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Birding and Bird Watching in Nepal
 Nepal is a bird watcher’s paradise with over 800 species (almost 10% of the world total) of birds. And among them, almost 600 are found in the Kathmandu Valley alone. The surrounding hills offer a varied ecology ranging from primary and secondary forests to rhododendron, oak and pine forests. In addition, the wetlands and open fields inside the Valley make up a diverse habitat for many species of birds.
The most popular bird watching spot is the Phulchoki hill, the highest peak on the Valley rim situated 20 km southeast of Kathmandu, with some 265 species recorded till date. The birds seen here include babblers, warblers, tits, thrushes, minivets, woodpeckers, eagles and many migrant birds. Godavari, at the foot of Phulchoki hill where the Royal Botanical Garden is situated, records over 100 species of birds including the lesser Racket-tailed drongo, Tibetan siskin and the spotted forktail.
The Shivapuri Watershed and Wildlife Reserve (Ph: 977-1-371644), situated 11 km to the north of Kathmandu, is another exciting location. Entrance fee is Rs. 250 for foreign visitors. Nagarjun Royal Forest, also known as Jamacho or Rani Ban, is situated 5 km from Kathmandu on the way to Kakani from Balaju. It delights bird enthusiasts with Blue magpies, kalij pheasants, Bonelli’s eagles, Great Himalayan barbets and other exotic birds. Entrance fee is Rs. 10. Gokarna forest, 7 km to the northeast of Kathmandu, boasts the speckled Mountain thrush, orange-headed ground-thrush, brown wood owl and the white-bellied yuhina among other colorful varieties.
As for the wetlands in the Valley, the banks of the Manohara river on the way to Bhaktapur, and the Bagmati river, which flows into the Valley from Shivapuri hill and out through Chobhar Gorge, are good places for watching waders and waterfowls. Harboring 40 species of birds mostly dependent on wetlands, Taudaha, a lake on the way to Dakshinkali, attracts flocks of migrant birds.
So grab your binoculars and head for the hills. Good roads lead to all these places and guides are also available.
Bird Watching Programmes
Itinerary for Bird Watching
Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu and transfer to our hotel. En-route we will see our first common Nepalese birds, including Red-vented Bulbul and Jungle Myna, and have an introduction to the fascinating culture and architecture of this country.
Day 02: In the morning we fly south-east to Birathnagar and, weather permitting, enjoy stunning views over the Himalayas to Mount Everest. The drive to Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, our base for the next three nights, takes under two hours. This beautiful reserve is situated on the Koshi River, one of the main tributaries of the Ganges. It was established to protect Nepal's only herd of wild Water Buffalo, one of the world's most endangered large mammals, and hosts a variety of habitats from sandbanks and small ponds to the huge river islands. Riverine grassland is one of the endangered habitats, which, in the reserve, supports a small population of the rare Swamp Francolin. Further down, the river has been dammed by the Koshi Barrage forming an artificial wetland, which attracts an enormous variety of birds. In this area alone, on some occasions, one can see 150 species in a single day. Our accommodation at Koshi is a luxury tented camp with modern shared facilities set in an isolated compound by ponds and riverine forest. This enables us to see species like Intermediate Egret, Yellow and Cinnamon Bitterns, Black-necked Stork and and Lesser Adjutant, Black and Black-headed Ibises, Ruddy Crake, Pied, White-breasted and Stork-billed Kingfishers, Striated Grassbird, Smoky Warbler and many other birds close to our base.
Days 03 – 04: We will explore the Koshi River by inflatable boats, observing a number of birds on the way, and looking for Black-bellied and River Terns and the uncommon Gangetic Dolphin. We will visit the river islands for such species as Great Thick-knee, Verditer Flycatcher, Spotted Bush Warbler and Rosy Minivet, returning to the camp via the many ponds teeming with wildfowl including possibly Spot-billed and Falcated Ducks and Baer's Pochard. A wide variety of raptors hunt over the area including Pallas's Fish Eagle and White-tailed Eagle, Red-necked Falcon and Pied Harrier. Another full day's birding in Koshi includes a visit to the bird-rich Koshi Barrage and a neighbouring tract of forest where such species as Oriental Pied Hornbill, Orange-breasted Green Pigeon and Abbott's Babbler occur. Mammals, including Asiatic Golden Jackal and Jungle Cat, are occasionally seen.
Day 05: It will take all day to drive west to the world famous Royal Chitwan National Park, situated in the central Terai on the southern border with India, for a three-night stay. We will stop for some birding on the way, possibly seeing Crested Kingfisher, Indian Roller, Ashy Woodswallow, Little Forktail and the amazing Ibisbill on the shingle banks of the Rapti River.
