SICHUAN & TIBETAN PLATEAU
Sichuan lies in the very heart of China and is situated on the eastern edge of the vast Tibetan Plateau. It is a huge province, the size of France and hosts the richest concentration of Chinese specialities and endemics in this vast country. There is a remarkable wealth of birdlife waiting in its rich evergreen and temperate forests, alpine meadows, mighty snow-capped mountains and grasslands of the Tibetan Plateau which form some of the most spectacular scenery of any bird tour! China is a vast country and it is impossible to do justice to the amazing diversity of superb birds in one trip, so this tour concentrates on the mountainous province of Sichuan. Our unique and special tour takes in the well-known sites of Longcanggou, Balang Shan, Mengbi Shan and finishes with a spectacular visit to the Tibetan Plateau. We also visit several lesser-known mountains during this unique ZOOTHERA tour which provides the opportunity to see as many of the endemic and sough-after specialities as possible amidst some of the most exciting scenery imaginable. With such enigmatic species as Temminck's Tragopan, Chinese Monal, Black-necked Crane, Firethroat, Sichuan Jay, Red-winged Laughingthrush and much more, all seen amidst some of the most spectacular mountainous scenery imaginable and you can see why this is such an exciting tour.
Tuesday 4th May - Thursday 20th May 2021
KEY SPECIES
Here are just a few of the key species we will be targetting on this tour:
Leader: Nick Bray/Derek Barber and local guides.
Ground Price: £3750.00 - Chengdu/Chengdu
If transferring from the 2020 tour, tour cost is £3550.00
Airfare: £550.00 - £650.00 (Approx) - UK/UK
Single supplement: £350.00
Deposit: £500.00
Group size: Minimum for tour to go ahead 5 and maximum 9.
Included in cost: Accommodation in twin rooms en-suite, all meals including picnic lunches where necessary, bottled water, snacks, all entrance fees, transport throughout, and services of local guides and leaders.
Not included: International airfare, insurance, visa fee, drinks, tips, and items of a personal nature.
Accommodation: The hotels used during this tour range from standard to good, all with en-suite facilities. We will stay in the best available lodges/guest houses as close to the birding sites as possible.
Tour Code: This is a relatively adventurous tour as we will spend a lot of the tour birding between 2,700m - 4,200m, although this is mainly from roads. Any climbing will be done very slowly. Some long drives are necessary but the roads are mainly paved now and our minibus/coaster is both comfortable and well maintained. The weather is variable at this time of year, but expect it to be quite warm around Chengdu, ranging to cold with possible snow showers in higher areas. Rain is possible in the mountains. Please note that we may well amend the tour itinerary to include some new sites for this tour, and hopefully find more birds!
All photos copyright Nick Bray/Zoothera Birding unless otherwise stated. Just hover your cursor over each image for info.