Nandhaur wildlife and Naina devi birding tour

Package Overview

Travelderness has stitched together a unique one of a kind 4 day wildlife and birding adventure in the Nainital distrcit of Kumaon division of Uttrakhand . This excursion has been divided into two parts :
1) Wildlife safari at Nandhaur ( 2D/1N) with one Evening and Morning safari
2) Birding excursion at Naina Devi Bird reserve( 3D/2N) .

Pax have an option of Registering for either the full tour or a part of the tour. This tour has been uniquely designed for nature lovers, forest enthusiasts as well as people keen on both Wildlife and Birding .

The tour starts at Kathgodam ( Shatabadi from Delhi to Kathogdam ) and takes you to Nandhaur wildlife sanctuary, virgin, unexplored , hidden jewel in Nainital district for an opportunity to spot and photograph the big mammals and exquisite birds residing in the reserve.

Nandhaur is a newly created wildlife sanctuary, still undisturbed by regular influx of tourists and commercial activity.
It is part of the Terai Arc Landscape (TAL) marked out many years ago by the WWF, a forest zone that stretches from Uttrakhand in India and extends into Nepal.
Nandhaur is home to about 25 species of mammals, 250 species of birds, 15 species of reptiles and 20 species of fishes. The major mammalian species include Asian elephants, leopards, tigers, sloth bears, 3 species of deer, Himalayan Goral, the rarely seen Serow as well as smaller wildlife like Asiatic Jackal, Yellow-throated Marten, Jungle Cat, Leopard Cat, and the nocyurnal yet uncommonly seen Giant Flying Squirrel.
The Wildlife Institute of India in 2004 recognised Nandhaur as one of three viable habitats key to the long-term future of the tiger. It is currently an important part of the Shivalik Elephant Reserve as well.

Post exploration of the reserve the tour takes you to the Sigri area of Naina devi bird reserve sitting high at an altitude of around 2285m above sea level for an intense and rewarding birding experience with majestic views of the himalayas .

Naina Devi Bird reserve is a reserve in the nainital district of uttarakhand with a total notified area of 111.9 sq. km It has some spectacular birding trails and forest patches consisting of temperate broad-leaf forests to alpine grasslands to rhododendron shrubberies. Wide altitudinal variation supports a very large segment of avian fauna to inhabit this forest range.
During the Winter Season, the reserve turns into an orchestra of resident and migratory bird species. The Uttarakhand Himalayas are in the direct pathway of the migration from Central Asia and Europe into Asia for many birds such as the odd yet beautiful Wallcreeper that moves up mountainside rockfaces like no rock climber can, the tiny yet uncommon Whistler's Warbler, or the strikingly crimson coloured Rosefinch and the Naina Devi Bird Reserve is a prime example of such a stopover.
Add to this the stunning resident species like the Eurasian Jay, Koklass Pheasant, the rare Cheer Pheasant and the ubiquitous Blue Whistling Thrush that musically awaken you from a slumber every morning.
The winter in this area also finds many a mammal like the Barking Deer, Leopard, Himalayan Goral, and even the enigmatic and hardly seen donkey sized Serow moving onto the Tar roads and forest paths to get respite from the dewy chilled Oak and Deodar Forest during the nights and even days. Add to this the wonderful hospitality of the locals, Sizzling Pahaari Chai (Mountain brewed Tea), Bonfires to soothe the frosty breath and body, and a simple excursion turns into an experience.



Note : Bird and Wildlife sightings depend greatly on season, timing, and patience.
Sightings mentioned in the itinerary are only a guide and cannot be guaranteed.

Total Cost of the tour : 20,000INR per person
Cost of only nandhaur wildlife part : 12000INR
Cost of Only Naina devi Bird reserve part : 14000INR

Minimum people required for the Nandhaur leg of the tour : 4
Minimum people required for the Naina devi leg of the tour: 4
Minimum people required for the full tour : 4

Note : Company reserves the right to make slight alterations to the itinerary as per prevailing circumstances at any given time.

