{"id":610,"date":"2023-03-18T16:06:15","date_gmt":"2023-03-18T16:06:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nrbhutantours.com\/?page_id=610"},"modified":"2026-09-21T09:47:30","modified_gmt":"2026-09-21T09:47:30","slug":"birding-tour","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/nrbhutantours.com\/?page_id=610","title":{"rendered":"Birding Tour"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Overview<\/strong><\/h4>

Bhutan is home to more than 700 avian species. You’ll spot many varieties on this colorful excursion through the western part of the country, which takes you to both well-known and off-the-beaten-path birding zones. Fall in love with Bhutan’s forested landscapes and majestic wildlife on this itinerary that’s tailor-made for nature lovers.<\/p>

Highlights<\/strong><\/h5>
  • Search for the Rufous-fronted Tit near Thimphu<\/li>
  • Take a\u00a0scenic hike to the Lungchutse monastery<\/li>
  • Check the Ibisbill off your list in the Thimphu Valley<\/li>
  • Climb a thousand steps to the legendary Tiger’s Nest Monastery<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    Brief Itinerary<\/strong><\/h5>
    Day<\/th>Highlights<\/th>Overnight<\/th><\/tr>
    Day 1<\/td>Arrive in Thimphu<\/td>Thimphu<\/td><\/tr>
    Day 2<\/td>Explore Bird Habitats in the Thimphu Valley<\/td>Thimphu<\/td><\/tr>
    Day 3<\/td>Take a Scenic Drive to the Punakha Valley<\/td>Punakha<\/td><\/tr>
    Day 4<\/td>Search for Birds in the Punakha Valley<\/td>Punakha<\/td><\/tr>
    Day 5<\/td>Drive from Punakha to Phobjika<\/td>Phobjika<\/td><\/tr>
    Day 6<\/td>Go Birding on the Way to the Paro Valley<\/td>Paro<\/td><\/tr>
    Day 7<\/td>Visit Bhutan’s Oldest Temple<\/td>Paro<\/td><\/tr>
    Day 8<\/td>Hike to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery<\/td>Paro<\/td><\/tr>
    Day 9<\/td>Depart from Paro – End of Trip<\/td>\u00a0<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    Day 1: Arrive in Thimphu<\/strong><\/h5>

    Welcome to\u00a0Bhutan<\/strong>! Arrive at the airport in\u00a0Paro<\/strong>, then head straight for Bhutan’s capital city:\u00a0Thimphu<\/strong>. The best birding areas in the capital\u00a0are suburbs like\u00a0Upper-Motithang<\/strong>\u00a0and the northern end of the valley (Cheri<\/strong>,\u00a0Doedena<\/strong>, and\u00a0Begana<\/strong>), so stow your bags at the hotel and venture outside the city center for an afternoon of birdwatching.<\/p>

    Start with the Upper-Motithang area, a good place to see species like the Rufous-fronted Tit. Sparrow Hawks, Rufous-bellied Woodpeckers, Hoopoes, Nepal House Martin, and Hill Myna are also common here. In between birdwatching, visit the\u00a0Tashichu Dzong<\/strong>\u00a0and the\u00a0Giant Buddha Statue<\/strong>\u00a0before heading back to your hotel for the night.<\/p><\/div>

    Day 2: Explore Bird Habitats in the Thimphu Valley<\/strong><\/h5>

    Rise early on your second day in Bhutan for a pleasant drive through the rich vegetation of fir, pine, rhododendron, and apple trees just outside Thimphu. The Red-Billed Chough is seen frequently in this area, so keep an eye out on the way. Make your way to the northern end of the Thimphu Valley, where chances are high that you’ll see Ibisbills, Common Sandpipers, Crested-Pie kingfishers, Red-rumped Swallows, Long-Tailed Minivets, Grey Wagtails, Yellow-Billed Blue Magpies, Spotted Nutcrackers, White-Bellied Yuhina, Black-Browed Tits, Upland Pipits, and many more.<\/p><\/div>

    Day 3: Take a Scenic Drive to the Punakha Valley<\/strong><\/h5>

    After an early breakfast, make your way east,\u00a0stopping at the\u00a0Dochula Pass<\/strong>. On a clear day, the pass offers breathtaking vistas of the entire Himalayan mountain range on the border between Bhutan and\u00a0Tibet<\/strong>. The area around the pass is also a birding haven. Lace up your boots and hike through a forest of fir, birch, and rhododendron, where various birds species thrive, making your way up to\u00a0Lungchutse Monastery<\/strong>. The most prized sighting in this area is the Ward\u2019s Trogon. Other birds that you may encounter include Spotted Nutcracker, Large Hawk-Cuckoo, Darjeeling Woodpecker, Yellow-Billed Magpie, Chest-Tailed Minla, Collard Blackbird, Ultramarine Flycatcher, and Brown Bullfinch.<\/p>

    In the afternoon, descend into the bird-rich subtropical valley of\u00a0Punakha<\/strong>. Before you get there, make a brief stop to explore the edge of the forest and agricultural land in a nearby village. Sub-tropical species most likely to be seen here are the Red-headed Trogon, Wedge-Tailed Pigeon, Fire-Capped Tit, White-Gorgeted Flycatcher, the rare Yellow-Vented Warbler, Magpie Robin, Green Magpie, and Osprey.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>

