Birds of India (Birding Tour of North Eastern India)

Duration- 14 Nights / 15 Days

Places- Delhi-Mishmi Hills-Mayodia Pass-Roing- Maguri Beel-Digboi-Dehing Patkai-Chizami-Khonoma-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 Arunachal, Assam and Nagaland Birding Tour dovetails three ace birding destinations of India in a single birdwatching adventure. Put together, the bird count and avifauna diversity of these three North-Eastern states is unrivalled throughout the Indian subcontinent.

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. Depending upon your flight timings local excursions can be planned for the day.

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

Night Stay- Delhi

Day 2– Delhi to Dibrugarh (Flight / 2:45 hours) to Mishmi Hills (95 miles / 4 hours)

The day will start very early today when we leave for Delhi Airport to board flight to Dibrugarh. Upon arrival at Dibrugarh airport, we will drive towards a town named Roing in Arunachal Pradesh. On this drive make many stops along the way to do birding around some selected spots where we’re most likely to see some interesting species. The drive is smooth and takes us through scenic locations of Northeast India.

Roing is a small town situated at the foothills of Mishmi Hills. For someone travelling eastward along the length of Arunachal Pradesh, it is the last major town to India’s north-eastern border with China. From the birding point of view, Roing is a good place to start our birding tour of Arunachal Pradesh.

Upon arrival check in and relax in hotel. Or if time permits we will step out for a short birding excursion in and around Roing.

Night Stay- Roing

Day 3- Mishmi Hill

The subtropical evergreen forest of Mishmi Hills receives heavy rainfall every year and is a notable biodiversity hotspot for nature lovers to explore. Today we dedicate the whole day to birding in the lower areas of Mishmi Hills. There is an excellent birding trail that stretches up to a place called Tiwari Gaon. We drive up this trail and make regular stops to birdwatch.

Watch for the Day- Spot-breasted Babbler, White-bellied Erpornis, Blyth’s Leaf Warbler, Blue-winged Minla, Small Niltava, Ashy Bulbul, Striated Yuhina, Black Bulbul, Nepal Fulvetta, White-naped Yuhina, Whiskered Yuhina, Pygmy Cupwing, Streaked Spiderhunter, White-capped Redstart, Black-throated Sunbird, Collared Treepie, Scarlet Minivet, White-crested Laughingthrush, Long-tailed Sibia, Rufous-necked Laughingthrush, Yellow-bellied Warbler, Vivid Niltava, Pigmy Wren Babbler, Scaly Wren Babbler, Green Cochua, Large Blue Flycatcher, White-gorgeted Flycatcher, Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker, Great Barbet, Golden-throated Barbet, Large Hawk Cuckoo, Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon, Mountain Hawk Eagle, Maroon Oriole, Grey-chinned Minivet, Lesser Shortwing, White-tailed Robin, Beautiful Nuthatch, Fire-capped Tit, Yellow-cheeked Tit, Sultan Tit, Black-throated Tit, Striated Bulbul, Ashy Bulbul, Black Bulbul, Brownish-flanked Bush Warbler, Mountain Tailorbird, Blyth’s Leaf Warbler, Grey-hooded Warbler, Grey-cheeked Warbler, Lesser-necklaced Laughingthrush, Striated Laughingthrush, Blue-winged Laughingthrush, Red-faced Liocichla , Rusty-throated Wren Babbler, Pale-Headed Woodpecker and many more.

We wrap up the day’s birding at Mishmi Hills by looking for Hodgson’s Frogmouth in the evening. Later, we drive back to Roing for overnight.

Night Stay- Roing

Day 4– Roing to Mayodia Pass (25 miles / 1:30 hours) (Altitude – 2655 meters)

After an early breakfast, we leave for Mayodia Pass, which is a popular tourist destination, particularly in the winters owing to its altitude of 2655 meters which gives stunning views of surrounding snow-capped peaks. Apart from scenic beauty, Mayodia is known as a bustling habitat for birds. Birders often tread the areas around Mayodia Pass for some special and rare avian sights.

