Birds in India (Bird Watching Tour of Andaman Nicobar Island)

Duration- 5 Nights / 6 Days

Places- Delhi-Port Blaire-Shoal Bay-Chidiya Tapu-Mount Harriet National Park-Delhi

Mode of Transportation- Flight & Land transportation

Meals- All meals (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Tour Manager- Available at your service right from your arrival till departure

Inclusions- All inclusive except expense of personal nature like laundry, entry fee of camera etcetera

Our Andaman Birding Tour takes you to one of the world’s remotest birding hotspots and treats you to a wonderful pageantry of endemic birds. The geographic isolation of the archipelago of Andaman and Nicobar Islands has been a boon for its avifauna. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are surrounded by the Bay of Bengal to the west and the Andaman Sea to the east. Pristine forest still remains in some areas, and we will spend the majority of our time in these areas, such as Chidiya Tapu and Mount Harriet National Park, where the vast majority of our endemic target birds occur. We will also be sure to visit other habitats, such as the Sippighat swamps, North Wandoor, and other locations where we will check waterbodies, swamps, mangrove forests, and mudflats for a wide assortment of birds.

Day 1– Arrival Delhi

A very warm welcome to India’s capital city!!! Upon arrival you will be welcomed by your English speaking tour manager and chauffer. Tour manager will help you with hotel check in and discuss the tour details.  

Today’s Excursion- It can be discussed and planned as per your arrival in Delhi

 Night Stay- Delhi

 Day 2– Delhi to Port Blaire (Flight / 3:30 hours)

The day will start very early today when we leave for Delhi Airport to board flight to Port Blaire Upon arrival at Port Blaire, relax for a while and post Lunch we will take a short trip to local water bodies for Birding.

Avian Birding- Chinese Pond Heron, Chinese Egret, Pintail Snipe, Common Snipe, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Eurasian Curlew, Common Redshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Terek Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone, Great Knot, Sanderling, Little Stint, Red-necked Stint, Long-toed Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Pacific Golden Plover, Grey Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Lesser Sand Plover, Greater Sand Plover, Oriental Plover, Grey-headed Lapwing, Crab Plover, Oriental Pratincole, Gull-billed Tern, and Lesser Crested Tern.

Night Stay- Port Blaire

 Day 3– Shoal Bay (Ferry)

We start the day early to clock in precious hours of morning birding. After a short drive, we take a ferry to Shoal Bay, a patch of rainforest with marshy wetlands where aquatic birds throng to in large numbers. Time is of the essence in these early hours, and so we have packed breakfast and even carry our packed lunches. Shoal Bay is where you may see almost all the endemic birds of Andaman, besides a lot of other winged beauties.

Watch for the Day- Andaman Woodpecker, Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker, Dollarbird, Blue-eared Kingfisher, Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Ruddy Kingfisher, Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Asian Emerald Cuckoo, Violet Cuckoo, Asian Koel, Brown Coucal, Vernal Hanging Parrot, Alexandrine Parakeet, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Andaman Wood Pigeon, Red Collared Dove, Andaman Cuckoo Dove, Emerald Dove, Pompadour Green Pigeon, Green Imperial Pigeon, Pied Imperial Pigeon, Andaman Crake, Slaty-breasted Rail, Andaman Serpent Eagle, Andaman Treepie, apart from many others.

We will continue birdwatching until the evening, when we return to our hotel in Port Blair for dinner and overnight.

Night Stay- Port Blaire

 Day 4– Chidiya Tapu

A full busy day of birding awaits us as we leave our Port Blair hotel for Chidiya Tapu (Bird Island), which is an hour’s drive away. The birding trail starts about 4 km before Chidiya Tapu and runs right into the heart of the mangrove island and along its seashore forest. The woods and waters here host many endemic, resident and migratory birds.

Watch for The Day- Andaman Crake, Andaman Woodpecker, Andaman Treepie, Andaman Serpent Eagle, Andaman Shama, Changeable Hawk Eagle, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Andaman Drongo, Beach Thick-knee, Olive-backed Sunbird, White-headed Starling, Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Blue-eared Kingfisher, Collared Kingfisher, Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, Brown Coucal, Alexandrine Parakeet, Asian Emerald Cuckoo, Violet Cuckoo, Asian Koel, Red-breasted Parakeet, and a lot more birds.

Around evening, we spend an hour or two lounging on the beach and watching the sunset. There are also some water sport opportunities nearby. After dusk, we scour the surroundings for night birds.

Night Watch- Andaman Masked Owl, Andaman Scops Owl, Oriental Scops Owl, Brown Hawk Owl, Andaman Hawk Owl, Hume's Hawk Owl, Andaman Nightjar and Andaman Barn Owl.

Following this successful stint of nocturnal birding, we return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Night Stay- Port Blaire

Day 5– Mount Harriet National Park

Mount Harriet National Park is named after the third highest peak (Mount Harriet) in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It is a favourite stomping ground of nature lovers and birders alike, owing to the glorious flora and fauna that one finds here. The park is also touted as a butterfly hotspot and has a fascinating marine ecosystem on its eastern coast. This biodiversity haven is located about 10 km from Port Blair and we arrive here early in the morning to make the most of our birding trip to Mount Harriet National Park.

Watch for The Day- Andaman Woodpecker, Andaman Wood Pigeon, Andaman Cuckoo Dove, Andaman Crake, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Black-naped Oriole, Black-hooded Oriole, Large Cuckooshrike, Bar-bellied Cuckooshrike, Ashy Minivet, Small Minivet, Andaman Drongo, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Black-naped Monarch, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Blue Rock Thrush, Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker, Dollarbird, Collared Kingfisher, Brown Coucal, Alexandrine Parakeet, Red-breasted Parakeet, Pintail Snipe, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Andaman Treepie, Orange-headed Thrush, Olive-backed Sunbird, and White-headed Starling, and many others.

In the evening, we return to our hotel in Port Blair for dinner and overnight.

Night Stay- Port Blaire

Day 6– Port Blaire to Delhi (Flight / 4:00 hours)

Post early breakfast at hotel we will leave for Airport to board flight to Delhi.

Night Stay- Delhi (Depending upon your onward Journey)

Note- The itinerary cannot be guaranteed as it is only a rough guide and can be changed (usually slightly) due to factors such as availability of accommodation, updated information on the state of accommodation, roads, or birding sites, the discretion of the guides and other factors. In addition, we sometimes have to use a different international guide from the one advertised due to tour scheduling.

All meals- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation for 5 Nights / 6 Days

All mode of domestic transportation

All the permits / permissions

Professional Guide

National Park/birdwatching reserve entrance fees and jeep safaris

Raft trip at Nameri

International flight

Travel insurance

Any service / activity not mentioned in Itinerary

Camera Permits

Expense of personal nature like laundry, entry tickets for camera etcetera

Optional tours