- Overview
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- Know Before You Go
- Other Trips You May Like
Over the past two years, our journey to the Kingdom of Bhutan has left us with so many lasting impressions. It is one of the most remarkable tours our founder, Peg Abbott, has made and in 2025 we are pleased to offer two departures, one in spring with the glory of the rhododendron bloom, and one in fall when the endangered Black-necked Cranes arrive to winter in the Phobjika Valley. We focus on prime areas for birding and scenic vistas at a pace you can absorb the wonders of the mountains — the Himalayan forests are intriguing and views abound!
Nestled between India and China, biodiverse Bhutan is home to seven percent of the world’s bird species. Roughly the size of Switzerland, it is naturally dramatic, rising from the lowland rainforest of the Indian-Malay subcontinent to Himalayan heights far above tree line, its mountains interspersed with valleys carved by fast-moving rivers. Bhutan’s elevation ranges from 315 feet to a staggering 24,500 feet above sea level.
This peaceful Buddhist kingdom is also a conservation champion, with a quarter of its lands protected by national parks and a constitutional decree that no less than 60 percent of the country should be covered in forest. More than 70 percent of it is now richly forested, an important reason some 700 birds call Bhutan home. The incredibly scenic region we travel includes many of the largest and most distinctive birds in Asia, and many riotously colorful and charismatic ones as well, including hornbills, sunbirds, parrotbills, wren-babblers and laughingthrush, to name just a few. We stay longer in the mountain areas on this trip, dropping down a bit into broadleaf forest valleys.
For the lowland species we offer an extension to Manas National Park from India, a highly recommended experience if you want to add 100+ species to your trip list. Twin parks occur with Manas and Royal Manas in India and Bhutan respectively — it’s just MUCH easier to access this habitat, and to look for specialties such as the endangered Bengal Florican from the India side. As one of the main flight routes into Bhutan connects through Delhi, it’s easy to combine the two.
Join us this spring and witness a rich array of colorful rhododendrons and other flowering shrubs as an incredibly beautiful backdrop to an impressive number of birds. There are striking mammals we hope to see too, including Giant Squirrel, the beautiful and endangered Golden Langur monkey, and even rarer Red Panda, seen twice last year on a mountain pass we crossed!
Our tour is also culturally rich, a glimpse of rural life hosted by wonderful guides that share their country’s story as well as their expertise with birds. We visit architecturally marvelous Buddhist fortress-monasteries, locally called “dzongs,” where we observe traditionally robed monks and their devotees. We stop at a weaving studio and try out one of Bhutan’s first brew pubs. Join us to learn why Bhutan is known as the “Land of the Thunder Dragon,” an emblem that adorns the national flag expressing the mysticism that pervades this fascinating culture.
![Golden Langur, Birding Bhutan, Bird watching Bhutan, Bhutan, Asian birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, Endemic Birds, Birding hotspot](/img/tours/photos/23693.jpg)
![Black-necked Crane, Birding Bhutan, Bird watching Bhutan, Bhutan, Asian birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, Endemic Birds, Birding hotspot](/img/tours/photos/23692.jpg)
![Asian Elephant, Birding Bhutan, Bird watching Bhutan, Bhutan, Asian birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, Endemic Birds, Birding hotspot](/img/tours/photos/23691.jpg)
![Rufous-necked Hornbill, Birding Bhutan, Bird watching Bhutan, Bhutan, Asian birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, Endemic Birds, Birding hotspot](/img/tours/photos/23690.jpg)
Tour Highlights
- Marvel at some of the most spectacular scenery anywhere in the world, including mountain peaks approaching 25,000 feet as a gorgeous backdrop to our birding.
- Enjoy a tremendous diversity of birdlife thanks to our tour’s varied altitudes and habitats as we cross this Himalayan nation, ranging from lowland rainforest at 500 feet (on our extension to adjacent Manas National Park in India) to mountain passes well above tree line at 13,000 feet. Special birds here include some of the world’s largest hornbills, a half dozen species of laughingthrush, charismatic wren-babblers and parrotbills, and many glorious sunbirds.
