Discover the wonders of India—amazing birds, mammals, and landscapes—as we travel to three key national park areas from Kolkata, India’s cultural capital, into the rich habitats of this colorful country. India is a top destination for mammals as well as birds and our carefully crafted itinerary highlights both. We have chosen Kaziranga, Sundarbans, and Pench as three totally different environments to explore; our tour is a national park sampler rich in wildlife.

Explore by safari vehicle through Kaziranga National Park, keeping your eyes peeled for Indian Elephant, Indian Rhinoceros, and possibly even Bengal Tiger. Then cruise through extensive mangroves of the Sundarbans, where swimming tiger may cross paths with a plethora of water birds. You may also see the rare and diminutive Fishing Cat or Leopard Cat and even Jungle Cat. Then, we’re off to the Saal forests of Central India to enjoy safaris in the open forests of Kanha—a park that our owner, Peg Abbott, compares to Yellowstone for its incredible wildlife diversity. Keep an eye out for Bengal Tiger, Common Leopard, Sloth Bear, Jungle Cat, elegant Sambhar and rare Hardground Barasingha. Kanha is home to Wild Dogs too, a unique species that we may be lucky to spot here. Explorations are in open 4x4 jeeps with a knowledgeable local naturalist.

Birding highlights include Great Hornbill, Malabar Pied and Oriental Pied Hornbills, Swamp Francolin, rare but possible Bengal Florican, Greater-necklaced Laughingthrush, Long-tailed Broadbill, Indian Roller, Indochinese Roller, Grey-headed Fish Eagle, Pallas’ Fish Eagle, Blue-naped Pitta, and so many more!

Our main tour is designed for two weeks plus your travel time. But since you’ve traveled all the way to India, we encourage you to make the most of your time at another beautiful natural habitat and try to see the iconic Red Panda by adding our Singalila National Park Extension. It’s the only place in the world where one can hope to see one of the cutest mammals on Earth, the Red Panda, along with plentiful Himalayan birds. By timing the extension for the end of the trip we have a chance to see the Rhododendron bloom in the park, which is exquisitely beautiful. Our lodge has great views of the Kanchenjungha Mountains, the highest peak in India.

Tour Highlights

• Find endemic and regional specialty birds in habitats ranging from seasonal monsoon forest to rhododendron cloaked foothills
• At Kaziranga, have the chance to see wild Indian Elephant and Rhino
• Spend time exploring the Brahmaputa River, one of the great rivers of the world, for Gangetic River Dolphin
• Wonder at herds of large mammals while searching for Bengal Tiger at Kanha Reserve, the forest depicted in Rudyard’s Kipling The Jungle Book
• Seek adorable Red Panda in rhododendron forests
• Gaze at the stunning Himalayas near your lodging, including Mount Kanchenjunga – the tallest peak in India!

Trip Itinerary

Itineraries are guidelines; variations in itinerary may occur to account for weather, road conditions, closures, etc. and to maximize your experience.

A number of days on this itinerary still need added details. Thank you for your patience.

Thurs., Nov. 4    Arrivals in Kolkata

Welcome to India! You are met on arrival at the airport and are transferred to our nearby hotel. As the group arrives, we assemble for dinner to get to know each other and our guides. Kolkata is the capital of India’s West Bengal state, in the far eastern part of the country. Some may wish to arrive early, to rest up from travel and see cultural highlights of the city; if so we can help you with plans and ideas to explore. 
Accommodations at The Taj New town or similar (D)

Fri., Nov. 5    Kolkata

Rest and afternoon optional birding.
Accommodations at The Taj New town or similar (D)

Sat., Nov. 6.  Kolkata | Guwahati | Kaziranga

Early this morning, we fly to Guwahati and then we drive for four hours in our comfortable air-conditioned van to reach the magnificent Kaziranga National Park in the far northeast part of the country. Kaziranga is one of the great wildlife-rich parks of India, and it hosts grasslands, savanna woodlands, tropical moist deciduous forests, and tropical semi-evergreen forests. The Brahmaputra River passes by to the north of the park and we should be lucky enough to spot Elephants and Rhinos here—a solid mark to the health of this wildland ecosystem.

