Sundarbans National Park

Do you know about the land of appearing and disappearing islands?

Phenomena like this somehow connect your thoughts either to the mystical surrounding of the Bermuda Triangle or to the abnormal calmness of the Pacific Ocean. However, you will be astonished to find out that these miraculous occurrences take place in the mangrove forest of
Sundarbans national park . Peacefully residing on the edges of Bay of Bengal, the forest covers an area of 9600sq.km., out of which one part of its vast precinct falls in the Republic of India and the other part falls in the People's Republic of Bangladesh.

Although the national park holds the distinction of being the largest estuarine forest on this planet shielding a wide variety of rare species, the place has been a talking point amongst the travel enthusiasts, and adventure seekers for the small and big isles that keep on emerging and vanishing. Sundarbans is an archipelago of wonderful islands that keep on changing every time one revisits the place. Navigating through its treacherous waterways will open getaway to the secret colonies of many rare birds, mammals, and reptiles which have lost grounds in other parts of the world. It seems that the thick covers of Sundari trees have created a safe haven for these gorgeous as well as critically endangered species.

The winds coming from the east will not only caress your face with its soft breeze but will also tickle your ears with the symphonic calls of highly sought-after Mangrove Whsitlers, Grey-headed fish eagle, Cinnamon bittern, Loten's sunbird, Brown-winged kingfisher, Black-capped kingfisher, Brown-cheeked fulvetta, etc. There will be many unusual elements that will draw your attention once you start penetrating inside the jungle's mystical surroundings. The overwhelming search to sight the fabled Tiger might lay your eyes on the Saltwater crocodile basking on the placid water of Brahmaputra river before draining in the Bay of Bengal. The unique geometry of Russell's viper camouflaged in the surrounding to prey on Fejervarya raja popularly known as Crab-eating frog is an interesting spectacle for any Herping enthusiast. During day-time, the sanctuary is a frolic place for Chital, Wild Boar, Macaques, however, the night transforms this very sanctuary into the savage world of Bengal Tigers.

The exquisite life thriving on the land doesn't overshadow the enchanting world of marine life thriving right below the ground. While cruising through the forest on a boat to track down the majestic gait of Bengal Tiger, you will surely be captivated by the sudden dive of the rarely sighted Gangetic Dolphins. It is fascinating to see how Sundarbans has become a paradise for many species of Dolphins which have currently become endangered due to global warming.

Besides dolphins, the presence of Olive ridley sea turtle, Hawksbill sea turtle, Mangrove horseshoe crab, Northern river terrapin, Mudskipper, Green Turtle, Electric Ray Fish unveil the unexplored wilderness residing in the waters of Sundarbans. Exuding with unique colors glowing from beneath the waters explains a unique relationship shared between the rivers and the sea that ultimately meets
the ocean.

In the forthcoming 'Big Four and the Mangrove Tigers' tour of Asian Adventures, we are all set to unfold the magic of this immense labyrinth of tiny islands overlooked by the wildlifers and nature lovers for years. Led by a team of expert naturalist and experienced ground handlers, the journey will surely prove to be a holy grail to making you witness and photograph the undisclosed wildlife of the region.


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A quiet vacation in the lap of nature- Ranikhet

A quiet vacation in the lap of nature- Ranikhet 

The Snow View Hotel in Ranikhet is a pleasant experience for commuters travelling to Badrinath or travellers a seeking a warm and cosy weekend getaway. Located 7 hours from Delhi by road, the Hotel is a quick and rejuvenating escape. The location is ideal for a silent retreat, solo travellers and couples looking for a charming hideaway. No wonder Ranikhet once use to be the base for British Raj. So beautifully st amidst this delightful village, perched on a hilltop with the most beautiful views of lush green mountains and the valley below. The charming hill station of the Himalayas is linked with a great history.

My Hotel In Ranikhet the Snow View hotel offers the best views of the valley. Rooms with  Private balconies is a lovely space for quiet moments.