- Marvel at bird superstars, including technicolor Himalayan Monal, Satyr Tragopan, Rufous-necked Hornbill, Fire-tailed Myzornis, Ibisbill, Beautiful Nuthatch, and gorgeous Ward’s Trogon.
- Admire traditional architecture and visit Buddhist dzongs in this highly devout country. Prayer flags flapping in the breeze are ubiquitous in the settled (not really urban) areas we visit, imbuing our journey with a unique sense of place.
- Travel adventurously with us, birding the single road that crosses this sparsely populated country, thrilling at mixed flocks in its most productive habitats close to our nature lodges.
- NEW! for 2025, we’ve added a day at a reliable site for observing White-bellied Heron in the wild, one of the most critically endangered bird in the world.
- Keep an eye on the skies for one of thirty raptors found in Bhutan, including Changeable Hawk Eagle, Crested Serpent Eagle, Himalayan Vulture, Steppe Eagle, Long-legged Buzzard, and Pallas’ Fish Eagle.
![Fire-tailed Myzornis, Birding Bhutan, Bird watching Bhutan, Bhutan, Asian birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, Endemic Birds, Birding hotspot](/img/tours/photos/23696.jpg)
![Asian Emerald Cuckoo, Birding Bhutan, Bird watching Bhutan, Bhutan, Asian birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, Endemic Birds, Birding hotspot](/img/tours/photos/23694.jpg)
![Indian Rhino, Birding Bhutan, Bird watching Bhutan, Bhutan, Asian birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, Endemic Birds, Birding hotspot](/img/tours/photos/23695.jpg)
![Blood Pheasant, Birding Bhutan, Bird watching Bhutan, Bhutan, Asian birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, Endemic Birds, Birding hotspot](/img/tours/photos/23697.jpg)
Trip Itinerary
Itineraries are guidelines; variations in itinerary may occur to account for weather, road conditions, closures, etc. and to maximize your experience.
Final route details coming soon.
Pre-Tour Extension
Itineraries are guidelines; variations in itinerary may occur to account for weather, road conditions, closures, etc. and to maximize your experience.
Day 1: Early Arrivals, New Delhi
We are met at the airport and transferred to this delightful and modern airport hotel to get settled and rested up from your journey. If anyone wants to do sightseeing or explore nature areas around Delhi, requiring more days, we can put you in touch with our local operator (your guide for the tour) for custom planning. This night is at additional cost but highly recommended so you are rested up for this amazing journey, whether the extension or main tour. The hotel we book is lovely with a full restaurant and bar and a lovely courtyard with swimming pool. No meals are pre-arranged as travelers are often resting, but for those that wish we can meet for dinner informally at 7 PM.
Day 2: Arrivals in New Delhi | Flight to Guwahati, Assam
Our extension officially starts this morning with an early morning flight. Some of our group may arrive in Delhi at dawn and continue on with us on the domestic flight. We do worry about tight connections so HIGHLY recommend you come in the day ahead if you can.
The flight is early, so we plan to take a packed breakfast from the hotel to eat after you have checked into your flight to Guwahati. This flight is included with the extension and we fly as a group – hopefully we see the high Himalayas en route!
Once in Guwahati, we are met by drivers for the drive to Manas National Park (about three and a half hours). There are birds right from the start and we stop along the route as time permits.
Depending on our flight time, lunch may be en route or at the lodge in Manas. We want to be sure to be there in time for our afternoon jeep safari at Manas National Park. Bird highlights in travel may include Asian Palm Swift, White-throated Kingfisher, Green Imperial Pigeon, Rufous Treepie, and Crimson Sunbird.
Safaris into the park can be very good for mammals as well as birds. Highlights may include Indian Rhino, Asian Elephant, Indian Gar, and though rare, this is a Tiger reserve and we have found tracks in past years. We may find Lineated and Blue-throated Barbets, Red-collared Dove, Green-billed Malkoha, Black-naped Monarch, Himalayan Flameback, and Gray-capped Pygmy Woodpecker.
