19 Mar 2026 - 01 Apr 2026 (14 days)
USD4,900 - Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Carlos Bocos
Pricing notes : *Prices are estimated and dates may change*
Tour price (Per person): USD4,900 * GBP3,867 * EUR4,679 * AUD7,700
Can be linked with: India - Andaman Islands Extension 2026
Hemming the rugged lands of southern India are the impressive Western Ghats Mountains, a land of endless valleys, rolling tea estates and breathtaking highland vistas, well-known for harbouring a superb range of highly localised endemic birds and a host of special mammals. This comprehensive tour showcases many of these special creatures: the gorgeous Indian Pitta, Nilgiri Laughingthrush, Nilgiri Wood Pigeon, rare Sri Lanka Frogmouth, exquisite Malabar Trogon, Malabar Whistling Thrush, and Heart-spotted Woodpecker are just some of the incredible birds we will search for. The mammal possibilities are no less enticing, with the stunning Lion-tailed Macaque, Bengal Tiger, Chole Indian Elephant and Gaur (Indian Bison) all high on our target list. Join us for an unbeatable birding exploration to the southern part of this immense and extremely rewarding nation!
Painted Bush Quail; Red Spurfowl; Nilgiri Wood, Malabar Imperial & Grey-fronted Green Pigeons; Malabar Grey & Great Hornbills; Malabar & White-cheeked Barbets; Blue-winged Parakeet; Malabar Woodshrike; White-spotted Fantail; White-bellied Treepie; Indian Black-lored Tit; Malabar Lark; Grey-headed, Flame-throated & Yellow-throated Bulbuls; Broad-tailed Grassbird; Indian Scimitar Babbler; Dark-fronted & Rufous Babblers; Wayanad, Nilgiri & Palani Laughingthrushes; Malabar Starling; Nilgiri Thrush; White-bellied Blue, Black-and-orange & Nilgiri Flycatchers; Nilgiri Blue & White-bellied Blue Robins; Malabar Whistling Thrush; Nilgiri Flowerpecker; Crimson-backed Sunbird; Nilgiri Pipit; Indian Pitta; Sri Lanka Frogmouth; Malabar Trogon; Heart-spotted & White-naped Woodpeckers; Malabar Flameback; White-bellied Minivet.
Bengal Tiger; Lion-tailed & Toque Macaques; Nilgiri Langur; Dhole; Gaur (Indian Bison); Nilgiri Tahr; Asian Elephant; Indian & Grizzled Giant Squirrels; Sloth Bear and Leopard.
sholas (montane forest patches), deciduous (teak-dominated) woodlands, bamboo forest, lakes, wetlands, montane grassland, savanna & thickets
Very pleasant: warm during day, cool at night, rain not expected
8 with 1 Rockjumper leader or 12 with 2 Rockjumper leaders
moderate
mostly very comfortable lodges & hotels but a bit basic for a few nights
mostly unchallenging
+-250
Rolling hills & valleys that are mostly naturally forested but in some areas are dominated by tea and other spice plantations, Mysore Palace, roadside temples & shrines, Lake Periyar, Western Ghats Mountains, some of the most delicious food on Earth if you like curries
good
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 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 is simply outstanding: Calm, focused, truly excellent knowledge of the birds, their calls and habits. He has a wonderful sense of humour, too.
David Hoddinott was at his best even on new grounds full of lifers.
This was a great trip. A terrific itinerary and we saw lots of birds and we saw tigers at Ranthambhore and Corbett. Glen and [the local leader] were excellent guides—great spotting skills, and they made sure everyone saw the bird. The logistics worked very well because Glen and [the local leader] were a great team.
Testing tour for summer days only (Tpss) - July 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 North Summer Test Tour (Tpss) - 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
India - Western: Forest Owlet Extension 2023 - January 2023
India - Western: Desert Specials 2023 - January 2023
India - Southern: Birding & Wildlife of the Western Ghats (Small Group) 2023 - January 2023
India - Northern: Birds & Tigers 2022 - December 2022
India - Northern: Birds & Tigers (Small Group) 2020 - February 2020
India - Southern: Birding & Wildlife of the Western Ghats (Small Group) 2020 - January 2020
India - Northern: Birds & Tigers 2019 - December 2019
India - Highlights of the North 2019 - December 2019
India - Highlights of the North 2018 - December 2018
India - Southern: Birding & Wildlife of the Western Ghats II 2018 - November 2018