An extraordinary adventure and hobby that does not need any sophisticated contraption except a pair of binoculars and a little bit of time. Whether urban or rural India, the birds are ubiquitous, always chirpy and up to something.
This particular hobby for the feathered inhabitant of our planet can be undertaken by yourself, with friend(s) or with a complete stranger. You can do it in the far reaches of Himalayas, in floodplains, in Deccan plateau, in Western or Eastern ghats, in rainforest of North East India, in the desert of Rajasthan, along the coastline of India and even on island habitats to gain wealth of information, inspiration and a deep appreciation.
Binsar wildlife sanctuary is among a very few wild life reserves in Indian Himalayas where walking safaris are allowed to observe the birds and Mammals of your dream up close and at one’s pace. Apart from 200+ bird species recorded from the sanctuary, it also affords stop-in-your track views of many skies torpedoing Himalayan peaks those are in the club of above 7000 meters high and ever snowy. Leopard is abundant in these hills and leave the telltale of its activities in the form of many tracks and signs we have learnt to interpret A rosy alpenglow on ever snowy peak at Sunrise and Sunset is a treat from the highest point of the sanctuary called Jhandidhar or Flag Ridge.
Binsar wildlife sanctuary is among a very few wild life reserves in Indian Himalayas where walking safaris are allowed to observe the birds and Mammals of your dream up close and at one’s pace. Apart from 200+ bird species recorded from the sanctuary, it also affords stop-in-your track views of many skies torpedoing Himalayan peaks those are in the club of above 7000 meters high and ever snowy. Leopard is abundant in these hills and leave the telltale of its activities in the form of many tracks and signs we have learnt to interpret A rosy alpenglow on ever snowy peak at Sunrise and Sunset is a treat from the highest point of the sanctuary called Jhandidhar or Flag Ridge.
The forest and the hills of the sanctuary have witnessed history unfolding for almost a millennium. Starting with the Chand dynasty from 11th century to the British period in India, they were all attracted by its scenic beauty and pleasant weather, hence made these hills the summer capital of their respective kingdoms. The sanctuary still retains that charm with very restricted access and development. The eyesore of modernity is rarely visible here.
The landscape of the sanctuary is still rich and biodiverse that keeps luring travelers from across the globe to observe them till date
Binsar was declared a wildlife sanctuary in the late eighties of twentieth Century to conserve the broad leaf Himalayan oak and rhododendron forest of the central Himalayan region
Meet and greet by our field guide at Kathgodam train station. Kathgodam is a one-horse town that is also one of the portals to the Himalayas. You will be chauffeured to the cottage at Jeolikot in a high ground clearance car with bucket seat
The cottage at Jeolikot incorporates the vintage aesthetics and local architecture of the Himalayan region and also serve delectable local cuisine. It has a tranquil ambience and charming hostess who lives on the premise and has amazing stories to tell
After early breakfast we resume our journey to the sanctuary that takes roughly 2 hours with few stops at the view points After check in and an early lunch we head out into the forest for an informative walk with stories and interpretation throughout. We target on reaching to the top of the mountain to revel in the great views of the setting Sun
early breakfast and birding session within the sanctuary, we try to add more and more bird species to our list, the more we add the more challenging it may become to add new species in the list. Back to the hotel for lunch, we head for village tour post lunch, interaction with villagers and high tea at one of the village houses.
After breakfast, we descend on a long trail that used to be bridle path before the motorable roads were carved out in the hills. we cover myriad of habitats to see more bird species and eventually reach an ancient temple complex that was built between 7th -12th century and surrounded by ancient Himalayan Cedar Forest
Last birding session and walk to the most promising birding areas of the sanctuary before heading back to the train station to catch Delhi bound train
expert leadership services, accommodation in hotels/British period Bugalows, field arrangements that include ground team support, all meals during the trip, sightseeing as per itinerary, surface transfer from Train station to Sanctuary and back to train station at the end of trip, ground transportation within sanctuary. National Park entry fee, camera fee, basic first aid kit