Detailed Itinerary

Day 01: Ahmedabad – Gir National Park (326 km / 7 hrs)

Arrive in Ahmedabad and transfer to Gir National Park. Overnight at resort.

Day 02: Gir – Lion Safari & Birding

Morning safari. After lunch, afternoon safari. Overnight at resort.
Gir is home to the Asiatic lion in India. Besides lions, one can also see leopards, striped hyenas, golden jackals, and jungle cats.
Main herbivores include spotted deer (chital), blue bull (nilgai), sambar deer, chinkara (gazelle), and wild boars.

Bird species we focus on include:
Grey Francolin, Indian Peafowl, Shikra, Small Minivet, White-browed Fantail, Great Tit, Grey-breasted Prinia, Oriental White-eye, Oriental Magpie-Robin, Indian Robin, Chestnut-shouldered Petronia, Indian Roller, Pied Kingfisher, Common Kingfisher, Lesser Goldenback, Golden Oriole, Ashy Prinia, Common Tailorbird, Clamorous Reed Warbler, Blyth’s Reed Warbler, Greenish Warbler, Tawny-bellied Babbler, Common Babbler, Red-naped Ibis, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Crested Treeswift, Green Bee-eater, Coppersmith Barbet, Rufous Treepie, Dusky Crag Martin, Indian Blackbird, Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher, Purple Sunbird, and Indian Silverbill.

Day 03: Gir – Jamnagar (225 km / 4 hrs)

Morning safari. After breakfast, drive to Jamnagar. Overnight at resort.

Day 04: Jamnagar – Khijadia Bird Sanctuary & Marine National Park

We will explore Khijadia Bird Sanctuary, home to over 300 bird species. Overnight at resort.

Day 05: Marine National Park Excursion

We visit three locations within the Marine National Park:

• Narara – For marine life: octopus, pufferfish, sponges, etc.
• Poshitra – Known for coral reefs
• Beyt Dwarka – For dolphin watching

Overnight at resort.

Day 06: Jamnagar – Great Rann of Kutch (GRK) (334 km / 6 hrs)

Drive to GRK via Banni grasslands. Overnight at resort.

Day 07: Great Rann of Kutch (GRK)

Explore one of the largest salt deserts, spread over 7,000 sq. km.
The Banni grassland is the hotspot of biodiversity. We shall be birding for two days and also cover Dhola Veera (ancient civilization site) & Chhari Dhhandhi area. O/n resort.

Target species include:
Great Indian Bustard, Indian Courser, Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Sykes's Lark, Long-billed Pipit, Stoliczka's Bushchat, Black and Grey Francolin, Tawny Eagle, Bonelli’s Eagle, Greater Spotted Eagle, Imperial Eagle, Steppe Eagle, White-backed and Long-billed Vulture, White-naped Tit, Desert Warbler, Common and Demoiselle Cranes, Marshall's Iora, Montagu’s and Hen Harriers, Crab Plover, Oystercatcher, Bluethroat, Rufous-fronted Prinia, Isabelline Shrike, Red-necked Phalarope, Variable Wheatear, Hoopoe Lark, Rosy and Dalmatian Pelicans, Eurasian Eagle-Owl, Short-eared Owl, Laggar Falcon, and Eurasian Hobby.
Overnight at resort.

Day 08: Great Rann of Kutch (GRK)

On Second day in GRK we focus on Long-legged Buzzard, Desert Warbler, Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin, Flamingos, Collared Pratincole, Eurasian Wigeon, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Great-crested Grebe, Quails, Rufous-fronted Prinia, Orphean warbler, Grey-necked, Red-headed and Black-headed Buntings, Chestnut-bellied and Spotted Sandgrouse, Indian Courser, Grey Hypocolius, European Roller, and Eurasian White Stork. o/n resort.

Day 09: GRK – Little Rann of Kutch (LRK) (133 km / 2 hrs)

After breakfast we drive to LRK where one can see Wild ass, striped hyena and Desert fox.

Birding stock consist of Flamingos -Greater flamingo, Lesser flamingo; Pelican -Dalmatian pelican,
Great white pelican; Crane - Demoiselle crane, Common crane; Goose-Red-breasted goose, Lesser
white-fronted goose, Greater white-fronted goose, Bar-headed goose, Greylag goos; Eagle-Greater
spotted eagle, Short-toed snake eagle, Indian spotted eagle, Tawny eagle, Steppe eagle, Booted
eagle, Eastern imperial eagle, Osprey; Harrier-Western marsh harrier, Pallid harrier, Montagu's
harrier; Falcon-Saker falcon, Red-naped Shaheen, Laggar falcon, Peregrine falcon, Red-necked falcon, Common kestrel; Ducks-Marbled Teal, Red-crested pochard, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Ruddy shelduck, Gadwall, Eurasian wigeon, Garganey, Northern shoveler, Northern pintail, Eurasian teal, Common pochard; Bittern-Great bittern, Yellow bittern, Cinnamon bittern, Black bittern; Lark-Indian bush lark, Ashy-crowned sparrow-lark, Rufous-tailed lark, Bimaculated lark, Greater short-toed lark, Hume's short-toed lark. O/n Resort.

Day 10: Little Rann of Kutch (LRK)

On our second day in LRK we try to cover below birds.

