Northern India Birds and Wildlife

Day 1 – November 3rd 2025 | Arrival in Delhi
Arrive at Delhi Airport, where you will be warmly welcomed by our representative and transferred to the hotel. Overnight stay in Hotel Shanti Palace, Delhi https://www.shantipalace.com

Day 2 – November 4th 2025 – First official day of the tour. Following an early breakfast, we will drive to Sultanpur National Park. Sultanpur is an official Ramsar site and a great introduction to the birds of India. We will spend most of the day birding in and around the park looking for Sind sparrow, Brooks’s Leaf Warbler, Sarus Crane, Black Francolin,  Common Hoopoe, Paddyfield Pipit, Purple Sunbird, Little Cormorant, Eurasian Thick-knee, Gray Francolin, , Indian Roller, White-throated Kingfisher, Spot-billed Duck, White Ibis, Black-headed Ibis, Painted Stork, Crested Lark, Red-vented Bulbul, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Greater Flamingo, Ruff, Northern Pintail, Yellow Wagtail, White Wagtail, Rosy Pelican, Eurasian Wigeon, Black-tailed Godwit, Spotted Redshank, Bluethroat, Long-billed Pipit and many more.

In the afternoon we will transfer to Jaipur.

Overnight stay in Hotel Clarks Amer, Jaipur https://www.hotelclarks.com/amer-jaipur/

Day 3 – November 5th 2025 – Jaipur and Jhalana sanctuary

Our day begins with an early morning Safari at the famous Jhalana reserve. Along with various other wildlife species, the Jhalana Sanctuary in Jaipur is well recognized for its impressive population of Leopards. The reserve has healthy populations of Sambar Deer, Spotted Deer and Nilgai which in turn attract many predators.  This is one of the best places in India to find Leopards, sometimes within minutes of entering the park. The park is of course fantastic for birds as well and with luck we may find various Owls (Indian and Oriental Scops Owl, Dusky Eagle Owl) Jungle Nightjar and a nice collection of birds of prey.

Following the morning safari we will have breakfast and explore a bit of Jaipur, the pink city and more. In the afternoon we will return to Jhalana for an afternoon Safari.

Night at Hotel Clarks Amer, Jaipur

Day 4 – Nov 6 2025 – Jaipur to Ranthambore 

Following breakfast we leave Jaipur and start making our way south towards Ranthambore park, arguably the most impressive park in India. We will make some birding stops on the way to search for Indian courser, Streak-throated Swallow, chestnut-bellied sandgrouse, great grey shrike and more. We will arrive at Ranthambore in the afternoon and have time for some birding outside the park in hope of finding Painted sandgrouse, Rufous-fronted Prinia, White-naped Woodpecker, Desert and Variable Wheatears and more. Depending on time we might take a short evening safari in Ranthambore.

Overnight at the beautiful Ranthambore Heritage Havali hotel. 

Day 5 – Nov 7th – Ranthambore – Bengal Tigers and birds. 

A full day in Ranthambore National Park. Many people agree that Ranthambore is one of India’s most stunning Parks. The Reserve includes forests, lakes and dry scrub are ringed by a series of lofty escarpments and scattered with ancient forts and temples, which creates an ideal environment for seeing both birds and mammals. The star of Ranthambore is the mighty Bengal Tiger and we will of course put in the time to find this amazing creature. Ranthambore’s diverse habitats offer fantastic birding and we should expect an amazing list of birds. Some of the key birds we will search for include: Grey Francolin, Jungle Bush-Quail, Barred Buttonquail, Painted Spurfowl, Brown-capped Woodpecker, Yellow-crowned Woodpecker, Black-rumped Flameback, White-naped Woodpecker, Brown-headed Barbet, Coppersmith Barbet, Stork-billed and White-throated Kingfisher, Pied Cuckoo, Common Hawk-Cuckoo, Sirkeer Malkoha, Alexandrine and Plum-headed Parakeet and the beautiful Crested Treeswift. The park is very good for nocturnal birds and we will search for: Indian Scops-Owl, Rock Eagle-Owl, Brown Fish-Owl, Mottled Wood-Owl, Spotted Owlet, Indian Nightjar and Savanna Nightjar.

