25 Jan 2028 - 27 Jan 2028 (3 days)
USD3,095 SPACES AVAILABLE
Tour Leader: Local Leader
Tour Leader: Robert Williams
Tour Price (Per person): USD3,095 (GBP2,359 * ZAR50,912 * CAD4,401)
Single Supplement: USD475 (GBP362 * ZAR7,814 * CAD675)
Flight costs: USD260 (GBP198 * ZAR4,277 * CAD370)
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.
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.
Fishing Cat; Leopard Cat; Jungle Cat; Smooth-coated Otter; Spotted Deer; Wild Boar; Indian Grey Mongoose.
Mangrove forest; tidal creeks and saline rivers; mudflats; estuarine waterways; islands; freshwater wetlands; reed-fringed pools; agricultural wetlands.
Warm tropical conditions, with cooler mornings and evenings; humid around the mangroves and wetlands, with mosquitoes and other insects possible.
8 with 1 Rockjumper Tour leader and 1 Indian tour leader
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
Comfortable
Moderate
150-180 speices
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.
Good
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.
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.
We had a wonderful trip with Rich Lindie and Stephan Lorenz, and we would certainly be happy to travel with either of them again. They were both excellent with the birds, had a great sense of humour, and were helpful and patient when individuals required extra assistance. In addition to the birding, we enjoyed a long list of mammals sighted in the various national parks. The accommodations and meals were also very good.
The Andaman Islands were a first for RockJumper and a first for David Hoddinott. It was an incredible experience and also exciting to share the first of all new endemics with David .
Greg de Klerk and David Erterius were great - super knowledgeable and really kind. You can tell that they both care about birds and their guests. I hope I can go on a Rockjumper tour with them again.
India - Western: Desert Specials 2026 - February 2026
India - Southern: Endemics of the Western Ghats (Small Group) 2026 - January 2026
India - Northern: Birds & Tigers (Small Group) 2026 - January 2026
India - Northern: Birds & Tigers 2025 - November 2025
India south side test tour (Tpss) - October 2025
India - Northeast: Mishmi Hills & Assam specialities 2025 - April 2025
India - Northeast: Eaglenest & Beyond 2025 - April 2025
India - Northwestern Himalayas 2025 - March 2025
India - Red Panda Quest 2025 - March 2025
India - Northern: Birds & Tigers (Small Group) 2025 - February 2025
India - Weakland (North) 2024 - November 2024
India - Assam Extension II 2024 - April 2024
India - Assam Extension I 2024 - March 2024
India - Southern: Birding & Wildlife of the Western Ghats (Small Group) 2024 - January 2024
India - Northern: Birds & Tigers 2023 - December 2023
India - Assam Birding & Big Game Extension II 2023 - April 2023
India - Northeast: Eaglenest & Beyond 2023 - April 2023
India - Assam Birding & Big Game Extension I 2023 - March 2023
India - Northern: Birds & Tigers (Small Group) 2023 - January 2023