2002
EXPLORATORY
NORTHEAST INDIA HIMALAYAN FOOTHILLS TOUR
Arunachal Pradesh, Assam
8-31 March
At last, one of the most exciting birding areas in the whole of Asia is beginning to open up! The epicenter of montane bird distribution in Asia is the southeastern Himalayan region of Arunachal Pradesh, SE Tibet, NW Yunnan and N Burma, all closed to foreigners since World War II and still mostly closed. What distinguishes this area is its high altitudinal diversity coupled with extremely high rainfall, making it one of the wettest and richest places in the world. Every direction you go from this area, the rainfall decreases, as does the number of mountain bird species. We've been waiting for this trip until we could find a good local operator. We've found him as well as a local guide who knows the area very well.
Many of the special birds of this area are possible on the tour. We have a good chance of seeing both White-bellied Heron and White-winged Duck, but we'll need some luck. Some other rare and/or local species that we are likely to see are: Spot-billed Pelican, Greater Adjutant, Pied Falconet, Swamp Francolin, White-cheeked Partridge, Grey Peacock-Pheasant, Bengal Florican, Ibisbill (maybe), Brown and Rufous-necked Hornbills, Pale-headed Woodpecker, Blue-fronted Robin, Jerdon's Bushchat, Black-breasted Thrush, Marsh Babbler, Coral-billed and Slender-billed Scimitar-Babblers, Spotted Wren-Babbler, Snowy-throated Babbler, Jerdon's Babbler, Slender-billed Babbler, Rufous-vented and Chestnut-backed Laughingthrushes, Beautiful Sibia, Rufous-throated Fulvetta, Black-breasted Parrotbill, Blue-spectacled and Rufous-headed Parrotbills, Bristled Grass-Warbler, Swamp Prinia, Grey-cheeked and White-spectacled Warblers, and Beautiful Nuthatch. We might see Malayan Night-Heron, Baer's Pochard, Manipur Bush-Quail, Hume's Pheasant, Pale-capped Pigeon, Blyth's Kingfisher, Rusty-bellied Shortwing, Purple or Green Cochoa, Wedge-billed, Long-billed or Long-tailed Wren-Babbler, Yellow-throated Laughingthrush, Yellow Weaver or Collared Treepie.
This is a trip for the more adventurous, who like the idea of traveling in remote, rarely visited areas, and who can tolerate poor accommodations, tenting, bad roads, simple food, and some rain. If you like exploration in basic conditions, this one is for you. Arunachal Pradesh has never had tourists, are not ready for us and facilities are limited and quite basic to just plain primitive. Even though this is the dryer season for this area, there is likely to be rain. The highest altitude we'll reach will be about 1,000 m. (3,300 ft.), so you'll need light and medium weight clothing. Our local agents will supply the tents, but you'll need to bring a sleeping bag and an air mattress. The trip inolves trekking to our tent sites in Namdapha National park, but these treks will be slow birding walks from 6.6 km. (4 miles)-13.3 km. (8 miles)/day--average 9.2 km. (5.5 miles)/day--all on relatively gentle slopes. We'll have local folks to carry all our gear. Anyone in good health and moderate physical shape can handle this one.
The conventional wisdom is to wait until a tour is run several times to get the wrinkles ironed out and get the birds staked out. The flip side on this one is that India generally, and the northeast in particular, is highly unstable politically. It is impossible to predict how long our window into this exceedingly rich area will last. If you want to see Arunachal Pradesh, best do it now, while it is possible.
THE LEADER
BEN KING, president of KingBird Tours, has led 40 tours to the
Indian Region and is one of the most experienced bird-tour leaders on the
subcontinent, having spent over 3 years birding there. He has written A
Field Guide to the Birds of South-East Asia and Checklist of the
Birds of Eurasia. He has seen 2,049 species of birds in Asia, including
all but 29 of the 1,333 species known to occur in the Indian Subcontinent.
His knowledge of the birds, their habits and where they are found assures
you of the best possible birding experience in India.
THE ITINERARY
| 8 March, Friday | Depart JFK Airport in New York via NW or KLM at 1740. |
| 9 March, Saturday | Arrive Delhi at 2350. Overnight at Grand Hyatt Hotel. |
| 10 March, Sunday | Fly Delhi/Dibrugarh via Air Sahara S2511 (0620/0955). Drive to Digboi. |
| 11-29 March | On tour. |
| 30 March, Saturday | Drive Guwahati. Fly Guwahati/Delhi via Jet Airways 9W602 (1255/1540). Overnight Grand Hyatt Hotel. |
| 31 March, Sunday | Fly Delhi/JFK via NW or KLM (0055/1225), arriving the same afternoon. |
THE BIRDING SITES
DIGBOI RESERVE FOREST (10-12 March) contains some excellent lowland forest remnants where we'll try to see White-winged Duck, Oriental Hobby, Blue-naped Pitta, Black-breasted Thrush, Chestnut-backed Laughingthrush, Rufous-necked Laughingthrush, and Collared Treepie.