Days 06 – 07: Chitwan National Park preserves the most extensive lowland grassland and forest remaining in Nepal. It hosts a huge variety of birds as well as a population of over 500 Indian Rhinoceros and most of the country's remaining Tigers. Our stay will include birding in various parts of the park from dense forest to grasslands. The list of birds found here is superb with highlights including Changeable Hawk-eagle, Brown Crake, Red Junglefowl, Indian Peafowl, River Lapwing, Jungle Owlet, Brown Fish-owl, Collared Scops-owl, Brown Hawk-owl, Emerald Dove, Black-rumped, Himalayan and Greater Flamebacks, Blue-bearded Bee-eater, Red-headed Trogon, Small Minivet, White-browed Wagtail, Long-tailed Shrike, Spot-winged Starling, Chestnut-capped Babbler, Hill Myna and Chestnut-crowned, Pale-footed and Spotted Bush Warblers. A visit to some ponds rich in waterfowl may include some exciting species of raptor including Crested Serpent-eagle and Grey-headed Fish Eagle. We will spend half a day in boats travelling down the river and walking back through some fine forest. Some of the many highlights of this part of the trip are looking for Gharial on the river and an elephant ride into the jungle to look for the Indian Rhinoceros, on the way seeing many birds including Plum-headed Parakeet, Jungle Babbler and perhaps Black Baza. Close up views of other mammals such as Sambar, Chital, Barking and Hog Deer or even Sloth Bear are possible. Special efforts will also be made to see some of the park's rarer birds including Bengal Florican, Grey-crowned Prinia, Rufous-rumped Grassbird and Slender-billed Babbler. One night will be spent in a tented camp in the forest, a location which cannot be bettered. The other two nights are spent at the Gaida Lodge with both camps having modern private facilities.
Day 08: Today we will travel by road to Pokhara. On the way we will stop along the scenic Trisuli River to look for various birds including White-capped and Plumbeous Water Redstarts and Brown Dipper. Overnight in Pokhara.
Day 09: We will begin our trek to Gandhrung, leaving Pokhara early in the morning. The ever-changing light on the spectacular Annapurna Range is a simply stunning sight as the coach winds its way to Lumle, which is the starting point of our trek. On the trek we will see a great many species including Lammergeier, Red-headed Vulture, Himalayan Griffon-vulture, Asian Barred Owlet, Golden-throated Barbet, White-crested Laughingthrush, Green-backed, Black-lored and Black-throated Tits, Green-tailed Sunbird, Grey Bushchat and Pink-browed Rosefinch to name but a few. Overnight in a basic lodge with shared facilities.
Days 10 – 12: We will continue our travels on foot into the Annapurna Massif, reaching the village of Gandhrung at 2200 metres. We will stay for two nights at a basic but perfectly adequate and stunningly located lodge with shared facilities. From here we will explore various parts of this incredible area. Himalayan temperate rain forests are a fascinating sight, with huge lichens hanging from rhododendrons and oak trees. Colours and light change dramatically, and the apparently pink peaks of the Himalayas can suddenly appear. Scenically this is one of the highlights of the trip, as well as providing a variety of Himalayan resident and wintering birds. Possibilities include Kalij Pheasant, Bonelli’s Eagle, Cinnamon Sparrow, Snow Pigeon, Slaty-headed Parakeet, Green and Yellow-billed Blue Magpies, Golden-spectacled and Grey-hooded Warblers, Hill Partridge, Spiny Babbler (Nepal’s only endemic), White-throated, Streaked, Striated and Rufous-chinned Laughingthrushes, Hoary-throated Barwing, Brown and Red-headed Bullfinches, Tibetan Siskin and many others. We will return to Pokhara on Day 13, staying there overnight.
Day 13: In the morning we will explore the hills around Phewa Lake in search of a variety of species, including White's Thrush and Red-billed Blue Magpie, before returning by air to Kathmandu. Weather permitting, we should experience unforgettable views of the Himalayas. Two nights in Kathmandu.
Day 14: An early morning departure to Mount Pulchowki, where we aim to arrive before sunrise. Weather permitting, we will drive to the very top and will be able to observe one of the most incredible sights in the world – sunrise over the Himalayas. The view here extends for nearly 200km, from Dhaulagiri Himal to the Everest area. We will descend on foot, birding on the way. Most of the slopes are covered by Himalayan sub-tropical forest, and we will look for a number of the local species including Rufous-bellied and Crimson-breasted Woodpeckers, Green-tailed Sunbird, Himalayan Cutia, Black-capped Sibia, Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler, White-browed Fulvetta, Red-flanked Bluetail, Black-throated Thrush, Grey-winged and White-collared Blackbirds and a great many others. In the afternoon, we will visit the botanical gardens of Godaveri where we will look particularly for Spotted Forktail and various flycatchers.
Day 15: Transfer to the airport for the international flight back to Home
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General Information The climate is variable from very cold in the mountains to warm in the lowlands with some rain/snow possible. Accommodation ranges from medium-standard hotels with en-suite to basic camps. The camps do, however, all have shared showers and WCs. Food is good and will include some picnic lunches. Transport is by minibus and four-wheel drive. There are some health requirements and you should contact your GP. A moderate degree of fitness is required for walks of up to 5 miles mainly on good paths with gentle inclines. Maximum altitude 2,000 metres. Photographic opportunities are excellent. Visas can be arranged on arrival.
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