Delhi, Sultanpur, Jaipur, Tal Chhapar, Bikaner, Kheechan, Desert National Park, Jodhpur
Rajasthan Birding Tour with Leopards, Forts And Palaces
Overview
This is a perfect colorful Rajasthani driving holiday for Birds, Wildlife, Forts, and Palaces
There is something regal about the animals and birds that call Rajasthan home. Perhaps it is the rich and fascinating history and culture, seeping into the very essence of life. The royal heritage of this northwestern state is highly evident not only in the palaces, forts, and monuments of the state but also in its wild denizens. From stellar birdwatching experiences to the opportunity to track one of India’s most elusive big cats, this tour gives you the opportunity to explore some of the best birdwatching destinations in Rajasthan.
This tour can be tailored to suit your needs. To get more information, please fill-up the ‘Tour Enquiry Form’ given below.
Key bird species: Great Indian Bustard, Demoiselle Crane, Red-headed Vulture, Indian Vulture, Griffon Vulture, Himalayan Vulture, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Indian Spotted Creeper, Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark, Trumpeter Finch
Key mammal species: Leopard, Desert Cat, Indian Wolf, Golden Jackal, Bengal Fox, White-footed Fox, Chinkara, Blackbuck, Nilgai, Indian Hedgehog
Meals: on own
Accommodation: Hotel Shanti Palace
Your adventure begins as you touch down in New Delhi. You will be met at the airport by our representative and transferred to the hotel. You have the evening free for sightseeing or shopping, or just to rest. You may ask us for tours (optional) covering various monument sites, museums, bird watching habitats, tourist market, food joints, theatre, performance venue etc.
Overnight stay.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Umaid Bhawan
After an early breakfast, we will check out and drive to Sultanpur National Park for a couple of hours of birding, and then continue to Jaipur. In the afternoon, we will leave for Jaipur, where we will arrive in the evening.
Overnight stay
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Umaid Mahal
Today, we have morning and evening safaris in Jhalana. Not only is Jhalana home to a dense population of leopards and deer, but is also an ideal birding destination, with species like Jacobin Cuckoo, Indian Pitta, Jungle Nightjar, and more calling it home.
In between the safaris, you will have plenty of free time to explore some of Jaipur’s monuments, which speak to the royal heritage of the city. Visitor attractions include palaces like the Hawa Mahal, Jal Mahal, and City Palace, the Amer, Nahargarh, and Jaigarh Forts, Jantar Mantar, as well as various temples.
Overnight stay
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Forest Rest House
After breakfast, we will travel to our next destination, Tal Chapper, from where we enter the desert habitats and concentrate on some of the real specialties of this tour.
Overnight stay.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Forest Rest House
We have the full day to explore the grassland sanctuary of Tal Chapper. The walking and motorable trails in Tal Chapper will yield an amazing diversity of arid-area birds.
Overnight stay.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Accommodation: Lal Garh Palace
We have another full day of birding in Tal Chapper to look for targets. Once the hunting ground of the Maharaja of Bikaner, this small protected area has a large population of Blackbuck and Chinkara, and a very impressive list of birds. These include Indian Eagle-Owl, Montagu’s and Pallid Harriers, White-eyed Buzzard, Laggar Falcon, large flocks of the declining Yellow-eyed Pigeon, Indian Spotted Creeper, Rufous-tailed and Great Grey Shrikes, huge mixed flocks of Greater Short-toed and Bimaculated Larks, and Water and Buff-bellied Pipits. After a full day’s birding we will drive to the city of Bikaner for an overnight stop.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Lalgarh Palace
Today is a very special day, as we have the chance to observe two amazing birding spectacles, in very contrasting locations! After an early breakfast we leave for the Jorbeer Conservation Reserve, more explicitly known as the Jorbeer Carcass Dump, where you can enjoy close views of the largest congregations of raptors to be found in India. Hundreds of Himalayan, Griffon and Egyptian Vultures gather here, joined by equally large numbers of Steppe Eagle, Black-eared Kite, and smaller numbers of Tawny and Eastern Imperial Eagles, with the chance of something rarer such as White-tailed Eagle or Saker Falcon, both of which have wintered in recent years. It is also fascinating to see birds such as Hoopoes feeding amongst the carcasses.
By 1100hrs, we will leave for Kheechan, which is famous for its wintering flock of several thousand Demoiselle Cranes. For years the villagers have put out grain, as much as 500 kg per day, for the cranes. We will be able to spend the evening admiring and photographing this amazing spectacle.
Overnight stay.
Meals: Breakfast in Kheechan and Dinner in Camp
Accommodation: Paddav LC
After a morning session of birdwatching and photography in Kheechan, we move on the city of Jaisalmer, and Desert National Park, where we will have a full day of birdwatching in the Thar Desert. The region is a haven for migratory and resident birds of the desert. Many eagles, harriers, falcons, and vultures are spotted here, as well as the highly-endangered Great Indian Bustard.
Overnight stay
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Paddav LC
We have a full day of birding today to explore the very unique Desert National Park. This is one of the last remaining strongholds of the Great Indian Bustard, now sadly reduced to a population of less than 200 birds and with a real risk of extinction during our lifetimes.
Overnight stay
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Paddav LC
We have another full day of birding today in Desert National Park to look for more targets. Aside from the bustard, there are several specialities to find here, including many raptors, Spotted and Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Cream-coloured Courser, Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark, Desert Lark, Greater Hoopoe-Lark, the little-known White-browed (Stoliczka’s) Bush Chat, Red-tailed Wheatear, Plain Leaf Warbler, and Trumpeter Finch.
Overnight stay.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel Shanti Palace
After some final birding in the Desert National Park we drive east to Jodhpur for our afternoon flight back to Delhi.
Overnight stay.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: None
After breakfast, you will be transferred to Delhi airport for your onward flight.
Highlights
- Birds and Mammals
- Bird Watching
- Village Visits
- Jungle Safari
- Asiatic Lion Sighting
- Photography
- Local Cuisine
- Quaint Accommodation
Included
- Accommodation on twin / single sharing basis Meals as per the itinerary
- 02 Jeep Safaris in Jhalana Birdwatching in Tal Chapper, Bikaner, Kheechan and DNP
- Permits of DNP Local jeep hire in DNP (04 persons per jeep basis)
- Dedicated transport Domestic flight from Jodhpur to Delhi (Economy class)
- Arrival and departure transfers in Delhi All taxes
Video
Location
Stories
Ladakh
North India, the land of Ladakh, looks as though it was made for birdwatching and photography.
Gir National Park Gujarat
Sometimes it is not just the species spotted but also the amazing moments. Some of our guests had the unique opportunity to witness the mating of Asiatic Lions in the Gir Forest, truly a special moment.
Delhi
Surajpur is an amazing wetland close to the nation’s capital. Apart from being one of the monsoon homes for the Bristled Grassbird, it is also home to another sought-after species: the Bengal Bush Lark.
Rajasthan
One advantage of living near the birding hotspot of Bharatpur is that you can see some amazing birds, like the graceful Sarus Crane, in your backyard during this lockdown