NAMDAPHA NATIONAL PARK (13-23 March) is one of India's premier tiger reserves, containing extensive primary forest and a full complement of birds and mammals. à00-4,500 m. k¿20-15,000 ft.) in elevation. The famed Burma Road of World War II passes through the nearby forest. We'll be able to search the forests from 400-1,000m. (1,320-3,300 ft.). We'll take the only road into the park to a primitive resthouse. From there on we'll be trekking and camping. The trekking will be slow birding walks and our agents will supply the tents. The forest is magnificent and rich with birds, including such special species as: White-bellied Heron (rare, but possible), Pied Falconet, White-cheeked Partridge, Grey Peacock-Pheasant, Ibisbill (maybe), Blyth's Kingfisher, Brown and Rufous-necked Hornbills, Pale-headed Woodpecker, Slender-billed Scimitar-Babbler, Spotted Wren-Babbler, Snowy-throated Babbler, Rufous-vented Laughingthrush, Beautiful Sibia, Rufous-throated Fulvetta, Rufous-headed and Blue-spectacled Parrotbills, and Beautiful Nuthatch. With real luck, we might find Hume's Pheasant, Coral-billed Scimitar-Babbler, Long-billed Wren-Babbler, Wedge-billed Wren-Babbler, Yellow-throated Laughingthrush, Grey-sided Laughingthrush, Rusty-bellied Shortwing, or Blue-fronted Robin.
More widespread park residents are Mountain Hawk-Eagle, Kalij Pheasant, Pin-tailed Pigeon, Himalayan Swiftlet, Red-headed Trogon, Crested Kingfisher, Blue-bearded Bee-eater, Great and Wreathed Hornbills, Great Barbet, Speckled and White-browed Piculets, Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker, Great Slaty Woodpecker, Silver-breasted and Long-tailed Broadbills, Bengal Bushlark, Sand Lark, White-throated Bulbul, White-crowned Forktail, Large Scimitar-Babbler, Streaked Wren-Babbler, Blue-winged Laughingthrush, Silver-eared Mesia, Black-eared Shrike-Babbler, White-hooded Babbler, Red-tailed Minla, Nepal Fulvetta, Rufous-backed and Long-tailed Sibias, White-naped and Black-chinned Yuhinas, Chestnut-headed Tesia, Yellow-vented Warbler, Grey-cheeked Warbler, Broad-billed and Rufous-faced Warblers, Ultramarine and Sapphire Flycatchers, Small Niltava, Pale Blue Flycatcher, Pygmy Blue Flycatcher, Sultan Tit, Beautiful Nuthatch, and Maroon Oriole. Likely mammals include Hoolock Gibbon, Yellow-throated Martin, Capped Langur, Assamese Macque, Barking Deer, and several squirrels. While the park has numbers of large mammals including Indian Elephant, tiger, leopard, etc., we're not likely to see them in the dense forest.
DIBRU-SAIKOWA RESERVE (24-26 March) is a large area of riverine forest, marsh and grass. It is a good site for both White-bellied Heron and White-winged Duck, but we'll need some good fortune to find either. Some special species which we have a good chance to see are: Greater Adjutant, Swamp Francolin, Marsh Babbler, Jerdon's Babbler, Slender-billed Babbler, Black-breasted Parrotbill, Swamp Prinia, and Jerdon's Buschat. More difficult are Malayan Night-Heron, Baer's Pochard, Manipur Bush-Quail, Bengal Florican, Pale-capped Pigeon, Blyth's Kingfisher, Ruddy Kingfisher, Bristled Grass-Warbler, and Yellow Weaver. More wide-ranging species are Spot-billed Pelican, Black-necked Stork, Lesser Adjutant, Ferruginous Pochard, Black Baza, Lesser and Grey-headed Fish-Eagles, Pallas's Fish-Eagle, and Brown Fish-Owl.
KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK (27-29 March) is one of the world's greatest nature reserves, an area with a truly primeval feel to it. We are likely to see Indian Rhinos and Indian Elephants and maybe even a tiger. Birding is superb with a nice range of exciting rare and/or local species to look for: Spot-billed Pelican, Greater and Lesser Adjutants, Black-necked Stork, Falcated Duck, Pallas's Fish-Eagle, Grey-headed Fish-Eagle, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Swamp Francolin, Bengal Florican, Tawny Fish-Owl, Blue-naped Pitta, Jerdon's Babbler, Slender-billed Babbler, Black-breasted Parrotbill, Bristled Grassbird, Yellow-vented Warbler, Yellow Weaver and Spot-winged Starling. Some likely more widespread species are: Pied Harrier, Pheasant-tailed and Bronze-winged Jacanas, Grey-headed Lapwing, Great Thick-knee, Small Pratincole, Brown-headed Gull, River and Black-bellied Terns, Common Hawk-Cuckoo, Alexandrine Parakeet, Blue-bearded Bee-eater, Himalayan Flameback, Rosy Pipit, Siberian and White-tailed Rubythroats, Bluethroat, White-tailed Robin, White-tailed Stonechat, Buff-chested Babbler, Chestnut-capped Babbler, Chestnut-headed Tesia, Slaty-bellied and Grey-bellied Tesias, Rufous-rumped Grassbird, Smoky Warbler, and Pale-chinned Flycatcher.
