19 Days Far East Bhutan Bird Watching Adventure

Highlights: Arrive in Paro and have sightseeing to Paro Rinpung Dzong and Ta Dzong.

Upon your arrival at Paro International Airport by Druk Air, your local guide and driver will meet you at the arriving hall of the airport. And they will have a brief introduction about themselves and then help you check in hotel.

After a short rest, you will start your sightseeing in Paro (2,250m). visit the imposing Paro Rinpung Dzong (also named as Paro Dzong), a fortress once built to defend the valley from invasions. However, it now serves as an administration center and school for monks.

Later, you will proceed to visit Bhutan National Museum - Ta Dzong. The museum houses a large number of valuable collections. A visit to the National Museum will deepen your understanding of this country in a whole and broaden your eyes with numerous pieces of Bhutan treasures.

Stay overnight in Paro.

Paro including Ta Dzong Museum

Highlights: Start your birding adventure in Paro to spot Aberrant Bush Warbler, Himalayan Whistling Thrush, Long Tailed Minivet, etc.

Today, you will start your biding tour in Paro. The ideal birding spots in Paro cover the farmlands, the lower and upper broadleaved evergreen forests, the riversides, sub alpine forests, and shrubberies.

Some of the recorded bird species in Paro you can spot include Aberrant Bush Warbler, Blyth’s Reed Warbler, Himalayan Whistling Thrush, Common Teal, Grey-headed Flycatcher Warbler, Green-backed Tit, Hodgson’s Redstart, Jungle Crow, Himalayan Brown Dipper, Crested Honey Buzzard, Himalayan Treecreeper, Hill Pigeon, Rufous-breasted Accentor, Rufous Turtle Dove, Rufous-bellied Hawk-Eagle, Stripe-throated Yuhina, and Longtailed Minivet.

Stay overnight in Paro.

Start your birding adventure in Paro to spot Himalayan Whistling Thrush

Highlights: Cross Dochula Pass and transfer to Punakha to watch birds like Himalayan Cutia, Yellow-billed Blue Magpie, Collared Grosbeak.

Today, you will be transferred to Punakha from Paro, covering a distance of about 125 kilometers. And it takes you about 5 hours to drive. On the way, you will have an excellent opportunity to enjoy the panoramic view of the solemn Bhutan Himalaya Ranges and even take photos at the impressive collection of 108 chortens at Dochula Pass (3,140m).

Upon arrival, you start birding in Punakha. The birds found in Punakha valley 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 Bluetail, White-browed Bush Robin, Rufous-breasted Bush Robin, Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher, Ultramarine Flycatcher, Brown Bullfinch, Red-headed Bullfinch, Chestnut-tailed Minla, etc.

Stay overnight in Punakha.

Birding Yellow-billed Blue Magpie in Punakha

Highlights: Have a birding adventure from Punakha to Gasa, including Jungle Owlet, Asian-barred Owlet, Osprey, White-bellied Heron, etc.

After breakfast, you will start your two days’ birding adventure from Punakha to Gasa along the Pochu River. In this 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, etc.

Stay overnight at tented camp.

You will sight Asian-barred Owlet in Gasa

Highlights: Transfer to Gelephu to watch low elevation specialties of birds, like Great Hornbill, Rufous-necked Hornbill, Collared Falconet, etc.

Today, after the final morning birding in this wonderful forest, you will head to a lower elevation targeting the varieties of low elevation specialties including Great Hornbill, Rufous-necked Hornbill, Collared Falconet, Orange-bellied Leafbird, Golden-fronted Leafbird, Common Green Magpie, Grey Treepie, Oriental Magpie Robin, White-rumped Shama, Asian-pied Starling, Chestnut-tailed Starling, Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, Sultan Tit, Ashy Bulbul, White-throated Bulbul, Lesser Laughingthrush, Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush, Jungle Babbler, Golden Babbler, Rufous-capped Babbler, Indian Roller, Rufous Sibia, Long-tailed Sibia and Streaked Spider hunter.

Stay overnight at Gelephu.

Transfer to Gelephu to watch low elevation specialties of birds - Rufous-necked Hornbill

Highlights: Transfer to Trongsa and watch birds like Blood Pheasant, Yellowish-billed, Bush Warbler, etc.

Today’s tour will take you to Trongsa. With a distance of about 130 kilometers, it takes you about 5 hours to transfer.

