Sichuan lies at the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau and this superb province has the richest concentration of Chinese specialties, holding around two-thirds of the country's endemic birds! Not only does Sichuan offer the best opportunities for seeing China's prime specialties, but due to the great diversity of its habitats, ranging from the subtropical lowlands of the Red Basin and rich evergreen foothill forests to cool temperate zone forests, alpine meadows and dramatic snow-capped mountain peaks, the province has a remarkable wealth of birds in general. Even then there is more to Sichuan, for beyond these rocky ramparts lie the vast grasslands of the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau. Without a doubt Sichuan is the very best of China
Highlights:
Chinese Bamboo-Partridge, Tibetan Snowcock, Snow Partridge, Lady Amherst's, Golden, Blood, Koklass & White Eared-Pheasant, Chinese Grouse, Chinese Monal; Emei Liocichla, Rusty, Elliott's, Black-faced, White-browed, Giant, Spotted, Moustached, Red-winged & White-throated Laughingthrush, Chinese Babax and Hwamei; 8 species of parrotbill, Purple Cochoa, Firethroat, 14 species of Phylloscopus warbler, Crested Tit-warbler, 8 species of rosefinch (incl stunners like Vinaceous and Three-banded) and Crimson-browed Finch,.
Day 1,
Your arrival in Chengdu, pick you up at the airport. Overnight in Chengdu,
Day 2,
Early vistiting to the panda breeding center in the suburb of Chengdu, which is not only a place for the cute pandas but also for birds. After lunch, drive a long way to Wawushan from Chengdu(220km 4-5hr), Overnight in Mt.Wawushan Gongtong Hotel.
Mt.Wawushan is an over 3000m peak, which situated about 70 km to the west of the more famous Emei Shan. Wawushan is the largest National Primival Forest Park in China. The elevation goes from 2830m. According to the investigations, there are more than 3500 species of plants and about 300 species of birds in Wawushan areas. At lower levels, areas of evergreen broadleaf woodland are interspersed with cultivation, but higher up this gives way to deciduous woodland and ultimately large open, grassy or bamboo-covered areas and stands of mixed coniferous-rhododendron forest. As we walk here amongst the gnarled, moss-encrusted trees we may enjoy some superb vistas across a seemingly endless series of mountain ridges to the great snow-capped peaks of western Sichuan beyond.
The prime endemic birds you may see here are: Emei Shan Liocichla, Lady Amherst's Pheasant,Temminck's Tragopan,ChineseĦĦBamboo Partridge, Grey-hooded Parrotbill, Emei Shan Liocichla and the recently described Sichuan Treecreeper,Chinese Blue Flycatcher (split from Blue-throated), Black-streaked Scimitar Babbler,Grey-hooded Fulvetta, Brown-capped (or Dusky) Fulvetta and White-collared Yuhina Elliott's Laughingthrush, Red-winged Laughingthrush, etc
Day 3,
Scan for Teminck's and Lady Armherst's pheasants along the way in the car, then take the cable car up to the top of Mt. Wawushan and birding around in the forest (2800m), where not only birds but you may also see the red panda and other mammals. Overnight in the Gongtong Hotel
Day 4,
Drive up to a higher level and try some different trails.
Drive down to overnight in the Wawushan Gongtong Hotel.
Day 5,
Drive from Wawushan to Wolong (totally 7hrs, with birding stops, nice view ) Overnight in Wolong. (very basic guesthouse)
Day 6,
Birdwatching in the Balangshan area in the morning, we'll see the golden snow peaks of the Mt. Siguniangshan (or Mt. Four Girls) when the sun rise. A full day birding in Wolong Aera (we'll have some snacks as lunch). Overnight in Rilong
Wolong and Balangshan has an impressive altitudinal range and hence an equally impressive avifauna, It's in the region of forested mountains, bamboo thickets, alpine meadows and jagged, snow-covered peaks. We will be able to explore areas from the valley at about 1500m right up to the pass of snow mountain at about 4000m. We will do birding among the surrounding peaks rising to over 5500m and could even see the magnificent peak of Siguniang. The Wolong Giant Panda reserve is located at the foot of Balangshan in northwest of Sichuan. It is know as the headquarters of the World Wildlife Fund, to save the species from extinction, especially pandas.
