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BHUTAN - BIRDING, CULTURE & NATURAL HISTORYBirding Focused
Dates: March 16-April 3, 2014
19 Days, $6,900 from Bangkok

We eagerly anticipate our eighth tour – and our first spring tour – to this Himalayan jewel, the Land of the Thunder Dragon. In this magical place, an intact Buddhist culture is integrated into every aspect of daily life, and spectacular mountain scenery provides a backdrop to pristine forests and picturesque valleys. The breathtaking landscape is dotted with fluttering prayer flags, colorful farmhouses amid terraced fields, and impressive monasteries clinging to impossible cliffs.

This shining cultural gem is also a bird-watcher’s paradise. Its wide altitudinal range—from sub-tropical lowlands to arctic-like mountain peaks—provide an array of climatic conditions and habitats, from tropical jungles to temperate forests and tundra that support over 600 bird species. These include some of the most exotic and rare species in the eastern Himalayas.

Unlike other Himalayan countries, most of Bhutan’s original forest remains intact. The Buddhist philosophy of respect for all living things, and a progressive government approach to development in which the preservation of the environment and the promotion of Bhutan’s unique culture and traditions are key elements, have maintained a healthy environment where wildlife flourishes. As a result, Bhutan lies in an area designated as one of the world’s ten biodiversity hotspots.

We return to our favorite places, including the recently opened southern road which greatly expanded our Bhutan experience by dropping down to the Indian plain where we see dozens of additional bird species and a culturally different world along the India border. Springtime is characterized by a greater variety of bird species than our usual November trips, not to men-tion the stunning abundance of orchids and rhododendrons and other flora in full bloom. Throughout the trip, we see and occasionally visit the impressive monasteries, dzongs and chortens that are important features of Bhutan’s religion and culture, past and present. Our itinerary combines camping and inns, hiking and road travel, on a pleasing and varied schedule suitable for seri-ous birders and beginners alike.