Tour Price (Per person): USD7,100 (GBP5,488 * EUR6,366 * AUD10,241)
Pricing notes : *Prices are estimated* Twin rooms are not available, so all participants not sharing a double bed will require a single room.
South Korea is a key wintering ground for several migratory species, many of whom are found in very large numbers. These great birding spectacles are set against a backdrop of snowy mountains, pine forests, sweeping coastal wetlands and estuaries. We can look forward to enjoying impressive gatherings of wildfowl with vast flocks of geese and cranes, colonies of various gulls and rafts of alcids just offshore.
Often overlooked for their more illustrious neighbours of Japan and China, South Korea offers equally exceptional birding in a far more condescend area, with top class infrastructure and enviable safety. The country's lack of bird persecution contributes to the abundance of birds, providing for repeat, quality sightings of sought-after species instead of fleeting glimpses.
Highlights are sure to include stunning encounters with the rare Scaly-sided Merganser, large flocks of Red-crowned, White-naped and Hooded Cranes, a chance for Steller’s Sea Eagle, numerous Baikal Teal, Swan Goose, Oriental Stork, Solitary Snipe, Azure-winged Magpie, Chinese Grey Shrike, Chinese Penduline Tit and Relict Gull.
Scaly-sided Merganser; Whooper Swan; Swan Goose; Smew; Harlequin, Falcated & Mandarin Ducks; Baikal Teal; Sandhill, Hooded, White-naped, Red-crowned & Common Cranes; Oriental Stork; Solitary Snipe; Pelagic & Japanese Cormorants; Saunders's, Black-tailed, Slaty-backed, Glaucous, Glaucous-winged & Relict Gulls; Steller’s Sea Eagle (rare); Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker; Azure-winged Magpie; Chinese Grey & Bull-headed Shrikes; Chinese Penduline Tit; Naumann's & Dusky Thrushes; Hawfinch; Pallas's Rosefinch; Japanese Wagtail; Long-billed Plover; Pallas’s Reed Bunting.
coast, estuaries, rivers, rice fields, mudflats, Pine Forest,
Temperatures are cold, typically ranging from 0°C to 10°C (32°F to 50°F) during the day. Snow can fall at any time, strong winds & fog may affect birding.
8 with 1 Rockjumepr Tour Leader
UNDEMANDING: This tour is ideal for birders and wildlife enthusiasts of all experience levels. It’s suitable for most mobility levels and offers a relaxed pace, ensuring an enjoyable experience for everyone.
Mostly an easy tour. Days are reasonably short. Drives are not particularly long; most birding is straight forward. Suitable for all birding / wildlife interest levels and most mobility capabilities.
Good to comfortable.
Easy. Several target species & rarities, but species diversity is reasonably low. Most birding is in open habitat.
150
DMZ with North Korea, war memorials.
Worthwhile to good. Some species can be distant (i.e.: estuaries).
Tour was wonderful. Loved everything. Very well organised and super localities. Anna is a superstar, she was invaluable
While the birding was more difficult, the guides knowledge on where to search for some of the key species. Helped the group find a number of very interesting species of birds.
I really enjoyed having Lev as a tour guide, he was very knowledgeable and helpful and great at giving directions to see "hidden" birds in the jungle.
Thanks Stephan for a fantastic tour. The stay at the Monastery was especially memorable.
Note that some of the comments I made regarding the Thailand extension apply to the main Thailand tour. I liked the sequence of sites visited; it ensured the Spoonbill Sandpiper was seen early on and then designed to minimize travel. Staying multiple nights at one site is always appreciated and seemed to be done as much as possible. The guides made special efforts to see bird species sought by the group; we saw more bird species than I expected. The drivers were excellent and also one of them, Jaime, was a good birder who helped the guides track down some species; it was an asset to have internet while in the vehicles. The drivers also produced an excellent video of the trip - a nice touch; they also did an excellent job with mid-morning breaks. I especially enjoyed visiting a hide all morning early on in the trip - it gave us a chance to see some elusive species but also several species very well. One morning was spent looking for a rare duck; I would have rather spent the time looking for a variety of Thai species. Quite a bit of birding was done along roads - it might have been better to bird trails etc. if they are available and afford good views of birds pointed out. Food was excellent (Uthai selected great dishes for the group) and accomodations were good. It was an enjoyable trip with rewarding looks at many of the bird species seen.
No Record Found