Bhutan - Birding the Buddhist Kingdom I 2025

16 Mar 2025 - 04 Apr 2025 (20 days)

USD10,795 - No Spaces Available

Wait List
client-img

Tour Leader: Gregory de Klerk

Tour price (Per person): USD10,795 * GBP8,618 * EUR10,369 * AUD16,623

Single Supplement: USD650 * GBP519 * EUR624 * AUD1,001

Bhutan - Birding the Buddhist Kingdom II 2025

04 Apr 2025 - 23 Apr 2025 (20 days)

USD10,795 - 3 Spaces Available

Book Now

client-img

Tour Leader: Nigel Redman

Tour price (Per person): USD10,795 * GBP8,618 * EUR10,369 * AUD16,623

Single Supplement: USD650 * GBP519 * EUR624 * AUD1,001

Bhutan - Birding the Buddhist Kingdom I 2026

15 Mar 2026 - 03 Apr 2026 (20 days)

USD11,200 - Spaces Available

Book Now

client-img

Tour Leader: Adam Walleyn

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

Tour price (Per person): USD11,200 * GBP8,941 * EUR10,758 * AUD17,247

Bhutan - Birding the Buddhist Kingdom II 2026

03 Apr 2026 - 22 Apr 2026 (20 days)

USD11,200 - Spaces Available

Book Now

client-img

Tour Leader: Paul Varney

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

Tour price (Per person): USD11,200 * GBP8,941 * EUR10,758 * AUD17,247

One of the least spoilt countries in the mighty Himalayan range, Bhutan boasts incredible mountain scenery and endless verdant forests, whilst shrouded in Buddhist myth and legend and replete with a plethora of incredible and beautiful birds!

On a typical day’s birding with us in this avian wonderland, you will find yourself in breath-taking surroundings searching for legendary birds in pristine forests, with mighty Himalayan peaks towering in the distance – all in all, Bhutan is a destination like no other! As we journey through this fabled land, we will regularly cross dramatic mountain passes, that are adorned with brightly coloured prayer flags and chortens/stupas (temples), and these give way to vast countryside, often dominated by impressive dzongs (temple-fortresses) that so characterise this unique country. We look forward to having you aboard this adventure through a paradise of culture, birds and scenic vistas as we explore the heavenly riches of Bhutan!

*The SDF tourism levy was fortunately reduced from the mandatory $200 per person per day to a lower variable figure dependent on the length of tour (01/06/2023)*

Top Birds

Himalayan Monal; Satyr Tragopan; Blood Pheasant; White-bellied Heron; Ibisbill; Ward’s & Red-headed Trogons; Rufous-necked, Wreathed & Great Hornbills; Beautiful Nuthatch; Slender-billed & Black-crowned Scimitar Babblers; Black-headed Shrike-Babbler; Fire-tailed Myzornis; Fire-tailed Sunbird; Himalayan Cutia; Bhutan & Spotted Laughingthrushes; Blue-bearded Bee-eater; Spotted Elachura; Long-tailed Broadbill; Sultan Tit; Pied Falconet; Red-faced Liocichla; Himalayan Beautiful Rosefinch; Golden-breasted Fulvetta; Golden Bush Robin; Darjeeling Woodpecker; and a host of parrotbills

Top Mammals

Golden, Nepal Grey & Capped Langurs; Himalayan Goral; Yellow-throated Marten; Hodgson's Giant Flying Squirrel; Black Giant Squirrel; Large-eared Pika.

Habitats Covered

low to high elevation forests (including bamboo, coniferous & mixed broad-leafed), pastures, wetlands, rocky slopes, rivers

Expected Climate

warm and tropical to temperate and cold, some rain expected

Max Group Size

8 with 1 Rockjumper leader

Tour Pace & Walking

Mostly undemanding. Suitable for all birding / wildlife interest levels & most mobility capabilities.

Accommodation

Comfortable, several nights in mobile camps (glamping). Two nights at high elevation (2 600 m / 8 500 ft).

Ease of Birding

Most species provide good visuals in open conditions.

Number of Species Expected

320 - 350

Other Attractions

Buddhist culture, dzongs (temple-fortresses), incredible mountain scenery and magnificent forests, a land little touched by time

Photographic Opportunities

Average to good. No dedicated hides. Very good cultural photo opportunities.