En route to Trongsa, you can visit Chendebji Chorten, a large Buddhist Stupa. The Chendebji Chorten is a large white structure built in likeness to the famous Bodhunath Stupa located in Kathmandu in Nepal. Built by Lama Shinda from Tibet in the 19th century AD, the Stupa is believed to have been constructed at a spot where an evil spirit was subdued by the Lama. Another striking feature of the Temple is the eyes painted at the four cardinal points of the temple.

Trongsa covers a range of habitat from tall, dense, evergreen forest characterized by moss and lichen, covered oak and rhododendron together with broad-leaved trees such as horse-chestnuts, laurels, maples, and alders. Birds found here include the Himalayan Griffon, Himalayan Swiftlet, Lammergeier, Snow Partridge, Purple Cochoa, Scalybreasted Wren Babbler, Longtained Minivet, Himalayan Monal Pheasant, Speckled Wood Pigeon and Rufousbellied Bulbul.

Stay overnight in Trongsa.

Transfer to Trongsa and watch birds like Blood Pheasant

Accommodation

The following local hotels are for your referrence. Please feel free to tell us your preferred hotel standard while enquring for your trip to Bhutan.

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  Gangtey Dewachen
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  Gangtey RKPO Green Resort
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  Amankora Gangtey

Highlights: Head to Tingbiti and Zhemgang to see the endangered White-bellied Heron, Collared Treepie, Beautiful Nuthatch, etc.

Today, you will transfer to Tingbiti via Zhemgang, following the Mangde River. The 130 kilometers distance will take you about four and a half hours to drive.

Species found in this area include Pin-tailed Green Pigeons, Red-Headed Trogon, Blue-bearded Bee-eater, Chestnut-breasted Partridge, Hill Partridge, Coral-billed Scimitar Babbler, Rufous-necked Hornbill, Great Hornbill, White-browed Piculet, Speckled Piculet, Bay woodpecker, White-tailed Robin, White-browed Scimitar Babbler, Black-faced Laughingthrush, Grey-headed Parrotbill, White-throated Needletail, Mountain Scops Owl, Collard Scops Owl, Collared Treepie, Pygmy-blue Flycatcher.

You have the opportunity to spot the highly endangered White-bellied Heron as well as the Collared Treepie, Beautiful Nuthatch and Lesser Rufous-headed Parrotbill, Greater Rufous-headed Parrotbill, Lesser-necklaced Laughingthrush, and Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush.

Stay overnight at tented camp.

White-bellied Heron

Highlights: Explore the dense forest in Tingtibi for birds such as Mountain Tailorbird, Straited Prinia, Black-hooded Oriole, etc.

You will spend the following two days in Tingtibi to explore the dense forests in great depth. A great number of bird species can be found here. 

Some of the species are Mountain Tailorbird, Rufescent Prinia, Straited Prinia, Mountain Bulbul, Red-whiskered Bulbul, Black-crested Bulbul, Black-hooded Oriole, Maroon Oriole, Slender-billed Oriole, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo, Spangled Drongo, Black-winged Cuckooshrike, Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike, Long-tailed Broadbill, Silver-eared Broadbill, Himalayan Goldenback, Greater Goldenback, Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker, Rufous-bellied Woodpecker, Grey-headed Woodpecker, Eurasian Wryneck, Chestnut-winged Cuckoo, Ashy Woodswallow, Green-billed Malkoha, Green Imperial Pigeon, White-rumped Shama, Siberean Rubythroat, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, White-hooded Babbler, etc.

Stay overnight at tented camp. 

Black-hooded Oriole

Highlights: Cross Yutong La Pass and transfer to Bumthang to find species including Bar-throated Siva, Brown Parrotbill, Hill Partridge, etc.

In the very early morning, you will be guided to try to find the Beautiful Nuthatch and Sapphire Flycatcher. After breakfast, you will transfer to Bumthang via Trongsa and Yutong La Pass. The first stop you will pay a visit along this route is Trongsa Dzong, the largest dzong fortress in Bhutan and built on a spur overlooking the gorge of the Mangde River.

After crossing Yutong La Pass, you will continue heading for Bumthang. You will spot species like Bar-throated Siva, Brown Parrotbill, Hill Partridge, Black-faced Laughingthrush, Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush, Gold-naped Finch etc, en route. After arriving at Bumthang, you will go to the evening walk along the Chamkhar river to spot few species like Little Bunting, Red-billed Chough, Blyth’s Pipit, and Common Sandpiper.

Stay overnight in Bumthang.

