India - Fishing Cat Extension 2028

25 Jan 2028 - 27 Jan 2028 (3 days)

USD3,295 SPACES AVAILABLE

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Tour Leader: Local Leader

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Tour Leader: Robert Williams

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Tour Price (Per person): USD3,295 (EUR2,923 * GBP2,512 * ZAR54,783 * CAD4,723)

Single Supplement: USD475 (EUR421 * GBP362 * ZAR7,897 * CAD681)

Flight costs: USD260 (EUR231 * GBP198 * ZAR4,323 * CAD373)

This tour pairs with: India - Small Mammal Expedition 2028

An optional extension visits Bhitarkanika, where boat and walking explorations through mangrove-lined waterways targets the Fishing, Leopard and Jungle Cats, alongside a rich assemblage of reptiles and birds.

 

Top Birds

Mangrove Pitta; Brown-winged, Black-capped, Collared, Stork-billed, & Pied Kingfishers; Brown Fish Owl; White-bellied Sea-Eagle; Grey-headed Fish Eagle; Black Bittern; Pin-striped Tit-Babbler; Chestnut-capped Babbler; Asian Openbill; Black-headed Ibis; Oriental Darter; Purple Heron; Marsh & Terek Sandpipers; Eurasian Whimbrel & Curlew; Tibetan Sand Plover.

Top Mammals

Fishing Cat; Leopard Cat; Jungle Cat; Smooth-coated Otter; Spotted Deer; Wild Boar; Indian Grey Mongoose.

Habitats Covered

Mangrove forest; tidal creeks and saline rivers; mudflats; estuarine waterways; islands; freshwater wetlands; reed-fringed pools; agricultural wetlands.

Expected Climate

Warm tropical conditions, with cooler mornings and evenings; humid around the mangroves and wetlands, with mosquitoes and other insects possible.

Max Group Size

8 with 1 Rockjumper Tour leader and 1 Indian tour leader

Tour Pace & Walking

MODERATE TO CHALLENGING: This tour requires a good level of fitness, stamina, and overall health. It’s best suited for experienced birders who are comfortable with a more active itinerary. Please note that it may not be ideal for avid photographers, new birders, or those with mobility or health concerns.

Moderate

Accommodation

Comfortable

Ease of Birding

Moderate

Number of Species Expected

150-180 speices

Other Attractions

Scenic boat safaris through mangrove-lined creeks; Bhitarkanika’s extensive estuarine mangrove ecosystem; large Saltwater Crocodiles; monitor lizards and other reptiles; tidal mudflats and waterbird heronries.

Photographic Opportunities

Good

What our clients say about us

xPeter Kaestner
JR, India 2020

This trip was great! We were told the trip should generate about 250 bird species and our total was very close. Peter was excellent at finding birds, leading us and keeping a positive group atmosphere. The local guides also were competent and helpful. Accommodations are not an important aspect of a trip to me but the ones we stayed at were excellent, as were the meals. The trip was an excellent introduction to India for me tho I was happy to have it very much concentrate on birding.

Stephan Lorenz
MM & GM, Southern India 2018

We really enjoyed both tours. The leader, Stephan Lorenz, was very helpful and worked hard to make the birding trips a success. We appreciated the local guides on both trips as well. They were all very good at getting the job done and making it all enjoyable and seamless. We always feel we are in good hands when we go on a Rockjumper tour.

Dušan Brinkhuizen
CV, India - Western: Desert Specials 2026

Dusan was a great guide. His prep everyday for the best locations specifically to visit for the specialty birds was outstanding and mostly successful. The local crew were also outstanding. Bablu is a great source of all information and a very pleasant travelling companion. The driver and his assistant came up with an outstanding plan to retrieve my forgotten phone. The long drives were taxing but I understand as the distance between areas we visited were extensive. The food was way better than I had expected. All the hotels were great.

Robert Williams
PR, India 2023

As usual another fantastic journey masterfully organized and enabling us to discover places and birds in the best possible way. Supreme guide, all matters perfect, except the lack of heating in the bus. Chilly India, believe it or not !

Dušan Brinkhuizen
MW, India - Western: Desert Specials 2026

Feedback for India – Western Deserts 2026 Overall, this was quite a trip. I had gone on the India – Northern Birds & Tigers just prior to this trip, so the number of new birds for us was low. However, we got most of the birds we were hoping for, a testament to Dušan and the highly-skilled local guides. We were well taken care of during the trip and all the accommodations were first class. The group were all serious birders, and we all got along together well and were able to contribute to the very respectful tally of the birds. The travel was a lot more than I anticipated. Several days were essentially all driving, with a brief stop or two to stretch and check for birds. I strongly recommend adding a day at Mt. Abu. We had only a few hours of birding there, sandwiched between very long drives. Adding a day there will be a great relief from spending so much time in the bus and allow us to catch up a bit on our sleep. I did a survey among our group and all greed that adding a day would be a great relief and would not keep any of us from choosing the trip. The birds were nearby, which helped a lot as we didn’t have a long drive to get to the birds. One location in particular, Desert National Park, was almost two hours. A closer accommodation needs to be scouted out. Dušan did a great job, and his enthusiasm kept us going when sleep depravation was hitting us. The guy never wanted to quit. We got all three mega birds, the Hypocolius, the Indian Spotted Creeper, and the Forest Owlet, quite well. All three were a great experience, especially the Hypocolius, as most of the group were family listers. We even had one of our group finish off the families during the trip! Thanks for offering and recommending this trip.

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