Orog is one of the most highly regarded birding and nature tour companies in Bhutan. The packages are designed to create hassle-free birding vacations and are based on carefully investigated and tested birding trips to specific hot spots in Bhutan.
Through extraordinary encounters, we work to impart knowledge and offer top-notch experiences that promote a deep respect for the natural world, spur wildlife conservation efforts, and enrich and renew lives through shared exploration.
We provide you with birdwatching excursions led by knowledgeable guides who can accommodate birders of all skill levels. We’d be delighted to have you join us.
On the arrival at the Paro international airport, representative from Orog Travel will receive you with offering Kha-Dhar (traditional scarf) and transfer to hotel.
Your evening birding starts here, exploring Paro river bank specifically looking for Ibisbill, Brown Dipper and Wallcreeper. While looking for above mentioned targetedspecies, you will also have good catch of other commoner species. To mention few, River Lapwing, Olive-backed Pipit, White-capped and Plumbeous Water Redstart, White Wagtail, Rufous-breasted Accentor, Green and Common Sandpiper and others..
Overnight: Paro
Early morning drive to chelela, 1hr drive (approx. 4000 masl) highest motor road entrance birding sites. Today's targeted species will be Pheasants and other high altitude birds. While starting from the base, you will be amaze by frequent sighting of Kalij Pheasants. Later at mid-way point to the pass, you will be entering into the Satyr Tragopan's habitat and finally you will see Blood Pheasant and Himalyan Monals within the vicinity of pass. Other species on the way and around the pass includes Spotted, Black-faced and Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrushes, Varieties of Tits, Collared and White-winged Grosbeak, Spotted Nutcracker, Green-tailed and Mrs Gould's Sunbirds, Red-headed Bullfinch, White-browed, Dark-rumped and Dark-breasted Rosefinch, Rufous-bellied Woodpecker, Hodgson's Treecreeper,Magpie, Fulvettas, Yuhinas and other alpine specialist species
After birding at pass, you will head back towards capital city of Bhutan, Thimphu. Our final stop for the day will be next to Thimphu city, sewage pond area for Solitary Snipe and Black-tailed Crake, Ibisbill and Wallcreeper incase if you missed at Paro.
Break for the day, shopping if necessary.
Overnight: Thimphu.
Early morning drive towards Punakha(2 hr 30 min drive) eroute Dochula (3150 masl). Around the Dochula pass you look for Fire-tailed Myzornis, Finches, Yuhinas, Eurasian Jay and other alpine birds. Later while descending, we will explore Royal Botanical Park. The park has amazing broad leaf forest composition providing good habitat for wildlife. Here you may see illusive Red Panda if you are lucky. Apart from the common birds, you will explore nature trail inside the Park for Ward's Trogon, Brown and Black-throated Parrotbill, Golden-breasted Fulvetta, Slender-billed and Streaked-breasted Scimitar Babbler, Grey-sided Laughing thrush and many others..
Continue your drive to Punakha valley, along with the drive you’ll look for the species like Scarlet and Long-tailed Minivet, Great and Golden-throated Barbet and other residential birds.
Evening drive along Po Chhu river for critically endangered White-bellied Heron and vulnerable Pallas's Fish Eagle. other species include here are migratory water birds, sometime there is sighting of vagrant Mandarin Duck, Ibisbill, Red-wattled and Lapwing, Common and Crested Kingfisher and few raptors.
Overnight: Punakha.
Early morning drive to Phobjikha Valley (4hrs) along the warm and cool broad leaf forest. You will make several stop on the way as you are inside the different vegetation. Here you will be rewarded with sighting of Yellow-rumped Honeyguide, Himalyan Cutia, Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch, Ward's Trogon, Hoary-throated Barwing, Blyth's Shrike-babbler, Bhutan and Rufous-chinned laughingthrush, Himalayan Bluetail, Grey-bellied Tesia, Rufous-capped and Golden Babbler and others..
Before reaching Pelela pass we’ll take the road to Phobjekha valley, crossing Lawala pass the vegetation changes into dwarf bamboo, here you’ll searching for the species like Spotted, Chestnut-crowned and Black-faced Laughingthrushes, Spotted Nutcracker, Great and Brown Parrotbills, Oriental Skylark, White-browed Shortwing Yellow-billed Blue Magpie, Chestnut-headed Tesia, Red-billed Chough, Large-billed and Whistler’s Warbler, Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler and Oriental Skylark.
Overnight : Phobjikha
After early breakfast, we’ll drive to the Pelela pass(3400 masl) and spend the morning hours birding along the old road especially for Satyr Trogopan and other high altitude species like Spotted Laughingthrush, Himalayan Griffon, Great and Brown Parrotbill, Plain Mountain Finch, White-winged and collared Grosbeak, Spotted Nutcracker, Slaty-blue, and Dark-sided Flycatcher, Grey-sided Bush Warbler and varieties of Tits, Some of the key birds you’ll looking her include Himalayan Monal, Dark-rumped Rosefinch, Fire-tailed and Green-tailed Sunbirds.
While drive to Trongsa, we’ll also be looking for the species like Speckled Wood Pigeon,
Ultramarine Flycatcher, Golden-breasted and White-browed and Rufous-winged Fulvetta, Streak-breasted and Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler. Black-winged Cuckoo Shrike, Nepal House Martin, Blyth’s Swift and White-throated Needletail, Black Eagle and many more..