Watch for the Day-  Cachar Wedge-billed Wren Babbler, Mishmi Wren Babbler, Purple Cochua, Hill Partridge, Rufous-throated Partridge, Yellow-rumped Honeyguide, Chestnut-crowned Warbler, Black-faced Warbler, Red-faced Liocichla, Long-billed Wren Babbler, Eyebrowed Wren Babbler, White-browed Shrike Babbler, Black-eared Shrike Babbler, Blyth Tragopan, Rufous-capped Babbler, Golden Babbler, Silver-eared Mesia, Red-billed Leiothrix, Cutia, Rusty-fronted Barwing, Rufous-winged Fulvetta, White-naped Yuhina, Rufous-vented Yuhina, White-bellied Yuhina, Beautiful Sibia, Long-tailed Sibia, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker, Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker, Black-throated Sunbird, Fire-tailed Sunbird, and Streaked Spiderhunter.

The day’s birding ends with our arrival at Mayodia Pass.

Night Stay- Mayodia Pass

Day 5– Mayodia Pass  (Altitude – 2655 meters)

There are several birding trails around Mayodia Pass that are worth exploring. A stroll deeper into the lower forests reveals a fascinating variety of bird species. The bamboo brakes that grow in profusion along the road surprise you with wonderful kind of birds. We head out to explore these birding sites right after breakfast.

Watch for the Day-  Scalater's Monal, Blyth's Tragopan, Fulvous Parrotbill, Fire-tailed Myzornis, Pale-Capped Pigeon, Ward’s Trogon, Dark-sided Thrush, White-crested and Blue-winged Laughingthrush, Green and Purple Cochoa, Rusty-Bellied and Gould’s Shortwing, Beautiful Nuthatch, Mishmi Wren-Babbler, Slender-billed Scimitar-Babbler, Manipur Fulvetta, Fire-Tailed Myzornis, Scarlet- and Grey-Headed Bullfinch, Mountain Scops Owl, Black-throated Parrotbill, Darjeeling Woodpecker, Grey-sided, Spotted and Black-faced Laughingthrushes, White-browed and Rusty-bellied Shortwing.

Birding in Night- Mountain Scops Owl and Himalayan Wood Owl.

Night Stay- Mayodia Pass

Day 6– Roing (Altitude – 390 meters)

Today we leave the heights of Mayodia Pass and drive back down to the lower areas of Roing town, which sits at the moderate elevation. The birding trails around Roing have tremendous potential and we give them two full days of our birding adventure of Arunachal Pradesh.

Watch for the Day (Lower and middle altitude)- Red-headed Trogon, Large Hawk Cuckoo, Fork-tailed Swift, Collared Owlet, Asian Barred Owlet, Eagle/fish Owl, Barred Cuckoo Dove, Lesser Shortwing, Little Pied Flycatcher, Sultan Tit, Black-throated Tit, Striated Bulbul, Red-whiskered Bulbul , Ashy-throated Warbler, Yellow-browed Warbler, Blyth’s Leaf Warbler, Grey-hooded Warbler, Grey-cheeked Warbler, Grey-headed Parakeet, Chestnut-crowned Warbler, Black-faced Warbler, Red-faced Liocichla, Long-billed Wren Babbler, Eyebrowed Wren Babbler, Scaly-breasted Wren Babbler, Pygmy Wren Babbler, Bar-winged Wren Babbler, Grey-throated Babbler, Silver-eared Mesia, White-browed Shrike Babbler, Black-eared Shrike Babbler, Chestnut-tailed Minla, Yellow-throated Fulvetta, Brown-throated Fulvetta, Streak-throated Fulvetta, Nepal Fulvetta, Sparrowhawk , Oriental Honey Buzzard, Orange-bellied Leafbird, Yellow-billed Blue Magpie, Common Green Magpie, Grey Treepie and many others.

Birding in grasslands- Golden-headed Cisticola, Paddyfield Warbler, Striated Grassbird, Himalayan Black Bulbul, Blyth's Leaf Warbler, Jerdon's Babbler, Black-breasted Parrotbill, Grey-throated Babbler, Marsh Babbler, Striated Babbler, Great Myna, Chinese Rubythroat, Siberian Stonechat, Scaly-breasted Munia and Rare Swamp Prinia.

