BIRDING BHUTAN

Bhutan is a truly spectacular birding destination. It's a relatively unknown and secretive country between India and Tibet located the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains north of India. The scenary is incredible and the birding is very good. It is a much less visited, serene, conservation-oriented birding destination that is a pleasure to visit. There are no endemic birds and only two near-endemics shared with India, but Bhutan is home to one of the rarest birds in the world, the White-bellied Heron, with a global population of just some 60 individuals, and the Ibisbill, a bird so strange that it merits being in a family all its own. In addition, a dozen other species have very limited ranges in northern India and are often more readily seen in Bhutan. It's also possible to see a number of interesting mammals, especially Assam Macaque, Nepal Gray Langur, Gee's Golden Langur, Hodgson's Giant Flying Squirrel and with luck Red Panda. But what makes a Bhutan tour truly spectacular, are visits to some extraordinary cultural sites early in the tour at Thimphu and along the main road. Seeing the works of apprentice craftsmen at the School of Arts and Crafts, the amazing stamp collection at the Postal Museum, the incredible textiles at the Textile Museum, and extraordinary dzongs and memorials are simply astonishing and unforgettable. Those visits combined with excellent birding are what makes tours to Bhutan spectacular.

Notable cultural sites include the Memorial Chorten in Trimphu, the dzongs (fortresses) at Panakha and Trongsa, and of course the Tiger's Nest Monastery outside Paro, reached by a 5 mile hike round trip uphill and back downhill. To top it all off, the scenery is spectacular with breath-taking views of the eastern Himalayans visible from high mountain passes on clear days.

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