My Favourite places to visit in Ranikhet are the Himalayan Golf Course, the high altitude of this course makes it unique. 

Forest Walks amidst tall coniferous trees home to Himalayan birds & mammals, Ranikhet offers the experience of being with nature a chance to look within and realise fulfilment and peace.

Spiritual sojourns to old stone carved temples. The Warm hospitality of the Kumaoni Village folk a must-visit Villages at Darawat, Majhkhali in Ranikhet. The sunsets at Spectacular. The Gorgeous Bhau Dam is one of the oldest since the British era.

Ranikhet is the epitome of stillness and serenity. It is the perfect getaway for nature lovers.

THINGS TO KNOW

LOCATION

Located a convenient 385 Kms from Delhi

Village Choukuni (Badrinath Road Ranikhet),

District Almora, Uttarakhand

Nearest Towns

• Kathgodam: 80 km

• Nainital: 60 km

• Delhi: 340 km

GET THERE

The nearest station is Kathgodam,

By Air:

The nearest airport is Pantnagar, 

BEST SUITED FOR

Solo female travellers, couples and small families. 

Get the best  deals info@asianadventures.in

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info@asianadventures.in
Phone : +91 8010850000
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GOING TO JIM CORBETT NATIONAL PARK?

Noida to Jim Corbett National Park is an about six-hour road-trip. Your cabs with drivers will be ready early morning at a designated time. Watch out for the early birds through the journey as you proceed to the Kumaoni Hills of Uttarakhand.

Arrival at the Jim Corbett National Park would be around lunch. Our representative will help you check-in at the Tiger Camp-Resort. Have a tummy full of the Kumaoni Cuisines and relax for a while. The Asian Adventures Naturalist (your guide) will join you and brief in detail about the itinerary across the three-days that you will enjoy here.

Corbett is best traversed via a Jeep Safari early morning and evening, with a lunch-break by the river. All bookings, including the entry tickets to the park, have been done in advance for you. The guide will inform you about what time and where to assemble the next day. And after a detailed briefing, he will take you for a short birding tour in Corbett around the lodging place. Your resort is amid dense forests, offering a great opportunity for birding. Watch out to spot a few mammals like Barking Deer, Jackals etc from a distance.

Retire early, since the next few days here would be long ones, spent amid dense forests. A stamina testing time!

FOR NEXT THREE DAYS WATCH OUT FOR…

The most popular mammals that inhabit the region are:

Tiger

Leopard

Elephant

4 species of Deer

Nilgai

Ghariyal

Wild Boar

Hedgehog

Common Musk Shrew

Flying Fox

Indian Pangolin

3 species of Civets

Himalayan & Sloth Bear

Jackal & Red Fox

Smooth Indian Otter etc.

The park is very rich in reptiles including King Cobra, so watch out your steps.

Nearly 600 species of birds dwell here such as:

Long-tailed Nightjar

Jungle owlet

Spot-bellied Owl

Bristled Grassbird

Black Francolin

Purple & Crimson Sunbird

Golden-Fronted & Orange-Bellied Leafbird

Hen Harrier

Changeable & Mountain Hawk-Eagle and many more.

TIPS:

1. Three long days stare at you, so wear comfortable yet warm clothes as well as walking shoes. A wool cap and a muffler is advisable to safeguard your body from bitter cold.

2. Make sure that you do not carry any alcoholic drinks in the park. These are strictly prohibited.

3. When inside the park, strictly follow your guide’s instructions and avoid shouting. Do not indulge in any behaviour that may provoke the animals.

4. The entry-passes for the jeep safaris are available for half day. In-case of a full a day pass, extra expenses will have to be incurred.

5. Don't wear any bright colored clothes or even stark white cloth while going to the safari inside the National Par. It may make animals uncomfortable.

6. Tourists are required to carry a litter bag while entering the park. In short, bring back all your waste like water-bottles, metal foils, tin can etc.