Night stay- Roing

Day 7– Maguri Beel

We move into the second leg of our Arunachal, Assam, Nagaland birding adventure. After an early morning birding session at Roing, we drive southward to a place called Maguri Beel in Assam. It’s a 3-hour drive and we may stop mid-way at some birding sites to catch sight of a few rare winged beauties. We reach Maguri Beel in the first half of the day to do birding till sundown.

Maguri Beel is a large wetland area next to Dibru Saikhowa National Park. The marshes and grasslands at Maguri Beel teem with such an incredible variety of birds that BirdLife International has declared it as an Important Birding Area.

Birding in Wetland- Bar-headed Goose, Cotton Pygmy-Goose, Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, Falcated Duck, Eurasian Wigeon, Northern Pintail, Ferruginous Duck, Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Baillon's Crake, Northern Lapwing, Little-ringed Plover, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Bronze-winged Jacana, Grey-headed Lapwing, Temminck's Stint, Eastern Spot-billed Duck, Common Snipe, Wood Sandpiper, Asian Openbill, Lesser Adjutant, Glossy Ibis, Eastern Marsh-Harrier, Pied Harrier, and Paddyfield Warbler.

Birding in Grasslands (Exotic Birds)- Black-breasted Parrotbill, Marsh Babbler, Jerdon’s Bushchat, Chestnut-capped Babbler, Jerdon's Babbler, Baikal Bush Warbler, Swamp Prinia, Swamp Francolin, Grey-sided Bush Warbler, Speckled Piculet, Striped Tit-Babbler, Pale-capped Pigeon, Red-necked Falcon, Pale-chinned Flycatcher, White-tailed Rubythroat, Spot-winged Starling, Pale-footed Bush Warbler, Japanese Bush Warbler, Black-breasted Chestnut-crowned Bush Warbler, Spotted Bush Warbler, Paddyfield Warbler, Clamorous Reed Warbler, Thick-billed Warbler, Smoky Warbler, Chestnut-capped Babbler, Jerdon's Babbler, Black-faced Bunting, Streaked Weaver, Yellow-breasted Bunting and several other avian curiosities.

Birding in Night- Brown Hawk Owl, Oriental Scops Owl, and Long-eared Nightjar.

Night stay- Tinsukia

Day 8– Tinsukia to Digboi (22 miles / 1 hour)

Digboi is a town in eastern Assam known for its oil fields. It’s here the first oil well in Asia was drilled way back in the 19th century. But what’s not equally well known about Digboi is that it is a superlative bird haven. There’s plenty of birding prospects in the lowland forests and pools around the oil fields.

Watch for the Day (Lowland Forest)- White-winged Duck, White-cheeked Partridge, Chestnut-backed Laughingthrush, Grey Peacock Pheasant, Blue-bearded Bee-eater, Falcated Duck, Ferruginous Pochard, Bay Woodpecker, Wreathed Hornbill, Great Hornbill, Oriental Pied Hornbill, Red-headed Trogon, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Grey-headed Lapwing, Green-billed Malkoha, Pompadour Green Pigeon, Pin-tailed Green Pigeon, Green Imperial Pigeon, Daurian Redstart, Mountain Tailorbird, Besra, Mountain Hawk Eagle, Common Green Magpie, Grey Treepie, Collared Treepie, Black-winged Cuckooshrike, Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo, Large Woodshrike, Dark-sided Thrush, Black-breasted Thrush, Dusky Thrush, Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher, Black-backed Forktail, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, White-throated Bulbul, Ashy Bulbul, Grey-breasted Prinia, Chestnut-headed Tesia, Slaty-bellied Tesia, Grey-bellied Tesia, Brownish-flanked Bush Warbler, Tickell's Leaf Warbler, Greenish Warbler, Blyth's Leaf Warbler, Yellow-browed Warbler, Puff-throated Babbler, Pygmy Wren Babbler, Grey-throated Babbler, Striped-tit Babbler, White-hooded Babbler, Rufous-throated Fulvetta, Blyth's Pipit, and Olive-backed Pipit.

