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India - Western: Desert Specials

© Demoiselle cranes by Adam Riley
India - Western: Desert Specials 2027

15 Feb 2027 - 01 Mar 2027 (15 days)

USD5,595 SPACES AVAILABLE

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Tour Leader: Erik Forsyth

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Tour Price (Per person): USD5,595 (GBP4,269 * EUR4,884 * AUD8,077)

Single Supplement: USD990 (GBP755 * EUR864 * AUD1,429)

Flight costs: USD280 (GBP214 * EUR244 * AUD404)

India - Western: Desert Specials 2028

04 Feb 2028 - 18 Feb 2028 (15 days)

USD5,900 SPACES AVAILABLE

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Tour Leader: Nigel Redman

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Tour Price (Per person): USD5,900 (GBP4,502 * EUR5,151 * AUD8,517)

Pricing notes : *Prices are estimated, and dates may change*

India - Western: Desert Specials 2029

06 Feb 2029 - 20 Feb 2029 (15 days)

USD6,200 SPACES AVAILABLE

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Tour Leader: Glen Valentine

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Tour Price (Per person): USD6,200 (GBP4,731 * EUR5,413 * AUD8,950)

Pricing notes : *Prices are estimated, and dates may change*

The wonderfully diverse nation of India is well known for its verdant landscapes and the snow-capped Himalayas. It therefore surprises many visitors to learn that India also boasts remarkable desert ecosystems. This tour focuses on these underappreciated habitats, exploring some of the less-visited parks and reserves of the country’s arid western regions.

Key sites include Desert National Park, Tal Chappar, and the Great and Little Ranns of Kutch, all of which rank among the most important protected areas in western India. In contrast, we will also spend time in the more verdant and scenic Mount Abu, adding ecological variety to the journey.

This tour offers the chance to observe some of the most threatened and sought-after bird species in India, and indeed globally. Targets include the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard, the scarce White-browed Bush Chat, as well as Indian Spotted Creeper, Yellow-eyed Pigeon, Green Avadavat, Sociable Lapwing, Asian Houbara, White-naped Tit, and Marshall’s Iora. We will also search for two of the world’s more enigmatic monotypic families: Crab-plover and Grey Hypocolius.

General birding throughout the tour is excellent, combining resident specialties with large numbers of overwintering northern migrants. Expect impressive gatherings of cranes, substantial flocks of waterfowl and waders, and a wide range of desert-adapted passerines. Mammal viewing is another highlight, with good chances of encountering Blackbuck, Indian Gazelle, and Indian Wild Ass, among others.

Top Birds

Great Indian Bustard & Asian Houbara; Grey Hypocolius; Crab-plover; huge numbers of Demoiselle & Common Cranes; Dalmatian & Spot-billed Pelicans; Green Avadavat; Indian Spotted Creeper; Sociable Lapwing; Indian Courser; Red-headed, Cinereous & White-rumped Vultures; Eastern Imperial Eagle; White-eyed Buzzard; Laggar Falcon; Painted, Spotted & Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse; Sykes’s & Savanna Nightjars; White-naped & Indian Black-lored Tits; Marshall’s Iora; Brown Rock Chat; Pied & White-browed Bush Chats; Bimaculated, Rufous-tailed & Sykes’s Larks; Desert Whitethroat; Bay-backed Shrike; Rufous-fronted Prinia; Eastern Orphean & Asian Desert Warblers; Sind Sparrow.

Top Mammals

Asiatic Wild Ass; Blackbuck; Nilgai; Chinkara (Indian Gazelle); with chances for Golden & Grey Wolves; Bengal and the desert subspecies of Red Fox; Striped Hyena; Jungle & Wild Cats.

Habitats Covered

semi-desert scrub, salt-flats, seasonal wetlands, grassland, scrubland, dry deciduous forest, coastline

Expected Climate

Variable temperatures from very cold to warm.

Max Group Size

8 with 1 Rockjumper leader & local birding leader

Tour Pace & Walking

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. Long travel days, many target species.

Accommodation

Variable. Comfortable in larger towns to basic at some sites.

Ease of Birding

Moderate to easy. Most species provide good visuals in open conditions but may require repeat attempts. Target driven tour with long days.

Photographic Opportunities

Good to very good in open conditions, lighting can be difficult. No dedicated hides.

What our clients say about us

Clayton Burne
PWN, India 2013

Clayton was friendly, informative and fun.... Very athletic and cheerful. Find him to be a wonderful guide.

Gregory de Klerk
HS, India 2018

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.

xPeter Kaestner
JR, India 2020

This trip was great! We were told the trip should generate about 250 bird species and our total was very close. Peter was excellent at finding birds, leading us and keeping a positive group atmosphere. The local guides also were competent and helpful. Accommodations are not an important aspect of a trip to me but the ones we stayed at were excellent, as were the meals. The trip was an excellent introduction to India for me tho I was happy to have it very much concentrate on birding.

David Hoddinott
SS, India 2018

David Hoddinott is wonderful and a great leader.

Quinton Paul Josop
GM, India - Southern: Endemics of the Western Ghats (Small Group) 2026

I had a wonderful time on this tour. The group had great chemistry, the accommodations and food were excellent and we visited many beautiful places. This and much more made for a very pleasurable experience. I hadn't been with Paul before on a tour; I'll certainly be checking on his tours now. Put simply, he was excellent. In addition to his obvious birding skills, he handled all phases very efficiently, and he made sure everyone could/would see as many birds (and mammals, etc) as they could, and his outgoing, pleasant personality all added up to a very rewarding and memorable experience. The guides and many other people of India really added to our trip. They were very friendly and helpful. That added a lot to our trip. Lastly, but not least, THANK YOU to all the Rockjumper staff. They helped me with all my questions and requests. They always do this. (Side note; this was my 11th nd 12th tours with Rockjumper) Again , THANKS to all at Rockjumper.

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