Overnight: Trongsa
Today drive to Zhemgang and Tingtibi(6 hrs drive) following the Mangde Chhu River. Species found in this area are Pin-tailed Green Pigeons, Red-Headed Trogon, , Blue-bearded Bee-eater, Rufous-throated Partridge, Hill Partridge, Coral-billed Scimitar Babbler, Rufous-necked Hornbill, Great Hornbill, White-browed Piculet, Speckled Piculet, Bay woodpecker, White-tailed Robin, White-browed Scimitar Babbler, Black-faced laughing thrush, Grey-headed Parrotbill, White-throated Needletail, Mountain Scops Owl, Collard Scops Owl, Collared Treepie,
Pygmy-blue Flycatcher. There is a chance of spotting the critically endangered White bellied Heron and rare Collared Treepie, Beautiful Nuthatch and Lesser Rufous-headed Parrotbill, Greater Rufous-headed Parrotbill, Lesser-necklaced Laughingthrush, Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush.
To high light few on mammals sighting, you will see Golden langur, Asamese Macque, Malayan Giant squirrel and others..
Overnight: Tingtibee.
Today you’ll explore wide varieties of habitats on the Zhemgang – Tingtibe roads. Habitats vary from mossy forests to streamside lowland forest. This is another chance to see Golden Langur, which is fairly common here. We’ll also be searching for Rufous-necked and Great Hornbill, Pin-tailed and Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon, Cutia, Scarlet Minivet, varieties of beautiful Laughingthrushes, Spotted Wren Babblers and very rare and sought after Beautiful Nuthatch.
In the afternoon we’ll be exploring the Gomphu Road, the road that goes to Manas National Park, here we’ll be searching for the species like Lesser Rufous-headed Parrotbill, White-hooded Babbler, Grey-throated and Rufous-capped Babbler, Lesser Yellownape, Blue-bearded Bee-eater, Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush, Blue-throated Flycatcher, Striated and Black-chinned Yuhinas, Chestnut-winged, Drongo Cuckoo, Common Green Magpie, Emerald Dove, White-throated Bulbul and with the little bit of luck Pale -headed Woodpecker.
Overnight: Tingtibe
After your final morning birding, we will work our way back to Trongsa, looking along the way for the species we might have missed before.
After Trongsa it is another 3hrs drive take you through the Yotongla pass. Here we will search for Hill Partridge, Chestnut-tailed Minla, Brown and Great Parrotbill, Chestnut-crown, Black-faced and Spotted Laughingthrush, Grey-crested, Coal, Rufous-vented and Rufous-fronted Tits, Rufous-breasted Accentor, Plain Mountain Finch, Chestnut-headed Tesia, Rufous-gorgeted and Slaty Blue Flycatchers.
Overnight: Bumthang
Morning drive back to Tharpaling monastery road, before monastery while driving along pristine Bluepine forests you may see satyr Tragopan. Later at monastery we can see co-operative Himalayan Monal feeding nearby, Beautiful Rosefinch, Snow Pigeon,Eurasian Magpie and other Commoners.
Overnight : Bumthang
We drive from Bumthang to Yongkala going over Thrumshingla. Thrumshingla is the prime habitat for Blood Pheasants and also hold other high altitude species like, Snow Pigeons, Orange-flanked Bush Robin, Golden and White-browed Bush Robin, Fire-tailed Myzornis, Spotted Nutcracker, Red-billed Chough, Fire-tailed Sunbirds, Greats Parrotbills, Stripe-throated and Rufous-vented Yuhinas, Grey-crested, coals, Rufous-vented Tits, White-browed Fulvata, Dark-rumped Rosefinch, Plain-backed Thrush, White-collared and Grey-winged Blackbird, Rusty-flanked Treecreeper Buff-barred and Ashy-throated Warbler. Later we will be birding around Sengor looking for Satyr Tragopan. Sengor is known as the hotspot for Satyr Tragopan. Other birds you’ll be looking out here include Bar-winged and Scaly-breasted Wren Babbler, Gold-naped Finch, Hoary-throated Barwing, Bar-throated and Red-tailed Minlas, Whistler’s and Grey-hooded Warbler and Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler.
Overnight: Yongkala
We spend the day birding the upper and lower Limithang road. Some of the species you’ll be searching here include flocks of busy Greater Rufous-headed and Black-throated Parrotbills, Golden-breasted and Yellow-throated Fulvettas; Rufous-throated, Long-billed, Pygmy and Sikkim Wedge-billed Wren Babbler, Grey-bellied Tesia, Red-headedand Ward's Trogon, Hoary-throated Barwing, Great and Golden throated Barbet, Cutia, Grey-cheeked warbler, White-tailed and Beautiful Nuthatch, Rufous-necked Hornbil, Grey-chinned Minivet, Babblers and Tit, Coral-billed and Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler,and Black Eagle...many more species
After a final morning birding in this wonderful habitat, you’ll retrace our way back to Trongsa passing through the Sengor valley, after crossing one of the high passes, the Thrumshing La (3800m). Thrumshing La is the prime habitat for Blood Pheasant and also holds other high altitude species such as Snow Pigeon, Orange-flanked Bush-Robin, Spotted Nutcracker, Red-billed Chough, Fire-tailed Sunbird, Great Parrotbill, Stripe-throated Yuhina, Grey-crested and Coal Tits and White-browed Fulvetta. We continue through the valley of Bumthang, one of the most beautiful valleys in Bhutan. After crossing the Bumthang valley it is another 3hrs drive to Trongsa crossing the Yotongla pass (3400m).
Overnight: Trongsa
We leave our hotel in the morning as we start our return back to home. We do so with an eight hours journey bringing us back to Paro. We bird along the way for any missed species as we retrace our footsteps by following the same road as we came.
Overnight: Paro
After breakfast, transfer to airport for departure. The team from Orog Travel will bid you farewell and safe journeys until we meet again.