Settle into air-conditioned accommodations and enjoy a bit of evening birding around the outskirts of the park. 
Accommodations at The Infinity Lodge or similar (B,L,D)

Sun., Nov. 7 & Mon., Nov. 8    Kaziranga National Park

The next two days enjoy morning and afternoon safaris in the national park in open 4-wheel drive jeeps. On our morning safari we hope to see One-horned Rhino, herds of Indian Elephant, a number of Wild Buffalo, and other mammals like Smooth-coated Otter and rare Hog Badger. After the morning safari, we return to the lodge for lunch and a short rest before our afternoon safari drive, looking for more birds and mammals. We may also be lucky to find rare King Cobra or a basking Burmese Rock Python and other reptiles like Water or Bengal Monitor.

Birding at Kaziranga is some of the best in India. Almost 500 species of birds call this place home; the park is a vitally important IBA (Important Bird Area), home to 14 near threatened species. Notable residents include Swamp Francolin, Lesser Adjutant, Pallas’s Fish-Eagle, Bengal Florican, Greater Grey-headed Fish-Eagle, Black-necked Stork, and difficult but possible Bristled Grass-Warbler, Marsh Babbler, Finn’s Weaver, and more. Pale-capped Pigeon, a globally-threatened species, breeds in the park. Kaziranga is also famous for its nesting colonies of Spot-billed Pelican. 

On our safari drives, we search for mammals including Hog Deer, Indian Elephant, Indian Rhinoceros, Wild Water Buffalo, Swamp Deer, Sambhar, Indian Muntjac, Capped Langur, Rhesus Macaque, Western Hoolock Gibbon, Asiatic Jackal, Common Palm Civet, Hoary Bellied Squirrel, Red-Bellied Pallas Squirrel, Himalayan Striped Squirrel, Black Giant Squirrel, Smooth Coated Otter, Bengal Tiger, Small Indian Mongoose, Hog Badger, and Assam Macaque.
Accommodations at The Infinity Lodge or similar (B,L,D)

Tues., Nov.  9    Kaziranga | Guwahati

We have one last morning safari in the park. After the morning safari, we return to the lodge for lunch and pack up to head to Guwahati.
Accommodations in Guwahati (B,L,D)

Wed., Nov. 10    Guwahati | Bagdogra | Ilam

We depart our hotel early this morning for the airport to catch our flight to Bagdogra, due north of Kolkata. Once we land, we are met by our driver and embark for our four-hour drive to Ilam in eastern Nepal.

On our way up, we make several stops to enjoy our first hill birds. As we slowly gain altitude, we see birds like Blue Whistling Thrush, Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo, some of the gregarious laughing-thrushes and with luck a mixed flock comprising of minivets, minlas, orioles, and other nice and interesting species. On arrival we enjoy a couple of hours of birding in the near and surrounds and then have a quick dinner before a good night’s sleep. 
Accommodation in Ilam (B,L,D)

Thurs., Nov. 11    Ilam | Singalila

We are up really early each morning to drive the 45 minutes to an hour in covered heated vehicles to the gate of the Singalila National Park (manebhanjan). Our permits are checked here. Once that is done, we drive up inside the park. A beautiful oak and rhododendron forest (no rhodos in Nov.) uncovers itself from the folds of the mists that keep it as a secret forest unknown to the world. We start making stops and walk in to the wilderness enjoying the birding, starting from below and then moving up into the forests. We break for an al fresco breakfast and then resume birding for a while. 

Our support crew meanwhile breaks themselves into two teams and starts looking for Red Pandas. Once they find one, they guide us to the location and we can enjoy scope views and possibly reasonably up close views of the panda.
Accommodation in Jaubari (B,L,D)

Fri., Nov. 12 – Sun., Nov. 14    Singalila

We awaken early each morning for breakfast and then set out in search of Red Panda and other interesting mammals including Asiatic Leopard, Leopard Cat, Jungle Cat, Yellow-throated Marten, Himalayan Serow, Himalayan Black Bear, Wild Boar, Assam Macaque, Hoary-bellied Squirrel, Orange-bellied Squirrel, and more. 