    Plan your trip to Bhutan<\/strong>
    Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.<\/span><\/div>
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    Day 4: Search for Birds in the Punakha Valley<\/strong><\/h5>

    Punakha<\/strong>\u00a0is one of the lowest places in this part of Bhutan and has a subtropical climate. Following an old trail along the bank of the\u00a0Mo Chhu\u00a0<\/strong>river, explore its bank and surrounding vegetation. This area is renowned for the critically endangered White-Bellied Heron. Further up the road, pause to visit the impressive\u00a0Punakha Dzong<\/strong>, arguably the most beautiful dzong (a kind of fortress) in Bhutan. Then make your way into the forests of the upper Punakha Valley where Bay Woodpeckers, Red-headed Trogons, Wedge-Tailed Pigeons, Fire-Capped Tits, White-Gorgeted Flycatchers, rare Yellow-vented Warblers, Magpie Robins, Green Magpies, Ospreys, River Lapwings, Ruddy Shelducks, and Eurasian Wigeons dart into and out of sight along riverbanks and villages. Keep an eye out for a variety of skulkers that also call this region home, including the Spotted Elachura and Pygmy Wren-Babbler, and two of Bhutan\u2019s three species of Tesia.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>

    Day 5: Drive from Punakha to Phobjika<\/strong><\/h5>

    Wave farewell to Punakha, passing ruins and the\u00a0construction site of\u00a0Wangdi Prodang Dzong<\/strong>\u00a0as you depart for\u00a0Phobjikha<\/strong>. Along the way, stop often to explore the edge of a river channel, scanning the forests for Flycatchers and Wedge-Tailed Green Pigeons. This area is also home to the Carlet Finch, Black Drongo, Chestnut-Bellied Nuthatch, Slaty-Backed Forktail, Gorgeted Flycatcher, White-Throated Laughingthrush, Eurasian Jay, Wedge-Tailed Green Pigeon, Mountain Imperial Pigeon, Verditer Flycatcher, and more.<\/p>

    If you’re traveling between October and March, famed Black-Neck Cranes await in the wild. In the second half of the afternoon, stop at the\u00a0Black-Neck Crane Center<\/strong>\u00a0and, if time permits, take a leisurely walk in the glacial\u00a0Phobjika Valley<\/strong>, where White-Throated Laughingtrushes, Mountain Imperial Pigeons, Slaty-backed Forktails, Rusty-Flanked Tree Creepers, White-Browed Bush Robins, and White-Winged Grosbeaks make their home. While you’re here, don’t miss the century-old\u00a0Gangtey Monastery\u00a0<\/strong>overlooking the valley.<\/p><\/div>

    Day 6: Go Birding on the Way to the Paro Valley<\/strong><\/h5>

    Say goodbye to Phobjikha and its cranes as you drive east to Pele La Pass<\/strong>, where the morning is the best time to spot the area’s most beloved birds: Satyrs Tragopan, Blood Pheasant, Khalij Pheasant, Himalayan Monal, Yellow-Billed Magpie, Chest-Tailed Minla, Collard Blackbird, and Ultramarine Flycatcher. Then head back to the car for a\u00a0 leisurely drive \u2014 with many birding stops along the way \u2014 to\u00a0Paro<\/strong>. The most elusive find on this drive is the Shriek Babbler.<\/p><\/div>

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    Day 7: Visit Bhutan’s Oldest Temple<\/strong><\/h5>

    Start your first morning in Paro with a walk along the\u00a0Po Chu<\/strong>\u00a0riverbank to the\u00a0Drukyul Dzong<\/strong>\u00a0area, where you’re likely to spot various species of birds, including Fire-Capped Tits, Spotted Laughing Thrush, and Brown Dipper. Later, visit cultural attractions like the Buddhist monasteries\u00a0Rinpung Dzong\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0Ta Dzong\u00a0<\/strong>as well as\u00a0Bhutan\u2019s oldest temple,\u00a0Kichu Lhakhang<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>

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    Day 8: Hike to Tiger’s Nest Monastery<\/strong><\/h5>

    Get an early start on your hike to the iconic\u00a0Tiger’s Nest Monastery<\/strong>\u00a0(Taktsang Monastery)<\/strong>\u00a0for your best chance of spotting the area’s most unique birds. This is one of Bhutan’s most popular hiking trails, which means the later you hike, the more crowded it becomes \u2014 and the more birds steer clear. So start with the sunrise and keep your eyes open for Brown Dippers, Spotted Laughingthrushes, and Fire-Capped Tits.<\/p>

    In the afternoon, visit another of the Paro Valley’s best birding areas: the banks of the\u00a0Paro River<\/strong>. The most common bird here is the Ibisbill, which is found throughout the year. Other birds likely to make an appearance include Black-faced Laughingthrushes, Brown Dippers, Spotted Laughingthrushes, and Fire-Capped Tits. In the late afternoon, head back to Paro for your last dinner of the trip.<\/p><\/div>

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    Day 9: Depart Paro – End of Trip<\/h5>

    After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your onward journey. Safe travels!<\/p><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Birding Tour Overview Bhutan is home to more than 700 avian species. You’ll spot many varieties on this colorful excursion through the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-610","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nrbhutantours.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/610","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nrbhutantours.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nrbhutantours.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nrbhutantours.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nrbhutantours.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=610"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/nrbhutantours.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/610\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16147,"href":"https:\/\/nrbhutantours.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/610\/revisions\/16147"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nrbhutantours.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=610"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}