Itinerary

Day 1, 2, 3 : Thattekkad: Early morning departure for Thattekkad (1 hour).  Thattekad Bird Sanctuary, also known as Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, is 12 km NE of Kothamangalam in Ernakulam District, Kerala state, about 50 km east of Kochi . We will meet Eldhose, our birding guide, at the ferry point. Thattekkad is by far the best birding spot in South India. In an area of approximately 25 square kilometres over 270 species have been recorded. There will also be night birding for the Nightjars, Frogmouths & Owls.  Specialties here include Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl, Ceylon Frogmouth, Red Spurfowl, Bay Owl, Rufous Babbler, Blue-faced Malkoha, Brown-breasted, White-bellied Blue-tailed & Rusty-tailed Flycatchers, Grey-headed Bulbul and Wynad Laughing Thrush. Moreover, Thattekkad is ideal for seeing a good number of the  endemics of the Western Ghats. The more difficult birds are Wynad Laughing Thrush and Grey-headed Bulbul. Proceed to Orullathany, at the other end of the reserve, for the Bulbul and Laughing Thrush. Also visit Edamalayar Power Plant land and the South side of the river for the owls, Streak-throated Woodpecker and Yellow-billed Babbler. Other notable species likely to be seen within the Reserve are Red Spurfowl, Ceylon Frogmouth, Blue-faced Malkoha, Blue-bearded Bee-eater, Malabar Grey Hornbill, White-bellied and Heart-spotted Woodpeckers, Rufous Babbler, White-bellied Blue Flycatcher, White-bellied Treepie and Black-throated Munia. Thattekkad Bird List. Overnight at the Hornbill Camp.

Day 4 & 5 : Munnar. In the late afternoon we will drive to Munnar, a hill station situated at 1450m in the centre of a major tea-producing region. In the surviving forests & grasslands here one can see Nilgiri Wood-Pigeon, Grey-breasted Laughing Thrush, Nilgiri and Black-and-Rufous Flycatchers, White-bellied Shortwing, Nilgiri Pipit, Painted Bush Quail. The areas on either side of the plateau of the High Range (Nilgiri Hills), at Rajamalai (part of the Eravikulam National Park, 8 km from Munnar), or in the sholas - there are dense patches of natural evergreen forest in sheltered valleys. The grassy plateau is also one of the last habitats of the endangered Nilgiri Tahr. We will continue birding along the hillside belonging to Kunniamally tea estate for the Broad-tailed Grassbird, and also the Nilgiri Wood-Pigeon and the Shortwing and both the endemic flycatchers. Overnight Accommodation: Olive Brooke Resort

Day 6 &  7 : Ooty. Drive towards Ooty. En-route we will stop over  at Chinnar. Chinnar is a unique thorny scrub forest in the rain shadow region of the Western Ghats, about 60 kms from Munnar. It is the habitat for the Giant Grizzled Squirrel (an endangered species) in India. The altitude varies from 500 to 2400 metres and one can sense the drastic variation in the climate and vegetation, since the gradients are quite steep. The forest types comprise thorny scrub forests, dry deciduous forests, high sholas and wet grasslands. One can sight Large Grey Babbler, White-bellied Woodpecker, White-naped Woodpecker, Lesser Whitethroat and Jerdon's Baza, Rain Quail, Blue-breasted Quail, Speckled Piculet, Blue-bearded Bee-eater, Sirkeer Malkoha, Oriental Scops Owl, Eurasian Eagle Owl, Black Baza, White-rumped Shama, Streak-throated Swallow and Grey-breasted Laughing Thrush.  We  will reach Ooty  by evening. We will bird at the Cairnhill shola as well as the Kallatti Ghats en-route to  Masinagudi. Overnight Accommodation: Regency Villas.

Day 8 – Depart for next destination. Tour Ends

Tariff: On Request