Birdwatching Tour I

16 Days birdwatching tour to Mt. Victoria for see all of Myanmar endemic species, some near-endemics and many other speciality species. Itinerary Expect more than 350 species of birds

Day 1: Yangon (Myanmar) arrival day

Arrive at Yangon (formally Rangoon) international airport. Transfer and check in the hotel for a two night stay.

Day 2: Hlawga Wildlife Park

In the morning, we will drive to Hlawga Wildlife Park which is on the outskirts of Yangon and is a small wetland area, comprised of semi-evergreen, mixed deciduous and swamp forests. Here we will be able to see the rare Pale-capped Pigeon, Racket-tailed Treepie, Red Junglefowl, Green, Blue-tailed and Chestnut-headed Bee-eaters, Green-billed Malkoha, Ashy, Scarlet and Small Minivets. Lesser Racket-tailed and Greater Racket-tailed Drongos, White-rumped Shama, Black-naped Monarch, Black-headed, Black-crested, Red-vented, Red-whiskered, Stripe-throated with red eyes and near-endemic Streak-eared Bulbuls, Dark-necked Tailorbird. White-crested and Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrushes. Abbort's, Puff-throated and Chesinut-capped Babblers. Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker, Ruby-cheeked. Olive-backed and Purple Sunbirds. Scaly-breasted Munia. Oriental Darter. Spot-billed and Lesser Whistling Ducks. Cotton Pygmy Goose. Common Moorhen, White-breasted Waterhen, Red-wattled Lapwing, Little Ringed Plover and others. We can also see wintering species such as Osprey, Black-naped Oriole. Spotted Redshank, Painted Stork. Asian Openbill, Black-naped Oriole. Black-winged Cuckooshrike. Oriental Reed, Greenish and Yellow-browed Warblers and Forest Wagtail. Late afternoon we will drive back to Yangon. Overnight will be at hotel in Yangon.

Day 3: Yangon - Bagan

Early in the morning, we will take a short flight to Bagan (formally Pagan) for a two night stay. Bagan is situated on the east bank of the Arrawaddy (formally Irrawady) River. Central Myanmar Dry Zone and is semi-desert with scrub and scattered trees. Bagan is also Myanmar most important archeology zone and is one of the richest archaeological sites in Asia. It has over 2,000 pagodas and temples built during the Bagan Dynasty founded by King Anawrahta in 1044 A.D. We will spend the remainder of the morning exploring the area and we can see our first Myanmar endemics White-throated Babbler and Burmese Bushlark. In the afternoon we will wooden boat ride along the Ayeyarwaddy River to see White-tailed Stonechat, Sand Lark. Long-billed Pipit, Spot-billed Duck, River Lapwing, Great Thick-knee. Small Pratincole, Pied Kinyfisher, thousands of Plain and Sand Martins, Indian Skimmer, River and Black-bellied Terns, Black-shouldered Kite, Laggar Falcon, Blue-tailed Bee-eater and others. We can also see wintering species such as Ruddy Shelduck, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Common Teal. Great Cormorant, Grey Heron. Grey Plover. Spotted Redshank. Common Greenshank. Temminck's Stint, rare Greater Spotted Eagle, Harriers. Common Kestrel and Peregrine Falcon. Overnight will be at hotel in Bagan.

Day 4: Bagan

We will spend the whole day in and around Bagan. Here we can see another two Myanmars endemics which are Jerdon's Minivet (recently split from White-bellied Minivet) and Hooded Treepie, together with near-endemics Vinous-breasted Starling and Plain-backed Sparrow, Chinese Francolin, Yellow-legged Buttonquail, Rain Quail. Black-shouldered Kite, Burmese Shrike, Spotted Owlet. Indian Nightjar, House Martin. Red Collared and Eurasian Collared Doves, Yellow-eyed Babbler. Brown Prinia and others. We can also see wintering species such as Eurasian Wryneck, Brown Shrike, Red-throated Flycatcher, Siberian Rubythroat, Daurian Redstart and Yellow-streaked Warbler. Overnight will be at hotel in Bagan.

Day 5: Bagan - Mt. Victoria (Natmataung) National Park

In the early morning, we will drive south and across the Ayeyarwaddy River, before continuing westwards.

After crossing the river we will travel throughout hilly semi desert and dry deciduous forests. Here we can see again Jerdon's Minivet, Hooded Treepie and Long-billed Pipit, together with near-endemic White-rumped Falcon, White-eyed Buzzard, Collared Falconet. Kalij Pheasant, various species of Woodpeckers.

