Bird Photography (Leh)

After an early breakfast you are transferred to the domesticairport for your flight to Ladakh. This is one of the most sensational flights in the world. On a clear day from one side of the aircraft you can see in the distance the peaks of K2, Nanga Parbat, Gasherbrum and on the other side of the aircraft, so close that you feel you couldreach out and touch it, is the Nun Kun massif.

Upon arrival you will be transferred to the hotel. You wouldtake a little time to settle in and acclimatize since you have gonefrom a relatively low elevation in New Delhi to over 11,000 feet! The afternoon will be spent in the vicinity of you accommodation for acclimatization and some birding. Overnight in a hotel.

Today morning we will bird along Shey marshes. One can expect common rosefinch, Hume’s lesser white-throat, blue rock thrush, Eurasian hobby, common coot, booted eagle, blue throat, common tern, Hume’s short-toed lark, plain mountain finch, rock bunting, mountain chiffchaff, citrine and grey wagtail etc. Afternoon visit toTrisul Lake for red-crested pochard, northern pintail, common teal,tufted duck, little grebe, garganey etc. Overnight in a hotel.

Today morning we will bird at Thiksey. One can expect to seegolden oriole, long-tailed shrike, blue-whistling thrush, Eurasian cuckoo,
common rosefinch, hill pigeon etc. Afternoon we will visit the Stok Palace and then carry on to Hemis. Here we can expect Tibetan snowfinch, Eurasian crag martin, northern house martin, lammergeier, white wagtail, fire-fronted serin, plain mountain finch, blue sheep etc. Overnight in a hotel.

Today morning we will be going on an excursion to bird at Khardung La. We will be reaching a height of 18380 ft, the highest motorable pass in the world. One can expect winter wren, brown dipper, robin & alpine accentor, Himalayan snowcock, Brandt’s mountain finch, great rosefinch, white-winged redstart, yellow-billed chough etc. The Mammals we could see will be Himalayan marmot, mouse hare, wooly hare, and blue sheep. Afternoon is free to discover the riches of this exotic destination with a visit to Leh town. Overnight in a hotel.

Drive to Zingchan in the morning. Trek to Rumbak for birding. Full day birding in Rumbak Valley. One can expect golden eagle, Himalayan griffon, Tibetan snowfinch, chukar, fire-fronted serin, sulphur-bellied warbler, white-throated dipper etc. Overnight stay in a tented camp or in a home stay (promoted by Snow Leopard Conservancy).

Full day birding around Rumbak Valley. One can see brown & robin accentor, tickell’s leaf warbler, streaked rosefinch, Tibetan snowfinch, chukar, common & fork-tailed swift, red-billed chough, Himalayan snowcock, fire-fronted serin, twite etc. One can also expect to see blue sheep, Red fox and the elusive snow leopard. Overnight stay in a tented camp or in a home stay (promoted by Snow Leopard Conservancy).

Morning birding in Rumbak Valley. Trek to Zingchan. Check the forest patch at Zingchan for unusual species such as rusty-tailed flycatcher, grey bushchat etc. Travel to Leh for overnight stay in a hotel.

We will spend the day travelling to Puga stopping en route for birding at Chumathang. One can expect to see golden eagle, common merganser, Ibisbill, horned lark etc. Check the stream at Puga emerging out of sulphur spring for black-necked crane, brown-headed gull, ruddy shelduck etc. Overnight stay in a tented camp at Puga.

Morning excursion to the lakes for ruddy shelduck, bar-headed goose, ruff, lesser sand plover, white-winged black tern, long-legged buzzard etc. Black-necked crane is big a possibility too. Spend the evening near the camp checking the stream, rock faces and bushes forEurasian eagle-owl, white-winged redstart, robin accentor, Asian house martin, white-throated dipper, lammergeier etc. Overnight stay in a tented camp at Puga.

Travel to Tso Kar in the morning across Polo Kongka Pass. One can see large flocks of Brandt’s mountain finch. As you enter the lake area,
you may see black-necked crane, common redshank, lots of other shorebirds and waterfowl. Tibetan wild ass, marmot, Stolizka’s mountain vole are mammal species that are seen commonly. Explore the area for little owl, Tibetan sandgrouse, plain-backed snowfinch etc. Horned lark, Hume’s short-toed lark and Tibetan snowfinch are some of the common birds here. Afternoon visit to fresh water lake for avocet, breeding colony of crested grebe, ruddy shelduck etc. Black-necked crane is a possibility too. Overnight stay in tented camp at Tso Kar.

After morning birding at Tso Kar, travel to Leh via Tanglang La stopping en route for birding. Arrive Leh in the afternoon. Afternoon at leisure. Overnight stay in a hotel.