Birding Tour in Kerala India

01 Day :Trivandrum-Kalakkad

Arrive Trivandrum and drive to Kalakkad (3-hours). Arrive Mayuram Farm. This farm house is set against the backdrop of the Kalakkad hills and surrounded by savannah and deciduous forests. A river cuts across the farm and the nearby village has many water tanks and ponds, which attract birds in large numbers. Short trip for birding near the tanks & bunds in the local village.
Overnight at Mayuram Farm.

Day 02 : Kalakkad National Park

Early morning drive to Ariyakulam and Kundakulam. Stop over at Tirunnelveli for breakfast followed by morning birding at Ariyakulam. After lunch, proceed to Kundakulam (1 hour), a small village of around 200-300 houses. Birds and people live together at peace with one another. Water birds such as painted stork, the globally threatened spotbill pelican, night heron, little cormorant, little egret have been making Kundakulam their breeding station. They arrive at the village by October. Return by evening.

Day 03 : Kalakkad-Periyar National Park

Early morning trip for birding around the farm house and the open grasslands to the changing eco tones of dry deciduous to evergreens. Lunch at the riverside, evening depart Mayuram and proceed to Periyar (3 hours). Check into Spice Village.

Day 04 : Periyar National Park

Birding at Periyar National Park. Thick forests and open grasslands dominate this region and is home to over 360 species of birds. One can expect wayanad laughing thrush, oriental darter, wooly-necked stork, rufous-bellied eagle, grey junglefowl, pompadour green pigeon, malabar parakeet, great indian hornbill, vernal hanging parrot, grey nightjar, malabar grey hornbill. Overnight at the Spice Village.

Day 05 : Periyar National Park-Munnar

After breakfast depart for Munnar, the hill station and tea town. Munnar is a combination of rolling grasslands and shola forests (high altitude montane forests). Weather is cool throughout the year. Tall Trees Resort. Chances of seeing 15 of the 16 endemics is very high at Munnar. Afternoon birding at Rajamala (Eravikulam National Park) and the sholas en-route. One can expect to see black baza, painted bush quail, nilgiri woodpigeon, red-rumped swallow, yellow-throated bulbul, black & orange flycatcher, grey-breasted laughing thrush, nilgiri pipit, white-bellied shortwing, white-rumped needletail. Overnight at Tall Trees Resort.

Day 06 : Munnar-Manavan Shola-Marayur

Early morning drive to Manavan Shola (1 hour), a pristine shola and Asia’s largest. Lunch at Manavan Shola. Return by evening to Tall Trees. Overnight at Tall Trees.

Day 07: Munnar-Kochi

Morning birding at Munnar. After lunch, depart for Kochi. Overnight at Bolghatty Palace.

Day 08 : Kochi- Thattekad-Kochi

Early morning drive to Thattekad. (1½ hours) Thattekad is a lowland forest area of approx 25 sq km and very rich in bird life and easy to spot. One can expect broad-billed roller, chestnut bittern, grey-headed fish eagle, orange-breasted green pigeon, spot-bellied eagle owl, brown fish owl, mottled wood owl, sri lankan frogmouth, greateared nightjar, malabar trogon, malabar grey hornbill. In the evening proceed to the watch-tower for night birding. Return in time for dinner to Bolgatty Palace.

Day 09: Kochi-onward destination

Transfer to airport to connect flight to onward destination. OR opt for an extension to Kumarakom (back waters).