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India & Nepal - Red Panda Quest

© Golden-breasted Fulvetta by Glen Valentine

The Himalayan Red Panda is one of the world’s most sought-after mammals. For a long time though, this species remained a pipedream for most people. Based in a comfortable homestay straddling the Indian and Nepalese border, our tour centred around the stunning Singalila Ridge puts us in prime position. The Red Panda is currently the subject of a research and conservation program in this region, and there is simply no better place to look for it. Assisted by local researchers and trackers, and with ample time, we have a very high chance of multiple sightings!

Other exciting Himalayan mammals may be found in these forests, and the birdlife is superb. Over the course of our visit here, we hope to see Blood Pheasant, Satyr Tragopan, Fire-tailed Myzornis and Golden-breasted Fulvetta to name but a few; and all in a glorious setting, with the world’s highest mountains towering above us. The friendly hospitality of the locals will round out this experience, which is sure to be something truly unique!

Top Birds

Blood Pheasant; Satyr Tragopan; Fire-tailed Myzornis; Golden-breasted & White-browed Fulvettas; Hill Partridge; Kalij Pheasant; Himalayan Vulture; Golden Eagle; Mountain Hawk-Eagle; Gould’s Shortwing; Yellow-billed Blue Magpie; Spotted Nutcracker; Himalayan Bluetail; Spotted, Grey-sided, Chestnut-crowned; Striated, Scaly & Black-faced Laughingthrushes; Fulvous, Great, Brown & Grey-headed Parrotbills; Stripe-throated & Rufous-vented Yuhinas; Hoary-throated Barwing; Green Shrike-Babbler; Rusty-flanked & Sikkim Treecreepers; Altai, Alpine & Rufous-breasted Accentors; Green-tailed & Fire-tailed Sunbirds; Himalayan White-browed, Himalayan Beautiful & Dark-breasted Rosefinches; Red-headed Bullfinch; Golden-naped Finch; Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl; Tawny Fish Owl.

Top Mammals

Himalayan Red Panda; Assam Macaque; Northern Red Muntjac; Red (Himalayan) Serow; Yellow-throated Marten; Mainland Leopard Cat; Bhutan Giant Flying Squirrel. Rare: Mainland Clouded Leopard; Asian Golden & Marbled Cats; Asiatic Black Bear; Chinese Pangolin.

Habitats Covered

temperate forest including bamboo, oak, magnolia and rhododendron

Expected Climate

cool to cold in the mountains

Max Group Size

8 with 1 Rockjumper leader & 1 local leader

Tour Pace & Walking

moderate pace, you will need a reasonable level of fitness to enjoy this tour

Accommodation

basic homestay with electricity and hot water

Ease of Birding

generally easy with a few difficult species

Other Attractions

photographic station at our homestay

Photographic Opportunities

good to excellent

What our clients say about us

Glen Valentine
DH - India 2024

We had a great tour. It was smaller even than usual, as two of the participants departed after two days due to illness. Glen, was as always his uber-keen birder, cheerful self. His magic pulled out quite a few surprising sightings.

Nigel Redman
MC, India 2023

This was the first group birding tour Ive ever taken (meaning, more than myself and either one or two other persons). Rockjumper and Nigel Redman made it a very pleasurable experience, with wonderful birds, beautiful landscapes, and good flexibility and adaptability to the various challenges and obstacles thrown our way on the trip. I heartily recommend both this tour and Nigel Redman as a tour leader! I would happily go on any tour for which Nigel was the leader; his knowledge of ornithology, history, and birding folklore is encycylopedic, and his easy humor and casual nature made for happy hours in our vehicles or over dinner tables (this, in contrast to the group next to us in some of the dining halls, where hardly a word was spoken by any tour member when the trip leader was going through the days list; that was a dictatorship; Nigels tour was a democracy in many ways.)

Stephan Lorenz
LC & PD, Northern India 2017

We had a wonderful trip with Rich Lindie and Stephan Lorenz, and we would certainly be happy to travel with either of them again. They were both excellent with the birds, had a great sense of humour, and were helpful and patient when individuals required extra assistance. In addition to the birding, we enjoyed a long list of mammals sighted in the various national parks. The accommodations and meals were also very good.

David Hoddinott
FG, India 2018

David Hoddinott was at his best even on new grounds full of lifers.

Peter Kaestner
JR, India 2020

This trip was great! We were told the trip should generate about 250 bird species and our total was very close. Peter was excellent at finding birds, leading us and keeping a positive group atmosphere. The local guides also were competent and helpful. Accommodations are not an important aspect of a trip to me but the ones we stayed at were excellent, as were the meals. The trip was an excellent introduction to India for me tho I was happy to have it very much concentrate on birding.

India & Nepal - Red Panda Quest 2025

23 Mar 2025 - 31 Mar 2025 (9 days)

INR345,000 - Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: David Hoddinott

Tour price (Per person): INR345,000 * USD4,132 * GBP3,263 * EUR3,804 * AUD6,193

Single Supplement: INR66,000 * USD791 * GBP624 * EUR728 * AUD1,185

Flight costs: INR13,200 * USD158 * GBP125 * EUR146 * AUD237

Can be linked with: India - Northern: Western Himalayas 2025

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