Description

Kumaon Birdwatchers’ Beat

Out of the 1200 species of birds found in India, 347 are found in Uttarakhand. About 150 of them are endemic to Nainital district. Binsar is home to over 200 species of birds. A variety of animals such as leopard, musk deer, barking deer, flying squirrels etc. are also found here. With such credentials, it is only natural that the region is a delight for naturalists and birdwatchers, in particular.

You will be accompanied by local expert birding guides on this trip which begins with a stop at Mahesh Khan, near Bhowali in Nainital district. This dense forest of oak, pine and cedar, offers ample opprotunities for spying on the life of birds. Accommodation will be in the forest rest house in Mahesh Khan and the bamboo cottages nearby.

The next stop on the trail is Gaunap, a tiny hamlet in the heart of Binsar sanctuary. Completely devoid of modern trappings, this place is not even connected to the grid or by road. Getting to the village entails a gentle 3km downhill trek from Binsar TRH. You will get to stay in a rural homestay and get to savour a couple of days in the lap of nature. While Binsar is a renowned place for birdwatching, the village is a haven for birds. Simply peek out of the window and you should be able to add scores of species to your birds list.

From Gaunap, Dhaulchhina is an 8km trek, first through an oak and rhododendron forest and then a pine forest at the end of the trail, crossing occasional seasonal streams along the way. After a quick lunch at Dhaulchhina, we will head to Pangot, the final stop on the trip. Pangot is yet another birdwatchers’ paradise and is home to about 150 species of birds. One can spot species such as the stunning lammergeier, Himalayan griffon, blue-winged mila, spotted and slaty-backed forktail, rufous-bellied niltava, khalij pheasant and a variety of thrushes.

Itinerary

• Day 1Kathgodam - Mahesh Khan

  Drive to Mahesh Khan should take about 4 hours

• Day 1Mahesh Khan - Mahesh Khan

  All-day bird-watching excusion

• Day 2Mahesh Khan - Binsar TRH

  About a 3hr drive after breakfast

• Day 2Binsar TRH - Gaunap

  3km down hill trek. Lunch after reaching Gaunap. Village walk and birdwataching after lunch.

• Day 3Gaunap - Gaunap

  Early morning walk to the temple. Jungle trek after breakfast.

• Day 4Gaunap - Dhaulchhina

  9km trek after breakfast. Lunch at Dhaulchhina

• Day 4Dhaulchhina - Pango

  It’s about a 3 hour drive to pangot

• Day 5Pango - Pangot

  All-day bird-watching in this little Paradise

• Day 5Pangot - Kathgodam

  Leave for Kathgodam in the evening. 1 hr drive

Inclusions

Difficulty Level:  [simple_tooltip content=’

Test your limits! A low-altitude trek or a simple high-altitude trek. There could be challenges such assteep sections or long distances to be covered in a day. Will require preparation but do-able by children 10 years and adults’]TYL![/simple_tooltip]

Season: mid-September through mid-May

Duration:
Trip Duration 6 days/5 nights

Trek Duration 5 days

Max Elevation: 2410m (Binsar Zero-point)

Region: Almora and Nainital districts, Uttarakhand

Cost: Available on request

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