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Duration: 14 Nights 15 Days
This tour ventures to Jigme National Park,
the largest protected area in Bhutan with an
altitude range of 1,400 to above 7,000 m. The
park is vital watershed covering almost half of
northern Bhutan, and is an important natural
conservatory of glaciers, alpine meadows and
scrublands, sub-alpine and temperate conifer
forests, warm and cool temperate broadleaf
forests, major rivers and streams, and flora and
fauna that inhabit these ecosystem. Jigme Dorji
harbors numerous species of wildlife, many of
which are endangered or extinct elsewhere in the
world. These include the tiger, snow leopard,
Takin, blue sheep, musk deer, Himalayan Black
Bear, marmot, red Panda and several species of
Pheasant. This park is also famous for its flora
and more than 300 species of plants found here
are used in indigenous medicine. The tour takes
us through a small part of the park through the
district of Gasa and Laya region. Laya is the
second highest inhabited place, where the people
are totally depended on their yaks for living.
Season: April-early May and late
September-October.
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrive Paro International Airport
from Delhi or Bangkok. After the immigration
formalities drive to the hotel in Paro for
refreshment. And explore the riverside of Paro
chu in search of Ibis bill and Brown Dipper.
With luck you might encounter a regional
specialty such as Black browed Tit. Night in
Hotel or Resort
Day 2: This day is given for the hike to
Tiger's nest to accumulative ourselves. On the
two hours hike you will encounter the noisy
Nutcrackers, Yellow billed long tailed Magpie
and Green backed Tit. The area does not have
much bird species. If time permits visit the
National Museum on the way back, perched on the
hillside overlooking the whole valley of Paro.
Night in Paro. Accommodation: Hotel or Resort.
Day 3-4: We will head to Punakha
following the rivers of Paro and Thimphu looking
for more Ibisbill. On the western slopes of
Dochula pass the pristine mixed forests of
hemlock, fir, oak, blossoming magnolias and
rhododendrons we should see a wealth of birds
including some species rich feeding flocks.
Quarrelsome Nutcrackers are common and other
highlights may include a skulking Hill Partridge
or Satyr Tragopan, a Golden Bush Robin, an
immaculate Cutia, Brown Parrotbill, or even
gorgeous Firelailed Myzornis. Night in Punakha.
Spending two nights in Punakha, we will ample
time to explore the braided channels of Mo Chhu
river and the bird rich subtropical forests it
contain. We should see impressive array of
species here, like White bellied Heron,
minivets, noisy Straited Laughingthrushes and
may also see more Ibisbills. A whole host of
forest species like Woodpecker, Red headed
Trogon, wedge tailed Pigeon, Fire tailed Tit,
White gorgted Flycatcher, yellow vented Warbler,
White browed hortwing, spotted and pygmy Wren
Babblers and all three species of tesia.
Day 5: Today our trek starts to Damji
(2430 m) with one and half hour drive to the
road head Tashithang ( 1700 m). Our trail will
follow the Mo chhu river through warm
broadleaved forests. Enjoying the spectacular
vegetation and birds like Ward's Trogon and
Lesser Shortwing. Night in the modern tents
pitched by our trekking crew.
Day 6: It is a gradual ascend to Gasa (
2770 m) through cool broadleaved forest. We will
look for Grey sided Laughing thrush, Slender
billed Scimitar Babbler, Golden breasted
Fulvetta, Brown Parrotbill, Black tailed Crake.
Night in the camp.
Day 7: Today the trek will be little bit
harder than the days before through the cool
broad leafed and mixed broad leafed forests. The
bird species like to be seen are Satyr Trogopan,
Rofous breasted Bush Robin, Purple Cochoa,
Yellowish bellied Bush Warbler, Fire tailed
Myzornis. Night at Koina camp (3200 m) a bit of
a congested area.
Day 8: The trek to the village of yak
herders, Laya ( 3850 m) is through coniferous,
fir spruce and juniper forests. The likely bird
species are Fulvous Parrotbill, Goldnaped Finch,
Tibetian Snowcock, Himalayan Griffon, Golden
eagle, Grandala, White bellied Redstart,
Isbisbill. Night in the camp set up in the
middle of the yak herders village.
Day 9: The following day will be given
for rest and to explore the village.
Day 10-13: We retrace our way back all
the way down to the road head, Tashithang. On
the day 11th, instead of camping at Gasa we will
carry on further down to the river bed to camp
and enjoy and bath in the hot spring. From the
road head we will head on straight to Thimphu.
Accommodation: Hotel or Resort.
Day 14: Morning will be given to visit
the sites in Thimphu and explore the city. Night
in Paro. Accommodation Hotel or Resort.
Day 15: Early departure to the Paro
airport.
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