We'll be birding the riverine forests and swamps of the Brahmaputra River
Valley. Elephant rides through the tall grass will get us close-ups of rhinos,
Swamp Deer and Bengal Floricans. We'll see wild Indian Elephants and well
as Water Buffalo. We'll have 3 days here, which will allow us to see the
best of Kaziranga. Our other sites will enable us to see many of the birds
before we arrive. Thus we'll be able to concentrate on what we haven't seen
elsewhere.
TOUR PRICES AND CONDITIONS
| Land | *Air | Total | Single Supplement | |
| From New York | $6,139 | $ 1908 | $8,047 | $270 |
| From Delhi | $6,139 | $ 474 | $6,613 | $270 |
*AIR FARE: Based on NW/KLM Apex fare. The JFK/Delhi/JFK fare quoted, $1,434.00, may not be avilable when you book. If you make your resrvation prior to 5 or 6 months before tour time you may get a cheaper fare. If you book close to tour time you may have to pay more. Lufthansa and Air India (and likely other airlines) have regular flights to Delhi. Depending on the airline you use you may not have to leave the USA from New York. The NW/KLM flight quoted stops in Amsterdam. NW/KLM flies to Amsterdam from several other US cities.
PARTICIPANT LIMIT: 10 persons, plus the leader.
LAND PRICE/NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: The land price is based on a minimum of 6 people. If there are fewer than 6, a small-party supplement will be charged. The maximum number of participants will be 10.
LAND PRICE INCLUDES: Land price includes all ground transportation, double occupancy hotel rooms, all meals, bottled water/soft drinks at meals, guides, tips, fees, still camera fees, and foreign airport taxes when accompanied by the leader. NOT INCLUDED are airport taxes when not accompanied by the leader, passports, visas, service charges for obtaining visas, excess baggage charges, video and movie camera fees, laundry, personal tips, alcoholic beverages, fruit juice (except at breakfast), room service charges, items not on menu of included meals, personal items, souvenirs, sightseeing not included in the itinerary, insurance of any kind, and telephone calls. For those joining only part of a tour, meals taken before and after leaving the group are normally not included.
LAND AND AIR RATES: All prices are based on tariff and exchange rates in effect on 1 January 2001. Both airfares and land costs could rise somewhat. Price changes, due either to alterations in tariffs or exchange rates, will be reflected in the prices charged for the tour.
KingBird Tours' planning, promotional and operating costs are included in all tour rates.
ACCOMMODATIONS: Based on two persons sharing a twin-bedded room. Single rooms will be available at the supplement charge quoted. In some of the more remote areas, however, single rooms are unavailable. We'll supply roommates where possible, but cannot guarantee to find roommates for all desiring them. If no roommate is available, the single supplement will be charged for any person utilizing single accommodation. First class or best available hotels with private bath and air-conditioning are provided where available. However, most accommodation will be basic to primitive.
MEALS: All meals will be provided, i.e. breakfast, table d'hote lunch, and dinner. A la carte meals will be provided only in Delhi. Box lunches will be utilized on some days.
TOUR ESCORT: The leader of your tour, Ben King, will be with you during the entire tour from the time you reach Delhi until you depart from Delhi. There will also be a representative of the local tour company with the group at all times to assist wherever he may.
TAXES AND GRATUITIES: All necessary gratuities to hotel staff, waiters, local guides, drivers, etc. are included in the tour price. Thus it is NOT necessary to tip anyone on the entire tour. However, if you wish to tip anyone for special services, or because
LOCAL FEES: All park entry fees and still camera fees are included in the tour price. Motion picture and video camera fees are NOT included. (Most parks have camera fees).you like them, it is quite all right. All local government taxes are included in the tour price.
BAGGAGE: International flight baggage allowance from New York to India is two pieces with a maximum total dimension (length, width, height of both pieces added up) of 106 inches. Each bag may weigh up to 35 kilograms (77 pounds). However, all internal flights in India allow a maximum of 20 kg. (44 lbs.). They are likely to weigh your luggage carefully at least once or twice and perhaps each time. You will be responsible for any excess baggage charges. You are allowed one carry-on bag on all flights. Technically the 44-pound limit includes your carry-on bag and occasionally a zealous agent will demand that the rules be followed. Air carrier's liability for baggage loss is limited and therefore baggage insurance is recommended and available at nominal rates.
SMOKING RULES:
(1) NO smoking in vehicles.
(2) NO smoking at meal tables.
(3) NO smoking in bedrooms if your roommate does not smoke.
(4) The smoker is expected to see that his smoke does not move toward other members, at all times.
(5) Anyone smoking will be last in line on single-file paths or trails.
KingBird Tours
P.O. Box 196
Planetarium Station
New York, NY 10024
Telephone: 1 (212) 866-7923
FAX: 1 (212) 866-4225
Email:kingbirdtours@earthlink.net