Unique Wildlife of India

Unique Wildlife of India

India is full of wonderful species waiting to be seen and appreciated, one amongst these and undoubtedly one of the cutest creatures of them all is the Red Panda. It is also the only “panda” species in the world. The Giant Panda is a bear. The eastern Himalayas is the only place where one can find the red pandas. This program here is a great combination of unique along with the more easily seen wildlife in the Indian subcontinent. Our program takes you to two states in eastern India – West Bengal and to Assam. The parks that you shall be visiting are Sundarbans Tiger Reserve, Hoollongapar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kaziranga National Park and Singalila National Park. Each of these regions differ vastly in the terrain, birdlife as well as mammalian life forms.

Singalila National Park is one of the most exotic Himalayan forests in India. It is a wilderness located on the Singalila Ridge at an altitude of 7000 feet to 12000 feet above sea level with an area of 78.6 square kilometers. This is a Birding Paradise as well. More than 300 species of birds have been recorded here. Apart from the Red Panda, other mammals found here are- Himalayan Black bear, Clouded Leopard, Leopard, Leopard Cat, Himalayan Serow, Barking Deer, Yellow-throated Marten, Wild Boar, Pangolin, Pika and many other Eastern Himalayan exotics.

Sundarbans Tiger Reserve lies in one of the largest river deltas in the world where rivers Ganga and Brahmaputra flow into the Bay of Bengal. It is also the world’s largest estuarine forest criss-crossed by hundreds of creeks and tributaries, intersected by a network of tidal waterways, small islands of salt-tolerant mangrove forests and mudflats.

Hoollongapar wildlife sanctuary is a small patch of evergreen forest and Kaziranga is flood-plain grassland on the banks of the mighty Brahmaputra.

Suggested Sample Itinerary

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3 & 4

Day 5

Day 6

Arrive in Kolkata. Our team will receive you at the airport. You will check in to a hotel close to the airport. No activities are planned for the afternoon, however, there is a village about 1hr 30min outside Kolkata where we can go to search for the fishing cat. The homestay we used in this village is no more operational, however, we can drive there and search for fishing cats from 2200 – 0200 before returning to the hotel.

Overnight will be in Kolkata.

This morning we should try and leave as early as 0730 / 0800 in the morning. Our next destination is Sundarbans Tiger Reserve. The journey to Sundarbans is completed in two parts:

Part 1: Drive from Kolkata airport to Gothkhali Jetty, a drive of 3hrs. Part 2: At the jetty you take a boat journey of 2hrs to get to Sundarbans Tiger Camp. You should arrive at the camp in time for a late lunch.

This afternoon we can explore the area in and around the lodge for lesser cats and birding.

Sundarbans National Park is the largest estuarine mangrove forest in the world. The forest is located on the delta formed by the convergence of the mighty Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers and covers a total area of 9630 sq. kms. The terrain comprises mainly of mangrove swamps and estuaries. derives its name from the mangrove tree “Sundari” (Heritiera fomes) that provides valuable fuel to the inhabitants of the area. The park was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985 due to its rich biodiversity and for being home to the largest Tiger reserves in the world.

Due to the geographical constraints of the landscape, it is only possible to travel into the interiors of the forests via boats and ferries through backwaters, hopping from one island to another. In fact, experiencing nature and wildlife though boat rides is unique to this National Park and its main attraction.

The most famous inhabitant of the Sundarbans National Park is the Royal Bengal Tiger, with over 104 estimated to be living in the forest. Besides the tigers, other animals that can be seen in the national park are Fishing Cat, Leopard Cat, Jungle Cat, Rhesus Macaque, Wild Boar, Indian Grey Mongoose, Smooth-Coated Otter and Spotted Deer. The park is home to over 230 species of birds. Some of the species that can be seen are Lesser Adjutant Stork (Madan tak), Black Headed Cuckoo Shrike, Plaintive Cuckoo, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Oriental White Eye, Minivet, Long Tail NightJar, Ashy Wood Swallow, Indian Roller, Grey Headed Lapwing, Pallas’s Fish Eagle, Buffy Fish Owl, Mangrove Whistler, Mangrove Pitta, Indian Pitta, Goliath Heron, Gray Heron, Ruddy Kingfisher, Barn Owl, Collared Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher, White Throated Kingfisher, Stork Billed Kingfisher, Common Kingfisher, Blue Eared Kingfisher etc. Some of the migratory bird species that can be sighted are Northern Shoveller, Eurasian Curlew, Ruddy Shelduck, Eurasian Wigeon, Purple Heron, etc.

The park is also home to a large number of reptiles as well, including Estuarine Crocodiles, Water Monitor Lizards, Turtles – including Olive Ridley, Hawksbill, and Green turtles. Snakes include Pythons, King Cobra, Rat Snake, Russell’s Viper, Dog Faced Water Snake, Checkered Keelback, and Common Krait.

Overnight will be at Sundarban Tiger Camp.

