Leh Ladakh Bird Watching Tour

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14 Nights
15 Days

Leh → Nubra Valley → Rumtak Valley → Tso Moriri → Tso Kar → Leh

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Package Overview

Start Point: Leh
End Point: Leh

This bird-watching tour of Leh Ladakh covers some exciting birds of the Ladakh region. Over two weeks, you will do birding in many places across Ladakh and spot high-altitude birds of the Himalayan region. Not just birds, though, but mammals that live in this harsh cold desert environment of Ladakh. You can tick off all the birds you have spotted in your bird-watching checklist. This 15-day tour of Ladakh includes high-altitude lakes Ramsar wetland sites, and the Nubra Valley sand dunes. We also cover the marshy grounds of the Indus Valley and regions around Leh. Your binoculars and DSLR cameras can spot migratory birds and mammals that thrive in these high-altitude regions of Ladakh.

Trip Highlights

Bird watching in Indus River marshes
Spot birds and mammals in Nubra Valley
Cross the highest motorable mountain passes in the world
Bird watching in Rumbak Valley
Bird watching in Tso Moriri Lake
Birding around Tso Kar
Taste Ladakhi cuisine

Day Wise Itinerary Download

1Day Arrival in Leh

On your arrival in Leh, our tour representative will greet you and transfer you to the hotel. You can check-in at the hotel in Leh and spend some time for acclimatization. Later you will explore the birds near the hotel and photograph them. You can spot many bird species in Leh like Red-Billed Chough, Black Kite, Black-billed Magpie, Mountain Chiffchaff, Common Kestrel, Black Redstart, and Great Tit. Later have an overnight stay in Leh.

2Day Bird watching in Indus river marshes

Today we will visit the marshes along the Indus River and spot the incredible birdlife here. You will follow the Indus River upstream from the Choglamsar bridge. Or you can reach Shey and follow the main road and then turn right. You will pass through the marshes and reach the river after crossing the irrigation channels. The wetlands and riverbanks along the Indus River and the grazing lands are ideal habitats for birds. You can spot many species of birds such as Bluethroats, Water Rail, Ibisbill, Water pipits, Streaked Rose Finch, White-Winged Redstart, Hobby, and Eurasian Golden Oriole. After this bird watching along the Indus River you will return to your hotel in Leh and spend the night here.

3Day + 4 Bird watching at Nubra Valley

Today we will check-out from Leh and cross the world’s highest motorable mountain pass to reach Nubra Valley. This is an area of sand dunes and swamps. You will find many birds here like finches, chats, warblers, shrikes, waders, ducks, and raptors. White-browed Tit Warbler is a bird that you can target here. You can spend some time here as there are many discoveries you can make in the next two days. You will find exciting mammals such as lynx, fox, Bactrian Camel, cape hares, and pika. You can spend the night in the hotel in Nubra Valley.

5Day Nubra Valley to Leh

After this bird watching in Nubra Valley, you will arrive in Leh and stay overnight in the hotel.

6Day + 7 + 8 Bird-watching in Rumbak Valley

Rumbak Valley near Leh is a perfect birding spot where you will find many birds and mammals. The buckthorn and willow-covered hills are the ideal places to spot birds. You will also find birds of high-altitude ranges near Ganda-La Pass. You will also find a few mammals here. The birds that you will find here are the Wallcreeper, Golden Eagle, Brown and White-Throated Dippers, Rock Bunting, Himalayan Snowcock, Lammergeier, Rose Finches, and Mountain Finches. Among the mammals you will find here are the blue sheep, urial, bharal (blue sheep), and argali (mountain sheep). Later you will camp for the night.

9Day + 10 Tso Moriri

Today we will drive to Tso Moriri Lake from Leh and do bird watching around the lake. The drive alone is a very spectacular experience and goes through the most scenic Ladakhi landscapes. Tso Moriri Lake is a known wetland site and migratory birds visit this high-altitude lake for breeding. Tso Moriri is a known breeding ground for Bar-headed goose, Black-Necked Grebe, and Great crested grebe. You can spot other birds such as rose finches, mountain finches, and accentors on the slopes of the hills. You can come across some mammals here like foxes, blue sheep, marmots, weasels, pikas, and woolly hares. You will do two days of bird watching around Tso Moriri Lake and spend the night in the camp.

11Day + 12 + 13 Bird watching in Tso Kar Lake

We will drive to Tso Kar Lake in the morning and cross the Polo Kongka Pass. On the way, you can view flocks of Brandt’s Mountain Finch. As you near the lake you can try to look out for waterfowl and waders. You can hope to see the Common Redshanks and Black-Necked Cranes around the lake. You can also catch sight of marmots, Tibetan Wild Ass, Stolizka’s mountain vole, pikas, and other mammals that are endemic to this region. You can try to look out for other birds such as Plain-Backed Snowfinch, Tibetan Sandgrouse, Horned Lark, Little Owl, Hume’s Short-Toed Lark, and Tibetan Snow finch. Tso Kar is also a known breeding ground for Avocet, Black-Necked Cranes, Crested Grebe, Ruddy Shelduck, and more such birds. You will now stay overnight in the camp near the lake.

14Day Tso Kar to Leh

Today morning we will go for a bird-watching session near Tso Kar Lake. Later we will drive to Leh via Tanglang Pass. We can stop for bird watching on the route. On reaching Leh we will check into the hotel and stay here overnight.

15Day Flight to Delhi

Today you will check-out from Leh and proceed to Leh Airport. You will now board the flight to Delhi and leave with many beautiful memories of this Leh Ladakh Birding Tour.

Inclusions

Comfortable Vehicle (Innova/ Xylo/ Tavera/ Scorpio/ Similar) for sightseeing on all days as per the itinerary.
Airport pick up & drop as per your flight timings
Accommodation at all locations on double (for couples & special requests) and triple sharing basis in standard hotels/camps
Buffet Breakfast and Dinner: Starting with Dinner on Day 1 & ending with Breakfast on Last Day as per itinerary
Fuel for the whole trip as per the itinerary
Assured Inner line permits and Ladakh Union fee
Experienced driver for the entire journey
Oxygen cylinder and Basic First-Aid during the tour
Driver expenses/ toll tax/ Fuel/ Parking charges

Exclusions

Expenses of personal nature
Mentioned cost is not valid between 6 pm and 8 am
Anything not mentioned under inclusions
Package price does not include Gala dinner charges applicable on Christmas and New Year's Eve

Confirmation Policy

Upon booking, the traveller will receive a confirmation voucher via email, within 24 hours.
In the special cases of slots not being available, feasible alternatives will be provided to the customer, in regards to the customer’s preference. In such cases, a new voucher would be sent via email, consisting of the new travel details.

Cancellation Policy

Any cancellation made before 20 days prior to the date of departure, would levy a 30% of total tour cost as cancellation charges.
Due to any restrictions such as sudden government policies or regulations, health hazards, medical emergencies, or unprecedented weather conditions, activities and tours may be nonoperational and be cancelled. In cases such as these, operators will attempt to cater to the traveller an alternate, which is feasible in nature. However, any refund would not be catered.