With many soaring birds around we will always keep an eye to the sky and hopefully encounter: Egyptian Vulture, White-rumped Vulture, Indian Vulture, Cinereous Vulture, Red-headed Vulture, Short-toed Snake-Eagle, Crested Serpent-Eagle, Greater spotted Eagle, Bonelli’s Eagle, Booted Eagle, Changeable Hawk-Eagle, Red-necked Falcon, Eurasian Hobby, Laggar Falcon, Black Stork, Woolly-necked Stork, 

The mixed vegetation hosts many songbirds as well including: Bay-backed, Long-tailed and Southern Grey Shrike, Rufous Treepie, Indian Golden-Oriole, Large Cuckooshrike, Spot-breasted and White-browed Fantail, White-bellied Drongo, Asian Paradise-Flycatcher, Common and White-tailed Iora, Asian Brown Flycatcher, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Taiga Flycatcher, Tickell’s Blue-Flycatcher, Variable, Desert and Isabelline Wheatear, Wire-tailed, Red-rumped and Streak-throated Swallow, Dusky Crag-Martin, Rufous-fronted, Grey-breasted, Graceful, Jungle, Ashy and Plain Prinia, Indian White-eye, Booted Warbler, Sykes’s Warbler, Sulphur-bellied Warbler, Orphean Warbler, Indian Lark, Ashy-crowned Sparrow-Lark, Rufous-tailed Lark, Crested Bunting and many more.

Overnight at Ranthambore Heritage Havali hotel.

Day 6 – Nov 8th – Ranthambore – Bharatpur (Keoladeo National Park) 

Following breakfast we will head towards Bharatpur and check into our hotel. In the afternoon we will enjoy our first birding session at Keoladeo national park.

Overnight in Laxmi Villas Palace Bharatpur. https://laxmivilas.com/

Day 7-8 – November 9-10 – Keoladeo National Park – Bharatpur

2 full day of Birding in and around Keoladeo National Park.

The Keoladeo Ghana National Park, also known as the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, is without a doubt one of the best places in Asia for birdwatching. The Sanctuary offers a variety and abundance of birdlife that is unmatched outside of Africa, and the sheer number of birds there will inevitably astound you. We will witness an exceptional variety of water birds, raptors, and some animals during one of the greatest seasons to visit Bharatpur. The shaded, tree-lined bunds of the flooded “jheels” make for the ideal location for both birdwatchers and photographers.

The list of possible birds at Keoladeo is incredible, here is a small selection of possibilities: 

Dusky Eagle Owl, Brown Boobook, Indian Scops Owl, Large-tailed Nightjar, Grey Nightjar, Indian Courser,  Sirkeer Malkoha, Jacobin Cuckoo Sarus Crane, Ruddy-breasted Crake, Jungle Bush Quail, Barred Buttonquail, Black Francolin, Yellow-legged Green Pigeon, Egyptian Vulture, Oriental Honey-buzzard , Indian Vulture, Crested Serpent-Eagle , Short-toed Snake-Eagle, Indian Spotted Eagle, Greater Spotted Eagle, Booted Eagle, Tawny Eagle , Steppe Eagle, Imperial Eagle, Bonelli’s Eagle, White-eyed Buzzard, Eurasian Marsh-Harrier. Painted Stork, Asian Openbill, Woolly-necked Stork, European White Stork, Black-necked Stork, Great White Pelican, Dalmatian Pelican, Yellow Bittern, Black Bittern, Indian Black Ibis, Indian Cormorant, Yellow-wattled Lapwing, White-tailed Lapwing, Greater Painted-snipe, River Tern, Whiskered Tern, Indian Grey Hornbill, Coppersmith Barbet, Brown-headed Barbet, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Plum-headed Parakeet, Isabelline Shrike, Bay-backed Shrike, Long-tailed Shrike, Ashy-crowned Sparrow-Lark, Indian Bushlark, Common Tailorbird, Graceful Prinia , Ashy Prinia , Plain Prinia, Zitting Cisticola, Booted Warbler, Paddyfield Warbler, Blyth’s Reed Warbler, Clamorous Reed Warbler, Hume’s Warbler, Brooks’s Leaf Warbler, Sulphur-bellied Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Greenish Warbler, Western-crowned Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Eastern Orphean Warbler, Greater Whitethroat, Yellow-eyed Babbler, Verditer Flycatcher, Bluethroat, Rusty-tailed Flycatcher, Taiga Flycatcher, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Black Redstart, Siberian Stone chat, Pied Bush chat, Gray Bush chat, Isabelline Wheatear, Desert Wheatear, Brown Rock Chat, Variable Wheatear, Red Avadavat, Indian Silverbill, Scaly-breasted Munia, White-capped Bunting, Striolated Bunting and many more.

