India Bird Paradise Tour

Day 1: Delhi - Bharatpur
Meals: Dinner
Arrive on an early morning flight. You will be met at Delhi International Airport as you leave the arrivals area by an Asian Adventures representative with a placard. Drive to Bharatpur (4 hours). Arrive Bharatpur and check in at Hotel Sunbird. Visit Bharatpur National Park late afternoon/early evening on bikes with a guide.

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Day 2: Bharatpur
Meals: Lunch or packed lunch and dinner
After breakfast (or before breakfast if you wish!) a guide will show you around Bharatpur National Park (on bicycle is recommended), one of the most spectacular wetlands in India and also a World Heritage Site. The staff at Hotel Sunbird know the best guides and will fix you up with one accordingly. Recommend a day with guide for wetland areas and an extra day with guide for the dry areas. In the wetland and wet woodland areas the guides are likely to help you see Indian Grey and Jungle Nightjar, and possibly Black Bittern along with all the classic waterbird species and passerines. Overnight at Hotel Sunbird.

Day 3: Bharatpur
Meals: Lunch or packed lunch and dinner
After breakfast (or before) a guide will show you around Bharatpur National Park (on bicycle is recommended) - suggest the dry areas. Recommend a day with guide for the dry areas to look for harrier roost, weaver birds and sometimes Indian Courser etc.Overnight at Hotel Sunbird.

Day 4:Bharatpur
Meals: Lunch or packed lunch and dinner
Spend this time on your own to get to know each corner of this amazing 29sq km park. A report checklist from a recent Bharatpur trip and blank checklist will be supplied.
recommend that for at least 2 of the days you take a guide, as you will see species like which would otherwise be difficult to find on your own. Also, it is easy to get lost in the dry areas. Overnight at Hotel Sunbird.

Within these five days, a ½ day visit with a guide to Bundh Baretha wetland (approx. 1 hour drive) to look for Indian Skimmer and other species, can be arranged directly with staff at Hotel Sunbird. The cost (excluded from this itinerary) should be approximately £25 inc. the vehicle and a guide.

Day 5: Bharatpur - Chambal
Meals: Breakfast
After an early breakfast, drive to Chambal National Wildlife Sanctuary (3 hours). Enjoy a 3 - 4 hour boat ride to look for Indian Skimmer. Also present are Marsh Mugger (crocodiles), the rare Garial (a thin snouted fish-eating crocodile) and the endangered Indian River Dolphin. A guide will take you for a walk across the dry arid areas to look for pipits and larks etc. Night at Chambal Safari Lodge.

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Day 6: Chambal - Agra
Meals: Breakfast
Spend the morning birding around the Chambal area. Then drive to Agra for early evening visit the Taj Mahal (closed on a Friday) and adjacent Yamuna River where you can look for River Lapwing and many other species. Night at Pushp Villa.

Day 7: Agra - Jhansi - Panna
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
After an early breakfast, reach Agra Railway Station in time to catch the 08.00 hours train to Jhansi, arriving at 10.30 hours. You will be met on arrival at Jhansi and taken by car to Panna Tiger Resort (3 ½ hours), just outside Panna National Park and Tiger Reserve. Directly enroute is Khajuraho temples if you'd like to stop for an hour or so and visit them. Check in at Panna Tiger Resort where you will have late lunch. Vinod, one of the staff there is getting to know his birds and will take you for a walk along the adjacent River Ken to look for flycatchers, bulbuls, warblers, blue whistling thrush and many other species. Night at Panna Tiger Resort.

Day 8: Panna
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Early morning and mid afternoon safaris into the Panna National Park in your own jeep will provide you with a good opportunity to see Bengal Tiger. Panna also has a healthy population of Leopard as well as Wild Boar, Chital (Spotted Deer), Jungle Cat, Common Langur monkey and a wealth of other mammals. In your own jeep the birding is much better too and you should see a good mix of birds of prey including several vulture species (you should several species, but not in the large numbers of a decade ago). See checklist for the range of species we saw around the same time of year. Overnight at Panna Tiger Resort.

Day 9: Panna - Jhansi - Delhi for Oscar
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Spend a leisurely day birdwatching along the river. Leave after an early lunch to catch the 17.77 hours train (2nd class a/c) from Jhansi to Delhi, arriving at 23.00 hours. You will be met upon arrival and taken to Hotel Sunstar or similar.

Day 10: Panna - Agra for Juliette and Eric
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Spend a leisurely day birdwatching along the river. Leave after an early lunch to catch the 17.77 hours train (2nd class a/c) from Jhansi arriving at Agra at 20.00 hours. You will be met upon arrival and taken to Hotel Pushp Villa or similar.

Day 11: Delhi - Airport for Oscar
Meals: Breakfast
This day you will be transferred to Delhi Airport. Depending on the time of your flight a trip to Sultanpur Jeel can be arranged with a bird guide - the cost of this would be extra and can be quoted upon request.

Day 12: Agra - Delhi for Juliette and Eric
Meals: Breakfast
Visit the Red Fort and Sikandra World Heritage sites and have a driver on hand for the day local to Agra. Catch the 20.00 hrs train from Agra arriving in Delhi at 23.00 hrs. You will be met upon arrival and taken to Hotel Sunstar or similar.

Day 13: Delhi for Juliette and Eric
You might fly early, or you could spend the day on your own exploring Delhi or a visit to Sultanpur Jeel for birding could be arranged.

The itinerary from 6th till your flight home can be worked on once the flight departure time is confirmed. Please advise on whether you would like a day exploring Delhi on your own or mix of Sultanpur Jeel/Delhi.

End of services

Cost of tour for three sharing one room and cars/jeeps per person
Cost of tour for one twin room and one single room with the three of you sharing cars/jeeps per person

The above cost includes
Accommodation on twin sharing basis as per itinerary
Meals as per itinerary
All rail fares and transport as per itinerary
Guided tours of monuments as per itinerary
Services of nature guides as per itinerary
Safari costs (including jeep and guide, but excluding Park entrance fee)

The above cost excludes
International flights - an all inclusive quote can be provided for this
Travel visa
Travel insurance
Monument entrance fees (payable directly)
National park entrance fees (payable directly)
Camera and video fees in National Parks and Monuments
Some meals
Drinks, laundry, phone calls and anything of a personal nature
(Bharatpur approx. £6/entry/person and Panna approx. £8/entry each safari/person
Taj Mahal £10 entry/person and Taj Mahal/Red Fort/Sikandra £10 for all three/person.)