This exotic birding adventure takes us to many seldom-visited and remote destinations in northeast India. We will have the rare opportunity to search for a host of Asia’s most tantalizing and desirable species including the recently discovered Temminck’s Tragopan, Ward’s Trogon, exquisite Beautiful and Velvet-fronted Nuthatches, rare and little-known Bugun Liocichla, incredible Grandala, rare and endangered White-winged Duck, incomparable Great, Rufous-necked, and Wreathed Hornbills, and dazzling Fire-tailed Myzornis – to name just some of the many exciting possibilities! We will explore a wealth of varied habitats and altitudes during this tour, from the high mountains of Sela Pass - home of the barely-believable Himalayan Monal, Blood Pheasant and others, to beautiful swathes of montane and hill forest and bolder-strewn Himalayan rivers in Nameri National Park and the Eagle’s Nest area, home to an astounding array of scimitar-babblers (no less than six species!), and laughingthrushes, the remarkable Sikkim Wedge-billed Babbler, Sultan Tit, Fire-tailed Sunbird, the rare and amazing Blue-fronted Robin, all amongst an almost endless list of highlights! This is a very exciting tour that takes us to some of Asia’s best birding sites where few birders have ever ventured; and, consequently, we will no doubt encounter many rarely-seen species!
Temminck’s Tragopan; Himalayan Monal; Snow Partridge; Blood Pheasant; Ward’s Trogon; Beautiful, White-tailed & Velvet-fronted Nuthatches; Bugun Liocichla; Purple & Green Cochoas; Black-headed Shrike-Babbler; Himalayan Cutia; Fire-tailed Myzornis; Collared Treepie; Blue-naped Pitta; Long-billed & Bar-winged Wren-Babbler; Sikkim Wedge-billed Babbler; Long-billed Plover; Black-tailed Crake; Grandala; Rufous-necked Hornbill; Pale-headed Woodpecker; Slender-billed & Coral-billed Scimitar Babblers; White-winged Duck; Pied Falconet; Golden-breasted Fulvetta; Broad-billed Warbler; Stripe-throated & Rufous-vented Yuhinas; Mountain & Rufous-bellied Hawk-Eagles; Wallcreeper; Yellow-billed Blue Magpie; Spotted Nutcracker; Red-billed Chough; Brandt’s & Plain Mountain Finches; Collared Grosbeak; Hodgson’s Treecreeper; Dark-rumped, Dark-breasted and Himalayan White-browed Rosefinches; Blyth’s Kingfisher; Mrs Gould’s, Fire-tailed, Green-tailed & Black-throated Sunbirds; Green Shrike-Babbler; Black-winged Cuckooshrike; Slaty-backed & Sapphire Flycatchers; Sultan & Fire-capped Tits, Blue-fronted Robin.
Gaur; Indian Elephant; Himalayan Serow; Assamese Macaque; Capped Langur; Yellow-throated Marten; Large-eared Pika; Black Giant, Orange-bellied Himalayan, Hoary-bellied & Himalayan Striped Squirrels; small chance for Red Panda; Asiatic Black Bear; Leopard Cat.
montane & lowland forest, bamboo, rivers, woodland, rocky, alpine/heathland habitat
warm to hot in the lowlands and cool to cold in the mountainous. Sela Pass (day trip) at 4200m (13,800ft) will be cold with a chance of snow
8 with 1 Rockjumper leader & 1 local leader
our Mega tours are very fast-paced birding adventures designed for the dedicated lister and serious birder. The focus of the tour is to see as many of the endemics and area specials as possible in our given time. In order to cover the necessary route to maximise the species list we tend to spend a single night at most sites and travel large distances. There is very little down time aside from that spent driving from one site to the next. These tours are not suitable for dedicated or avid photographers; inexperienced or new birders; as well as anyone with serious mobility or health challenges.
basic to comfortable
moderate
300 - 350
amazing scenery and wildlife sanctuaries, incredible forest
average to good
This was the first group birding tour Ive ever taken (meaning, more than myself and either one or two other persons). Rockjumper and Nigel Redman made it a very pleasurable experience, with wonderful birds, beautiful landscapes, and good flexibility and adaptability to the various challenges and obstacles thrown our way on the trip. I heartily recommend both this tour and Nigel Redman as a tour leader! I would happily go on any tour for which Nigel was the leader; his knowledge of ornithology, history, and birding folklore is encycylopedic, and his easy humor and casual nature made for happy hours in our vehicles or over dinner tables (this, in contrast to the group next to us in some of the dining halls, where hardly a word was spoken by any tour member when the trip leader was going through the days list; that was a dictatorship; Nigels tour was a democracy in many ways.)
David Hoddinott was at his best even on new grounds full of lifers.
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.
This was my first Rockjumper trip. I definitely will be a repeat customer. The booking process was easy and painless. The transport and hotel logistics during the trip were flawless. David Hoddinott and Ansar Khan were excellent guides and worked diligently to make sure we saw as many birds as possible.
David Hoddinott is simply outstanding: Calm, focused, truly excellent knowledge of the birds, their calls and habits. He has a wonderful sense of humour, too.
06 Apr 2025 - 18 Apr 2025 (13 days)
INR370,000 - Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Glen Valentine
Tour price (Per person): INR370,000 * USD4,438 * GBP3,515 * EUR4,118 * AUD6,815
Single Supplement: INR40,500 * USD486 * GBP385 * EUR451 * AUD746
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