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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)

USD5,500 SPACES AVAILABLE

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Tour Leader: Erik Forsyth

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Tour Price (Per person): USD5,500 (GBP4,272 * EUR4,906 * AUD8,188)

Flight costs: USD280 (GBP217 * EUR250 * AUD417)

India - Western: Desert Specials 2028

04 Feb 2028 - 18 Feb 2028 (15 days)

USD5,800 SPACES AVAILABLE

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Tour Leader: Nigel Redman

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Tour Price (Per person): USD5,800 (GBP4,505 * EUR5,173 * AUD8,634)

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

India - Western: Desert Specials 2029

06 Feb 2029 - 20 Feb 2029 (15 days)

USD5,900 SPACES AVAILABLE

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Tour Leader: Glen Valentine

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Tour Price (Per person): USD5,900 (GBP4,583 * EUR5,263 * AUD8,783)

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

Erik Forsyth
NM, Northern India

I just have to write and tell you how much I enjoyed the N. India trip and how superb the leaders are… Erik and Rich worked so well together and both are so funny, such a great combination…. With much gratitude to RBT for bringing birds and mammals into my life.

Robert Williams
PR, India 2023

As usual another fantastic journey masterfully organized and enabling us to discover places and birds in the best possible way. Supreme guide, all matters perfect, except the lack of heating in the bus. Chilly India, believe it or not !

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.

Glen Valentine
MW, India - Northern: Birds & Tigers (Small Group) 2026

Another excellent tour with Glen. He is amazing. The local guides and ground support were also excellent. The accommodations were quite luxurious although quite cold. Warm layers are definitely a must for this trip. One suggestions for the tour information: Under annoyances add a comment about the poor air quality around Delhi and the dust during afternoon game drives. Suggest that participants bring N95 masks and dust protection for optics. Looking forward to our next Rockjumper trip.

Dušan Brinkhuizen
CV, India - Western: Desert Specials 2026

Dusan was a great guide. His prep everyday for the best locations specifically to visit for the specialty birds was outstanding and mostly successful. The local crew were also outstanding. Bablu is a great source of all information and a very pleasant travelling companion. The driver and his assistant came up with an outstanding plan to retrieve my forgotten phone. The long drives were taxing but I understand as the distance between areas we visited were extensive. The food was way better than I had expected. All the hotels were great.

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