Destinations: Delhi, Srinagar, Kargil, Leh and Tso Kar
Duration: 11 Nights and 12 Days
Best Season: May to November
Tour Code: 812-MP
Good For: Birders & Wild-lifers, Photographers, Small Groups, Solos & Couples
Description
Kashmir and Ladakh at the northern extreme of the Indian Subcontinent, across the Himalayas, offer a stark contrast to the rest of the country, in landscape and culture as well as birds and wildlife. The location attracts migrants from northern parts of the Palearctic, and there are several vagrant species seldom seen anywhere else in India. However, we will be mainly concentrating on localised breeding species, such as Black-necked Crane, Ibisbill, Kashmir Nuthatch, Kashmir Flycatcher.
A few days based in Srinagar (staying on a houseboat on the edge of Nigeen or Dal Lakes!) will be spent exploring surrounding forests and valleys, at sites that are likely to include Dachigam National Park, Gulmarg and Yousmarg. Both Kashmir and White-cheeked Nuthatches occur here, along with Kashmir Nutcracker, Kashmir and Rusty-tailed Flycatchers, Rufous-naped Tit, Black-and-yellow Grosbeak and Tytler’s Leaf Warbler. There is also a chance, admittedly slim, of two amazing finches, Spectacled Finch and the very local Orange Bullfinch.
We travel overland from Kashmir to Ladakh which allows us to acclimatise to the high altitude of Leh at over 3,500 m. From Leh we take an initial two-night excursion into the Nubra Valley where two key species are White-browed Tit Warbler and, recently discovered in India, Pale Rosefinch.
Returning via Leh we then head east to our base at the Tso Kar lake and plains, at an altitude of over 4,500 m. Black-necked Crane breeds here and our two full days here should also enable us to catch up with species such as Tibetan Snowcock, Tibetan Partridge, Upland Buzzard, Ground-Tit, Horned Lark, Brown Accentor, Güldenstädt’s Redstart, Fire-fronted Serin and Mongolian Finch. Tibetan Wild Ass (Kiang) is common here, and we might also find ‘Shanku’, the Tibetan Wolf.
Itinerary Overview
Day 01: Delhi
Day 02: Delhi to Srinagar
Day 03: Srinagar
Day 04: Srinagar
Day 05: Srinagar
Day 05: Srinagar to Kargil
Day 06: Kargil to Leh
Day 07: Leh
Day 08: Leh to Nubra Valley via Wari La
Day 09: Nubra Valley
Day 10: Nubra Valley to Leh via Khardung La
Day 11: Leh to Tso Kar via Mahe Bridge and Puga
Day 12: Tso Kar
Day 13: Tso Kar
Day 14: Tso Kar to Leh via Taglang La
Day 15: Leh to Delhi
Tourism for Conservation, Conservation for Tourism!
This tour can be customized for you.