India is a country without equal, offering extraordinary cultural depth and remarkable geographical diversity ranging from deserts and fertile plains to dense forests, tropical coastlines, and the snow-capped Himalayas. This variety supports a superb avifauna alongside some of the world’s most iconic mammals, foremost among them the Bengal Tiger.

This tour explores the premier birding and wildlife sites of north-central India, combining exceptional bird diversity, classic mammal encounters, and cultural highlights. A visit to the legendary Ranthambhore National Park, widely regarded as one of the best places on Earth to see Tigers in the wild, forms a major highlight.

We begin in New Delhi with an excursion to Sultanpur National Park, a productive wetland and grassland mosaic supporting wintering waterbirds and passerines. Here we search for ducks, geese, gulls, and waders, as well as species such as Striated Grassbird, Red Avadavat, Yellow-bellied Prinia, and Sind Sparrow.

From Delhi we travel by train to Kathgodam and ascend into the Kumaon Himalayan foothills, following the Kosi River to our base near Manila. Birding in the surrounding oak and rhododendron forests focuses on Himalayan specialties including Cheer, Kalij, and Koklass Pheasants, several ground thrushes, Golden Bush Robin, and other high-altitude forest species, all set against dramatic mountain scenery.

We then descend to Jim Corbett National Park, where sal forest, riverine woodland, grasslands, and foothills combine to produce excellent bird diversity. Target species include Tawny and Brown Fish Owls, Pallas’s and Lesser Fish Eagles, Red Junglefowl, Slaty-headed Parakeet, Crested Treeswift, Golden-fronted Leafbird, Rufous and Grey Treepies, White-crested Laughingthrush, Rufous-bellied Niltava, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, several forktails, and large mixed-species flocks, along with distinctive species such as Wallcreeper and Ibisbill.

Our journey continues to Sattal, a cluster of forest-fringed lakes surrounded by oak and pine woodland and regarded as one of the finest birding areas in the western Himalayas. Here we focus on forest and lakeside birding, seeking a wide variety of foothill species including Himalayan Cutia, Spotted and Rufous-bellied Eagle-Owls, laughingthrushes, flycatchers, and wintering passerines.

Returning to the plains, we travel to Ranthambhore National Park, one of India’s most celebrated wildlife reserves. This scenic landscape of dry forest, rocky hills, and open grasslands offers outstanding opportunities to see the Bengal Tiger, with additional chances for Leopard and Sloth Bear. Birding highlights include Indian Peafowl, Indian Scops Owl, Yellow-footed Green Pigeon, Crested Serpent Eagle, White-bellied Drongo, White-browed Fantail, and the endemic Painted Sandgrouse.

We next visit the renowned wetlands of Keoladeo National Park (Bharatpur), where rich marshes support vast numbers of waterbirds, raptors, and migrant passerines. Key species include Sarus Crane, Cotton Pygmy Goose, Painted and Black-necked Storks, Asian Openbill, Black Bittern, Pheasant-tailed and Bronze-winged Jacanas, and White-tailed Lapwing.

A boat excursion on the Chambal River takes us through one of the last strongholds of the endangered Ganges River Dolphin and Indian Skimmer. Other specialties include Black-bellied and River Terns, River Lapwing, and the remarkable Gharial. Nearby grasslands support Indian Courser, the endemic Sykes’s Lark, several wheatears, and Isabelline Wheatear. The main tour concludes with a visit to the iconic Taj Mahal before returning to New Delhi for departure.