Bhutan is a land locked country in between giant India in the south and China in the north. The size of the country can be roughly compared with Switzerland, an area of 46,000 sq. km. The altitudes vary from 150 m to 7500 m within less then 100 km. As such it makes ideal place for nature lovers within small areas. The environmental degradation and deforestation are strictly monitored by the government and possess around 72% virgin forests, which are well organized by the international nature conservationist, « Bhutan as one of the world's tenth biodiversity hotspot ». The kingdom hosts around 770 species of birds and some are globally threatened such as Rufus Necked Hornbill, Black Necked Crane, White Bellied Heron, Chestnut Breasted Partridge etc. The itineraries suggested below are following the lateral road starting from Paro (west) to Mongar (east). It's covers wide range of areas from subtropical warm broad-leaved forests to mid-Montana coniferous forests, such as spruce, hemlock, fir, juniper, bamboo etc.  

Bird Watching Areas  

 Forests along road from Sengor to Lingmethang

Sengor (3050m) to Namling (2360m)

Best time to visit: April-May

Birds: Satyr tragopan, Bar-Winged Wren Babbler, Fire-Tailed Myzornis.

Namling (2360m) to Yongkala (1700m)

Best time to visit: November-early May

Birds: Chestnut-breasted Partridge, Yellow-rumpled Honey guide, Rufus-Necked Hornbill, Ward's Trogon, Collared Tree pie, Lesser Short wing, White-Gorgeted Flycatcher, Ruffous-Brested Bush Robin, Blue-Fronted Robin, Purple Cochoa, Broad-Billed Warbler, Grey-Sided Laughingthrush, Slender-Billed Scimitar Babbler, Coral-Billed Scimitar Babbler, Rufous-Throated Wren Babbler, Cutia, Golden-Breasted Fulvetta, Yellow-Throated Fulvetta, White-Naped Yuhina, Greater Rufous-Headed Parrotbill.

Yongkala (1700m) to Lingmethang (650m)

Best time to visit: November-early May

Birds: Rufous-Bellied Hawk Eagle, Collared Treepie, Yellow-Vented Warbler.

Forests along road from Narphung La to Samdrup Jongkar

Narphang La (1700m) to Deothang (850m)

Best time to visit: November-early May.

Birds: Rufous-Necked Hornbill, White-Gorgeted Flycatcher, Beautiful Nuthatch, Grey-Sided Laughingthrush, Yellow-Throated Fulvetta, White-Naped Yuhina, Gold-Naped Finch.

Deothang (850m) to Samdrup Jongkar (250m)

Best time to visit: November-early May

Birds: Pale-Headed Woodpecker, Blue-Eared Barbet, Wreathed Hornbill, Ward's Trogon, Blyth's Kingfisher, Violet Cuckoo, Dark-Rumped Swift, Rufous-Bellied Eagle, Pied Falconet, Silver-Breasted Broadbill, Rufous Breasted Bush Robin,Yellow-Vented Warbler, BlueWinged-Laughingthrush, Red-Faced Liocichla, Coral-Billed Scimitar Babbler, White-Naped Yuhina, Greater Rufous-Headed Parrotbill.

Forests along road from Rimchu to Tashithang, Mo Chhu Valley North of Punakha (1700m) (Jigme Dorji National Park)

Best time to visit: November-early May.

Birds: White-Bellied Heron, White-Gorgoted Flycatcher, And Yellow-Vented Warbler.

Mo Chhu valley 5-6 km north of Wangdue Phodrang (1300m)

Best time to visit: November-early April.

Birds: ducks and other water birds.

Trek from Tashithang (1700m) to Laya (3850m) (Jigme Dorji National Park)

Best time for trekking: April-early May.

Recommended time: 11 days (returning same way and including 7 days trekking)

Tashithang (1700m) to Damji (2340m)

Trekking time: 1 day.

Birds: Ward’s Trogon, Lesser Short wing.

Damji (2340m) to Gasa (2770m)

Trekking time: 1 day.

Birds: Black-Tailed Crake, Grey-Sided Laughingthrush, Slender-Billed Scimitar, Babbler, Golden-Breasted Fulvetta, And Brown Parrotbill.

Gasa (2770m) to Koina (3200m) to Laya (3850m)

Trekking time: 2 days.

Birds: Satyr Tragopan, Rufous-Breasted Bush Robin, Purple Cochoa, Yellowish-Bellied Bush Warbler, Fire-Tailed Myzornis, Fulvous Parrotbill, And Gold-Naped Finch.

Trek from Drugyel Dzong (2850m) to Jangothang (4090m) (Jigme Dorji National park)

Best time for trekking: May-June

Recommended time for trekking: 9 days including 7 days trekking.

Birds: Alpine-zone species: Tibetan Snowcock, Tibetan Partridge, Ibisbill, Himalayan Griffon, Golden Eagle, White-Troated Dipper, Grandala, White-Bellied Redstart.

Forests above Dodena (2575m) below Cheri Monastery on trail towards Shodu, Thimphu valley (Jigme Dorji National Park)

45 minutes ride from Thimphu centre.

Best time to visit: April-May

Birds: Spotted Laughingthrush, Fire-Capped Tit, Golden-Breasted Fulvetta, Yellow-Bellied Flowerpecker, Maroon-Backed Accentor.

Phobjikha Valley (3050m)

Birds: May-July, Japanese quail, late October- mid. April Black-Necked Crane.