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Kashmir And Ladakh Birding Tour Trip Report

Guest Name- Luc Lens

(By Deepak kumar For Asian Adventures )                                    

Our recent trip to the youngest union territories of India- Kashmir, and Ladakh exposed us to the undisturbed avian life throbbing in the region. There can hardly be any greater contrast than this nine days birdingtrip that took place in two of India's most distinct topography. While the scenic valley of Kashmir is covered by the thick foliage of the coniferous forest, the rugged terrains of Ladakh unfold the cryptic world of birds living an unperturbed life in the region.

Day-1: I headed towards the airport early in the morning to receive my guests who were scheduled to arrive at 11:30 AM. Post the completion of the immigration process we moved directly Ibrahim House Boat which was going to be our accommodation for three days. After having lunch without wasting a minute we moved towards Shankaracharya Temple. Perched at the height of 6,077 feet, this is one of the ancient temples in Kashmir dedicated to Lord Shiva. However, our motive was to explore a wide variety of winged species roosting inside the dense forest behind the temple. While traversing through the forest we came across many gorgeous birds such as Great Barbet, Rusty-tailed flycatcher, Black-eared Kite. By evening we came back to the boat had our dinner and chalked out a strategy for our next day journey.

Day-2: We left the boat early in the morning with packed lunch and headed towards Gulmarg approximately fifty kilometers drive from Srinagar. Gulmarg also dubbed as the land of flowery meadows is a hotspot to sight many rare and beautiful Himalayan species. Trailing the calls of these beautiful and shy winged species brought us to the roosting point of Kashmir Nutcracker, Kashmir Nuthatch, White-cheeked nuthatch, Himalayan Vulture, Himalayan Woodpecker, Scaly-bellied woodpecker, and Slaty-headed parakeet but failed to sight our key target species, Spectacled Finch. However, later that day as we were moving downwards to Srinagar we saw this very bird sitting on a dead tree. Not only did we sight Spectacled Finch from close quarters but our guest also got a chance to photograph them from various angles. We spent some time in the region before heading towards our houseboat near Dull Lake.

Day-3: Yusmarg was our next destination to be covered in this enchanting journey. With packed breakfast and packed lunch, we left for the destination early in the morning. Just an hour's drive from Srinagar, Yusmarg is an unsullied landscape of Kashmir valley filled with beautiful meadows, coniferous trees, along with the serpentine flow of the river navigating through its topsy-turvy terrains. Paving way through its untamed region made us cross path with Rufous-naped tit, White-bellied redstart, Coal tit, Slaty-blue flycatcher, Rufous-breasted accentor. While following the peculiar call echoing in the region we got fantastic sight of Tytler's leaf warbler one of our target species, We took an hour's break for lunch before resuming birding in this scenic terrain. We got a nice sight of  Tickell's thrush, Scaly-bellied woodpecker, Paradise flycatcher, and Golden oriole before returning to Srinagar for an overnight stay at Ibrahim House Boat.

Day-4: Next morning we did birding in the nearby area of Negin lake witnessing the amazing spectacle of Booted eagle, Himalayan Buzzard, Red-fronted Serin, and European goldfinch. After breakfast, we continued our journey for the second leg of the tour that was about to kickstart in the rugged terrains of Ladakh. Approximately five hours drive from Srinagar brought us to the quaint land of Kargil- a place that is etched in Indian History after India triumph war against Pakistan forces in this very region. En-route we visited Kargil War Memorial before checked in at The Kargil Hotel.

Day-5: Today morning after breakfast we drove towards Leh, en-route we got the opportunity to sight Mountain chiffchaff, and Hume's whitethroat and tick off from our list of target species. We also seized the opportunity to visit one of Ladakh's ancient monasteries Lamayuru Monastery and Gurudwara Shri Pathar Sahib where we had tea and Pakodas (Indian Snacks) before entering the tranquil region of Leh. We were fatigued and therefore checked in at a hotel for an overnight stay revive our energy for next day birding.

