Home to over a billion people in arguably the world’s richest cultural landscape, India is a country with no equal. This great nation boasts a staggering geographical diversity ranging from deserts and forests to tropical, palm-lined shores and snow-capped peaks. India is, of course, also famous for its rich avifauna and iconic mammalian megafauna, foremost of which is the regal Tiger. Our tour visits all the famous birding sites in the north central region of this amazing country, and includes a visit to the fabled Ranthambhore National Park, the tiger reserve widely considered to be one of the best places to see this most magnificent of the world’s big cats! Join us in this unforgettable celebration of India’s incredible birds, iconic mammals, dramatic scenery and kaleidoscope of cultures!
Top Birds
Sarus Crane, Painted Sandgrouse, Painted Spurfowl, Dalmatian Pelican, Indian Skimmer, Plum-headed Parakeet, Sirkeer Malkoha, Greater Painted-snipe, Bar-headed Goose, Bluethroat, Red-naped Ibis, Small Pratincole, Verditer Flycatcher.
Top Mammals
Tiger, Leopard, Sambar, Nilgai, Spotted Deer, Southern Plains Grey Langur, Golden Jackal, Ganges River Dolphin, Common Palm Civet.
Habitats Covered
wetlands, teak woodlands, rivers, sal (oak & rhododendron) forests, dry acacia woodlands
Expected Climate
cool to mild in lowlands
Max Group Size
8 with 1 local leader
Tour Pace & Walking
undemanding
Accommodation
comfortable hotels & lodges
Ease of Birding
mostly unchallenging
Other Attractions
Taj Mahal, Chambal River, Fatehpur Sikri, Agra Fort
Photographic Opportunities
incredible
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.
We loved Glen Valentine! Very skilled, and not defensive if we questioned an ID. Liked that he continued to call out even the common birds throughout the tour, which meant we got a chance to really study each species. Good sense of humor, and fun to bird with!
David was an excellent leader with exceptional birding skills. He was very attentive and helpful in handling both the birding and the logistics. In addition to his birding and guiding skills, David is also very personable and easy to talk to. I would definitely go on another trip with him as a guide.
David Erterius is an absolute delight. Our group was unanimous in its respect for his exceptional birding skills, tirelessness, even temper and sense of humour. I especially appreciated that he always let us know what the plans were, and was most considerate of our needs (birds and otherwise), and our comfort. I look forward to an opportunity to travel with him again.
I thought David was an excellent guide. He certainly knows his birds and was very passionate and I also found him to be very keen to discuss birds and pass on knowledge; I enjoyed being able to share his passion. I also found him to be friendly and I had the impression that he was always trying to make sure that the group was generally satisfied. He was certainly very thorough at making sure that everybody had seen all the birds.