This tour has been specially designed to make use of hotel lodging only (no camping required)!
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)*
Himalayan Monal; Satyr Tragopan; Blood Pheasant; White-bellied Heron; Ibisbill; Ward’s Trogon; Slender-billed Scimitar Babblers; Black-headed Shrike-Babbler; Fire-tailed Myzornis; Fire-tailed, Green-tailed & Mrs. Gould’s Sunbirds; Himalayan Cutia; Black-faced & Spotted Laughingthrushes; Spotted Elachura; Himalayan Beautiful Rosefinch; White-browed & Rufous-winged Fulvettas; Golden Bush Robin; Darjeeling & Rufous-bellied Woodpeckers; Himalayan Bluetail; Rusty-flanked & Sikkim Treecreepers; and a host of parrotbills.
Himalayan Goral; Yellow-throated Marten; Royle's & Large-eared Pika.
medium to high elevation forests (including bamboo, coniferous & mixed broad-leafed), pastures, wetlands, rocky slopes, rivers
warm and tropical to temperate and cold, some rain expected
8 with 1 Rockjumper leader
Mostly undemanding. Suitable for all birding / wildlife interest levels & most mobility capabilities.
All nights in comfortable hotel lodging (No camping). Some nights at high elevation (2 500 – 3 000m / 8 400 – 10 000ft)
Most species provide good visuals in open conditions.
Buddhist culture, dzongs (temple-fortresses), incredible mountain scenery and magnificent forests, a land little touched by time
Average to good. No dedicated hides. Very good cultural photo opportunities.
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.
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.
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.
David Hoddinott, your birding skills & management of the tour never cease to astound us all. You are a legend and I am so grateful that you could lead us yet again!
We finally made it to Bhutan after a wait of 3 years due to Covid! Great trip. the culture, the Bhutanese people and of course, the birds. Those pheasants are incredible! We also got some great butterflies! Andre was a fantastic guide. We enjoyed his relaxed, fun personality and his handling of the group. He has AMAZING birding skills, able to spot stuff moving and able to predict where it might pop out of the shrubbery for a view. His bird call recognition and mimicking was excellent. We did find the group was a bit to large for our liking, so we might explore using RJs private custom tour service.
24 Apr 2025 - 06 May 2025 (13 days)
USD7,295 - 4 Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Stephan Lorenz
Pricing notes : NO CAMPING
Tour price (Per person): USD7,295 * GBP5,763 * EUR6,718 * AUD10,934
Single Supplement: USD380 * GBP300 * EUR350 * AUD570
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