15-Day Bird Watching and Cultural Tour in Bhutan

Embark on a 15-day bird watching and cultural tour in Bhutan, a land of rhododendron forests, stunning panoramas, and friendly Buddhist culture. Discover the best-preserved forests in the Himalayas, spot over 350 bird species, encounter diverse wildlife, and immerse yourself in the unique Bhutanese culture.

Duration: 15 days
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights

We begin our tour in Paro valley.

Paro - This morning you meet your local guide and driver from our office

Paro River - Next we will stop by the Pa Chhu river, where camouflaged amongst the glacial stones, we can look for Ibisbill, one of the highlights of our Bhutan birding tour. In this area we should also find; Brown Dipper, Common and Green Sandpipers, Common Hoopoe, Plumbeous Water Redstart, Himalayan Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Grey-backed Shrike, Russet Sparrow, Rosy Pipit, Siberian Stonechat, Citrine Wagtail, Rufous-breasted Accentor and Wallcreeper (winter visitor).

Northward migration will be underway and many of the valleys throughout Bhutan act as important conduits, therefore, it is possible that you may see species as yet not recorded in Bhutan.

Morning birding at Chele La for high altitude birds and continue to Thimphu, 110 km.

Chele La Pass - An early morning departure for our journey up through ancient high boreal forests to Chele La pass at 3,780m, the highest point we will reach on this tour. On the way we hope to see Grey Nightjar (often flushed by our vehicles light).
Chele La gives us the opportunity to ascend above tree line into alpine meadows and dwarf rhododendron scrub where we have the possibility of seeing some of Bhutan’s high altitude birds such as; Himalayan Monal, Blood Pheasant, Himalayan Cuckoo, Snow Pigeon, Rufous-fronted and Yellow-browed Tits, Greenish Warbler, Red-tailed Minla, White-browed Fulvetta, Black-throated Thrush, Blanford’s and White-browed Rosefinches, Collared Grosbeak, White-throated Redstart, White-browed Bush Robin, Alpine Accentor, Plain Mountain Finch (often seen in big flocks of up to 200 birds), and Red-headed Bullfinch.

Thimphu - After breakfast we will continue birding the beautiful areas of Chele La before gradually making our way back to Paro and continue east to Thimphu city.

What's Included
  • All museum and park entrance fees included
  • Domestic flight from Bumthang to Paro covered
  • Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner
  • Bhutan visa fee taken care of
What's Not Included
  • Travel Insurance (essential)
  • Personal expenses
  • Charges incurred as a result of circumstances beyond the control of Langur Eco Travels
  • Flights
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Experience the ultimate birdwatching, wildlife and cultural expedition in Bhutan. Seated in the aesthetic grandeur of the Eastern Himalayas, Bhutan is a petite nation known for its rhododendron groves, breathtaking vistas and welcoming Buddhist traditions.

Birding in this quaint country is deeply gratifying. The urban spaces here are tiny and encircled by unblemished forests, making it an ideal location for birdwatchers. The sparse road traffic allows for remarkable strolls through the Himalayas’ best-conserved woodlands. During this journey, you’ll observe an astounding 350 bird varieties, 12-15 types of mammals, and a diverse collection of butterflies and blossoms.

You’ll have provisions to appreciate the spectacular architecture, visit dzongs – structures that unify the attributes of a fortress and monastery – and interact cordially with the Bhutanese populace. By and large, discover Bhutan’s distinct heritage, combining your curiosity without forfeiting your primary goals!

This meticulously planned itinerary is designed to spotlight Bhutan’s beauty, minimizing the need for extensive travel and eliminating the requirement for camping.