Day-6: Today morning we drove towards Tsokar Lake, en-route we seized the opportunity to visit Taglag La Pass- the second-largest pass on this planet. While birding in the region we spotted Eurasian Magpie, Robin accentor, Tibetan snowcock, Golden Eagle, and Lammergeier. Post lunch we reached Tsokar Lake came across some of the rare and gorgeous birds of the Himalayas including Great Rosefinch, Tibetian Snowfinch, and Brandt's mountain finch. As the dusk was falling rapidly, we returned to our hotel.

Day-7: We woke up early morning with a motive to sight the endemic species living in the region. But as we stepped out from the hotel we were flabbergasted by the sudden snowfall that formed a shimmering white sheet in the precinct. However, we were lucky to get mesmerizing views of Little Owl, Blacked Necked Crane, and Ground Tit. We returned to the hotel for breakfast before continuing our search to unfold the unique avian life living around the vast expanse of Tsokar Lake. Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Common greenshank, Blanford's Snowfinch, Saker falcon were the species we spotted before returning to our hotel.

Day-8: Next day we begin morning birding trail around Tsokar Lake and were bewitched by the wonderful displays of Long-legged buzzard, Upland buzzard, Streaked rosefinch, Bar-headed geese, Great crested grebe, Black-necked grebe, Brown-headed Gull, Common Tern, Lesser Sandplover. Our tour was culminated by the wonderful flock of Tibetian Sandgrouse was also part of our target species list.

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Shiva walks Banaras - a spiritual sojourn

Shiva Walks Banaras a lifetime journey to the holy town of Varanasi. Witness the true essence of India with its holy touch. Surrounded by ancient temples and the fragrance of incense stick. Swarmed by pilgrims from all over the world, the evening is adorned by floating diyas over the sacred river Ganges.

Shiva Walks is a Walkthrough the ancient temples and narrow passages of Varanasi. You may also experience a joyful  Rickshaw ride to the ghats is an experience by itself, witness the Sadhus dressed in Saffron dresses a "Gamcha" (a multi-utility cloth ) and a turban a typical feature of the local folk of Varanasi.Visit the Shiva Vishwanath temple, The marble architecture of the temple is inspired by the old Vishwanath Temple and The walls of the temple are covered with the text of the Holy book Gita.

Return for the night to the Peacock Villa the best homestay in Banaras

The Peacock villa a quaint homestay in Banaras. A recommended bed and breakfast in Varanasi. The villa is a lovely place with open orchards and fully equipped with kitchen and a lovely majlis to spend quiet time doing your own thing. Early morning watch peacocks and colourful birds around the villa gardens, the open spaces are ideal for meditation and mindful walk.

Things to do in Varanasi

Visit the Ghats and learn the history behind each space and the temples

The Dashashwamedh Ghat is where the Agni Pooja is done in the evenings.

The Manikarnika and Harishchandra Ghats are where the dead are cremated as per the Hindu customs.

Take a boat ride on the Ganges. The best time is early morning and evenings.

Experience the Pooja ceremony in the evenings

Performed by Brahmin Sadhus (priests), this popular ceremony involves diyas, ringing bells and mantra chanting. You can be at the ghat but watching from a boat is a lovely experience as well.

Banarasi Silk - Banaras is known for its silk and the city is filled with silk weaving workshops and factories. it is recommended to visit these workshops

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5 reasons why Himalayas is the heavenly kingdom to the rarest birds on this planet

Do you know the 5 reasons why birding in the heavenly kingdom of the Himalayas is home to the rarest birds on this planet?

Sky-kissing Peaks, slopes of snow-beds, and serpentine flow of rivers are something that always captures our thoughts when we visualize the great Himalayas, isn't it?