Blue-throated and Lineated Barbels. Asian Barred Owlet. Golden-fronted. Blue-winged and Orange-bellied Leafbirds, Black-hooded Oriole. Alexandrine. Rose-ringed. Blossom-headed. Grey-headed and Red-breasted Parakeets. Red-billed Blue Magpie, Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike. Small. Scarlet and RosyMinivets, Common and Large Woodshrikes, Asian Paradise-flycatcher, Blue-throated Flycatcher. Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch, Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush and many more. In the late afternoon we will arrive at Mountain Oasis Resort, on the lower slope of Mt. Victoria where we will stay for six nights.

Days 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10: Mt. Victoria (Natmataung) National Park

We will bird watching five full days at Mt. Victoria.
Natmataung (Mt. Victoria) National Park is a major focal point of the tour. It is mountainous terrain including Mount Victoria with the elevation of 3054m, the highest mountain in West and Central Myanmar. The park located in Southern Chin Hills in Chin State, north-western part of Myanmar, which falls within the Eastern Himalayas Endemic Bird Area. It holds a great variety of eastern Himalayan bird species together with some regional endemic and near-endemic species.

The habitat type of higher altitude of Mt. Victoria is characterized by pine, oak, rhododendron and evergreen forests with shot grassland.
Here we can able to see White- browed Nuthatch. Myanmar's fifth and most irresistible endemic which is known only in this site. Other speciality birds that could be seen on this area are near-endemics - Mount Victoria Babax (recently split from Chinese Babax), Brown-capped Laughingthrush and Whistler's Warbler, rare and shy Blyth's Tragopan. Hill Partridge. Himalayan Swiftlet. Yellow-billed Blue Magpie. Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush. Slaty-backed and Rufous-gorgetted Flycatchers. White-browed Shortwing, Bar-tailed Treecreeper, Yellow-browned and Black-browned Tits,Striated Bulbul, Brown Bush. Ashy-throated and Black-faced Warblers, Slender-billed Scimitar, Scaly-breasted Wren, Pygmy Wren, Black-headed Shrike and Green Shrike Babblers, Chestnut-tailed Minla, White-browed Fulvetta, Stripe-throated Yuhina, Spot-breasted Parrotbill, Yellow-bellied Flowerpecker, Fire-tailed Sunbird and others. At mid altitude of Mt. Victoria is covered by pine and evergreen forests. Dwarf bamboo also occurs in the understory and in thickes open area.

Here we can see near-endemic Black-throated Prinia (recently split from Hill Prinia), rare Mrs Hume's Pheasant, Rufous-bellied Woodpecker, Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon, Maroon Oriole, Grey, Long-tailed and Short-billed Minivets. Long-tailed and Black-breasted Thrushes, Snowy-browed Flycatcher, Large Niltava, Indian Blue Robin. Blue-fronted Redstart, Spotted Forktail, White-tailed Nuthatch, Black-bibbed Tit, Broad-billed and Aberrant Bush Warblers, Red-faced Liocichla, Cutia, Black-eared Shrike Babbler, Rusty-fronted and Streak-throated Barwings, Blue-winged and Red-tailed Minlas. Rufous-winged Fulvetta, Whiskered Yuhina. Spot-breasted again and Black-throated Parrotbills. Fire-breasted Flowerpecker, Yellow-breasted Greenfinch, Brown Bullfinch. Spot-w:inged Grosbeak and others. At the lower altitude o[ mountain has pine and deciduous forests.

Here we can see near-endemic Stripe Laughingthrush, Hodgson's Frogmouth, Grey Nightjar, Large Hawk Cuckoo, Red-billed Blue Magpie, Scaly Thrush, Yellow-cheeked and Black-throated Tits, Flavescent Bulbul. Crested Finchbill, Striated Prinia, Brownish-flanked Bush, Russet Bush, Grey-hooded and Grey-crowned Warblers. Red-faced Liocichla again, Blue-winged Laughingthrush. Spot-throated and Spot-breasted Scimitar Babblers. Nepal and Rusty-capped Fulvettas, Silver-eared Mesia. Mrs Gould's and Green-tailed Sunbirds and many more.

