8 Day

Arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu, where Tiger Tops staff will greet you and seamlessly arrange your transfer to Dwarikas Hotel - an exquisite 5 star oasis in the heart of the bustling city. During the afternoon, Tiger Tops cars and guides will be on standby for those wanting to wander the city and discover the enthralling sight s of the capital. Kathmandu is known for the great temples of Pashupatinath, Swayambunath and Boudhanath that offer an interesting blend of Hindu and Buddhist architecture and rituals.

Arrive at Tiger Tops Tharu Lodge at noon, and settle into your rooms before heading to the garden for a hearty Nepali daal bhaat. After lunch enjoy your afternoon tea/coffee, while receiving a comprehensive briefing from our staff. In the late afternoon, we will take you on a Land Rover ride into Chitwan National Park, where you will get you first taste of the rich birdlife of the jungle. 568 different species have been recorded in Chitwan National Park.

We will get up early and bring packed breakfast to make the one hour drive to Mahabharat range in search for the endemic species of Nepal, the Spiny Babbler. This range forms the very beginning of the Himalayan foothills, which is the perfect habitat the Spiny Babbler. We will spend the morning looking for this rare bird and other birds of the middle hills.

After a few hours, we drive back to the lodge to fill our stomachs for the for the afternoon ́s adventures. After lunch Tharu Lodge manager, DB Chaudhary, an avid bird lover and conservationist, will take you by Land Rover to Jayatyu Vulture Restaurant, a pioneering conservation site for the extremely endangered vultures of the Indian sub-continent.

Eight species of vultures out of nine in Nepal have been recorded in this area. Four of them are resident and four are winter visitor. From October to April is a good time for visiting the nesting sites of three species of vultures which resides in the area: White-rumped Vulture, Slender-billed Vulture and Egyptian Vulture.

Wake up early and tuck into the much loved Lodge special omelet. After breakfast strap on your walking boots, take a sturdy bamboo walking stick and prepare for a day of pure exploration and excitement! Today we aim to give you the big overview of the National Park from the comfort of one of our Land Rovers. There will be a pre-made lunch ready along with refreshments to keep you going through the day.

A Land Rover will take you down to the river, here you will board a local boat to ferry you across the Narayani River into Chitwan National Park. The short ferry will give you the chance to spot the waterfowl.

On the other side will be another Land Rover ready to pick you up and take you into the very heart of the national park. Upon entering your day will be spent in the Land Rover scouting out the Great Hornbill, Great Slaty Woodpecker, Spot-bellied Eagle Owl, Grey-headed Fish Eagle, Woolly-necked Stork, Lesser Adjutant, Hill Myna, Pale-footed Bush Warbler, Jerdon’s Babbler, Slender-billed Babbler, and many more.

After an early breakfast get ready for a full-day trip. On this last day, we will take you to the birthplace of the Buddha, Lumbini, which also happens to be a place rich with natural habitats and breeding pairs of Sarus Cranes.

We will visit The International Crane Foundation, a world center for cranes, which provides extraordinary learning opportunities as well as inspiration for conservationists from around the world. the International Crane Foundation has created the Lumbini Crane Sanctuary, Bird Conservation Trip protecting habitat for cranes and diverse other wildlife. Lumbini is furthermore a very good birding area for other species, including different Owl species, Raptors, Babblers, Storks, etc.

On this last full day of our birding adventure, we take you for a full day ́s walk inside the National Park. Walking is the best way to spot birds and to watch them in detail. We want to give you the chance to revisit some of the places we visited on day 3. Make sure to bring appropriate hiking boots and sunscreen, and our staff will take care of food and drinks for the day. We will bring the list of birds of Chitwan National Park, aiming to tick off as many species as possible.

Spend the last morning getting just a few more species ticked off your bird list before breakfast. Then head to the gate to say goodbye to the staff and get in the car which will take you to Bharatpur airport for your departure.

After the flight back to Kathmandu, spend another evening soaking up the beauty of Nepal at Dwarikas Hotel. The rest of the day may be spent with a Tiger Tops tour operator to continue your exploration of Kathmandu. Dinner can be arranged at the beautifully refurbished Royal Stables, home to boutique stores and the fine French restaurant, Chez Caroline.

Spend the day at your leisure until your transfer to Tribhuvan International Airport and your international flight.