On your arrival at international airport in Delhi and after clearing customs & immigration, a Hillstar Nature representative will receive and escort you to your hotel. The 2nd largest city in India, and the capital, this is one of the fastest growing cities in all of Asia. Rich in culture with various ancient ruins and a magnificent history, the city of Delhi is a blend of two perfectly balanced parts, the Old and the New Delhi. With its intricate streets, elegant mosques, forts, monuments, and bazaars that sell a variety of goods, Old Delhi speaks volumes about its Mughal past. With its multi-ethnic, multi-cultural population, New Delhi is truly cosmopolitan. Many flights into Delhi arrive in the morning. We can arrange a ½ day city tour for those arriving early in the morning. Night in Delhi.

Largely a travel days, after breakfast, we transfer to the airport to board our 2.5-hour flight to Guwahati. (Flight details TBA).

After arrival into Guwahati, we begin our drive (4-5 hrs) to Kaziranga National park. We may have a chance to stop and look at a few birds, but mostly our goal is to get to Kaziranga and get settled in. Night in Kaziranga.

Located in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts of the state of Assam, Kaziranga hosts two-thirds of the world's Great One-horned rhinoceroses (a.k.a. Indian Rhino). Famous throughout India and beyond for this, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as well. Boasting the highest density of tigers among the protected areas in the world, though fairly common, sightings of tigers here are difficult because of the tall grasses and dense cover. Yet their influence is omnipresent, felt throughout the park. We are likely to see tracks, old kills, and territorial markings, if not the big cat itself. (For those who really wish to see Tiger, we recommend the pre-tour extension).

A hallmark of Kaziranga is the large breeding population of Asiatic Elephants, wild Water Buffalo, and Swamp Deer (a.k.a. Barasingha), and it is also an important bird area. From December through March it is loaded with migratory birds, especially ducks, geese, herons, various waders/shorebirds, but also raptors, scavengers, and gamebirds. And along with megafauna (i.e. rhinos, elephants, etc.) the Park contains a multitude of other mammals such as Capped Langur, Hog Badger, Leopard, Wild Boar, several deer species including Sambar, Hog Deer, and Muntjac. While based here, we will also spend a ½ day at the Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary, a nature preserve devoted to protecting wild primates, and in particular the Hoolock Gibbon.

The avifauna of the Kaziranga National Park comprises over 420 species. The numerous water bodies are rich reservoirs of food for thousands of migratory birds, some coming from breeding grounds as far away as Siberia with others year-round residents. Birds of interest include Black-necked Stork, Great and Oriental Pied hornbills, the Greater and Lesser Adjutant (storks), Pied Falconet, Pallas's Fish-Eagle, Grey-headed Fish-Eagle, Spot-billed Pelican, the critically endangered Bengal Florican, Swamp Francolin, Gray-lored Broadbill and many others. Reptiles are usually not as easy to see but present in the park are Assam Roofed Turtle, Water Monitor, Indian Python, Common Cobra, and King Cobra. Nights in Kaziranga.

After a final morning safari in Kaziranga, we move on to Nameri National Park, about a 90-minute drive.  If the timing allows it we’ll spend some time birding in route or after we check-in we’ll bird  near the hotel. Night at Nameri.

Located in the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas in the Sonitpur district of Assam, we have a full day to explore the park and to enjoy the birds here. Nameri is birder's paradise. We might encounter Pallas’s Fish-Eagle, Great Thick-Knee, Indian Thick-Knee, Small Pratincole, Sand Lark, Wreathed Hornbill, White-cheeked Partridge, Pied Falconet, Greater Flameback, Sultan Tit, Long-tailed Broadbill and  the recently split and regionally endemic Gray-lored Broadbill.

A very rare bird possible here too is the White-winged Duck. Once considered to be a close relative of the Muscovy, the White-winged Duck is in its own genus, Asarcornis. Those interested can try to see this rare bird (less than 1000 remain in the wild), which involves walking about a 3.5 mile roundtrip hike, and bringing a packed lunch.

Regardless, whether seeking the duck or working the main roads, the park provides great birding and a chance at a host of mammals too. Its northern edge borders the Pakke Tiger Reserve in the neighboring state of Arunachal Pradesh, such that the two preserves combine for a wonderful chunk of wilderness. Animals that make use of the area include the Dhole (a.k.a. Asiatic wild dog), Sloth Bear, Capped Langur, Hog Deer, Indian Muntjak, Malayan Giant Squirrel and even the Himalayan Black Bear. Our odds of seeing all of these are slim indeed, but we stand a decent chance at seeing a couple.   

After lunch, we will take some time to scan the rocky shores of the Kameng River. With some luck a Himalayan specialty, the Ibisbill, the only species in its family, is at times seen here working the water’s edge, hunting for invertebrates or small fish. With over 420 species detected within Nameri, there is much to see and enjoy at this eBird hotspot. Night at Nameri.

Largely a travel day, after breakfast we will begin to make our way to Manas National Park. With stops for rest breaks, we will have a 6 to 7-hour transit drive before arriving at our hotel in Manas. But along the way we will do some birding at a seed farm where it’s possible we could encounter Bengal Florican or Pied Harrier.  Night at Manas.

Right on the border of Bhutan, and adjacent to the Royal Manas National Park there, India’s Manas National Park in Assam is famous among birders for its grasslands, its lush forests, and its riverine habitats. Together these combine to provide a refuge for a startling number of endangered or critically endangered species. The Assam Roofed Turtle can be seen here with relative ease, and nearby we can see the showy peach-colored Gee’s Golden Langur. Manas is perhaps most famous for the Pygmy Hog. This is the only place the animal can be seen in the wild with perhaps just 300 total remaining here in the park.

The number 3 eBird hotspot in all of India, Manas is arguably the best birding destination in Assam. Over 360 square miles in size, some 470 bird species have been recorded, including three critically endangered vultures (Red-headed Vulture, Slender-Billed Vulture & White-Rumped Vulture). We’ll spend time too looking for specials such as Black-breasted Parrotbill, Rufous-necked Laughingthrush and the rare Indian Grassbird.

Nearly 60 mammals reside within the park, along with 42 reptiles and 17 amphibians. Mammals of interest include Barking Deer, Hog Deer, Wild Boar, Leopard Cat, Fishing Cat, Golden Cat, Jungle Cat, Marbled Cat, Himalayan Black Bear, Sloth Bear, Wild Dog and Hog Badger all live here. Many of these are seldom-seen, and even Clouded Leopard and Chinese Pangolin are known from the park (though obviously hardly seen by visitors).  We have a three-night stay to explore this magnificent park, and one day we’ll take a boat trip out on the river. Nights in Manas.

After breakfast we will begin our four-hour drive to Guwahati. From there we’ll catch a flight back to Delhi. Night in Delhi.

Transfer to airport in Delhi for points home, or onward.