Night stay- Digboi

Day 9 & Day 10– Dehing Patkal Region & Jeypore Forest Range

India’s largest stretch of tropical lowland rainforests is found in Assam’s Dehing Patkai region which is so thick and diverse that it’s divided into three parts: Jeypore forest range, Upper Dehing West Block and Upper Dehing East Block. These forests are home to an incredible variety of birds and deserve at least two busy days of birding. During these two days, we focus on the birding trails at the Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary and Jeypore forest range.

Watch for the Day- Large Scimitar Babbler, Sultan Tit, Red-headed Trogon, Lesser and Greater Necklaced & Rufous-necked Laughingthrushes, Pale-capped Pigeon, Violet and Emerald Cuckoo, Silver-bellied and Long-tailed Broadbill, Pale Blue and Slaty Blue Flycatchers, Brown Hornbills, Streaked Spiderhunter, Rufous-throated Fulvetta, Dollar Bird, White-browed Piculet, Hodgson’s hawk Cuckoo, Yellow-vented Flowerpecker, Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker, Blue-throated Barbet, White-crowned Forktail, Red-winged Cuckoo, White-throated Bulbul, Ashy Bulbul, Grey-throated Babbler, White-browed Piculet, Rufous-throated Fulvetta, White-browed Shortwing, Lesser Shortwing, Blue-eared Kingfisher, White-tailed Blue Flycatcher, Pale blue Flycatcher, Ruby-cheeked Sunbird, White-hooded Babbler, Pied Falconet, White-spectacled Warbler, Streaked Wren-Babbler, White-browed Scimitar-Babbler, Pale-chinned Blue Flycatcher, Hooded Pitta and several others.

Night stay- Digboi

Day 11– Digboi to Kohima (240 miles / 10 hours)

We enter the third leg of our Northeast India birding expedition and head for Kohima, the capital of Nagaland, a small mountainous state tucked between India and Myanmar. Because of its remote location, Nagaland has been spared the scourge of popular tourism, which only enhances its appeal as a birding destination.

Though smaller to Assam and Arunachal in size, Nagaland has a distinct geography comprising hills that range from 610 meters in the west to Mount Saramati at 3841 meters in the southeast. The tropical and subtropical evergreen forests, grasslands and wetlands of Nagaland host hundreds of interesting species of birds. In fact, Nagaland is often called the ‘falcon capital of the world’ because of the astronomical number of Amur Falcons that roost here. Blyth’s Tragopan is the state bird of Nagaland, and the Great Indian Hornbill enjoys a pride of place in the culture of Naga people.

The drive from Tinsukia to Kohima is about 380 km long and takes about 10 hours. On the way, we may take short breaks from our journey to catch sight of some local avian specialities. We check into our hotel at Kohima in the evening for dinner and overnight.

Night stay- Kohima

Day 12– Kohima to Chizami (50 miles / 4 hours)

We kick off our Nagaland birding adventure with an early morning ride to Chizami. We aim to start our journey around 0400 hours so as to reach Chizami in time for some morning birding.

From a birding perspective, Chizami is a curious place. Though large tracts of land here have been cleared for Jhum cultivation, there still exist pockets of woods and grasslands that host a excellent range of bird species.

Watch for the Day- Yellow-throated laughingthrush, Moustached Laughingthrush and White-browed Laughingthrush.

Other Birds- Blue-throated Barbet, Long-tailed Minivet, Ashy Woodswallow, Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike, White-throated Fantail, Green-backed Tit, Cinereous Tit, Black-throated Prinia, Black-crested Bulbul, Striated Bulbul, Himalayan Black Bulbul, Ashy Bulbul, Black-throated Tit, Stripe-throated Yuhina, Rufous-throated Fulvetta, Rusty-capped Fulvetta, Silver-eared Mesia, Blue-throated Flycatcher, Rufous-bellied Niltava, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker, Mrs. Gould's Sunbird, White-rumped Munia, and Little Bunting.