Forests on East side of Dochu la (3115m) along the Pack-horse Trail

Best time to visit: April-May.

Birds: Satyr Tragopan, Rufous-Breasted Bush Robin, Slender-Billed Scimitar Babbler, And Gold-Naped Finch.

Forest by road over Pele-La (3390m)

Best time to visit: April-May

Birds: Yellowish-Bellied Bush Warbler, Fire-Tailed Myzornis, Brown Parrotbill, Great Parrotbill, And Maroon-Backed Accentor.

Forests by road over Yutong la (3520m)

Best time to visit: April-may.

Birds: Yellowish-Bellied Bush Warbler, Fire-Tailed Myzornis, Great-Parrot bill, Maroon-Backed Accentor.

Bumthang Valley (2600m)

Best time to visit: March-May, October-early November.

Birds: Ibisbill, migrants.

Torsa river at Phuntsholing (150m)

Best time to visit: November-April.

Birds: migrants and wintering waders

Bird Watching Tour (14 days)

Day 1 Arrive Paro and transfer to Thimphu

If time permits drive towards north of Paro valley about 4 km. This area, the riverbank of Paro Chhu is best known for Ibisbill. They are found in this area throughout the year. (Depending on arrival of flight time). P.M. drive to Dodena, here you may see Black Faced Laughingthrust, Brown Dipper, Spotted Laughing thrust, Fire Capped Tit, etc.

Overnight hotel in Thimphu.

Day 2 Thimphu/Punakha

Morning drive to Dochula area and birding in mixed coniferous forests, make short excursion following footpath to Tashigang Monastery. In this area you may see Satyr Tragopan, Spotted Nutcraker, Large Hawk Cuckoo, Darjeeling Woodpecker, Yellow Billed Magpie, Chest Tailed Minla, Collard Blackbird, Ultramarine Flycatcher, Brown Bullfinch, etc. Afternoon, birding towards Punakha.

Overnight hotel in Punakha.

Day 3 Punakha/Punakha

Drive back to Menchuna and start birding descending to Punakha in cold broadleaved forests, you may see Scarlet Finch, Black Drongo, Chestnut Bellied Nuthatch, Slaty Backed Forktail, Gorgeted Flycatcher, White Troated Laughing thrust, Eurasian Jay, Wedge Tailed Green Pigeon, Mountain Imperial Pigeon, Verditer Flycatcher, etc. 

Overnight hotel in Punakha.

Day 4 Punakha/Punakha

Drive to Tashithang and birding in broad-leaved forest. You may see Great Barbet, Barred Cuckoo Dove, Magpie Robin, Green Magpie, Palla's Fish Eagle, Osprey, River Lapwing, Ruddy Shelduck, Eurasian Wigeon, Common Merganser, Pied Kingfisher, Red-Vented Bulbul, etc. 

Overnight hotel in Punakha.

Day 5 Punakha/Punakha

Drive to Tashithang birding along new road in warm broad-leaved forests. You mee see Golden Throated Kalij Pheasant, Orange Bellied Leafbird, Common Buzzard, Great Cormorant, Crested Bunting, etc. 

Overnight hotel in Punakha.

Day 6 Punakha/Trongsa

Today you will be passing through warm/cold broad-leaved and coniferous forests. You may see Mountain Bulbul, Striated Bulbul, Common Kestrel, Spotted Grosbeak, Mountain Hawk Eagle, Whiskered Yuhina, Wall Creeper, Himalayan Swiftlet, etc. 

Overnight hotel in Trongsa.

Day 7 Trongsa/Bumthang

Morning birding to Yeshi Zam, best place for spotting Yellow-Rumped Honey guide. Afternoon drive to Bumthang and birding along in bamboo and coniferous forests. You may see Great Parrotbill, Black Billed Magpie, Red Billed Chough, Eurasian Hobby, White-Winged Grosbeak, etc. 

Overnight in Bumthang.

Day 8 Bumthang/Sengore

Birding along the road in coniferous forests. You may see Himalayan Monal Pheasant, Bllod Pheasant, Snow Pigeon, Cross Bills, Fire-tailed Sunbird, Plain Mountain Finch, etc. 

Overnight camp.

Day 9 Sengore/Yongkola

Birding along the road in bamboo forests. You may see Beautiful Rosefinch, Gold Naped Finch, Little Forktail, White Capped Redstart, Chestnut Bellied Rock Thrust, Coal Tit, Green-Tailed Sunbird, Long-Tailed Minivet, etc. Good chances to come across with Red Panda in dense bamboo forests. 

Overnight in camp.

Day 10 Yongkola/Yongkola

Birding in cold broad-leaved forests. Birding in Namling areas. These areas possess best-unexplored forest in Bhutan. You may see Ward's Trogon, Satyr Tragopan, Grey Chinned Minivet, Chestnut Breasted Partridge, Striated Laugh hingthrush etc. 

Overnight in camp.

Day 11 Yongkola/Yongkola

Birding in warm broad-leaved forests. You may see Rufous-Necked Hornbill, Blue Throated Bee-Eater, Maroon Oriole, Racket Tailed Drongo, Red Headed Trogon, Grey Treepie, Grey Nightjar, Hill Prinia, Asian Emerald Cuckoo, etc.

Overnight in camp.

Day 12 Yongkola/Bumthang

Birding along the road.

Day 13 Bumthang/Thimphu

Birding along the road

Day 14 Thimphu/Paro - Departure