  • Not recommended for travellers with serious high altitude sickness
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(27 Ratings)
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C9762jkallisonm
Jun 25, 2024
Beautiful Bhutan, beautiful birds - I took a 16 day birding tour with Langur Eco Travels, and we traveled all over Bhutan seeing rainbow colored monal phesants, a great hornbill feeding its mate in a tree, jewel colored flycatchers, so many birds! I was a solo female traveler, but Namgay and Pema took such great care of my trip, it was a great time. No regrets, I'm sad to be leaving Bhutan!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Birderbob
Jun 11, 2024
Wonderful birding adventure in the happiest country - Bhutan! - The weather was pleasant for all 15 days of the tour. People are nice and eager to show off their country. We were a group of 9 birders and traveled in a comfortable Toyota bus, covering 12 of Bhutan's 20 provinces. The birds were spectacular - Parrotbills, Laughingthrushes, Sunbirds and knockout pheasants. Pleasant lodges, good food and fascinating culture.
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F6184qrgerardb
May 30, 2024
Birding tour of Bhutan - From April 30 until May 10, 2024, I had the great pleasure of being part of a birding tour run by Langur Eco Travels and led by Chubsang Tangbi and his colleague, Jigme Tshering. After having lead tours myself for 35 years to more than 30 countries, I recognized almost immediately that Chubsang was exceptional in his ability to find and show us the most difficult-to-see bird species in Bhutan. We had breathtaking and leisurely views of four pheasant species, Himalayan Monal, Kalij Pheasant, Blood Pheasant, and Satyr Tragopan at close range for photography. Cutia, Ibisbill, Ward’s Trogon and Honeyguide were a few of the 240 species seen on our final list. Chubsang has exceptional hearing which allowed us to locate and see many elusive, low-density species. The logistics for the trip were superb with excellent accommodations and food throughout. Our professional driver was helpful and efficient and we always felt safe while birding or driving on mountain roads. Although we concentrated on Bhutan's natural history, at our request Chubsang made time for a visit to Bhutan’s first and perhaps the most beautiful of the 22 ancient temple-fortresses or dzongs. Based on my experience I can recommend Chubsang and Langur Eco Tours without reservation for any natural history tour of Bhutan.
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Carolyng624
May 27, 2024
Best Experience - My friend and I went on private 16 day bird photography tour with Langer Eco Travels. From the very first email the correspondence with Chubzang (the owner of the company) was quick and friendly, with every question being answered thoroughly. Upon arrival we were greeted by Sonam our guide, and our driver, Getty. We immediately felt welcomed and cared for. Every detail was addressed and looked after. We can't say enough about Sonam's ability as a guide and as a wonderful person in general. We shared lots of laughs and thoroughly enjoyed our time spent with him. His ability to hear, identify and find birds was like something I had never experienced before. Due to an unfortunate personal situation Sonam had to leave us. Chubzang then joined us, picking up from where we left off without a hitch. We enjoyed another great week with equal enthusiasm, talent and hospitality. Our driver was fantastic. We never felt a moment of uneasiness; driving on some of the craziest roads we've ever experienced. The vehicles we traveled in were super comfortable and safe. The accommodations were better than we had expected and met our needs in everyway. We were given the option to go to a jungle camp. This was one of the best decisions we made on the trip. The food was plentiful, fresh and generally served family style. We especially enjoyed our picnic breakfasts, coffee breaks and roadside lunches. Our little table would be set up overloking amazing vistas and beautiful scenery. Bhutan is a breathtaking country with an amazing culture. We had the opportunity to visit outstanding monasteries and dzongs. Sonam and Chubzang were also cultural guides in addition to their phenomenal birding talents. We learned a lot about Buddhism, the country's history, conservation efforts and the current challenges that exist and those that lay head. It became evident that progress cannot be stopped even in the kingdom of Bhutan. If you are thinking of going we recommend doing so sooner than later. Still relatively missed by tourists one can appreciate the authenticity, purity and wonder of this remarkable place.
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Noreenw964
May 20, 2024
Incredible Bhutan - This is one of the most amazing trips we have ever been on. Langur Eco Travels guides were knowledgeable and thoughtful. They showed us wonderful places with fantastic scenery, so many birds and other wildlife. For birders, you will be living the lifers on this trip. The Bhutanese culture is beautiful. If you can make it, we highly recommend this trip.
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Ericsa5443dq
May 15, 2024
Bhutan--beautiful in the springtime! - I'm recently home from a 19-day trip with Langur Eco Travels--a trip I had waited 3 years to do. I had worked with Langur's owner, Chubzang Tangbi, to arrange the trip back in 2020, but then COVID and the schedules of the nine participants kept pushing the date. The trip was primarily focused on Bhutan's birds and mammals, but we were also scheduled to take in some cultural sites as well. And the forests were amazing--we went in spring at the height of the rhododendrum bloom (about 70% of the country is forested). The trip was worth the wait; it exceeded all of my expectations. Our guide was Chubzang's brother and the company's co-owner, Sonam Tshering, who was fabulous. He's an expert on the birds of Bhutan and he was always ready to tell you about a particular bird or to help you to see it. This is a trip that I'll never forget. I'm currently working with Chubzang to schedule another for the Golden Gate Bird Alliance, for whom I volunteer.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Z2231vbkeithc
Apr 16, 2024
Best Bird watching Tour Operator in Bhutan - During March 2024, I spent 17 days bird watching in Bhutan. It was booked through Birdfinders in the UK, but in fact it was totally organised by Langar Eco Travels. From the moment, I met Chubzang and his team at Paro Airport the trip was a total success in all aspects from finding and seeing birds, to the accommodation, and the camping crew providing daily hot breakfasts and lunches in the field in order to maximize birding time. Nothing was too much trouble for Chubzang, his driver Tainding A, 2nd guide Tainding B and the field crew, all most friendly and welcoming. I would highly recommend anyone considering going to Bhutan to contact Chubzang at Langar Eco Travel to organise their trip.
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744lesw
Apr 10, 2024
Birdwatching in Bhutan. - Chubzang and his crew were amazing. Food and Accommodation and friendliness amazing. The only problem is that with most companies that 12 people are to many.Not all, but most birds don't hang around too long. I would highly recommend Langur Eco Travel's,as what we did see was fantastic, the scenery, the culture and hospitality was second to none. Bhutan is a trip of a lifetime!!
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Inala_nature_tours
Feb 26, 2024
Fantastic tour run by professional, knowledgeable and authentic local operator. - I have just returned from one of the most amazing tours to Bhutan. I can't thank Chubzang and his team at Langur Eco Travels enough for the excellent and professional organisation of my tour and for sharing their passion and vast knowledge of the natural history of their special country with me. The cultural experience was also exceptional. I am a tour operator and am already looking forward to returning with our tour groups in the near future. My heartfelt thanks for your generosity and kindness Chubzang and already can't wait to return!
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Nigelh486
Dec 18, 2023
Birding and Culture in Bhutan - My wife and I have just returned from a wonderful 3 week private birding tour with Sonam from Langur Ecotravels. A wonderful mix of Culture and of course amazing birding sightings. Thoroughly recommended.
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