Deemed as the youngest mountain range on this planet, these majestic mountains stretches from the rugged terrains of Afghanistan to the broad leaf forests of Bhutan. While the magnitude of its exalting summits and shimmering white hills have become the center of attraction for travelers from all corners of the globe, the spun of clouds cast a magical spell on the numerous valleys settled around the region. Climbing its hilltop is something that every adventure lover seeks to undertake in his or her life but it doesn't deviate from giving out romantic prose or an interesting backdrop for a writer. Every traveler has a reason to visit this enchanting terrain at least once in life for any relaxing activity trekking, forest bathing even bird watching in India

Here are seven reasons why the Himalayas is a heavenly kingdom for the rarest birds on this planet-

Home to a wide variety of birds, both resident & migrant

Besides being acknowledged for its elevated topography, the lofty hills of the Himalayas is a holy grail for birdwatchers and a hot spot for Bird watching in India. Paving way through the thick foliage of the mountains will make one discover the beautiful congregation of the resident species on this planet including Grey-crowned Pinia, Cheer Pheasant, Himalayan Monal, Koklass Pheasant dazzling the precinct with its colorful plumage. However, it doesn't overshadow the charm of unique avian life dwelling in the rugged terrains of the trans-Himalayan region. While navigating through the topsy-turvy lanes of the region you will surely cross path with the natives including Snow partridge, Chukar, Tibetan snowcock, Tibetan partridge, Himalayan snowcock. You will also chance upon meeting the migratory birds such as Bar-headed Goose, Red-crested pochard, Red-crested pochard, Common pochard, Northern shoveler for whom the glacial lakes of the Himalayas become the interim home

2. Picturesque hamlets and lodges

The tranquil hamlet perched in the mountains also plays a significant role in demystifying the breathtaking beauty of the exalting mountains. Sometimes all it takes is a sojourn in these untouched locations to re-establish your bond with nature, a forest walks or bird watching in Uttarakhand, rather than being dried out way back due to the humdrum of city life. Besides catering to your comfort and luxury, the strategic positioning of the lodges offer spectacular views of the snow-clad mountains ringed around the hidden valleys

3. Untamed landscape

At a time when everything is designed and shaped to suit the economy of trading, the untamed landscape of Himalayas has become a perfect place to witness the astonishing enchantment of winged species. The gurgling creeks have become a humble abode for Crested Kingfisher, Plumbeous Water Redstart, Brown Dipper, White-capped redstart, Spotted Forktail, Slaty-backed forktail, and the mysterious Ibisbill. As you mindfully stand or sit on rock your eyes will lead you to the colorful plumage of Woodpeckers continuously pecking on the woods oblivious to our presence.

 4. Amazing photographic opportunities

These marvelous mountains also open the doorway to sharpen your skills in photography. The plethora of natural beauty oozing from every direction set up an ideal backdrop to sharpen your skills in bird photography. You can get amazing shots of raptors hovering in the sky and vivid finches sitting on the trees while trailing through the unexplored pugdandi to get a glimpse of the shy pheasants who otherwise get concealed in the large clumps of grasses

5. Lush, virgin hill forest

Cruising through the Himalayas will bring you to several forests untouched to date. These forests are intertwined with short streams and cascading waterfalls. From outside the dense thickets may seem silent and calm but inside these forests are reverberating with beautiful symphony transpired by their winged netizens. Unfolding these verdant hills prove will surely prove to be extremely productive for people who wish to see the roosting point of Rufous-throated Partridge, Khalij Pheasant, Paradise Flycatcher, Red-billed Leiothrix, Verditer Flycatcher,  Himalayan Rubythroat, Spotted Owlet, etc

 To expose birdwatchers to the gorgeous avian life harbouring in the region, Asian Adventures have meticulously handcrafted strings of birding tours in India that will surely make you come across the sought-after species living on this planet. Besides sighting them from close quarters these tours will provide you umpteen opportunities to hone your skills in bird photography.

Phone : +91 8010450000
Email: info@asianadventures.in
https://linktr.ee/aatoursandlodges