Birds include the striking Satyr Tragopan, the brilliant Red-headed Trogon, and numerous specialties including Hill Partridge, Darjeeling Woodpecker, Spotted Nutcracker, Streak-throated Barwing, Gold-naped Finch, Scarlet Finch, Dark-breasted and Dark-rumped Rosefinches, Sikkim Treecreeper, a number of different warblers, yuhinas, tits, and overhead, we keep alert for views of raptors. 
Accommodation in Jaubari (B,L,D)

Mon., Nov. 15    Singalila | Kakarbhita | Kurseong

We leave early this morning and gradually drive down to Kakarbhita to cross back into India. Our destination is Kurseong, a scenic hill station in West Bengal. Upon arrival, we check in to our hotel and have time for some afternoon birding.
Accommodation in Kurseong (B,L,D)

Tues., Nov. 16    Kurseong

After breakfast, we do some birding. Birds we may find include Pin-tailed Green Pigeon, Thick-billed Green Pigeon, Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon, Great Hornbill, Rufous-necked Hornbill, Red-headed Trogon.
Accommodation in Kurseong (B,L,D)

Wed., Nov. 17    Kurseong | Bagdogra | New Delhi

Today is mostly a travel day as we head to the airport in Bagdogra for a flight to New Delhi.
Accommodation in New Delhi (B,L,D)

Thurs., Nov. 18   New Delhi | Nagpur | Pench Tiger Reserve

This morning, we take a short flight to Nagpur, in central India. Upon arrival, we are driven to Pench Tiger Reserve, which is about 2 hours from the airport. 
Accommodation in Pench (B,L,D)

Fri., Nov. 19 & Sat., Nov. 20     Pench Tiger Reserve

Today we enjoy early morning and afternoon safaris in open 4x4 jeeps. The park is about 450 square miles and it is divided in eight zones that are open to tourists. 

The park is home to tigers, Leopards, the rare and endangered Indian Wild Dog, Asiatic Jackal, Jungle Cat, Sloth Bear, the endemic hard-ground Swamp Deer, Sambhar, the largest wild bovid—Indian Gaur, Bengal Fox, herds of Spotted Deer, Wild Boar, and other mammals. Kanha is a beautiful park with plentiful saal trees and is home to over 300 species of birds like the Crested Hawk Eagle, Crested Serpant Eagle, Brown Wood Owl, Mottled Wood Owl, Scarlet Minivet, Brown-cheeked Fulvetta, Paradise Flycatcher, Red Spurfowl, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, the endemic Indian Scimitar Babbler and the Red Spurfowl, and others. 

Our intimate and lovely Africa-style tented camp is located near to the park in a natural forest with a number of birds on the grounds. The tents are spacious and fan-cooled and have adobe-like porches for sitting and watching the wildlife. In the evening hot water bottles and extra blankets and duvets are provided to keep us warm, as needed. 
Accommodations in Pench (B,L,D)

Sun., Nov. 21    Pench | Nagpur | Kolkata | Departures

We have one last morning safari in Pench and then pack up and head to the airport in Nagpur. We arrive in Kolkata in the late afternoon for evening international flights home. (B,L)

Amur Falcon Pre-Tour Extension

Itineraries are guidelines; variations in itinerary may occur to account for weather, road conditions, closures, etc. and to maximize your experience.

Each year, the Amur Falcon undertake one of the most remarkable migrations of any bird of prey, traveling anywhere from 13,000 to 20,000 miles each year from East Asia to southern Africa. These pigeon-sized raptors leave Russia and China in the fall, migrating through India—with a vital stop in Nagaland—before crossing nearly 2500 miles of Indian Ocean to East Africa, often taking advantage of monsoon winds.

Details coming soon. : Amur Falcon Extension

Thank you for your patience.

Cost of the Journey

Cost of the journey is $TBD per person, based on double occupancy, from Kolkata. Cost includes all accommodations; all meals as stated in the itinerary; group airport transfers; ground transportation; professional guide services; park, preserve, and other activity fees; miscellaneous program expenses; and internal airfare. All tips other than your NJ guide (optional) and local guide are included (this includes tips for your driver, lodge and staff, day activities, meals and other services).

Cost of the Amur Falcon extension is $TBD, based on occupancy, and includes internal flights.

Tour price does not include: roundtrip airfare to and from Kolkata, or items of a personal nature such as laundry or alcoholic beverages.

Travel Details

Please plan to make air travel plans only after the minimum group size has been met. We will send you a confirmation email as soon as the trip has been confirmed.

Please plan to arrive on the main tour at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International (CCU) in Kolkata.

Items of Note

Main Tour Pace: The tour demands a fair amount of walking, occasionally uphill or downhill, particularly in Singalila National Park. Normally we are out walking for several hours, though at a birders pace so not covering significant distances, typically 1 – 2 kilometers. After time at Singalila, the tour is pretty relaxed, but the safaris require early morning starts.

Browse below for trip reports and species lists from past versions of this and other tours from this destination.

Pace & Protocols +