Accessing the farthest points is not possible if you focus on short safaris, thus we have planned two full-day private safaris. The picturesque landscape and the variety of birds that inhabit Sundarbans National Park are the ideal settings for photographers to capture the raw, natural beauty of the park. It is advisable to carry a beanbag or some form of stabilizer as the boats move due to the tidal change. Twice a day the whole forest sinks due to diurnal tide. Low tide and high tide determine what time one can venture to certain parts of the park. Spend the two days exploring these unique mangrove forests of the largest River Delta in the world. Returning to the camp in the evening.

Overnight will be at Sundarban Tiger Camp.

This morning you make your way back to Kolkata in the similar way that you arrived here in the Sundarbans – first half of the journey by boat and the remainder by road. Rest of the day is at leisure.

NOTE: Depending on the tides and should there be enough time we can do another short boat safari this morning before departing for Kolkata.

Overnight will be in Kolkata.

This morning after an early breakfast you transfer to the airport to catch a flight to Jorhat, in Assam. You shall arrive in Jorhat by lunchtime. Jorhat is part of the Assamese tea-growing region. Our home for tonight will be the Thengal Mansion – a heritage hotel. Constructed in 1929, Thengal Manor is a beautiful mansion, which is now a popular heritage hotel in Jorhat. It was also the site of the event of launching of 'Dainik Batori', the first daily newspaper in the Assamese language. This is your access point to a very unique wildlife sanctuary in India, visited by only a few – the Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary.

Formerly known as the Gibbon Sanctuary, it is an isolated protected area of evergreen forest. The sanctuary was officially constituted and renamed in 1997. Set aside initially in 1881, its forests used to extend to the foothills of the Patkai mountain range. Since then, the forest has been fragmented and surrounded by tea gardens and small villages. In the early 1900s, artificial regeneration was used to develop well-stocked forests, resulting in the site's rich biodiversity. The Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary contains India's only gibbons – the hoolock gibbons, and North-eastern India's only nocturnal primate – the Bengal slow loris.

Most of the vegetation within Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary is evergreen in character and is composed of several canopy layers. It is home to 7 species of primates – hoolock gibbon, capped langur, stump-tailed macaque, northern pig-tailed macaque, eastern Assamese macaque, rhesus macaque and the Bengal slow loris. Also found in the park are the tiger, leopard, Asiatic elephants, jungle cats, wild boars and 3 species of civets.

The isolation of the park by numerous tea gardens creates a geographic barrier for migrating animals. The growing populations of tea garden workers also threatens the habitat since many people rely on the forest for firewood, traditional medicine and food. Large quantities of leaves and grass are collected from the forests to feed cattle. During the rainy season, herbicides and pesticides from the tea gardens wash through the sanctuary.

After having lunch and settling-in you will take a short visit to the park. The park is to be explore on foot. An armed forest guard accompanies you during your exploration. Please note larger mammals are rarely seen in the park, our aim here is to explore the primate variety in the park. The biggest danger and the reason for the armed guard

Overnight will be at Thengal Manor.

Day 7

Early this morning we go in to explore the Gibbon Sanctuary. Morning is a better time to explore. Please note you will often find these primates in high canopies and might have to go off the path to get a better look. In doing so we need to be aware that these evergreen forests are also home to leeches. These are much smaller than the ones that you find in evergreen forests of Borneo, but after you visit a thorough check is advisable.

You shall return to the Manor for a late breakfast, following which you will check-out and make your way to Kaziranga National Park. The journey to Kaziranga will take you about 2.5hrs by road. Your home at Kaziranga will be Diphlu River Lodge, located at the edge of a river creek that divided the buffer from the core area of the park. The creek often attracts a lot of wildlife and thus the bar and dining area of the lodge overlooks this creek from where one can spend time birding or might even find the one horned rhinoceros.

Diphlu is perhaps the best lodge in the park’s vicinity. In April 2016, Diphlu River Lodge was honoured to have had the opportunity to host the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, HRH Prince William, and Catherine Middleton, on their state visit to India.

This afternoon take your first jeep safari into Kaziranga National Park.

Overnight will be in Kaziranga.

Day 8 & 9

We have planned two safaris for each of these days in different zone for you to explore the park in its entirety.

Kaziranga National Park situated in Assam is a UNESCO world heritage site recognized as the single largest undisturbed and representative area in the Brahmaputra Valley floodplain. The fluctuations of the Brahmaputra River result in spectacular examples of riverine and fluvial processes in this vast area of wet alluvial tall grassland interspersed with numerous broad shallow pools fringed with reeds and patches of deciduous to semi-evergreen woodlands. Kaziranga is regarded as one of the finest wildlife refuges in the world. The park’s contribution in saving the Indian one-horned rhinoceros from the brink of extinction at the turn of the 20th century to harbouring the single largest population of this species is a spectacular conservation achievement.

It was inscribed for being the world’s major stronghold of the Indian one-horned rhino, having the single largest population of this species, currently estimated at over 2,000 animals. Along with the one-horned rhinoceros it is also home to other globally threatened species such as the Bengal tiger, Asiatic elephant, wild water buffalo, eastern swamp deer, hog deer, capped langur, hoolock gibbon and the sloth bear. Along with the mammalian species the park is also home to numerous avian species and the count of the same will be close to 300 species.

