Northern India Highlights: Tigers, Taj & Birds

Striated Laughingthrush © Scott Baker

An indelible view of Northern India—its people, history, and wildlife. This is a journey that spans the semiarid lowlands fringing the Thar Desert to the spectacular Himalayas, focusing on the premier nature reserves and cultural assets that define this remarkable region. Beyond its superb birdlife, there is a very good chance to observe wild Tigers, as well as Leopard, Sloth Bear, and Asian Elephant.

Our journey begins in the capital, New Delhi, after which we travel to Rajasthan, where we stay at the luxurious Taj Vivanta Sawai Madhupur Lodge, a former Royal Hunting retreat, providing access to Ranthambore National Park—renowned for its Tigers. It is widely regarded as one of the best places in the country to observe these majestic predators. We will spend three full days enjoying morning and afternoon safari drives in one of India’s most famous Tiger reserves. The low hills and varied topography also provide a variety of habitats and a range of great birds. Among the local specialties we look forward to spotting are Painted Spurfowl, Jungle Bush-Quail, and Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse.

Our next destination is the famed bird sanctuary, Keoladeo National Park (aka Bharatpur). Our base at Club Mahindra Bharatpur provides a beautifully restored heritage property from which to explore this world-class wetland reserve and the surrounding areas in comfort. The birding is exceptional, with a host of nearby locations, including the National Chambal (Gharial) Wildlife Sanctuary, providing the chance for sightings of such rarities as Sarus Crane, Black-necked Stork, Indian Skimmer, Indian Spotted Eagle, and (historically) the critically endangered Sociable Plover.

Local guides often have a variety of owls such as Dusky Eagle-Owl and Indian Scops-Owl staked out. Our visit is timed for the maximum number of winter visitors like Bar-headed Goose, Common Crane, and Bluethroat. This is a great birding location, and it is quite possible to see over 100 species here in a single day.

We will, of course, visit the iconic Taj Mahal, one of the great architectural and historical wonders of the world. There can be no finer way to experience this monument to love than by the light of a beautiful sunrise. We have a full day in Agra to explore some of the fascinating historical sites that echo the story of the Mughal Empire. These include the Taj Mahal, the Agra Fort, and the Tomb of Akbar the Great.

Corbett National Park, nestled in the eastern Himalayan foothills, is one of India’s great national parks, with over 550 species on the park list and an incredible 50 species of raptors. We have two full days to explore this location, via jeep safari, to take advantage of the outstanding birdwatching opportunities alongside its renowned megafauna. Some of the special birds we may encounter include Great Hornbill, Great Slaty Woodpecker, Brown Fish-Owl, Pallas’s Fish-Eagle, and Collared Falconet, to name a few. The monotypic Ibisbill and Wallcreeper also count amongst the regulars. Herds of Asian Elephants are a major feature, and there is always the chance for a Tiger encounter.

The final leg of our journey focuses on the higher elevations. We spend a night at the Vatsyayana Himalayan Resort (around 2,000 meters above sea level), a boutique luxury retreat perched in the village of Manali offering breathtaking views of the world’s highest mountain range, including the peaks of Trishul, Nandadevi, and Panchachuli. This region represents our best opportunity to observe some of the scarce Himalayan endemics such as Cheer Pheasant, Nepal Cupwing, and Pink-browed Rosefinch.

We also visit the Sattal district, where the hilly terrain and forested slopes host a wealth of avian gems. Hill Partridge, Himalayan Woodpecker, Slaty-headed Parakeet, Great Barbet, Red-billed Blue-Magpie, Golden Bush-Robin, Scaly-breasted Cupwing, Chestnut-headed Tesia, and Green-tailed Sunbird are amongst those we will be targeting. A final full day of birding promises to be a memorable conclusion to this epic adventure.

Excellent to very good accommodations throughout; travel by coach (fully air-conditioned), jeep, and train; in the northern hemisphere winter period the climate, in general, is very pleasant to warm in the middle of the day and cool to sometimes cold in the early morning and at night, particularly in the mountains.

Taj Mahal © Scott Baker