phone-icon 1-888-990-5552 email-icon info@rockjumper.com
user-icon
Log in / Register

Bhutan - Birding the Buddhist Kingdom

© Fire-tailed Myzornis by David Erterius
Bhutan - Birding the Buddhist Kingdom I 2026

15 Mar 2026 - 03 Apr 2026 (20 days)

USD11,395 - No Spaces Available

Wait List
client-img

Tour Leader: Adam Walleyn

Tour price (Per person): USD11,395 * GBP8,338 * EUR9,682 * AUD17,327

Single Supplement: USD680 * GBP498 * EUR578 * AUD1,034

Bhutan - Birding the Buddhist Kingdom II 2026

03 Apr 2026 - 22 Apr 2026 (20 days)

USD11,395 - Spaces Available

Book Now

client-img

Tour Leader: Paul Varney

Tour price (Per person): USD11,395 * GBP8,338 * EUR9,682 * AUD17,327

Single Supplement: USD680 * GBP498 * EUR578 * AUD1,034

Bhutan - Birding the Buddhist Kingdom I 2027

15 Mar 2027 - 03 Apr 2027 (20 days)

USD11,600 - Spaces Available

Book Now

client-img

Tour Leader: Stephan Lorenz

Pricing notes : *Prices are estimated, and dates may change*

Tour price (Per person): USD11,600 * GBP8,488 * EUR9,856 * AUD17,639

Bhutan - Birding the Buddhist Kingdom II 2027

03 Apr 2027 - 22 Apr 2027 (20 days)

USD11,600 - Spaces Available

Book Now

client-img

Tour Leader: Dušan Brinkhuizen

Pricing notes : *Prices are estimated, and dates may change*

Tour price (Per person): USD11,600 * GBP8,488 * EUR9,856 * AUD17,639

One of the least spoilt countries in the mighty Himalayan range, Bhutan boasts incredible mountain scenery and endless verdant forests, whilst shrouded in Buddhist myth and legend and replete with a plethora of incredible and beautiful birds!

On a typical day’s birding with us in this avian wonderland, you will find yourself in breath-taking surroundings searching for legendary birds in pristine forests, with mighty Himalayan peaks towering in the distance – all in all, Bhutan is a destination like no other! As we journey through this fabled land, we will regularly cross dramatic mountain passes, that are adorned with brightly coloured prayer flags and chortens/stupas (temples), and these give way to vast countryside, often dominated by impressive dzongs (temple-fortresses) that so characterise this unique country. We look forward to having you aboard this adventure through a paradise of culture, birds and scenic vistas as we explore the heavenly riches of Bhutan!

On the 17th of June 2022, the Bhutanese government increased the Sustainable Development Fee (Government Tourist Royalty) significantly from US$65 to US$200 per person per day with immediate effect. We have assurance from the government that all bookings initiated prior to 20th June 2022 will be honoured at the same tariff agreed prior to this date. Any bookings made after this date will attract a much higher tour price, a figure which we have estaimated at this point and may yet change.

Top Birds

Himalayan Monal; Satyr Tragopan; Blood Pheasant; White-bellied Heron; Ibisbill; Ward’s & Red-headed Trogons; Rufous-necked, Wreathed & Giant Hornbills; Beautiful Nuthatch; Slender-billed & Black-crowned Scimitar Babblers; Black-headed Shrike-Babbler; Fire-tailed Myzornis; Fire-tailed Sunbird; Himalayan Cutia; Bhutan & Spotted Laughingthrushes; Blue-bearded Bee-eater; Spotted Elachura; Long-tailed Broadbill; Sultan Tit; Pied Falconet; Red-faced Liocichla; Himalayan Beautiful Rosefinch; Golden-breasted Fulvetta; Golden Bush Robin; Darjeeling Woodpecker; and a host of parrotbills

Top Mammals

Golden, Nepal Grey & Capped Langurs; Himalayan Goral; Yellow-throated Marten; Hodgson's Giant Flying Squirrel; Black Giant Squirrel; Large-eared Pika.

Habitats Covered

low to high elevation forests (including bamboo, coniferous & mixed broad-leafed), pastures, wetlands, rocky slopes, rivers

Expected Climate

warm and tropical to temperate and cold, some rain expected

Max Group Size

8 with 1 Rockjumper leader, 9 - 12 with 2 Rockjumper leaders

Tour Pace & Walking

moderate pace, undemanding walks, some long drives

Accommodation

simple lodges and comfortable camping

Ease of Birding

mostly easy

Number of Species Expected

320 - 350

Other Attractions

buddhist culture, dzongs (temple-fortresses), incredible mountain scenery and magnificent forests, a land little touched by time

Photographic Opportunities

good to excellent

What our clients say about us

Gregory de Klerk
PD, Bhutan 2018

I would like to add that our group was small, only 6 guests, which enhanced the birding experiences. The Rockjumper guides, Greg de Klerk and David Erterius, did a great job getting everyone onto most of the species every time. The small group also made for more comfortable travelling.

André Bernon
KW, Bhutan 2023

We finally made it to Bhutan after a wait of 3 years due to Covid! Great trip. the culture, the Bhutanese people and of course, the birds. Those pheasants are incredible! We also got some great butterflies! Andre was a fantastic guide. We enjoyed his relaxed, fun personality and his handling of the group. He has AMAZING birding skills, able to spot stuff moving and able to predict where it might pop out of the shrubbery for a view. His bird call recognition and mimicking was excellent. We did find the group was a bit to large for our liking, so we might explore using RJs private custom tour service.

David Hoddinott
IR, Bhutan 2018

David Hoddinott, your birding skills & management of the tour never cease to astound us all. You are a legend and I am so grateful that you could lead us yet again!

Glen Valentine
TJ - Bhutan 2024

Yeah this one was as close to perfect as it comes. Talking with Keith, I understand this is a newish itinerary based on road constructions and all so I can't compare to previous years where RJ used to visit the Eastern part of the country but the current itinerary is impeccable, ensuring various habitats and a very good bird list overall. Local guides and logistics were flawless. Camping was simply amazing. Food was great. And traveling with both Glen and Keith is simply amazing. Both have exhaustive knowledge of the birds in Bhutan but also are a gold mine of information on rare sightings, splits, subspecies and other wildlife sightings. Time management was among the best I had in birding trips; balance between rest time, pacing of walks and everything else was perfect. Two small suggestions, which I have already shared with Keith during the trip : the pre-trip documentation, specifically the itinerary descriptions with potential species need to be reviewed. This is minor as basically no one opens up that document while we are traveling but it is still inaccurate in many ways. Also, on long(ish) days where there is a significant gap between breakfast and lunch (eg 5AM to 2PM), more snacks would be needed, something simple like bananas and/or apples depending on availability, just to keep the hungrier people like me a little bit more fed! But overall this trip was a success from A to Z. I already had high expectations for Bhutan but everything was above and beyond.

Glen Valentine
JM, Bhutan 2024

Overall a very good tour and Glen was an exceptional guide: thoroughly knew the birds and was always professional, friendly, and patient. Just the right low-key personality for a long trip.

  • Your details

  • This field is hidden when viewing the form

  • Contact permission

    We would love to send you Newsletters (twice yearly).via Type a message, Promotions/Discounts (weekly), Blog Articles/Image of the Month (monthly) and other content that we think you would find interesting. If you are happy with this then please select your preferences below. If you would like to unsubscribe from previous subscriptions, or leave our mailing list entirely, then please do so by visiting the Preference Centre link at the bottom of these emails.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Route Map

Tour Route Map

map-direction-img
Download Tour Itinerary