TRIP Includes:
* All Transport ( kathgodam to kathgodam )
*All meals starting from 27th night dinner to 29th morning breakfast . *Accomodation in a resort near Kathgodam and camps/tents in Sigri on twin sharing basis
*Naturalist for the entire duration of the tour
* Two wildlife safaris in open jeeps
* Entry fees, permits from the forest department

Does not Include :
* Meals on the first day ( 26th January ) & Breakfast, Lunch on the 2nd day ( 27th January )
*Anything not mentioned in inclusions
*Any delay, price rise occurring due to political, natural crisis,snowfall
*Personal expenses like, mineral water, shopping, medicines, tips , laundry etc.
*conveyance charges to kathgodam and back

Carry
- good trekking shoes
- warm clothes/ jacket/woolen cap/ gloves as January can get quite cold in these parts
- A pair of sunglasses
- sunscreen, lip balm
- Binoculars (Always better if you have a personal pair, or else the guides and tour organisers will share theirs during select activities with you)
- Camera with good magnification capability
- Personal Medicines.


Account details

A/c No : 053305500740
A/c Holder : Travelderness
Bank : ICICI bank limited
Branch : Awas Vikas Rudrapur Uttarakhand
IFSC Code : icic0000533
Account type : Current

Payment Terms

Full payment at the time of Booking
Cancellation Policy

75 % of total deposited amount – 30 to 59 days before commencement of tour
50 % of total deposited amount – 16 to 29 days before commencement of tour
No refund of total deposited amount – 15 days or lesser before commencement of tourMeals on the first day ( 26th January ) & Breakfast, Lunch on the 2nd day ( 27th January )
Anything not mentioned in inclusions
Any delay, price rise occurring due to political, natural crisis,snowfall
Personal expenses like, mineral water, shopping, medicines, tips, laundry etc.
conveyance charges to Kathgodam and back26-0129-01

Contact Agent Plan A Trip Text Me

Day wise Itinerary

• Day 1 : Wildlife safari

  26thJanuary - Catch the early morning shatabadi which reaches Kathgondam at 11:40 pm . Transfer to a resort in the foothills of the himalayas. We target to reach Chorgaliya ( entry point of Nandhaur wildlife sanctuary ) between 1:30 to 2 pm for our evening safari inside the reserve. Its a 30km/ 1 hour drive from the resort to Chorgaliya. there is good tiger and leopard movement at certain parts of the reserve and we hope to catch a glimpse of the big cats alongwith other wild residents like Asian Elephants and Spotted Deer and Sambar etc of the sanctuary . Return back to the entry gate between 5:15 and 5:30 pm . Transfer back to the resort . *
  
  Note. Nandhaur is still new to tourism and so the animals are not used to vehicles as much as regular parks, however there are enough signs on the tracks to suggest regular tiger and leopard movement. On our recent tour in the first week of January we were incredibly lucky to track and photograph a Beautiful Male Leopard as well as find fresh tracks of two different tigers, one of whom had been seen at 8am (a couple of hours before we entered) by the forest guard out on patrol, as she was walking towards him on the road with her two 9-12 month old cubs. The second tiger’s pugmarks were extremely fresh as well and a spotted deer alarm 70m or so inside the forest indicated the predator possibly moving inside.
  End of day One

  • Accommodation : Sigri Jungle Camp

• Day 2 : Nandhaur safari plus Birding

  27th Jan - An early morning start at 6 am to Chorgaliya to begin our morning safari into the reserve. We explore the forest from 7 to 11 am , hoping to make use of the early morning movement of wild animals and spot a few in that process . Post the safari we take a walk/drive along the canal originating from the nearby Nandhaur river for an hour of birding . Transfer back to Kathogodam for lunch , Then we head to Dolmar/Jeolikote for an entire afternoong of birding along the river and the forest to look for the residents there which might include White-Capped and Plumbeous Redstarts, Himalayan Bulbuls, White Crested Laughing Thrush, Lineated and Blue-throated Barbets, Grey treepie, Red-billed blue Magpie, Common, Pied and Crested Kingfishers, Lesser and Greater Yellownapes, and Grey-headed Woodpeckers and more. Evening transfer to Sigri for accomodation in Camps , followed by bonfire and dinner.
  
  End of Day two
  
  Note :
  1) People registered for only the Nandhaur part of the tour will be transferred back to the resort after one hour of birding walk along the canal followed by a transfer to kathgodam station .
  2) Registrations only for the birding part of the tour at Naina Devi bird reserve will be picked up from Kathgodam station and the entire group will get together for lunch at a restaurant in Dolmaar . The tour will continue for them as per the itinerary thenceforth .

