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Birding in South India

Tour packages

Highlight: Western Ghats

Highlight: Local Guides & Naturalist Service Provided

Day 1
Reach Cochin also known as Kochi and transfer to hotel.

Overnight hotel

Day 2
Drive on to Thattekad and stay at a luxury lodge.

This is a two hours ride and we will have well enough time to explore the birds this destination boasts off. Comprising of low land tropical forests, grasslands, riverine ecosystems and dry deciduous Thattekad is a twenty five square kilometers in area. The forest types are evergreen in flat low land area situated between the tributeries of Periyar River the longest in South India. The area is inhabitted by forest and wetland species some of which are rare and endemic.

Go for evening birding in the confines. We will keep an eye for Indian Pitta, large billed leaf warblers, Jerdon's nightjar, yellow browed bubuls, grey fronted green pigeon, drongo cuckoo and more. We will be visiting Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary to discover more avian. On this oriniological survey we will enjoy the environs of Western Ghats culture, birds and animals.

Day 3/4
At Thattekkad: - Visit Salem Ali Bird Sanctuary

Thattekkad in Kerala (25 sq. km) is a bird paradise in Western Ghats. Around 270 species can be seen here. One can see the Nightjar, Frogmouths & Owls, Brown breasted flycatcher, Bulbuls and Wynad Laughing Thrush, Spot bellied eagle owl, Ceylon Frogmouth, Red Spur fowl, Babbler, malkohas, owlets, and other endemic species can be sighted.

Visit Orullathany for more bird watching near the river for Woodpeckers. Raptors, kite, owls, and babblers. Find Blue bearded Beeeaters, Grey Hornbill, Woodpeckers, Treepies and Munias. Stay at Hornbill Camp

Day 5/6
Munnar

Munnar is at height of 1450m MSL in Nilgiri Hills of Western Ghats In Kerala. It is a holiday destination and plantations but there are some protected areas like Indira Gandhi wls, Chinnur wls, Kurinjimala WLS and Pampadum Shola. Our birding tours will be taking place at these protected areas which still retain the ecosystems in state of perfection. It is a mix of shola forest and grasslands a habitat for rare Nilgiri Tahr, birding yields Nilgiri Wood Pigeons, Laughing Thrush, Nilgiri Flycatchers and Black and Rufous Flycatcher, Short wings, Nilgiri Pipits and Painted Bush Quails.
There are evergreen "Sholas" on sides of the plateau of Nilgiri Hills in Rajamalai 8 km from Munnar inside Eravikulam NP. Accommodation at the Olive Brooke Resort.

Day 7/8
Otacamund or Ooty: Stop at Chinnar on way to Ooty which is a thorn forest in Western Ghat in Tamil Nadu.

The birds to see are Quails, Large Grey Babbler, White bellied woodpeckers, Whitethroat and Jerdon's Baza, White Rumped Shama, Speckled Piculet, Nilgir Wood Pigeon, Shahin Falcon, Indian Hanging Parrot, Greater Golden backed Woodpecker, Heart Spotted Woodpecker, Black Baza, Malkoha, Scops Owls, Eagle Owl, Streak throated Swallow and Niligiri Laughing Thrushes.

At Ooty go for bird watching at the Cairn hill shola. We will be birding in the cool confines for this destination at height is a hill station as well. Night Accommodation at Regency Villa a luxury property.

Day 9
Cochin for sight seeing

For sight seeing night in B&B. Kochi is a holiday destination with foriegn cultural and architectural influence. The places of interest are Mattancherry Palace, Fort Kochi, Jewish Town, Backwater on Boat Cruise and Beach. A whole day is spent exploring the places for an extensive sightseeing more days are required.

Day 10

Transfer to international airport.

Other places of ornithological interests in South India are: Dandeli, Ganeshgudi, Point Calimere, Kokkarebellur, Anamalai Tiger Reserve, Periyar, Masingudi, Thattkere, Pulicat Lake and Mudumalai. These are spread all over in different states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra and Telangana. The Southern States are well connected by flights, highways and internal roads with sound tourism infrastructure for tourists from all over India as well as overseas. All Southern States have different languages and dialects but English is well understood apart from local languages.

Accommodation and Meals

9 nights at Hotels/Jungle lodges with all meals

Transport

Air conditioned car/Coach

Group Size

Approx 1 to 12

Tour Staff

Local guides & dedicated tour escort in groups.