Night stay- Chizami

Day 13 & Day 14– Chizami to Khonoma (62 miles  / 4 hours)

An early morning drive lasting 4 hours takes us from Chizami to Khonoma, which is the best birding hotspot of Nagaland owing to the presence of the Khonoma Nature Conservation and Tragopan Sanctuary.

This sanctuary has scripted a success story of bird conservation in the last decade. A ban on hunting – once rampant in this area – has led to the rise in numbers of Blyth’s Tragopan, the state bird.

Avian Species Birding- Brown-capped laughingthrush, Naga Wren Babbler, Spot-breasted Scimitar-Babbler, Streak-breasted Scimitar-babbler, Striped Laughingthrushes, Spot-breasted Laughingthrush, Flavescent Bulbul, Chestnut-vented Nuthatch and Blyth's Tragopan.

Watch for Today & Tomorrow- Blue-fronted Redstart, Slaty-backed Forktail, Silver-eared Mesia, Ashy-throated and Buff-barred Warblers, Blue-winged Minla, Blue-throated Barbet, Crested Finchbills, Black-throated Tits, Himalayan Buzzard, Olive-backed Pipits, Little Buntings, Fire-tailed Sunbird, Mrs Gould’s Sunbird, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker, Grey Sibias, Orange-bellied Leafbird, Bar-throated Minla, Rufous-capped and Golden Babblers, Rusty-fronted Barwing, Striated Bulbul, Large Niltava, Rusty-capped Fulvetta, Beautiful Sibia, Chestnut-bellied Rock-thrush, Yellow-browed Tit, Green-tailed Sunbird, Pygmy Wren Babbler, Barred Cuckoo Dove, Blue-winged Laughingthrush, Yellow-cheeked Tit, Golden-throated Barbet, Eye-browed and Grey-sided Thrushes, Rufous-throated Hillpartridges, Rusty-fronted Barwings, Chestnut-bellied Rock-thrush, Striated Bulbul, Assam Laughingthrush, Mountain Bamboo-partridges, Little Buntings, Red-faced Liocichla, Black-breasted Thrush, Himalayan Red-flanked Bush-robin, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker, Greentailed Sunbird, Blue-winged Leafbirds, Green Cochoa, Maroon Oriole, Black-eared Shrike-babbler, White-browed Shrike-babbler, Red-tailed Minlas, Plain-backed Thrush, Vivid Niltava, Golden Bush Robins, Black-throated Prinia, Grey Sibia, Crested Finchbill, Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike, Striated Prinia, Black-throated Prinia, Rusty-capped Fulvetta, Grey Sibia, Lesser Shortwing, Common Rosefinch, Crimson-breasted Woodpecker, Bay Woodpecker, Blyth's Shrike-Babbler, Spot-throated Fire-breasted Flowerpecker, Hill Partridge, Rufous-winged Fulvetta, White-tailed Nuthatch, Ashy-throated Warbler, Grey-bellied Tesia, Eyebrowed Thrush, Large Niltava, Scarlet Finch, Chestnut-crowned Warbler, Long-billed Thrush, Purple Cochoa, White-tailed Robin, Black-headed Shrike-Babbler, Golden-breasted Fulvetta, Black-throated Parrotbill, Stripe-throated Yuhina, Grey-sided Laughingthrush, Spotted Elachura ,Brown Bullfinch, Broad-billed Warbler, Slender-billed Scimitar-Babbler, Nepal Fulvetta, White-gorgeted Flycatcher, Snowy-browed Flycatcher, Little Pied Flycatcher , Rufescent Prinia, Striated Swallow, White-browed Laughingthrush and White-collared Blackbird.

On both days, we dine and overnight at a Homestay in Khonoma

Night stay- Khonoma

Day 15– Khonoma to Dimapur (50 miles  / 2:30 hours) to Delhi ( Flight / 6 hours)

We leave early morning to Dimapur Airport to board our 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 14 Nights / 15 Days

All mode of domestic transportation

All the permits / permissions

Professional Guide

National Park/birdwatching reserve entrance fees and jeep safaris

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