At all altitude zones where we can see near-endemics - Chin Hills Wren Babbler (recently split from Long-tailed Wren Babbler) and Assam Laughingthrush (recently split from Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush). Mountain Bamboo Partridge, Crimson-breasted and Darjeeling Woodpeckers, Great and Golden-throated Barbets. Yellow-bellied Fantail. Chestnut-vented Nuthatch, Chestnut-headed Tesia. Green-backed Tit. Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler and Grey Sibia

Many raptors such as Black Baza, Oriental Honey and Common Buzzards. Changeable Hawk, Mountain Hawk, Cresteted Serpent and Black Eagles, Besra, Eurasian Sparrowhawk. Common Kesterl and Oriental Hobby can be also seen.
We can also able to see wintering species such as Chestnut, Grey-sided and Eyebrowed Thrushes, Orange-flanked Bush Robin, Black Redstart, Buff-throated, Hume's, Radde's and Tickell's Leaf Warblers, Common Rosefinch, Chestnut and Little Buntings.

Day 11: Mt. Victoria (Natmataung National Park) - Bagan

Morning, return to Bagan for one night stay. Birding stops en-route. Overnight will be hotel in Bagan.

Day 12: Bagan - Kalaw

Today we will take a short flight to Heho and make a short drive to Kalaw for a two night stay. Birding stops en-route. Overnight will be at hotel in Kalaw.

Day 13: Kalaw

Kalaw is a small town located on the Shan Plateau in East Myanmar at 1.380m above sea level. Its area is covered by evergreen forests and secondary pine forests. In Kalaw major bird watching site is Yeaye Reserve Forest which is evergreen forest and has a small reservoir.
We will spend the whole day at small reservoir and its surrounding evergreen forest. Here we can see near-endemics Burmese Yuhina, Dark-backed Sibia and Indochinese Cuckooshrike, rear Giant Nuthatch,Speckled Piculet, Rufous-backed Sibia, White-browed Laughingthrush, Streaked Wren, Golden, Rusty-cheeked Scimitar. White-browed Scimitar, White-browed Shrike and Rufous-fronted Babblers, Spectacled Barwing. Silver-eared Mesia, Rusty-capped and Grey-cheeked Fulvettas, Pin-tailed Green Pigeon, Red-billed Blue Magpie, Sooty-headed, Mountain, Black, Ashy and Brown-breasted Bulbuls, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, Sliver-breasted and Long-tailed Broadbills, Black-breasted Thrush, Sapphire Flycatcher, Vivid Niltava, White-crowned Forktail, White-capped Water Redstart, Bianchi's and White-tailed Leaf Warblers. Black-throated Sunbird. Black-headed Greenfinch. Crested Bunting and many more.
We can also see wintering species such as Grey-backed Shrike. Rosy Minivet. Daurian Redstart, Chestnut-flanked and Japanese White-eyes, Spotted Bush Warbler and Chestnut Bunting.
Overnight will be at holel in Kalaw.

Day 14: Kalaw - Inle Lake

We will drive a shot distant to Inle Lake for one night stay and make boat ride on Inle Lake. Inle is a shallow lake and located in a north-south going valley surrounded on two sides by smaller mountain ranges on the Shan Plateau in East Myanmar at 1,300m above sea level. It is also a famous tourist site in Myanmar.

Here we can see rare Jerdon's Bushchat, very rare Sarus Crane, Collared Myna, Glossy Ibis, Purple Swamphen. Ruddy-breasted and Black-tailed Crakes, Pheasant-tailed and Bronze-winged Jacanas, Black-winged Stilt, Oriental Pratincole, Cinnamon and Yellow Bitterns, Lesser Whistling and Spot-billed Ducks, Blue-eared Kingfisher, Plaintive Cuckoo, Clamorous Reed Warbler, Plain and Yellow-bellied Prinias and Striated Grassbird. We can also see migrant species such as Baer's, Ferruginous. Red-crested and Common Pochards. Gadwall, Eurasian Wigeon. Northern Pintail, Common Teal, Common Coot, Grey-headed Lapwing. Marsh Sandpiper. Brown-headed Gull. Harriers, Steppe Eagle. Bluethroat, Dusky and Black-browed Reed Warblers and Yellow-breasted Bunting. And also breeding or roostinu colom of Little. Cattle and Intermediate Egrets, Indian Pond, Chinese Pond and Black-crowned Night Herons, Little Cormorant, Vinous-breasted, Chestnut-tailed, Black-collared andAsian Pied Starlings, Common. Jungle. White-vented and Collared Mynas can be seen in the evening.
Overnight will be at hotel on Inle Lake.

Day 15: Inle Lake - Yangon

We have a final morning on Inle Lake and drive to Heho for flight to Yangon. Overnight will be at hotel in Yangon.

Day 16: Departure

City tour or visit to famous Shwedagon Pagoda, the city's primary Landmark, with its magnificent golden stupa. Transfer to Yangon international airport for the departure flight at your flight time.