What our clients say about us

Gregory de Klerk
KB, Bhutan 2018

It was an excellent tour, both in Assam and Bhutan. David Erterius and Greg de Klerk worked well together, and the local support was very satisfactory. It met all my expectations.

Glen Valentine
TC - Bhutan 2024

The trip was wonderful. Keith and Glen were wonderful guides. The local "crew" was also excellent, both on a daily basis as well as when we used them for camping. The bus was comfortable. Laundry was available on most 2-night stays. Hotels were good. Food was good, but I think the hotel in Paro was the weakest on the food front. It would have been nice to have 1 meal, just one meal, that was not Bhutanese/Indian. I enjoyed the mixing of the Bhutanese cultural aspects with the birding. I may have small complaints (pillows weren't comfortable), but otherwise I really have nothing negative to say. Good job guys.

Gregory de Klerk
PD, Bhutan 2018

I would like to add that our group was small, only 6 guests, which enhanced the birding experiences. The Rockjumper guides, Greg de Klerk and David Erterius, did a great job getting everyone onto most of the species every time. The small group also made for more comfortable travelling.

Glen Valentine
TJ - Bhutan 2024

Yeah this one was as close to perfect as it comes. Talking with Keith, I understand this is a newish itinerary based on road constructions and all so I can't compare to previous years where RJ used to visit the Eastern part of the country but the current itinerary is impeccable, ensuring various habitats and a very good bird list overall. Local guides and logistics were flawless. Camping was simply amazing. Food was great. And traveling with both Glen and Keith is simply amazing. Both have exhaustive knowledge of the birds in Bhutan but also are a gold mine of information on rare sightings, splits, subspecies and other wildlife sightings. Time management was among the best I had in birding trips; balance between rest time, pacing of walks and everything else was perfect. Two small suggestions, which I have already shared with Keith during the trip : the pre-trip documentation, specifically the itinerary descriptions with potential species need to be reviewed. This is minor as basically no one opens up that document while we are traveling but it is still inaccurate in many ways. Also, on long(ish) days where there is a significant gap between breakfast and lunch (eg 5AM to 2PM), more snacks would be needed, something simple like bananas and/or apples depending on availability, just to keep the hungrier people like me a little bit more fed! But overall this trip was a success from A to Z. I already had high expectations for Bhutan but everything was above and beyond.

Keith Valentine
VG - Bhutan 2024

What an amazing trip. Exhausting, but amazing. Very well researched, planned and executed. The hotels were all outstanding accommodations and the camping, while not “glamping” was as comfortable and easy as possible for people who’ve not camped in ages. The food exceeded my expectations from the hotels, to small restaurants to the campground and road-side dining. I love trying new local foods when I travel and am so glad that the Indian and Bhutanese cuisine was featured at most meals. Keith and Glen are outstanding guides in every sense of the word—knowledgeable, skilled birders, good humored, fun loving and the patience of saints dealing with prickly guests. I’ve been to Kenya with Glen and he’s the one that “sold” me on Bhutan. Toss in Keith for their natural symbiotic relationship and it was a great time. I’d go anywhere with these two leading. Though they animatedly told me not to go on Cameroon or Philippines RJ Trips. Out of my comfort zone. They know me now. We all know there are different types of birders—the casual, the hard core, the photographer-only type, etc. I feel like I’m a bit of a hybrid—love the birds and exotic locations, the outdoors and adventure, but also mixed with culture, good local food, beer and wine and a bit of down time in order to enjoy the fine accommodations and the local attractions. Our local guides in both Assam and Bhutan were kind, exceptional guides and generally lots of fun. Good job finding them.

  • Your details

  • Hidden
  • Contact permission

    We would love to send you Newsletters (twice yearly).via Type a message, Promotions/Discounts (weekly), Blog Articles/Image of the Month (monthly) and other content that we think you would find interesting. If you are happy with this then please select your preferences below. If you would like to unsubscribe from previous subscriptions, or leave our mailing list entirely, then please do so by visiting the Preference Centre link at the bottom of these emails.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Route Map

Tour Route Map

English