Overnight in Hotel Laxmi Villas Palace – Bharatpur.

Day 9 – November 11th – Bharatpur to Chambal

Early morning birding and breakfast and then we start the drive towards Chambal Sanctuary, arriving around lunch time. We will check into our beautiful hotel near Dholpur and enjoy some afternoon birding around the campus. The grounds of the hotel offer good birding with chances for Indian Oriole, Red Avadavat, Warblers, Shrikes, Raptors and waterbirds.

Overnight in the Narsingh Bagh Dholpur

Day 10 – Nov 12th – National Chambal Sanctuary and the Chambal River. 

Full day of birding by boat and jeep in the National Chambal Sanctuary & adjoining areas.

The National Chambal Sanctuary was established to preserve this unique river ecology, with its diverse flora, aquatic life, and avifauna. The River Chambal is one of the country’s most beautiful and least polluted river systems. The surroundings surrounding the river are a genuine bird watcher’s paradise and present an opportunity to add several species that are not found at Bharatpur, including the unusual Indian Skimmer (may be difficult in early November) and the Black-bellied Tern, which is frequently spotted resting on sandbars in the middle of the river.

Other good birds here include the beautiful Small Pratincole, Great Thick-knee, Little and Great Cormorants, Grey Heron, Cattle Egret, Lesser Whistling-duck, Bar-headed Goose, Ruddy Shelduck, Comb Duck, Gadwall, Eurasian Wigeon, Burmese Spot-billed Duck, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Eurasian Teal, Red-crested Pochard, Osprey, Common Coot, Black-winged Stilt, Little Ringed and Kentish Plovers, River and Red-wattled Lapwings, Common and Spotted Redshanks, Common Greenshank, Green, Wood and Common Sandpipers, Little and Temminck’s Stints, and Pallas’s Gull. Other species present in the area include Black Kite, Steppe Eagle, Indian Peafowl, Rock Dove, Eurasian Collared Dove, Rose-ringed (or Ring-necked) Parakeet, Indian Roller, White-throated and Pied Kingfishers, Sand Lark, Plain Martin, Barn and Wire-tailed Swallows, White, Masked and White-browed Wagtails, Large Grey and Jungle Babblers, Common and Bank Mynas, Black Drongo and many more.

The Chambal River, the lifeblood of all the species in the Sanctuary, is where we will be enjoying our boat journey. The river is clean and the great habitat is home to many rare animals. Some of the highlights we’re expecting to see on these expeditions are the Gangetic River Dolphin, Marsh Crocodile, Gharial (fish-eating Crocodile), freshwater turtles and River otters. 

Overnight in the Narsingh Bagh Dholpur or Similar.

Day 11 – Nov 13 – Agra, The Fort and Taj Mahal 

After breakfast we will drive to Agra and visit The world famous Taj Mahal & Agra Fort. Here there will also be a chance for some souvenir shopping as Agra is famous for its precious and semi -precious stone and handicrafts. After lunch in a restaurant we will drive back to Delhi with some chances for birding en route.

Overnight in hotel Shanti Palace or similar. 

Day 12 – Nov 14 – Departure 

Today we say a warm Alavida to India and transfer to the airport for our flights home.

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Tour price:

Group of 6 (sharing) – $3900
Group of 7 (sharing) – $3740
Group of 8 (sharing) – $3590
Group of 9 (sharing) – $3460
Group of 10 (sharing) – $3320

Single supplement: $620

Price includes:
All accommodation and transportation within the country
All meals from dinner on day 1 till breakfast on the last morning.
All guiding and entry fee

Price excludes:
International flights
Visa to India
Alcoholic drinks and items of personal nature
Tips