Full day of birding.
Wagtail-Forest wagtail, Citrine wagtail, Yellow Wagtail, Grey wagtail; Pipit-Red-throated pipit, Tawny pipit, Paddy field pipit, Long-billed pipit, Tree pipit; Waders-Pacific golden plover, Common ringed plover, Little ringed plover, Kentish plover, Greater sand plover, Lesser sand plover, Greater painted-snipe, Jack Snipe, Common Snipe, Ruff ,Black-tailed godwit, Whimbrel, Eurasian Curlew, Spotted Redshank ,Marsh Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Ruddy turnstone, Temminck's stint, Little stint, Sanderling, Curlew sandpiper, Dunlin, Pied Avocet; Owl-Pallid scops owl, Short Eared Owl, Barn owl, Spotted Owlet; Crake-Brown crake, Spotted Crake, Ruddy-Breasted Crake, Baillon's Crake; Bushchat- Stoliczka's bushchat, Pied bush chat, common stonechat, Variable wheatear, Desert wheatear ,Isabelline wheatear; Tern-White-winged tern, Indian skimmer, Caspian tern, Gull-billed tern ,River tern, Little tern, Whiskered tern; Shrike-Isabelline shrike, Brown shrike, Long-tailed shrike, Bay-backed shrike, Great Grey shrike; Comman Birds - Namaqua Dove, Sykes's nightjar, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Chestnut-bellied sandgrouse, Collared Pratincole, Small Pratincole, Sirkeer Malkoha, Common Sterling, White eared bulbul, Graceful prinia, Common kingfisher, Rufous fronted Prinia, Sociable Lapwing, Bluethroat, Indian Courser, Common buzzard, White eyed buzzard, Long-legged buzzard, Red Avadavat, Zitting Cisticola, White Tailed Lapwing, White Stork, Black necked Stork. O/n resort.

Day 11: LRK – Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary (141 km / 2 hrs)

Enjoy a morning birding session in LRK, then drive to Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary. Afternoon birding session followed by an overnight stay at the resort.

Birding in Nal Sarovar: Flamingo-Greater flamingo, Lesser flamingo; Pelican-Dalmatian pelican, Great white pelican; Crane-Sarus crane, Demoiselle crane, Common crane; Goose-Red-breasted goose, Lesser white-fronted goose, Greater white-fronted goose, Bar-headed goose, Greylag goose; Gull-Caspian gull, Pallas's gull, Black-headed gull, Brown-headed Gull; Bunting-Yellow-breasted bunting, Striolated bunting, Black-headed bunting, Red-headed bunting, Grey-necked bunting; Eagle-Greater spotted eagle, Short-toed snake eagle, Indian spotted eagle, Tawny eagle, Steppe eagle, Booted eagle, Eastern imperial eagle, Osprey; Harrier-Western marsh harrier, Pallid harrier, Montagu'ss harrier; Falcon-Saker falcon, Red-naped Shaheen, Laggar falcon, Peregrine falcon, Red-necked falcon, Common kestrel; Ducks-Marbled Teal, Red-crested pochard, Mallard,Tufted Duck, Ruddy shelduck, Gadwall, Eurasian wigeon, Garganey, Northern shoveler, Northern pintail, Eurasian teal, Common pochard; Bittern-Great bittern, Yellow bittern, Cinnamon bittern, Black bittern; Lark-Indian bush lark, Ashy-crowned sparrow-lark, Rufous-tailed lark, Bimaculated lark, Greater short-toed lark, Hume's short-toed lark; Wagtail-Forest wagtail, Citrine wagtail, Yellow Wagtail, Grey wagtail; Warbler-Common grasshopper warbler, Moustached warbler, Asian desert warbler, Eastern Orphean warbler, Clamorous reed warbler, Paddyfield warbler, Blyth's reed warbler, Booted warbler, Sykes's warbler, Common chiffchaff ;Pipit-Red-throated pipit, Tawny pipit, Paddyfield pipit, Long-billed pipit, Tree pipit; Waders-Pacific golden plover, Common ringed plover, Little ringed plover, Kentish plover, Greater sand plover, Lesser sand plover, Greater painted-snipe, Jack Snipe, Common Snipe, Ruff, Black-tailed godwit, Whimbrel, Eurasian Curlew, Spotted Redshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Ruddy turnstone, Temminck's stint, Little stint, Sanderling, Curlew sandpiper, Dunlin, Pied Avocet; Owl-Pallid scops owl, Short Eared Owl, Barn owl, Spotted Owlet; Crake-Brown crake, Spotted Crake, Ruddy-Breasted Crake, Baillon's Crake; Bushchat-Stoliczka's bushchat, Pied bush chat, common stonechat, Variable wheatear, Desert wheatear, Isabelline wheatear; Tern- White-winged tern, Indian skimmer, Caspian tern, Gull-billed tern ,River tern, Little tern, Whiskered tern; Shrike-Isabelline shrike, Brown shrike, Long-tailed shrike, Bay-backed shrike, Great Grey shrike; Common birds-Namaqua Dove, Sykes's nightjar, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Chestnut-bellied sandgrouse, Collared Pratincole, Small Pratincole, Sirkeer Malkoha, Common Sterling, White eared bulbul, Graceful prinia, Common kingfisher, Rufous fronted Prinia, Sociable Lapwing, Bluethroat, Indian Courser, Common buzzard, White eyed buzzard, Long-legged buzzard, Red Avadavat, Zitting Cisticola, White Tailed Lapwing, White Stork, Black necked Stork and etc. o/n resort.

Day 12: Nal Sarovar – Ahmedabad (62 km / 1.5 hrs)

After a short birding session and breakfast, transfer to Ahmedabad for onward journey.

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