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.
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
Golden, Nepal Grey & Capped Langurs; Himalayan Goral; Yellow-throated Marten; Hodgson's Giant Flying Squirrel; Black Giant Squirrel; Large-eared Pika.
low to high elevation forests (including bamboo, coniferous & mixed broad-leafed), pastures, wetlands, rocky slopes, rivers
warm and tropical to temperate and cold, some rain expected
8 with 1 Rockjumper leader, 9 - 12 with 2 Rockjumper leaders
moderate pace, undemanding walks, some long drives
simple lodges and comfortable camping
mostly easy
320 - 350
buddhist culture, dzongs (temple-fortresses), incredible mountain scenery and magnificent forests, a land little touched by time
good to excellent
The trip was wonderful. Keith and Glen were wonderful guides. The local "crew" was also excellent, both on a daily basis as well as when we used them for camping. The bus was comfortable. Laundry was available on most 2-night stays. Hotels were good. Food was good, but I think the hotel in Paro was the weakest on the food front. It would have been nice to have 1 meal, just one meal, that was not Bhutanese/Indian. I enjoyed the mixing of the Bhutanese cultural aspects with the birding. I may have small complaints (pillows weren't comfortable), but otherwise I really have nothing negative to say. Good job guys.
What an amazing trip. Exhausting, but amazing. Very well researched, planned and executed. The hotels were all outstanding accommodations and the camping, while not “glamping” was as comfortable and easy as possible for people who’ve not camped in ages. The food exceeded my expectations from the hotels, to small restaurants to the campground and road-side dining. I love trying new local foods when I travel and am so glad that the Indian and Bhutanese cuisine was featured at most meals. Keith and Glen are outstanding guides in every sense of the word—knowledgeable, skilled birders, good humored, fun loving and the patience of saints dealing with prickly guests. I’ve been to Kenya with Glen and he’s the one that “sold” me on Bhutan. Toss in Keith for their natural symbiotic relationship and it was a great time. I’d go anywhere with these two leading. Though they animatedly told me not to go on Cameroon or Philippines RJ Trips. Out of my comfort zone. They know me now. We all know there are different types of birders—the casual, the hard core, the photographer-only type, etc. I feel like I’m a bit of a hybrid—love the birds and exotic locations, the outdoors and adventure, but also mixed with culture, good local food, beer and wine and a bit of down time in order to enjoy the fine accommodations and the local attractions. Our local guides in both Assam and Bhutan were kind, exceptional guides and generally lots of fun. Good job finding them.
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.
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 & Rainer worked well together. Both were most attentive to client needs, no matter how trivial. Their sense of humour was keen and attention to birding very much appreciated. This was probably one of THE BEST tours I have been on. Wonderful combination of scenery, cultures and over-the-top birds.
16 Mar 2025 - 04 Apr 2025 (20 days)
USD10,795 - 2 Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Gregory de Klerk
04 Apr 2025 - 23 Apr 2025 (20 days)
USD10,795 - Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Nigel Redman
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