Accommodations at Thobgang Jungle Tourist Lodge, Assam (B,L,D)
Day 3: Full Day Safari, East Side of Manas National Park
Enjoy the sunrise in India! This morning we head to a grassland section of the park. The habitat is open and we look directly into neighboring Bhutan with mountains that rise above the Manas River that outlines the border. We hope to find Bengel Florican, a critically endangered and impressive member of the bustard clan. In spring, they leap into the air and vocalize, making it possible to find them so we are here at a good time. Golden-headed Cisticola gleam in the sun, perched up on emergent stalks taller than the main grassy areas. We search for Siberian Stonechat, both Ashy and Plain Prinias, and four species of babblers: Striated, Slender-billed, Yellow-eyed, and Chestnut Capped. Changeable Hawk Eagle patrol above along with the more common Oriental Honey-Buzzard. In wet areas we can pick up Red-wattled Lapwing, Lesser Adjutant, and Asian Openbill. Wild Peacock (Indian Peafowl) call and display from tree tops, memorable!
We return to the lodge for lunch and in the afternoon go into the forested part of the park close by on a safari drive. Asian Fairy-bluebird and two lovely minivets, Scarlet and Rosy, brighten the forest with color. This is a great area for several species of green-pigeon, which enjoy flowering trees alongside Red-breasted Parakeet. Silver-breasted Broadbill nest here and mixed flocks abound.
Accommodations at Thobgang Jungle Tourist Lodge, Assam (B,L,D)
Days 4 – 5: West Side of Manas National Park
The first day, we cross over to the other side of the park to check in to a different lodge for two nights and to enter and explore from a different gate. Travel through local villages is fun, watching the buzz of local life. Collared Falconet are agile small predators that feed on butterflies. The first morning we bird the edge of the park and rural areas, wetlands, the second we drive deep into the forest. There is so much to see in Manas!
On both days we have lunch at our lodge and go back out for afternoon safari. Our route in from the gate parallels the river, and we make a few side turnoffs to see what we can find. Likely candidates include Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker, Puff-throated Babbler, White-rumped Shama, and Small Niltava. Long-tailed Broadbill, Asian Barred Owlet, and Kalij Pheasant are all possible. Inside the park we find extraordinary lushness to the forests, with activity at a level of a bird explosion, it’s spring! We may find both Greater and Black-rumped Flamebacks, Black-winged Cuckooshrike, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, and the usual mix of drongos, bulbuls, and warblers. Chestnut-headed Bee-eater show off their array of color, and here we can find Great Hornbill — absolutely incredible birds, not unlike the New World toucans. Rufous-necked Laughingthrush might feed on tracks of the dirt roads we travel while Bengal Monitor Lizards sun themselves on trunks of trees.
We have an excellent chance to see mammals here, including Asian Elephant. Dinners are at the lodge.
Accommodations at Musa Jungle Lodge, Assam (B,L,D)
Day 6: Return to Guwahati | Flight to Delhi
We enjoy breakfast and one last drive into the park, perhaps spotting Red-headed Trogon. We return to pack up and drive back to Guwahati where we board afternoon flights to New Delhi. We are met at the airport and return in time for dinner and to join those coming in for the main tour that chose to route through Delhi. Bhutan here we come!
Accommodations at Andaz Aerocity, New Delhi (B,L,D)
Cost of the Journey
Cost of the journey is per person, based on occupancy: $TBD DBL / $TBD SGL, from Paro*. Tour cost includes all accommodations; all meals as stated in the itinerary; group airport transfers; ground transportation in a Toyota Hiace; professional guide services; park, preserve, and other activity fees; and miscellaneous program expenses.
Tour cost does not include: roundtrip airfare to and from Paro, or items of a personal nature such as laundry, porterage, telephone charges, or alcoholic beverages, overstay expenses arising from weather or COVID reasons or other unforeseen situations. Tour cost also does not include the Bhutan tourism fees (at present, $100 per person, per night) or your visa cost (2024 pricing was $40).
*If you choose to come into Dehli and fly with the extension group to Paro, our operator can book that flight for you and we can add it to your invoice.
Cost of the Manas extension is per person, based on occupancy: $2990 DBL / $3375 SGL and includes the internal flights (Dehli - Guwahati - Dehli - Paro).
A note about the cost of this trip: This is an expensive tour. Bhutan limits tourist visits and links visas to the use of an authorized local operator and by requiring local operators to charge a minimum per person per day for even basic services, with a portion of that going back to the government. A visit to Bhutan is a privilege, we do pay for it in the tourism fees.