The park today has 3 zones which the guests can explore – Baguri, Kohora and Agaratoli (range offices as marked on the map). Whereas most lodges are located close to Kohora gate, Diphlu River Lodge is located close to Baguri zone.

Overnight will be in Kaziranga.

Day 10

This morning after breakfast we drive to Guwahati airport. It is a drive of about 4-4.5hrs. We will have a quick lunch in one of the hotels in and around Guwahati and catch our flight to Bagdogra.

Recommended flight: GoAir G8851 1530 – 1630 (non-stop)

We transfer to Sinclair’s Siliguri from the airport. Remainder of the evening is at leisure.

Overnight will be in Sinclair's.

Day 11

Our start this morning is early to make our way to Singalila National Park. The drive to Singalila takes place in two parts: Siliguri to Manebhanjan (entry point to the park – about 3.5hr drive time) – this will be done in an air-conditioned Toyota Innova. The drive to Manebhanjan is a nice scenic drive as we climb into the lower eastern Himalayas. There is some birding to be done as we drive up, but we can not make too many stops as we need to get to the park entry in time. Entry into the park is allowed only till 1400 after which entry is restricted. At Manebhanjan we switch over to the epic heritage SUVs – the Land Rover. Our exciting adventure begins here, we now enter what is lovingly known as the Land of Land Rovers. Only these vehicles can be taken into the park so there is no choice about the vehicle to use to go inside.

Most who visit this park are trekkers who climb to its highest point – Sandakphu peak. There is one road which runs through this park on which we will climb to about 9000ft (quite close to Sandakphu) to reach our home in the park – Habre’s Nest. This road is also the India – Nepal border, so while climbing up everything on the left of the road lies in Nepal and everything on the right of the road is India. While climbing you go through beautiful, forested stretches of Bamboo, Rhododendron with many Magnolia trees as well, these forests open into open stretches which offer stunning views of the Kanchenjunga and its surrounding peaks.

The drive up to Habre’s Nest should take about 1.5hours and you should arrive at the lodge for a late lunch. After lunch there is time to settle in and rest. If you are up for it in the evening, we will take a short hike close to the lodge. For those of you who are not up for it can rest at the lodge. There is a bird hide at the lodge which can be quite fruitful for bird photography. The vegetable and fruit peals from the kitchen are left close to the hide which brings the birds close to the hide. Some regular visitors at the hide are Spotted Laughingthrush, Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush, Yellow-billed Blue Magpie, Hoary-throated Barwing, White-collared Blackbird and the Blue Whistling Thrush to name a few.

Overnight will be at Habre's Nest.

Day 12,13 & 14

The next few days our explorations will be close to Habre’s Nest where our trackers are going to focus on finding the Red Pandas. The general flow of the day though flexible is largely as follows:

At dawn the trackers would leave to search for the red pandas. While at the lodge – we the guests arise to a stunning sunrise on most days. We can then take a short hike or spend some time at the bird hide or simply enjoy a hot cup of coffee and an early breakfast. A cup of coffee is always worthwhile as it does get quite cold. You can expect the lowest temperature (even in March) to drop below zero. It’s not always that cold but one does look forward to soaking in some sun.

The trackers return to the lodge by 0730 or 0800. Depending on the news of the sighting we then hike to the location where they were spotted by the trackers. In case there was no sighting we still take a hike through this lovely forest in search of wildlife and birds. Some interesting species to seek out are Red Panda, Yellow-throated Marten, different types of sunbirds (some favourites are Fire-tailed Sunbird, Mrs. Gould’s Sunbird and Green-tailed Sunbird), Satyr Tragopan, Eurasian Nutcracker, Hill Partridge, Fire-tailed Myzornis, Red-headed Bullfinch and different species of Yuhinas and Tit. This exploration in the morning is for a couple of hours.

Please note we can spend limited time observing the red panda in order to avoid disturbing them. The team at Habre’s Nest is very strict about the same and if you do not follow protocol and cause disturbance, they will not let you stay for more than just 5-10 minutes. If we conduct ourselves responsibly then we can enjoy the sighting a little longer.

Overnight will be at Habre's Nest.

Day 15

Much of this day is spent returning back home. You can choose to wake up early and take in the views of the Himalayas and take a short hike for birding. After breakfast (usually at around 0830) we check out and make our way to Manebhanjan.

Quick tip: Views of the Kanchenjunga from Tonglu village enroute is spectacular and deserves a quick stop to photograph.

Once at Manebhanjan we transfer into Toyota Innova and head to Bagdogra airport to catch our flight back home. It is most likely that today we will need to do a packed picnic style lunch while on the move to Bagdogra, alternately we can grab a bite at the airport. We connect onto our flights.

Recommended flights to Delhi:

Go Air G8157 1620 – 1835 (IXB – DEL)

End Of The Tour.