| Days 1-3: Kochi to Thattekad, Thattekad Arrive in Kochi, driving inland to Thattekad at the foot of Kerala's Cardamom Hills (2hrs) to spend the afternoon, and a further two days, birding in this small patch of lowland forest along the Periyar River. Specialities include White-bellied Treepie, White-bellied Blue and Blue- throated Flycatchers, Grey-headed Bulbul, Malabar Trogon, Black Baza, Speckled Piculet, and a host of night birds including Ceylon Frogmouth, Great- eared Nightjar, and Oriental Scops Owl, with the chance of rarer Oriental Bay Owl and Forest Eagle-owl. Nights in a cosy birding lodge. Days 4-5: Thattekad to Periyar, Periyar Depart for Periyar National Park and Tiger Reserve (4hrs), home to almost all ornithological specialities of the ghats complemented by other resident birds and seasonal migrants. Spend the remainder of day 4, plus all of day 5 exploring the productive rainforest, focusing on specialities of lowland habitats before beginning the ascent into the hills on day 6. Key species include Malabar Barbet, Small Sunbird, Nilgiri Flowerpecker, Flamethroated Bulbul, Malabar White-headed Starling, White-bellied Woodpecker, Blue-bearded Bee-eater, and Great Pied Hornbill, with mammals such as Gaur, Asian Elephant, the endemic Nilgiri Langur, and rare Tiger. Nights in a cosy guesthouse. Days 6-7: Periyar to Bodi Ghat & Munnar, Munnar & Eravikulam Journey up into the Kannan Devan Hills via Bodi Ghat to spend the remainder of day 6, and following day, at Munnar (4hrs). Munnar’s tea estates have largely replaced the area’s natural vegetation but the combination of grassland, vegetated gullies, and patches of woodland has allowed a variety of species to flourish. Kerala and Black- chinned Laughingthrushes, Malabar Whistling-thrush, and Indian Scimitar-babbler forage in the understorey, while Alpine Swift, Brown- throated Needletail, Indian Swiftlet and Hill Swallow frequent the hillslopes. Nearby Eravikulam National Park preserves the largest remaining patch of the montane Shola (stunted forest) grassland ecosystem unique to the southern portion of the ghats, home to some of the most restricted range of endemics. Key species include Nilgiri Pipit, Nilgiri Woodpigeon, Black and Orange Flycatcher, Wynaad Laughingthrush, and Indian Broad-tailed Grass- warbler, alongside the endemic Nilgiri Tahr and butterflies such as the Red- disc Bushbrown, confined solely to the Shola-grassland ecosystem. Nights in a mountainside retreat. Day 8-9: Munnar to Chinnar & Anaimalai, Anaimalai & Parabikaulam Depart for Anaimalai (3hrs), birding en-route at Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary. Spend the afternoon of day 8, and all of day 9, exploring Anaimalai and contiguous Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuaries in the lower altitudes of the Palghat Gap where the Shola-grassland gives way to deciduous forest and bamboo brakes. Key birds include Grey-breasted Green- pigeon, Indian Rufous and Dark-fronted Babblers, Lesser Hill-myna, Malabar Grey Hornbill, Heart-spotted Woodpecker, and Indian Pitta, with the chance of Lion-tiled Macaque, one of the world’s rarest primates. Nights in a simple plantation homestay. Day 10-11: Anaimalai to Ooty, Ooty Depart for Ooty (3hrs) in the rolling Nilgiri Hills, to spend two days exploring the enduring montane Shola forest for altitude-dependent endemics, in particular Nilgiri and Wynaad Laughingthrushes, Nilgiri and White-bellied Blue Robins, and Nilgiri Thrush, alongside Common Rosefinch, Forest Wagtail, Indian Blackbird, Blue-headed Rock-thrush and overwintering Kashmir Flycatcher. Nights in a heritage hotel. Day 12-13: Ooty to Mudumalai, Muduamalai Depart for Mudumalai National Park (2hrs), part of the larger Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, to spend two days birding in some of south India’s finest remaining forest. The park’s varied avifauna includes species such as Malabar Lark, Malabar Woodshrike, White-bellied Minivet, Sirkeer and Blue-faced Malkohas, White-naped Flameback, Painted Spurfowl, and Painted Bush Quail. Nights in a cosy wildlife lodge. Day 14: Mudumalai – Kochi Depart Mudumalai for Kochi, birding en-route. Night in a city hotel. Day 15: Depart Depart Kochi on your onward journey. |
| Detailed Itinerary |
| 15 Days Birding and Enjoying Wildlife in India |
| For More Information or to Register for this Trip, call Charles at 888-203-7464 or directly at 720-320-1974 or by email at info@PIBird.com. |
India
Western Ghats
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Western Ghats
Details
| Site Description Under Construction, but Trip Description and Detailed Itinerary are Available |