  • Accommodation : Sigri Jungle Camp
  • Meals & Drinks : dinner

• Day 3 : Birding

  28th Jan - Birding Near the campsite primarily to look for winter migrants to the reserve like Buntings, Rosefinches , Accentors to name a few . The sightings and the lifer opportunities at the campsite have almost always surprised us. Since Diwali in late October last year we have spotted migrants such as Rufous-breasted Accentor, Black-throated Thrush, Chestnut Thrush, Dark-breasted Rosefinch, Pink-browed Rosefinch to name a few. White-throated and Streaked Laughingthrushes are common as are Green-backed, Coal and Black-throated Tits.
  - Back to the camp for breakfast between 10-11 .
  - Post breakfast ( with packed lunch) we drive through dense Oak and Deodar forests till Kunjakharak Forest Rest House, with pauses for bird spotting at various other milestones . The forests here hold the promise of the musical yet uncommon Hill Partridge, Mountain Hawk Eagle, Grey-winged Blackbird, Eurasian Jay and recently even offered us sightings of the Black Backed Forktail at two different spots as well.
  Kunjakharak is the end of the road, and provides a viewer with spectacular views of the Kosi River Valley. We will take a lunch break between 2 and 3 to take in the surrounding forest and its feathered residents like Black-throated Tits, Coal Tits, White-throated Laughingthrushes, Maroon Oriole and the enormous Scaly-bellied Woodpecker to name a few. The birding around the forest rest house is not to be underestimated, and on our previous tour in mid-November 2016 we stumbled upon a rarely seen Goldcrest (a small Oriental White-eye sized warbler), as well as the more regular Rufous-bellied and Himalayan Woodpeckers, White-tailed Nuthatch, The crimson coloured Long-tailed Minivet, Ashy throated and Buff barred Warblers to name a few.
  We aim to head back to the camp late evening for an opportunity to spot Mammals that may include Wild Boar, Leopard (if we are very lucky) and even one of the 2-3 Tigers recorded coming up from the Corbett Tiger Reserve in the Camera traps of the Forest Department.
  - Bonfire back at the camp, followed by Dinner

  • Themes : Hill Stations & Valleys
  • Accommodation : Sigri Jungle Camp
  • Meals & Drinks : Breakfast, lunch, dinner

• Day 4 : Birding

  29th January - Early start 7 a.m to “Cheer point” primarily to look for the elusive Cheer pheasant, The forest around is good for Koklaas pheasant, Common Kestrel, Himalayan and Rufous-bellied woodpeckers,White-tailed nuthatches, thrushes like the Chesnut-bellied Rock Thrush, Scaly Thrush, Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush etc. Mammals like Himalayan Brown Goral on the rolling grassy slopes of Cheer Point and possibilities of Barking Deer, Sambar and even Serow in the forests around.
  Back to the resort for breakfast followed by transfer to Kathgodam for onwards journey

  • Accommodation : Sigri Jungle Camp
  • Meals & Drinks : Breakfast,lunch

Contact Agent Plan A Trip Text Me

Inclusions

• Hotel
• Transfers
• Entry Tickets/Passes

Contact Agent Plan A Trip Text Me

Exclusions

• Meals on the first day ( 26th January ) & Breakfast, Lunch on the 2nd day ( 27th January )
• Anything not mentioned in inclusions
• Any delay, price rise occurring due to political, natural crisis,snowfall
• Personal expenses like, mineral water, shopping, medicines, tips, laundry etc.
• conveyance charges to Kathgodam and back

Contact Agent Plan A Trip Text Me

Price & Rates

* Mentioned prices may vary depending upon date of travel, hotel availability, surge pricing and seasonal rush.

Contact Agent Plan A Trip Text Me

Accommodation

Contact Agent Plan A Trip Text Me

Package Start From

• Nainital, Uttarakhand, India, Asia

Contact Agent Plan A Trip Text Me

Terms & Conditions

Payment Terms & Methods :
* Some Advance Percentage of total booking amount
* Airfare/Transport fare to be paid full at one time in advance.

Cancellation & Refund Policy :
* Upon cancellation, refund will be made after deducting the Retention Amount.
* Retention Amount varies as per the number of days left before your package start date.

Contact Agent Plan A Trip Text Me

This Tour is Offered by

Travelderness View Profile

0 / 5

• B-104, Ganges Towers, Omaxe Riviera, Rudrapur, Uttaranchal, India - 263153
• 08069247359 (Ext : 400)
• XXXXXXXXXX@gmail.com View Mail ID

About Travelderness

Contact Agent Plan A Trip Text Me

Interested in This Tour?

• Requests are send directly to the tour operator
• We recommend to request quotes from 3 operators