving through Koshala, looking for Crimson Sunbird and Rufous Woodpecker amongst the flowering trees. Approaching Tingtibi we should find Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo and Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker, as well as lots of target birds. The magnificent Shemgang Road is one of the most beautiful and peaceful places in the world. There is an amazing variety of rare birds, as well as the Golden Langur, which can be seen everywhere, as it is their prime habitat.
Days 13-16	After breakfast we continue birding along the Shemgang Road, stopping at the prime locations for birds we may have missed on our way down to Tingtibi. As we drive to Trongsa there are amazing views all along the road and the occasional waterfall gushing its way down the mountain slopes. Next day is spent birding along the road through the village of Chendibji, where we stop at a Chorten, picturesquely situated alongside the river, where we may encounter Brown Dipper and Crested Kingfisher. After this we climb to Pele La with stunning views of Mt Kangbum, before heading for the sheltered valley of Phobjikha, wintering grounds for the endangered Black-neck Crane. Leaving Phobjikha, we drive up to Lawa La with prayer flags fluttering in the breeze and views across to snow-topped Jhomolhari, marking the border between central and western Bhutan. We descend through forests of rhododendron and fir, to the valley below, arriving in Punakha, we visit its majestic dzong, which was bult in 1637 and is regarded as one of the most beautiful. The next day we visit the famous Royal Botanical Park at Lamperi, before continuing through to Paro.
Days 17-20	From our base in Paro we drive to the high mountain passes with spectacular views of the highest peaks. We have an opportunity to make a long walk to one of the most spectacular monasteries in Bhutan - The Tiger’s Nest - an incredible finale. We say farewell to our local guides before returning to Delhi for an overnight stay and then our flight to London.

Just some of what we hope to see..

White-bellied Heron	Ward’s Trogon	Yellow-throated Fulvetta
Pallas’s Fish Eagle	Rufous-necked Hornbill	Himalayan Cutia
Black-tailed Crake	White-browed Piculet	Blue-winged Laughingthrush
Blood Pheasant	Greater Yellownape	Red-faced Liocichla
Himalayan Monal	Slender-billed Scimitar-babbler	Fire-tailed Sunbird
Satyr Tragopan	Long-billed Wren-babbler	Mrs Gould’s Sunbird
Ibisbill	Beautiful Nuthatch	Crimson Sunbird
Snow Pigeon	Great Parrotbill	Himalayan White-browed Rosefinch
Tawny Fish Owl	White-breasted Parrotbill	Himalayan Yellow-throated Marten
Hodgson’s Frogmouth	Golden-breasted Fulvetta	Golden Langur