The prime endemic birds you may see here are:
Tibetan Snowcock, Snow Partridge, Chinese Monal. Grandalas, Wood Snipe, White Eared Pheasant, Firethroat Chestnut-headed Tesias, Koklass Pheasants, Temminck's Tragopan, Golden Pheasant, Kessler's and Chestnut Thrushes, Chinese Leaf Warbler, Spectacled Parrotbill, Barred Laughingthrush, Slaty Bunting, Black-browed Tit
Other birds such as: Alpine Accentors, Lammergeier, Red-breasted Rosefinches, Himalayan Griffon Vulture, Plain and Brandt's Mountain Finches, Plumbeous Redstarts, River Chat (or White-capped Redstart), Spotted Bush Warbler, Tickell's Leaf Warbler, Rufous-bellied Niltava, the splendidly,Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Chestnut-flanked White-eye, Spotted Nutcracker, Red-billed and Alpine Choughs, Chinese Beautiful (split from Himalayan Beautiful) and Streaked Rosefinches, Common Buzzard, Mountain Hawk-Eagle, Golden Eagle, Common Kestrel, White-browed Fulvetta, the Yellow-browed and Fire-capped Tits, Grey-crested Tit, Common (or Ring-necked) Pheasant, Snow Pigeon, Common Cuckoo, White-throated Needle-tail, Crimson-breasted Woodpecker, Asian House Martin, Olive-backed and Rosy Pipits, White-throated Dipper, White-tailed Rubythroat, Indian Blue Robin, White-browed Bush Robin, Blue-fronted, Daurian and bold little Scaly-breasted Wren-Babbler,
Day 7,
Another full day birdwatching in Balangshan Area (we may have some snacks as lunch). Overnight in Rilong.
Day 8,
After morning birding in Balangshan, we'll drive from Rilong through Mt.Mengbishan for birds and then Overnight in Maerkang. Overnight in Maerkang
Day 9
Half day birdwatching in Mengbishan, Overnight in Maerkang
We shall make several stops to look for such birds as Chinese White-browed Rosefinch, White-winged Grosbeak, Collared Grosbeak, Hill Pigeon, Eurasian Crag Martin, Hodgson's Redstart, Blue Rock Thrush and Wallcreeper Crested Tit-Warbler, Sichuan Jay. Winter Wren, Maroon-backed Accentor, Himalayan Red-flanked Bluetail, White-throated Redstart, Verreaux's Monal Partridge, Severtzov's Grouse, Blood Pheasant, Black Woodpecker, Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker, Greenish, Hume's Leaf and Yellow-streaked Warblers, Goldcrest, Chinese Babax, Giant Laughingthrush, Chinese Fulvetta, Eurasian Treecreeper, Oriental Crow, Pink-rumped (or Stresemann's) Rosefinch,
Day 10,
Birdwatching along the way to Hongyuan town on the plateau grassland (180km) . overnight in Hongyuan
Day 11,
Drive from Hongyuan to Ruoergai (150km), birdwatching on the way. Overnight in Ruoergai
This area is on the edge of Tibetan plateau, including grass land swamp and hills, so there are a lot of big birds.
Rouergai wetland, it distribute in Rouergai county, Hongyuan county in Sichuan and Luchu county, Machu county in Gansu, is the breeding and habitat area for black-necked crane, listed as the important wetland in the world.
Day 12,
Drive from Ruoergai to Jiuzhaigou National Park(200km). birding on the way. Overnight in Jiuzhaigou
Early in the morning visit Jiuzhaigou National Park, which is a world natural heritage. Birding in the National Park for a whole day.
Jiuzhaigou National Park is a magnificent area of high, snow-capped peaks, dense coniferous and mixed forests, hillsides covered with azaleas, bamboo, bushes and a lot of alpine flowers. The valley sides are frequently wreathed in cloud and the almost ethereal beauty of the area is further enhanced by the many intensely blue or turquoise lakes connected by waterfalls and rushing streams.
The prime endemic birds you may see here are: Tibetan Siskin, Three-banded Rosefinch, Rufous-headed Robin, Blue Eared Pheasants, P¨¨re David's Owl, Sooty Tit, Chinese Thrush, Chinese Leaf Warbler, Chinese Nuthatch, P¨¨re David's Tit, Sukatschev's Laughingthrush, and Three-toed Parrotbill
Day 13,
A whole day birdwatching in Jiuzhaigou National Park, Overnight Jiuzhaigou
Day 14,
Drive back to Chengdu with bird stops
Day 15
your Departure
Price Inclusions:
- Entrance Fees:
All the scenic spots or natural reserve entrance tickets as listed in the itinerary. And all the necessary cable car and sightseeing buses.
- Meals:
All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) in the itinerary.
- Private Transfers:
Between airport, hotels and tour spots mentioned in itinerary.
- English speaking Birding Guide
- Hotels:
Hotel fees are based on two people sharing one room with twin beds.
- Service Charge & Government Taxes:
- Arrangements:
The tour cost includes planning, handling, operational and communication charges
Price Exclusions:
- International Airfare to enter or leave China.
- Chinese Visa
- Personal Expenses:
Expenses of a purely personal nature such as laundry, drinks, fax, telephone calls, optional activities, sightseeing or meals which are not included in the tour itinerary.
- Any other services that we didn't mentioned