Travel Details
Please plan to make air travel plans only after the minimum group size has been met. We will send you a confirmation email as soon as the trip has been confirmed.
Arrival and Departure Airport: Paro International Airport (PBH), or book flights to Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) and have us book your flights to and from Paro with the group (additional cost).
Arrival Details: Please plan to arrive November 5, 2025, at your leisure. It is important to arrive a day early to rest up from your travels.
Alternatively, you can plan flights to the Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) in Delhi, India on April 6 where you can meet our group members returning from the Manas National Park extension. Our operator can book your flight to fly with the group to Paro the following morning.
Departure Details: Please plan international flights to depart Paro on November 20, 2025, after 11:00 AM. If you plan to fly in and out of Delhi, please plan international flights after 8:00 PM.
Travel Tip: We highly recommend you add the pre-tour extension as it will give you a better understanding of the lowland habitats, which we do not visit in Bhutan. This is a perfect pairing that will add 100+ species to your list! The guide will be the same on both tours and will make logistics easy for getting to the main tour start in Paro.
If you arrive early in Paro to rest up from your travels, we can book you an early night at a hotel in town where it’s easy to walk around and explore. If you arrive early into New Delhi, we can book a room for you at the Andaz Delhi by Hyatt. If you want to see a bit of the city of New Delhi, our operator can arrange a tour for you on a custom basis.
Entry Requirements: See "Essential Information" section under the "Know Before You Go” tab.
Items of Note
Please expect a fair amount of walking in Bhutan, and note altitudes below. Daily activity starts at 0500 hours, with breakfast at 0700 hours, followed by birding until about 1030 hours. We break then have lunch at around 1230 hours and then birding resumes till 1600 hours. We plan evening birding on two or three different days.
Elevation of Accommodations
Gangtey — 3050 meters / 10,000 ft
Sengor — 3,000 m / 9842 ft
Ura Hwy/Bumthang — 2,800 m / 9,185 ft
Thimphu — 2,350 m / 7,710 ft
Trongsa — 2,200 m / 7,215 ft
Paro — 2,250 m / 7,382 ft
Punakha — 1,310 m / 4,300 ft
High Passes – Altitude
Chele la — 3988 metres / 13,083 ft
Thrumsing la — 3780 metres / 12,401 ft
Yotong la — 3425 metres / 11,236 ft
Dochu la — 3100 metres / 10,170 ft
Browse below for trip reports and species lists from past versions of this and other tours from this destination.
Bhutan
- April 2023
- April 2024
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Kent Skaggs
Kent was born and raised in Nebraska and this is where he developed his passion for birds and nature in general. He worked 20 years at Audubon’s Rowe Sanctuary where he helped countless visitors experience the annual spring staging of Sandhill Cranes along the Platte River in south-central Nebraska. While at Rowe, he conducted bird surveys on the sanctuary and coordinated and led birding field trips for the annual Audubon Nebraska Crane Festival. He also spent three seasons leading tours to see displaying Greater Prairie-Chickens and Sharp-tailed Grouse for Calamus Outfitters in the Nebraska Sandhills. Kent and his partner Kathy currently reside in southwest Virginia.
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Essential Information +
Pace & Protocols +
Packing List +
Suggested Reading List +
Useful Links +
Photo credits: Banners: Thimphu, Bhutan, Dr Vikramjit Kakati via Creative Commons; Golden Langur, M. Swarnali via Creative Commons; Rufous-necked Hornbill by Rohit Naniwadekar via Creative Commons; Great Buddha Dordenma, Christopher J. Fynn via Creative Commons; Female Great Hornbill Debrup Chakraborty via Creative Commons; Golden Eagle Photo Credit/ Avijit Sarkhel; Black-throated Sunbird by JJ Harrison via Creative Commons. Thumbnails: Golden Langur (NJ Stock), Black-necked Crane (NJ Stock), Asian Elephant (NJ Stock), Rufous-necked Hornbill (NJ Stock), Fire-tailed Myzornis (NJ Stock), Asian Emerald Cuckoo (NJ Stock), Indian Rhino (NJ Stock), Blood Pheasant (NJ Stock)