Tour OverviewIncredible India attacks all your senses, be it her flavourful cuisine, bright colours or non-stop music buzzing all around. Add to this a deep spirituality, profound ancient architecture, a long and complex history, rich artistic heritage and breathtaking landscapes, and it’s easy to see why she is so utterly addictive.The wonderful wildlife of India is also a melting pot of species from Asia, Europe and ancient Gondwanaland. This is as a result of incredibly varied habitats, ranging from jungles and forests to arid deserts and of course icy high mountains, not forgetting pristine tropical beaches. The country boasts some of the planet’s most iconic species, including Tigers, elephants and rhinos. It also holds almost 14% of all the bird species on Earth, including 75 endemic and 93 globally threatened species; a birdwatcher’s dream destination!
This 14 day Nature Travel Birding tour will visit one of the most exciting parts of this wonderful country, namely Southern India, and specifically the states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. This region is home to some of the best national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in the country, and most of these parks are located on the sides of the spectacular Western Ghats mountains. These mountains are one of the 35 biodiversity hot spots on earth due to their large volume of endemic species and diversity.
This birding tour is specifically designed to see all of the 24 Western Ghats endemics as well as most of the 68 South Indian endemics, along with more than 500 species of birds in the peninsula, as well as endemic mammals like the Nilgiri Tahr and the Nilgiri Langur.
We will enjoy top birds, stunning other fauna and flora, breathtaking mountain scenery, fantastic local “southern” cuisine, exhilarating parks and reserves, the fantastic culture of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and very friendly, relaxed people. Let’s go birding in Incredible India!
Get more detail about what to expect on this tour: Go to full itinerary
Tour starts in Bengaluru and ends in Kochi.
Tour duration: 14 days / 13 nights
Type of accommodation: Comfortable, mid-range
Next departure dates:March 2023
Private and small group, customised safaris can be booked on request for your preferred travel dates
Mudumalai National Park-
250 Avian species, stunning forest scenery and possibly even Tigers!
Ooty-
Historical hill station with a UNESCO World Heritage-listed railway, superb scenery and excellent birds
Anaimalai Tiger Reserve-
Pristine reserve with 15 of the 16 Western Ghats endemics and very special mammals, all in a breathtakingly beautiful setting
Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary-
225 Avian species, massive squirrels, 101 spiders, Indian Star Tortoise and much more
Munnar-
Beautiful, laid-back hill station set in verdant tea plantations, boasting many protected areas (including Eravikulam) harbouring many endemic and endangered species
Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary-
History-rich jewel in the southern Indian avifauna crown, with over 300 species to be seen, including many sought-after onesTop Birds:
• Indian Pitta
• Malabar Trogon
• Sri Lanka Frogmouth
• Blue-winged Parakeet
• Malabar Grey Hornbill
• Nilgiri Wood Pigeon
• Malabar and White-cheeked Barbet
• Nilgiri and Wayanad Laughingthrush
• Malabar Whistling Thrush
• Malabar Woodshrike
• Heart-spotted Woodpecker
• Nilgiri and Black-and-orange Flycatcher
• Malabar Lark
• Nilgiri Pipit
Top Mammals:
• Tiger (small chance)
• Leopard (small chance)
• Asian Elephant
• Gaur
• Nilgiri Tahr
• Nilgiri Langur
• Lion-tailed Macaque
• Indian Giant Squirrel
Optional Activities:
• 6-day pre-tour extension to the Andaman Islands (see full itinerary)
| ITINERARY OVERVIEW |
|---|
| Day 1 | Start of tour in Bengaluru, transfer to Mysuru |
|---|---|
| Day 2 | Mysuru to Mudumalai National Park |
| Day 3 | Mudumalai National Park |
| Day 4 | Mudumalai to Ooty |
| Day 5 | Ooty to Topslip (Anaimalai Tiger Reserve) |
| Day 6 | Topslip (Anaimalai Tiger Reserve) |
| Day 7 | Topslip to Munnar |
| Day 8 & 9 | Munnar and surrounds |
| Day 10 | Munnar to Thattekkad |
| Day 11, 12 & 13 | Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary and surrounds |
| Day 14 | Thattekkad to Kochi and Departure |
All our tours can be customised according to your specific requirements.
Get in touch with one of our team members for more information at info@naturetravelbirding.com