Hill Partridge

Highlights: Explore Bumthang for birding including Pheasant, Himalayan Monal, Satyr Tragopan, etc.

Today, you can go to sight pheasants if you missed them in the previous days. Also, today’s tour will take you to Tharpaling Monastery to spot the magnificent Himalayan Monal and Satyr Tragopan. Besides, you will fins Spot-winged Grosbeak, Daurian Redstart, Olive-backed Pipit, Oriental Skylark, Black-billed Magpie and more in Bumthang.

Stay overnight in Bumthang.

Himalayan Monal

Highlights: Cross Thrumsingla Pass to arrive in Sengor for birds like Blood Pheasant, Satyr Tragopan, Spotted Nutcracker, etc.

After a morning drive over the Thrumsingla Pass at 3800 m, you will arrive in Sengor. The species you can expect here include Blood Pheasant, Satyr Tragopan, Spotted Nutcracker, Fire-tailed Myzornis, Fire-tailed Sunbird, Red-headed Bullfinch, Grey Wagtail, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker, Blue-bearded Bee-eater, Fire-tailed Myzornis, Great Parrotbill, Yellow-rumped Honeyguide, Orange-flanked Bush Robin, Stripe-throated Yuhina, White-browed Fulvatas, Satyr Tragonpan, Blood Pheasnat, Himalayan Monal, White-throated Fantail, Rufous-throated Partridge.

Stay overnight at tented camp.

Blood Pheasant

Highlights: Transfer to Namling and Yongkola and look for species like Gould’s Shortwing, Bar-winged Wren Babblers, Yellow-rumped Honeyguide, etc.

Today, you will be transferred to Yongkola via Namling to look for species like Gould’s Shortwing, Bar-winged Wren Babblers, Yellow-rumped Honeyguide, Black-headed Shrike Babbler, White-browed Shrike Babbler, Ward’s Trogon, Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler, Blue-throated Barbet, Golden-throated Barbet, Great Barbet, Golden Bush Robin, Chestnut-breasted Partridge.

Stay overnight at tented camp.

Gould’s Shortwing

Highlights: Deeply explore the forests of Yongkala for birds like Rufous-necked Hornbil, Tawny Fish Owl, Ward’s Trogon, etc.

In the following two days, you will have a deep exploration of the dense forests of Yongkala. Bird species including Rufous-necked Hornbil, Tawny Fish Owl, Ward’s Trogon, Red-headed Trogon, Rufous-throated Wren Babbler, Scaly-breasted Wren Babbler, Pygmy Wren Babbler, Himalayan Cutia, Hoary-throated Barwing, Rusty-fronted Barwing, Steak-breasted Scimitar Babblers, Collar-billed Scimitar Babbler, Coral-billed Scimitar Babbler, Long-tailed Minivet, Short-billed Minivet, Grey-chinned Minivet, Scarlet Minivet, Black-throated Prinia, Striated Prinia, Gray-throated Babbler, Ashy Bulbull, Mountain Bulbull, Himalayan Bulbull, Grey-throated Babbler, Bhutan Laughingthrush, Short-billed Minivet, Rufous-necked Laughingthrush etc., can be found here.

Stay overnight at tented camp.

Rufous-necked Hornbil

Highlights: Transfer to Trashigang to watch Silver-eared Mesia, White-rumped Shama and Greater Flameback.

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Trashigang for bird watching including Silver-eared Mesia, White-rumped Shama and Greater Flameback.

Stay overnight in Trashigang.

White-rumped Shama

Highlights: Transfer to Bhutan’s south border town of Samdrup Jongkhar and spot Pies falconet, Dark-rumped swift, Silver-eared Mesia, etc., on the drive.

Today, you will transfer to Bhutan’s south border town of Samdrup Jongkhar. On the drive, you will meet birds such as Pies falconet, Dark-rumped swift, Pin-tailed Green Gigeon, Sultan Tit, Black-backed Forktail, Red-headed Trogon, Black Eagle, House Sparrow, Jungle Babbler, Grey-sided Laughingthrush, Rufous-necked Hornbill, Beautiful Nuthatch, and Gold-naped Finch.

After entering the subtropical forests of the foothills of Samdrup Jongkhar, you will find species like Silver-eared Mesia, White-rumped Shama and Greater Flameback.

Stay overnight in Samdrup Jongkhar. 

Silver-eared Mesia

After breakfast, your guide will meet you at the hotel and transfer you to Guwahati, the largest city in the Northeastern Indian state of Assam, for your next destination.

The tour services end.