This program is aptly named. We start in Sasan Gir National Park, the only place in Asia where lions still exist. But Gir is also home to India’s other big cats such as leopards and lesser cats such as jungle cat, rusty spotted cat etc. All targets on our morning and evening safari drives through this park. And let’s not forget the birds—250 species of birds can be found here.

Next up is Velavadar Blackbuck National Park, a sanctuary famous for its large variety of antelope species, in particular the blackbuck, which is characterized by elegant spiraling horns that can be two-feet long in mature males. Birding is good here, too—over 265 species of birds are listed here.

Once the former hunting grounds of the Maharajas of Jaipur, our next national park, Ranthambore, is one of the biggest and most renowned national parks in India. It’s the best place to see tigers and, if we’re lucky, we might see sloth bears also. eBird reports 330 bird species at Ranthambore.

Our last national park is Keoladeo. Because of its varied ecosystems, India is home to 1300 bird species, including over 60 endemics. It’s a birder’s paradise, particularly in its sanctuaries where critical habitat has been preserved. The jewel of these sanctuaries is Keoladeo National Park which we’ll visit toward the tour’s end. Nearly 400 species of birds have made the National Park their home. Declared a protected sanctuary in 1971, UNESCO designated the park a World Heritage Site in 1985.

In addition to searching for these birds and mammals, we’ll also enjoy cultural excursions to local markets and some of Rajasthan’s most famous sites: the Amber Fort in Jaipur, the world’s largest and deepest step well at Chand Baori, and, of course, the Taj Mahal.

Check out the itinerary below. For questions or to sign up, contact Cris Heins at TRAVELPROGRAM@GOLDENGATEAUDUBON.ORG. She will put you in touch with guide Rajveer Singh. Please do not contact the trip vendor first.

This tour takes us to a different part of Colombia than our excursion to Araucana Lodge, It begins and ends in the city of Barranquilla, on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is the highest coastal mountain in the world and one of the most important endemism centers in the world, with 22 species of birds restricted to it. Join us on a search for many of these endemics, including Santa Marta Screech-owl, antpittas (four species), tapaculos (two species), foliage-gleaners (two species), Brush-finches (two species), parakeets, (five species) sabrewings (two species), bush-tyrants (three species), seedeaters (nine species), and, of course, a huge array of warblers (thirty species!), and tanagers (fifty-four species!)

This trip will also take us to Isla Salamanca, Tayrona,  and Los Flamencos National Parks, where birding through mangroves and coastal wetlands along  the ocean and in dry scrub forest should yield species such as the near endemic Buffy Hummingbird, the endemic Chestnut-winged Chachalaca, Russet-throated Puffbird, the near endemic Chestnut Piculet,  Bicolored Conebill, Tocuyo Sparrow, and Panama Flycatcher.

Although this week is designed as an extension to the Araucana Lodge trip, you can obviously do this as a stand-alone trip by arriving at Barranquilla on Day 1.

View Trip Birdlist Here

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Colombia is the birdiest country on earth, with 1,930 species—almost 20% of the world’s total in 1% of its landmass, with new species still being discovered and new records being announced regularly. It is easy to see why. Colombia is tropical yet it also has ample elevation changes due to the Andes; furthermore it has both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts. Lots of different habitats ensure an abundance of bird species.

This tour celebrates the opening of Colombia’s newest birding lodge, allowing one to bird in very comfortable accommodations in some of the best birding sites in Colombia without having to spend much time in a vehicle. The Araucana Lodge is brand-new (its opening date was January 2019). It was designed specifically for birders and nature lovers, with spacious rooms and all the comforts that ensure a good night’s rest. This tour represents our first effort at a new sort of trip we’re offering called “Home Base”—in these trips you’ll stay at one place for the duration. No packing and unpacking daily. No long travel days between destinations. And the lodges where we’ll be staying are welcoming of travel partners who are non-birders.

For those who enjoy bird photography, Araucana Lodge and many of the reserves along the route have excellent feeder set-ups that  provide some of the best photographic opportunities in Colombia.

This trip includes visits to some of Colombia most iconic birding locations, including KM 18 and the San Antonio Cloud Forest (an excellent introduction to birding in the Colombian Andes), the San Cipriano Reserve (which features the humid forests of the Pacific lowlands), the Anchicaya Valley (which is located in one of the most biodiverse national parks in the planet), and an active Andean Cock-of-the-rock lek.

And if this isn’t enough birding for you, check out our extension to Santa Marta, a completely different Colombian region with its own ecosystems and birds.

View Trip Bird List Here

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